The Bath Magazine August 2018

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thebathmag.co.uk

ISSUE 191 | AUGUST 2018 £3.95 where sold

DAVID SUCHET ON HIS ROLE IN ARTHUR MILLER‘S CLASSIC DRAMA

THE CITY’S BIGGEST MONTHLY GUIDE TO LIFE AND LIVING IN BATH

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Contents August 2018 5 THINGS

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Essential events to look forward to this month

COVER FEATURE

SPECIAL FEATURE SHOPPING GUIDE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

PLAYING THE PRICE

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A comprehensive guide to the very best retail emporia in Bath

Emma Clegg talks to David Suchet about his new role at TRB

ISLANDS IN THE SUN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 HOME ACCESSORIES TO TREASURE

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Which Caribbean island is the one for you?

Isabel Saiz explains the success of the Avenida brand

BATH’S TWIN CITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 WHAT’S ON

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Simon Horsford investigates Alkmaar, Braunschweig and Kaposvár

Our guide to the top events happening around the city

ON THE ROAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 ARTS IN THE CITY

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Chris Lilly test drives the Audi A8

Must-see exhibitions for August

A WALK IN TIME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 ADULT LEARNING COURSES

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Andrew Swift crosses the valleys of the Rivers Frome and Avon

Update your skills and learn something new

SMALL AND BEAUTIFUL WORKING WONDERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

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Clair Strong has some ideas for managing small spaces

How Bath Abbey’s volunteers keep the abbey wheels turning

GARDENING IN THE SUN BATH AT WORK

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Jane Moore’s suggestions for managing gardens in dry conditions

Neill Menneer’s portrait of tailor Mehmet Aydin

OUTDOOR PLEASURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Catherine Pitt investigates the rise and fall of Bath’s pleasure gardens

HOT PROPERTY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 The finest homes to buy or rent

CHEF TALK: DAN MOON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 ON THE COVER

Melissa Blease talks to the head chef at the Gainsborough Bath Spa Hotel

GOING SOLO

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Melissa Blease celebrates the role of the unaccompanied diner

Even more great content and updates online: thebathmag.co.uk

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Follow us on Twitter @thebathmagazine

David Suchet who stars as Gregory Solomon in the 50th anniversary production of Arthur Miller’s The Price at the Theatre Royal Bath – read our interview on page 20

Follow us on Instagram @thebathmagazine

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EDITOR’S PICKS COLOURSCAPE This month, immerse yourself in 25 interlinked coloured chambers forming a labyrinth on the front lawn of the Holburne Museum. Colourscape is a celebration for the senses, an amazing experience of colour, music and light for all ages. This new world is made up of soft curved edges imbued with intense colour, and performance spaces filled with music and dancing. Colourscape runs from 20–29 August; holburne.org

from the

EDITOR Editor photograph by Matthew Sterling

A

“

ugust rain: the best of the summer gone, and the new fall not yet born.

The odd, uneven time.” We’re hoping the summer sun doesn’t desert us just yet, but it’s true that, as Sylvia Plath’s words capture, this month involves a slight change of gear. As you pour yourself an iced drink and find a cool spot in the garden, your thoughts might stray towards how life will soon take on a more focused guise.

Well, keep those thoughts at bay, because we’re still revelling in the warm flush of summer. In fact, we’ve got travel on our mind.

Simon Horsford has given us a fascinating insight on page 70 into three of Bath’s twin cities: Alkmaar, Braunschweig and Kaposvár. If you’re a foodie, think of cheese, sausage and Rippl-Rónai cake. You’ll also encouter a daffodil festival; Henry the Lion, the Duke of Saxony; and 17th-century hidden courtyards.

As tourists continue to throng the streets of Bath, they are all likely to pass through Bath Abbey to admire the fan-vaulting and peruse the ledger stones, so what a good job that there are more than 100 volunteers to answer their questions. I talked to 10 volunteers, including a welcomer, a tour guide, a bell-ringer and a lay preacher about their roles – find out more on page 48.

We’re celebrating our local shops, too, with a special guide on page 66 to our favourite retailers in Bath who do such a great job of giving character, colour and interest to the city. I also interviewed Isabel Saiz of Avenida Home on page 24 – as a result of which I’ve fallen in love with her range of interior accessories made distinct by their use of original artwork.

The summer season at Theatre Royal Bath continues with a 50thanniversary production of Arthur Miller’s The Price. I asked David Suchet – who stars with Brendan Coyle and Adrian Lukis – about the challenges of playing the role of a silver-tongued used-furniture dealer (see page 20) with a Russian Jewish accent. The accent is nearly there, he tells me.

Melissa Blease defends the right to eat alone without being judged on page 64, and interviews Dan Moon, head chef at the Gainsborough Bath Spa Hotel on page 60 – he is a stickler for perfection and makes no bones about aspiring for a Michelin star.

You’ll also find some tips on styling small spaces from Clair Strong (page 94), advice on managing dry conditions in the garden from Jane Moore (page 100) and a look at the rise and fall in popularity of the city’s pleasure garden

by Catherine Pitt on page 54.

August awaits; enjoy this odd, uneven time.

Emma Clegg Editor

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

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YOUNG READING DELIGHTS Bath Children’s Literature Festival, now in its twelfth year, will run from 28 September to 7 October in venues across the city. The festival will include some of the biggest names in children’s literature, including David Walliams, Philip Pullman, Lauren Child, Cressida Cowell, Terry Deary & Martin Brown, Nadiya Hussain, Lucy Worsley, Ade Adepitan, Julian Clary & David Roberts (see left).

We have a preview of some of the events on page 32.

Be assured of a ticket by booking now: bathfestivals.org.uk FIGURE HEADS

Local sculptor Marc Brodie specialises in larger-than-life portraits of the male figure. His reinforced concrete Pariah Heads, of which this is an example, are engaged in a tussle of creation and corrosion. His current range of work uses Dylan Thomas’ poetry as its creative inspiration. Turn to page 12. You can see a selection of Marc’s sculptures through Axle Arts: axlearts.com

no lines in nature, only areas ❝ Thereof are colour, one against the other ❞ EDOUARD MANET (1832–1833)

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ZEITGEIST

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things to do in

August Discover Explore the ancient Roman Baths by torchlight this summer as the baths are open until 10pm until 31 August. By the light of flickering torches, you can walk on 2,000 year-old pavements, watch the steam rise from the thermal waters and read about Roman artefacts. £16.50 for adults after 5pm.

Special dinner and spa packages at Roman Baths Kitchen, the Pump Room and Thermae Bath Spa are also available, find out more online; romanbaths.co.uk

Conserve With more than 250 exhibitors, arts, crafts, activities and displays, The Oak Fair is the perfect day out for those interested in woodcraft, conservation and the countryside. Taking place at the Stock Gaylard Estate in Dorset from Saturday 25 – Sunday 26 August, 10am – 5pm, there will be falconry displays, tree climbing, chainsaw pirates, archery and a scarecrow competition, plus much more. £10/£8.50; stockgaylard.com

Movies under the moonlight Go upstream What better way to spend a sunny day gliding along the Kennet & Avon Canal while catching up with friends? The Sir John Knill waterbus is an electric boat that runs between Bathampton and Bath at weekends between April and September, and daily during the school holidays. The solar-boosted boat leaves from Bathampton at 10am, 12pm, 2pm and 4pm, returning from Bath Top Lock at 11am, 1pm, 3pm and 5pm. Adults £5 one way, children (five – 10 years) £3, cons £4.50. Returns are also available, stopping at Sydney Gardens or the Folly Bridge on request. Wheelchair accessible and buggy friendly; thesirjohnknill.com

Experience your favourite film while sitting under the stars, surrounded by the beautiful gardens of the Holburne Museum this summer as the Little Theatre Cinema presents a host of outdoor summer film screenings. Bring along a blanket and a picnic chair, grab a snack or a G&T from the bar, and catch up with friends from 7.30pm before the movie kicks off on the big outdoor screen at 9pm. The classic Top Gun will be shown on Thursday 9 August, while dark comedy Withnail & I will be on the big screen on Friday 10 August. The Beatles: Yellow Submarine is showing on Saturday 11 August, and the kids (and certainly some adults) can sing their hearts out to one of the most talked-about musicals of the year, The Greatest Showman, on Sunday 12 August. £11.70 adults, £7.70 children; holburne.org

Sense and Sensibility Witness the tribulations of the lives of the Dashwood sisters in an outdoor production of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility in the wonderful grounds of the American Museum in Britain, in Claverton on Saturday 25 August. Following the death of their father, sisters Elinor and Marianne are forced to move far away from their estate to a little cottage with their mother and younger sister. Here they encounter love, scandal, heartbreak and understand the importance of friendship. Open from 6pm for picnics, performance starts at 7pm. Presented by The Chapterhouse Theatre Company. £16 adults, £10 children. Booking essential; americanmuseum.org

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ist

THE CITY THE BUZZ THE BUZZ

COCK & BULL

My BATH Sculptor Marc Brodie, who was born in Wales, moved to Bath 30 years ago with his wife Vickie. He specialises in portraits of the male figure that are bigger than lifesize

Music making at the 2017 Cock & Bull festival

The Cock & Bull festival takes place on 10–12 August for a weekend of music, food and family fun to raise money for Bath-based children’s charity Jamie’s Farm. Founded in 2011, the festival provides a mix of live music and DJs, home-cooked food, thought-provoking workshops and family friendly fun. All profits go to Jamie’s Farm which supports disadvantaged young people from across the UK. Mixing jobs around the farm with therapeutic support, the farm aims to re-engage young people with education. The secret country location of the festival is near Bath and will be confirmed when you buy your ticket; cockandbullfestival.co.uk

The Victoria Art Gallery has secured grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Art Fund and Friends of the Victoria Art Gallery to buy the work Posh Art (1992) by prize-winning artist Grayson Perry. The pot cost £75,000, nearly all met by grant-aid and public subscription.

Following on from the huge success of Grayson Perry’s exhibition The Vanity of Small Differences in 2016, the gallery was keen to add a Grayson Perry to its collection. Posh Art was chosen as its classical urn shape relates to Bath’s famous architecture. The title of the piece refers to taste and class, as do the images with which it is decorated. Posh Art is now on display at Victoria Art Gallery, where it can be seen for free in the first floor galleries. victoriagal.org.uk

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We have moved to many parts of the UK over the years, but we have always been drawn back to the area by a fond affection for the city.

At the end of the 1990s, I worked for an animation company called Thumbs Up in Bath at Churchill House, making models and sets for commercials, which was great fun.

The best view of Bath is from the top of Beechen Cliff. We used to picnic in Alexandra Park and watch the fabulous balloons ascending in front of the Royal Crescent.

The Real Italian Pizza Company is a family favourite; great pizza and lovely staff.

POSH ART BY PERRY

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Bath seemed a golden city when I moved here, a romantic city for us to spread our wings and a complete contrast to our post-industrial home town in South Wales.

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I like to write songs on my 12-string guitar and instrumental pieces on my cello.

I used to draw and draw when I was young.

I still do, and get completely engrossed.

I remember watching the early Ray Harryhausen films – Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger, Jason and the Argonauts etc., and the fantastical creatures in these films had me riveted. My father told me it was done using stop-motion animation and the creatures were sculptures made of plasticine. Sculptures made of plasticine! From then on there was no stopping me. (Weirdly plasticine was invented in Bathampton.)

I soon discovered artists and sculptors I admired and regularly visited our local library where I pored over images of their work and spent the day peacefully drawing.

I get excited about how I can interpret ideas into sculpture. My main form of expression is the male figure. I use this to convey many ideas, from the forces of nature such as clouds, waves, rocks and plants to literature, such as in the work I am

Above, I Write My Own Story, photographer Noel Clarke Left, photograph of Marc by Matthew Sterling

currently absorbed in, based on the works of my favourite poet Dylan Thomas.

Firstly I draw out ideas inspired by the poem I have been reading. Then I make an armature – a very rough skeleton out of wire – before putting on clay, to which I then add shape and detail before a mould is taken to be cast into a permanent medium.

Much of my work has been concerned with the plight of the outcast in society, those who through become marginalised by poor education, poverty or unrecognised learning difficulties. These pieces are expressed in the form of portrait busts one and a half times larger than lifesize. They are cast as limited editions in bronze or resin, or as one-offs cast in concrete, often with rusting metal inserts.

I did a portrait of British BAFTA awardwinning actor and film-maker Noel Clarke.

His Hood trilogy of films deals with some of the same issues as I draw on in my work. I wanted the piece to work as a sculpture in its own right, irrespective of whether you know the subject or not, and I think I have achieved that. Noel loves it too, which is nice.

I love listening to music and have a very eclectic taste, but my favourite album is Hounds of Love by Kate Bush because it reminds me of the time I met my wife.

The songs are so emotional and hopeful.

I love comedy and I love making people laugh. I enjoy anything from the wonderful Laurel and Hardy to the anarchic Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmonson in Bottom. I am currently re-watching Fawlty Towers which I am pleased to say my son Ben finds as hilarious as I did at his age.

My favourite quote comes from Tony Hancock in his film The Rebel in which he plays a hapless aspiring sculptor: “What’s the point of a chisel if you’ve got nothing to chiz?” n Marc Brodie is represented by Axle Arts: axlearts.com

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Roving reporter August.qxp_Layout 1 24/07/2018 11:45 Page 1

POLAROID MEMORIES

The long, hot summer of 2018 has made our roving reporter nostalgic

The heatwave and England’s excellent performance in the World Cup have heightened our national obsession with nostalgia as we recall the hosepipe bans and ‘share a bath with a friend’ summer of 1976, and the summer of 1966 when Bobby Moore et al triumphantly brought football home. Even those not born in ’66 can recite the names of the players in that match against rivals Germany.

The nostalgia for those long hot summers has provoked Proustian memories of our childhoods. Who remembers the old play equipment in Bath’s parks, where roundabouts and slides were made from unforgiving metal that would burn skin on hot days, and where swings and climbing frames were set in concrete so hard it kept the hospital accident unit busy all season? Or the old boating pond in Royal Victoria Park, cast in shin-scraping stone, lethally slippery and slimy on the bottom and a modern health and safety officer’s nightmare?

During our school holidays we were ferried to picnics in the backs of cars, packed in on the back seat, or lolling about in the back of an estate car without a single booster seat or seatbelt between us.

Mothers would bid their children a fond, if vague goodbye, from the back door in the mornings and youngsters were then free range until tea time. And if that meant playing in the river, on a building site or in the farmers’ fields, parents turned a blind eye. In the days before helicopter parenting, where every minute of the day is accounted for, children were allowed to be bored. I’m so old I can recall the days when there was literally nothing on television during the daytime and we’d while away our afternoons hanging by our arms from my mother’s big old rotary washing line with the neighbours’ kids, using it as a makeshift, if uncomfortable roundabout. She’d look at us in despair through the kitchen window.

If your parents had a telephone they would allow you to use (always in the hall where any adult or sibling in the sitting room or kitchen could hear every word you said) and this handy means of communication gave you the power to contact your friends to arrange assignations. This removed the need to trek halfway across town to knock on your friend’s door and ask if so-and-so could come out to play. If we were given permission to use the hallowed phone, we’d be issued with an egg timer to stop our chat going beyond five minutes, and we’d have to ring off if the people who shared the party line wanted to make a call at the same time. Goodness knows what we would have thought then of the notion that future generations of teenagers would own their own phones and be able to talk to their friends 24/7. In those far off, Polaroid-bright coloured days, if we encountered the neighbourhood bully it would be by the block of garages where said bully would threaten to duff you up. Pre-social media bullying was generally limited to some unsubtle name calling and the odd Chinese burn. They didn’t have the power then to get past your front door, into your bedroom and even in the dead of night, torture you and smash your self-esteem with their poisoned words.

Those childhood summers smelt of mouldy canvas from tents left too long in the garage, they sounded like the tinny chimes of Greensleeves which heralded the ice cream van, and they tasted of luridly coloured lollies that turned your tongue a luminous orange.

Thursday nights meant Top of the Pops, Sunday evenings found us crouched over a cassette recorder poised to press the button to record the top ten as the new Number 1 single was announced. Pocket money was spent on comics and sweets, raiding Woolworth’s pick’n’mix counter or risking your fillings by chewing a Curly Wurly.

Every generation has its fond memories of things they used to do.

My children are still in a state of outrage that Freddo chocolate frogs don’t cost 10p any more, while members of my mother’s generation still talk fondly about the first time they tasted a banana after war-time rationing ended. I wonder what the youngsters of 2018 will look back on fondly in the parched summers of their middle age... n

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© MC Publishing Ltd 2018 Disclaimer: Whilst every reasonable care is taken with all material submitted to The Bath Magazine, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to such material. Opinions expressed in articles are strictly those of the authors. This publication is copyright and may not be reproduced in any form either in part or whole without written permission from the publishers.

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THEATRE

PLAYING THE PRICE

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And I walk in to a situation where I’m meeting a family who haven’t really seen each other for 16 years. What comes out is that the family, the history of the family, and their view of money and possessions are things that separate rather than heal. The drama is one of relationships and also very harsh words.”

Gregory Solomon is 89, but he doesn’t come across as an old man. “He’s 89 but he should neither look it or appear it,” says Suchet. “It should come as a surprise to everybody that he is that old. To the people in the play as well as to the people in the audience. He is just a very sprightly 89-year-old.”

❝

The danger with this particular role is that it has very many humorous and comic elements, and one must not be seduced by that because there is a lot of tragedy in Solomon

❝

F

irst performed in 1968 on Broadway, 2018 is the 50th anniversary of Arthur Miller’s The Price. David Suchet, who is appearing in the play at Theatre Royal Bath from 9–25 August, told me that it still has resonance today: “The beautiful thing about this play, in the greatest sense of the word, is that it is timeless. It is to do with families dealing with their parents’ possessions. The fact it was written in 1968 doesn’t stop it being as modern now as it was then.”

David Suchet feels an affinity with Arthur Miller, having played a number of roles in his plays over the years, including the same character of Solomon in 1971 when he was just 25, and more recently in 2010 playing Joe in Miller’s All My Sons. “Arthur Miller has got to be my favourite playwright of the 20th century. Every character that I’ve played of his, I feel I understand where Miller is coming from with the character and I hope I’m able to embrace that fully.

His plays speak to me. Playing Joe in All My Sons was, I think, one of the most extraordinary moments in a career for an actor.”

While not autobiographical, The Price, perhaps more than any other of Miller’s plays, has similarities to aspects of Arthur Miller’s own life. The father of the two sons in the play, recently deceased, was broken by the financial crash of 1929, in the same way as Miller’s own father. And Miller had an older brother, just as the protagonist Victor does. With the family exiled after the crash, Miller even sold bread to help the family make ends meet.

The play sees the two brothers, who have been estranged for 16 years, return to their family home after the death of their father, meeting to dispose of the furniture in his apartment. Victor, played by Downton Abbey’s Brendan Coyle, has sacrificed his career to look after his widowed father.

Older brother Walter – played by Adrian Lukis who played Wickham in the 1995 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice – who contributed little to supporting his father, has become a successful surgeon. Yes, it’s the perfect forum for the airing of weighty past family resentments. David Suchet’s character, Gregory Solomon, a silver-tongued used furniture dealer, arrives to close a furniture sale, but encounters much more, and in the second part of the play is forced to confront aspects of his own life.

“My character is coming in to assess and appraise the value of a family’s furniture.

Researching the character of Solomon leading up to rehearsals was a process of piecing together historical information to build up a whole picture for Suchet. “I use my research to give me a foundational understanding of my character. So as early as I get the script, I can find out things about my character that can inform the play in rehearsals.” Suchet looked at when Solomon was born (he was 24 in 1903, so he was born in 1879), researched the time when he lived and where he would have been living.

It seems likely that this would have been where the Jewish population in Russia were, probably in the Pale of Settlement in Lithuania, then part of Russia. (Interestingly the research would have had some personal relevance as Suchet’s father was of Lithuanian Jewish descent, from Kretinga in the Pale of Settlement of the Russian Empire, and his mother was of Russian Jewish descent on her own father’s side.) Then it’s a case of researching what was happening in the dates mentioned in the play, seeing how his life would have been affected by what was happening in America and researching

the experience of Russian refugees coming into New York. “This is where the internet is so wonderful,” says Suchet.

We all know that Suchet has a way with an accent, especially that of a certain Belgian detective, but how will Soloman’s accent be formed? “The accent is on the way,” says David. “He’s got to have a Russian Jewish accent, and it’s got to be tinged with a bit of New York/American. He was 24 when he arrives there, so basically he’s a European Russian Jew who has lived in New York since he was 24.”

The Price is directed by Jonathan Church, who is directing the whole summer season at Theatre Royal Bath. “Jonathan Church is the best kind of director because he works in collaboration,” Suchet enthuses. “So rather than being told what to do, he allows the actor full creativity and then works with what you give him.”

Victor, the younger brother, has a long scene with Solomon in the first act. This has plenty of humour in the characterisation of the grumpy, eccentric, wise old Jewish dealer.

Yet the scene is not just a comedy routine, and is interlaced with tension and drama: “I think the danger with this particular role,” says Suchet “is that it does have very many humorous and comic elements, and one must not be seduced by that. Because there is a lot of tragedy in Solomon. That has to come out, and you can’t have that come out if you are just playing a clown.”

What is the meaning and significance of the play’s title? It’s not just the price of the furniture being referred to here. “It’s the price of your own choices that you make in life,” says Suchet, “what is the worth of a human life when you are dead, what is the cost of your relationships if they break down? What is the price of commodity, of materialism versus a more spiritual, internal way of being? ‘The price’ goes on and on and on.”

Arthur Miller does not create easy drama – be prepared for bleak materialism, the grim tensions within family relationships and the stark analysis of how money controls us. But also be prepared for what promises to be a magnetic performance from David Suchet, returning to Theatre Royal Bath, which Suchet describes as “one of my favourite venues in the whole country and my favourite city in England.” n

The Price, Thursday 9 to Saturday 25 August, Theatre Royal Bath.

Tel: 01225 448844; theatreroyal.org.uk

Photographs by Nobby Clark

David Suchet returns to Theatre Royal Bath in a new production of Arthur Miller’s The Price. Emma Clegg speaks to the actor, known for his ability to get inside his characters, about the challenges of his new role

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Adrian Lukis, David Suchet and Brendan Coyle in rehearsal David Suchet

Brendan Coyle in rehearsal

Adrian Lukis

David Suchet and Sara Stewart

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Handmade sterling Silver Pendant £130 and ring £80 by British designer Holly McAfee

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RETAILER | PROFILE

AVENIDA HOME

Home accessories is a strong and ever-growing commercial sector – but how to find something away from the norm? Emma Clegg talks to Isabel Saiz of Avenida Home and discovers some interior products to covet

E

nter the store at Avenida Home in Walcot Street and discover an imaginative, upmarket retail experience. The space feels like an exclusive gallery, but the products on display are all printed and all utilitarian – place mats, table mats, coasters, trays, mugs and tablecloths – and they are creative, illustrative statements, combining the artistic with the commercial.

As you wander through the shop perusing the wares, you become aware that the space opens out at the back to reveal a creative office, a large glass table with Apple Macs and two people hard at work. There are products dotted around, a miscellany of boxes, too, and a large forest image on the back wall. Owner and creative director Isabel Saiz describes this as a ‘concept store’, part gallery, part showroom and the creative hub of the Avenida brand. Isabel says, “I came looking for an office, but I also wanted to keep in touch with the customers. Then I thought I could probably get a contribution to the rent from the sales, and it would allow us to develop within a retail context.”

“As the business away from the shop has grown,” says Isabel, “this back area has become the hub of development, rather than a shop. But the customers love that. It’s almost ridiculous, the more the mess has grown the more they buy from the back. We apologise about the boxes and they say ‘no

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we like them because it’s real’. And they love peeking through at the designs we’re working on.”

The shop has been open for four years, but it has been a six-year project for Isabel – when she started developing the idea for a home accessories business, she was still working as business development manager for The National Gallery. Isabel specialises in creative business development – she has also worked as head of marketing at Farrow and Ball and for The National Trust as brand extension and licensing manager. Isabel says: “Whatever business I have done has always been related to the arts. I have always wanted to work with artists and I used to mentor artists at the RCA and other places, employing them to create products or designs that they were inspired by.”

Isabel tells me that it is challenging for an artist to commercialise their own designs.

“Either you design commercial pieces or you paint, but it’s hard to do both.” So Avenida creates and designs all their products themselves, using the original painting or design from the artist. “This makes the products look quite different. Art is a painting from the heart. And when you constrain an artist to do something, the work loses its looseness. So we look at the painting and we see what elements there are to use.

The paintings are always pieces of art and design, and they are much more free.” So the commercial products capture the freeness of the artwork within each of the products.

“That’s why the collections are so eclectic,” says Isabel. The work of around 12 artists is captured within the current ranges. “Some might have lots of lines in the collection and some might have very few.

And some of the artwork doesn’t reproduce well in all the mediums. We would never put to market anything that we’re not really happy with.”

Isabel is particularly proud of Avenida’s range of linen accessories, which are printed in Europe. “There is so much that goes into developing a product type,” explains Isabel.

“I always wanted to do linen as I love linen fabrics and I could see there was a gap in the market because it is so difficult to source and produce. And I had quite a bit of experience in that in the past. It still took me a few years to get the right printing quality, the right linen, the right finishing.”

“It’s difficult because natural linen has a lot of blemishes. So the inks take in a different way to a bleached cotton or synthetic. So it’s almost like you never know

what is going to come out.”

The prices are not shown in the shop.

Initially this was because there wasn’t the time, then they couldn’t decide where to put the prices, which seemed to cheapen the products wherever it was placed. And now the lack of prices has become more of a philosophy: “Generally it’s a lot better because you engage in conversation. And also we price everything the same by category, not design,” says Isabel. “So the pricing is quite easy and allows people to choose because they like a piece.

“A happy person is one who has been in and is likely to talk about it because they have bought something consciously, not because they saw the price and thought they could afford it.” (In the shop tablecloths are £72 and £95, according to the size; coasters are £5; place mats are £12; and table mats are £18.)

The prices in the shop are more reasonable than on the website. “This is because we want to attract people to the shop,” Isabel tells me. “The shop doesn’t make much difference to the overall turnover of the business but it’s invaluable as a way of interacting with people.”

The business is funded by the company’s trade sales and they have a significant number of UK outlets. Avenida’s clients include Heals, SCP and Article Design in Dublin. Liberty’s were their biggest client right from the beginning and Isabel says that they have been very supportive as the business has grown. Avenida Home are now one of Liberty’s top-selling brands.

The international business, too, is growing fast: “I started exporting straight away,” she says. “At that time I didn’t really need to.

But I went to Japan, because I used to work there with the National Trust and I love the culture.” The company exhibits at Maison et Objet in Paris in January and September each year, launching new collections in those months. Isabel has also taken the work to Singapore, Indonesia, South Korea and New York.

The future seems bright: “We do keep customers – we’ve had customers right from the beginning, which means our things sell.

The ambition is to build our brand and create what we do well and in a sustainable manner,” she says. With Isabel at the helm, it’s obvious that’s exactly where they are heading. n Avenida Home, 27 Walcot Street, Bath; avenidahome.com

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Art is a painting from the heart. And when you constrain an artist, the work loses its looseness.

So we look at the painting and we see what elements there are to use

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WHAT’S ON in August Freddie Fox and Michael Peters in An Ideal Husband at Theatre Royal Bath

Photograph by Marc Brenner

Åkervinda at Komedia

AN IDEAL HUSBAND Until Saturday 4 August, times vary n Theatre Royal Bath A star-studded acting line-up as Edward Fox, Freddie Fox, Susan Hampshire, Nathaniel Parker, Frances Barber and Sally Bretton feature in Oscar Wilde’s glittering comedy.

Sir Robert Chiltern is a promising politician, destined for the highest office, wealthy and adored by his wife. He is unquestionably an ideal husband. Until, that is, the enigmatic Mrs Cheveley appears in London with a damning secret from his past that could ruin both his career and his marriage. £25.50– £41.50; theatreroyal.org.uk SUMMER DAY CAMPS Until Friday 24 August, 8.45am–5.30pm n Mill On The Brue, Trendle Farm, Tower Hill, Bruton Children aged seven – 12 can try an amazing variety of exciting and fun activities at Mill On The Brue’s summer camps. Activities include the 240m zip wire, canoeing, a giant water slide, archery, fire lighting and shelter building, an assault course, high ropes and much more. Two instructors stay with each group of 12 all day and the price includes a two-course lunch, drinks and snacks. £60 per person, per day or £269 for a weekly ticket.

Booking essential; millonthebrue.co.uk TORCHLIT SUMMER EVENINGS Until 31 August, last entry 9pm n The Roman Baths By the light of flickering torches, you can walk on 2,000 year-old pavements and watch the steam rise from the great historic baths as the sun sets. Grab a glass of fizz from the new Champagne bar as you wander around the baths. Dining packages at Roman Baths Kitchen and the Pump Room available. £16.50 entry for adults, £10.25 children, after 5pm; romanbaths.co.uk 26 TheBATHMagazine

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MINERVA’S OWLS OF BATH SCULPTURE TRAIL Until 10 September n Locations around Bath A major public art sculpture trail of 80 individually decorated owls and owlets brings colour and fun to the city to celebrate Bath’s Roman heritage and raise funds for local charities. There is also an interactive mobile map. Free; minervasowls.org PACIFIC: OCEAN OF ISLANDS EXHIBITION On until Saturday 22 September n Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution, Queen Square This summer exhibition focuses on items from the BRLSI collection with a connection to the Pacific Ocean: corals and shells, the ethnography of the many small islands, and natural history specimens. Plus prints from international photojournalists highlighting the impact of environmental change on wildlife and peoples of the Pacific. Free entry.

NATIONAL PLAY DAY Wednesday 1 August, 12–3pm n Queen Square, Bath Kids can get stuck in with lots of fun activities including samba, bikes, straw dens, inflatables, swing boats, pizza bike and much more. £1 per wristband; bapp.org.uk PLAYGO! Thursday 2, Tuesday 7, Wednesday 15 and Monday 20 August, 11am–2pm n Weston Rec, BA1 4DY (2 Aug), Sandpits Park, BA2 2JD (7 Aug), Kensington Meadows, BA1 6BN (15 Aug), Somer Centre car park, BA3 2UH (20 Aug) Whether you fancy going on bike or foot, join the Bath Area Play Project for a day of play and exploration. Bring a packed lunch; bapp.org.uk

CATFISH Friday 3 August, doors 7.30pm n Komedia British Blues Award winners Catfish have carved a reputation as an excellent live band, receiving five nominations in the British Blues Awards over the last two years, plus two number one albums in the IBBA Blues Airplay Charts. 14+. £10; komedia.co.uk SATURDAY SKETCHING Saturday 4 August, 10.30am–12.30pm n Fashion Museum Be inspired by the dresses, waistcoats, hats, gloves, corsets and jewellery on display in the Royal Women and A History of Fashion in 100 Objects exhibitions and draw the fabulous items. Sketchbooks and pencils available from the front desk. Share your images on social media using #SaturdaySketching and tag @Fashion_Museum and @minervaartshop on Twitter, and your drawing may be featured in the museum’s online gallery. Free with museum entry; fashionmuseum.co.uk PLAYDAYS Monday 6, Wednesday 8, Monday 13, Thursday 16, Tuesday 21, Wednesday 22 August, 1–4pm n Various locations around Bath Bath Area Play Project hosts lots of creative and sensory fun for kids. This afternoon will be full of sports, games, obstacle courses, nature and water play, and lots of fun with food. £1 per wristband. Go online to view locations: bapp.org.uk MEET THE ARTIST: TOUR WITH CANDACE BAHOUTH Tuesday 7 August, 5.30–6.30pm n Victoria Art Gallery Enjoy an exclusive tour of the A Celebration of Flowers exhibition with mosaic artist

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EDITOR’S PICK ONCE UPON A HILL FESTIVAL Saturday 4 August, 3pm n The Old Barn site at Kelston Roundhill, near Bath Once Upon a Hill Festival is the pinnacle of Kelston Records’ summer events programme; a full day of music, poetry and ideas at the height of summer, at one of the very highest points in Bath. The line-up features Stick in the Wheel, Haiku Salut, Greg Cordez Quintet and Rock of Eye. The Old Barn, once a Victorian threshing barn, has been adapted perfectly for events that slip seamlessly from the beautiful outdoor space to the cosy interior of the barn.

All ages welcome. £26/£16, under 11s free; komedia.co.uk

Candace Bahouth. Find out more about her artwork and see her amazing pieces on display in the exhibition. £10/£9, available to buy from the gallery shop; victoriagal.org.uk THE PRICE Thursday 9 – Saturday 25 August, times vary n Theatre Royal Bath One of Britain’s most celebrated actors, David Suchet, stars as Gregory Solomon with Olivier award-winning actor Brendan Coyle as Victor Franz in the 50th anniversary production of Arthur Miller’s The Price. Two estranged brothers meet in their childhood home following the death of their father. When Gregory, a silvertongued used furniture dealer, arrives to close a deal he doesn’t expect the brothers being there to confront each other; theatreroyal.org.uk DIRTY BOURBON RIVER SHOW Thursday 9 August, doors 7.30pm, 8–10.30pm n Chapel Arts Centre, Lower Borough Walls The Dirty Bourbon River Show have quickly earned themselves a stellar reputation for their tight, multi-faceted sound and highenergy performances. They can be found bringing their blend of ‘New Orleans Big Brass Circus Rock’ all over the world. £15/£13.50; chapelarts.org BRSCC CATERHAM RACE WEEKEND Saturday 11 – Sunday 12 August, 8.30am–6pm n Castle Combe Circuit, Chippenham Caterham racing is some of the most hard-fought and spectacular in club motor racing, and Castle Combe Circuit will dedicate an entire weekend of action from the skeletal racers that will wow crowds across two days of fast-paced action. Weekend tickets: £20/£15, Saturday £10/£7.50, Sunday £15/£10; castlecombecircuit.co.uk THE DUNG BEATLES Saturday 11 August, doors 7.30pm, 8–10.30pm n Chapel Arts Centre, Lower Borough Walls Take a trip back to the swinging 60s with The Beatles tribute band The Dung Beatles. With so many Beatles classics to choose from, the band will perform everything from chart toppers to album tracks that Beatles fans are sure to enjoy. £15; chapelarts.org BATH FOLK FESTIVAL Saturday 11 – Sunday 19 August n Various venues around Bath Now in its ninth year, Bath Folk Festival features concerts, lively pub and café sessions, storytelling, dance and the popular summer school, where students learn traditional music for five days under the tuition of a team of respected players; bathfolkfestival.org Continued page 28

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Lauren Bradford at Bath Folk Festival

God of Carnage at Theatre Royal Bath

CLASSIC CAR AND MOTORCYCLE SHOW Sunday 12 August, 10am–4pm n Bowood House & Gardens, Calne, Wiltshire Privately owned and club vehicles will be on display in the grounds of Bowood, full concours will be overseen by an experienced commentator, and there will be plenty of trade/autojumble stalls, children’s entertainment and quality food and drink options available. Normal house and gardens admissions apply. £12.75–£7.70; bowood.org UPROAR! Monday 13 August, 7pm n Komedia Launched by Komedia Bath and Bath Mencap, Uproar! is Bath’s first club night for adults with learning disabilities. The night offers a safe, relaxed and fun environment, where one of Bath’s best-loved DJ’s, Luke Baker, will be providing a classic and contemporary mix of pop and dance hits.

Exclusively for adults with learning disabilities, their families and carers. 18+. £5, carers free; komedia.co.uk EVOLUTION Tuesday 14 – Sunday 19 August, 10am – 6pm n Walcot Chapel, Walcot Gate Trinity Artists present an exhibition of seven local painters and 3D artists responding figuratively and abstractly to the theme of evolution. Meet the artists over a glass of wine on 14 August, 6–9pm. Free entry.

A TASTE OF PERSIA Friday 17 August, 6–9pm n The Holburne Museum, Great Pulteney Street For one night only, sample the tastes and sounds of Persia in the museum’s Garden Café with food from Simi of Simi’s Kitchen and traditional Middle Eastern folk music from Mazaj. Inspired by the museum’s display Bath to Baghdad: A Collection of

Middle Eastern Art, this event will bring to life the Persian world as experienced by 19th century traveller, Ellen Tanner. £15; holburne.org TEXTILES FAIR Saturday 18 – Sunday 19 August, 10am–4pm n The American Museum in Britain, Claverton Manor, Bath Browse antique, vintage and world textiles as well as yarns and craft suppliers. Don’t forget to explore the museum’s extensive quilt collection for some textile inspiration.

Normal admission applies; americanmuseum.org BESPOKE EMBROIDERY: INSPIRED BY QUEEN MARY'S EVENING DRESS Saturday 18 August, 10am – 4pm n Fashion Museum Royal School of Needlework tutor Deborah Wilding will be teaching a bespoke embroidery class inspired by the sequinned evening dress worn by Queen Mary in about 1930, currently on display in the Royal Women exhibition. You will create a piece of embroidery which replicates the use of beads and sequins to give an impressive encrusted, shimmering effect shown on this amazing dress. The class kit, available to buy on the day for £30 (cash only), will include everything you require to complete the project. Suitable for all levels. £80; fashionmuseum.co.uk FABULOUSLY FERMENTED: HERBAL ALCHEMY Saturday 18 August, 2–5pm n Combe Grove, Brassknocker Hill Discover the world of beneficial bacterias, try your hand at fermenting and take away some practical skills and recipes to continue at home at this workshop led by Lucie Cousins of Bath Culture House. Members £55, non-members £60; combegrove.com ÅKERVINDA Sunday 19 August, doors 7.30pm n Komedia

Be inspired by Queen Mary’s dress at the Fashion Museum’s embroidery class

Join Scandi vocal quartet Åkervinda for an evening of folk tales, improvisation and sublime vocals. The singers have a beautiful, vivid and engaging take on traditional Nordic music, and their arrangements are intricate and unusual, leaving room for improvisation and invention. 14+. Advance tickets: £12/£10; komedia.co.uk COLOURSCAPE Monday 20 – Wednesday 29 August, 11am – 4pm n The Holburne Museum, Great Pulteney Street Colourscape is a unique experience of the most intense colours you can imagine. Put on a coloured cape and step into a new world where there are no horizons just soft curved edges and intense colour and light. Turn a corner and another fabulous view opens up.

Become lost in colour and space and explore until you discover live musicians and dancers leading you on a journey of music and colour. Each day there will be different programmes of music and performances – this is a 10-day arts festival that takes place within a sculpture. Admission £5.

WHEELY FUN Thursday 23 August, 1–3.30pm n Odd Down Cycle Circuit, Chelwood Drive, BA2 2NX Bring your bikes, cycle helmets, scooters and skates for an afternoon of fun on the circuit, riding obstacle courses, decorating, making bike smoothies and pictures; bapp.org.uk ANDRÉ RIEU SCREENING (LIVE) Friday 24 August, 7pm n Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford on Avon One of the most popular live acts in the world, renowned violinist André Rieu performs his own versions of classic love songs from the worlds of popular and classical music. This will be a live screening of the concert, dedicated to his family and the Johann Strauss Orchestra, from André’s hometown of Maastricht. £15/£7.50; wiltshiremusic.org.uk Continued page 30

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Explore the Holburne Museum after dark

Enjoy live jazz outside at St Stephen’s Millennium Green

SIDE BY SIDE: KNIT FOR VICTORY Sunday 26 August, 1–4pm n The American Museum in Britain, Claverton Manor, Bath Americans of all ages were requested by the United States government to knit wool socks, sweaters, and other garments to keep soldiers at home and abroad warm during the First World War. Enjoy an afternoon in the company of the museum’s volunteers and have a go at knitting. Beginner or expert you’re sure to have fun and learn something new. Normal admission applies.

JAZZ ON THE GREEN Sunday 26 August, 6–9pm n St Stephen’s Millennium Green, Richmond Road, Bath Stan Scott and friends will be playing in the lovely garden of Millennium Green this bank holiday weekend. Take a rug, make yourselves comfortable and enjoy the live music. There will be a BBQ and a bar to buy refreshments. Entrance fee £5, children go free; millenniumgreen.org.uk COMBE COUNTDOWN RACE DAY Monday 27 August, 8.30am–6pm n Castle Combe Circuit, Chippenham This is where the racing season heats up at the circuit. This race day features the penultimate rounds before the Castle Combe Champions are crowned. Advance tickets: £15/£10, includes paddock pass; castlecombecircuit.co.uk SUMMER FAIR Monday 27 August, 2–5pm n St Stephen’s Millennium Green, Richmond Road, Bath Enjoy the annual summer fair at the Millennium Green where there will be produce for sale, mostly from the St Stephen’s allotments, including jams, jellies and flowers. There will also be a tombola, tea and cakes and family games. At 3pm Andrew Hume will bring his ever popular Punch and Judy show and Stan Scott’s jazz group will be playing live. If rain appears, the fair will move to St Stephen’s Centre; millenniumgreen.org.uk 30 TheBATHMagazine

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GOD OF CARNAGE Wednesday 29 August – Saturday 15 September, times vary n Theatre Royal Bath When 11 year-old Ferdinand hits 11 year-old Bruno in a playground punch-up and knocks out two of his teeth, the combatants’ enlightened parents decide to meet to talk things over civilly. But once the niceties are done with and the drink starts flowing, it is the parents who turn into spoiled brats.

Winner of the Tony Award for Best Play and the Olivier Award for Best New Comedy, this ruthlessly comic study of middle class parenting, by the author of Art, is one of the most successful plays in the history of the West End. Starring Elizabeth McGovern (Downton Abbey), Amanda Abbington (Sherlock), Ralf Little (The Royle Family) and Nigel Lindsay (Victoria). £15–£38.50; theatreroyal.org.uk GRASSHOPPERS & CRICKETS Thursday 30 August, 7.30pm n BRLSI, 16–18 Queen Square A guide to the local species of grasshoppers and crickets by Rob Randall from the Bath Natural History Society. Most British species can be found in the Bath area. Rob will provide an introduction to the local species, with tips on where and when to look for them. £4/£2; brlsi.org HOLBURNE UP LATE Friday 31 August, 5–9pm n The Holburne Museum, Great Pulteney Street Enjoy after-hours access to the Holburne’s galleries and garden. Enjoy a cocktail in the café and admission to the Prized Possessions: Dutch Masterpieces from the National Trust House exhibition for £10; holburne.org PLANNING AHEAD...

MOVIE BY MOONLIGHT: THE GREATEST SHOWMAN Saturday 1 September, 8.30pm (gates open from 5pm) n Royal Victoria Park, Bath The popular outdoor cinema, organised by the Royal United Hospital’s charity

The Forever Friends Appeal, is returning to Royal Victoria Park with a screening of the worldwide musical sensation The Greatest Showman (rated PG). Starring Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron and Michelle Williams, get ready to sing your heart out to the catchy soundtrack which has dominated the music charts since the film’s release last December.

Free entry; foreverfriendsappeal.co.uk OCEAN FILM FESTIVAL WORLD TOUR Thursday 6 September, doors 6.30pm, start 7.30pm n Komedia Calling all ocean lovers! The annual Ocean Film Festival is sweeping towards Bath with a brand new selection of the world’s most amazing ocean films, from both above and below the surface. This collection of short films celebrates divers, paddlers, surfers and oceanographers who live for the sea’s salt spray. Be wowed at the mind-blowing marine life, exhilarated by the power of the waves, and be inspired by the characters who dedicate their lives to answering the call of the ocean. 12+. £14/£12; komedia.co.uk BATH SCOTTISH DANCERS Tuesday 18 September, 7.30pm n Ralph Allen School, Claverton Down Road, Combe Down Join the Bath Scottish Dancers for a free taster evening. Classes for beginners and intermediate dancers available. Beginners classes also take place at Bathampton Village Hall starting at 1.30pm from Thursday 13 September; rscdsbath.co.uk BATH PRETTY MUDDY 5K AND PRETTY MUDDY KIDS Sunday 23 September n Bath Racecourse Scramble over the A-frame, crawl through the mud pit, have fun with your friends, and raise money for Cancer Research UK at this Race For Lift muddy obstacle course.

Suitable for ages 13+. For the first time in Bath there will also be Pretty Muddy Kids, a new exciting obstacle course designed just for children. £10 for children, £19.99 for adults; raceforlife.org n

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HIMAL FASHION and ACCESSORIES from the HIMALAYAS

6th Annual Autumn Event Following our hugely successful previous events and by demand, we are pleased to announce this year’s event dates are Friday 19th October and Saturday 20th October 2018, 10.30am - 4.30pm 5, Old King Street, Bath (Health & Beauty Centre and Bath Chiropody Clinic; next to Hall and Woodhouse) We will have many beautiful items, including: Pure Cashmere Shawls • Pure Cashmere Scarves • Pure Cashmere Ponchos • Pure Silk Handprinted Scarves Silk & Cotton Mix Dressing Gowns • Silk & Cotton Mix Pyjama Sets (beautifully presented in matching presentation bags) NEW STOCK THIS YEAR inc. Luxurious Hand Embroidered Cashmere Shawls • Pure Wool Rugs Beautiful Embroidered Cushions • Home Accessories • Clothing • Handbags Children’s Slippers • Gifts for children, family & friends too Dare we mention…….. Beautiful Christmas Decorations Come along, bring a friend, enjoy a glass of Prosecco with us, shop!

All profits from the event will be donated to The Charitable Foundation for the Education of Nepalese Children Reg’d No. 1140503 (A local charity, supporting and funding the education of children throughout Nepal.)

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CITY | CULTURE

Ade Adepitan

Harry Hill

Tom Fletcher

Lucy Worsley Photograph by IW Photographic

Photograph by Dave Spearing

Photograph by Daniel D Moses

CHILDREN’S READING

The 2018 Bath Children’s Literature Festival, now in its twelfth year, runs from 28 September to 7 October and includes some of the biggest names in children’s literature – here are some highlights LAUREN CHILD Waterstones’ Children’s Laureate Lauren Child will be in conversation with Gill McLay. Creator of Clarice Bean and Charlie and Lola, Lauren will explore the magic of illustration and writing. 8+, Friday 28 September, 5–6pm, Guildhall. £7.50

FLYING FERGUS WITH CHRIS HOY Join Olympic athlete, cyclist Sir Chris Hoy, co-author Joanna Nadin and illustrator Clare Elsom as they introduce their action-packed series Flying Fergus. Expect laughts, facts and live illustration! 6+, Wednesday 3 October, 11.30am–12.15pm, Guildhall, £4

HORRIBLE HISTORIES: TERRY DEARY & MARTIN BROWN Horrible Histories is celebrating 25 years of filling children’s heads with foul facts, savage stories and cruel cartoons. Join the creators to find out more about these beastly books.

7+, Saturday 29 September, 1–2pm, The Forum, £9

LET’S VISIT THE OLOBOBS! Join the world of CBeebies favourite, Olobob Top and discover the magical world of shapes, colours and patterns. 2+, Saturday 6 October, 1–1.45pm, Bath Cricket Club, £6.50

MEET ADE ADEPITAN Meet medal-winning Paralympian and author Ade Adepitan as he talks about his new book series, Ade’s Amazing Adeventures. Hear about his move to the UK from Nigeria, the importance of friendship and the challenges he faced. 7+, Saturday 29 September, 2–2.45pm, Guildhall, £7 MINIBEASTS WITH JESS FRENCH Join CBeebies Minibeast Adventures star, zoologist Dr Jess French as she introduces families to the remarkable and incredible world of minibeasts. 6+, Sunday 30 September, 12–12.45pm, Guildhall, £7

HARRY HILL Join the comedy superstar of TV Burp and You’ve Been Framed for an hour of sidesplitting fun as he presents his latest book Matt Millz, about Britain’s youngest comedian. 7+, Sunday 7 October, 11am–12pm, Komedia, £8

TOM FLETCHER Join Tom Fletcher for a magical musical adventure – travel to the Woleb and discover the world under your bed where The Creakers live. 8+, Saturday 6 October, 10am–12pm, The Forum. £9

LUCY WORSLEY Join historian Lucy Worsley and discover the story of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon’s divorce told through the eyes of their daughter Princess Mary. 11+, Sunday 7 October, 4–4.45pm, Guildhall, £7 n

PHILIP PULLMAN Hear Philip Pullman talk about how he builds his fantasy worlds, fall in love with his

To book tickets to the festival, visit: bathfestivals.org.uk or call: 01225 463362

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FANTASTICALLY GREAT WOMEN WHO MADE HISTORY Meet a host of women who made history with Kate Pankhurst – who is related to suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst – in this interactive event for all young changemakers. 6+, Sunday 7 October, 10–10.45am, Guildhall, £6.50

MARCUS SEDGWICK Join the author of My Swordhand is Singing and Revolver as he explores monsters in literature, and talks about his new book The Monsters We Deserve. 12+, Saturday 6 October, 5.45–6.45pm, Guildhall, £7

Martin Brown

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brave and resilient characters and get the chance to ask this master storyteller your own burning questions. 10+, Saturday 6 October, 4–5pm, The Forum, £9

Jess French

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CITY | READING

GOOD READS FOR KIDS

Saber Khan from Topping & Co picks out six children’s books to suit ages ranging from three to eight plus.

You’ll find classic reads, stories of the suffragettes, an insight into beetles and some moving poetry

MORE WOULD YOU RATHER...

SUFFRAGETTE: THE BATTLE FOR EQUALITY

John Burningham, hardback, £11.99, Jonathan Cape

David Roberts, hardback, £18.99, Two Hoots

This exquisitely illustrated celebration of the centenary of the suffragette movement is a tale of astounding bravery, ingenuity and strength.

Suffragette: The Battle for Equality is a fantastic introduction to an engrossing topic. It covers a range of female and male experiences – from aristocrats to the middle and working classes as well as a look at the global struggle for universal suffrage. Delightfully informative.

Ages 8+

BONKERS ABOUT BEETLES

Owen Davey, hardback, £12.99, Flying Eye Owen Davey's dynamic art and witty informational tidbits shine a light on the toughest bugs in the insect world: those brawny beetles.

Did you know that there are roughly 400,000 different species of beetle? These incredible creatures make up about 25 per cent of all animals on our planet. From the mighty Goliath beetle to the beautiful iridescent scarab beetle, this captivating illustrated guide will teach you everything worth knowing about these fascinating insects. Tremendous fun. Ages 5–9

JUST SO STORIES

Rudyard Kipling, illustrated by Robert Ingpen, hardback, £16.99, Palazzo Editions Complete and unabridged, with Ingpen’s marvellous illustrations – and there are lots of them. How did the whale get his throat? And why was the lazy camel lumbered with a hump? And how did the elephant’s insatiable curiosity earn him a trunk? These 13 wildly imaginative and wonderful tales originally written for Kipling’s daughter Josephine still entrance and delight. All children will treasure this collection. Ages 5–7 years

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Would you rather have breakfast with bears, lunch with a lion or dinner with ducks? Would you like to fly with the pelicans or swim with the fish? Would it be worse if an elephant made a terrible smell or you fell over in a field of cows? Ask, and answer, these questions and many more in this wonderfully funny, imaginative gem of a book from the superb John Burningham. Ages 3–6

A FIRST BOOK OF THE SEA

Nicola Davies, hardback, £14.99, Walker Books This spellbinding collection of poems about the oceans of the world and their shores will enthral and inspire readers of all ages. With this book, children can swim alongside dolphins and flying fish, pore over rock pools and sail from pole to pole, learning about everything from phosphorescence and plankton to manta rays and puffins – all in the comfort of their bedroom. Emily Sutton’s jubilant illustrations leap off the page. Ages 4–6

THE BEAR, THE PIANO, THE DOG AND THE FIDDLE David Litchfield, hardback, £11.99, Wide Eyed Editions

Litchfield’s award-winning debut The Bear and the Piano is one of my favourite picture books of recent years. Hector and his dog Hugo have made music together through good times, bad times and even some crazy times. But when Hugo learns to play the fiddle and tours with Bear’s Big Band, can he overcome his jealousy and be happy for his friend? This captures all the warmth and charm of the original, with showstopping cityscapes and heartfelt emotion. Ages 4–6 Topping & Co, The Paragon, Bath; toppingbooks.co.uk

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ART | EXHIBITIONS

COLOUR AND LIGHT

Expect bold tones, atmospheric landscapes and an artistic multimedia pop-up on show in Bath this month THE HOLBURNE MUSEUM

Colourscape at the Holburne

Great Pulteney Street, Bath Open daily, 10am – 5pm (11am Sundays) Tel: 01225 388569 Web: holburne.org COLOURSCAPE Monday 20 – Wednesday 29 August, 11am – 4pm Colourscape is a unique experience of the most intense colours you can imagine. Put on a coloured cape and step into a new world where there are no horizons, just soft curved edges, colour and light. Become lost in colour and space, and explore until you discover live musicians and dancers leading you on a journey of music and colour. Each day there will be different programmes of music and performances.

This is a 10-day arts festival that takes place within a sculpture. Admission £5.

PRIZED POSSESSIONS: DUTCH MASTERPIECES FROM NATIONAL TRUST HOUSES Until Sunday 16 September This exhibition brings together some of the National Trust’s best-loved works of

AXLE ARTS

17th-century Dutch art to celebrate the enduring appeal of two great achievements of European culture: Dutch Golden Age painting and the British country house. National Trust houses contain an extraordinarily diverse collection of almost one-million individual items. Displayed together for the first time at the Holburne are 22 highlight Golden Age pictures from National Trust houses. Admission £10/£9, National Trust members £7.50.

BATH TO BAGHDAD: ELLEN TANNER’S COLLECTION OF MIDDLE EASTERN ART Until Sunday 21 October Discover the eclectic collection of art formed by Miss Ellen Tanner following her journey to the Middle East in the 1890s. She later donated more than 80 items to the Holburne in the 1920s.

From sumptuous textiles to delicate carved woodwork and lacquer and elaborately decorated metalwork, this collection is on display for the first time following a major conservation project generously funded through the Big Give Christmas Challenge.

Forget Me Nots and Bluebells by Adrian Parnell

Leighton Road, Weston, Bath Open: Monday to Saturday, 10am – 5pm by appointment Tel: 01225 461230, web: axlearts.com ADRIAN PARNELL Throughtout August In choosing the humble wildflower as his focus, Adrian Parnell draws us away from the more popular and opulent rose, introducing viewers to a more whimsical and delicate study that reminds us of simpler things, such as walks in the countryside and summery picnics, with egg and cress sandwiches and homemade lemonade. Parnell under-paints his canvases, often in warm hues. In this most recent body of work currently on show, he has favoured various shades of yellow from a rich golden to a more earthy ochre. The result is a painting that glows with confidence and optimism, an effect reminiscent of early morning sunlight. Adrian Parnell studied at St Martin’s School of Art and The Slade during the 1970s and exhibits widely across the UK.

Multiple circle kinetic bangles by Elizabeth Chubb

WALLER & WOOD 4 Abbey Green, Bath Open: Wednesday – Saturday, 11–5pm, and Sundays, 12–4pm Tel: 07803 033629, web: wallerandwood.co.uk BRILLIANT ALTERNATIVE Thursday 16 August – Sunday 16 September An exhibition of jewellery by members of The Association of Contemporary Jewellery. A vibrant mixture of new work by six makers using an exciting range of materials including silver, coloured wax crayons embedded in resin, iron and silver, concrete and diamonds.

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ART | EXHIBITIONS

EMMA ROSE Upstairs at 78 Walcot Street, Bath Open: Monday – Saturday, 10am – 5pm Tel: 07885 235915 or 01225 424424 Web: emmaroseartworks.com Throughout August There’s plenty of exciting stuff happening on Walcot Street at the moment.

You can see Emma Rose’s exuberant Owl Minerva on display, before swinging over to her gallery to see her award-winning landscapes, contemporary and semi-abstracts. With an emphasis on the sultry summer, paintings zing with warm life. The highlight painting is The Colours of Time. Her unique work is a mix of Indian inks, acrylics with gold/copper/silver leaf. She is happy to talk through any commission ideas, now a mainstay of her work.

Now is the Time by Andrew Crocker The Colours Of Time

by Emma Rose

BEAUX ARTS York Street, Bath, open: Monday – Saturday, 10am – 5pm Tel: 01225 464850, web: beauxartsbath.co.uk FAME AND PROMISE Throughout August Work by artists Simon Allen, Beth Carter, Andrew Crocker, Stewart Edmondson, Atsuko Fujii, Anna Gillespie, Thomas Lamb, Donald MacDonald, Nick Mackman, Nicholas Middleton, Paul Mount, Pieter Vanden Daele, Martha Zmpounou. Plus new ceramics by Jill Fanshawe Kato.

THE BATH ROYAL LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTION 16 Queen Square, Bath Web: brlsi.org PACIFIC: OCEAN OF ISLANDS Until Saturday 22 September, 10am – 4pm This year’s summer exhibition focuses on items from the BRLSI collection with a connection to the Pacific Ocean: corals and shells, the ethnography of the many small islands, and natural history specimens that illustrate the significance of the Wallace line, the invisible boundary which separates the ecozones of Asia and Australasia identified by naturalist Alfred Wallace (1823–1913). In addition, prints from four renowned international photo journalists, highlighting the impact of environmental change on the wildlife and peoples of the Pacific, will be on display. Free admission.

Chesterfield by Nick Cudworth

NICK CUDWORTH GALLERY London Street, top of Walcot Street, closed on Mondays Tel: 01225 445221, web: nickcudworth.com Nick was attracted to Chesterfield Cathedral when, travelling up north on the train, he noticed the steeple tilts over to one side. The painting shown here also includes a sofa known as a chesterfield. This month Nick will be exhibiting a selection of his original paintings and prints in his gallery. Visitors may wish to call and make an appointment if they would like to talk with Nick about his choice of images and technique. The themes of the work are varied from landscape to still life.

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nick cudworth gallery

August Stile - Oil on canvas

AUGUST EXHIBITION 1 – 31 August An exhibition of paintings and prints by Nick that reflect his interest in a variety of subjects including portraits, still life and Landscape

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

The Framing Workshop has been trading as an independent family run business on Walcot Street for over 28 years. We treasure you, our client, and spend time helping you to ďŹ nd the best way to display and protect your cherished objects, artworks and memorabilia. Creativity and respect for each artwork are core to what we do.

Every picture tells a story. Come and share yours.

80 Walcot Street, Bath, BA1 5BD Tel: 01225 482748 www.theframingworkshop.com framing@theframingworkshop.com

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ART | EXHIBITIONS

MUSEUM OF EAST ASIAN ART Bennett Street, Bath, open: Tuesday – Saturday, 10am – 5pm; Sunday, 12 – 5pm Web: meaa.org.uk

VICTORIA ART GALLERY

By Pulteney Bridge Open daily, 10.30am – 5pm Tel: 01225 477233 Web: victoriagal.org.uk A CELEBRATION OF FLOWERS: KAFFE FASSETT WITH CANDACE BAHOUTH Until Sunday 2 September Internationally renowned colour expert and fabric designer Kaffe Fassett returns to Bath with a new exhibition at the gallery. When Fassett and Candace Bahouth last exhibited here in 2008, the gallery welcomed a recordbreaking 31,000 visitors. Inspired by flowers all his life, Fassett will demonstrate his full creative flair in A Celebration of Flowers. With a bespoke dazzling colour

scheme to match, the installation will transform the gallery using 40 of his vibrant coloured quilts and needlepoints. The show will also feature colourful mosaiced island gardens, benches, totems, mirror frames, shoes, flower-encrusted candlesticks and a chandelier by one of Fassett’s long-term collaborators, fellow American Candace Bahouth, who is based in Somerset. Many of these works are on a large scale and extend the floral theme into three dimensions. A graduate in fine art from Syracuse University, Bahouth settled in rural Somerset, where she developed her unique expression in mosaics using found material from nature as well as china and high-tech plastics.

THE QUEST FOR WELLNESS Until Monday 12 November The theme of wellness permeates this city based on its origins as a Roman spa town. In this exhibition, artist Zhang Yanzi explores common frailties and shared humanity, investigating the nature and meaning of wellness in China: its history, and its modern counterpoints from a Chinese perspective. Works on display include Excess, a silk robe covered in pill capsules which portrays pills as a kind of physical and psychological armour in the modern world; Inhalation, a Chinese painting on analgesic plasters that explores the ability of beautiful objects to provide humans with psychological comfort; and Pure Land, an ink painting of Buddha’s portrait in the ancient Chinese Buddhist mural style that alludes to the concept of well-being from a spiritual angle.

The Breathable, 2016, ink and cinnabar on gauze Somerset Levels by Malcolm Ashman

IN CELEBRATION OF THE ARTS Saturday 8 – Sunday 9 September, 11am – 5pm In the house and garden of 165 Newbridge Hill, Bath, BA1 3PX Tel: 07793085267 Web: thehiddengardensofbath.co.uk

DAVID SIMON CONTEMPORARY 3 – 4 Bartlett Street, Bath Open: Monday – Saturday, 10am – 6pm, closed Wednesday and Sunday Tel: 01225 460189 Web: davidsimoncontemporary.com SUMMER SHOW Thursday 2 August – Monday 3 September With the latest paintings by Malcolm Ashman, depicting landscapes of the South West of England, large landscape paintings by Andrew Lansley in egg tempera, abstract compositions by Stephen Lavis and a selection of work by gallery artists. This exhibition provides a rich and plentiful variety of original paintings from £200 – £4,500.

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Seven artists showcase their work including outdoor sculpture by Renée Kilburn, Hayley Jones, Willa Ashworth, paintings

by Doris Minter, Kathryn Scaldwell Culf, Alan Weeks, and photography by Chloe Moore.

Musicians play throughout the day and light lunches, homemade cakes and scones are served on the terrace with proceeds going to Challenge Ministries’ work among orphaned and vulnerable children in Bulembu, Swaziland. Entrance £6 on the gate, £5 in advance (see website for details).

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ART | EXHIBITIONS

THE EDGE The Edge, University of Bath, Claverton Down Open: Tuesday – Saturday, 11am – 5pm Tel: 01225 386777 Web: edgearts.org THE FANTASTICAL MULTIMEDIA POP-UP PROJECT EXHIBITION Until Friday 24 August Multimedia artworks and installations from the Zabludowicz Collection, London, feature in this exhibition which explores the intersection between digital, arts and science. From Rachel Rossin’s immersive and painterly virtual reality experience, to David Blandy’s hacked and customised arcade machine to 3D concrete printing, the show is a chance to experience new technologies in myriad ways. Free admission.

Installation view of Lossy, Zieher Smith & Horton

GALLERY NINE 9b Margaret’s Buildings, Bath Open: Monday to Saturday, 10am – 5pm Tel: 01225 319197 Web: gallerynine.co.uk SUMMER EXHIBITION Until Friday 31 August

A Fresh Perspective 5

by Magdalena Morey

GALLERY AND BARROW 118a Walcot Street, Bath Open: Tuesday to Saturday, 11am – 5.30pm Tel: 01225 311379 Web: galleryandbarrow.com

AUGUST SUMMER SHOW Throughout August Featuring a summery variety of paintings by Magdalena Morey, Jamel Akib and Rebecca Hawkins, plus screenprints by Natasha Kumar and Chitra Merchant.

Renowned jeweller Laura Baxter creates pieces that capture the essence and beauty of plant life.

Each piece is a work of art and is made in silver and 18ct gold.

Caroline Reynolds hand constructs all her own work in silver and gold using piercing, soldering and forging techniques.

Award-winning ceramicist Lara Scobie makes individual slip-cast vessels and bowls in porcelain and Parian clay, decorated in crisp lines. Rosie Musgrave works with limestones, marbles and alabasters and cuts stone Flower pendants mostly by hand with hammers

by Laura Baxter and chisels. Elka Sada returns with her Capriccio range. Every piece is replete with painterly brush strokes, creating powerful fields of colour which she combines to form vibrant, perfectly functional vessels.

The exhibition will also showcase a wide range of print works by a group of emerging and established artists.

Oaks and Lavender

by Darren Gordon

DARREN GORDON 44AD artspace, 4 Abbey Street, Bath Web: 44ad.net, thelandandthesea.com SILENT SENTINELS Monday 3 – Saturday 7 September, 10am – 6pm The title of the exhibition refers to the landscape structures that often appear in Darren’s paintings or stand nearby as he paints in the landscape around Bath.

These motifs create anchors in his paintings such as a farm building, a large oak tree or a river cutting through the heart of a village. They have stood for hundreds of years and still stand silently watching. Darren often wonders what these sentinels of the local landscape have witnessed in their time during war, revolution and changing times. This group of work has been painted over the past year.

Opening night and meet the artist takes place on Monday 3 September, 6 – 8pm at 44AD Gallery. n

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CONVIVIAL PURSUITS It may be a long time since you last set foot in a classroom, but when this time of year comes our thoughts turn to the start of a new term and to thinking about taking up a new hobby or expanding our capabilities. Open your mind with our little guide to adult courses, clubs and activities.

There’s one to suit every little passion and pleasure...

LEARN TO UPHOLSTER If you fancy a complete change in career, or would like to spend your free time creatively and industriously, the Traditional Upholstery School offers a range of courses in the craft of upholstery. Based in light-filled airy Georgian warehouse workrooms in Holt, courses include one-year part-time diploma courses, evening courses, leisure classes and one-day workshops.

Founder Joanna Heptinstall also runs classes in traditional lampshade making and restoration, attracting students from all over the country and abroad. “Our unique selling point is that we are teaching traditional skills to a very professional standard.”

• There is a range of courses starting this September, so visit traditionalupholsteryschool.co.uk for details and to enrol.

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ADULT | CLASSES, COURSES & CLUBS

ACTING & MUSICAL THEATRE Bath School of Acting, based in central Bath, is a highly regarded drama school with specialised courses in Acting and Musical Theatre. The musical theatre course balances intense technique training across acting, singing and dance and the acting course develops the essential elements of skills training while developing creativity and artistic identity. Bath School of Acting training includes focused audition preparations which allow students to develop skills, technique and repertoire for future auditions.

Classes, taught by industry professionals include Masterclasses from patrons Jason Connery and Jeremy Taylor alongside experts from all walks of the performing arts industry. Although part time, the intensive courses offer unrivalled daytime training of 14 hours a week, allowing the students the time to not only work but also take part in the numerous theatre groups in the area. Entry is by audition only.

BATH WATERCOLOUR WORKSHOPS

• Full audition details can be found at bathschoolofacting.co.uk; Tel: 07577 709597

Rediscover painting by joining a friendly Bath Watercolour Workshop and create your own flowing landscape while you chat about colour, composition and exhibitions over coffee. Experienced tutor Catherine Beale is passionate about watercolours and enjoys explaining her bold and loose “gravity painting” techniques with step-by-step demonstrations. Several colourful new workshops have been designed for the autumn/winter including Bath Cityscapes (10 October) and a number of wonderful painting retreats at Combe Grove Manor Hotel – see website for all the dates and themes. Catherine’s beginners’ workshops in January make an ideal Christmas gift or personal resolution treat.

• Visit: catherinebeale.com or tel: 07891 409490 to book

DEMUTHS COOKERY SCHOOL

THE MAKE ROOM The Make Room, situated in Notton near Lacock, offers sewing classes in dressmaking, tailoring, soft furnishing, curtain and blind making, and crafts. There are evening courses and day classes, weekend workshops and one-to-one classes for beginners to advanced. In all classes you will learn how to use different machines and overlockers, with a maximum of four students.

The workshop is well-equipped with four workstations, cutting table, ironing corner and large mirrors. Everything is provided for you apart from fabric, and there is a selection of seasonal fabric samples you can order from, and patterns can be ordered in class.

There is also a selection of haberdashery items you can buy as required, and interior soft furnishing supplies.

• To find out more, view all classes, book and pay online, or subscribe to the newsletter; visit: themakeroom.uk

Demuths Cookery School is run by one of the UK's leading plant-based chefs Rachel Demuth, who owned the award-winning Demuths Restaurant for 26 years. She is joined by a team of experienced chef tutors who teach an exciting and varied selection of plant-based courses for all abilities from beginner to accomplished cook. Courses at Demuths Cookery School focus on encouraging students to be confident with cookery techniques such as knife skills and using spices and herbs to flavour their dishes. All courses are full of nutritional and technical tips and the school prides itself on making plant-based cookery accessible to all.

Popular courses include 20 minute suppers, Southern Indian Thali, Thai and Vietnamese, Chinese and Middle Eastern as well as courses dedicated to bread-making, raw and gluten-free cookery.

• For further information visit: demuths.co.uk Demuths Cookery School, 6 Terrace Walk, Bath BA1 1LN

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ADULT | CLASSES, COURSES & CLUBS

AN INTRODUCTION TO ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME EVENT The Roman Baths, Saturday 20 October, 10am – 4pm What do the ancient Greeks and Romans mean to you? This one-day course traces the rise of Greek civilisation from the legendary times of Troy to the end of the Roman Republic and the first emperors. These two cultures are closely related and in turn shaped the world that followed. No language skills needed. This course for adults is taught by George Sharpley from Latin Qvarter. All course materials are provided.

• Please call 01225 477773 to book. £45 per person, £10 discount to Discovery Card holders and concessions. Tea and coffee are provided.

BESPOKE EMBROIDERY INSPIRED BY GEORGIAN TECHNIQUES Fashion Museum Bath, Friday 21 September, 10am – 4pm. £80 (includes a ticket to the Fashion Museum) Royal School of Needlework Tutor Deborah Wilding will teach this bespoke embroidery class, which will take place during Bath’s famous Jane Austen Festival. The class is suitable for all levels and is inspired by dress worn at the time of Jane Austen. During the class you will create a handkerchief embroidered in the corner with a motif appropriate to the time of Jane Austen, using whitework techniques including satin stitch, stem stitch and eyelets as well as finishing techniques. You will also have an opportunity to view the dress at the Fashion Museum as part of the A History of Fashion in 100 Objects exhibition. The class kit, available to buy on the day for £30 (cash only), will include everything you need to complete the project.

• For further information and details visit: fashionmuseum.co.uk or royal-needlework.org.uk

EVENT

CLASSES AT THE EDGE This autumn you can find adult-learning classes in dance, music production and life drawing at The Edge creation centre at the University of Bath.

Dance courses are led by experienced tutors who cater to a variety of levels, whether you’re continuing a passion or wish to try something new.

Classes include Ballet Beginners, Street Dance, Movement Class, Contemporary and Barre Fluid Fitness.

Life Drawing classes with Alex Roberts are a perfect opportunity to develop and finesse your drawing skills with a choice of daytime or evening sessions. You’ll get a chance to explore shapes and tones, improve your observational skills and learn new mark-making techniques.

Music Production for beginners is an introduction to mixing and mastering with tutor Adam Volsen. Delve in to logic pro X’s interface, and have fun recording and editing audio, and building drum loops with drum machines and samplers.

• For further information visit: edgearts.org The Edge, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY

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BATH BRIDGE CLUB Bath Bridge Club is a friendly all-abilities club with day and evening sessions throughout the week. They meet in a pleasant clubhouse in Combe Down with ample free off-street parking.

The club has gone from strength to strength and is now has over 300 members and is one of the top bridge clubs in the country. They offer duplicate bridge sessions, assisted play, masterclasses and seminars. What’s more, there’s tea, coffee and biscuits at all sessions.

• Oldfield Old Boys Rugby Club, Shaft Road, Bath BA2 7HP For further information go to: bridgewebs.com/bath/ or get in touch by email: bathbridgeclube@gmail.com

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ADULT | CLASSES, COURSES & CLUBS

COOKERY AT LUCKNAM PARK

EQUESTRIAN AT LUCKNAM PARK

Set among a 500-acre estate, learn new skills and techniques at Lucknam Park Cookery School with head chef Ben Taylor.

Awarded Welsh Chef of the Year 2016, Ben teaches participants to create delicious, exciting dishes that are easy to re-create at home.

There’s a range of full and half day courses to choose from starting from £95 per person, which includes coffee and pastries on arrival, lunch, use of chef jacket and apron, recipe folder and a cookery bag to take home.

Home to 35 horses, the equestrian centre at Lucknam Park provides an opportunity to experience the thrill of horseriding in incredible surroundings. The school caters for children and adults, from complete beginners to advanced riders and the full-size arena allows you to hone your riding skills in dressage and jumping. For the keen eventer or cross country enthusiast there is a cross country course built by Badminton course builders The Willis Brothers.

• For further details and dates visit lucknampark.co.uk to explore all upcoming courses and to book a place.

• For more information on the equestrian centre, visit lucknampark.co.uk or call: 01225 742777

LOVE 2 LEARN AT BATH COLLEGE If you have always wanted to learn a new skill but haven’t had the opportunity, a Love2Learn part-time leisure course at Bath College is just what you need. All courses are timetabled to fit around your existing commitments, so you can learn in the evenings, at the weekend or even for a week in the school holidays. The college offers a wide range of art and design courses in traditional disciplines such as painting, printmaking, photography, glass, jewellery making, sculpture and ceramics as well as courses in design for the home such as interior design, upholstery and picture framing.

If you would like to brush up on your language skills or learn a new language from scratch, there are courses at differing levels in Arabic, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin and Spanish.

CLIFTON WINE SCHOOL

• All courses and many more can be found at bathcollege.ac.uk; For all enquiries call: 01225 328720

Clifton Wine School is a local, independent wine education company which specialises in hosting wine tastings and wine courses in Bristol and Bath. Courses are open to everyone and no previous wine tasting experience is necessary. The school is owned and run by Ruth Wiles DipWSET., who has completed the WSET Diploma qualification and is a qualified educator and assessor with the Wine and Spirits Education Trust. Wine courses and wine tastings focus on learning about the tipple in a fun, relaxed and informal environment. There are numerous courses taking place throughout the coming months, during the evenings and at weekends in central locations in Bristol and Bath. Options include introduction-to-wine evenings, food pairing, the chance to focus on individual wine regions, WSET awards and eight-week ‘World of Wine’ courses. Cheers!

• 0117 3706576; info@cliftonwineschool.com; cliftonwineschool.com

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ADULT | CLASSES, COURSES & CLUBS

WILD COOKING The Wild Cooking team love to cook outside; the simple joys of a fire, good food and friends. Now you too can enjoy this pleasure in their tranquil woodland kitchen a short cycle ride from Bath’s city centre.

Learn how to thrive off the land with a wild cooking course, including fire-lighting, hunting, skinning, butchery and cooking. They take you on a thoroughly hands-on and delicious journey through wild game preparation and cooking. Attend a course or book the whole venue.

They cater to private parties, stag, hen or corporate functions and are also delighted to host other chefs for your own events. One-day courses are typically either deer or small game and fish, skinning, butchery and cooking a few example recipes. Every participant takes all their prepared meat home with them. Alternatively, organise a private party and mix and match to suit your food and activity preferences.

Vegetarian and vegan options also available.

• For further information and to book up for a course visit: wildcookingbath.com

THE ART OF MAKING GIN At the home of Bath Gin, The Bath Distillery offers several tours and gin-making classes in their distillery and workshop where you can experiment with different flavour distillates to create your own unique gin. With welcome drinks and tastings, everything is carefully supervised and explained by a distillery team member to help you achieve your perfect bottle – which you take home as a memento.

• Two hour gin-making workshop from £90 per person. For details on all the tours and classes visit: thebathgincompany.co.uk

A CLASS IN GLASS Have a go at the ancient art of making glass at one of Bath Aqua Glass’s half-day workshops. This is a hands-on course where you will learn all the basic skills of hot glass working with a professional glassblower in order to make your own paperweight and learn the magical way glass is sculpted. By the end of the session you will have learnt all the essential techniques, from gathering glass from the furnace, shaping and tooling the molten glass to applying colour and finishing. You will be able to take home your own piece of art after it has cooled down overnight.

• To find out more and to see some of the other classes offered, visit: bathaquaglass.com

V V ROULEAUX Knots & Tassels: Thursday 16 August 10am–12pm. Learn how to make exquisite Turk’s head knots and tassels.

Flower Making: Thursday 16 August 2–4.30pm. Make beautiful flowers including roses and pansies from the renowned collection of ribbons.

The V V Rouleaux team pride themselves on their creative flare and excellent knowledge of craft, weddings, interiors, millinery, costumier, decoration, and fashion. Its services are tailored to you; whether you require colour matching, project advice, or hat design they always aim to go above and beyond your expectations. In addition to the bespoke services, V V Rouleaux run regular workshops teaching you the secret tricks of the trade such as tassel making and millinery design.

EVENT

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I’LL TAKE LUCK OVER SKILL EVERY TIME Duncan Campbell HAS BEEN DEALING IN ANTIQUE SILVER SINCE 1986.

A tale of a very lucky find

W

hile Bath is groaning with visitors at this time of year, the antiques trade traditionally goes completely flat from July to September. The auctions save their best goods for the autumn and consequently, the sales that do take place are rather poorly attended with most potential buyers off on their jolly holidays. As a result, it can be a good time of year to acquire well priced, if perhaps unexciting, stock.

With this in mind, I was slogging my way through a pre sale viewing of dozens of lots of deeply dull silver last week when I came upon a very pretty lidded jar in silver-gilt, inside there was an in tact glass liner. This might be a caviar pot, I thought to myself. The auctioneer may have drawn the same conclusion as he had described it as “unmarked, possibly Russian”.

Though very attractive, without any marks it was always going to be a tough sell, but with precious little else to get enthusiastic about I figured I’d have a go at buying it; it was perfectly formed and, if I liked it, I thought I might persuade someone else of its merits.

The sale, some distance from Bath, ran on into the late afternoon so, unusually for me, I took my purchases home rather than to the shop.

After dinner and with not much on TV I decided to unpack some of the silver to have a closer inspection at what I had bought.

When I got to the caviar pot I discovered that the base unscrewed from the body and underneath was a layer of thick black unidentified goo which I began idly to pick at with my fingernail. With the dog making it clear that he thought a walk was on the cards, I was about to give up this messy task, when I uncovered a Russian silver fineness mark. As I marched round the woods I was feeling rather lucky that this unmarked object could now be properly described as a Russian caviar pot thus ensuring a decent profit.

When I got back home I decided to clean off all of the black paint in preparation for sale. Half an inch from the standard mark was a maker’s mark in cyrillic, in a dream-like state I stared at it for several minutes before jumping up and dancing around the kitchen, it read ”K Faberge".

As I tried to convey last month, in my business I’d take luck over skill every time. n www.beaunashbath.com, 01225 334234

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CITY FOCUS | BATH ABBEY

WORKING WONDERS

Bath Abbey is on a volunteer recruitment drive. Emma Clegg talks to volunteers – including an 87-year-old bellringer who uses YouTube and a tour guide who has conferred with the Archbishop of Canterbury. Photography by Deb Coleman THE CHOIR CHAPERONE “I thought you’d forgotten where we live,” Delyth Cardy’s husband commented recently.

I can see why. Delyth is a volunteer at Bath Abbey and has been part of the congregation and an active member of the abbey since moving to Bath in 1970. She is also a member of the church council and she organises front of house, which involves scheduling stewards for concerts, providing first aid cover and organising tickets.

That’s not all. Delyth’s main role is as chaperone to the girl’s choir. She attends when they sing choral evensong on a Thursday. She is also there on Sundays. She keeps the choir in line, but also loves to be in the middle of the music-making: “For me, it is when I’m in there with them practising and I can see in their faces what it means to them, the joy they get out of what they are doing – they are so enjoying it, you know.”

There have been significant changes to the abbey over the years. Delyth was the first ever lay person to serve communion in the 1990s: “That was a huge new innovation,” she says. “In those days we had the old words, not just the blood of Christ – it was an entire paragraph and you had to say a different one for each person.” She was also asked to be one of the first three lady sideswomen who were introduced in 1992.

“I was asked because I was more able to withstand any flack,” she explains. And flack there was, with overheard comments such as

Delyth Cardy, girls’ choir chaperone

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“Whatever next?!” from the congregation.

Delyth is one of over 300 volunteers at Bath Abbey, which welcomes nearly half a million people each year. From flower arrangers to lay readers, welcomers to tour guides, stewards to chaplains and archive volunteers to bellringers, there is a vast range of roles to choose from, and each volunteer plays their part in ensuring the smooth running of the abbey.

THE WELCOMER Song Li, who works as a welcomer for three to five hours a week, is a student from the University of Bath and is studying education.

She is volunteering for a few months until she goes back to China to work as a teacher.

“I found this opportunity on my university’s volunteer website. I like it because as a volunteer you need to talk to people from many different countries and it’s a good opportunity to meet different people.”

Everyone is warmly welcomed, Song tells me: “It’s exciting for me working on the welcome desk. It’s nice for me to meet all the volunteers and staff. They are all really, really nice. I love them. I totally love this town.”

THE TOUR GUIDE AND LAY READER Jeremy Key-Pugh is a former churchwarden and tour guide specialising in tours of the memorial stones at the abbey. He is also a lay reader, which means he has a licence from the bishop to lead services and preach. He joined the abbey choir in 1974 as a tenor, sang in the choir for 20 years, and remembers when the abbey was still gas-lit in the 1970s. He is the secretary of the Friends of Bath Abbey and a member of the church council. Jeremy explains how much things have changed in the time he has been there: “The old days, when the church was an autocracy by the parish priests, have gone. It is now much more of a collaboration. I totally respect the call to ordained ministry but I have a ministry as a lay person as well, which gives you a slightly different perspective.“ I ask how important the abbey is to him.

“I couldn’t imagine life without the church, but I believe passionately and theologically that church is the people. This church means the abbey congregation and my friends. The building has got to be an aide to the mission of the church. We are not against it being beautiful and ancient and fascinating – the fact that it draws people here is truly wonderful, it’s a gift. But it mustn’t get in the way of what we do as a church.”

“I have had some wonderful experiences in my time here,” says Jeremy. “I was invited to Lambeth Palace in 2014 to confer with the

Archbishop of Canterbury over who would be the next Bishop of Bath and Wells – it was just amazing. Little old me.”

THE ARCHIVE VOLUNTEER While Jeremy is the resident expert on the wall panels and ledger stones in the abbey, he relies on the help of archive volunteer Gill Hylson-Smith. She is a retired teacher and a Latin expert. Many of the inscriptions are in Latin, so Gill’s translations are essential, particularly as new ledger stones are revealed as part of The Footprint Project when the main pews will be removed, uncovering a collection of unrecorded ledger stones.

Translating is not always straightforward: “Some of the stones are written in rather ‘showing off’ Latin, and not always good classical Latin. The stonemasons sometimes miscopied letters, so sometimes nothing makes sense until I have a Eureka moment.”

Gill told me how retirement made her reassess her life: “When you retire you have to think what you really want to do and you don’t necessarily just want to spend all your time looking after your grandchildren, so I wanted to use my Latin. And I wanted to encourage other people. When you get old, that’s all you can do, encourage the young.”

THE CHILDREN’S COORDINATOR Patricia Shuttleworth is another retired teacher, who volunteers as the crèche and children’s group coordinator. There are four groups for Sunday school: the crèche, Sparklers for children under six, All Stars for six to eight year olds and Fireworks for eight to 10 year olds. Patricia works with the older children: “I have been a PE teacher so I’ve always had boundless energy. One thing I didn’t want is to be sitting there in my 70s, shaking my hands and saying ‘dear children’.

It’s got to be fun and it’s got to be that they want to come back the next week.”

Patricia spends about four hours each week preparing for the half hour Sunday school lesson. There may be one child or there may be eight. Despite having a careful plan, she is always ready to deviate to fit around the children’s needs: “If your mind is in tune to where the children are and the way they are coming out with their problems, their wonders, their joys, their sorrows, then that’s what we need to be there for.”

THE BELLRINGER Bellringer Jim Cook is 87 and has been ringing bells since he was 17. Indeed, until recently he used to cycle to the abbey before climbing up the 212 steps to the top of the tower for bellringing. Continued page 51 ➲

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SPORTS | PROFILE

Lynda Gray, abbey shop volunteer

Jeremy Key-Pugh, tour guide and lay reader A detail of the truss at St John’s Hospital in Chapel Row

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On Saturday night I think, ‘It’s the abbey tomorrow, brilliant’. I’ve thought that every week ever since I’ve been coming. I feel like that is a real gift, from God to me if you like.

And I want to pass this gift on PATRICIA SHUTTLEWORTH

Patricia Shuttleworth, crèche and children’s group coordinator

Song Li, welcomer

Gill Hylson-Smith, archive volunteer

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CITY FOCUS | STREET FURNITURE

SPORTS | PROFILE

Robin Dixon, steward, tour guide and lay minister

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What we’re all able to do in different ways is to join in with people’s celebrations and deepest moments of grief. And there aren’t many places where you get to do that

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The Rev Evelyn Lee-Barber

One of the key principles of the abbey is offering hospitality. It’s part of the tradition which goes back centuries to the time of the Benedictine priory church and the monastery that was part of it ROBIN DIXON

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THE REV EVELYN LEE-BARBER

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CITY FOCUS | BATH ABBEY

He rings the bells once or twice on a Sunday, and there is a practice night on Mondays.

Bellringing is evidently a lifelong passion – Jim told me that he watched the National 12 Bell Striking Contest in Cambridge at the weekend, not in Cambridge, but on YouTube.

“Nowadays I’m restricted by my ebbing strength to ringing the smaller bells,” Jim says.

“There are 10 bells at the abbey and we usually manage to ring 10 for a Sunday.”

Jim is also on the money-counting team, accounting for collections, donations, candles and entrance fees.

Jim explains that there are endless sound variations when ringing bells: “You can ring changes on more than one bell – there are 5,000 different combinations on seven bells [change ringing is ringing a set of bells to produce variations in their sequences].”

“You can also ring with the bells fully muffled,” Jim says, “and it comes through quieter and with a softer sound. You can also half muffle them, so you get the loud note on one side and as you swing the bell back you get the soft one. And that is really moving.”

And how does ringing the bells make Jim feel? “When it goes well it’s really very good indeed, when you get the rhythm just right,” he explains. The same as in rowing when you are rowing in a crew and it just goes whoosh, and by gum it’s good.”

STEWARDS AND TOUR GUIDES Robin Dixon is a more recent recruit, joining as a steward and tour guide six months ago.

He was working as a National Trust volunteer, leading walks in Prior Park and on the Bath Skyline. He had been a lay minister in an Anglican church and so he was also asked to help out with the abbey chaplaincy team.

Robin’s historical knowledge is extensive and the history of the abbey building fascinates him: “One of my interests is why the building is the way it is. Why do we have those enormous windows and what does it tells us about the belief of the people who built them? I’m reading about how the place was built, because it really is quite extraordinary.

They would have used windlasses to get the stone up the scaffolding.”

My conversations with volunteers are dominated by the importance of welcoming visitors. In Robin’s words, “One of the key principles of the abbey is offering hospitality.

It’s part of the tradition that goes back centuries to the time of the Benedictine priory church and the monastery that was part of it.”

Pete Jones is a volunteer steward and guide, a retired English teacher who joined the congregation six years ago. Before he was a volunteer, Pete spoke to a steward who told him he is sometimes asked, “Do you still have services here?”. Pete says he became a steward because he wanted to be asked that question.

Volunteering for Pete is about his faith: “I’m here because I’m doing it for a bigger reason. I’m here because I’m a Christian and I’m representing our church, but I’m also representing the city and the country. And I

want to project all our good features.”

He tells me that an abbey tour takes about three quarters of an hour. “When I take primary school children around,” he says, “I do it as a journey of faith. So I start in the east with the baptism and head to where you receive communion. And on the way I describe the lecterns and pulpits.” Many of the visitors are full of questions: “People don’t have an automatic connection with the church as they would have done a generation or two ago. So it’s fertile ground. And if we can show love and compassion as Christians then it’s planting the seeds of what we’re about.”

THE SHOP VOLUNTEER Lynda Gray, who has been a shop volunteer for nine years, working two afternoons a week, doesn’t attend the abbey. “I came into the shop one day,” she explains, “and said ‘Have you any work?’, and they had me signing on the dotted line before I could say ‘Jack Robinson’. I said I didn’t attend the abbey but they said it didn’t matter.

“I liked the little shop and I knew you’d get loads of tourists coming through. I used to work for an airline so I’m used to dealing with different nationalities and I thought it would be nice to continue that, and talk to people.

I really enjoy it.”

What is the value of volunteering, I ask?

“If you enjoy talking to people, working here is ideal,” Lynda explains. “It’s also surprising how much you learn when you are volunteering, about Bath and about the abbey’s history.”

THE ASSOCIATE PRIEST Evelyn Lee-Barber – whose background is in team development and management development – was ordained five years ago before she came to Bath. She trained as a curate and stayed in the city, working full time as an associate priest and she is also on the leadership team of the abbey. “I am called by God to be a priest. So this place and this

community allow me to express that calling.

I don’t know who is the bigger gift, me to them or them to me. I am a shepherd, a servant, a messenger, a watchmen, a steward.

That shapes what I do here.”

Tuning in to each person’s needs requires some sensitivity. Robin Dixon is well attuned to this: “There are sometimes people who come here who are in a big storm as they are crossing the sea of life. They come here to find some kind of peace. You can sense when people do need some kind of support.”

Evelyn is awed by the number of volunteers who give their time each week: “Think about the number of hours people give here collectively. And we all contribute to that. We use the gifts we have got in enabling others.

And what we’re all able to do in different ways is to join in with people’s celebrations and deepest moments of grief. And there aren’t many places where you get to do that.”

Jeremy believes that some people in Bath see the abbey as not relevant: “They might say ‘the abbey is not for us’, but that’s absolutely not true – the abbey is for everyone. We want to encourage everybody.”

In 2013, members of the congregation contributed 17,940 voluntary hours each year.

As part of the abbey’s Footprint Project, there is a plan to train 100 new volunteers by 2020.

Visitors are growing year on year, so the abbey wants to engage better with them and new volunteers will be needed to support the new discovery centre and learning space.

“The abbey is sometimes called ‘the lantern of the west’ – it’s a guide through a dark world,” Robin tells me. It’s clear that each of the volunteers help to keep the abbey lantern burning. n If you are interested in finding out more about becoming a volunteer at Bath Abbey, contact Gwen James, volunteer officer: volunteer@bathabbey.org; tel: 01225 422462.

Vacancies are also advertised on the website: bathabbey.org/get-involved

Pete Jones (left), steward and guide

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BATH @ WORK

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

Mehmet Aydin

Tailor

I

grew up in Istanbul where most of my family were involved in the textile business. My cousins, uncles and aunts all worked in cutting, sewing or tailoring in one way or the other. Strangely, though, my father did not, but it was still natural for me to follow my relatives and older brother into the trade. This meant that after school, and from a very early age, I was keen to learn any new skills that helped us economically and progressed my career.

My uncle had set up a factory in Seven Sisters, London and he called on me and my elder brother Ben to come over to England and help train the 150 employees. My brother went over first and so I was sure to follow. I was only 17 so it was quite a culture shock, but what I remember most about how I felt when I arrived was that the public transport was so good and that the shops and bars closed so early. Things have really changed since then...

Many textile factories closed at the start of the millennium, especially in London, and a good proportion of them were closed down due to health and safety issues. My uncle’s business shrank and so Ben and I had to look elsewhere for work. I have travelled all over the UK since then and my first jobs after London were in Edinburgh and Aberdeen, both fine cities in the summer.

Like a migratory bird I then flew south and ended up in Swindon where in 2004 Ben had set up shop, taking over an old tailor’s business. Swindon was not the cosiest of nests, though, so I commuted from Bath – which is much prettier. Bath, however, is not a nice place to buy a house – they are all so expensive. I bought a flat off-plan at Riverside but I’ve since sold that as it didn’t suit me. It took us three years to find the right premises for our new business City Tailors in Bath, but now we have a great location in Milsom Street, which is surrounded by clothes shops.

We get a lot of business from people who need to make alterations to clothes, something that people no longer have the skills or inclination to do themselves. Retail, though, is really tough at the moment and there are many empty shops in Bath and established businesses such as House of Fraser and Debenhams are going through some tough times. Sadly for these stores and other retailers such as Maplins, the internet will not be going away.

I think I have found life here lonelier than in Turkey, but Bath is a lovely, quiet place. I love my job, which is probably just as well as I work seven days a week.

When I have a holiday I love to travel to different countries.

I have been to so many. Last year I travelled back to Turkey by car so I saw much of Europe on the way. I do love the sea or any water, really. Istanbul, of course, is surrounded by water on all sides, so whenever I can I drive down to Bournemouth or Weymouth and just watch the water. It calms me down from the stresses of life. Needless to say Pulteney Weir and the beautiful River Avon are my favourite spots.

Commission a portrait in oils Robert Highton 07939 224598; rhighton@mail.com; robhightonart.com

PORTRAIT: Neill Menneer at Spirit Photographic.

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HISTORY

The Bridges over the Canal, Sydney Gardens, Bath by Frederick C. Lewis (Engraver) After John Claude Nattes, 1805

IT’S BEEN A PLEASURE

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n the late 17th century, after the austerity of the Cromwellian regime in England, one of the joys that came out of the Restoration was the rise in entertainment for the masses. Not only did theatres reopen and public celebrations become more acceptable again, but around 1661 the first pleasure garden opened at Vauxhall in London.

A pleasure garden was a venue for entertainment. It served as a garden and a place to be seen, but it was also where the paying public could enjoy various attractions. They aimed to be inclusive too, with reasonable entrance fees.

By the middle of the 18th century pleasure gardens and tea rooms were at their peak of popularity, not just in London but around England, Europe and even in America. The main demographic of visitors to Bath in this period were from London, and trends in the capital were soon replicated here.

Bath’s first known pleasure garden is recorded as Spring Gardens, which opened c.1735, and were established across the river from what is now the Grand Parade (roughly where Bath Rec and the Beazer Garden Maze are today), belonging to Sir William Pulteney.

The gardens were about three acres and were accessed by ferry boat.

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Pleasure gardens were run as commercial ventures and the tenancy leased out. It was therefore in the tenant’s interest to provide good entertainment. The entrance charge to Spring Gardens was 2s.6d. per season, and for this people could expect public breakfasting, musical concerts, dancing and amusements such as bowling, labyrinths, swings, grottos and firework displays.

Spring Gardens was renowned for its ‘good victualling’ and unsurprisingly so when the leaseholder in 1759, William Purdie, was a local wine merchant. Purdie was also Sir William’s rent collector and, more importantly, owned half the rights to the local ferry boat service. Purdie moved the landing platforms 50 yards downstream so that passengers would disembark directly in front of the garden’s entrance.

FORGOTTEN LANDS Other pleasure gardens are recorded in Bath but didn’t last long. In Widcombe in the late 18th century a pleasure garden called The Bagatelle was created on the west side of Prior Park Road, and further into Lyncombe Vale there was the King James’s Palace (c.1792) which boasted fine tea rooms.

Where Henrietta Gardens are today there was Bathwick Villa Gardens (c.1782–90)

which mainly appealed to the lower classes.

On the outskirts of the city in 1791 the architect John Eveleigh was laying out Grosvenor Place, and created Grosvenor Gardens that incorporated the river as part of the scheme. Grosvenor Pleasure Gardens were at a disadvantage though due to the distance from the centre. It later acquired an insalubrious reputation as the haunt of gamblers, prostitutes and thieves, and by 1820 it had simply become a domestic garden.

Although Spring Gardens were popular, the development of Bathwick for housing forced its eventual disappearance.

As these gardens struggled on, the 12-acre site of Sydney Gardens opened in 1795, and by 1800 Spring Gardens were no more.

AN OASIS OF CALM Sydney Gardens were developed over time by four designers, the first being Thomas Baldwin. Baldwin was the architect of the Pulteney estate, and he began planning the gardens in 1792. The work ceased suddenly, however, when he was declared bankrupt in the Bath Banking Crisis of 1793.

His successor, Charles Harcourt-Masters, adopted, amended and completed Baldwin’s plans. At the time of the gardens’ opening,

Images: Victoria Art Gallery/Bath and North East Somerset Council, © Bath in Time, bathintime.co.uk

Historian Catherine Pitt investigates the rise and fall in popularity of the pleasure garden in Bath

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HISTORY

A recreation of the 1802 balloon flight to mark the centenary of the launch

Band stand, Sydney Gardens, Bath, by Charles John Phipps, c.1870-1899

it was he who was praised for its development. All association with Baldwin was deliberately erased to ensure the project wasn’t tainted with the bankruptcy of its former architect.

Though the gardens were on Pulteney land, the area was leased for 99 years to a committee which was made up of shareholders of the gardens. To enable the gardens to be built, money had to be raised and £100 shares were offered. It was the shareholders who sat on the committee and who also chose the tenants. Each shareholder had a silver token which enabled them free access to the gardens and entertainment for life. The Holburne Museum still holds the original die for these.

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Whether you go to see, or to be seen, At Sydney Gardens you’ll be pleased, I ween, Whatever your taste, for prospects or good cheer, Cascades or rural walks, you’ll find them here…

– ANON, 27 AUGUST 1795,

POEM IN LOCAL NEWSPAPER –

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The Holburne was built as part of Sydney Gardens with a banqueting room on the first floor for country dances, and a tavern in the basement for sedan chairmen and servants to wait. A billiard room and coffee room were later added. When the lease expired in the 1830s the building was sold off, becoming a hotel and spa, a school and was eventually turned into the museum we see today.

PICNIC IN THE PARK In 1795 a day ticket to Sydney Gardens cost 6d per person, and if you partook of tea this cost an extra 6d each. All refreshment was waiter service and in good weather a waiter would bring your tea out to you in any part of the garden. We know from contemporary illustrations of Vauxhall Gardens in London that to ensure as fresh and hot a cup as possible the waiters carried portable kettles to allow this service.

Breakfasting in public was a popular pasttime in the 18th and early 19th centuries. In Sydney Gardens there were set days for this fashionable activity on Tuesdays and Saturdays from midday, costing 2s. per person for tea, coffee, rolls and Sally Lunn buns. Diners would have sat in a semi-circle of wooden booths, perfect for a romantic tête-à-tête. Diners were often serenaded with live music and just in front of where the Holburne café is today would have been a moveable stage for a 100 piece orchestra.

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER An extra fee was charged for special gala evenings and dining. Spectacular firework displays and illuminations in the gardens would wow crowds of up to 4,000 people.

The galas often celebrated royal birthdays or events in the social calendar, and were coordinated with other local pleasure gardens.

With the crowds came the inevitable pickpockets, and in 1829 George Robbins was caught red-handed in Sydney Gardens in the pocket of William Haydon Esq. Others tried to avoid paying the fees by climbing the outer perimeter fences, as John Edwards and William Avery were caught doing in 1828.

Sydney Gardens offered the public semirural walks, and horse-riding was also permitted. The public could enjoy discovering a mill, a fountain, a cosmorama (illuminated scenes), and in 1845 there was a Gothic Hall to explore. There was even a menagerie in 1831, with a bear, monkeys and gold and silver pheasants.

The labyrinth was alleged to have been twice the size of Hampton Court’s maze, and in the centre was Merlin’s Medical Swing, which was advertised as being “conducive to (good) health”, however swinging was not permitted on Sundays.

Other attractions included Bath’s first hot air balloon ascent which took place in Sydney Gardens on 7 September 1802 by Andre-Jacques Garnerin. Despite the 5.30am start, quite a crowd assembled. Other balloon ascents also brought the crowds. On 6 July 1846 tickets to watch Mr Green make a balloon ascent cost 1s, with reserved seats for an optimum view costing an extra 1s.

END OF AN ERA Between 1800 and 1810 the Avon canal was completed in Bath and it cut through Sydney Gardens. The canal’s architect John Rennie hoped that the flowing water and boats would add to the attractions, and he included an attractive pair of chinoiserie style iron footbridges over the canal.

However it was Brunel’s Great Western Railway that caused the biggest shake-up.

Brunel wanted to show off his railway and thought that its route through the gardens would be an asset, yet it divided the northern part of the garden and destroyed features including the popular labyrinth.

By the mid-19th century Royal Victoria Park was thriving, and Sydney Gardens had lost its popularity. In 1913 Bath Council bought the gardens and added tennis courts and tarmacked the paths.

What had once been the largest pleasure garden outside of London became a shadow of its former glory. However the future is now looking bright for England’s last 18thcentury pleasure garden as the Sydney Gardens Park for the People Project is on course to restore and celebrate this wonderful garden for future generations. n To find out more, visit: friendsofsydneygardens.org

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FOOD | NEWS

FOOD&DRINK NEWS 3 CAFÉ KITCHEN SUCCESS

3 Café Kitchen is an award-winning café in Odd Down, based in the grounds of Three Ways School. The café provides delicious breakfast, lunch and cakes and gives young people with special needs training and work experience. The school aims to provide 60 work placements each year, alongside food hygiene and catering qualifications.

The project works to increase the young peoples’ life and work skills, confidence, experience and training and their chances of future employment. One student has recently completed a successful placement at No. 15, in Great Pulteney Street.

3 Café Kitchen can be booked for cream teas and events all through the summer and is open daily from 8am–4pm and on Saturdays from 8.30am–12pm; threeways.co.uk

YOUNG COOKS’ COURSES

Lucknam Park Hotel is offering four basic cookery courses in August for children between six and 13. The courses on 1, 2, 9 and 10 August deliver the basics of cooking, and emphasise the importance of fresh seasonal produce. Each child can have an accompanying adult, giving the chance to learn fun new skills with your child.

Course examples include pork meatballs in vegetable sauce with homemade linguini and pancakes with hot chocolate sauce. The cost is £95 per child with an adult and includes tea/coffee, pastries, lunch and ingredients.

9.30am for 10am start, finishing at 2pm.

01225 742777; lucknampark.co.uk

MICHELIN STARS COME TO BATH Two of the UK’s most influential chefs, Pierre Koffmann and Marco Pierre White, are launching a new restaurant in Bath, in The Abbey Hotel on North Parade. Between them they have amassed an incredible six Michelin stars and are currently working with the hotel to finalise plans for the new venue which is expected to open in October.

Called Koffmann & Mr White’s, the joint venture will be a brasserie-style eaterie serving the kind of classic English and French dishes that have made the two chefs so famous over the years.

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stars at his restaurant La Tante Claire in London and this was where White trained before moving on to attain his own three stars at Harvey’s and The Restaurant Marco Pierre White in the dining room at the Hyde Park Hotel.

The charismatic chefs and the hotel’s new owners hope their shared vision of a new dining experience for Bath will appeal to discerning customers wanting good-quality, affordable food in a relaxed, stylish and unpretentious environment. Marco said: “For many, many, many years I reflected on my career and one of my deepest regrets was

HEALTHY DOUGH Dough pizza restaurant in The Corridor has launched its new menu, featuring more gluten-free and vegan offerings than before.

With a philosophy of ‘pizza for everyone’ the restaurant has added a new purple corn dough to the mix, which means customers can choose between four different types of gluten-free base, including hemp and turmeric. There are 11 alternative healthgiving bases on the menu, ranging from seaweed to multigrain and traditional sourdough. Dough has also introduced a V for Vegan pizza with vegan cheese, beetroot carpaccio, crispy parsnip, capers, yellow courgette and rocket sauce on kamut dough.

Owner Massimo Nucaro says, “We’ve gained quite a following with people looking for authentic gluten-free pizzas, and as somewhere for those with food intolerances.” doughpizzarestaurant.co.uk

not spending more time with Pierre in the kitchen. I am looking forward to being the apprentice once again. I’m also thrilled to be opening in Bath, a city which is very close to my heart. The Abbey Hotel has a brilliant central location and together we’re looking forward to creating a fantastic new restaurant for the city.” Pierre added: “Marco is one of the most talented chefs I have ever worked with. I am very much looking forward to our collaboration.”

Josh Watts, general manager of The Abbey Hotel added: “We’re hugely excited to be working with two such iconic chefs as Pierre and Marco. The city is already a culinary hotspot but this adds a whole fresh dimension to Bath’s restaurant scene.”

The opening of Koffmann & Mr White’s is the first phase of a wider reinvigoration of The Abbey Hotel by new owner KE Hotels, as it seeks to cement its position as one of Bath’s leading independent hotels.

“We are the perfect setting for both locals and tourists looking for a quality place to stay, drink and dine. The elegant surroundings of the new restaurant will complement the location and will make this a great place to come and enjoy some classic French and British food,” says Watts.

The Abbey Hotel’s new restaurant will operate under licence from Marco Pierre White’s Black & White Hospitality business, with the existing team leading daily service under the guidance of the two culinary masters. abbeyhotelbath.co.uk

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SUMMER | DRINKS

ICE ICE BERRY

Summer brings a new atmosphere to the drinks cabinet – with an emphasis on cool and refreshing. Rose Unwin of Silver Swift assesses the options for summer drinks and comes up with some cool ideas for garnishes

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his is the chill-out season when red wine has been swapped for rosé, and sales of fruit cider, Aperol and pink gin prosecco are on the up. And despite fears of shortages and price increases, sales of prosecco are expected to grow by more than 17% in the next five years so keep this one firmly on your drinks itinerary.

Our love affair with gin continues to burn brightly with delicious new creations launched each week. The first company to release its original pink gin was Pinkster Gin and since then both small producers and big brands are jumping on the pink gin bandwagon. Gordon’s got in on the act last summer with a rose-tinted gin infused with raspberries, strawberries and redcurrants.

Proving the trend has gone mainstream, discount retailers Aldi and luxury department store Selfridges are now offering pink gin.

Having said all that, summer is very much the season of the spritz. With more daytime social events spreading through the calendar – such as picnics, barbecues and regattas – we continue to look for fun, easydrinking cocktails that can run from day to night, all summer long. The advantage of a spritz is that it is low enough in alcohol that you can have a few without feeling too tipsy, while being light and refreshing – just perfect for warm days.

BELOW: frozen mint ice spheres for an elegant addition to your cocktails; raspberries and blueberries are great additions to your ice tray

A garnish of frozen strawberries, a slice of lime and a sprig of basil

The floral notes of a wild rose gin go beautifully with frozen raspberries

JAZZ UP YOUR GARNISH If you want to raise your cocktail to the next level then plan your garnish to fit. A simple technique is to add your favourite fruit or herb garnish to your ice tray – just fill the trays with water and add the fruit or herbs.

This creates beautiful and effective ice that releases flavour as it melts. Recommended ice trays are the large ice sphere moulds – the larger the ice the slower it takes to melt, meaning your drink won’t dilute so quickly.

rosemary and basil. Serve with tonic, an ice sphere or ice cubes containing fresh rosemary leaves and a slither of orange for a perfectly balanced drink. n

The Wild Rose Gin Spritzer from Silver Swift

THE FRUIT BOWL Use fresh slices of fruit and the zest from lemons, limes, grapefruits and oranges.

Cotswold gin pairs beautifully with pink grapefruit and Indian tonic water so, in this instance, fill your ice mould with water and drop in a slice of pink grapefruit with some zest grated on top and pop the moulds in the freezer. Once frozen, add this to your G&T. THE FRIDGE Fresh or frozen raspberries, blackberries and strawberries work brilliantly in ice. Pinkster gin is lovely served with tonic and a raspberry garnish. To jazz up the garnish for this drink, fill your ice tray, drop in a few raspberries, freeze and serve.

THE HERB GARDEN Rosemary, thyme, mint and lavender are favourite garnishes in the drinking world.

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Silver Swift make elegant, low-calorie gin and vodka spritzers at 5% alcohol, perfect for summer day drinking. Each of their three spirited spritzers – Wild Rose Gin, Tipsy Iced Tea Vodka and Basil Blush Vodka – are free from gluten and are made with 100% natural ingredients and premium British spirits; silverswiftdrinks.com

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FOOD

CHEF TALK: DAN MOON

After just two years as head chef at the Gainsborough Bath Spa Hotel’s restaurant, Dan Moon has become the face of fine dining in Bath. Melissa Blease talks to the head chef about his gastronomic achievements and his plans for the future spotlight on him on these very pages, many moons (oh okay, a couple of years) ago, when he first arrived at the hotel.

“Having a restaurant in my own name is an incredible honour,” says Dan. “To know that the management rate my abilities and reputation so highly and – most importantly – that the diners in the restaurant like my food makes me feel very, very fortunate indeed. I’m also lucky to have been trusted with an opportunity to steer the restaurant in a new direction. Since the name change last summer, our service and

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While Dan’s style could never be described as ‘cosy’, he cleverly avoids that over-cheffy habit of straying away from the realms of common sense

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an Moon took to the hob as head chef in the glamorous Gainsborough Bath Spa Hotel’s kitchen in the summer of 2016.

Within just a few short months, he’d garnered huge acclaim both locally and nationally, recognised as the chef responsible for upping the Bath fine dining scene ante courtesy of an array of everchanging menus that totally, utterly engage the senses, served in super-sophisticated surroundings. But Dan’s reputation was set to soar even higher.

In recognition of his culinary flair and increasing popularity, the Gainsborough Bath Spa Hotel unveiled a dining experience named in honour of the man himself in July 2017. Just a few short weeks later, Dan Moon at the Gainsborough Restaurant was awarded 3 AA Rosettes at the glittering AA Hospitality Awards ceremony; at the same time, the hotel itself picked up the Hotel of the Year (England) gong. AA head honchos described Dan’s bouquet as “an honour that distinguishes the consistent excellence of his cuisine along with the restaurant’s dedicated, intuitive service and superb wine list” – good going, eh?

Now it would be easy to assume that a chef with such a suddenly stellar profile may not have kept his feet on the ground in the months that followed. But while Dan may well have stars in his eyes (of which more later), he is as down-to-earth and accessible today as he was when we first turned the

food offering has been completely upgraded and the restaurant experience overall is more accessible. Promotions such as my 2-4-1 lunch offer have made fine dining more affordable, and footfall has started to climb. It’s extremely rewarding to know that the new direction I’ve taken us in has paid off. The name change also helps to

Dan Moon at the Gainsborough

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differentiate the restaurant from the main hotel, as there’s sometimes a misconception that we only cater for hotel guests, which is most definitely not the case!”

Indeed it isn’t – and if you've been loitering in the shadows of that misconception, you’re seriously missing out on one of Bath’s most fabulous foodie experiences. While Dan’s dishes focus on the kind of pioneering cooking techniques and theatrical presentation that reflect his position as a trailblazer on the modern British culinary scene, his passion for locally sourced, seasonal ingredients is at the very heart of his eponymously named prandial playground. While Dan’s style could never be described as ‘cosy’, he cleverly avoids that over-cheffy habit of straying away from the realms of common sense. So, what’s on the menu at the moment, Dan? “I’ve woven Asian influences into much of my menu as a kind of nod to our Malaysian owners (YTL Hotels) and I love working with umami,” he says. “I’ve been developing my scallops dish for a while – it’s unrecognisable now to how it looked a year ago, and brings scallops, yuzu, crab and seaweed together on the plate. Another signature dish is my Creedy Carver duck; again, it incorporates the Asian influence in the spring roll, plum, sesame seeds and mouli, but the duck reflects my Exeter roots.

And I’m really excited about a new dish that’s coming to the menu soon: chicken ramen as an amuse bouche. But I believe there’s always room for improvement, which is why every dish on the menu is constantly evolving.”

Such a dedicated, hands-on approach, though, can make juggling the work/life balance difficult, especially taking the fact that Dan and his wife Sarah have two small children into account. “Obviously, when it comes to working hours, I work in a challenging industry and that inevitably impacts on family life,” says Dan. “We’re at a crucial point for the restaurant at the moment and I can’t take my foot off the accelerator, so I need to be here as much as possible. I get to see my kids in the morning and after school which is great, but most days I miss their bedtimes, which I really hate. But Sarah’s working hours fit around mine quite well so between us, we manage to give the kids plenty of time. It would be nice to see more of them, of course it would, but that kind of sacrifice comes with the territory I’m on.”

And it’s a territory that could hardly be described as stress-free, even without the

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Roast Creedy Carver duck, confit leg spring roll, plum purée and sesame

Sautéed scallop, shellfish risotto, yuzu, king prawn and seaweed

Fillet of salmon, broad bean purée, mangetout, peas, crab spring roll bisque

Dan Moon

needs of a young family to consider. “As head chef of a five-star establishment, the element of pressure related to that role has definitely increased now that my name is above the door,” says Dan. “Every plate my team send out represents me personally as well as the restaurant. The increased custom is brilliant, but it brings additional challenges such as hiring and training extra staff. Oh, and we have a very small, underground kitchen with a dumb waiter that isn’t large enough to send more than a few dishes at a time up to the restaurant, which represents a bit of a nightmare scenario at busy times. And of course, there’s the never-ending pressure of my own high standards to deal with – but that’ll never go away!”

What, not for a moment... such as a moment in the future, for example, when the Michelin men may very well sprinkle stardust over his restaurant? “Okay, yes, after the Rosettes, my next goal is a Michelin star,” Dan admits. “Many chefs won’t say this, but awards really are so important. Not only does an award prove to me that my food is among the best, but it sets a benchmark for continued progress – this industry doesn’t stand still for long, and we constantly need to be upping our game.

“Local awards are particularly important to me as they reflect what our regular diners think of us. But the most important thing is that we continue to create experiences for people. When people come to a fine dining restaurant, it’s often to celebrate a special

occasion, and we want to give them a meal to remember – not just the food, but the service, the atmosphere, and all the thoughtful little touches that make it memorable. Whether they’re joining us for an indulgent afternoon tea or a seven-course tasting menu experience, I want my diners to feel special with every bite they take.”

As he consistently strives for perfection, who and what motivates Dan? He cites Gareth Ward from Ynyshir Hall (who achieved 5 AA Rosettes last year when Dan was awarded his triple) as the chef he’d most like to cook for. He also tells me that watching his staff team develop is a great source of satisfaction, and describes getting positive feedback from customers at the end of service as “the best buzz in the world.” But ultimately, there’s only one true love of Dan’s working life. “I get immense pleasure out of developing dishes – as someone once said, a piece of art is never finished, only abandoned,” says Dan. “My dishes are like paintings to me; the plates are the canvas and the food is the colour.” Shine on, Daniel Moon – shine on. n

Dan Moon at the Gainsborough, The Gainsborough Bath Spa Hotel, Beau Street, Bath BA1 1QY. Tel: 01225 358888; thegainsboroughbathspa.co.uk

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TRISTAN DARBY Columnist Tristan Darby recommends some sensational sparkling wines for summer

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Learn about wine in a relaxed, fun and informative way WINE COURSES | WINE TASTING GIN TASTING | GIFT VOUCHERS www.greatwesternwine.co.uk/events www.greatwesternwineschool.co.uk

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s much as I love a glass of good Champagne from time to time, budget and occasion don’t always allow for the indulgence. Fortunately, there are a plethora of other bubblies from around the world that offer quality, style and value for money. Here’s my summer suitable pick of the bunch from Great Western Wine.

Hailing from France’s famous Loire region, Domaine de Brizé Saumur Brut (£14.95 at Great Western Wine) is a top-notch super stylish alternative to Champagne, but at half the price. It’s a blend of chenin blanc and chardonnay grapes and is made using a traditional second ferment in the bottle for quality bubbles and added complexity. Overall it’s crisp and refreshing with mouth-watering crunchy apple flavours. I can’t recommend this enough for its quality and value. Perfect to enjoy alongside goat’s cheese and asparagus dishes or even crab and other shellfish starters. This is a great fizz for the price and worth every penny.

You may have noticed the rise in popularity of rosé wine in the UK of late, in particular, the pale Provençale pinks that have seen a huge growth in production and sales over the past decade. Royal Provence Rivarosé Prestige Brut (£13.75 at GWW) takes the classic Provence style and combines it with elegant bubbles to create a fun, fine summer fizz. Aromas of raspberries and strawberries on the nose are followed by an elegant and creamy mouthful of summer fruit flavours and a touch of spice in the mouth. Soft yet crisp and refreshing this is dangerously sippable and perfect for patios, picnics or prawns fresh off the barbecue. A must-buy for lazy days of warm summer sun.

For something a little closer to home Lyme Bay Brut Reserve (£25 at GWW) comes from vines planted close to England’s Jurassic Coast on the East Devon border.

Made from the seyval blanc grape, this dry fruity English fizz has broad appeal to fizz lovers of all styles as it combines gentler bubbles and satisfying fruitiness of prosecco with the crisper and slightly richer qualities of Champagne – and at a great price to boot. Delicious flavours of apple and citrus are offset against a complex and refreshing savoury character. The ideal fizz to enjoy with fish and chip suppers, or just on its own as a refreshing aperitif.

For something completely different, try this intriguingly fruity and beautifully aromatic sparkling red from Italy’s Emilia Romagna region. Castelvetro Lambrusco di Modena Sassomoro DOC (£13.95 at GWW) is made using the same method as prosecco, the second ferment in large tanks rather than the bottle, meaning softer bubbles in the mouth. It’s packed with black cherry and super-ripe raspberry flavours and comes with a refreshing dry cranberry-like finish, too. Chilling reds is much more common practice in France, Spain and Italy than here in the UK, but soft fruity reds served chilled can be fantastically refreshing in warmer weather. By adding some bubbles into the mix this creates an ideal wine for dusky early evening sipping alongside cheeses and cured meats. It would go down a storm as a conversation-starting fizz to enjoy at a barbecue, too. n Tristan hosts regular wine courses and events at Great Western Wine, visit greatwesternwine.co.uk/events for more information

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FOOD | AND | DRINK

Tables-for-one represent around 12% of early dining trade; don’t be pressured into taking a tiny, chilly table wedged between the loos and the air-con

GOING SOLO

Banish the idea of the lonely person eating alone in public – we need to accept that ‘me-time’ doesn’t have to be kept behind closed doors, says Melissa Blease

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as she been stood up by her date? Is he a bit weird? That woman looks really nice; why hasn’t she got any friends? On and on it goes: the constant justification, speculation and, occasionally, character assassination of the unaccompanied diner in our midst.

Calm down! It’s just a person eating out alone, not some sinister/tragic drama unfolding before you. She hasn’t been stood up; she’s worked late, is meeting friends in an hour and doesn’t want to sink three glasses of wine on an empty stomach. The guy on his own is a college lecturer enjoying a post-class repast. The woman who ‘looks really nice’ is a restaurant critic just doing her job – and far from lonely.

I take myself for lunch, dinner or a glass of fizz on a regular basis; it’s something I actively make time to do when life gets a bit stressy, and see it as a bit of a treat along the lines of sinking into an indulgent bubble bath or settling down for an evening by the fire with a good book. But if you’ve never done it, consider this: you can eat exactly what you feel like eating without the risk of food envy, peer pressure or obligation to share. It’s a heightened sensory experience, too; without small talk (or big conversations) to distract 64 TheBATHMagazine

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you, you’re more likely to focus on the food on your plate, and the general atmosphere of the environment around you – oh, and there aren’t any awkward moments regarding who pays the bill when you’re ready to leave, either. You don’t have to be single to do it, nor should the solo dining occasion have to be work-related... Although the latter situation in particular tends to be the time when most people ‘justify’ their table for one.

“My job demands that I travel a lot,” says Ellen, a freelance HR consultant. “I used to spend evenings away from home ordering hotel room service, or I’d grab a selection of ready-to-eat food at the nearest supermarket. Then one day, I found myself in a really lovely hotel, with a really lovely restaurant attached. On check-in, the receptionist asked if I’d like a dinner reservation for that evening and I thought, why not? I had the most lovely experience: great food, a relaxed environment – at last, I felt like a proper grown up! I take myself out for a meal quite a lot now, even when I’m not travelling, and even though I’m married; just because you find yourself out and about on your own at lunch or dinnertime, it doesn’t mean you have to eat a ready-made sandwich on a park bench.”

“But what do you do when you’re on your own at a restaurant table?” a friend asked, when I told him I was writing this feature.

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Eat what you feel like without the risk of food envy, peer pressure or obligation to share...

It’s a heightened sensory experience too...

cartoonstock.com

IMAGES: AdobeStock

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“What do you mean, do? I’m already doing something!” I replied.

But if you, too, feel the need to do something else other than eat and spy on awkward dates – sorry, I mean people-watch – you are, of course, never alone with your phone.

The manager of one local restaurant told me that around 90% of solo diners spend the entire duration of their meal on their phones, talking, texting, or catching up on emails, social media and news.

Naturally, now that we can take our office (or indeed, our social life) with us wherever we go, why not use a restaurant table as a temporary office? Similarly, a book or a magazine can be equally engaging company. Personally, I prefer to sit back, chill out and keep an eye on the social brouhaha surrounding me. But however you choose to spend your me-time, it’s important that you don’t automatically put yourself (or allow yourself to be put) in ‘secondclass citizen’ mode the moment you step through the door.

Despite the fact that tables for one represent around 12% of early dining trade in most restaurants on any given week, front-of-house staff at certain establishments still haven’t got with the programme, automatically reaching for two menus as they bustle you along to your table, and replying, “Oh, just one? Yes of course, that’s fine, really it is” a little bit over-enthusiastically when you make your solo status clear. Okay, having just one diner taking up a table that could easily seat four can be frustrating for a restaurant owner, but rarely is business so busy that there’s a hungry, braying crowd waiting for a singleton to clear their plate. So, don’t be pressured into taking a seat at a tiny, chilly table wedged between the men’s loo and the air conditioning generator just because you’re on your own.

A long, long time ago – before I was less confident than I am now (and eating out alone does, I guess, require a certain amount of confidence) and before my job as a restaurant critic taught me more about how a restaurant ‘works’, solo me was seated in the equivalent of dining room Siberia on many occasions, regardless of how busy the restaurant was. These days, I’m far more likely to ask the restaurant (politely, of course!) why they keep such a badly located table laid up than I am to actually sit at it. Fortunately, however, attitudes towards solo diners are a-changin’.

“I really like it when people feel comfortable enough to eat with us on their own,” says Sarah, a waitress at one of Bath’s chicest eateries. “When somebody comes in on their own, I never, ever assume that they’re meeting somebody else, or waiting for a friend to turn up, and I make sure they feel as welcome and relaxed as I want everybody else to feel.”

So: go for a corner table if you’re in a quiet mood, opt for buzzy if you fancy a spot of people-watching. Bear in mind, though, that

the people you’re watching aren’t necessarily watching you, despite the fact that, the first time you eat out alone, you may feel as though everybody around you is wondering why you’re doing it.

A few years ago, Thomas Gilovich – professor of psychology at New York’s Cornell University – conducted a study into the psychological phenomenon he called the ‘spotlight effect’, which occurs when people tend to believe they’re more noticed than they actually are. Gilovich recruited a group of students to walk through and generally hang around in a highly populated public area alone, wearing a Barry Manilow t-shirt (the most mortifying anti-fashion statement the students could think of, at the time.) Over half of the t-shirt wearers were convinced that the nearly all the people around them had (a) noticed them walking around on their own, and (b) made negative judgements regarding what they were wearing. In fact, less than a quarter of the people around them had even noticed the single person’s presence, let alone their t-shirt.

“Because we’re so focused on our own behaviour, it can be difficult to arrive at an accurate assessment of how much – or how little – of our behaviour is noticed by others,” Gilovich concluded.

In other words, we’re just not that important; unless you enter a restaurant or bar solo and naked, or wearing a clown suit, or carrying a kangaroo over your shoulder, the vast majority of the people around you won’t even notice you’re there. You, however, will have a lovely time, in excellent company.

Table for one? Do it today. ■­­

“Just because I’m eating alone, doesn’t mean you should suggest the ‘loser’ special... But I’ll take it.”

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A CITY OF GREAT SHOPS Welcome to our annual review of the best of Bath’s retailers Essential, interesting, designer, luxurious, cool or just downright eccentric... Our retailers sell beautiful products with a customer service that is rarely found elsewhere.

In this special supplement The Bath Magazine promotes a selection of our favourite shops and stores that make the Bath one of the finest shopping destinations in Europe.

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THE BEST SHOPS OF BATH

MAGALLERIA 22a Broad Street, Bath BA1 5LN Tel: 01225 471586 Web: magalleria.co.uk Magalleria is a unique store selling one of the largest collections of international, independent and niche magazines in Europe. It imports magazines, journals and zines from all over the world, with many exclusive to its range. Magalleria also provides magazine news, reviews and interviews from its online store and blog. Interest in creative print is currently sky-high. In addition to compelling content, production innovations now mean that the modern magazine is designed and geared to make reading a much more tactile, visually seductive and pleasurable experience than ever before. With knowledgeable staff, and offering strong depth in art, design and interior design, fashion, lifestyle, food, travel and literature, Magalleria is a store packed with ideas, information and inspiration.

THE BATH HAT COMPANY

LONDON CAMERA EXCHANGE

9 – 11 Walcot Street, Bath BA1 5BN Tel: 01225 339009 Web: thebathhatcompany.com

13 Cheap Street, Bath BA1 1NA Tel: 01225 462234 Web: lcegroup.co.uk

This lovely shop has hats for all occasions, and is one of the specialist independent retailers which make shopping in the city such a unique and enjoyable experience. A–listed by Harpers and Queen magazine, the shop is brimming with colour and stocks a huge selection of contemporary designs, along with a hint of vintage and a touch of the outrageous, all beautifully hand-crafted. For the man about town, it has a fabulous collection of gentlemen’s hats, colourful trilbies, fedoras, Donegal and Harris Tweed caps, Panamas and many more. All sizes are available.

If photography is your passion then head to an institution where you are guaranteed a personal and helpful service from staff who really know their business. London Camera Exchange can trace its origins back to the original photographic studio in Guildford in the 1950s. Specialities include sensor cleaning and image recovery as well as prints from phones, instant prints and passport photos. There is an excellent part-exchange service so that customers can either trade up with the latest photographic equipment or choose from the selection of used items. Space is also devoted to other types of optical equipment such as astronomical telescopes and sport optics – visit or contact the team for the best deals in Bath.

VERVE LIVING 15 Walcot Buildings, London Road, Bath BA1 6AD Tel: 07785 332536 Web: verveliving.uk Located on London Road in Bath’s artisan quarter, Verve is an interiors store with a difference. This creative hub is all about mixing it up: an ever-changing collection of one-off character pieces sits alongside carefully chosen contemporary accessories – ceramics, lighting, textiles, glassware and more. Verve is also proud to showcase artwork by local artists, from beautiful framed prints to original oils. It offers affordable style at its best and the ranges on offer here are not available anywhere else in Bath. Styling ideas and advice plus regular free events complete Verve’s approach to creativity which is all about sharing. Pop in – a warm welcome awaits and coffee is on the house. Open Weds to Sat, 11am – 5pm or by appointment.

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THE BEST SHOPS OF BATH

JODY CORY GOLDSMITHS 9 Abbey Church Yard, Bath BA1 1LY Tel: 01225 470072 Web: jodycory.co.uk

BRAVISSIMO 19 Milsom Street, Bath BA1 1DE Tel: 01225 313856 Web: bravissimo.com Bravissimo is dedicated to supporting and celebrating women who are D cup and above. At the store you can find a wide range of lovely lingerie in D-L cup, stylish and supportive brasized swimwear in D-K cup and a unique range of clothing designed to fit and flatter woman with bigger boobs. Pop in for a free fitting – the welcoming, attentive staff are on hand with great advice and like nothing more than seeing you leave their shop feeling totally transformed.

Jody Cory is an independent jeweller and member of the National Association of Goldsmiths with more than 25 years of experience. From her shop and workshop in Abbey Church Yard, Jody and her team create beautiful unique pieces which are the perfect way to mark any special occasion.

Friendly advice is available seven days a week from a team of highly skilled goldsmiths working in extremely covetable silver, gold and platinum and using personally selected rare gemstones. Old or broken treasures can be repaired or remodelled to become exciting new pieces to be enjoyed all over again – and a free design service is available. Jody also offers restringing, rhodium plating and valuations. On display too is work from other designers, providing a variety of interesting, superbly crafted jewellery from inexpensive silver pieces to diamond set engagement rings and both traditional and contemporary wedding rings to suit all tastes.

JOLLY’S 13 Milsom Street, Bath BA1 1DD Tel: 01225 786900 Web: houseoffraser.co.uk

AVENIDA HOME

Jolly’s is one of the oldest department stores in Europe. James Jolly first took retail premises back in 1823 before his son Thomas became the driving force behind the business, pioneering fixed-price merchandising. In recent years the store has been restored to its 19thcentury glory by owners House of Fraser. Covering the full spectrum from homeware and accessories to cosmetics and fashion, the store’s magnificent beauty hall is full of luxury brands such as NARS, La Mer, Giorgio Armani and Chanel. Enjoy a spot of gift buying, whether you are looking for quality accessories, scented candles, delicate lingerie or something for the home. Jolly’s has always had retail innovation at its heart and retains its place as the jewel in the crown of Bath’s main shopping scene.

27 Walcot Street, Bath BA1 5BN Tel: 01225 571718 Web: avenidahome.com Avenida Home is part gallery, part showroom. Step through the wrought iron gate and discover the wall-to-wall display of exclusive home accessories including wooden serving trays, unique placemats, designer dinnerware and luxury table linens, wallpapers and fabric. The designs are eclectic, contemporary and quirky – the antithesis of mass-produced homeware. It is a riot of colour, texture and pattern. The team selects bright and beautiful items of unique homeware that will work every day or create an exquisitely set table for special occasions. The home décor pieces make amazing gifts, particularly if you are looking for unique and stylish wedding presents. This is a local family business which offers a very personal service.

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THE BEST SHOPS OF BATH

JOHN ANTHONY 26 – 28 High Street, Bath BA1 1RG Tel: 01225 424066 Web: john-anthony.com Located on the busy high street, just a stone’s throw from the beautiful Bath Abbey and Guildhall, John Anthony has called Bath home for over 25 years. Spread out over two floors, it boasts an impressive range of designer menswear from great British brands like Belstaff, Barbour and Vivienne Westwood, to contemporary global names like Comme des Garçons, Stone Island and Versace. The knowledgable team create a stress-free and enjoyable shopping experience for all. If you can’t find something in store, the team will always strive to order items in for customers. Or if you prefer to shop from the comfort of your own home, there is an express service and free UK delivery on all orders over £40. John Anthony is the best shopping destination in Bath for top-of-the-line designer menswear.

OSKA BATH 30 Upper Borough Walls, Bath BA1 1RG Tel: 01225 637159 Web: uk.oska.com Located on Upper Borough Walls, OSKA Bath provides a relaxed shopping experience, with a friendly team offering help and guidance in order to create your perfect outfit. With two seasonal collections per year, each garment reveals individual characteristics through colour and pure materials, ensuring high quality and contemporary products. A style that accentuates personality while at the same time conveying comfort and elegance. Oska is currently moving into their autumn/winter collection, which combines the neutral grey tones of winter with strong colours. The generous and soft designs bring together fluid fabrics including crepe and silk with sporty elements such as moleskin, corduroy and velvet, allowing you to create a look that is as individual as you are.

HOMEFRONT INTERIORS 10 Margaret’s Buildings, Bath BA1 2LP Tel: 01225 571711 Web: homefrontinteriors.co.uk Now in its third year, the eclectic Homefront Interiors has continued to grow with an ever-changing selection of homewares, gifts and cards. This little independent store may be small but it has a wide range and regularly updated stock of new and vintage homewares and follows a simple ethos of sustainability. This could mean recycled materials, fair trade origin, small-scale production or simply showing a little love and care to vintage finds. It is the clever mix of vintage and contemporary alongside an ever-growing selection of handmade pieces from local artists including textiles, ceramics, jewellery, art prints and cards that makes Homefront such a great destination. Perfect for gifts and unique finds for your own home. Homefront is also the Bath stockist for Grand Illusions chalk paints, which are perfect for upcycling furniture.

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YVES DELORME 11 Milsom Place, Bath BA1 1BZ Web: uk.yvesdelorme.com Yves Delorme is the French brand of luxury home linens and recognised across the globe for its high-end excellence and savoir-faire. Established in 1845 by the Fremaux family, it is known for innovation in technique and quality. Now with over 450 stores worldwide, Yves Delorme has an unrivalled reputation for producing the finest bed and bath linens.

With classic, seasonal and limited editions, the in-house creative research studio also ensures there is a collection to complement every interior; with well-conceived, perfect designs, attention to detail as well as the all important joyous French expression.

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PAUL GREEN HI-FI Unit 8, Brassmill Enterprise Centre, Brassmill Lane, Bath BA1 3LN Tel: 01225 316197 / 337955 Web: paulgreenhifi.co.uk The Green family has served the Bath area with quality audio and visual goods since Ken and Gordon Green opened Green Brothers in Walcot Street in 1946. In 1977, Paul branched out and for over 40 years has offered a service rarely found today. In these days of cheap internet sales, service is becoming a thing of the past. Not at Paul Green Hi-Fi. Now based at the Brassmill Enterprise Centre and still a family business, the team offers unbiased advice on the system to suit you. The expert staff can undertake complete installation of audio and visual equipment and there is a full after-sales service including repairs. Products range from LED TV screens to docking stations, wireless hi-fi and headphones through to high-end stereo and surround sound separates and speakers. Paul Green Hi-Fi stocks most major brands from Audiolab to Yamaha and everything in between.

There is plenty of free parking, disabled access and groundfloor viewing and listening facilities and staff will always try to be competitive on pricing. You are invited to relax in the friendly atmosphere in the knowledge that you will receive quality advice and service.

TINA ENGELL 29 Belvedere, Bath BA1 5HR Tel: 01225 443334 Web: tinaengell.com A short walk up from the city centre is well worth the effort to visit Danish goldsmith Tina Engell’s Scandinavian-style space. Is it a workshop or a shop? You will find glass cabinets full of beautiful handmade jewellery, as you would expect. Perhaps more unusually, this is also Tina’s workshop, with a huge workbench illuminated by industrial lamps and covered in precious metals, stones, hammers, chisels and clamps. Tina designs and makes every piece by hand, using traditional methods. Although you can buy off the shelf, she often works to commission, creating unique pieces of jewellery to order. She can design and make a bespoke piece, or take inherited jewellery and refashion it. In this open-plan space the entire creative process is visible, and the results are bold and individual.

FLOCK BATH 12 – 13 The Corridor, Bath BA1 5AP Tel: 01225 442227 Web: flockbath.co.uk If you’re looking for something different for your wardrobe, Flock Bath sells beautiful clothes and accessories in a lovely independent environment that is rarely found on the high street. Located in The Corridor (the world’s second oldest shopping arcade) the store stocks a range of Italian imported fashion wear and accessories. Pop in today and you’re almost sure to find something individual and affordable to treasure. Flock Bath is a stockist of Ruby Shoo shoes and Disaster Designs accessories.

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GREAT WESTERN WINE Wells Road, Bath BA2 3AP Tel: 01225 322810 Web: greatwesternwine.co.uk Expertise and good old-fashioned service is what sets Great Western Wine apart.

The shop is an Aladdin’s cave of more than 1,000 of the world’s best wines and an eclectic range of rare, small batch spirits. Great Western Wine is constantly up to date with modern, award-winning wines, as recognised by the International Wine Challenge, which voted GWW the Best Wine Merchant in south west England.

A selection of wines is always open for tasting, and enthusiastic, experienced staff encourage visitors to linger and browse while helping to find the perfect wine.

Prices at every level are competitive. A mail-order service is also available and the same attention to detail and personal advice is available by phone, email or through their website. Regular wine-tasting events and dinners sell out quickly, at GWW and at some of Bath’s best restaurants which are supplied with its wines.

THE SILVER SHOP

DAVIES OF BATH

25 Union Passage, Bath BA1 1RD Tel: 01225 464781 Web: thesilvershopofbath.co.uk

19a Monmouth Place, Bath BA1 2AY Tel: 01225 423749 Web: rabart.co.uk

This little gem of a shop continues to be one of Bath’s favourite gift and jewellery stores and is still a family-run and independent business. You’ll find it tucked away, yet close to Bath Abbey and the Roman Baths. The shop is a firm favourite with visitors and residents alike and has a reputation for great customer service. With Bath’s largest selection of silver jewellery with prices ranging from £5 to £500, the staff work hard to source a wide selection of pieces with some ranges being handmade by local jewellers. With a small workshop on site, The Silver Shop also offers a charm soldering service for customers. Make this your first stop if you’re looking for a gift for someone special or just to treat yourself, such as a clock or a candle, a christening gift or even a Charlie bear, it is certain to have something for you.

Davies of Bath is a long-established decorating institution, having supplied high-quality painting and decorating materials to the city for over 80 years to both trade and retail customers. Still a family-run business, Davies of Bath has probably the biggest range of Farrow & Ball paints in the south west, sitting alongside Little Greene, Paint Library, Colourtrend, Zoffany, Mylands, Earthborn and other leading trade paint brands such as Dulux Trade and Crown Paints, Armstead and Macphersons. You can also find the widest selection of wood finishes from flooring to French polishing, interior and exterior. As well as standard decorating materials, they also stock specialist problem-solving products. In store, there is a designer area housing a vast range of wallpaper and fabric books, with a specific focus on colour consultancy. Experienced, dedicated staff are always on hand and can offer help and advice on all products as well as organising a free delivery service, whether you have just one wall to paint or a whole house to design, they can help you get the look you want.

BEAU NASH 31 Brock Street, Bath BA1 2LN Tel: 01225 334234 Web: beaunashbath.com As you walk from the Circus to the Royal Crescent you will come upon Beau Nash. Pay a visit and it will become clear why the believe we should all be using silver on a daily basis. Not only is silver beautiful and lustrous but, as our ancestors knew only too well, it is also anti-bacterial and, unlike steel, has no taste to taint your food. Beau Nash are great believes that silver should not be kept for ‘best’ – it is there to be used. It is no coincidence that silver always was, and still is, the first choice of royalty, aristocracy and anyone else who can afford it. There is simply nothing better than silver to eat, drink and serve food with. Offering the best of classic antique Georgian and 20th-century silver as well as unusual decorative items, the stock is all carefully selected for its quality and provenance. Aside from collectors items, there is a wide range of very useful silver for you, your children and their grandchildren.

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KATHRYN ANTHONY OPTOMETRY 16 Pierrepont Street, Bath BA1 1LA Tel: 01225 464433 Web: kathrynanthony.co.uk This forward thinking practice is able to offer expert advice and professional eyecare with its advanced testing facility alongside beautifully made, stylish designer frames to complete your look. Excitingly, Kathryn Anthony Optometry has been given the exclusive Lindburg Horn range – becoming the only stockist in the south west. Lindburg Horn is a collection made of multiple layers of natural horn, handcrafted to bring out the individual nuances in this exquisite material’s colouration and markings; meaning no two frames are ever alike.

Lindburg offers style and stability which we have grown to expect and admire in everything it creates. This exclusive range is now available at Kathryn Anthony Optometry.

THE FRAMING WORKSHOP

HAPPYOLOGY

80 Walcot Street, Bath BA1 5BD Tel: 01225 482748 Web: theframingworkshop.com

6 Cheap Street, Bath BA1 1NE Web: happyology.uk

The Framing Workshop is a long-established bespoke framers, specialising in art and object framing, with quality materials, craftsmanship and an individual service at the forefront of each and every job undertaken.

It has been framing for 30 years in Bath’s artisan quarter in Walcot. It also makes mirrors to order with any of the range of frames and has a selection of collections and curiosities on display in the workshop to inspire you. The Framing Workshop talks through the process with you to ensure you find a framing solution to suit your requirements, be it simple or more specialised.

Happyology design and make distinctive, sustainable and quality childrenswear for 07yrs. Its collections feature playful and contemporary designs with classic twists.

Every style is made with premium fabrics and the utmost attention to detail, from the softest Pima cotton to fine cashmere, from delicate in-house prints to intricate hand embroideries. Happyology offers luxurious quality without a high-end price tag, as they believe every child deserves to be dressed beautifully with quality clothing that is affordable and responsibly made with love. A selected range of womenswear and maternity styles are launching this autumn.

TAKE CHARGE BIKES 1 Victoria Buildings, Lower Bristol Road, Bath BA2 3EH Tel: 01225 789568 Web: takechargebikes.co.uk No one would argue with the fact that switching from using a car to riding a bike creates a host of benefits for both you and your surrounding environment. Exercise, even at moderate levels, helps to reduce stress and depression, as well as improving your mood and self-esteem. But could it be that the idea of pedalling up all those steep hills around Bath is putting people off? This is where the electric bike comes in, with all of the benefits of a regular bicycle, but with the added bonus of not arriving at your destination needing a shower. Take Charge Bikes is an award-winning company based in Bath with additional stores in Exeter, Woking and Cheltenham. They offer the widest selection of quality electric bikes from commuting bikes, tourers, leisure, folding, cargo bikes, tandems, and mountain bikes. Take Charge offers service and maintenance on all types of bikes too. Anybody who is considering an electric bike is encouraged to pop along and try a demo bike. An electric bike works like a regular bicycle but with power assistance when you want it. Take charge of your life – you too can really benefit from an electric bike.

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ORIENTAL RUGS OF BATH Bookbarn International, Hallatrow Business Park, Wells Road, Hallatrow, Bristol BS39 6EX Tel: 01761 451764 Web: orientalrugsofbath.com

TOTAL FITNESS BATH 3 Saracen Street, Bath BA1 5BR Tel: 01225 444164 Web: totalfitnessbath.co.uk Total Fitness has a passion for cycling and with varied experiences within road biking, mountain biking and leisure riding, can offer you the best advice possible on any aspect of cycling or triathlon.

Stocking Specialized and Cervelo bikes and lots of clothing, accessories, shoes and helmets, including dedicated children’s and women’s areas. The store has a fully equipped workshop offering repairs and servicing on any type of bike – if it operates on two wheels and under pedal power, Total Fitness will work on it for you.

Rugs and textiles brought to the heart of the west country. Selectively sourced rugs from all over the Middle and Far East: Iran, Afghanistan, Turkey, India, China, Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. All are handmade from entirely natural fibres and use mostly vegetable dyes, following centuries-old traditions and designs.

Show off the soul of your home through one of thier incredible pieces. You can discover more on their website but for a more hands-on approach, visit the wonderful shop nestled in the countryside between Bath and Bristol and explore a huge selection of colours and sizes to suit everyone.

HOUSE OF RADIATORS 22 Wellsway, Bear Flat, Bath BA2 2AA Tel: 01225 424199 Web: houseofradiators.co.uk House of Radiators sell traditional and designer radiators that can be off-the-shelf sizes/finishes, or in bespoke sizes and colours. Popular in Bear Flat where they are supported by loyal local customers, they not only sell to Bath areas but throughout the UK and overseas. A familyrun business that opened in 2011, the showroom has over 100 radiators on display and they are expanding the traditional cast iron and column radiator range due to increasing popularity.

With more than 45 years’ experience in the heating and radiator industry and a small team in the showroom, they offer a friendly and high level of customer service. This is key in helping customers choose the right radiator for their home that will not only look amazing but will heat their room and do its job. Because they work with 20 of the leading manufacturers and distributors in the radiator industry, there’s always something to suit all budgets and styles. Locally they offer a free, at home consultation where they’ll measure up and work out the correct heat requirements and size up radiators accordingly.

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DUOBOOTS 33 Milsom Street, Bath BA1 1DG Tel: 01225 600127 Web: duoboots.com DuoBoots design and sell stylish women’s boots and ankle boots. With their unique calf-fitting boots, you’ll always find something that’s truly designed to fit you. On the high street, the typical calf size is 36cm, but this simply doesn’t represent the majority of women out there – and DuoBoots know this, so they offer all over-the-knee and knee high boots in calf sizes ranging from 30cm – 50cm. What’s more, their designs include timeless classics alongside subtly trend-led styles, so you’ll most certainly find that boot that’s just right for you.

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THE SALCOMBE TRADING COMPANY 9 Broad Street, Bath BA1 5LJ Tel: 01225 334281 Web: salcombetrading.co.uk With strong West Country and maritime roots and showcasing Skagerak Denmark, Salcombe Trading combines simple and innovative solutions built on practice and tradition to create a range that encompasses all things wholesome and homely.

Offering a distinctive and eclectic mix of high quality furniture along with all you need to eat, drink, cook and enjoy your home and garden. Scandinavian design can be found in amongst timeless hand crafted pieces from Britain's most skilled craftsman.

SILVER BEAR 34B Wellsway, Bath BA2 2AA Tel: 01225 422225 Web: silverbearjewelleryandgifts.com After four and half years Silver Bear on Bear Flat is pretty well established as the local go-to gift shop. On display is a vast array of gifts and greeting cards for all occasions.With free parking just outside, picking up a little gift or treat seems easier and less stressful than in the centre. Silver Bear also has a website where you can view the entire range of their lovely silver jewellery as well as many other items.

THE BATH FRAMER 7 Walcot Buildings, London Road, Bath BA1 6AD Tel: 01225 920210 Web: thebathframer.co.uk The Bath Framer, owned by Kelly, is a friendly boutique picture framers that has a beautifully quirky front of house and an amazing naturally lit workshop. Both are a joy to work in and for customers to see how frames are created. Since opening, the business has gone from strength to strength, building a client list of local residents, and businesses based in Bath, Bristol and beyond. A bespoke framing service, tailored to suit all individuals’ needs, runs alongside a gorgeous selection of cards, gift wrap and wonderful stationery.

GOLD & PLATINUM STUDIO 19 Northumberland Place, Bath BA1 5AR Tel: 01225 462300 Web: goldandplatinumstudio.co.uk Goldsmith and gemmologist Michael Parsons and his team run a delightful independent studio. He specialises in hand making one off engagement rings and wedding rings, as well as offering a wide range of individual pieces.

Michael and his team undertake all types of commissions on site as well as carrying out remodelling and repairs. In addition Gold & Platinum Studio showcases a selection of independent designer jewellers. A superb choice to suit all budgets. Trading in Bath for over 40 years and with an enviable reputation for quality service. A visit is a must for jewellery lovers, anyone looking for a special gift or thinking of having a piece of jewellery made.

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MALLORY 1 – 5 Bridge Street, Bath BA2 4AP Tel: 01225 788800 Web: mallory-jewellers.com Mallory is renowned as Bath’s destination jeweller. Now in its fifth generation, it is one of the country’s oldest family-owned and run jewellers, established for 120 years in its original Bridge Street premises.

Today it boasts one of the largest in-house workshops in the UK, employing three master goldsmiths trained to the highest calibre, who create the most exquisite bespoke-made jewellery, as well as two fully accredited watchmakers and a technician, who are qualified to maintain the finest of timepieces. Inside the showroom you will find a majestic emporium of fine and contemporary jewellery, watches, and luxury gifts and accessories from the world’s most exclusive brands. The imposing frontage may look daunting, however Mallory’s offerings encompass something to suit all pockets, with international names such as Patek Philippe, Rolex, Cartier, Fabergé, Bulgari, Chopard, Montblanc, Tag Heuer, Longchamp, Longines, Breitling, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Georg Jensen, Fope and Mikimoto, as well as an extensive collection of jewellery designed by Mallory.

ELLIS & KILLPARTRICK 18 New Bond Street Bath BA1 1BA Tel: 01225 466954 Web: ellisandkillpartrick.com Ellis and Killpartrick was founded by Brian Ellis and Mike Killpartrick in 1979. They met while studying optometry at Bradford University. Both shared a keen interest in the new soft contact lenses that were just being developed at that time but due to a change in family circumstances Mike bought Brian’s share of the business in 1985 and relocated the practice from George Street to its current central location in New Bond Street in 1991. Mike has continued his speciality interest in contact lenses but also lists other special interests: glaucoma management and macular degeneration interventions. Ellis and Killpartrick has expanded the spectacle side of the business to showcase distinctive high quality brands and is exclusive distributor of Cartier, Lindberg, Chopard and Dunhill. Other high end brands carried include Prada, Chanel, Oliver Peoples and Maui Jim. The practice motto is ‘Professional Eyecare, Distinctive Eyewear’ and Ellis and Killpartrick is committed to providing patients with up-to-date information about the latest developments in eye care to help maintain eye health and to offer the most distinctive high quality eyewear for those who benefit from spectacles.

NIGEL DANDO

INDEPENDENT SPIRIT OF BATH

11 Pulteney Bridge, Bath BA2 4AY Tel: 01225 464013 Web: nigeldando.co.uk

7 Terrace Walk, Bath BA1 1LN Tel: 01225 340636 Web: independentspiritofbath.co.uk

Nigel Dando began his career after he gained a national goldsmiths diploma before going on to study gemmology at the Sir John Cass College of Art, Whitechapel. Today he sells an eclectic mix of new pre-owned and vintage jewellery, and has a particular interest in pieces from the 1920 – 1960 era. Together with ranges of contemporary silver jewellery at affordable prices, many of which are one-off pieces, the emphasis is on quality and style. He also buys gold and silver items in any form or condition. Nigel also sells investment precious metals at what he believes to be the most competitive prices in the city. Being one of the few provincial members of the London Diamond Bourse, Nigel offers undeniable expertise and value. He also offers a repair and valuation service.

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Established in 2013, Independent Spirit of Bath is an off-sales venue in the heart of the city, specialising in single malt whisky, artisan gins and the best UK and world craft beers. A dedicated whisky room houses a large range of single malt whiskies from Scotland and others from around the world.

Private and scheduled events such as whisky tastings, gin masterclasses and cocktail masterclasses are hosted downstairs in the custom-built tasting room which can also be hired out for exclusive events for up to 20 people.

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QUADRI 16 Milsom Place, Bath BA1 1BZ Tel: 01225 329212 Web: quadri.co.uk Situated in the heart of Bath’s Milsom Place, Quadri is a lovely, well-established luxury gift shop specialising in strong design and high quality products. Quadri centres its attention on offering unusual fine and fashion jewellery, watches and homeware. The team take great pride in the selections of precious jewellery and clean, contemporary styled watch brands, while also endeavouring to offer a choice of unique fashion jewellery at an affordable price. Find beautiful pieces for your home with eye-catching, abundant Alessi collections or a gift for that notoriously difficult person to buy for. With a varied, ever-changing range of stock and dedicated customer service, Quadri is the ideal shop to look for that extra special something for any occasion.

NICHOLAS WYLDE 12 Northumberland Place, Bath BA1 5AR Tel: 01225 462826 Web: nicholaswylde.com The south west’s leading designer jeweller, award-winning Nicholas Wylde has been designing original, high-quality jewellery since first opening his Bath store in 1987. He has built up a superb reputation for designing outstanding pieces; from one-off commissions to larger corporate orders – all handmade, with great passion, in the workshop on the premises. An added cool factor: Nicholas Wylde offers his own patented diamond cut, the stunning Wylde Flower Diamond®, with more cut facets than a brilliant cut diamond for that extra-special sparkle. You won’t find this gemstone anywhere else in the world. For vibrantly unique designs, excellent service from knowledgeable and helpful staff, Nicholas Wylde is a perfect destination for anyone looking for that truly unique piece of jewellery.

CLANDAR

AVONVALE CARPETS

15 Cheap Street, Bath BA1 1NA Tel: 01225 335486 Web: clandar.co.uk

37 Kingsmead Street, Bath BA1 2AA Tel: 01225 427057 Web: avonvalecarpets.co.uk

Showcasing British textiles, Clandar excels at designing and making its own ranges of British tweed clothing – all manufactured by the team exclusively for its Cheap Street shop (close to Bath Abbey) and for its website.

All the tweed is sourced directly from historic British tweed mills, including house tweeds that have been designed and woven exclusively for Clandar.

Reassuringly, it also looks to the British Isles first for its tailoring and manufacturing.

British heritage and expertise and modern wearable designs combine to allow Clandar to offer pieces of the highest quality.

Also on offer are the finest Scottish cashmere and British woollens, woven in historic British mills.

The choice of flooring is vital in transforming any room and the range of options can sometimes overwhelm. Luckily Avonvale Carpets is on hand to assist. It has served homeowners and businesses throughout the city of Bath and Wiltshire for 45 years now, providing an excellent choice of flooring, in-depth expertise and perfect fitting. An independent, family-run business, Avonvale Carpets employs its own professionally trained fitters and offers customers a great selection of quality flooring that’s truly second to none – woollens, naturals, stain resistant, vinyls and tailor made too. You will be amazed at the variety on offer in the shop which is just off Kingsmead Square.

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TOPPING & COMPANY The Paragon, Bath BA1 5LS Tel: 01225 428111 Web: toppingbooks.co.uk Now celebrating over a decade at the heart of Bath’s literary scene, Topping & Company Booksellers is one of the best bookshops in the country and one of Bath’s most cherished independents. Pay a visit and you’re likely to be offered complimentary tea or cafetiere coffee while you browse through more than 50,000 titles on the shelves.

Complete with rolling library ladders, oak flooring, and handmade wooden bookcases, it's the perfect place for any bibliophile to spend an hour or two browsing. Topping & Company’s team of passionate booksellers also host an all-year-round book festival which brings a wide variety of celebrated authors and famous names to Bath, culminating each year in their autumn Bath Literary Festival.

FARROW & BALL 124 – 126 Walcot Street, Bath BA1 5BG Tel: 01225 466700 Web: farrow-ball.com Located in a beautiful Grade II listed building of classic Bath stone, the spacious showroom occupies a prominent position in Walcot Street, famed for its Bohemian art and fashion scene. The showroom showcases the entire collection of Farrow & Ball richly pigmented paint colours and artisanal wallpaper designs. Customers can experiment with colour, texture and finish and browse the entire collection of wallpapers alongside Farrow & Ball’s edited palette of 132 paint colours in a range of interior and exterior eco-friendly paint finishes. Our experienced showroom team are always available to offer complimentary colour advice and decorating schemes. If you’re hoping for a little more guidance, our expert Colour Consultants are on hand to help you create your unique look with Farrow & Ball. Considering up to four rooms in an hour, they’ll share tailored design advice and suggest a cohesive scheme all from the comfort of your own home.

BATH AQUA GLASS 14 Cheap Street / 15 Abbey Churchyard, Bath BA1 1NA Tel: 01225 789931 Web: bathaquaglass.com Bath Aqua Glass is a friendly local company creating handmade glass right in the centre of the City. From beautiful blown pieces and bespoke windows, to delicate jewellery and ornaments, the range on offer is staggering.

The Walcot street studio is open for viewings seven days a week, where you can watch expert glassblowers create works of art using ancient techniques and even have a go. Afterwards, wander down to the Abbey Churchyard shop and select a souvenir or two from the many stunning pieces available there. For a genuine gift from Bath, look no further than Bath Aqua Glass.

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AUDIENCE 14 Broad Street, Bath BA1 5LJ Tel: 01225 333310 Web: audience.org.uk The well-thumbed copies of Mojo magazine in the listening room at Audience and the love of old-school vinyl, are a clear sign these guys will share your passion for music. Their indepth knowledge will help you select a hi-fi, home cinema or custom installation system that will transform your listening experience. The team are true experts, and in a cool way they border on the obsessive, but are equally happy designing and supplying complex home entertainment installations, as they are recommending albums for your listening pleasure. Top-end products such as Linn, Naim and Bowers & Wilkins are available – all with outstanding performance and capable of astounding Studio Master music.

There’s also a selection of demonstration stock and quality preowned items; a visit to Audience is a must – pause, play... and enjoy.

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THE DRESSING ROOM 7 Quiet Street, Bath BA1 2JU Tel: 01225 330563 Web: dressingroombath.co.uk Since opening in Bath in 1985, The Dressing Room has maintained its reputation as the go-to place for the finest in lingerie, beach and nightwear. While offering the most exquisite lingerie collections from the likes of Marie Jo, Aubade, Empreinte and Prima Donna, the shop also has a wide range of basic t-shirt bras and invisible briefs. The beachwear collection features many brands, including Melissa Odabash, Maryan Mehlhorn, Gottex, Seafolly and Miraclesuit among many others. The nightwear collection boasts Olivia Von Halle, Hanro Cottons, Laurence Tavernier robes, and silk gowns from Luna Di Seta and Marjolaine. With experienced and professional staff ready to help you, why not go along and have some fun?

UP TO SEVEN

ELLIE ROSE BRIDAL

6 Pulteney Bridge, Bath BA2 4AX Tel: 01225 422333 Web: uptoseven.co.uk

7 Margaret’s Buildings, Bath BA1 2LP Tel: 01225 443988 Web: Ellierosebridal.co.uk

Have you found this beautiful shop on Pulteney Bridge? Here the team makes and sells lots of dresses, reversible dungarees, hand knitted woollies and of course the store’s famous and incredibly cute hats; strawberry, Christmas pudding and now new dinosaur. Up to Seven is a major stockist of Frugi, Kite and Toby Tiger, organic cotton, fairly traded clothes for babies and children and always has lots of appliqued tee shirts, dresses, hats and baby gifts and dinosaurs. If you haven’t been in, or if you are looking for a baby gift, a frock for a special occasion or comfy clothes for everyday then pop in to Up To Seven to find the perfect solution.

Ellie Rose Bridal brings exclusive bridal designs paired with personal bridal experience to everyone. Owned and run by chief bridal consultant Ellie and business partner Ollie, they bring their combined experience together.

They understand that finding your wedding gown should be an exciting part of your whole wedding experience, and are there to make it as memorable as it should be. Hayley Paige designs have taken the world by storm, firmly establishing her as one of the world’s top wedding dress designers and Ellie Rose Bridal has one of Europe’s largest collections of these designs. Other collections from Ti Adora Bridal, revered designer Lazaro and debut collections from Allison Webb NYC offer an alternative, yet complementary, choice to the Hayley Paige collections. Ellie Rose Bridal proudly represents these designs in the south west and with one of the largest hand selected collections on this side of the Atlantic, covers a range of fabrics and styles to suit everyone’s individual taste.

COOPERS STORES 13 – 15 Walcot Street, Bath BA1 5BN Tel: 01225 311811 Web: coopers-stores.com Awarded the Best UK Domestic Appliance Retailer 2017 and in the running for the same award this year; Coopers is an independent, family-owned, Bath based kitchen appliance retailer and is currently celebrating 70 years of continuous trading. With a large showroom in the centre of Bath, you can see and touch before you buy and the dedicated, expert team are always on hand to help choose the best products. Coopers Stores aim to be very competitively priced against the other high street players and with internet sellers too. They can deliver throughout the south west and offer flexible delivery slots to fit in with a customer’s needs. Over the past couple of years they have established links with a great team of expert installers to offer a complete advise, buy, deliver, and install service. This is independent retailing at its best – values driven and greatcustomer service – a real antidote to the soulless online shopping experience and for many years running, a regular entry in our best shops of Bath list.

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THE BEST SHOPS OF BATH

SPOTTY HERBERTS 5 Queen Street, Bath BA1 1HE Tel: 01225 331834 Web: spottyherberts.com Discover a shopping experience showcasing an adventure in childhood, where children are welcome, where innocence and magic are alive and playfulness goes hand-in-hand with rainbow patches and fizzy sherbet sticks. This is Spotty Herberts, Bath’s double awardwinning, independent shop for children. The shop is brimming with colourful, practical, brands of unisex clothes for children 0 – 10 years. Collections are chosen for their thoughtful design, singularity and ethical production, often sourced locally or Britishmade. Owner, Kate explains the thinking behind Spotty Herberts: “We want to offer traditional, simple clever toys you can pick up and play with again and again – a warm, nostalgic experience for children, and adults, with clothing that children love to wear, grow up in, grow out of and hand on and on.”

Image: © Chloe Moore Photography

NEPTUNE One Tram Yard, Walcot Street, Bath BA1 5BD Tel: 01225 465301 Web: neptune.com/bath Neptune’s gorgeous new Bath showroom has transformed the old Tramshed into a space that’s open and airy, it’s a refreshing mix of crumbly red brick and oversized, iron-edged glass windows which allow light to flood onto their flower shop at the front of the store. Founded in 1996 by friends John Sims-Hilditch and Giles Redman, Neptune is an interiors retailer recognised for its exacting standards, design-led aesthetic and expert craftsmanship. Perhaps most wellknown for its kitchens, every Neptune piece is designed for a lifetime of use, with its trademark ‘look’ rooted in British heritage. The Bath branch displays a large number of Neptune’s designs, including all four kitchens and a vast array of living and dining collections. Additionally, visitors to the store will also see a bedroom area complete with a beautiful solid oak washstand, as well as a large accessories area. It also features a section dedicated to Neptune Tailored, where customers can get up close to its house-blended paints and the extensive selection of textiles that make up its lovely fabric library.

THE PIANO SHOP BATH 1–2 Canton Place, and 1 Walcot Terrace, London Road, Bath BA1 5BD Tel: 01225 427961 Web: thepianoshopbath.co.uk The Piano Shop Bath has over 100 pianos available to suit all tastes, budgets and abilities. You will find sophisticated black grand pianos, colourful uprights with a Scandinavian twist and audacious metal pianos designed to make a statement. All of the new and secondhand pianos are checked and guaranteed by its workshop technicians before they arrive on the shop floor. The shop also has a restoration workshop on site for work from small repairs to full restoration, and tuners who can come to your home as well as a dedicated piano removals team. The Piano Shop Bath is open seven days a week, so why not visit and enjoy a play.

Image courtesy of Russell Sachs

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SOUTHGATE BATH ICARUS SILVER JEWELLERY 27 Broad Street, Bath BA1 5LW Tel: 01225 489088 Web: icarusjewellery.com Unique to Bath, Icarus Silver Jewellery is an immersive space where visitors can relax and enjoy the beauty of each piece of jewellery at their own pace. Owner Dilek Köroğlu designs some of the beautiful handmade silver jewellery pieces in the shop herself and is always happy to show you more of any particular style you desire. You are also welcome to discuss custom orders for bespoke designs. The shop is something a little bit different and a place to be surrounded by beautiful things.

Web: southgatebath.com SouthGate Bath opened in 2007 and now boasts more than 60 stores and restaurants. It’s a lively hub, where you’ll find many of your favourite high-street brands including Debenhams, Boots, Apple, Topshop, New Look, H&M, Superdry, Fatface, Hollister, Urban Outfitters, Currys/PC World as well as designer shops such as Tommy Hilfiger and Kurt Geiger. One of the early independent stores, the brilliant My Small World children’s toy store has been at SouthGate since the start.

During the summer months, you can take a break from shopping and relax on deckchairs while the kids play on the lawns beside you and enjoy beautiful overhead street art installations like Enchanted Umbrella’s and this year’s Wisteria Walkways. A big screen will often be set up in SouthGate Place to capture the excitement of major sporting events. In the winter months, there’s lots to keep everyone eentertained with a whole calendar of events for all ages to enjoy, from live performances and events to discovering magical winter wonderlands.

SouthGate Bath is proving a popular alternative to the out of town Malls as the rest of Bath’s great retailers are all within easy walking distance for shoppers to explore, making Bath’s shopping experience one of the UK’s finest.

TR HAYES 15–18 London Street, Walcot, Bath BA1 5BX Tel: 01225 465757 Web: trhayes.co.uk TR Hayes has been selling furniture in Bath for more than 100 years, and has a reputation for good quality and service. The large store features many well-respected brands, with an amazing array of furniture of all types on display – you can browse Hypnos beds, Parker Knoll Sofas and Ercol dining room ranges amongst others. Never one to rest on its laurels, there is always something a bit different at TR Hayes to catch the eye.

One of the most desirable trends at the moment is velvet upholstery, and the new Venice sofa on display in the contemporary showroom is worth a look. This show-stopping British-made collection is available in a range of sumptuous plush velvet fabrics in colours from subtle neutrals to jewellike greens and blues.

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The Bath Magazine 2018 in print, online and digital – To advertise contact 01225 424499; thebathmag.co.uk

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A CARIBBEAN CRUSH

Spectacular beaches, catamaran trips, Champagne for breakfast, intoxicating diving, gourmet cuisine, volcanic peaks and rejuvenating escapes – you’ll find all this and more among these Caribbean islands een to one Caribbean island and think you’ve seen them all? Think again, as each island has a unique charm. Blessed with sunshine, stunning beaches, exhilarating watersports and fantastic food and culture to boot, here’s a rundown of the region.

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platinum coast is The House by Elegant Hotels, a boutique adult-only retreat where Champagne is served for breakfast to start your day in style. Wherever you choose to stay, set your clock to Barbados time as one visit will see you returning time and again.

BARBADOS

Known as the Spice Island, Grenada is a paradise of spectacular beaches, charismatic towns and dramatic mountains. This enchanting island is a haven of authentic beauty above and below the sparkling ocean.

There are an abundance of dive sites as well as the Underwater Sculpture Park, a submerged art installation, regenerating the coral and marine life, it’s perfect for snorkellers and intoxicating to view.

St George’s, Grenada’s capital, is one of the most picturesque towns in the Caribbean. It’s the perfect place to explore on foot with its handsome old buildings and pretty harbour as well as the interesting shops and cafés that dot the narrow and busy streets.

Calabash Luxury Boutique Hotel & Spa is an intimate, luxury retreat with the superb Rhodes restaurant – directed by Gary Rhodes himself – offering gourmet cuisine.

GRENADA

With miles and miles of idyllic beaches, an abundance of internationally acclaimed restaurants, lively nightlife and a range of elegant resorts, Barbados is the most cosmopolitan of the Caribbean islands.

Oistins Fish Fry is not to be missed, with locals and tourists travelling to the charming fishing village on the south coast every Friday to dance and enjoy delicious fresh fish from the ocean. Also highly recommended is the Lone Star restaurant located on the Platinum Coast – it’s renowned for its idyllic setting and was described as ‘The Ivy of the Caribbean’ by Michael Winner.

Hop on a catamaran for a fun day out and you’ll even get to swim with turtles. Or simply sit back and enjoy stunning vistas as you sail along the west coast with a rum punch in your hand.

Located on the platinum coast, Cobblers Cove Hotel exudes country house comfort combined with Caribbean charm. Also on the

SAINT LUCIA

Rising majestically from the shimmering

Sugar Beach, a Viceroy Restort in Saint Lucia

Caribbean Sea are the verdant volcanic peaks of the Pitons. These iconic landmarks create a striking backdrop, potentially the most instagrammable pictures in the Caribbean.

Relax on one of the sandy beaches, hike the picturesque national park or enjoy lively nightlife at Rodney Bay. With accommodation ranging from romantic boutique properties to luxurious resorts, Saint Lucia is an inspiring, versatile destination exuding a magnetic charm. We’d recommend Sugar Beach, a Viceroy Resort, for its incredible Piton views, impressive beachfront location and fabulous luxury villas. Or, if you’re looking for a rejuvenating escape, try BodyHoliday, a hotel that provides a health and well-being holiday experience with a free daily spa treatment.

JAMAICA

One of the largest islands in the Caribbean, Jamaica offers a rich cultural history and distinctive cuisine in a stunning setting. The beautiful stretches of white sand beaches against the backdrop of the cool verdant mountains create a stunning juxtaposition of land and sea. Music is the lifeblood of Jamaica with the vibrant cities oozing Caribbean rhythms and reggae vibes.

Set within 110 acres on a hillside overlooking Round Hill Bay, the Round Hill Hotel and Villas offers a wonderful blend of low-key luxury and timeless glamour with stylish rooms designed by Ralph Lauren.

ANTIGUA

Renowned for its impressive beaches and sparkling azure waters, Antigua is one of the most picturesque Caribbean islands. With 365 beaches, one for every day of the year, beach hopping along the Antiguan coastline is a delight. Tear yourself away from the glistening white sands and there’s more to discover. English Harbour is a fully restored Georgian dockyard, developed by Captain Horatio Nelson, in colonial times serving as a British Naval base and now a hot spot for bars and restaurants, the perfect place to sit back, relax and admire the boats.

The luxurious Carlisle Bay is on one of Antigua’s most beautiful beaches and sits on the island’s unspoilt south coast against a backdrop of rolling hills and lush tropical rainforest. With its chic design and awardwinning facilities, the hotel brings a new standard of contemporary luxury.

These top spots and tips were compiled with the help of the team of travel experts at Trailfinders. Their travel centre is at 5 Union Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 724 000; trailfinders.com 68 TheBATHMagazine

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TRAVEL

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The House by Elegant Hotels in Barbados; Calabash Luxury Boutique Hotel & Spa in Grenada; a Jerk chicken sign in Jamaica; BodyHoliday in Saint Lucia; Cobblers Cove Hotel on the platinum coast in Barbados

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TRAVEL

TWIN CITIES

Why are some cities twinned with others? And shouldn’t we know a bit about those that are twinned with our own?

Simon Horsford sets the record straight and investigates three of Bath’s twins: Alkmaar, Braunschweig and Kaposvár

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ver heard of Braunschweig or Kaposvár? No, neither had I until I was driving along the Lansdown Road the other week and saw a sign listing them as two of the four cities twinned with Bath. At least the other two were better known, Aix-enProvence and, to a lesser extent, Alkmaar. According to Anthony Martin of the Mayor’s office in Bath, town twinning was “conceived after the Second World War and intended to foster friendship and understanding between different nations and former foes as an act of peace and reconciliation, and to encourage trade and tourism.”

ALKMAAR WHERE IS IT? A city and municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland, about 25 miles from Amsterdam.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE? Put under siege by Spanish troops in 1573, the town asked for help from the Prince of Orange, who promised to open the floodgates of the dykes and flood the region.

With the waters beginning to rise, the Spanish fled. It was a turning point in the Eighty Years War and gave rise to the expression Bij Alkmaar begint de victorie (Victory begins at Alkmaar).

ANY FAMOUS RESIDENTS? Petrus Forestus, 15th-century Dutch physician considered the Dutch Hippocrates; Jan Wils, 19th-century architect and founder of the De Stijl Movement; Rudi Vis, Dutchborn Labour Party MP for Finchley and Golders Green (1997–2010); Theo Bos, Olympic silver medal-winning speed cyclist.

WHAT TO SEE For an artist’s view of the history of the city, head to the Stedelijk Museum Alkmaar; one exhibit currently on loan is the six-metre St Lawrence altarpiece, which was sold and taken to Sweden after the Reformation.

Braunschweig has the longest twinning link dating back to 1971 and Kaposvár (1989) and Alkmaar (1990) are the most recent.

To complete the rather odd make-up, Bath also has a partnership agreement with Beppu in Japan and is a sister city of Manly in Australia.

Here’s an all-you-need-to-know guide to Alkmaar, Braunschweig and Kaposvár. I’m bypassing Aix because this wonderful city of grand squares, leafy boulevards and links to Paul Cézanne and Emile Zola is famous enough in its own right.

Or check out the Hofje van Splinter, hidden courtyards dating from the 1600s and built for ‘ladies of standing who had come down in the world’, and then there’s the impressive Grot Sint-Laurenskerk, the 15th-century Protestant church. The best way of seeing the city, which has a beautiful old centre and numerous historic monuments, is via its many canals on a Giethoornse punter, a very low barge.

ANY GOOD FESTIVALS? It’s all about cheese. Alkmaar is known as the ‘city of cheese’ and there’s a hugely popular festival held in August; here you will see cheese porters, dressed in white and wearing hats in the colour of their guild, carrying the stuff on cradle-like racks. Want to know more? The Dutch Cheese Museum tells how it is made and its history, focussing on Edam and Gouda.

WHAT AND WHERE TO EAT Try Restaurant Le Bon which serves good, regional French/Dutch dishes or the intimate Restaurant Riche. Look out for herring dishes, and stamppot, mashed potatoes with vegetables. Oddly there’s also a Scottish restaurant, Hielander. And don’t forget the cheese.

DRINK UP Well, there’s the Nationaal Beer Museum De Boom in the city, so that should give you a

clue. In a former brewery, you see how it is brewed and then get to have a glass at the end. Alternatively, there are also beer tours of the city – some pub crawl at just under two miles. Try the beer with a chaser of Jenever (Dutch gin).

ANY GOOD SPORT? AZ Alkmaar are in the Eredivisie, the equivalent of the English Premier League.

They last won it in 2008/09 and are nicknamed The Cheeseheads. The Sportpaleis Alkmaar is a velodrome and the Dutch national cycling championships are often held there.

DID YOU KNOW? There’s a Beatles Museum here. Yes, you heard that right. The Beatles Museum in Alkmaar is a private project and houses the combined work of two die-hard Beatles fans – a huge collection of memorabilia. It’s claimed John Lennon’s first guitar was made in Alkmaar.

STAY THERE Book into the stately 19th-century Grand Hotel Alkmaar on Gedempte Nieuwesloot; grandhotelalkmaar.nl.

BELOW, left: The river entrance to Alkmaar; right, carriers walking with many cheeses in the famous Dutch cheesemarket in Waagplein Square, Alkmaar

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TRAVEL

The old town market in Braunschweig

BRAUNSCHWEIG WHERE IS IT? Also known as Brunswick, the city is in Lower Saxony in northcentral Germany; Berlin is 160 miles away to the west.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE? A centre of trade in the early Middle Ages and a member of the Hanseatic League, thanks to influential Henry the Lion, the Duke of Saxony. Captured by the French in 1807, the city briefly became part of the Napoleonic state of Westphalia. Ignominiously, in 1932, the state of Brunswick granted Adolf Hitler German citizenship to allow him to run in the presidential election.

ANY FAMOUS RESIDENTS? Caroline of Brunswick, who married King George IV; Otto Grotewohl, first Prime Minister of the German Democratic Republic (GDR); Denis Schroder, basketball player for the Atlanta Hawks.

WHAT TO SEE The town has long been a centre for science and the arts. Look out for the Herzog Anton Ulrich Museum, one of the oldest in the world, with its comprehensive collection of old masters, and don’t miss the charismatic Romanesque and Gothic Cathedral of St Blasius, the final resting place of Henry the Lion. As for architecture, the Altstadtmarkt is a medieval treasure trove, while elsewhere the cartoony Happy Rizzi House is the work of American pop-artist James Rizzi. Take a boat trip down the River Oker, or stroll by its pretty banks.

ANY GOOD FESTIVALS? Braunschweig’s Karneval, the ‘Schoduvel’, dates back 700 years with its origins lying in a custom to scare away the evil spirits through noise, disguise and a frightening appearance. It’s the largest carnival parade in northern Germany, with more than 40 brass bands and scores of carnival floats, during which spectators are showered in ‘Kamelle’ (different types of candy).

WHAT AND WHERE TO EAT Braunschweiger (which has its own Wikipedia entry) is a smoked, spreadable sausage (there are regional variations), while asparagus, particularly white, is a big favourite around here and the town has a long tradition of producing gingerbread-type treats. Eat local cuisine at Anders das Pannenrestaurant, or Restaurant Rhenische Republik.

A statue of Henry the Lion

DRINK UP Hofbrauhaus Woters have been brewing beer since 1627, so they know what they’re doing – try one of the numerous varieties of its pilsner, black or white beers. Head to the Craft Bier Bar on Steinweg for a huge range of brews.

ANY GOOD SPORT? Last season Eintracht Braunschweig were relegated to the third tier of German football, though they did win the Bundesliga in 1967. Their crest is based on the insignia of Henry the Lion. The New Yorker Lions are the town’s American football team and the most successful in Germany. For tennis fans, the ATP tour arrives here with the Sparkassen Open.

DID YOU KNOW? Every November, Braunschweig holds a weekend of games and entertainment called mummegenussmeile. During the weekend, the town embraces the world of Braunschweiger Mumme, a malty, nonalcoholic beverage (there is a beer version too), which dates back to medieval times.

STAY HERE The Steigenberger Parkhotel Brunswick (which also has a spa) in Bürgerpark; steigenberger.com.

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KAPOSVÁR WHERE IS IT? A city in the south-western part of Hungary, south from Lake Balaton, the largest lake in central Europe.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE? The city was within the Ottoman Empire for much of the 16th and 17th centuries and was then ruled by the Hapsburgs before becoming part of Austro-Hungary in the mid-19th century. A hotbed of cultural activity and revolutionary ideas in the early 1900s, the town was occupied by Nazi Germany in 1944 (with around 6,000 Jews being deported) and later that year by the Soviet Army. Kaposvár joined the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 against the country’s Markist-Leninist government.

ANY FAMOUS RESIDENTS? Imre Negy, Hungarian communist leader whose second term ended with the failed Hungarian Revolution of 1956 – he was subsequently executed; artist Jozsef RipplRonai, said to be ‘Hungary's Cézanne and Gauguin’; Ferenc Csik, gold medal-winning swimmer at the 1936 Olympics.

WHAT TO SEE The town is blessed with museums and galleries (it has played a leading role in Hungarian art and poetry) and the centre has numerous art nouveau and neoclassical buildings. Top sights include the Rippl-Ronai Villa, which contains many of the artist’s works; the Vaszary Art Gallery, nearer Lake Balaton, which is the place for modern and classical; while Somogy Sports Museum is devoted to Hungarian sporting achievement. If you’re feeling active, run or cycle around Lake Deseda, the longest artificial lake in the country.

ANY GOOD FESTIVALS? The Kapos Carnival is a one of the most popular festivals in the country. The main attraction is a carnival procession led by characters from a comic poem dating from the 1790s. The Daffodil Festival marks the arrival of spring in Kaposvár, with 20,000 daffodil bulbs dotted around the old park of the Rippl-Rónai villa.

WHAT AND WHERE TO EAT Rippl-Rónai cake is named after the painter and features lots of chocolate. For local cuisine and craft beer head to Erzsebet Alehouse.

DRINK UP Make sure to have a glass of Tokaji Aszu or Bulls Blood wine; five of Hungary’s 22 wine regions are found around Lake Balaton.

Also have a shot of Unicum, a Hungarian herbal digestif.

ANY GOOD SPORT? In 1998 Kaposvar was awarded the title of National Sports City, although it’s unclear what that means. Kometa Kaposvár is the successful men’s volleyball team, while Kaposvári Kosárlabda Klub play basketball and Kaposvári Rákóczi are in Hungary’s third football tier.

DID YOU KNOW? Zselic, outside Kaposvár, is one of the best places for dark night skies in Hungary and in 2009 was awarded the title Zselic Park of Stars by the International Dark-Sky Association, which recognises paces where people can see stars, meteors and constellations without interference from artificial lights.

STAY THERE The art nouveau-style Hotel Dorottya in the centre of town; hoteldorottya.hu/en.

BELOW, clockwise from top left: old house in Kaposvár; Lake Deseda near the city of Kaposvár; the old town of Kaposvár; a Hungarian National Championship volleyball game in Kaposvár

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Sharing the school holidays

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he summer holidays are here and parents are excited to be spending quality time with their children, but for those who have separated this can be difficult. If possible, it’s always best to come to an agreement in advance of the summer break. You can start the process by considering three key questions: 1. What is in the best interests of the children?

It’s easy after a separation to become embroiled in what you want for your child, but it is important to step back and consider what is in their best interests.

Generally, if both parents are able to provide appropriate care, a Court will recognise that the child will benefit from quality time with both parents. As such, parents may wish to alternate or split holidays – and if this can be discussed directly it can result in much more flexibility for both parents.

2. Can I take my child on holiday?

During your time with the child, you can take them away on holiday in England and Wales without permission of the other parent, although it is recommended to let them know when and where you plan on going so they have access to an emergency number.

For trips abroad, it is vital to gain permission of all those with parental responsibility before taking the child abroad as it is a criminal offence not to. If you have a Child Arrangements Order which says that the child lives with you, then you can normally take the child abroad for up to 28 days without getting permission. However, again it is best practice to provide the other parent with full details.

Before travelling you should also check the legal situation of your holiday destination as you may be required to take proof of parental permission and your relationship to the child.

3. What if we cannot come to an agreement?

Wherever possible, the Court will avoid getting involved as its view is that the parents are best placed to make decisions about their child’s welfare.

If parents cannot resolve issues, there are a number of ways to facilitate a productive discussion, for example, through mediation or family therapy. Should these methods be unsuccessful then solicitors can assist in negotiating and help the parents come to an agreement focused upon what is best for the child and, if needed, can make an application to Court. www.mogersdrewett.com Elizabeth Dowler, Solicitor at Mogers Drewett

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CITY | PEOPLE

CITYNEWS BATH BEST UK CITY Bath has been crowned the winner of Best UK City in the prestigious Luxury Lifestyle Magazine Readers’ Travel Awards 2018. In addition, the boutique hotel No.15 Great Pulteney Street has been recognised in three categories: Best Boutique Hotel; Best City Hotel and Best Newcomer.

Beating off stiff competition from ten other cities from across the UK, Bath became the first ever winner of the accolade.

As a city built for wellbeing and indulgence, Bath is the perfect destination for a city break. The UNESCO World Heritage city is renowned for its beautiful Georgian architecture, Roman remains, diverse attractions and thermal spa waters. Festivals bring life and vibrancy to this beautiful city, whilst boutique shops and independent restaurants make this a truly modern city which caters to visitors of every budget. visitbath.co.uk

NEW EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN FOR VISITBATH Visit Bath has appointed Craig Jenkins as its new executive chairman. The Bath-based businessman takes on the role following the completion of Ian Bell’s six-year term of office.

Craig Jenkins is finance director of Pangolin Editions, the world’s largest art foundry and managing director of the international electronics group Megacon.

Craig is also managing director of the regional accounting and consultancy firm TSL. A resident of Bath for over 25 years, Mr Jenkins has been a director of Bath Tourism Plus since 2017 and is actively involved with several local charities.

Mr Jenkins says; “Visit Bath has seen many positive changes recently, including a new office and visitor information centre.

LOOK OUT FOR: The next Bath at Twilight Market is on 23 August 2018

I will aim to ensure that we will deliver the best possible service on a reduced budget, and I would like to see us connect with people and organisations in a more effective way. Over recent years we have developed strong, strategic partnerships and we are now well positioned to forge new partnerships that will benefit all our stakeholders and help us to promote the area nationally and internationally.

“I am keen to engage more with the visual and performing arts as well as with the growing creative media sector. We should be aware of Bath’s heritage but it is our duty to promote the city as it is now, a cosmopolitan city, full of creativity, culture and the arts.” visitbath.co.uk

BATH BUSINESS BAROMETER UPDATE: JUNE 2018

provided by

High Street Footfall (Month on month % change)

n As we move through the start of a summer of record-breaking temperatures, spending on food, drink and leisure activities remained the priority for consumers in July, exacerbated by temperatures averaging 22 degrees.

Footfall in Bath rose by 2.7% in June compared to figures from May, with the South West region (SW) increasing by 0.9% during the same period.

Year to date, footfall in Bath is holding steady, showing a 1% increase compared with 2017 figures, with the SW and UK showing decreases of 2.7% and 2.8% respectively.

Sales in Bath during the last week of June showed an increase, up 5.8% compared to the week before, a potentially positive sign for UK Retailers experiencing the slowest first half year sales for more than a decade.

Minerva’s Owls are perched throughout the city, increasing footfall and encouraging people to explore the whole city.

The Bath BID is working with Visit Bath to bring you the Bath at Twilight monthly evenings in the city. Make a note for your diary: 23rd August, 27th September, 25th October – for more information visitbath.co.uk/twilight.

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+2.7% South West UK

+0.9%

+5.2% Springboard Research Ltd.

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BATH | IN BUSINESS

LOOKING RESPLENDENT: The city centre planters

SUMMER BLOOMS IN THE CITY

By Allison Herbert Chief executive, Bath Business improvement District.

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his summer, Bath is blooming. The green setting of the city in the hollow of the hills is enhanced by the city centre floral initiatives making it an even more attractive place for visitors, workers and residents. Do take a moment to ‘smell the flowers’ and take comfort from the unusual hot weather with a stroll in the woods. Nowhere in our city is more than a few moments from greenery; a place to take a moment and enjoy a break. It is well documented that trees, plants and flowers bring significant health and wellbeing benefits and there is even research to show that the presence of trees makes the wait for buses and trains seem shorter!

Bath BID planters and baskets punctuate the dry streets with colourful flowers and lush greenery. Colours are chosen carefully.

Ultra violet is the Pantone colour of the year and is reflected many of the hanging baskets and in the wonderful ‘Wisteria’ display in SouthGate. Our city planting this year is themed with purple, white and green in honour of the centenary of women’s suffrage in the UK and, more recently, planting in the municipal flower beds and outside Russell and Bromley has turned red, white and blue to remember the ending of the First World War.

Verbenas are used in all schemes to encourage pollinators. We hope that our planters will play their part in helping to ‘Get Bath Buzzing’.

Undoubtedly the city is more welcoming with all the flowers, we get a sense of pride when the place looks so good and we were delighted to be awarded Gold in the South West in Bloom Competition (BID category) in 2017. Blooms also make business sense helping to increase dwell time and repeat visits. Vibrant and colourful displays bring light to a dark passageway and interest to a side street, encouraging shoppers and diners to explore that little bit further.

Bath BID works in collaboration with many partners to spread the city’s floral offerings which in turn enhances everyone’s experience of the city. The council has the horticultural expertise and grow the plants in their nursery and Bath BID takes on the responsibility for watering and maintenance. Businesses work together to enhance the streets and shopping districts; Kingsmead Square has a plethora of hanging baskets, the wildflower planting at Bath Quays is encouraging wildlife and the Milsom Place Festival of Flowers was a delight. Hats off to Wild Walcot, the volunteer group that turned the neglected piece of land next to the Corn Exchange building into a vibrant community garden and started a living wall using bags for life at the former Abbey Gardens Furniture shop. It is hard to miss the flock of owls brought to us by Minerva Owls of Bath Sculpture Trail which we support and we highly recommend you take a moment to see the living owl feature in Parade Gardens. It’s a hoot! n Bath BID is delighted to provide support to help Bath bloom, support that might not otherwise be available.

To keep up to date with all of our news please sign up for our weekly newsletter: www.bathbid.co.uk/subscribe

Our tiered planters (in Milsom Street and beyond) with their water conserving reservoirs house geraniums, lavender, ivy, petunias, marigolds and more. There’s also something a little different in there see if you can spot the tomatoes, cabbages, Swiss chard and basil.

You’ll be pleased to hear that nectar rich plants such as Salvias and

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CITYNEWS A FLYING START BMI Bath Clinic HAS unveiled its very own owl sculpture, designed as a GP, as part of the the Minerva’s Owls of Bath 2018 trail. This is to celebrate the first year anniversary of its private GP service.

The service offers rapid access to experienced doctors, as well as specialised diagnostics such as blood tests, X-rays, scans and immediate referral to a consultant.

‘Dr Tawny, Privoot GP’ was unveiled

by The Goddess Minerva (Miss Bath 2017/18); her barn owl companion, local artist Vera Carbin; and three of BMI Bath Clinic’s Private GPs. The sculpture is also accessible via the National Trust Skyline Walk. BMI Bath Clinic’s Private GP Service starts at £65. Tel: 0800 096269; web: bmihealth care.co.uk/bath

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NEW DIRECTOR Alex Peters joins his father Andrew as a director at Green Park Brasserie, as director of marketing and strategy. Alex has a background in marketing and has worked agency side and in-house at the British Museum. He joined the business in 2016 to set up the Brasserie’s sister business Bath Pizza Co. The business has a third arm, Bath Function Rooms, which is popular for weddings, parties and corporate events.

Alex said: “We’ve some exciting plans for the businesses over the next few years having grown well over the past 24 months. My father and I share a similar thought pattern and it makes it easy to be direct with each other when it comes to decision making.”

Green Park Brasserie is known for its live music four nights a week and the business has championed the independent restaurant scene in Bath since opening in 1992. greenparkbrasserie.com; bathpizzaco.com

THE IMPORTANCE OF AN LPA Solicitors at Mowbray Woodwards have joined fellow members of Solicitors for the Elderly (SFE) in support of a warning that the UK is facing an incapacity crisis.

A new report reveals that 70% of people in the south west are worried about dementia, yet 83% have not considered putting a Will or Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) in place.

An LPA allows you to appoint trusted individuals to make important decisions about your finances, care and welfare if you lose the capacity to make decisions for yourself. Failure to get a LPA could mean that your family have to apply to the Court of Protection to gain control of your assets. This can be lengthy, expensive and cause great stress at a difficult time.

David Whitworth, partner and head of private client services at Mowbray Woodwards said: “It is so important to think about your future care needs ahead of time to ensure that your financial, care, and welfare decisions will be made by those individuals you trust.” Tel: 01225 485700; info@mowbraywoodwards.co.uk

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EDUCATION

THE GARDEN AT KINGSWOOD There is a new nursery in town. In fact it’s surrounded by trees and woodland, encouraging outdoor learning and play, and the new buildings also have significant benefits for the prep school as a whole Scandinavian timber-clad houses nestled in a 100-acre wood and you have the picture.

Each nursery room has been purpose-built to suit the ages in each room, with custombuilt joinery and wooden indoor tree houses along with large windows at both child and adult height. These features create a unique outdoor feel to the nursery rooms.

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Our school-based nursery experience will provide our youngest children with the foundations to thrive in school

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K

ingswood Prep School will very shortly be opening the doors to its new nursery. It will be open for the new school year in September and will be known as The Garden At Kingswood.

This is no misnomer, as the buildings at Kingswood are all nestled within an expansive, magical green woodland location at the heart of the prep school’s 100-acre parkland estate. Just the sort of place for a grounded education. Indeed, outdoor education is a vital part of life at Kingswood Prep School, headmaster Mark Brearey tells me, and the nursery children will be able to explore the beautiful grounds and enjoy the age-specific play areas that lie right outside the bespoke nursery rooms.

The new nursery will welcome children from nine months and will be open for 50 weeks each year. The idea behind the development was essentially inspired by parents with children in other parts of the school needing somewhere convenient to leave their nursery age children as they drop off their older children at the school.

The building development is the UK’s largest timber shingle project – timber shingles are thin, tapered pieces of wood covering roofs and walls. Imagine a series of

The children will be supported by dedicated nursery staff. The environment has been designed to meet the individual needs of all children, running alongside carefully planned activities and adapted specialist sessions to accommodate the whole spectrum of learning styles.

The development also includes exceptional facilities for children at the prep school.

Reception children will have new light and bright classrooms, providing an uplifting start for the young learners’ time at school.

Year 5 and 6 pupils will also benefit from new bright classrooms which will have open access to the outside and a new break-out space between classrooms will encourage creative and dynamic teaching. In the same building as the new classrooms will be a brand new art room and innovation area.

This will provide a space for science, technology, engineering, art and maths (STEAM). Mark Brearey says, “Our schoolbased nursery experience will provide our youngest children with the foundations to thrive in school.”

The school’s orchestra and choirs form a popular part of life at Kingswood Prep and more than 250 pupils play musical instruments, so a new music room and six music practice rooms will allow the musicians ample space.

There will also be a new school hall, which will be used for assemblies, physical education, concerts, productions and functions. The space will mean that whole school celebrations can be shared with parents and the wider community.

• kingswood.bath.sch.uk

A view of the site in June 2018

An architect’s image of the external entrance of the prep school

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Our mission is to create true all-rounders who are comfortable with their learning, passionate about an area of school life and with attitudes, manners and values that will be lifelong

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FAMILY | EVENTS

FAMILY DIARY IDEAS FOR THINGS TO DO WITH THE CHILDREN THIS MONTH SUMMER HOLIDAY CLUB Thursday 2 and Thursday 30 August, 10am – 4pm n Bath City Farm Join Dig and Delve’s enchanted world holiday club and enjoy the day exploring 36 acres of beautiful woodland, meadows and ponds while learning about countries and cultures from around the world. A day full of play, craft and storytelling. Suitable for ages five – 11. £30 per child per day, £27 siblings, £20 concessions. Tel: 01225 481269; bathcityfarm.org.uk FIDGETY FEET Thursday 9 August, 9.30am and 10.30am n Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford on Avon Join Fidgety Feet for a space-themed interactive dance, drama and storytelling workshop for children aged 18 months – five. Dress for movement; supervision required. Child £7, adults £2. Babies free.

Tel: 01225 860100; wiltshiremusic.org.uk ANIMATE A FILM Monday 13 August, 10am and 3pm n Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford on Avon Learn how to animate a short film with Claire from Make It! as she shows you lots of fun ideas and neat tricks to bring your story to life in this hands-on workshop.

Suitable for ages nine plus, younger children are welcome if accompanied by an adult.

Take along a packed lunch. £25.

Tel: 01225 860100; wiltshiremusic.org.uk SUMMER ART CAMP Monday 13 – Friday 17 August, 9am – 4pm n The Holburne Museum, Great Pulteney Street Pack your lunch, put on your arty clothes and head to The Holburne Museum for a day packed full of fun. Take part in creative activities inspired by the museum’s current collections and exhibitions. £38 per day; £20 discount for booking five consecutive days. Booking is essential.

Tel: 01225 388568; holburne.org CLAY MODELLING AND PLAYDOUGH PALAVER Tuesday 14 August, 10.30am – 1pm n The Pound Arts Centre, Corsham Have a messy morning of clay-making inspired by the film Early Man. Make and build your character before a screening of the film in the afternoon, £2 per person. You can also stay to watch the latest Aardman Animations creation at 2pm, £7.50; poundarts.org.uk

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Create your own clay model before watching Early Man at The Pound Arts Centre

MEN BEHAVING DADLY Saturday 18 August, 9 – 10.30am n St Swithin’s Church, The Paragon This monthly toddler group for dads and their pre-school children is a community that builds friendship, support and encouragement between fathers. Meet other dads, have fun and spend some quality time with your little ones. There are toys, games and toast for the kids, as well as coffee and bacon butties for the dads. £3 per dad; stswithinswalcot.org.uk BATH FOLK FESTIVAL Saturday 18 August, 10am – 5pm n Bath City Farm Head to Bath City Farm and enjoy a real family treat at this year’s Bath Folk Festival.

The day will include music acts including headline performance act Rory McLeod, face painting, a bouncy castle, animals and a BBQ, so your day is sure to be stacked full of fun for all ages. Tickets: £6.

Tel: 01225 481269; bathcityfarm.org.uk TRACTOR TED DIGGERS AND DUMPERS WEEKEND Saturday 18 – Sunday 19 August, 11am – 6pm n Bowood House and Gardens The perfect day out for all digger and big machine enthusiasts. Enjoy some JCB antics, a digger world cup, a tug-of-war and tractor and trailor rides. Don’t miss the bouncy castle and digger dens, which will be great fun for all the family. Booking is advised.

Regular house and garden admissions apply; complimentary to season ticket holders.

Tel: 01249 812102; bowood.org

TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE STAR Monday 20 August, 10 – 11.30am n Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford on Avon Dress for mess and explore a few favourite nursery rhymes with Chrissie Weltike through songs, creative activities and messy play. Suitable for two – four years.

Supervision is required. Child £7; Adults £2. Tel: 01225 860100; wiltshiremusic.org.uk COLOURSCAPE Monday 20 August – Thursday 23 August n The Holburne Museum, Great Pulteney Street Enjoy a labrinth of 25 interlinked coloured chambers and a celebration for the senses for all ages. Taking place on the front lawn of the museum, put on a cape and immerse yourself in a new world. Entry is from 11am – 4pm; last admissions taken at 3.30pm. No advance booking, £5.

Tel: 01225 388568; holburne.org BRICKING IT Tuesday 21 August, 10.30am – 1pm n The Pound Arts Centre, Corsham Build a castle, dragon, fox, eagle or whatever your heart desires at this lego workshop.

Using the incredible collection available at the Pound, spend your mid-morning getting creative. Duplo is also available for little ones and there’s some colouring in for grown-ups. £2; poundarts.org.uk MUSIC FOR MINIATURES Wednesday 22 August, 10.30am n St Bart’s Church, Oldfield Park Enjoy a series of classical concerts for babies

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FAMILY | EVENTS

Enjoy a few classical concerts at Music for Miniatures

and toddlers in a relaxed atmosphere. Babies can sleep, babble and crawl while toddlers are able to dance and play air instruments.

Suitable for up to four years. £8 per adult/child pair, £4 per extra adult, £3 per extra child; musicforminiatures.co.uk TREASURE ISLAND Thursday 23 August, 6.30 – 9.30pm n The Bishop’s Palace Watch as Jim Hawkins discovers a treasure map among the possessions of the late Captain Billy Bones, before he encounters dangerous pirates and ventures across the

Venture to Treasure Island at The Bishop’s Palace

world to Treasure Island. A blanket or lowbacked seat is advised. Picnics are welcomed.

Standard admission: Adults £14, children £9, family £44; bishopspalace.org.uk

skills. And, if you’re feeling brave, you can have a go at some longbow archery and sword fighting. Included in admission, under fives go free; bishopspalace.org.uk

BOWLORE MEDIEVAL WEEKEND Saturday 25 – Monday 27 August, 10am – 6pm n The Bishop’s Palace Spend your August bank holiday preparing to be wowed in true medieval fashion by the historical re-enactors Bowlore Medieval.

Enjoy a demonstration of the ancient art of sword-fighting and William Tell-type archery

CRAZY CRAVATS Tuesday 28 August, 10.30am – 12.30pm and 1.30 – 3.30pm n Fashion Museum Create a cravat with some crazy materials at the Fashion Museum this summer holiday.

Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Free with normal museum entry; fashionmuseum.co.uk

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HEALTH & BEAUTY

HEALTH & BEAUTY NEWS Those all important mole checks, an eco-friendly soap and a new range of lippies...

Crystal Rose shares the latest in the sector

BETTER CONSIDERED SUDS

PUCKER UP Introducing the new Joli Rouge Velvet range from Clarins. With 20 matte shades available, may your lips be inundated with choices to suit every look. This luxuriously hydrating formula gives a non-drying, flawless velvet look, which is light and creamy. Gliding with ultra-ease, the intense matte colour instantly illuminates the lips and gives them the care they deserve. The entire Joli Rouge Velvet range is available from Frontlinestyle Hair and Beauty Salon.

Move over standard soaps, there’s a new name in town. Sister to The Soap Cọ, BECỌ is all about putting real change in people’s hands. Powered by a team of whom 80% are visually impaired, disabled or disadvantaged, BECỌ also conserves water in its 250ml of ready-tosqueeze foam. This also saves 88 litres of water by lasting 2.5 times longer than liquid soap and a whole lot of plastic too.

Not to mention that all ingredients are 100% eco-friendly, vegan, cruelty-free and hypoallergenic.

Camilla Marcus-Dew, co-founder of The Soap Cọ, said: “BECỌ stands for Better Considered, and is a movement

Joli Rouge Velvet, £22, Frontlinestyle, 4 – 5 Monmouth Street, Bath BA1 2AJ; frontlinestyle.co.uk

MOLE MONITORING

L’Occitane has just announced its collaboration with the sensational content creator Josie Fear.

Selecting her favourite products, including the first-ever product she used from the brand – the Lavender Hand Cream – and her favourite shower treat, which is the collection is full of lots of mini skincare and beauty treats encased in a beautiful vanity case perfect for your travels. Grab yourself a bag in store or online.

Some of us love soaking up the summer sun – especially during a heatwave, but it’s essential to keep your skin safe.

A 2018 survey conducted by Boots found that 53% of British sun-seekers have ended up with painful sunburn after not being able to protect their backs properly. The back is one of the most common sites for melanomas.

It’s so important to keep an eye on your moles and watch out for any changes.

Boots is now offering an in-store mole scanning service at selected stores in conjunction with ScreenCancer UK. A scanner is used to capture images of five components of the skin across different layers and the images are then sent over for expert analysis at ScreenCancer UK. It’s then established whether the mole is at risk and, if so, a dermatology specialist will contact you.

Vanity Case, £25, 12 New Bond Street, Bath; loccitane.co.uk

Boots, SouthGate, 1 Newark Street; boots.com

FASHION MUMBLR X L’OCCITANE

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that puts meaningful change for disabled and disadvantaged people in the hands of everyday shoppers. It’s a bold new idea that will appeal to those who want more transparency, sustainability and great design from the products they buy.”

The 100g triple-milled soap bars come in three planet-friendly and eco-certified fragrances: Honey Blossom, Spring Meadow and Wild Berries. All bars are 100% recyclable on the outside and biodegradable on the inside.

Soap bars, £3, and hand wash bottles, £4, are available at Waitrose; betterconsidered.org

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HEALTH & BEAUTY

Enriched with essential oils of rose, patchouli and primrose, this face oil helps to give your skin a deep treatment. Apple and raspberry seed oils plump the skin’s appearance and soften the look of fine lines. £58, Thermae Bath Spa Shop, The Hetling Pump Room, Hot Bath Street, Bath BA1 1SJ; thermaebathspa.com

WRINKLES & PORES This targeted beauty cream visibly reduces the appearance of fine lines while tightening pores and concealing blemishes. Apply after moisturising and before make up. £27.75, The Orangery Laser and Beauty, 2 Kingsmead Street, Bath BA1 2AA; theorangerylaserandbeautybath.co.uk

AGEING SKIN Smooth, firm and replenish your skin overnight and wake up feeling as though the clock’s gone back. Packed full of collagen, this night cream helps to keep your skin looking younger for longer.

Find Elemis products and treatments at Macdonald Bath Spa Hotel, Sydney Road, Bath BA2 6NS; macdonaldhotels.co.uk

FINE LINES Hold back the years with this new double serum from Clarins. Formulated to give you a more youthful, radiant complexion, it minimises the appearance of skin-ageing.

30ml, £57, 50ml, £75, Frontlinestyle, 4-5 Monmouth Street, Bath BA1 2AJ; frontlinestyle.co.uk

Problem Solving From facial creases to stubborn acne, Crystal Rose rounds up a few products for the face’s troublesome areas

THE EYES Release tension around the eyes with this massage spatula from Erborian. Using the coldeffect rounded tip, gently massage the eye area and feel instantly relaxed. £8, Jolly’s, 13 Milsom Street, Bath BA1 1DD; uk.erborian.com

PORES

ACNE Target those blemishes and imperfections with this breakout corrector. Its easy-to-apply applicator and fast-absorbing formula means your skin will be back to its best in no time. It also helps to prevent residual marks from acne and is suitable for sensitive skin. £9, Boots, SouthGate, Bath; laroche-posay.co.uk

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Pores no more with this organic tea tree oil formula from The Body Shop. Visibly minimising the appearance of pores, it can be used as a primer or as the last step in your skincare routine.

Plus may your blemishes be banished! £9, The Body Shop, 2 Burton Street, Bath BA1 1BN; thebodyshop.com

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the orangery l a s e r

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b e a u t y

c l i n i c

Hydra Peel Infusion

Specialists in Ellipse IPL Permanent Hair Reduction Treatments

Hydra Peel Infusion is a treatment that combines exfoliation, hydration, chemical peeling and non-needle mesotherapy to infuse different vitamins into the skin. Treatments have no down time and are suitable for all skin types.

It can be used to target fine lines, wrinkles, dry skin, scarring, rosacea, sun damage and pigmentation as well as problematic skins.

• Permanent Hair Reduction • • No more shaving, waxing or depilatory creams • • Safe and effective, even on fragile or delicate areas • • FREE CONSULTATIONS AND PATCH TEST •

Contact us for your FREE consultation Treatments performed by one of the medical team from the Dr Rita Rakus cosmetic award winning Clinic as featured in Tatler Clinic dates: 3rd, 4th, 6th, 20th & 31st August www.drritarakus.com

No.2 Kingsmead St. Bath • Tel: 01225 466851 www.theorangerylaserandbeautybath.co.uk

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BEAUTY | REVIEW

LIGHT ON YOUR FEET

“

Emma Clegg tries a new pedicure treatment at Frontlinestyle Salon and Spa and decides it’s time to pay her long-suffering feet some careful attention to keep them injury free and super soft

A

well-manicured hand and a perfectly polished toe never go unnoticed,” says the Frontlinestyle website. Very true. But the thing is, if you have got problem feet – in my case hard skin, rheumatic joints and neuropathy (nerve damage caused by diabetes) – having polish on your toes is, quite frankly, the last thing on your mind. Because the polishing of a toe requires there to be an elegant foot attached.

Or if not elegant, then well looked after.

It’s true that my interest in foot care moved more into gear, however, when I discovered that Frontlinestyle have introduced a new brand of pedicure that caters for specific types of problem feet. The brand is called Footlogix, with the catchy byline ‘where medi meets pedi’.

This pharmaceutical pedicure was invented

by Katarin von Gavel, a North American pioneer in pedicare and uses a groundbreaking dermal infusion technology. This pediceutical mousse foot care line is the only one of its type. Its scientific formulation enables active ingredients to penetrate faster and deeper into the skin. The Footlogix products include a foot soak, an exfoliating seaweed scrub, a massage formula, a callus softener, and various dry skin and anti-fungal care formulas. There’s even one for cold feet, for sweaty feet and for tired legs.

My pedicure started with the Footlogix foot soak, followed by the callus softener,

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which can be used before all the Footlogix treatments – the longer this is left on the skin the more it comes away. A stainless steel file was then used to remove my hard skin – this was the longest part of the pedicure, but it’s important to remove the excess skin before the main treatment starts. I was then treated to an exfoliating seaweed scrub. Formulated with healing micro algae, this exfoliates, promotes circulation and invigorates the legs and feet.

The next stage was a nail manicure and file, and a heavenly deep massage of the base of my feet. Then the main treatment was applied, the Footlogix DD Cream. It’s a hydrating, lightweight creamy mousse

containing urea, which is designed to lock moisture into the skin with each application.

And its non-greasy, fragrance-free rich cream mousse is safe for diabetics and those with sensitive skin.

My feet felt transformed when I left. The mousse is effective when it is applied last thing at night, so I took some away to maintain the treatment. Now, what colour polish should I have? n

The one hour medi pedi Footlogix treatment was £41.50. Frontlinestyle, 4–5 Monmouth Street, Bath, BA1 2AJ. To book, tel: 01225 478478; frontlinestyle.co.uk

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Get your summer glow with the 5-star Macdonald Bath Spa Hotel

COMPETITION

One of Bath’s finest luxury hotels, the five-star Macdonald Bath Spa Hotel is giving one lucky winner and guest the chance to be pampered for the day.

The prize winner will be able to get their summer glow with an ELEMIS handson Couture Touch, an all-embracing body experience that conditions your skin and muscles, or the ELEMIS Biotec Prescribed Facial - as well as full use of the five-star facilities.

Following the pamper session, the winner will be treated to a decadent three-tier Celebration Afternoon Tea, complete with a selection of indulgent delights. From freshly made finger sandwiches, to a selection of fine patisserie and warm scones. Winners will also be able to end the day with a celebratory champagne cocktail.

The 131-bedroom hotel located in the heart of historic Bath, is set within expansive grounds and its Vellore Restaurant boasts a two AA rosette award for excellent quality and service. For more information please visit www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk/our-hotels/macdonald-bath-spa-hotel Macdonald Bath Spa Hotel Sydney Road, Bath BA2 6NS Tel 0344 879 9106

To enter email your name and contact details marked ‘Summer Glow’ to competitions@thebathmagazine.co.uk

T&C’s 1. The prize is for one reader and a guest to win a Celebration Afternoon Tea and an ELEMIS hands-on Couture Touch body experience OR ELEMIS Biotec Prescribed Facial treatment (or similar) and use of the spa facilities for the day at Macdonald Bath Spa Hotel. 2. Prize to be taken by no later than 01 August 2019. Dates are subject to availability and to be confirmed at the time of booking. 3. All entrants must be aged 18 or over. 4. Transport is not included. 5. The prize is non-transferable and there are no cash alternatives. Closing date August 31st. Data from entries apart from the winner will not be passed on.

style Boutique Salons & Spa Winner of Best Hair Salon & Best Day Spa in Somerset 2016

Footlogix Pediceuticals is a revolutionary and innovative foot-care line formulated to provide effective, transformational care for a variety of skin conditions affecting the feet – from simple dryness to more severe conditions resulting from Diabetes

Now available at Frontlinestyle

4/5 Monmouth Street Bath, BA1 2AJ 01225 478478

11 Broad Street Wells, BA5 2DJ 01749 672225

Book online www.frontlinestyle.co.uk

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MOTORING | TEST DRIVE

THE A8, ULTIMATE LUXURY Looking for a luxury limo that is reassuringly understated, technically and mechanically highly advanced, but above all oozes class? Chris Lilly enjoys everything the new Audi A8 has to offer

A

udi’s A8 has long been the marque’s flagship model, representing just what the German manufacturer can do with a car when let off the leash. This new version returns the A8 range to its roots, promising a technological tour de force for buyers, with advanced kit both in the cabin and under the surface.

Before anyone sits in said cabin, though they must first be tempted in, and the A8 certainly has the style to do that. The large saloon is an early example of Audi’s current design language, with a prominent nose, sleek shape, and sharp creases to highlight certain design elements. Most importantly though, it’s understated in a way that few, if any, of its competitors can be. In the luxury saloon class, many buyers are looking for a classy, refined look that doesn’t ‘shout’ about anything. When pitched up against the Mercedes S-Class for example – which has long been the yardstick for large saloons in Europe – the Audi’s design is elegant, while the Merc is a bit lumpy. Jaguar’s XJ is a little too brutish to be classed as refined, while BMW’s 7 Series is the closest to the A8’s sense of style – but the Audi is a better-looking machine.

It’s inside that everything becomes important though. An A8 is expected to be able to complete a cross-country trip with no greater strain on the driver (or occupants) than if they were simply having a bath. Part of the large saloon experience these days is what goodies are available, and Audi doesn’t disappoint. The feature that immediately grabs your attention inside is a double stack of touchscreens to control essentially every element of the car’s systems.

Audi’s previous MMI system was a very good one, using a rotary dial to select options, switch between functions, and the like. In my experience, it is always easier to control infotainment systems in a car with a separate interface – such as a dial – than with a touchscreen setup. However, Audi’s new MMI Touch Response is so good, it almost reaches the same level of usability; and looks much cleaner and more high-tech for it. The screens operate different functions, but both are touch-responsive, with the top screen displaying elements such as satellite navigation, while the bottom controls heating controls, driving mode, etc.

Both can offer a variety of displays though, and the bottom screen acts as a touchpad to draw out letters when inputting a destination for the (upper) navigation system for example. Both can also give haptic feedback, and have to be controlled as if the user is actually pushing a button. Trying to lightly brush the screen often results in nothing happening, whereas ‘pushing’ the screen with the same sort of force as one would use a physical button results in a ‘click’, that lets you know you’ve actually done something. It’s got all the sophistication of a digital system, but with much of the user friendliness of an analogue set-up. It works very well and means that you spend less time looking at the screens concentrating on what you are trying to select, and more time with your eyes on the road.

Other elements to the A8’s cabin tech include door handles that use switches as well as mechanical linkages, so that to open a door requires just a tiny pull of the handle. The interior also sees a touchscreen airconditioning system built into the end of the centre rear armrest, and Audi’s ‘Virtual Cockpit’ which enables the driver to toggle through a wide range of instrument displays – prioritising navigation or dials, plus a range of other options.

Essentially though, despite the myriad technological elements, the A8 cabin’s interior design and build quality are up to the company’s usual excellent standards. The test model featured elements of matt dark wood across the cockpit and the tops of the seat backs, and a gloss piano black facia on the dash to break up the leather trim. The air

vents hide behind some of these wooden screens when not in use – with individual fan settings controlled using a touch panel – and the whole interior feels beautifully built. It’s a great place in which to sit, both for the driver – and potentially more importantly for this type of car – in the rear. Here there is leg space aplenty for anyone, and the head and shoulder room available shouldn’t see complaints from anyone. Seat comfort is top quality too, and they are both squashy enough to cosset occupants, plus supportive enough to prevent aches and pains come the end of a long trip.

The A8 is never going to be a true driver’s car, but Audi has done plenty to make sure someone behind the wheel doesn’t just feel like a chauffeur, as the car can be enjoyed too. Tested was the A8 50 TDI, which sees a 3.0 litre TDI mild hybrid diesel engine provide 286hp and a luxurious 600 Nm of torque. This makes for effortless driving in Efficiency or Comfort modes, and rapid progress in Dynamic – certainly more than quick enough for any car weighing over two tonnes has any right to be. The engine is refined when warm after a slightly rattly start, and settles down to a whisper at motorway speeds, which helps make the Audi a very quiet car to drive. The A8 50 TDI will get from 0-62mph in just 5.9 seconds when needed to, and there’s a certain fascination in setting the car into Dynamic mode and treating it like a hot hatch. However, the A8 performs far better wafting along effortlessly, relying on an eight-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission and all that torque to quietly get on with business.

The suspension runs along similar lines, both in terms of technological focus and driving dynamics. The springs – or lack thereof – mean that the A8 runs smoothly on all but the very worst road surfaces. Underpinning this ride quality is new standard adaptive air suspension, that changes damper settings with driver modes.

Predictive air suspension is available as an option, which actively raises or lowers each wheel depending on driver settings, making for a more dynamic drive or comfortable ride depending on the situation. The standard system tested is very good though and provides a soft ride – but not a bouncy one – for the majority of the time, firming up nicely when put into Dynamic mode.

There is plenty of grip – thanks in part to the quattro all-wheel drive system – a fair amount of weight to the steering, and a sense of solidity from the handling and suspension set-up, so that you feel as though the A8 could cope with just about all you have to throw at it. Although not tested off-road, even greasy conditions failed to unsettle the big Audi, and the suspension combats excessive lean with aplomb. It’s a big potential trap to fall into for makers of luxury saloons, but Audi have avoided it nicely.

Anything else? Ah yes, I still need to mention bits and pieces of technology used under the skin. For example, all engines available in the A8 range are 48-volt mild hybrid units. This sees a beefed-up integrated starter motor assist in powering the A8’s auxiliary systems – such as air-con – improve engine stop/start efficiency, and help with coasting at motorway speeds when off the throttle. There are also driver training aids to improve fuel efficient driving, and the car, though longer and taller than before, is only a little heavier thanks to the use of a combination of lightweight materials. All this combined helped me return more than 51 mpg during my time with it – not at all shabby considering the official figure is 50.4 mpg.

The A8 is an extremely accomplished machine, with the driving experience well pitched – comfortable but with a hint of dynamism – and a combination of style, equipment, and refinement that are first class. It’s instantly one of the picks of its class.. ■ Bath Audi, Bath Business Park, Roman Way, Peasedown St John, Bath BA2 8SG.Tel: 01761 438300; bathaudi.co.uk

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The River Frome at Freshford

Cloisters at Iford

Westwood Manor

A WALK OF ANCIENT HAUNTS

A walk traces the shape of a landscape and embraces its history. Andrew Swift crosses the valleys of the rivers Frome and Avon and discovers Italianate gardens, a Carthusian friary and a canal aqueduct

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lthough only four and a half miles long, this walk through the valleys of the rivers Frome and Avon takes in Italianate gardens, an ancient manor house, the site of a Carthusian friary, woollen mills, a canal aqueduct and a line of pillboxes built in 1940 to protect Bristol in the event of enemy invasion. There is also a choice of tea gardens as well as two inns serving food all day. Best of all, you do not have to take the car, for the walk starts in Freshford, set amid narrow lanes with parking at a premium, but with an hourly train service to and from Bath.

There is one drawback, however – the only times that the manor house at Westwood and the gardens at Iford are both open are on Wednesday and Sunday afternoons from June to September. So, to visit them both, you need to time it right. Catching the 11.06 or 12.07 train from Bath Spa to Freshford on a Wednesday, or the 10.28 or 12.27 on a Sunday should allow time to visit both.

Return services from Freshford run at 17.00, 17.56, 18.56 and 19.39 on Wednesdays and at 16.05, 18.19 and 19.46 on Sundays.

Arriving at Freshford by train, head up Station Road, turn left downhill at the end and follow the lane as it curves right past the Inn at Freshford (ST791600). Carry on across a bridge over the River Frome, and after 100m turn right through a kissing gate (KG), where you will see two tracks. The one bearing left is the official footpath; the one 90 TheBATHMagazine

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heading towards a pillbox and alongside the river is unofficial. Whichever you take, on the far side of the field, go through a KG and turn right along a lane (ST787597).

As you turn left alongside the river, you will see another pillbox on the opposite bank. After passing Freshford Mill, now being converted to housing, the lane crosses a bridge to follow the right bank of the river.

When the lane forks, bear left past another pillbox. On your right is Dunkirk Mill, built around 1795 with five storeys, but reduced to three when converted to housing in the 1970s. Opposite its gateway, turn left along a footpath.

After going through a gate at the end, carry straight on with a fence on your left.

This open space is the site of a Carthusian friary, where the lay brothers of Hinton Priory lived and worked. No trace of the friary survives above ground, although the cottage to your right may incorporate material from the friary chapel.

Continue down two sets of steps, and, after crossing a brook, turn left along a lane, and almost immediately right along a rough track. Go through a five-bar gate, across a meadow and through a KG into Friary Woods (ST790591).

At the end of the woods, squeeze past a stile and carry straight on through a large field. Go through a gate at the end and turn left along a lane past Iford Mill. A little further on, a bridge leads across the Frome into Wiltshire (ST800589). Ahead lies Iford

Manor, whose gardens were designed by Harold Peto on a steep hillside in the early 20th century, incorporating antique columns, sculptures and sarcophagi. A Japanese garden, Italianate cloisters and a Romanstyle terrace are among the delights of this timeless garden where the sound of water, running down rills or flowing from fountains, fills the air.

On leaving the gardens, turn left alongside the river and follow the lane as it curves steeply uphill. At the top, after passing a turning to Iford Fields, bear right at a T-junction and carry on along the road for 500m. After passing Orchard Close on the left, continue for another 50m, before climbing steps on the right to cross a slab stile (ST809591).

Carry on along a path through a KG and a handgate. At a crosspath, carry straight on alongside a wall to emerge by Westwood church. Its Perpendicular tower, dating from around 1500, is regarded as one of the finest in Wiltshire. The church also contains medieval glass and a carving of a predatory devil, known as the Westwood Imp, over the font.

After visiting the church, carry on through the churchyard and turn left into the grounds of Westwood Manor, described by Nikolaus Pevsner as ‘a perfect Wiltshire manor house’.

Walking into its cool interior is like stepping back into the 17th century, largely due to sensitive restoration and discreet embellishment by Edgar Lister, who

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THE | WALK

boughuntilthe manor in 1911. He also collected tapestries and early keyboard instruments, and upholstered the antique furniture in the house in historically appropriate styles. The manor was bequeathed to the National Trust on his death in 1956.

From the manor, retrace your steps through the churchyard and back along the path to the slab stile. Turn left along the road and after 50m, turn right along Orchard Close. After 50m, turn left along a footpath, and, 30m on, right along another footpath.

At the end, carry on along a road, and, when it swings left into Bobbin Lane, carry straight on along a footpath. Continue in the same direction until steps lead down to a road with a wall letter box opposite. Turn left and continue for 25m, before turning right down a lane (ST806597).

After 65m, look for two footpath waymarks on the right. Follow the left-hand one downhill through beechwoods, go through a handgate at the bottom and carry straight on down the lane ahead to Avoncliff, where the Kennet & Avon Canal crosses the River Avon on an aqueduct.

After following the lane as it curves left past the tea gardens, if you want to visit the Cross Guns pub, carry on as it curves under the aqueduct. To head back to Freshford, however, do not follow the lane down, but

Freshford and the station. n ,

FACT FILE Length of walk: 4.5 miles Approximate time: 2.5 hours for the walk; an hour or more at each of Iford and Westwood; plus refreshment breaks Level of challenge: Some potentially muddy sections; sheep and cattle may be in some fields

The bridge at Iford once past the tea gardens carry straight on along a rough track.

A little way along the track, you come to a building ranged round three sides of a courtyard. Built for millworkers in the 1790s, it was converted to a workhouse in 1835, before becoming a war hospital in 1917 and later a hotel. It has now been converted into 12 residential units.

Continue through a KG and along a shady path (ST803599). After going through another KG, you will see a pillbox by the railway embankment across the river.

Continue through a meadow and along a riverside path, at the end of which Tess’ Gate leads into a final field. Just ahead is the confluence of the Frome and the Avon, but our route lies diagonally across the field, past another pillbox and through a KG, before turning right across the bridge to the Inn at

Map: AA Walker’s Map 25 (Bristol, Bath and the Mendips) Refreshment stops: Westwood Parish Tea Room, usually open Tue, Weds and Sun, 2–5pm, until the end of September; No 10 Tea Gardens, Avoncliff, open Fri–Sun and BH Mondays (avonclifftea.com); Cross Guns, Avoncliff, food served all day (crossgunsavoncliff.com; 01225 862335); The Inn at Freshford, food served all day (theinnatfreshford.com; 01225 722250) Iford Manor Gardens: open Weds, Thurs, Fri, Sat and Sun, 11–4pm, until the end of Sept; tearoom open at weekends (ifordmanor.co.uk).

Westwood Manor: open Tues, Weds and Sun, 2–5pm, until the end of September (nationaltrust.org.uk/westwood-manor) For details of train services and changes to advertised times, visit: nationalrail.co.uk

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Pietra wood and stone fp.qxp_Layout 22 27/07/2018 14:30 Page 1

The Old Filling Station 400 Ham Green, Holt BA14 6PX t 01225 783527 / 782408 e info@pwasltd.com

Opening Hours: Mon – Fri 9am – 5.30pm Sat 9am – 5pm

www.pwasltd.com

Fulham Showroom 196 – 198 Wandsworth Bridge Rd, London SW6 2UE

Tel 0207 610 6111

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interiors CLAIR STRONG 2.qxp_Layout 1 27/07/2018 15:17 Page 1

INTERIORS | AND | STYLE

SMALL SPACES

The challenge of managing small spaces is as relevant as ever. Interior designer Clair Strong provides some useful design principles to help you make the most of your space

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ur homes are getting smaller. According to researchers at the University of Cambridge, the UK’s new build homes are the smallest in Europe by far. Living rooms and kitchens are smaller by up to a third compared to homes built in the 1970s, and bedroom numbers have decreased. What does this all mean? Well, aside from moving to Denmark where they’re building the biggest homes, it means finding creative solutions to our spatial problems. Here are some suggestions...

This small space with lots of natural light has been transformed into a sleeping area

LEARN TO EDIT

Image shows Farrow & Ball Parma Grey no 27

In small spaces, it’s important that you learn to become quite ruthless when it comes to your belongings. Clutter can create a claustrophobic atmosphere, so you want to keep it to a minimum. This means getting rid of anything unnecessary. Don’t store items for the sake of it, or just in case; if you haven’t used it in 12 months, it’s time to sell, donate or throw it away. If you still find yourself swamped in stuff, take a really critical look at everything again. If it doesn’t bring you joy, it goes.

When you think you’ve edited your space to perfection, take a step back for a week or two and then look again.

You’ll likely find a few more items you don’t need, use or particularly like.

Finally, try and stick to a one-in, one-out rule where anything new you bring into the home means that something old gets taken out. This helps keep clutter at bay.

LIGHT IT UP

This oak desk has an extendable work surface, a front push drawer and a cable management feature

Full of natural light, this efficient, small kitchen includes a small-scale oven and hood

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Image shows Leonie Compact Desk, oak, PR02, by MADE

Natural light makes any space feel bigger, so make sure your window coverings are pulled back during the day to let in as much light as possible. If you’re short on windows (many small spaces typically are), ensure the room is well-lit with a variety of artificial light sources. Overhead lighting alone won’t be enough. Think about lamps, task lighting and wall sconces to create the effect of a bright and open space. If you don’t know where to start, a designer can help you create a flattering lighting scheme for your home.

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INTERIORS | AND | STYLE

This children’s loft bed allows for a useful study space underneath

AIM HIGH

Image shows Nidi Camelot soft children’s loft bed

When floor space is at a premium, it’s time to look up. Not only can you use the walls to create additional storage space in the shape of open shelves, but you can also use that empty space above your head. In cramped kid’s bedrooms, loft beds allow space underneath for desks, wardrobes or another bed. While in grown-up bedrooms, a bed on a raised platform creates great storage opportunities.

Using every nook and cranny is really important in small spaces.

Consider floating corner shelves, shelves above door and window frames and extra tall bookcases or wardrobes to maximise every inch.

M U LT I - F U N C T I O N A L

The kitchen table and chair are lightweight and can both be folded away when not in use Mirrors, in the same way as a window view, extend the perception of a room’s space

C R E AT E R E F L E C T I O N S One of the main drawbacks of small spaces is that they can feel dark and cramped. Fortunately you can create the illusion of a bright and airy room simply by choosing the right paint colours and decorative accents. The trick is to bounce as much light around the room as possible because this will open the space up. You can do this by choosing light but bright paint colours, and decorating with mirrors, glass and metallic objects.

Clair Strong Interior Design is a small, friendly, creative business based in Bath and London, providing services for residential and commercial clients. Visit: clairstrong.co.uk or contact: clair@clairstrong.co.uk

Image shows Fläpps Kitchen Table by Oostor.com

Image shows Banyan Mirrors by LOAF

Furniture is a really important consideration in small spaces. It obviously needs to fit, but it should also be in proportion with the space. For example a large corner sofa can be overbearing in a small living room and make the space feel cramped.

When shopping for furniture, consider compact pieces where possible – a smaller desk, fold-out dining tables, small but perfectly formed bedside cabinets. These provide exactly what you need without taking up too much space.

A final consideration should be furniture that serves multiple uses: an ottoman with hidden storage, wall mirrors with built-in shelves and hooks, shoe storage with a bench... the list goes on.

Multifunctional or modular furniture that looks good is a lifesaver in small homes. It can be more expensive, but it’s definitely worth the investment.

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GARDEN | ENTERTAINING

OUTDOOR COOKING

Would you like to take your garden barbecue to the next level? Matt Chylewski of kitchen company Stephen Graver explains why an outdoor kitchen will give you versatility and an unparalleled outdoor experience

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e Brits love the outdoors but the only time we cook outside, notwithstanding this year’s heatwave, is that one day in the height of summer on a cheap and cheerful barbecue. It’s not the best but it lets the modern man feel primal, ‘man cooking meat with fire’.

There are lots of amazing and beautiful barbecues that will have the family running back for more burgers and bangers, but with the unpredictable weather and the less laid back lifestyle it can somehow lose its magic.

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But what if you have the space to design and create an outdoor kitchen? At Stephen Graver, we love to innovate and design products that transform living spaces and bring new life into your home.

Looking out the window noticing another hot day, people will be firing up the gas barbecue and stoking the hot coals, gathering friends and family and making memories.

Well how about an outdoor kitchen that isn’t weather dependant? Where you can make those memories in the rain, snow and even thunder providing you don’t brandish your tongs towards the sky like a cut-price Thor.

On this occasion we’ve focused on the great outdoors with a stylish and practical outdoor kitchen designed for all weathers and to be used all year round. We have created something with a focus on saving space and which also inspires confidence to cook all year round and not just on bank holidays.

Within the external cedar cladding you will find beautiful, bespoke, fitted cabinetry designed to withstand the elements. In this example the barbecue of choice is a Beefeater Signature 3000S, which features five burners, a tapenyaki plate, a built in analogue temperature and a lid with a glass

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viewing window so you can watch your food being cooked to perfection.

Granite worktops have been used to add an air of luxury but we haven’t forgotten the practical touches. It also features a stainless steel sink and tap, wire pull out and a small fridge.

cook with both hands with no need to balance an umbrella over your shoulder whilst you do so. When shut, the robust door closes off the typical British weather and provides protection and security to all the internal features.

We can offer a couple of alternative barbecue options as the space we have created can accommodate different makes and models, there’s even enough space for a Big Green Egg for the David Flatman’s of this world.

Don’t like our prototype? Have no fear, it can be designed to your heart’s desire whether you want less or more, bigger or smaller not to mention the unlimited choice of finishes. This outdoor kitchen can become truly unique to you. n

The door to our outdoor kitchen doubles as a shelter from the elements. It allows you to

To find out more call 01380 871746; stephengraver.com

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INTERIORS | MASTERCLASS

DESIGN A BATHROOM

How do you go about creating your dream bathroom? Sarah Latham, creative director of Etons of Bath, specialises in the design and renovation of Georgian period properties, so we asked her for some expert advice...

CONSULT THE PROFESSIONALS Get the right advice as you plan your bathroom, considering space, structure, materials and decoration.

WHAT SUITS YOUR LIFESTYLE? Consider the following key questions: Do you want a combination bath and shower or separate ones? Do you need a seat in the shower? Where will you put bath products? Is one sink sufficient? Where will you plug in your electric toothbrush and where will the linen basket go?

SCALE AND PROPORTION Getting the scale and proportions right brings a sense of harmony. Floor tiles in the bathroom shouldn’t seem too petite beside those on the walls. Is there space for you to have a a bath or what about a shower room?

MATERIALS The character and style of a bathroom is drawn from the materials. Think about the relationship between the forms, colours, patterns and detailing and how they will work together. Individual qualities such as texture, reflectivity, pattern and proportion, colour and the use of natural and artificial light need to work beautifully together.

Mandarin Stone is one of the UK’s leaders in natural stone and porcelain. Their range of stone bathware and tiles means you can co-ordinate a vanity unit top with a deck mounted stone basin for a classical look.

BATHROOM STYLING Look for classically inspired elements to create an interesting and appropriate feel in a period property. We recently installed panelling with De Gournay scenic wallpaper into the master bathroom of a Georgian rectory to create an exotic feel that fitted with the Georgian sense of exploration.

SANITARYWARE A feature bath such as a roll top can be a real showstopper. Make sure that the angle of the back is comfortable, and the sides aren’t too high to comfortably step in and out of. For basins, choices include abovecounter and under-mounted, but think about the materials they’re made with, too – stone, marble, ceramic, glass or concrete.

Choose showers with flush trays, classicstyle, top-quality shower fittings and a minimalist shower screen.

VANITY UNITS A bespoke vanity designed to enable a more spacious, elegant space will double up as a room feature. Choose quirky cabinet handles for an individual look. A marble or granite worktop is practical and beautiful to look at, but consider the profile of the edges and choose a highly polished or honed finish. Ensure you have ample storage without compromising on style – a classic and traditional aesthetic coupled with a modular design offers an elegant and flexible solution for all bathrooms.

Bathroom designed by Etons of Bath including bespoke vanity TILING Tiles range from handmade encaustic and metallics to porcelain wood effects and textures. Hone in on tiles or finishes that you think will achieve the look you’re after.

Walls and doors directly exposed to water will need tiling, but areas that just need to be splash-proof can be wood-panelled, wallpapered or painted, then covered in decorator’s varnish. Fired Earth has a wonderful range of decorative tiles. Pretty mosaics with a classic feel and tiles that evoke the Victorian era are perfect for period properties. Bert & May have a beautiful range of hand-made encaustic tiles.

LIGHTING A bathroom needs good lighting. You need to be able to examine yourself closely and clearly. You might also like the idea of softer lighting to create a relaxing atmosphere.

Plan for ample down lighting, wall lights either side of a mirror or built-in illumination for applying make-up and a pendant for decorative purposes.

Bathroom designed by Etons of Bath featuring bespoke hand painted de Gournay wall covering

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ACCESSORIES Samuel Heath’s taps, showers and door accessories are a natural fit for period property bathroom design. Their products are mostly classic, although they have some contemporary ranges. Mirrors don’t have to be contemporary ‘bathroom mirrors’.

Framed mirrors are a great option, adding a more luxurious feel. You can also incorporate de-misters into the design and have classic wall lights either side. n Etons of Bath, 108 Walcot Street, Bath; etonsofbath.com

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HOMES | GARDENING

Annuals including Calendula and cornflower

HOT STUFF

How do you keep the plants in your garden going in an extended hot spell? Mediterranean plants, succulents and well-chosen annuals are key – oh yes, and plenty of watering. Jane Moore gives her tried-and-tested methods for dealing with drought

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hese have been trying times for gardeners and, if your garden is anything like mine, it has suffered. The lawn is brown in more places than it’s green and the borders have flopped despite my best efforts at staking. It’s enough to make you weep. But I must also confess to a somewhat two-faced reaction to this weather as the kid in me – yes she’s still there – loves the fact that it’s shorts every day, bare feet and ice cream is the norm and every weekend feels like a holiday.

There are, of course, tips and tricks that help the garden along. If you’ve taken my advice and planted a tree, then you’re already on the way to giving the garden some shade, which will really help the plants beneath – although don’t forget to water the tree.

But there are the stalwart star plants that just keep flowering whatever the season throws at them and, along with a few tried and tested techniques, the show does go on.

The usual suspects

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earth that is presently middle England.

Besides these, think herbs such as sage, rosemary and lavender, which are all having a great time this season, as well as all the grasses, especially Stipa and Pennisetum.

Good shrubs include Cistus with its lovely tissue paper flowers, Artimisia and Perovskia – in fact anything with silvery, furry leaves is perfectly adapted to the summer heat.

More survivors

A great many shrubs will handle these temperatures as long as they’ve got their roots well down – anything recently planted will need regular watering until it’s established. The born survivors of this season for me have been the roses which have been beautiful, covered in bloom and with healthy, disease-free foliage. Early summer flowering shrubs such as Philadelphus and Weigela have been looking good even though they haven’t had a drop of water. Key items like our box hedges and topiaries are fine too, although it’s a dilemma as to when to trim them in these temperatures. Box, with its small leaves and sturdy growth, is remarkably well adapted to hot weather and the RHS lists it as one of its top drought-tolerant plants.

When it comes to perennials the list of true survivors is limited, although plants like

Eryngium, the sea holly, are obviously adapted to dry conditions. Think seaside a little more and you’ll come up with thrift, Erigeron and Crambe cordifolia, the sea kale, one heck of an imposing plant but not for the faint of heart or a small garden.

Other great doers include hardy geraniums and Crocosmia, both surprisingly sturdy and floriferous and with lots of varieties to choose from.

Succulents

These are the way to go in these trying times as they need virtually no water at all. Pots of dainty Sempervivums or blue-green Echeveria add a dramatic look to any terrace or table, as well as looking great planted in raised beds or larger planters. In the border you really can’t beat Sedum spectabile or Euphorbia characias.

Short lived, but long loved

Ahh, annuals – where would we be without them? Many annuals, due to their swift growth and short season, are perfect for a hot summer. All my favourites – such as Cosmos, Calendula, Amaranthus and Nicotiana – are being utterly brilliant in this tricky summer. There is plenty of choice, from bedding stalwarts such as

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Echeveria

Sea holly and allium

Stachys Pelargoniums, Gazanias, Bidens and Felicia to the more cottage garden lovelies like Nigella, poppies and sunflowers, so if you have some gaps, get some bedding in pronto.

Love your lawn

It’s the grass that suffers most in this weather and the best thing you can do for your lawn is to forget about mowing it for a while. If you must mow, then raise the height of cut and don’t box off or collect the clippings.

They will act as a mulch and slow down the evaporation of water from the surface of the soil. Having said that, this only works if the clippings are small – too many and they will smother the grass and cause dieback and yellowing.

Water if and when you can – stick to the advice that follows here, but I know that’s not always possible due to hosepipe bans, water meters and your own personal philosophy. The thing is to remember that

your lawn will recover once we get some rain.

Promise.

Watering and maintenance

• When you water, water well. Water only once or twice a week, but do it really thoroughly. For example, leave the hose soaking a newly planted tree for at least 20 minutes. Pots will need more regular watering, but again try to do it just two or three times a week if possible, soaking the pots in buckets or trays or using the hose for five minutes a time.

• Either water late or water early. At home I water my garden in the evening so the plants have all night to soak it up with no sun causing evaporation. At work I get in early and try to do the bulk of the watering in the cool of the morning.

• If you must plant, plant small pots such as 9cm pots as they will get used to their growing environment as they develop. If the

worst comes to the worst and you can’t keep them going, then at least you haven’t spent too much money.

• Make your own compost. Adding organic matter to the soil before planting does wonders to improve water retention in the area around the roots. It may seem easier to buy organic matter in bags from the garden centre but it isn’t a patch on the stuff you can make yourself – but either is better than nothing at all!

• Mulch, mulch, mulch. After watering, even a little mulch around individual treasured plants will help to keep the roots cool and moist. Of course, if we get some rain – remember that stuff which falls from the sky? – after you’ve done your lunatic happy dance across the garden, then mulch everything you possibly can. n Jane Moore is an award-winning gardening columnist and head gardener at The Bath Priory Hotel. Twitter: @janethegardener

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the directory

to advertise in this section call 01225 424 499

Electricians

Health, Beauty & Wellbeing

Chauffeur/Private Hire

KEIKO KISHIMOTO Holistic Treatments for Wellbeing

Aromatherapy • Reflexology/Facial reflexology Japanese Cosmo Facelift • Deep Tissue Massage For more information, please visit: We provide Bath Airport transfers to and from all major airports in the uk. We use only Hi spec vehicles and give a near on chauffeur experience at less than regular taxi prices.

www.keikokishimoto.co.uk 07739 827186 contact@keikokishimoto.co.uk

Airport transfers • City to city travel • Hi spec vehicles 1-8 seat vehicles available • Account work considered • Free Wifi in selected vehicles Card payments taken with Izettle • Prices start from as little as £39 Call or email us for a quote now!

Trowbridge & Neal’s Yard Bath

Web: romanbathprivatehire.co.uk Email: Info@romanbathprivatehire.co.uk Tel: 01225 484346

ONEMAGAZINEONECITYONEMONTH • T 01225 424 499

Health, Beauty & Wellbeing

Holiday Rental

@Romanbathprivatehire

60+ luxury properties for lets 2 nights to 5 months Holidays – For business – Friends & family – Temporary accommodation during renovation/relocation Contact: 01225 482 225 alexa@bathholidayrentals.com www.bathholidayrentals.com Providing 4 & 5 star self-catering properties since 2006

ONEMAGAZINEONECITYONEMONTH

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House & Home

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PROPERTY | HOMEPAGE

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his is a rare opportunity to own a magnificent Grade I listed George III town house built in 1808. Built by John Pinch the elder adjacent to Sydney Gardens, the palace fronted terrace of 11 houses was originally known ‘New Sydney Place’ and was among the most prestigious of all late Georgian developments in Bath with bronze plaques recording that Queen Charlotte and King William IV had stayed within the terrace. Number 99 Sydney Place was previously used as an art school and would have made an inspiring backdrop brimming with period features including columns and the first appearance of ramped horizontal detailing and the inclusion of very tall windows. The total internal space (including vaults) is 7745 sq ft (719 sq m) and the accommodation comprises: Cantilever staircase with original flagstone floorings, five reception rooms, two kitchen, sun room, six bedrooms, three bathrooms, cloakroom, studio, extensive vaults. Outside there is a pretty walled garden and a roof terrace. This supremely elegant and historic house is crying out to be lavished with the attention it deserves.

Full details are available from agents Pritchards.

99 SYDNEY PLACE BATH • Grade I listed late Georgian home • 5 Reception rooms • 6 bedrooms • 3 bathrooms • South facing garden and roof terrace

Guide price: £3,000,000

Pritchards, 11 Quiet Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 466225

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FAMILY HOMES WITH TIMELESS APPEAL IN BEAUTIFUL BATH Set in a picturesque hillside location bordering the Kennet and Avon Canal, a new selection of brand new, but classically-designed homes is now available at Bath’s highly sought-after Holburne Park.

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ith expansive views of the city’s historic skyline, Holburne Park, off Warminster Road in Bath - the only World Heritage city in the UK - offers timeless appeal, honouring Bath’s distinct character but designed for modern living. Perfect for families, this new neighbourhood is surrounded by greenery, yet a short, gentle stroll from the vibrant city centre.

With over 90% of the homes built in the first release now sold, the houses in the next phase of Holburne Park range from four-bedroom three storey-terraced houses and five-bedroom four storey homes to five or six-bedroom detached villas.

Created by Robert Adam, the acclaimed architect behind the Duchy of Cornwall’s Poundbury, the interiors have been designed by local interior designer Honeycombe Designs. The facades are made of locally sourced Bath stone and natural materials with bespoke detailing ensuring the homes blend in with the classical architecture of the city.

The handsome terrace houses and detached villas offer exceptional attention to detail with spacious ground floors, open plan kitchen breakfast rooms – complete with hand-made Neptune kitchens – and formal living rooms with elegant wood burners, while the master bedroom suites are complete with a dressing area and en-suite.

Francis Firmstone, director of Hardrock Developments Ltd, the developer of Holburne Park, said: “With only a handful of homes remaining, we are enormously proud of the success of phase one and are delighted that residents are now settling in to Holburne Park.”

“We continue to work with our in-house team of engineers, plus hand-picked designers and craftsmen to deliver homes of quality and style that match their beautiful surroundings and we’re excited to add to the already nicely-balanced community with this second phase of properties.”

Vicky Dudbridge, director at Savills, added: “The second phase of the development is another fantastic opportunity to own a brand new, classically-designed home in Bath. The spacious terraced homes and elegant villas are designed to appeal in particular to bigger families wanting a home close to the heart of Bath, but with plenty of wide open spaces nearby.”

Holburne Park is close to famous landmarks including The Circus and Thermae Bath Spa, some of the finest shopping outside London, the highly-regarded Theatre Royal and an excellent choice of restaurants. For sport lovers, Bath Rugby Club and Bath Golf Club are within walking distance, while for families there are excellent local schools in the local vicinity.

Prices for houses in phase 2 start from £1 million.

For more information and to register your interest in the homes at Holburne Park, visit www.holburnepark.co.uk, call 01225 302888 or visit The Marketing Pavilion, Warminster Road, Bath, BA2 6SF from Monday to Saturday 10am to 5pm, or on Sundays, 10am to 4pm.

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pritchards-bath.co.uk

Portland Road

Lacock, nr Chippenham

An exquisite 6 bed period property, end of terrace situated in a quiet location just a few minutes’ walk from the city centre and St James Square. Lower floor offers potential to be used as a self contained 1 bedroom apartment. Mature good sized level walled garden and secure off road parking. Internal area approx. main house 3300sq ft/ 307sq m, vaults 280sq ft/26sq m

A beautifully presented 5 bed detached property set in an elevated quiet position on the edge of the sought after National Trust village of Lacock. This impressive family home with stunning panoramic views has been extended and remodeled over recent years now offering a contemporary style of living, versatile and spacious. Total floor area including integral garage approximately 4063 sq ft/377 sq m

Guide Price: £1,750,000

Guide Price: £1,500,000

Lynbrook Lane, Entry Hill

Pipehouse, Freshford

A magnificent individual newly constructed 4/5 bed property located on the lower slopes of Entry Hill. It has been stylishly constructed with much thought and attention and would make an ideal family home or perhaps for a couple who are downsizing. Ample driveway parking. Attractive grounds. Walters Developments have been Local Authority Building Control (LABC) Building Excellence Finalists in 2014, 2015 & 2016.

An outstanding detached 4 double bed contemporary home, built in 2016 by Cotswold Homes Ltd using natural stone located in Marchants Lane, Pipehouse Lane, Freshford Near Bath with landscaped level walled garden. Integral double garage with off road parking spaces for 2 and additional parking space. Internal area approx: 2219 sq ft/206 sq m.

Price: £1,000,000

Guide Price: £755,000

11 Quiet Street, Bath BA1 2LB Pritchards August.indd 1

Tel: 01225 466 225

Follow us on 24/07/2018 10:50

Allenby House, Lansdown Road A smart and spacious three bedroom apartment occupying the first floor of an impressive converted Victorian building, benefitting from elegant period features and a private garage. Located on one of Bath’s most desirable residential streets on the northern outskirts of the city, the property enjoys convenient access to Bath city centre and the M4 motorway.

Rent: £2,000 pcm* private entrance | spacious living room | feature fireplace | deep bay window | contemporary open plan kitchen / dining room | 3 good sized bedrooms | modern family bathroom | secure single garage | off-street parking space | beautiful communal gardens

Reside Bath | 24 Barton Street Bath BA1 1HG | T 01225 445 777 | E info@residebath.co.uk | W www.residebath.co.uk

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

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“We used Mardan following a recommendation from a friend. They moved us in and out of storage and then into our renovated house. I would highly recommend them. The service was super efficient and the guys were quick, polite and courteous. Nothing was too much trouble and all of our possessions arrived safe and sound” Emma Webster, Moon Client

DOMESTIC & COMMERCIAL MOVERS • PACKERS • STORERS • SHIPPERS

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Why you should view a property like a tourist Peter Greatorex, managing director of The apartment Company [SOUTH WESTERN] LIMITED

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ath. Its beauty, heritage and vibrancy make it a year-round tourist destination. Yet, in the summer months, as the numbers of those keen to explore our hypnotic city increase, us natives like to travel and discover new and faraway towns and countries. How we interact with the place where we live and the places we visit is very different, and it is for this reason we believe when you view a property you should do it like you’re a tourist.

Delete the preconceptions When on holiday we take everything at face value; we usually have no preconceived ideas and therefore appreciate everything, the good and the bad. Whereas, when we live in an area, we have judgements, we make decisions based on experiences, hearsay and perceptions, which can often mean we miss out on incredible opportunities.

Trust your estate agent. If they have taken the time to get to know you and what you’re looking for they can often get a sense of the type of property that would work for you, and this may not be what you have listed on paper. As they say on the TV programmes, it could be the ‘wildcard’ that finally wins your heart. Try to not make judgements without giving the apartment a chance, because in our experience you’ll be surprised, and leaving with a smile.

Crafting beautiful homes

Bath | Somerset | Wiltshire | Cotswolds | Dorset

Elmhurst Gardens, Trowbridge

A Located off Hilperton Road this development is quietly secluded yet within a few minutes walk of the town centre with its wide range of facilities.

From £395,000

01225 791155 ashford-homes.co.uk

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Ensure your eyes are open Have you ever noticed that when you walk around the streets where you live you’re not always paying attention? You know how the pavement twists and turns, where the usual obstacles are; you hear similar sounds each day, and maybe pass regular faces. Yet the more you walk this path, the more the details seem to fade away; you may notice the unexpected, but the normal simply just blends in.

Just because you may know the area in which the apartment is situated, this doesn’t mean that you’ve really seen it. Go and investigate it as though you were seeing it for the first time, flaws may surface that you had previously forgotten, and the benefits could be singing their way to your heart.

Allow yourself to feel Lying on the sunbed looking out to the ocean and the sun beaming down, your worries seem to drift away, you just cherish the moment and embrace that holiday feeling. When viewing a property, so many things are running through our minds that we often don’t enjoy the experience.

You should never feel rushed on a viewing, and take your time to get to know the property; allow yourself to just enjoy the experience, and you will soon know if the apartment is right for you or not!

Next time you view a property, think like a tourist and you will see the home and area with fresh and non-judgemental eyes to enable you to make the right decision for you.

The Apartment Company Pg@theapartmentcompany.co.uk or call 01225 471144.

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Camden

Andrewsonline.co.uk

Morris Lane, BA1 ÂŁ899,999

An exceptional family home on the fringes of Bathford, just 3 miles from Bath city centre. The home is presented to a high standard with far reaching views. Three receptions, five bedrooms and four bathrooms. There is both extensive parking & large gardens with a studio. Energy Efficiency Rating: C

01225 809 868 camden@andrewsonline.co.uk

To view more properties and other services available visit Andrewsonline.co.uk

Newbridge Andrewsonline.co.uk SOLD STC

Combe Park, BA1 3NP Offers in excess of ÂŁ825,000

An exciting opportunity to purchase this Victorian semi detached house in need of some modernisation. The property retains most of its period features. The accommodation extends over four storeys comprising of three reception rooms, a modern kitchen/ breakfast room, five bedrooms garden and parking.

Energy Efficiency Rating: E

01225 809 685 newbridge@andrewsonline.co.uk

Andrews August.indd 1

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24/07/2018 09:47

Bear Flat

Andrewsonline.co.uk

The Old Cottages, BA2 ÂŁ795,000

This detached Grade II Listed five bedroomed property offers refurbished accommodation over two floors with an enclosed south facing walled rear garden. Off road parking includes two adjoining single garages with double driveway and a single garage with driveway approach accessed from Bloomfield Avenue.

Energy Efficiency Rating: E

01225 805 680 bearflat@andrewsonline.co.uk

To view more properties and other services available visit Andrewsonline.co.uk

Central

Andrewsonline.co.uk

Sion Hill Place, BA1 ÂŁ549,000

01225 809 571

Andrews August.indd 2

This grade l listed apartment is situated in Sion Hill Place, a secluded Georgian Terrace in the Lansdown area of the city. Presented in fine order by the current owners. Bow fronted drawing room with period features, two double bedrooms, en-suite & bathroom.

Energy Efficiency Rating: N/A

central@andrewsonline.co.uk

To view more properties and other services available visit Andrewsonline.co.uk

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New King Street

£825 pcm

The Apartment Company is delighted to market this one bedroom apartment located in the heart of the city. This pretty property comprises; spacious sitting room, modern kitchen, master bedroom and luxury bathroom.

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Royal Crescent

£900 pcm

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Marlborough Buildings

£1200 pcm

SALES

01225 471 14 4 The Apartment Company August.indd 1

LETTINGS

£1100 pcm

In the heart of Georgian Bath, this first floor, two bedroom property is perfectly located on the outskirts of the city. The apartment comprises: a spacious sitting room, kitchen, master bedroom, a second bedroom and bathroom.

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The Regina

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£900 pcm

Located in Walcot Parade is this delightful one bedroom apartment. The property comprises: sitting room/kitchen, double bedroom and bathroom. With its beautifully presented interior and garden this property is not one to be missed.

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Portland Place

£1400 pcm

01225 303 870

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New Marchants Passage

£1300 pcm

Situated above Baths Southgate shopping centre is this modern two bedroom apartment offering city living on its doorstep. This apartment consists of open plan kitchen/sitting room, two double bedrooms, one with ensuite and a family bathroom.

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This well-proportioned top floor apartment is located mid terrace in the beautiful south facing Portland Place. The property comprises: hallway, sitting room, kitchen, master bedroom with ensuite, a further double bedroom and bathroom. Has an allocated private parking space.

£1200 pcm

Located across from the historical Assembly Rooms, this beautiful, two bedroom, Georgian conversion is sure to excite. The apartment comprises; sitting room, kitchen, master bedroom, second double bedroom and bathroom.

C

Walcot Parade

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We are delighted to bring to the market this beautiful two bedroomed apartment located in the prestigious Marlborough Buildings, neighbouring the famous Royal Crescent.

Comprising: sitting room, kitchen, master bedroom, a second double bedroom and bathroom.

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Hanover Street

T LE

Located in one of Bath’s most prestigious crescents, the Apartment Company is delighted to bring to the market this beautiful studio property. The accommodation comprises; living area and shower room.

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Great Pulteney Street

£1700 pcm

This beautifully renovated First Floor apartment is located in the highly renowned, Great Pulteney Street with a level walk into the city centre. The apartment boasts a wealth of period details complemented with high quality kitchen and luxury bathrooms.

sales@theapartmentcompany.co.uk

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The Regina

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O.I.E.O

£450,000

Grade II listed · Georgian apartment · First floor apartment · Two bedrooms · Original features · Central location · Approx 773 Sq ft

LD SO TC S

Russel Street

O.I.E.O

£475,000

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Springfield Place

Spencers Belle Vue

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O.I.E.O

£400,000

Sought after location · Two double bedrooms · Period features · Magnificent entrance hall · Newly refurbished · Stunning views · Approx 996 Sq ft

LD SO TC S

Grade II listed · Central location · Two double bedrooms · Well proportioned · Private entrance · Approx 964 Sq ft

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Camden Crescent

O.I.E.O

£385,000

Georgian villa · Grade II listed · Ground floor · Two double bedrooms · Open plan kitchen · West facing balcony · Private front garden

O.I.E.O

£325,000

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Sydney Place

Percy Place

O.I.E.O

£395,000

Georgian apartment · Grade II listed · Two double bedrooms · Large wet room · South facing garden · Separate home office · Approx 882 Sq ft

LD SO TC S

Grade II listed · First floor · High ceilings · Two bedrooms · Modern bathroom & Kitchen · Period features · Approx 574 Sq ft

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Green Park

O.I.E.O

£375,000

£450,000

Grade II listed · Georgian Apartment · Two double bedrooms · Private courtyard · Central location · Private entrance · Storage vaults

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Georgian Apartment · Grade II listed · Ground Floor · Two Bedrooms · Beautifully presented · Sought after location · Communal Garden

O.I.E.O

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Lamont House

O.I.E.O

£220,000

Purpose built · Two double bedrooms · First floor · Modern kitchen · Communal gardens · Private Garage · Approx 628 Sq ft

www.theapartmentcompany.co.uk

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