The Bath Magazine February 2015

£3.00 where sold

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ISSUE 149 • FEBRUARY 2015 www.thebathmag.co.uk

FACE THE MUSIC

WOOL’S LAURA BATTEN IS A MATERIAL GIRL

BATH LIT FEST A NEW CHAPTER BEGINS THIS MONTH

THE

FABRIC

ISSUE

BATH’S RICH TEXTILE THREAD THE BATH HALF TOP TIPS FOR RUNNERS AND SPECTATORS

ALL LOVED UP GIFTS & DINING OUT FOR YOUR VALENTINE

A N D M U C H M O R E T H E C I T Y ’ S F I N E S T M O N T H LY G U I D E T O L I F E A N D L I V I N G I N B AT H

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THE | CONTENTS

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FEBRUARY @ thebathmagazine

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READE OFFERR

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62 12 5 THINGS TO DO

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14 FACE THE MUSIC Wool shop owner Laura Batten

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VALENTINE INSPIRATION You might want to leave the magazine open in a hintful sort of way . . . .

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ALL STITCHED UP

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BATH LITFEST WHAT’S ON Things to do in February

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BATH BACH FEST Sublime music to lift the soul

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SPRING ART SHOWS What’s showing in the galleries

FOOD & DRINK

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SPRING GARDENING How to divide bulbs in the green

EXCLUSIVE OFFER

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6 OF THE BEST

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WINE COLUMN Angela Mount picks wines to toast your loved one this Valentine’s Day

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INTERIORS: KITCHENS A profile of Bath designers Intoto

Romantic places to dine

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THE WALK Explore the Cotswolds or join a literary tour

Enjoy a £12.50 deal at the Bath Priory

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PROPERTY Beautiful homes to buy or rent

Even more great content online: thebathmag.co.uk

CITY PEOPLE News from the movers and shakers

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HALF-TERM FUN Places to take the family

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BATH HALF TIPS Advice for runners and spectators

THE BATH MAGAZINE IS PROUD TO BE A MEDIA PARTNER OF

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HEALTH & BEAUTY From fertility to long distance walking

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Highlights of this month’s book bonanza

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What’s new on the foodie scene

Bath’s textile past, present and future

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BATH @ WORK Neill Menneer’s portrait of the month is street pastor Joy Gyde

Where to go and what to see this month

ON THE COVER Crysanths Nuit (detail) by Bath designer Louise Rushford of ArtHouse Originals

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t may still be cold outside, but the very cockles of our hearts are warmed this February by all the harbingers of spring, which you can read about while tucked up somewhere snug.

If you’re heading outside, you’ll see the first snowdrops poking their brave little heads above the frost, so we’ve got suggestions of where you might go to see them in their massed snowy glory. Meanwhile, gardening expert Jane Moore advises us on how to divide them in the garden and Andrew Swift plots a pleasant walk through the Cotswold countryside for you to enjoy.

Those very nice people at The Priory Hotel have an exclusive deal for readers of The Bath Magazine. How do you fancy a two-course lunch or early supper, with a delicious glass of wine, in the informal setting of the hotel’s Pantry, overlooking Jane Moore’s award-winning gardens, all for just £12.50? Sounds like a very good reason to celebrate.

In other news, as they say, the end of the month marks the start of the 20th Independent Bath Literature Festival, when writers of all different kinds descend on the city to mix things up. Do join in the creative buzz of this 10-day book bonanza. We’re also exploring the city’s rich textile connections, with new exhibitions at the American Museum and the Fashion Museum, and a preview of this year’s Bath in Fashion festival too. There’s lots on this month, including theatre, music, talks, comedy and things to do for Valentine’s Day. We’ve got ideas for entertaining the children this half-term and some inspiration for anyone running the Vitality Bath Half marathon on Sunday 1 March.

There’s more uplifting food for thought in our popular Bath @ Work feature, in which Neill Menneer photographs a different character each month. Our February subject is someone who’s made me feel slightly ashamed at not doing more, while at the same time octogenarian charity volunteer Joy Gyde also imparts something of her tireless energy and enthusiasm for life.

Feel the love this February, and if hearts and flowers are your thing, here’s wishing you a happy Valentine’s Day.

Georgette McCready Editor

THEBATHMAGAZINE Editor Email: Tel: Deputy editor Email:

Georgette McCready georgette@thebathmagazine.co.uk 01225 424499 Jenny Hayes jenny@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

Production manager Email:

Jeff Osborne production@thebathmagazine.co.uk

Design & production Email:

Zoe Tabourajis zoe@thebathmagazine.co.uk

Publisher Email:

Steve Miklos steve@thebathmagazine.co.uk

Contact the advertising sales team, tel: 01225 424499 Advertising sales Liz Grey Email: liz@thebathmagazine.co.uk Advertising sales Email:

Kathy Williams kathy@thebathmagazine.co.uk

The Bath Magazine and The Bristol Magazine are published by MC Publishing Ltd, 2 Princes Buildings, George Street, Bath BA1 2ED, and are independent of all other local publications.

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.

WWW.THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

FEBRUARY 2015

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Mrs Stokes

Will you be seduced by the call of the wild?

©www.robbiddulph.com

takes a sideways look at life in Bath

FABULOUS DESIGNS FOR LESS ££s

S

kimming the local news headlines the other day I noticed something different among the usual Council raises parking charges/ Charity raises money/ Tattoo raises eyebrows soundbites. It’s been reported that someone, or should I say two people, have been spotted in flagrante at a local Bath beauty spot.

My first thought was that being early in the year, it must have been a bit nippy on the old nether regions. Did they have a blanket? Was it cashmere?

High street or haute couture? They can’t have felt the cold in any case, because apparently the woman who reported it to the police saw the same couple three times, which she obviously doesn’t consider any kind of a treat.

Of course, no-one wants to bump into naked folk at it like rabbits in the nearest field – just think of those illicit snaps of Britain’s Most Hated Woman – Turned-Acceptable-Face-of-Obesity-Bashing Katie Hopkins, enjoying a spot of fresh air action with her now husband (who was someone else’s at the time). It’s enough to put you off your picnic.

But like it or not, cuddling in the corn is some people’s pleasure and they consider it the most natural of activities. I can’t imagine it’s much fun when you’ve got to negotiate damp or prickly ground in winter, flies, bugs and cow dung in summer and being mown down by farmers in combine harvesters at any time of the year. Not to mention being discovered by an eager beagle and its rambling, Barbour-wearing owner who’ll think twice about shouting “Down boy!” in future. Although knowing the country classes they’d probably prop up the bar at the local later, describing how it was all jolly good fun.

And it is enjoyable, for the extroverts. Now, with this being the month of St Valentine, it’s more than likely that the more frisky thrill-seekers among you might be tempted to bare your all to the moonlight after a night of over-priced wining and dining in a restaurant crammed with tables for two. After all you’re going to want to release some of that pent-up pressure after paying over the odds for a steak au poivre when you could have had the M&S Dine for Two deal for a tenner instead. But if you are tempted by al fresco frisson, what are the pros and cons?

For a start, quite apart from natural discomfort like the aforementioned weather/insects issues, I’d say a pretty big con is the sheer difficulty of finding anywhere suitable.

According to www.findlaw.co.uk: “There are several pieces of law that can be breached . . . notably The Sexual Offences act, outraging public decency, and the Public Order Act.” So far, so scary. But the key aspect these three have in common is that in order to break one, you have to be in a place where you are easily able to be witnessed – the law is there to prevent others being exposed to anything inappropriate that they didn’t choose to see.

So you could be prosecuted if you’re caught, if it can be proved you wanted to be seen, which is for some, the point.

I think that means halfway up Milsom Street is a definite no-no, but on the side of a remote hill might be OK, although you’re unlikely to be in any such location if you’ve just enjoyed the food of love at Jamie’s Italian.

But if you did manage to find a discreet retreat, however, a pretty big pro for the uninhibited is owning the bragging rights on Facebook – although if that applies to you on no account take a selfie, no matter how 50 Shades you’re feeling, in case it ends up hacked on the internet and you lose your job as well as your dignity in the cold light of day. Because no roll in the hay is worth a P45/disgrace at the WI/rugby club.

My best advice to you is if in doubt repeat the mantra: “No sex please, we’re British” and plan a little tryst in your back garden instead.

Fully clothed of course, to be on the safe side. n

@mrsstokeschina

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ist

THE CITY The buzz

My

BATH

We ask Nicola Cutler commercial dispute resolution solicitor at Withy King, Bath what she’ll be doing in February What brought you to Bath?

I studied in Bristol and moved to London when I graduated but was desperate to come back to the west country. I think London is a bit like Marmite – you either love it or you hate it. I was offered a training contract at Withy King in Bath and the rest is history. I’ve been working in the city for over four years now and am very excited to be moving from Bristol to Bath soon so that I can get to know it properly.

Congratulations One of the great champions of the theatre in Bath, Ann Garner, has celebrated ten years at the helm of The Mission Theatre in Corn Street, which she founded, by marrying her long-time partner Andrew Ellison, and being awarded a British Empire Medal in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List. The happy couple welcomed family and friends, including members of the Next Stage theatre company, to the ceremony at the Bath Spa Hotel. Ann is the artistic director of Next Stage, while Andrew is a stage manager and one of the company’s lead actors.

Sign up If the cold snap has made you think about how tough it would be to be sleeping rough, why not sign up for the big Sleep Out, organised by and in aid of the homeless charity Julian House. It takes place in Alice Park, Bath on the night of Friday 6 March, providing people with the chance to challenge themselves for just one night to experience a taste of sleeping out. Money raised will go to help the homeless men and women of Bath. The Big Bath Sleep Out, now in its seventh year, is open to individuals, organisations, families, work teams etc. No tents allowed – just cardboard, plastic sheeting and as many warm clothes as possible. Under 16s need to be accompanied by an adult and those between 16-18 need a signed consent form. Alice Park Café will be open until 11pm for paid snacks and in the morning a hot drink and bacon sandwich (or muffin) will be available for those taking part. For an online booking form, visit: bigbathsleepout.co.uk or 01225 354656. Forms are also available from Alice Park Café.

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What are you reading?

I’ve just finished reading A Fine Balance

by Rohinton Mistry which was brilliant but – spoiler alert – doesn’t have a happy ending. I’m now reading Us by David Nicholls which makes me laugh out loud.

What is on your MP3 player?

All sorts. I’m really enjoying the Magician and James Bay. I bought my boyfriend tickets for Christmas to go and see Nick Mulvey which I’m really looking forward to.

Which café or restaurant takes your fancy?

The Bath Brew House which is just around the corner from the office gets my vote for consistently tasty pub grub and fun post-work atmosphere. My ideal Sunday is a good walk ending at a cosy pub and my favourite is the Wheatsheaf in Combe Hay. We got stranded there in the snow a few years ago. That was a tough day!

Your passions? What hobbies or interests will you be pursuing?

I’m becoming slightly obsessed with Pinterest and am hoping to hone my DIY skills to put my ideas into action. I’ve also just joined a netball team with some of the girls from work. I’ve not played since

school and that was fairly terrible so I’m hoping it will be more social than Olympic level.

What local outdoor activity or event will you be doing or visiting?

I’m currently training for the Vitality Bath Half Marathon which is on Sunday 1 March. This will be my third year running the event and my second year raising money for the RUH Forever Friends Appeal. The appeal is Withy King’s nominated charity for 2013 – 2015 and I’ll be running for Ted’s Team with seven of my colleagues in the corporate challenge. We are hoping to raise at least £1,500 between us as well as raising awareness for the amazing work that the appeal is doing for the future of the cancer care unit as well as people in our community who need support today.

Film or play? What will you be going to see this month?

A very close and talented friend, Jennie-Lee Plaisted, has been given a pretty saucy role in Hairspray which is at the Theatre Royal next month so there’s a bunch of us going to watch her in that. I’ve not been to the theatre for ages so it will be a real treat.

Since April 2013 the team at Withy King has raised over £14,000 for the Forever Friends Appeal with staff and partners taking part in the Bath Half Marathon, Bike Bath and the Three Peaks Challenge and regular fundraising events. Entries for the 2016 Vitality Bath Half will go on sale on Monday 2 March, the day after this year’s race. To secure your place early to avoid missing out on the 2016 event, which sells out well in advance of race day each year, visit: bathhalf.co.uk.

We’re following three purveyors of city centre lunchtime comestibles. Follow @thymedeliboaltd for baguette, soup and baguette of the day, try @wholebagel for winning bagel fillings (and vote for your favourite) or check out @BeyondKale for, frankly, beautiful photos of daily changing healthy, meat-free delicacies

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Our best wishes to all Bath Half participants.

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ZEITGEIST

5

things to do in

February

Date

What will make your Valentine happy?

We’ve got some inspiration for Saturday 14 February in our What’s On pages, from a showing of the classic tear-jerker Brief Encounter at The Forum, accompanied by the Bath Philharmonia to an evening of lieder music at the Holburne Museum. But if your path to love has been less than smooth you might enjoy Well Red Comedy: The Dating Game at the Pound Arts Centre in Corsham (Saturday 14 February, 6pm and 8pm) where Linda L’Amour will be on hand to guide you through the pitfalls of dating. Tickets are £10 or bring a friend/date for £18.

Tel: 01249 701628.

Enjoy

Visit Textile artist Carole Waller, whose work is pictured, is one of seven artists involved in Frozen World, an outdoor sculpture show at Lacock Abbey, which runs at the National Trust property until Sunday 8 February. Wander among the drifts of snowdrops admiring art which includes giant flower sculptures and delicate glass installations hanging from trees.

The trail is open 11am to 4pm. Normal admission applies. NT members and under 5s go free. Visit nationaltrust.org.uk/lacock.

Support Strictly speaking this is a March event, but we wanted to remind you that the Vitality Bath Half Marathon takes place on the morning of Sunday 1 March. The road race will see nigh on 15,000 runners setting out from Great Pulteney Street, with some 30,000 spectators expected to turn out to cheer them on. The Bath Magazine is proud to be a media partner of what is the largest road race in the south west, which supports more than 90 local and national charities each year. We know some of you will be inconvenienced by the road closures but please bear in mind that last year’s event raised over £2m for charity, and the same target is set to be hit this year.

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Due, as they say, to popular demand, the talented bunch who brought the sell-out Austentatious show to the Independent Bath Literature Festival last year are to return this spring to bring a new improv show based around the characters and works of Jane Austen. Austentatious will be in a bigger venue this year (at the Forum) so more of their fans can enjoy their erudite, entertaining and sometimes just laugh-out-loud silly trip through Regency literature. They’re on at 3pm on Saturday 28 February. For tickets tel: 01225 463362.

Hands-on

Make the most of the last cold days of winter by creating something beautiful. There’s an open invitation to join the crochet crew at Carluccio’s in Milsom Place, led by textile artist Emma Leith, to make wool hearts, which will form part of a yarn bombing project for Bath in Fashion (21 – 29 March). For every heart created Cass Art shop will pledge 10p for the charity Kids Company. Drop in to the free sessions from 10am on Wednesday 4 and 18 February and 4 and 18 March. The Walcot weaving studio of Katherine Fraser is running classes teaching the art of using a loom. Classes are on Tuesday 17, Saturday 21 and 28 February and on Wednesday 4 March.

Half-day workshops are £60, full days, £100. To find out more tel: 01225 461341 or visit: katherinefraser.co.uk.

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FACE | THE MUSIC

YOGA FOR THE MIND Mick Ringham talks to Wool shop owner Laura Batten about her passion for knitting as she tells a happy yarn about how she came to set up her Bath business and picks up the brightly coloured threads of her life through her favourite pieces of music

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MATERIAL GIRL: Laura Batten with some of the multitude of different wools and yarn she stocks at her shop in Old Orchard Street (which is round the corner from Marks & Spencer)

SpaceNK. Originally from Hertfordshire she enrolled in a three year course at Bristol University studying fine art, however after leaving with a BA Hons, Laura decided to take a job in a fashion shop to tide her over, but she soon discovered that she really enjoyed the retail experience.

Her retail work saw her working extensively throughout the west country.

❝

This is not a fad for me, I genuinely adore what we do at the shop

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he current revival in all things crafty has seen the traditional art of knitting enjoy a huge resurgence, taken up by women and men of all ages – there was even a yarn bomb as part of the Bath in Fashion festival, which saw public railings draped in wool. It’s been given extra kudos by celeb knitters such as Kaffe Fassett, Gwyneth Paltrow and Kirsty Allsopp and it’s all part of the fashion for the homemade. All in all, knitting has come a long way since the days of the little old lady with her needles, clicking away merrily by the living room fire.

Laura Batten spotted a gap in this budding market and decided to jump in at the deep-end and open her own independent shop Wool in one of Bath’s oldest, cobbled streets. That was four and a half years ago and today the Old Orchard Street business is popular with makers of all types. There’s a sofa for settling in for a browse, or as somewhere to park a non-knitting partner. And if Laura and her team don’t have what you’re looking for among the extensive stock, they’re happy to order it with no extra charge. And for customers who find it difficult to get into town to pick up their wool, there’s a handy online ordering service too.

Laura explains how she started the venture: “I had always been interested in craftwork, especially knitting and was getting fed up with going to Bristol for all my knitting needs. So with the love, support and massive encouragement of my family, I took a deep breath, crossed my fingers and opened the doors.”

She brought lots of experience in the retail world, having worked in and managed various independent shops and national names including Laura Ashley and

Eventfully she came to work in Bath and, like so many before her: “I fell head over heels in love with the city and its people.”

Her parents and her sister later relocated to Bath in 2010 and now help run her successful business.

The craze for knitting is growing like Dr

Who’s scarf. There has been yarn bombing in Corsham and in Bristol knitters created the whole city in wool, an achievement on a massive scale which has been displayed with great pride. There are now an increasing number of knitting and crocheting clubs with such glorious names as Chicks with Sticks, Knitty Gritty, KnitWits and, my personal favourite, Stitch’n Bitch sessions. These workshops offer encouragement and advice on all aspects of this increasingly popular pastime.

Laura is at pains to point out: “This is not a fad for me, I genuinely adore what we do at the shop, from selling a variety of high quality yarns, patterns and books, but there is also the aspect of customer service, helping people not only with the basics but exploring and experimenting with design and creativity.” Her regulars get together for sociable sessions in what some call ‘yoga for the mind’, or ‘organised fidgeting’, as someone else dubbed it – the creativity sparking off those needles is almost palpable.

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FACE | THE MUSIC

twenties. I worried about everything at the time and in reality you just don’t realise how lucky you are, to be alive, young and healthy. The reason I picked this is that I heard it again a couple of months ago and those lyrics would be the same advice I’d give the 20 year old me.

The ones I took no heed of at the time.

Ronnie Hilton – Windmill in Old Amsterdam I sing this to my son Joe at his bedtime.

It’s his going to sleep song and he loves it.

Again it’s from my childhood when my dad would sing it to me. I would love to buy a copy of this old vinyl record.

When Laura’s not working she enjoys spending her time with husband Dan, their son Joe, a cat called Red and their rescue dog Toby. Last year they moved to the south of the city where they are continuing the process of renovating their Bloomfield home. How does she manage to relax?

“Knitting of course – it’s one of the most calming and relaxing ways to unwind.”

Asked for a piece of advice she could pass on to any aspiring entrepreneurs she says: “I’ve never made a secret of the fact that, as they say, if you love what you do you’ll never work a day in your life.”

The final word should go to the greatly missed comedian Joan Rivers, when asked if she had any hobbies, she replied: “Not yet, but I got some knitting needles for my husband – good, swap huh!”

LAURA’S CHOICES: The Stereophonics – Dakota This song was playing on the car radio when I realised that I was in love with Dan and he was going to be the one for me. It was January 2009 and we’d been to Bournemouth for the day. It was bright and cold and we’d had a fabulous time just walking along the beach, holding hands and talking. I love this number so much that we chose it for the first dance at our wedding last year.

Johnny Cash – Big Bad John My darling dad used to sing this to me and my sister and I was always mesmerised by the story. I never heard the original recording until I was about 18, only my dad’s version. But of course I knew all the lyrics by heart. Dad was great, but Johnny’s voice is amazingly deep which makes the record so dramatic.

Jeff Buckley – Last Goodbye I could have chosen anything on this album, because I love all the tracks. In fact this is my favourite album of all time and reminds me of when I first went to university. It’s still as good today as when it was first released and holds many memories for me of that time and place.

Ray Lamontagne – Trouble He is an American singer/songwriter from the Deep South with such a beautiful and gravelly voice. I’ve seen him perform a WWW.THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

few times now and each time it’s just him and his guitar. There’s no glitz or dry ice or show biz stuff to get in the way, just the music which I love and – that amazing voice.

George Michael – A Different Corner There is no getting away from it; he looks like my uncle Carl. I fell in love with George when I was about six and to this day still love all his records. My smashing cousin Selena gave me her Faith George Michael tour programme which I will cherish forever. He came out when I was at uni which was sad for me because up until that time I still imagined us getting married.

Massive Attack – Protection It is one of my biggest regrets that I have never managed to see this band. I was in the university halls at Bristol in the mid 1990s and everyone loved Massive Attack. The student parties, the music and the carefree nature of that time were so cool – and Red Stripe was just £1 a can. How decadent was that . . . ?

Tricky – Hell is Round the Corner I had a boyfriend at school who bought me this album. I can put this record on now and go straight back to that time.

The strange thing with music that you really like is that you can clearly remember what you were wearing and what perfume you had put on when you first listened to it. Music that is personal to you has the ability to do just that, it really is amazing.

Baz Luhrmann – Sunscreen This was huge when I was in my early

DISTINCTIVE VOICES: left, George Michael A Different Corner, right, Johnny Cash Big Bad John and, below, Smokey Robinson with Shop Around

Smokey Robinson and the Miracles – Shop Around Mum admires the divas like Diana Ross as well as Tamla Motown and I can still remember her ironing away to this music on the radio. On the other hand my dad’s hero is Smokey Robinson so this in many ways holds so many lovely memories of them when I was growing up. Our house was full of sound but I do miss the old vinyl recordings with that characteristic crackle between the tracks. n

COURSES AND WORKSHOPS AT WOOL Improvers Knitting with Sara Huntington Sunday 1 March 10am – 1pm, £40 This is for those who are comfortable with the basics of knitting, but want to learn more. Learn how to read patterns and understand abbreviations, gauge and working a tension square, increasing and decreasing as well as an introduction to cabling and advice on seaming and finishing. Sara Huntington has been crocheting, knitting and crafting for 25 years. Her designs regularly appear in craft magazine Simply Crochet and her work also features in the book Makery published by Mitchell Beazley. Bring your favourite needles and yarn.

Finishing Techniques with Fran Morgan Sunday 8 March 10am – 1pm, £40 This workshop covers all the professional finishing techniques needed to make your knitting look perfect. It covers appropriate cast-ons and cast-offs, sewing up and mattress stitch, sewing in ends, buttonholes, picking up stitches as well as tips and tricks from Fran to finish beautifully. Fran Morgan is a knitwear designer and teacher whose knitting patterns have been featured in The Knitter and Knitting magazines. Please bring yarn, needles and three 10cm knitted squares.

Introduction to Needle Felting with Sara Huntington Sunday 22 March 10am –1pm, £43 (including materials and tools) Learn how to sculpt with wool and make your own WOOLbath sheep. Absolutely no experience necessary.

Colourwork with Fran Morgan Sunday 5 April 10am – 1pm, £40 Become confident when using the traditional two-colour Fairisle knitting method. Learn how to hold the yarn and needles and the perfect method of twisting to make your colourwork look professional. Bring two colours of yarn and your favourite needles.

Tea, coffee and cake is provided at all workshops. l Wool is at 19 Old Orchard Street, Bath, tel: 01225 469144, visit: www.woolbath.co.uk.

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Its world renowned recliner may have been a hit in the 1960’s but it is also still a classic today and joins a host of other collections that appeal to the modern day consumer and represent the best of the old into the new. Handcrafted by a team of skilled craftsmen, this heritage brand has developed and adapted throughout the years to become one of the leading manufacturers of sofas and chairs in the UK today.

Penshurst Chair Sanderson Amanpuri Sourcing the finest materials from around the world, Parker Knoll is not afraid to embrace contemporary style through its range of bold patterns and stripes, nor does it shy away from the more subdued plains and leathers for which it was first famed.

Whether you are looking for something traditional or more contemporary, a suite or a recliner,

Burghley

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Isabelle

Our Winter Sale has fantastic reductions on the entire Parker Knoll range & across the store.

Sale ends 28th February 2015 Parker Knoll will leave you spoilt for choice and has something to complement every home.

The Burghley sofa suites from the Classic Collection in particular, represent the best of traditional with ornate castor feet, scroll arm detailing and a choice of fabrics reminiscent of some of Parker Knoll’s earlier classics.

The Penshurst wing back chair is also a popular choice for classic Parker Knoll fans as it was first designed in the 1950’s and uses original patented spring system. For those wanting something a bit more modern, the Etienne sofa collection is sure to make a statement, bringing together a fusion of understated styles with a modern twist and beautifully co-ordinated fabrics.

A furniture brand that stands the test of time in this ever changing market, Parker Knoll provides the best in elegant, classically designed furniture with a 25 year frame and spring guarantee ensuring you comfort and pleasure for many years to come.

For more information on Parker Knoll sofas and chairs please visit the TR Hayes store on London Street or online at www.trhayes.co.uk. Local delivery is free and there is a large customer car park at the side of the store.

Etienne Grand Modena Taupe

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GIFT | IDEAS KEEPSAKES Halcyon Days Everlasting Love enamel box, £225 EP Mallory & Son, Bridge St Tel: 01225 788800 ELEGANT DATE Red purse, £50 (rrp £75), Ted Baker at McArthur Glen Designer Outlet, Swindon

I GIVE YOU MY HEART Handblown glass bauble, £20.50, Bath Aqua Glass, Cheap Street Tel: 01225 428146

DESIGN CLASSIC Danish designed men’s watch, £275, Quadri, Milsom Place Tel: 01225 329212

ENTWINED FOREVER Lalique hearts paperweight, £175, EP Mallory & Son, Bridge Street. Tel: 01225 788800

HAND IN HAND Soft coral leather glove, £55, Dents of Warminster. Also available at Jollys, Bath

TWO HEARTS Sterling silver Pre-Raphaelite earrings made in Bath by Peter Kibbles for The Silver Shop, £29.50, Union Passage. Tel: 01225 464781

BRITISH MADE Inspired by nature, Dog Winkle pendant, £34, designed by Robert Welch, Broad Street

VALENTINE’S DAY

GIFT GUIDE SAY ‘I LOVE YOU’ WITH A GIFT LARGE OR SMALL

AN ENGLISH ROSE Hanging rose tile, £16, Grasse, Argyle Street Tel: 01225 444260 BE MINE FOREVER Platinum and diamond cluster engagement ring, £3,750, Gold and Platinum Studio, Northumberland Place. Tel: 01225 462300 ROMANTIC EVENING Temperley scented candle gift box, £75, Carina Baverstock, Milsom Place & Silver Street, Bradford-on-Avon. Tel: 01225 866610 SOFT AS A SIGH Olivia van Halle silk nightdress, £240, The Dressing Room, Quiet Street Tel: 01225 330563

SWEETHEART Large Valentine’s selection of 35 chocolates, £39, Hotel Chocolat, SouthGate

TO TREASURE 9 carat yellow gold t-bar bracelet with solid heart, £315, Jody Cory Goldsmiths, Abbey Church Yard Tel: 01225 460072

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GIFT | IDEAS

CHARM THEM Designer jewellery, including the Locked in Love range of pendants, charms and cufflinks. From £95, Nicholas Wylde Goldsmith, Northumberland Place Tel: 01225 462826

LADY IN RED Cranberry dress, £66 (rrp £110) French Connection at McArthur Glen Designer Outlet, Swindon

THE PROPOSAL Victoria platinum single stone diamond ring.

From £1,650, EP Mallory & Son, Bridge Street Tel: 01225 788800

SPARKLE Swarovski crystal and polaris earrings, £35, Quadri, Milsom Place Tel: 01225 329212

VALENTINE’S DAY

FLOWER POWER Daisy sterling silver pendant, £79 and earrings, £38, by Iota at Fabulous, SouthGate Tel: 01225 330333

GIFT GUIDE SAY ‘I LOVE YOU’ WITH A GIFT LARGE OR SMALL

WEAR IT WELL 18 carat yellow gold solid bangle with smoky quartz, £2,100 (also in silver £240) Tina Engell, Belvedere, Lansdown Tel: 01225 443334

HOT DATE Aspinal of London leather Continental berry clutch, £150, John Lewis

PAMPER HER Elemis gift set, £21, Green Street House, Green Street Tel: 01225 426000

WARM THE COCKLES Heart-shaped Le Creuset casserole, McArthur Glen Designer Outlet, Swindon

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T H E

F I N E S T

I N

L I N G E R I E ,

B E A C H

&

R O O M

N O W O LE N

SA

7 Quiet Street Bath BA1 2JU Telephone: 01225 330563 email: info@dressingroombath.com www.dressingroombath.com WWW.THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

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TEXTILE | CITY

BOLD NEW FLORALS: Chrysanths Nuit by Bath based ArtHouse Originals

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TEXTILE | CITY

A STITCH IN TIME

Material girls – and boys – are getting ready for a colourful spring as Bath prepares to welcome a veritable patchwork of textile and fashion themed events and exhibitions

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ver since man – or was it woman? – first picked up a needle and thread civilisations have been busy creating beautiful and useful textiles.

Some, like the Bayeux Tapestry, record history for posterity, others, like the lace trimmed sleeves of the dandies in the portraits at Bath’s Holburne Museum, demonstrate wealth and power. We still use fabric in our every day lives to denote attitude, which tribe we belong to, whether it be Jack Wills, Superdry, Cath Kidston or Jasper Conran.

A piece of fabric can trigger memories. It might be the soft texture of a well-worn scrap of much-washed cotton whose touch reminds us of a once loved toy we stroked as a child, or the rough male kiss of tweed that evokes a father’s hug, or seeing the same pattern that your granny used in her sitting room curtains – all have the power to evoke the past.

There are many stories to be told around the fabrics we see in our daily lives. I have a soft spot for a particular banner to be found in St Thomas a Becket. The Mothers’ Union standard, to the left of the church pulpit, is a lovely hand sewn piece. It’s made all the more special by the knowledge that Mrs Shaw Mellor, who embroidered it in 1933, used pieces from her own wedding dress as the fabric base. The banner was carefully restored in 1982 so that future generations might appreciate it.

We’re all affected by the textile industry, whether we like it or not, as the designs we’ll see at this month’s London Fashion Week (20 – 24 February, previewing autumn/winter 2015) will percolate their way down to the high street. Bath plays its own part in this world, not only because it’s home to a number of designers, from emerging talents to international names, but also

as a global centre for the study of the history of fashion and clothing. Filmmakers, writers, fashion designers, theatrical costumiers, historians and students make a bee-line for the Fashion Museum, whose archives and displays provide a rich seam of resources for authentic sources of who wore what and when.

There’s a lot going on this year in the city with a textile theme. The American Museum at Claverton has a major show with some superb examples of textiles and costumes. This will be in addition to the museum’s collection of original vintage quilts, the finest in Europe. l HATCHED, MATCHED, DISPATCHED Saturday 14 March – 1 November, The American Museum, Claverton, Bath Inspired by the Births, Marriages and Deaths pages of newspapers, popularly referred to as the hatched, matched, and dispatched, notices, which notify milestones in family lives, this exhibition

THEATRICAL THREADS: inset, buttons from the Royal School of Needlework. Above, detail from a piece in the Hatched, Matched and Dispatched exhibition at the American Museum. Right, court dress c1900 from the Fashion Museum. Far right, Keira Knightley in Holly Fulton on the Graham Norton show

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TEXTILE | CITY

will show a wealth of textiles, from christening robes to mourning garments.

Formal naming ceremonies, public pledges of union, and rituals of communal mourning are witnessed and shared by communities throughout the world.

Stitched memories will include mourning quilts dating from the American Civil War. Two of these come from New Jersey, a black and white Darts of Death or Widow’s Quilt and an Album Quilt Top featuring Lady Liberty bearing the Union flag.

A poignant offering is a tablecloth from 1945, embroidered by a British woman who was engaged to an American soldier. She had sewn the names of his friends and colleagues who took part in the D-Day landings. The tablecloth remains unfinished, the needle still pinned to the cloth, after she heard her lover had been killed, as she clearly lost the heart to go on with it Visitors will also be able to see mourning garments, heavily beaded with black jet, a stark contrast to the white and cream bridal gowns from the 19th and 20th centuries, and the christening robes with their exuberant hand-sewn lace and broiderie anglaise. One of the costumes to be featured is the wedding dress worn in 1887 by Agnes Lucy Hughes, the first mother-in-law of Wallis Simpson, the American whose marriage to the future King Edward VIII precipitated a crisis in the British monarchy in the 1930s.

Pieces on loan at the American Museum from other historic collections throughout Britain include Beamish Museum, Jersey Museum and Art Gallery, the Quilters’ Guild, and Jen Jones Welsh Quilt Centre.

The annual Bath in Fashion festival brings a delightful mixed bag of textile related events (Saturday 21 – Sunday 29 March, from the exclusive world of the Royal School of Needlework, which is 26 TheBATHMagazine

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embroiderer’s art across past centuries, drawing on treasures from the Fashion Museum collection from a grand Edwardian court dress to a feather cape ensemble by Yves Saint Laurent from the 1960s. Tickets: £10. l DESIGNER HOLLY FULTON: IN CONVERSATION WITH JESSICA BUMPUS OF VOGUE Tuesday 24 March, 7.45pm at the Tea Room, The Assembly Rooms Holly Fulton combines themes that are quintessentially British into her Spring/Summer 2015 collection. The Scottish designer is renowned for her bold prints and signature embellishment and is one of the hottest tickets at London Fashion Week. Actress Keira Knightley is among the celebrities who wear her pieces. Complex graphic adornment and witty twists make her work instantly recognisable. Jessica Bumpus is fashion features editor at Vogue.co.uk. Tickets: £20 includes a glass of fizz.

UNDIMMED BY TIME: top right, thousands of brightly coloured glass beads were used to create this elaborate basket depicting King Charles II and Catherina of Braganza, on display in the textiles section of the Holburne Museum. Top left, William Ovenden Royal School of Needlework jacket

visiting, to a careers advice session, Fashion your Future, for young people seeking careers in the retail and fashion industry, led by Louise Pickles who heads the prestigious fashion course at Bath Spa University. Look out for these events and more, visit: bathinfashion.co.uk l THE EMBROIDERER’S ART: STITCH IN FASHION Monday 23 March, 3pm at The Assembly Rooms Beautiful materials, intriguing designs and exquisite workmanship: embroidery is traditionally known as the most luxurious of fashion’s decorative techniques. Rosemary Harden, manager of the Fashion Museum will discuss the

l THE HERITAGE OF FASHION: TEA AND TALK Monday 23 March, 4pm at Jolly’s Tearoom, Milsom Street Established in 1831, Jolly’s is one of Europe’s oldest department stores and has played a key role in the development of how we shop. The Milsom Street department store has recently undergone a multi million pound restoration to restore it to its former glory and this talk, by the store’s history expert, Lucy Morgan is in celebration of its past and its future.

In 1943 Queen Mary appointed the store Silk Mercers to Her Majesty and a private dressing room was designed exclusively for her use. The ornate fitting room has been lovingly restored, along with other original features including stained glass windows, a peacock frieze and fireplaces, which sit instore alongside the latest fashion collections. Tickets: £15, to include afternoon tea.

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to enjoy the sumptuous designs of textile artist Louise Rushford displayed in the windows of independent home decor and furnishing shop Savannah Home.

Scots born Louise, who is now based in Bath, trained in fine art. She established her own label ArtHouse Originals, creating beautiful and quirky interior accessories, from cushions and lampshades to curtains and wallpapers.

Louise’s hand-painted designs pay homage to the detail of traditional Chinoiserie designs, but she likes to bring a little dark or magical twist to the natural beauty, with the addition of a roll of barbed wire beside the butterflies, or birds apparently caged by spiky thorns.

After creating her designs in vibrant jewel colours the fabrics are then printed at the prestigious Glasgow School of Art, one of only a handful of places which can so perfectly replicate designs onto silk without losing any of their colour or depth of field. These British designed and made fabrics are then made into limited edition items in soft cotton velvet, crisp cotton or pure silk.

See more of Louise’s work at: arthouseoriginals.co.uk.

l EMMA LEITH WORKSHOP All day, Saturday 21 March at The Makery in central Bath Enjoy a fun, informal and colourful needle felting workshop with Wiltshire based Emma Leith, who was the energetic force behind last year’s yarn bombing as part of Bath in Fashion.

Learn the art of ‘painting with wool’ and make a pin cushion to take home.

This pop up workshop is suitable for all ages eight and over, but do allow at least an hour to complete your masterpiece.

Tickets: £5 per person on the day includes a goody bag (worth £10) containing felt, felting needle and sponge. To book a space visit: bathinfashion.co.uk l SELVEDGE FAIR Saturday 28 March, noon – 5pm, the American Museum, Claverton This colourful fair hosted by the American Museum in Bath is organised by the cult Selvedge magazine, with an exclusive selection of 25 makers offering a host of antique textiles, fashion, homeware and haberdashery. Whether you’re seeking some special fabric for your own creations, hunting for the perfect present or simply looking for inspiration, the spring fair is the place to find it.

Entrance is £2.50 on the door, visit: selvedge.org/events l THE MAGIC BALL/PERSIAN POPPY KNITTING WORKSHOP WITH BRANDON MABLY Saturday 28 March, from 10am A chance to learn from one of the masters, with this all-day creative knitting workshop with Brandon Mably from the Kaffe Fassett Design Studio.

This workshop will be for knitters who are interested in sharpening their colour observation in design. Participants should know how to knit and purl – only the basic stocking stitch will be used in the workshop. Brandon Mably WWW.THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

DO IT YOURSELF: Bath in Fashion has a plethora of hands-on workshops and events, including sessions with Wiltshire based textile artist Emma Leith and designer Brandon Mably of the Kaffe Fassett Design Studio

will give an introduction to the Persian Poppy design. Brandon will demonstrate the method of carrying yarn in fairisle and intarsia knitting and then work with students as they apply the technique to their own knitting. The workshop will last for six hours with a one hour break for lunch. Tickets: £65. A briefing pack will confirm all details. l MAKE A VINTAGE BELT BAG Tuesday 24 March, 10am – 1pm, at The Makery, 19 Union Passage, Bath The workshop, which is suitable for beginners, will cover the basics of using a sewing machine to construct the main body of a vintage bag before the addition of leather belts for handles.

Tickets: £45 includes all materials.

Booking: through The Makery, visit: themakery.co.uk/products/make-avintage-belt-bag. l ARTHOUSE ORIGINALS: TEXTILE ARTIST LOUISE RUSHFORD Throughout February shoppers and passers-by in Milsom Street will be able

l BEAD BASKET: THE HOLBURNE MUSEUM This piece is really worth more than a cursory glance, serving as it does as a reminder of the use of colour in our cultural past. When you visit a stately home or castle, such as the National Trust’s Dyrham Park, it’s hard to imagine what the 17th century tapestries would have looked like originally as their colours have faded so much that, like a cheap tattoo.

But the 17th century bead basket recently acquired after public appeal for the Holburne Museum, is a great chance to see those glorious colours almost as they would have looked when they were made. The bead basket, which is about the size of a tea tray, was made in around 1665 by an Englishwoman, probably a wealthy young woman, using beads imported from either Venice or the Netherlands. She would have used a basic bought frame and then painstakingly threaded different sizes and colours of beads on to wires to build up the almost three-dimensional picture showing the restored king and his bride with a castle and a riot of colurful flowers. The maker has even managed to create some sense of perspective with the beaded sky.

One of the elements that makes this piece, valued at some £78,000, so special, is the lampworked glass heads and hands used for the royal couple.

This is an extremely rare piece.

The former director at the Holburne Museum, Alexander Sturgis summed it up: “This is the perfect Holburne object: exquisitely made, historically fascinating, irresistibly charming and slightly mad.”

See for yourself. Entry to the Holburne main collection is free. n FEBRUARY 2015

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LIT | FEST’15

MORE THAN JUST A GOOD READ We’ve picked 20 highlights from the 2015 Independent Bath Literature Festival, the 20th anniversary of the annual book fest. Plus an invitation to take part in the festival’s hunt for #Best20Books of the past two decades

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riters and readers from all over the world will converge on our beautiful little city from the end of February for a ten-day celebration of the gloriously sublime human achievement of the written word. More than merely about the book itself, this is a melting pot of discussion that swings from the deliciously trivial to world matters and the big questions we all face in life.

If you’ve attended the Independent Bath Literature Festival before you’ll already know it’s a stimulating series of events to get involved with – and if you’re a litfest virgin we’re hoping there’ll be something in this selection of soft centres, fruity goodies and nutty nuggets to make you want to plunge in for a taste.

Ted Hughes: a Tribute. Saturday 28 February, noon at the Forum.

At the very first festival, 20 years ago the Poet Laureate Ted Hughes, in one of his last public appearances, held his capacity crowd hanging on his every word. For this 2015 tribute Hughes’ daughter Frieda, poet, will be joined by writers and journalists Melvyn Bragg, Bel Mooney and Jonathan Dimbleby, poet Kate Tempest and actor David Robb. They will also be considering the role poetry has to play in our lives.

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BATH BOUND: broadcaster and writer Melyvn Bragg and comedian Helen Lederer are among familiar faces coming for the 20th lit fest

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Judy Finnigan in conversation with Richard Madeley: Saturday 28 February, 5pm, the Guildhall.

Richard and Judy have done more than almost anyone else in Britain to encourage and support writers and readers. They’re also still fondly remembered for their days on the TV sofa and the

BLISS: Turkish best selling author Elif Shafak

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pair will be chatting about that time and Judy’s subsequent career as a novelist.

Surely Richard will delight his Bath audience by making at least one of his outspoken remarks that have Judy reprimanding him and leave his audience agog.

Syria at the Crossroads of History: Saturday 28 February, 7.30pm the Guildhall. Get beyond the TV news headlines and find out some of the strands that have brought a country to its state of turbulence and unrest. In this head-to-head we’ll gain a valuable insight into Syria’s past and present, and perhaps be able to take a clearer view of ways forward. It’s hosted by historian John McHugo, author of Syria: From the Great War to Civil War and Diana Darke, who wrote My House in Damascus: An Inside View of the Syrian Revolution. It’s always interesting to witness these living history discussions at first hand.

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Alternative comedy night: Helen Lederer and guests: Saturday 28 February, 8pm, the Masonic Hall, Old Orchard Street. Comedian, writer, actor Helen Lederer headlines a night of improv and sketch comedy down in the sticks from that there London. MC is Viv Groskop, litfest artistic director, and no stranger to stand-up. The line-up features Cariad Lloyd and Gerry Howell.

Expect merriment.

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Sophia: Princess, suffragette, revolutionary. Sunday 1 March, 2pm, the Masonic Hall. BBC Radio 4 presenter Anita Anand brings us the fascinating true story of an exiled princess who became a member of the suffragette movement. Princess Sophia Duleep Singh, brought to England when her father was exiled, was raised in Queen Victoria’s court and became something of a fashion icon for women.

But she also campaigned for the rights of women and as part of this with-held paying taxes, famously saying: “When the women of England are enfranchised I shall pay my taxes willingly. If I am not a fit person for the purposes of representation, why should I be a fit person for taxation?” Needless to say, the men who ran the tax system were quick to send in the bailiffs.

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Your Guide to Mindfulness: Sunday 1 March, 3.15pm, the Guildhall. There are an awful lot of people claiming they practice mindfulness, but is it really any more than staring into the middle distance over your porridge? Bath based clinical psychologist and highly regarded

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spokeswoman Linda Blair, talks about ways of finding peace of mind and tranquility. Her new book The Key to Calm, may help us beat one of the great scourges of modern life, stress, with a thoughtful, intelligent approach to dealing with anxiety.

Anniversary festival event: the 20 best books of the past 20 years. Monday 2 March, 3pm, the Guildhall. You can join in the debate about which have been the best books of the past two decades ahead of this discussion with a panel of guests, chaired

by Viv Groskop. Message us on Twitter: @TheBathMagazine @bathfestivals @vivgroskop #Best20Books, or you can send your suggestions by email to info@bathfestivals.org.uk.

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Remarkable Plants that Shaped the World: Wednesday 4 March, 1pm, the Guildhall. This is one for all those plantsmen and women out there, a talk by Helen and William Bynum, authors of the beautifully illustrated book of the same name. The pair look at the histories and uses of over 80 key plants. Rich in cultural, historical, botanical and symbolic associations, the plants, from every corner of the globe have fascinating stories to tell.

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Fay Weldon: Bliss is . . . Editing.

Wednesday 4 March, 1pm, the Guildhall. One of the giants of British literature is talking about the pleasures of the concentrated, rewarding work of editing. An engaging speaker, Weldon is one of a series of guests including Kate Mosse and Lynne Truss to come to Bath to speak at the lunchtime Bliss series of talks.

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Emma Bridgewater: Toast and Marmalade and Other Stories. Thursday 5 March, 4.15pm, the Guildhall. The pottery designer’s cheerful, practical china adorns many a Bath dresser and kitchen table and remains a top seller in Rossiters homeware store. Emma is part of a typical English middle class, whose parents divorced and re-married, creating a family of eight siblings. Her sister is Nell Gifford of Giffords Circus and her new memoir touches on issues

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that many other families will be familiar with, including the struggle to manage care of an elderly relative with the demands of growing children and running a business.

The Digital Debate: Have We Reached Overload? Thursday 5 March, 6pm, the Guildhall.

Enjoy a lively debate between four experts who discuss whether technology is a key to a civilised existence or if we’re being swamped by digital overload.

Topical, lively. Just don’t spend the whole hour on your mobile device and miss the live action.

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Kazuo Ishiguro. Friday 6 March, 7.30pm, the Guildhall. This is a coup for the litfest as the Booker Prize winner and remarkable writer, Ishiguro, comes to talk with critic Alex Clark about his first book in a decade. Be part of literary posterity and hear him talk about The Buried Giant before you’ve even got your hands on a copy (it’s published on 3 March).

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Mary Portas: Shop Girl.

Saturday 7 March, 11am, the Guildhall. With her neat red bob and head girl manner, Mary Portas has become a familiar face on our TV screens, advising many a business on how to succeed in the retail trade. She’s coming to talk about her new memoir Shop Girl and we’re betting that there’ll be more than one independent trader in the audience hanging on her every piece of wisdom.

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Antonia Fraser: My History.

Saturday 7 March, 11am, the Theatre Royal. The renowned historic biographer turns her attention to a new subject – herself, for the first volume of her memoir. The book covers the period 1933 to 1956 and her marriage to Sir Hugh Fraser. It turns out that she promised God as a schoolgirl that she’d devote herself to history if she won a school prize in the subject.

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Feminism and the Impact of the Digital Age, with Sarah Brown, Sarah Bailey and Suzanne Moore. Saturday 7 March, 1pm, the Guildhall. Guardian columnist Suzanne Moore, editor of Red magazine Sarah Baile, global charity campaigner, and wife of former PM Gordon Brown, Sarah Brown will be in a discussion about the portrayal of women in the media and the challenges faced by an ever-changing world of socia media and image manipulation.

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Celia Imrie. Sunday 8 March, 11am, the Guildhall. Imrie is one of our favourite

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#BEST 20 BOOKS READERS are being invited to join the Independent Bath Literature Festival’s 20th anniversary celebrations by taking part in the search to find the best book published in the last two decades, writes Georgette McCready.

I thought I’d have a bash at choosing my favourite read of the last 20 years. I looked at the books have I revisited, those which have stayed in my memory, perhaps for the strong characters, the driving plot or the sheer power of the language. A well written book is more absorbing and more emotionally engaging than any film, touching the reader directly.

I’ve come up with a shortlist, which I am ashamed to say, consists almost entirely of women writers. The Siege by Helen Dunmore, The Ghost Road by Pat Barker, Fingersmith by Sarah Waters, The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood, Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel, The Children’s Book by AS Byatt and Atonement or Saturday by Ian McEwan.

But, using the scientific method of which book is the most thumbed and falling out of its binding, the clear favourite is Kate Atkinson’s Behind the Scenes at the Museum. I love the storyteller’s dry, ironic voice, the dark humour and the frighteningly accurate depiction of a typically fractured British family, crushing talk of important matters to speak instead of fish and chips or budgies.

My favourite book is generally the one I am actresses – bright, funny, talented and a bit quirky. She’s turned her talent from stage and screen to novel writing and will be in Bath to talk about her first book, Not Quite Nice. It’s destined to the first of a series set in the South of France and featuring Theresa, a 59-yearold who’s decamped from London, and her encounters with all sorts of characters in her new life.

Vera Brittain’s Testament of Youth, with readings from Annette Badland. Sunday 8 March, 1pm, the Guildhall. Some of the audience will recall the 1979 TV series with Cheryl Campbel, others will have read Vera Brittain’s best-selling memoir, while others will have seen the recently released film starring Alicia Vikander and Kit Harington. It is fitting that this tribute to those who died in and who lived through the First World War should be back in the spotlight, with readings from letters and poems.

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Playing Big: Women, Leadership and Power. Sunday 8 March, 3pm. On average women earn £5,000 less than men a year (that’s a fact in the UK). The panel for International Women’s Day will discuss this issue and maybe come up with some inspiring solutions. Chaired by Viv Groskop, this is one to take your daughters to hear.

reading now, absorbed as I am by a story well told. So my current pick is The Clearing by American writer Tim Gautreaux, set in a logging camp in the swamps of Louisiana.

If we’re judging best books on those which have made the biggest impact on our culture, there’s a certain bespectacled schoolboy who’s won the hearts and minds of young and adult readers. It could be argued that JK Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (pub 1997) is the most influential book of the past 20 years – simply because it got previously reluctant readers hooked.

As a family we had what is still known as the Harry Potter holiday in which I implored my partner, son and daughter to come and enjoy the beach, while they barely looked up from the various HP books that had their full attention.

If you’d like to join the debate about the best books of the last 20 years email: info@bathfestivals.org,uk or tweet to @TheBathMagazine, @bathfestivals or @VivGroskop #Best20Books. Or simply pop a note in to the Bath Box Office in Abbey Church Yard. The big debate culminates on 3 March.

The Bletchley Girls: Tessa Dunlop. Sunday 8 March, 4.15pm, the Mineral Hospital. The women who broke the codes that helped win the Second World War tell their own stories, as told to writer Tessa Dunlop.

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For tickets go to: bathfestivals.org.uk or call: 01225 463362

Simon Schama: the Story in History. Sunday 8 March, 5pm, the Guildhall. Schama is a favourite with Bath audiences, combining as he does an extensive knowledge of his subject together with a delivery style that grabs you by the throat and carries you along with his compelling telling of history. In this talk he invites us to consider the nature of history and narrative.

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l Join the Goodreads group for more discussions about this year’s festival books: goodreads.com /group/show/152023-the-bigbath-read-2015.

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A GOOD YARN: historian Simon Schama and, right, Mary Portas

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WHAT’S ON in February EVENTS ARE LISTED IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER

Bollywood Brass Band

ORCHESTRA OF THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT Saturday 31 January, 7.30pm Wiltshire Music Centre, Ashley Road, Bradford-on-Avon BA15 1DZ Perennial favourites at the music centre, the OAE are back, playing period specific wind and string instruments. The concert opens with Mozart’s Serenade in B flat Gran Partita, followed by Myslivecek’s Wind Octet and then a selection from Mozart’s Don Giovanni. Tickets: £32/£16 u18s.

Visit: wiltshiremusic.org.uk. Tel: 01225 860100.

Also at the Wiltshire Music Centre KATHRYN TICKELL AND THE SIDE Saturday 14 February, 7.30pm BBC Radio2 Folk awards Musician of the Year 2013 Kathryn Tickell is a pioneering musician whose work evokes the wild beauty of her native Northumbria through re-interpretations of traditional tunes along with some upbeat originals. Tickets; £19/£9.50 under 18s.

LONDON MOZART PLAYERS Wednesday 25 February, 7.30pm The players have been entertaining and inspiring audiences since 1949, with a host of talented musicians over the years. For this concert they’ll be joined by two members of the Sitkovetsky Piano Trio for a performance of Mendelssohn’s Concerto for violin, piano and strings.

Also on the programme tonight: Respisghi’s Ancient Airs and Dances, Suite 3; Shostakovich’s two pieces for string octet and Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings. A sumptuous evening to warm the soul. Tickets: £128/£14 under 18s.

★Editor’s pick

★

BOLLYWOOD DANCE WORKSHOP AND CONCERT Sunday 22 February, from 5pm

A Handful of Singers

Kathryn Tickell

Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford-on-Avon, BA15 1DZ The sheer exuberance of Bollywood is brought to life with a feelgood package of a live music performance preceded by a dance workshop at the Wiltshire Music Centre. Embrace this fun and distinctive style of dance, taught by dance teacher Sita Thomas, then take those moves and enjoy the mighty sound of the Bollywood Brass Band while throwing some Bhangra shapes. Tickets: £16 (under 18s, £8), £5 for the dance workshop. Book: 01225 860100.

LECTURE: THE DAY PARLIAMENT BURNED DOWN Monday, 2 February, 7pm The Top Gallery, Holburne Museum,Bath On 16 October 1834 a ball of fire exploded through the roof of the Houses of Parliament. This talk, presented by Bath Evening Decorative and Fine Arts Society sees Caroline Shenton take the audience through the gripping hour-by-hour story of the fire and considers its aftermath and consequences.

Tickets: £7, students free, to book tel: 01225 742819, visit: bedfas,co.uk.

ROUNDELAY Monday 2 – Saturday 7 February, times vary Theatre Royal, Sawclose, Bath Alan Ayckbourn’s unique piece of theatre offers a series of written pieces which will be performed in any sequence, according to the audience’s whim. No-one, including the cast, will know until 25 minutes before curtain-up. Expect humour, humanity and ingenuity from the great contemporary master of theatre. Tickets: tel: 01225 448844, visit: theatreroyal.org.uk.

Peter Pan Goes Wrong

Also at the Theatre Royal this month ARCADIA Monday 9 – Saturday 14 February, times vary A fresh production of Tom Stoppard’s Olivier award winning comedy presented by Theatre Royal Brighton Productions in conjunction with the English Touring Theatre.

Lucy Porter

PETER PAN GOES WRONG Monday 16 – Saturday 21 February, times vary

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When the cast of the West End hit The Play That Goes Wrong, brought this comedy to Bath last year it sold out. Described as a carefully staged omnishambles it’s that rare thing that you can take the children to see at

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HAIRSPRAY Tuesday 24 – Saturday 28 February, times vary We’ve said it before, but another well deserved round of applause should go out for the talented lot at Bath Operatic and Dramatic Society which takes on a wide variety of smash-hit shows every year and delivers a thoroughly professional production each time, belying its amateur status. Set in 1962 this high camp show, made famous by stars such as John Travolta and Michael Ball, has some great numbers, including You Can’t Stop the Beat and Welcome to the 60s.

HIGH SPIRITS: THE GIN SALON Wednesday 4 February, 7.30pm The Garden Café, Holburne Museum, Great Pulteney Street, Bath Alongside the exhibition of satirical cartoonist Thomas Rowlandson, is this Georgian themed evening. Georgian expert Lucy Inglis will bring to life the world of Rowlandson’s work, identifying the people who inspired such comic treatment and building a picture of the concerns, obsessions and lifestyle of the Georgians. Caricaturist Jake Spicer will equip everyone with the skills to think and draw like a Georgian caricaturist. Food historian and Radio 4’s Kitchen Cabinet star Dr Annie Gray reveals the relationship Georgians had with food and gin.

Tickets: £12/£10, tel: 01225 388569.

Also at the Holburne this month THE MOVING EXHIBITION: DANCE FROM BATH SPA UNIVERSITY Wednesday 4 and Thursday 5 February, 10am Dancers and composers from Bath Spa University present a series of performance works in response to the exhibits and spaces of the museum. Be prepared to be surprised and delighted by dance and music that appears in different locations, as if from nowhere, and then vanishes as if it had never happened. Free, but booking required. Tel: 01225 388569.

THE MAGELONE LIEDER OP. 33 BY JOHANNES BRAHMS (1861): THE WONDROUS LOVE STORY OF THE FAIR MAGELONE AND COUNT PETER OF PROVENCE Saturday 14 February, 7.30pm A suitable evening for a Valentine’s date, this cycle of 15 songs tells a turbulent but fantastical love story, bringing the feelings to vivid life. Based on a medieval romance well-known in the Germany of the 19th century and reinterpreted by the poet and novelist Ludwig Tieck, it is one of the few lieder cycles with a happy ending. Tickets: £12/£10 concessions.

LUCY PORTER IN ME TIME Thursday 5 February, 8pm The Ustinov, Bath Fringe and radio favourite comedian Lucy Porter, articulate, warm and thoughtful, will be pondering on history and wondering if she was born in the right era. Tickets: £14/£12 discounts. Tel: 01225 448844.

Also at the Ustinov this month STELLA Friday 13 & Saturday 14 February, 8pm, 2.30pm matinee This is a drama set in Bath which explores what happened when William Herschel’s sister Caroline looked up at the night sky and saw something different. Science may have been a traditionally male domain, but this drama throws light on to the silent army of women researching and discovering. Tickets: £13/£11.

NO FRILLS Friday 20 & Saturday 21 February, 8pm This is flamenco stripped down to its bare essence, presented by one voice, one guitar, a percussion box and three dancers. This promises to be an intimate and powerful experience for audiences. Tickets: £15/£12.

A HANDFUL OF SINGERS Saturday 7 February, 7.30pm St John the Evangelist RC Church, South Parade, Bath, BA2 4AF Bath’s highly acclaimed chamber choir, A Handful of Singers, presents a programme of contrasts: the solemn splendour of Mozart’s Requiem, the dignified austerity of Vaughan Williams’ unaccompanied Mass in G Minor for double choir, and Haydn’s cataclysmic storm chorus, Insanae et vanae curae. The choir is directed by its award-winning conductor Christopher Finch and accompanied by a professional chamber orchestra. Tickets, tel: 01225 463362, visit: bathboxoffice.org.uk, or tel: 01225 311773 or visit: ahandfulofsingers.org.

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WORLD PREMIERE: MANPOWER Friday 6 February, 7.30pm The University of Bath’s Arts and Management building, Claverton, Bath A man at work, a man playing, a man playing at being a man. A new show from 2014 Total Theatre Award winners Two Destination Language, celebrating everyday maleness, opens ICIA’s spring season, A national tour is planned for the autumn. Alister and Kat have been thinking about men and power: Bruce, Clint, sheds and tea, heavy responsibility and barbecues. Audiences will laugh, wince and find themselves thinking of men they’ve known as Two Destination Language uncover what it means to be a man. Tickets: £10/ £8 concessions. Visit: bath.ac.uk/icia or tel: 01225 386777.

SETH LAKEMAN Friday 6 February, 7.30pm

Seth Lakeman at The Forum

The Forum, Southgate, Bath Multi-talented west country folk singer/songwriter and violinist picks Bath as just one of 11 venues he’s chosen to launch his new album Word of Mouth. For ticket details: www.bathforum.co.uk.

★Editor’s pick

★

Krater Comedy Club Valentine’s Day Special Saturday 14 February, doors open 6.30pm, show from 8.30pm

Manpower (picture: Alex Brenner)

Komedia, Westgate Street, Bath Krater Comedy Club is Komedia Bath’s flagship comedy night, and was awarded the ‘Best Comedy Venue in Wales & The West’ at the 2013 Chortle Comedy Awards. Wine and dine from the Soil Association Gold standard kitchen before enjoying a laugh with comedians Alex Smith, Phil Walker , Charlie Baker and MC Sally-Anne Hayward. Tickets: £45 VIP Ticket / £28.50 Meal Deal / £18 Auditorium / £14.50 Balcony / £10 Balcony Concessions. Stay on afterwards and enjoy a bop as Motorcity offers a mix of Motown, soul, funk, rock n’ roll and disco greats until late... and Krater Comedy ticket holders get in free.

TS THEATRE PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS: #THEORDER Friday 6 and Saturday 7 February, 8pm The Mission Theatre, Corn Street, Bath We’re transported to a post-apocalyptic world in which Facebook has issued the order: “Kill.” In a safe house the survivors are trapped and questions are raised for them and for us about the nature of social control and the rule of the mob. Tickets: £8, visit: bathboxoffice.org.uk or tel: 01225 463362.

Also at The Mission this month BOX TALE SOUP PRESENTS: CASTING THE RUNES Friday 20 February, 7.30pm This chilling tale, from the pen of master scary storyteller MR James, is brought effectively to life with just two performers, one handmade puppet and a spooky original soundtrack. It’s had rave reviews from The Times and The Stage. Tickets: £10/£8 concessions.

FILM SHOWING: PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1929) Saturday 21 February, 2pm and 7.30pm Death and the Maiden at the Rondo

The classic black and white masterpiece Phantom of the Opera– widely considered the first great scary movie and starring Lon Chaney – will be screened at The Mission to the accompaniment of live music from composer Mark Willets and the Black Country Guitar Quartet. Tickets: £10/£8.50 concessions.

JIM BOYES WITH BELINDA O’HOOLEY: SENSATIONS OF A WOUND Thursday 12 February, 7.30pm Chapel Arts Centre, Lower Borough Walls, Bath BA1 1QR Singer Jim Boyes tells the story in words and music of his grandafther’s First World War journey from his home town of Scarborough to the Western Front in France, to Belgium and the Battle of Passchendaele, by cattle truck to the South of France and the mountains of the Italian Front in winter, to the Front in Northern France again, and then further still.

The very talented Belinda O’Hooley brings subtle, innovative piano accompaniments. Tickets: £10 (£12 on the door). Visit: chapelarts.org, tel: 01225 461700.

RAYMOND FROGGATT & HIS BAND Friday, February 20, 7.30pm Jim Boyes pays musical tribute to his grandfather 32 TheBATHMagazine

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Now in his 51st year as a professional musician, Raymond, who has written songs for many stars including Cliff Richard, Gladys Knight and the Dave Clarke Five, together with his band show why they’re still gigging and still pulling in the crowds. Tickets: £15.

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SOUL IN MOTION Friday, February 27, 7.30pm A celebration of the great Tamla Motown sound, bringing you music that makes you get up and dance and forget your troubles, with a father and son live act, Ricky and Azzi fronting the show. Tickets: £15.

BATH CIDER FESTIVAL 2015 Friday, 13 February, 7.30pm – 11pm and Saturday 14 February, 11am – 4pm and 7.30pm – 11pm The Pavilion, North Parade Road, Bath Proof that we love our cider here in the south west – last year’s cider fest was a sell-out, so fans are encouraged to book their tickets in advance. They’re £7 from book@clstickets.co.uk. The festival features over 100 ciders and perries, along with hot food and a few dollops of scrumpy and western music from Wurzels tribute band The Manglewurzels to get the crowd to drink up thee cider.

PUBLIC DISCUSSION ON LORD FALCONER’S ASSISTED DYING BILL Friday, 13 February, doors open 6.45pm for 7pm start Upper Hall, The Quaker Meeting House, York Street, Bath. Lift available Former district nurse to the terminally ill, Pauline Carroll has invited prospective Parliamentary candidates for Bath to share their views and take questions on Lord Falconer’s Assisted Dying Bill. In the House of Commons, following the General Election, our newly elected MP will take part in a free vote according to their individual conscience to support or oppose it. All welcome. Contact: pauline.carroll@btopenworld.com or tel: 01225 442268.

VALENTINE’S DAY SHOWING OF BRIEF ENCOUNTER AND A PERFORMANCE BY BATH PHILHARMONIA Saturday, 14 February, 7.30pm The Forum, SouthGate, Bath True romantics will love this event, as the Bath Philharmonia performs Rachmaninoff’s Second Piano Concerto with international soloist Alexandra Dariescu. See the film whose soundtrack it inspired, David Lean’s 1945 classic Brief Encounter. There will be champagne and long stem roses for sale in the lobby. Tickets: £28/24/20/18 (£10 unreserved), tel: 01225 463362, www.bathboxoffice.org.uk, or through Ticketline, tel: 08448 889991, www.bathforum.co.uk.

A CALL TO PRAYER TO ALL FAITHS From Tuesday 17 February Bath Abbey and wherever you choose Six out of seven people in the UK say that they pray, so as part of Lent (which runs from Pancake Day on 17 February until Easter Sunday on 5 April) local Christians are inviting us all to take a few moments in reflection and thought. A booklet of thoughts for the 48 days of Lent – admittedly with a Christian slant – has been produced, inspired by local people and organisations. These are free from churches, the Abbey and Mercy in Action Charity shops. Twitter @ pray4bath and daily on the website: bathcan.net. Whatever your faith, taking a little time out to be thankful and appreciative for what our community offers is a worthwhile exercise.

PLAYING UP THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS: DEATH AND THE MAIDEN 18 – 21 February, 7.30pm The Rondo Theatre, St Saviour’s Road, Larkhall Bath-based Playing Up Theatre Company likes to challenge its audiences.

Famously filmed with Sigourney Weaver and Ben Kingsley this is one of the most thought provoking pieces of theatre ever to be written on the themes of political disappearances, forgiveness and revenge. In an age when people are still snatched off foreign streets, this is a play that generates discussion long after it is over. Tickets from tel: 01225 463362.

BATH OPERA PRESENTS: PETER GRIMES 19 – 21 February, performance times vary The Wroughton Theatre, North Road, Bath Bath Opera is putting on a fully staged production of Benjamin Britten’s operatic drama, to include all the composer’s Orchestral Sea Interludes. Tickets are available from Bath Festivals Box Office or from any member of Bath Opera, or tel: 01935 475219.

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PLANNING AHEAD Bath Decorative Antiques Fair Friday 6 – Sunday 8 March,11am – 5pm daily The Pavilion, Bath This will be the 26th year the fair has been staged in Bath. It’s always a delight to visit, stocking as it does collectables of all kinds, including French painted furniture, early folk art and tactile textiles. New to the show this year is Bristol based Dig Haushizzle,whose wares are pictured, which specialises in funky, unusual contemporary and industrial inspired furniture and accessories.

Tickets to the exhibition are £3.

CHARITY EVENT IN AID OF CHILDREN’S HOSPICE SOUTH WEST Saturday 7 March, 7pm Bath Racecourse, Lansdown Bath man Johan Grobler is running the gruelling Marathon des Sables in April. He is organising this black tie event with speakers from the word of sport and adventure and from Children’s Hospice South West). There’ll be live music, an auction and entertainment. For details, tickets or to get involved/sponsor the event email: runthesaharaevent@gmail.com.

BATH MINERVA CHOIR SPRING CONCERT Saturday March 7, 7.30pm

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St John the Baptist Church, Bathwick An evening of Handel, Hummel and Haydn.

The programme includes Zadock the Priest, Let the bright Seraphim, Little Organ Mass,(Missa Brevis) and Mass in B-flat Major. Tickets £15, tel: 01225 463362 or visit: bathminervachoir.co.uk.

THE WEST OF ENGLAND WEDDING SHOW Saturday 7 – Sunday 8 March, 10am – 5pm The Passenger Shed, Brunel’s Old Station, Station Approach, Bristol Find all the products, services and advice needed for that special day, all under one roof. There’ll be more than 80 bridal specialists offering wedding and, bridesmaids dresses, venues, honeymoon destinations, florists, tiaras, stationers, car hire, shoes and more. Includes show discounts, catwalks shows and advice from the bridal coach Michele Paradise. Tickets: £5 in advance/£8 on the day. Brides go free with a paying adult when booking in advance. Visit www.perfectweddingshows.co.uk to book.

FOREVER FRIENDS APPEAL FIRE WALK Sunday 15 March, 6pm Alexandra Park, Bath Are you brave enough to walk barefoot over red hot embers heated to over 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit? The Forever Friends Appeal is inviting people to take part in the challenge of a lifetime, a fire walk being organised by Time4Change and its founder Cliff Mann.

Entry is £30 and entrants are expected to raise at least £100 towards The Forever Friends

Appeal’s RUH Cancer Care Campaign. To sign up visit: foreverfriendsappeal.co.uk or tel: 01225 821535.

BATH MEN’S WALK Sunday 21 March Eight miles from Winsley, Wiltshire to Bath Recreation Ground Enjoy a well-earned pie and a pint while watching a televised match from the Six Nations tournament at Bath Rugby’s home ground at the end of a healthy walk as part of this fun fund-raising event. Friends, colleagues, fathers and sons are encouraged to get together and sign up for this sponsored walk along the Kennet and Avon Canal to raise funds for Dorothy House Hospice Care and the Bath Rugby Foundation, which works with disadvantaged and vulnerable young people through sport and education projects. Sign up at: bathmenswalk.co.uk.

BATH CHORAL SOCIETY PRESENTS A CHILD OF OUR TIME Saturday 21 March, 7.30pm Bath Abbey Composer Michael Tippett wrote A Child of Our Time, a critique of war and its injustices.

Bath Choral Society musical director Will Dawes has chosen to partner this with Vaughan Williams’ Symphony No 5, which is almost like a musical balm, with its hope of peace and resolution. Tickets: from £8 for unreserved seats to £27 for the best seats in the historic abbey. Book at Bath Box Office in person at Abbey Church Yard, tel: 01225 463362 or visit: bathfestivals.org.uk.

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A MUSICAL PICK-ME-UP A small but beautifully formed festival brings the sublime music of Bach to the west country this month

HANDEL IN ITALY: the Gabrieli Consort will sing at Bath Abbey

B

ath’s newest addition to the festival calendar is the Bath Bachfest, which comes from the same stable as the autumn Mozartfest, and takes place on Thursday 19, Friday 20 and Saturday 21 February. Its rich Baroque music is the perfect antidote to mid-winter misery.

It is programmed by Amelia Freedman, whose CV reads like a role-call of the best jobs in the classical music industry including head of classical music at the South Bank Centre and artistic director of Bath’s International Music Festival in its glory days. Awarded an MBE and an CBE for Services to Music, she’s also been honoured – twice – by the French government for services to music across the channel. She also founded, and still runs, the Nash Ensemble, currently celebrating its 50th anniversary year.

Amelia’s approach to the Mozartfest is wide-ranging and inclusive, reaching out to those who influenced Mr Mozart and who he influenced.

This is reflected in her Bachfest programming, too: JS Bach is certainly at its heart, but it reaches out to his contemporaries. The two concerts which bookend this year’s Bachfest feature no Bach at all, although aficionados shouldn’t panic as he is very well represented elsewhere.

This year’s voyage around Bach begins in Venice, and is devoted to the music of that city’s most famous musical son, Antonio Vivaldi, aka the Red Priest because of his flaming red hair. This concert will showcase his sacred concertos and motets. Performed by La Serenissima, Adrian Chandler will direct and play lead violin, and soprano Mhairi Lawson completes the line up. This concert will take place in the atmospheric setting of St Mary’s Church, Bathwick on Thursday 19 February at 7.30pm by candlelight.

At the other end of the programme, as it draws to a close, we will still be in Italy but accompanied this time by Handel and Corelli. Paul McCreesh, now a firm favourite with Bath audiences, will conduct the Gabrieli Consort and Players in Handel in Italy at Bath Abbey at 7.30pm on Saturday 21 February. Handel spent four years in Italy, where he wrote his Latin psalm setting Dixit Dominus and the other work in this programme, an Italian cantata thanking the Virgin Mary for her protection of Rome from an earthquake. Gillian Webster is the soprano in this concert.

On Friday 20 February four of the country’s leading period-instrument specialists, all soloists of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, will combine to give a one-hour lunchtime concert of Baroque chamber music at 1pm at Bath’s Guildhall. Trio sonatas by Handel and Bach will alternate with a graceful suite by Bach’s friend Telemann, and some real French music: a harpsichord-led suite by Rameau. That evening’s concert at the Assembly Rooms at 7.30pm features the Academy of Ancient Music. The programme, with one brief Telemann exception, is dedicated to Bach. It begins with the presumed original version for strings of his Third Suite, the one with the so-called Air on the G string, continues with his Double Concerto with its sublime slow movement, and offers a rare opportunity to hear the Fifth Suite for strings.

Completing the Bachfest lineup is pianist Angela Hewitt’s performance of Bach’s The Art of Fugue. This concert, at 11am on Saturday 21 February at the Assembly Rooms, is the one for Bach lovers. Angela Hewitt’s latest release and her current recital tour are devoted to the composer’s magisterial collection of keyboard fugues.

For more information about Bath Bachfest visit: bathbachfest.org.uk or call Bath Box Office: 01225 463362. Tickets priced £10 to £34. n

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Bath Philharmonia Celebrate Valentine’s Day with a concert, a film, champagne and a rose!

David Lean’s 1945 Classic Film

Brief Encounter & Rachmaninoff’s

Piano Concerto No.2

Royal School of Needlework Hand Embroidery Classes in Bristol • Join us for fun Day Classes: beginners and all levels welcome • Learn traditional embroidery techniques to a high technical standard on the Royal School of Needlework Certificate and Diploma • Study on our two week Summer Intensive Course in July 2015 Venue: 38 Old School House, Kingswood Estate, Britannia Road, Kingswood, Bristol BS15 8DB

Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No.2, the haunting theme to David Lean’s Brief Encounter, played live by the orchestra and international soloist Alexandra Dariescu A screening of the classic film Brief Encounter in its entirety Champagne and long stem roses for sale in the lobby!*

Join us at Bath in Fashion 2015 on 25 March and pre-book for: ‘Beautiful Buttons’ Workshops at 10.30am & 2pm Anthropologie, New Bond Street ‘Embellishing Fashion’ Lecture, at 2pm Assembly Rooms For more information visit www.royal-needlework.org.uk Contact Anne Butcher - T: 020 3166 6937 anne.butcher@royal-needlework.org.uk RCN 312774

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Saturday 14 February The Forum, Bath 7:30pm Tickets £15 for adults and only £8 for children under 18, available at the Bath Box Office 01225 463362, www.bathboxoffice.org.uk, or by phone & online through Ticketline 08448 889991, www.bathforum.co.uk *quantities limited

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ART | EXHIBITIONS

THE ART OF LOVE

Whether you’re single or celebrating Valentine’s Day with a significant other, enjoy one of the many exhibitions on show in Bath during the month of February NICK CUDWORTH GALLERY London St, top of Walcot Street, Bath.

Tel: 01225 445221, visit: www.nickcudworth.com SEASONS Until end of Februrary An exhibition of paintings and prints that have a distinct sense of the seasons they portray.

February Stile is one of a series of 12 paintings of stiles representing each month of the year.

Derby born Nick Cudworth is one of Bath’s best loved adopted artists. Trained at Chelsea School of Art, Nick has been honing his unique style for more than three decades. He’s inspired by the landscape around him, in the city of Bath and the countryside surronding it, but he’s also a big blues and rock and roll enthusiast, having enjoyed an early career in music as a piano player with the band Siren and recorded several blues/rock and roll albums in the 1960’s on John Peel’s label. While Nick’s work can be seen at galleries throughout the world including London, Milan, Winnipeg and New York, we are lucky enough to be able to watch him work, as he sits in his gallery/studio at the end of Walcot Street. He works in oil and pastel and buyers have the option to buy limited edition prints of his work.

Milk by Charisse Gardiner

February Stile

by Nick Cudworth

BATH CONTEMPORARY 5 Gay Street, Bath BA1 2NT gallery@bathcontemporary.com www.bathcontemporary.com tel: 01225 461230 GHOST OF EDEN Until 21 February South African artist Charisse Gardiner explores themes of home, displacement and identity set against the background of childhood and the elusive nature of memory. Rich in open-ended narratives and inducing a haunting sense of nostalgia, Gardiner weaves together a complex tapestry of tensions exploring loss and discovery and the foundations of culture.

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Still Life with Boats, St Ives (detail from), 1930 by Christopher Wood HOLBURNE MUSEUM Great Pulteney Street, Bath GWEN JOHN TO LUCIAN FREUD: HOME AND THE WORLD Saturday 28 February – Sunday 7 June Masterpieces of Modern British Art brought together by contemporary artist Dexter Dalwood in partnership with Swindon Museum and Art Gallery. From striking portraits to reclining nudes and pop art interiors, this

exhibition celebrates the response of our greatest artists to the extraordinary changes witnessed in 20th century Britain. There will be 32 paintings and drawings by some well known names including Vanessa Bell, Duncan Grant, Howard Hodgkin, Richard Hamilton, Graham Sutherland and John Nash and others, linked by the themes of home and the world. Domestic stability is pitched against artistic innovation with exciting results. Entrance to this exhibition is £6.95.

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ART | EXHIBITIONS VICTORIA ART GALLERY

By Pulteney Bridge, Bath Open Tuesday – Saturday, 10am – 5pm, Sundays, 1.30pm – 5pm Tel: 01225 477233.

JEREMY GARDINER: BATH AND THE JURASSIC COAST Until 1 March Bath painter Jeremy Gardiner is inspired by the sweeping curves of the English coastline, his artist’s vision extending beneath the surface to look at the geology of the landscape, which takes in many millennia. Jeremy’s knowledge of fossils and rocks is brought to life in this exhibition at the Bath and North East Somerset Council owned public gallery. Work on show links two UNESCO World Heritage sites, Bath and the Jurassic Coast, which is just under two hours’ drive away. The Jurassic Coast stretches 95 miles, from Orcombe Point in East Devon to Old Harry Rocks in East Dorset. Its geology spans the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, covering 185 million years. Entrance to the exhibition: £3.50/concessions and under 21s go free. A short film, A Page in the Book of Time by Jesse D Lawrence runs alongside the exhibition.

Mupe Rocks by Jeremy Gardiner

DAVID SIMON CONTEMPORARY 3-4 Bartlett Street, Bath www.davidsimoncontemporary.com Tel: 01225 460189 Mon – Sat 10am – 6pm, Sunday 2pm – 5pm

An Accumulation of Engravings by Hugh Buchanan Bath Abbey by Richard Grinter THE MISSION THEATRE Corn Street, Bath RICHARD GRINTER: IMPRESSIONS OF ROMANCE Tuesday 10 – Saturday 14 February Local landscape artist Richard Grinter brings a wide range of canvases to the theatre’s main auditorium and the Theatre Upstairs where visitors are welcome browse, savour, purchase or commission their own unique painting. Many of the pictures in the Impressions of Romance exhibition capture the beauty and dramatic architecture of Bath and its environs. His travels have also taken him to many other breath-taking locations and this exhibition includes pictures of exotic foreign landscapes and dreamy locations.

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IMPRESSIONS ON PAPER Saturday 7 January - 7 March This show at the independent city centre gallery coincides with the Works on Paper Fair at the Science Museum, London and Turner: Watercolours from the West at The Holburne Museum. The show features watercolours of interiors by Hugh Buchanan; original drawings

by Dame Elisabeth Frink RA, lithographs from her Odysseys series; etchings and wood-cut prints by Howard Jeffs RE and Anita Klein RE; drawings and etchings of nature-inspired forms

by Peter Randell-Page and wood-cut prints by Geri Waddington. Coinciding with this exhibition the gallery will also be showing the geometric white porcelain ceramics by Keith Varney.

HILTON FINE ART 5 Margarets Buildings, Bath Tel: 01225 311311 SIGNS OF COLOUR 7 February – 7 March, Tuesdays to Saturdays, 10am – 5.30pm Three well-known colourists – Rose Hilton, Alice Mumford and Angela Charles are brought together in a show that aims to celebrate the return of colour after the grey days of winter.

What links these artists is their strong sense of design and delight in bold colour. This is a hard balancing act to achieve and one that many painters attempt but which all too often end up with a cacophony of colours. These three artists have mastered the art of balancing the colour and tonal distribution so that the sum of the parts add up to more than the whole, resulting in wonderful colourfield paintings that give great sensory pleasure.

Anenomes and Pomegranates by Alice Mumford

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nick cudworth gallery

SEASONS

The Paragon Paradox – oil on linen and prints in various sizes

From 3 – 28 February

“Dusk over the River Vitava, Prague” by Peter Wileman

Living for the City: Jan 17 - March 4 Lime Tree Gallery, 84 Hotwell Road, Bristol BS8 4UB

Tel 0117 929 2527

WWW.THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

www.limetreegallery.com

An exhibition of paintings and prints that have a distinct sense of the seasons they represent. The Paragon Paradox portrays The Paragon in summer and winter seen as opposing images through a doorway and a mirror.

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

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ART | EXHIBITIONS

ROSTRA GALLERY George Street, Bath Tel: 01225 448121

Voluptuous by Emma Rose EMMA ROSE Upstairs @ 78 Walcot Street www.emmaroseartworks.com VOLUPTUOUS 1 – 28 February Voluptuous colours and sumptuous vistas abound during February. Emma Rose, who married on Valentine’s Day believes art is a great way to say ‘I love you.’ She says: “Buying a painting is the most perfect, personal, everlasting expression of love and affection, whoever it is for.”

GALLERY 1, ARTS AND MANAGEMENT BUILDING, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY SIMON FAITHFULL: 0º00 NAVIGATION Friday 6 February – Thursday 2 April, Mon-Sun 10am-6pm This is the second of a trilogy of works by Simon Faithfull that track his epic and quixotic journey around the globe, following the Meridian Line.This new work consists of a performance woven through time and space. Faithfull’s journey began last summer and will conclude towards the end of this exhibition in the spring. Free admission, all welcome.

THE MUSEUM OF EAST ASIAN ART Bennett Street, Bath. Open Tuesdays – Saturdays, 10am – 5pm, Sundays, noon – 5pm. Admission: £3 adults MUSIC IN CHINA Until 31 May A fascinating insight into the music of China and its influence on the rest of the world. It includes a selection of Chinese instruments on display, and visitors can get a real sense of their sound from an interactive screen.

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TREVOR PRICE SOLO SHOW Saturday 14 February – 2 March The award-winning London based artist is known for his dynamic and colourful etchings and is a favourite at Rostra. Trevor’s work is full of bold colours, flowing lines and a captivating outlook to a sea or sky that draws you in to his dreamlike world. Often seen as a reflection of life Trevor’s work represents the intimacy between a couple, sometimes romantic, sometimes erotic and often humorous. Originally from Cornwall, Trevor studied printmaking at Falmouth and Winchester School of Art and at the age of 28 was elected a member of the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers and is currently the society’s vice president. His work can be seen at the Ashmolean Museum, Guangdong Museum of Art, Yale University, The Office of Public Works and The Bank of England.

Contemporary Dance by Trevor Price

ANTHONY HEPWORTH FINE ART DEALERS 16, Margarets Buildings, Bath tel: 01225 310694 MEMORIAL EXHIBITION OF PAINTINGS BY TONY BIRKS-HAY (1937 - 2014) 21 February - 4 March Tony Birks-Hay died suddenly in France in April 2014, and this show includes some paintings completed that year. He was trained at the Slade School of Fine Art, London, where he was taught by Henry Moore, Coldstream, Reg Butler, etc. He loved portrait painting and portrait sculpture and completed over 100 commissions, but he also loved landscape painting. His paintings are in collections in Canada, USA, Australia, New Zealand and 12 European countries. The subject of A Passion for Paint by Jane Waller, he also wrote books on design and ceramics, and his collection of studio ceramics will be on show at the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts in Norwich until October.

GALLERY NINE 9b Margarets Buildings, Bath BA1 2LP Tel: 01225 319197 Email: info@gallerynine.co.uk GIFTS AND CARDS FOR VALENTINE’S DAY Throughout February An array of beautiful hand crafted jewellery, featuring Catherine Hills, who is inspired by natural forms characterised by contrasting and different metal colours,finishes and interchangeable components. Also exhibiting is Sarah Straussberg a young designer who blends her love of sculpture with an exquisite eye for craftsmanship. Sarah hand makes every piece of jewellery using sterling silver with 18ct gold plate to create her sculptural forms. Anita Klein’s quirky and sometimes humorous prints are entirely appropriate for Valentines Day. Also on display are a plethora of Gallery Nine favourites, including jewellery by Guy Royle and Lesley Strickland, ceramics by Walter Keeler and Sue Binns and original artists’ prints by Richard Batterham and Breon O’Casey.

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PORTRAIT: Neill Menneer at Spirit Photographic capturethespirit.co.uk Tel: 01225 483151

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Bath@Work Our series of photographic portraits by Neill Menneer shows Bath people at work.

View a gallery of our Bath@Work subjects at: www.thebathmag.co.uk

Joy Gyde Street pastor

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y childhood and schooldays were spent in Weston Village. I have very happy memories of playing in the fields, climbing trees and exploring. I enjoyed school very much. One day the village nurse visited us and when she left we had a new baby sister. When I grew I wanted to be a midwife. By now I was ten years old and the eldest of five children.

I won a scholarship to the grammar school and in my early teens we moved nearer to the centre of Bath. I was a Girl Guide and attended the Abbey, where I was later confirmed.

Aged 16 I began work as a costing clerk at Isaac Pitman (later known at Pitman Press). Leisure was a weekly visit to the cinema and Saturday night at the Drill Hall dancing to a live band.

I married young and our six children were born within eight and a half years, so life was quite busy. When our youngest child was at secondary school I had the opportunity to do my nursing and midwifery training. In July 1980 I qualified as a midwife at the age of 48, so my childhood dream came true.

Our children married and settled in their own homes but our marriage of 30 years fell apart. It was then that I moved to London working as a community midwife. After only two months I was involved in a major accident, while on duty, sustaining multiple injuries. I thought God was punishing me for leaving my husband.

The following six months our six wonderful children looked after me. My physical injuries healed but emotionally I was very distressed. I was in a dark pit, with no way out and no future. Inside I was in a turmoil and was looking for peace, but peace evaded me.

I eventually returned to Bath and a colleague took me to a Christian meeting, where I gave my life to Jesus. I had a wonderful peace inside and my search was over, February 2nd 1985 was a turning point in my life. I am now a member of Bath City Church which meets at the Forum. In the early days as a Christian I went to Bible Camp at Builth Wells in Wales where thousands of people, of all ages were worshipping God, in a large agricultural barn. Baptisms took place in the river and I was amazed.

After retiring from midwifery aged 60 there have been many exciting opportunities I have been able take up within the church and outside. These have included mission trips to Uganda, Philippines, Russia and Poland and six months working in a clinic in Mityana in Uganda.

In more recent times I have been involved with Prison Ministry, Lifeline, Sunday Centre – Genesis projects, and most recently with Street Pastors, from which I have just retired after six years. The Street Pastors in Bath are part of a national network of volunteers who go on patrol caring for late night revellers and people out on the streets late at nights. None of these adventures would have happened if I had not come to know Jesus as my Lord almost 30 years ago. Without faith in Him, I would not be here now. n WWW.THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

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FOOD | NEWS

Foodie bites

n Family-friendly restaurant Giraffe in Southgate, Bath is offering diners the chance to win a dream trip to New York City worth £1,500. Simply check your receipt for details of how to enter the competition between 1 and 16 February. That Empire State of mind prize includes flights, hotel and £500 spending money.

Mary shares her favourite things Bath favourite Mary Berry is returning to the city where she went to school for the launch of her new book Absolute Favourites.

Topping & Co is hosting an evening with Mary on Friday 20 March, from 7.30pm at St Swithin’s Church in Walcot.

In Absolute Favourites, Mary guides us every step of the way to home-cooked perfection. Whether you’re in the mood for sophisticated harissa spiced lamb, comforting smoked haddock risotto, delicate mini beef

Wellington canapés, or a moreish malted chocolate cake, there is a recipe here for every occasion. Each page is also brightened with tales of the family, friends and cherished

moments that inspired every mouthful.

Mary and her co-presenter Paul Hollywood on The Great British Bake Off, picked up the award at the National Television awards for the best skills challenge show, as voted for by viewers and beating The Apprentice, Come Dine With Me and MasterChef.

To book to see Mary, which costs £25 and includes a copy of Absolute Favourites, tel: 01225 428111 or call in to the bookshop on The Paragon, Bath.

DINE WITH THE STARS OF THE FUTURE n Bath charity the Genesis Trust has followed up the success of Souper November by teaming up with The Collaborators to produce the Souper Fresh 15 cookery book, containing 15 soup recipes from local chefs. So far the campaign has raised £5,000 which will go to help some of the city’s most vulnerable people. The book includes recipes from MasterChef winner Ping Coombes and veggie champion Rachel Demuth, along with top Bath chefs Sam Moody, Chris Cleghorn and Chris Staines and an onion soup recipe from Genesis Trust clients who have been attending a Cooking on a Budget course run by the City of Bath College. Visit: genesistrust.org.uk and download a copy, while donating £4 through the charity’s Virgin Money Giving page.

LEARNING CURVE: Michelin star chef Sam Moody gives students some practical advice during a guest night at The Shrubbery restaurant at the City of Bath College

If you fancy a gourmet meal out at a bargain price you could try booking a table at The Shrubbery, the City of Bath College’s training restaurant. Diners can enjoy a three course lunch during the week for £8.50, or book in for a themed dinner.

The next one is a Jazz Dinner on Thursday 12 February, with three courses for £22.50. The March dinner is on Thursday 5 March with a Hungarian theme and costs £17.50. To dine with the culinary stars of the future and encourage young talent call 01225 328502 to book a table.

FRESH TWIST ON TRADITIONAL TREAT

n All eyes are on George Street , Bath, where French restaurant group Bistrot Pierre is planning to open a Gallic themed eaterie in the premises formerly occupied by Jika Jika.

“Bath has been in our sights for some time,” says Robert Beacham, co-founder of Bistrot Pierre, “We’ve spent years creating a restaurant brand that is firmly focused on great value French dining and good food.” In the last year Bistrot Pierre has opened branches in Cardiff and Torquay and has plans for two more, in Birmingham and Newport later this year. All dishes are freshly prepared by its chefs each day using artisan provincial and locally sourced ingredients - from sauces through to mains and desserts. Favourite French ingredients include the nutty flavoured St. Marcellin cheese from Isere, the Toulouse sausage and Bayonne ham from Basque.

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Passers-by in Monmouth Place, just up from Green Park in Bath, are enjoying the mouthwatering smell of fresh beef dripping emanating from the new fish and chip shop, The Scallop Shell. Fans of The existing takeaway and fish counter run by Garry Rosser and his team at the White Row Farm Shop near Beckington will be delighted to see this second outlet.

The Bath takeaway counter has been joined at the end of January by a stylish sea-themed 40seater restaurant on the same premises. The move sees Garry returning to the city where his chef career began, when he worked for Mitch Tonks much-missed FishWorks in Green Street, before setting up his own business in 2008.

The Scallop Shell serves traditional favourites such as lightly battered, flaky cod and haddock served with chips cut daily, mushy peas, curry and tartare sauce, to battered or grilled Catch of the Day which regularly includes whiting, gurnard, plaice and sole, and other seasonal seafood. The Catch of the Day will sit in a bath tub full of ice for customers to pick their own fish supper.

The Scallop Shell has been voted in the top 60

independent takeaways in the National Fish and Chip awards 2015, out of over 10,000 fish and chip shops in the UK. In the restaurant diners can enjoy sustainable seafood dishes such as line-caught Weymouth sea bass as well as Dorset-harvested oysters and Dorset coast cracked crab and lobster, depending on the catch from early morning coastal markets, as well as traditional fish and chips to eat in or takeaway, will be open from noon until 9.30pm, Monday – Saturday.

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EXCLUSIVE: READER OFFER

A SPRING TREAT The elegant surroundings of the Bath Priory Hotel provide the perfect backdrop for an informal lunch or supper for just £12.50 – exclusively for readers of The Bath Magazine

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njoy a stroll through Royal Victoria Park to the peaceful atmosphere of The Bath Priory hotel, like a tastefully decorated country house hotel in the city, nestled in four acres of beautiful, award-winning gardens, and enjoy lunch or dinner, with a glass of wine, for £12.50 a head.

We’ve teamed up with The Bath Priory to bring you an exclusive offer of a two course lunch or dinner in The Pantry for just £12.50 per person until the end of March, which includes a glass of wine or soft drink. Offering a chance to experience the splendour of one our city’s best hotels, The Pantry offers cosy casual dining with a warm, relaxed and friendly atmosphere. The Pantry menu includes locally sourced food and drink, and has been carefully designed by chef Sam Moody and his team.

During your visit you are welcome to enjoy a stroll around the gardens before or after dining, to see the first shoots and blooms of spring, lovingly tended by our own columnist, Jane Moore. Home to much of Andrew and Christina Brownsword’s private collection of art, The Bath Priory is also a haven for art fans, and aims to welcome all guests as if to their private home.

The offer includes a choice of two courses from The Pantry set menu. Dishes change on a daily basis, but could include treats such as pan fried Cornish sea bream, saffron aioli and tomato fondue to start, rolled glazed pork belly, mashed potato, pork jus’ for a main course and a delicious apple and sultana crumble with clotted cream for pudding. A glass of wine is

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ENJOY THE VIEW: relax in the informal setting of the Pantry and look out at the gardens included, a 125ml serving from the sommelier’s selection, or there’s a soft drink alternative.

The Bath Magazine offer is valid every day of the week until the 31 March, only excluding Sunday lunchtime and Valentine’s weekend, (13-15 February inclusive). Lunch is served between 12-2.30pm and dinner between 6.309.30pm. The offer is subject to availability, and so readers are encouraged to book in advance, or simply pop by to see if there’s a table, and please remember to mention The Bath Magazine when ordering.

For further information or to book visit www.thebathpriory.co.uk or call 01225 331922. n

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THE DINER’S

DIGEST

SIX OF THE BEST

Places for lovers to dine

Show some affection this Valentine’s Day by booking a table for two.

Melissa Blease points you in the right direction, dims the lighting, adds candlelight, turns on some romantic music and beats a discreet retreat

RAPHAEL Most people nurture a foodie dream date scenario that runs something like this: soft lighting (preferably candles), soft music, unobtrusive staff, tantalising food and down-toearth prices – et voila! All you have to do to complete this picture of perfection is find the perfect date. But if you’re going about this VDay malarkey the other way around (you’ve got your yin-yang all lined up and ready to go but have yet to settle on the backdrop), Raphael is ready to close the deal. This is the sort of place makes you feel pretty even if it’s drizzling and a stressful day has taken its toll: as inviting on the inside as it is from the outside, a host of regulars, tourists and pre-theatre diners alike come here to enjoy chic bistro surroundings, where menus feature accomplished, imaginative dishes, including special menus that are set to add extra sizzle on Valentine’s Day. Raphael, Upper Borough Walls, Bath BA1 1RN Tel: 01225 480042; web: raphaelrestaurant.co.uk

TAGINE ZHOR The café/restaurant formerly known as Café du Globe has undergone a transformation of late.

While the charismatic, Casablanca-born owner Mostafa Benjelloun still very much rules the roost at this quirky little long-established haven of exotica, he’s recently redefined his unique offering and gone large on bringing the authentic flavours of Morocco to Bath. Heavily influenced by his grandmother Lalla Zhour’s inspiring menus, Mostafa’s cold mezze, briwats, b’stillas, cous cous creations and tagines now dictate the direction of bespoke feasts rich in sensual promise, laden with the like of saffron, cinnamon, honey, harissa, mint, chilli, dates, pomegranate. If these flavours, in this kind of environment (of course there’s candlelight!) don’t seal the date deal this Valentine’s, I'll eat my fez.

And if you really can’t resist whispering what's probably the most famously misquoted line from silver screen history into your loved one’s ear while you’re going about your canoodling, bear this in mind: Rick in Casablanca never asked Sam to play it again. So there.

Tagine Zhor, 1a North Parade, Bath BA1 1LF Tel: 01225 466437; web: taginezhor.co.uk

SAME, SAME BUT DIFFERENT Bathonians who regularly do the daytime crosstown traffic thing on foot or otherwise may think they’re familiar with SSBD’s USP: a contempo-charming, double-fronted café-bar on a lane just off the well-beaten George Street track, where menus boast hearty Mediterranean-themed platters, salads, etc and an array of tempting cakes and pastries. But Same, Same really is different when the sun goes down and the candles come out: think, the British version of one of those gorgeous little Catalan tapas bars just off the Barcelona Ramblas, and you’re getting our drift. While reliable tapas classics such as tortilla and patatas bravas don’t – thank goodness – attempt to redefine the genre, an imaginative

array of spotlight small plates put a whole new spin on familiar, locally sourced, British seasonal produce. More substantial portion size dishes may appeal to those who prefer to satisfy their appetites the more traditional way, but hey, this is Valentine’s Day: if you can’t or won’t share you can’t expect to spring into full-blown romance over the coming months, can you?

Same, Same but Different, Bartlett Street, Bath, tel: 01225 466856; web: same-same.co.uk

DINING A DEUX AT HOME . . .

So what if you’ve left it really late and there’s no room at the inn? Or if a night in together is really appealing? Suppose neither of you fancy trawling through the recipe books, braving the checkout queues and arguing over the washing up? Cupid can help out here too! In Bath, we’re blessed with two little helpers who make dinner at home a real treat. Ma Cuisine speaks the language of love (that’ll be French, n’est ce pas?) via an array of ready meals ranging from classics such as coq au vin and boeuf bourguignon through to bouillabaise, crab risotto and brandade nimoise – pick ’em

up (or order delivery), pop ’em in the oven and prepare for perfection, chez soi ce soir.

Similarly, the lovely hob fairies at Cavendish Cooks make domestic fine dining a breeze: drop by or request a delivery from dailychanging delicacies which will never be bettered by a commercial takeaway. The lighting of the candles and the chilling of the fizz, however, is your responsibility entirely.

Cavendish Cooks, St James’ Street, Bath, tel: 01225 312805; web: cavendishcooks.co.uk Ma Cuisine, St Savour’s Road, Larkhall, BA1 6RT Tel: 01225 312959; web: macuisine.co.uk

CIAO CIAO Beau Nash House was Georgian party central for top fop extraordinaire Beau Nash and his lively mistress Juliana – and it’s doubtful that starched white linen and a stuffy ambience would have been acceptable to their racy tastes. Fortunately, Ciao Ciao, the hippest of the contemporary Italians to have invaded Bath, would be to their liking: elegant furniture, fashionable flourishes and uber-cool warm lighting make for a super-stylish setting that fails to detract from the building’s former glory but brings us up-to-date in style. For Valentine’s Day, head chef Giacomo Carreca’s Tasting Menu, on Friday 13 and Saturday 14 February, offers a salacious six-course selection of super-sexy palate teasers including venison carpaccio, vanilla risotto, scallops with candied rose petals, a fish platter with fizz and passion fruit sorbet (how apt!) for £55pp. If you believe that Valentine’s Day is for life, not just for February, Ciao Ciao also considerately acts as a hot date hotspot all year round.

Ciao Ciao, Beau Nash House, Saw Close, Bath. Tel: 01225 330030; web: ciaociaoristorante.co.uk

CASANIS

Occupying one of the prettiest buildings on one of Bath’s most picturesque traffic-free lanes, Casanis offers exemplary, authentic French bistro food in an environment that most definitely flicks the ‘swoon’ switch. Intimate without being cloying, we’re on dream date fantasy made flesh territory here: a softly-lit haven of bonhomie that artfully represents that quintessentially Gallic interpretation of effortless good taste, where pristine white tablecloths set with sparkling tableware and subtly strewn with sprigs of lavender prove how stunning simplicity can be and utterly charming service maintains such a vibe, from warm welcome to bonsoir. For Valentine’s Day, an a la carte dinner menu that already includes such sumptuous delights as coquilles St Jacques, ravioles d’escargot and ballotine de caille will be supplemented by appropriately lovedup specials from chef Laurent Couvrier’s impeccable catalogue of desirable dishes, at prices that won’t be break your heart at bill time. What’s not to love?

Casanis, 4 Saville Row, Bath BA1 2QP Tel: 01225 780055; web: casanis.co.uk

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C O N T E M P O R A RY

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I TA L I A N

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R E S TAU R A N T

We are located next to the Bath Theatre Royal in historic Beau Nash House

www.ciaociaoristorante.co.uk | 01225 330030 | reservations@ciaociaoristorante.co.uk Ciao Ciao is the home of contemporary Italian dining housed within historic Beau Nash House. For that perfect romantic occasion our chef Giacomo Carreca has prepared a special Valentine’s tasting menu for the 13th and 14th February. (Our main menus are also available on these days).

Valentine’s Tasting Menu 6 Courses £55.00 per Person Venison Carpaccio Artichoke, Honey Roasted Pine Nuts, Mustard Dressing, Parmesan Shavings *** Vanilla Risotto Marinated Scallops, Candied Rose Petals or Red Mullet Tortellone Spinach, Oven Baked Aubergine, Lobster Bisque *** Fish Course and a Glass of Champagne (Marinated Raw Fish Platter to Share) *** Duo of Fresh Tuna and Langoustine Courgette Flower, Fresh Ricotta, Citrus Sauce or Ballottine of Rabbit and Pistachio Seasonal Vegetables, Mousse di Pane, Cacao and Red Chilli Sauce *** Passion Fruit Sorbet *** Dark Chocolate Fondant Coffee Parfait, Pistachio Cream or Sweet Wine and Red Berry Jelly White Chocolate Shards, Candied Grapes or Italian and Local Cheese Platter Served with Chutney, Honey, Celery and Black Olive Bread

Upcoming Event

24th February 2015 at 7pm

Sicilian Wine Dinner Hosted by the renowned wine grower Diego Cusumano (For more information visit our website)

www.ciaociaoristorante.co.uk | 01225 330030 | reservations@ciaociaoristorante.co.uk

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THE WINE COLUMN Angela Mount, wine and food critic selects some treats to toast your loved one this Valentine’s Day

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any of you may have faced, challenged, and conquered Dry January. If you did, congratulations, I failed on week two, the lure of a particularly attractive Burgundy being too hard to resist. It’s now time for a treat, and this month, the mood moves to love and all things Valentine. I’ve put together a little selection of delectable drinks to woo your loved one, however you are celebrating – these also happen to be pretty good choices for drinking throughout the month.

Taittinger Rose Brut NV (GWW £42.50, down to £32.50 throughout February) Dreamy, elegant and seductive; microscopic bubbles teeter up from the bottom of the champagne flute, through the delicate rose colour of this gorgeous temptress of a drink.

Scents of strawberries and cream linger on the nose, heralding the delectable, sophisticated flavour to come – subtle, elegant, stylish.

Look no further for your perfect Valentine’s Champagne.

Ailala Treixadura 2013 (GWW £10.95, down to £9.60 throughout February) With a floral theme, the label is pretty enough to scatter petals of love, and the wine’s even better. The main word to note is Treixadura, which is a grape variety similar to, but lesser known than Albarinho, and is grown in the same region of north west Spain. I prefer it – it has more warmth, more character, more depth than many Albarinhos. It’s a dry white with a bit of body, a bit of warmth, but without a hint of oak – exuberantly fruity and aromatic, it’s full of peach and apricot fruit, with a silky style, and a bone dry finish. Ideal with scallops, pan-fried salmon and all manner of seafood.

Are you Game? Pinot Noir 2012 (GWW £12.95) The name may not be the most subtle in seduction techniques, but there’s an amusing pun there. Duck breasts and steak seem to be the most popular choices for homecooked Valentine’s dinner, and this silky, bold, yet fragrant Pinot Noir from the granite hills of Victoria, in the far south of Australia, should tick all the boxes. The wild cherry and violet aromas lead to soft, velvety flavours of ripe berry fruit and a hint of pepper, with the softest of finishes.

Moscato D’Asti Moncucco Fontanafredda 2011 (GWW £9.25) The perfect finale to a romantic evening; a delicate, sparkling, sweet fizz, which has a delicious flavour, yet under 6% alcohol. I rarely recommend low alcohol wines, as they generally seem devoid of flavour. This one is an exception – full of exuberant, freshly crushed green grape flavours, it’s got elderflower, honeysuckle, and candied peel all mixed in, with a simply delightful zip of lemony freshness – perfection with a seductive bowl of strawberries.

All of the above, plus a mixed case can be ordered through our website. Enjoy a 10% Great Western Wine discount by entering the code on Angela’s wine column. Visit: www.thebathmag.co.uk

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A Serial Award winning Restaurant with International reputation British Curry Awards 2014 English Curry Awards 2014 Best In Britain Awards (BIBA) 2014

4 Argyle Steet, Bath BA2 4BA. Tel. 01225 466833 / 464758 • www. Rajpoot.com Connoisseurs choice for 35 Years.

Open Daily.

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CITY | BUSINESS

Triple gold

NEWS IN BRIEF ■ A record five million visits were made to National Trust houses and gardens in the south west last year – an increase of 2.5 per cent on 2013. It was at this time last year that people in London were talking wildly about the south west being virtually cut off due to storms, high winds and flooding.

But despite these misconceptions the National Trust was an active participant in the region’s #openforbusiness campaign to counteract the impression that large parts of the west country were closed to tourists.

POPULAR: the National Trust’s Prior Park gardens

Alistair Handyside, chair of the South West Tourism Alliance said: “This achievement by the National Trust in the south west is really quite remarkable, especially considering the weather at the start of the year. It underlines the value and importance of the National Trust in this region.”

Every county saw increases; including 5.9 per cent in Gloucestershire, 4.6 per cent in Dorset, and a 1.6 per cent rise in Devon.

■ Social media has made us all much more aware of the marketability of a personal brand. So how do you go about identifying what your own brand is? In an ideal world you would hire an agency to do all this for you, all for a hefty monthly fee. Alternatively, you can learn the skills for yourself and become your own brand consultant.

Newly established in Bath, I Brand Personal Branding has been developed

by Jacqui Pearson to achieve precisely that. While at Ogilvy & Mather, one of the world's leading advertising agencies, she developed brand strategies for clients, including Unilever, American Express, Magnet, BT, Save The Children and Microsoft.

Jacqui said: “Just one 'I'Brand session will provide you with the understanding and tools you need to identify, develop and manage your own personal brand. This will feed into everything you do in your working environment as well as affecting how you grow in your chosen field, the impression you give of yourself and the impact you make on others.”

For further information visit: www.ibrandpersonalbranding.com or tel: 07581 552966.

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WINNING TEAM: Hamptons International has more than 85 branches across the south of England

Estate agents Hamptons International, which has an office in Bath, has won Gold for Best Large Agency for the third consecutive year at the Estate Agency of the Year awards in association with the Sunday Times and The Times, at an awards ceremony in London. The event attracted stiff competition from agents across the country, with the winners presented with their awards, by TV presenter, Penny Smith.

UNDER-ONE-ROOF BUSINESS SHOWCASE The inaugural Bath Business Expo, held last summer in the Guildhall, was a sell-out success, prompting this spring’s event to move to bigger premises at the Assembly Rooms.

The exhibition and networking event takes place from 10am to 3pm on Wednesday 4 March, offering free entry to visitors.

Last year some 400 visitors attended the show, where small, medium and large organisations from app developers and IT providers to accountants and marketing services were there to meet and greet.

Headline sponsors for the spring 2015 exhibition include accountancy firm Monahans,

which will also be exhibiting.

Martin Longmore, partner at the Monahans Bath office said: “We are very excited to be part of such an important date in the Bath business calendar and look forward to meeting lots of local businesses and showcasing the range of services that Monahans can offer.”

Stands at Bath Business Expo 2015 are available from £75 and delegates are welcome to attend a pre-exhibition breakfast and a post show mixing social event – both of which will provide excellent networking opportunity.

Given that so many creative businesses, such as graphic designers and website designers, operate largely unseen by other people in the city, this under-oneroof event will give them the chance to show other businesses what they have to offer.

For more information on the show and how to take part, visit: bathexpo.co.ul or monahans.co.uk/events.

Choir seeks new leader

PIONEERING THERAPY

After 28 years Nigel Perrin will step down in April as musical director of the semi-professional chamber choir, Bath Camerata, and the search is on for a new leader.

Nigel, pictured, who was one of the original King’s Singers, founded the choir in 1986 from singers in the Bath area in order to enter the Sainsbury’s Choir of the Year competition. They reached the finals and Bath Camerata has continued to thrive ever since, winning nationwide critical acclaim, including being named BBC Adult Choir of the Year in 2002 and winning competitions in France, Italy and Ireland. Looking back over Nigel’s tenure there are many highlights: accompanying the Three Tenors (Pavarotti, Carreras and Domingo) in front of 30,000 people in 2003, performing with Brian Eno in Bath Abbey in the 2006 Bath International Music Festival, and Mozart’s Requiem under the baton of Paul McCreesh, to a packed Bath Abbey as part of Bath Mozartfest 2014.

Anyone interested in applying for the post should visit: bathcamerata.org.uk.

A pioneering treatment for people with dyslexia is being run by a centre in Ilchester, Somerset. The Alison Lawson Centre uses revolutionary eye correction treatment programmes over a series of ten sessions.

A spokesman said: “Today one of the greatest inhibitors of learning in children and adults is being successfully diagnosed and treated using revolutionary, safe, fast, affordable and non-invasive treatment known as Remedial Eye Therapy. The centre changes the lives of children and adults with dyslexia and other similar learning difficulties.

The quick and effective eye correction treatment programmes are seriously revolutionary and are sought after around the globe. In addition to radically improving the lives of dyslexics throughout the UK, clients also come from as far away as France, Germany, Sweden, Holland, Uganda and Argentina. Sufferers are rewarded when they finish the programme with their new found confidence, their ability to handle situations and win awards that they could not have done before.”

To find out more about the work of the Somerset centre visit: alisonlawson.com.

Get the party started

There’s something spellbinding about watching a really good magician performing sleights of hand, close to, while you try and spot how he’s doing it.

Magician Jack Stephens, who is a member of the Magic Circle, is an experienced all-

round entertainer who has performed for the Queen. He’s equally at home with children’s parties or adult gatherings, where he enthralls guests with his card tricks. You can contact Jack by email: magic@jackstephens.co.uk

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WRITTEN IN THE STARS As Venus and Mars line up with the Moon this month there’s plenty to be seen in the clear skies, as Jenny Hayes finds out with a visit to At-Bristol Science Centre

M

ankind has relied on the Moon since our earliest days on Earth. It is the closest celestial body to us in the solar system and, after the Sun, is the brightest and largest visible object in our sky. Its regular phases have meant it was used as the basis for ancient calendars, and even today our months still follow a rough 30-day lunar cycle.

Yet still when we look up at the Moon we see a strange and remote world that is seemingly so opposite to our own. Images beamed back from the surface show an eerie desert of white dust, undisturbed by wind or rain with a scent – if the astronauts who have walked upon it are to be believed – akin to spent gunpowder.

While one side basks in the heat of the Sun, reaching temperatures of 125°C, the other shivers at -140°C. So it is somewhat surprising to learn that the Moon was 56 TheBATHMagazine

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actually created from fragments of Earth. According to current hypotheses, it was formed about 4.5 billion years ago – not long after Earth itself – as a result of an object roughly the size of Mars colliding with our planet. On impact, fragments of the Earth’s crust were blasted into orbit where they accumulated to form the Moon. And, due to the strange phenomenon of tidal locking, the Moon now never turns its back on its parent, always showing us the same familiar face as it orbits around us.

Tidal locking occurs when the gravitational forces exerted on an object result in its orbital period matching the time it takes to rotate once around its axis, meaning that the same side is always facing the partner it circles.

In the case of our Moon, both its orbit and rotation last 28 days. In addition, as suggested by the name, this interaction between the Moon and the Earth also bears direct correlation to

THE VIEW FROM HERE: main picture, Earth as seen from Apollo 8 Top left, a crescent moon, and right, Earth’s moon Images @NASA

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SCIENCE | ASTRONOMY

DID YOU KNOW?

n From our perspective here on Earth, the Moon and the Sun look pretty much the same size in the sky. This is due to the amazing coincidence that the Sun is about 400 times larger than the Moon and, at the present time, happens to be about 400 times further away. n When the Moon was newly formed, it was only about 14,000 miles away from Earth and as a result days were only around 5 hours long. But since then the Moon has been drifting away from us, currently at the rate of 3.78 cm each year, affecting the speed at which the Earth rotates resulting in our days lengthening to 24 hours. n Only 12 people have ever set foot on the surface of the Moon, all of whom were astronauts from the Apollo missions of 1969–1972.

the tides observed on our planet.

As the Moon orbits the planet, its gravitational pull distorts our own as it passes over the Earth’s surface. The opposing force that counterbalances on the opposite side of the Earth is that of inertia, and the two combined are responsible for creating disruptions on the Earth known as tidal bulges, which can be observed in our rivers, seas and oceans. The attraction of the Moon’s gravity on the near side of the Earth causes water A moon is defined as a celestial to be drawn closer body that makes an orbit around a to it, yet on the planet. Within the solar system there far side where the are hundreds of moons, and only the Moon’s pull is inner planets of Mercury and Venus weakest, inertia have none. Our own moon, along with wins over gravity the four Galilean moons of Jupiter, and successfully Saturn’s Titan and Neptune’s Triton, is one of the largest satellites in draws the water the solar system, measuring away from the pull over 2,000 miles in of the Moon, resulting diameter. in simultaneous high tides on opposite sides of the globe. Over the rest of the world, gravity and inertia remain in balance until the Moon passes over them, creating the tidal ripple that we daily observe across the planet.

And it appears the symbiotic relationship between Moon and Earth is set to develop further. In 2007 NASA announced its plans to set up a permanent research station on our celestial partner.

The agency aims for building to start on the base in 2020, with the view that by the middle of the decade astronauts will be living on it for up to six months at a time. n With thanks to Lee Pullen at the Planetarium. If you would like to discover more about astronomy, visit the At-Bristol website for details of all shows and upcoming events: at-bristol.org.uk or tel: 0117 909 2000

What is a moon?

WWW.THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

The Man on the Moon Many cultures around the world have stories about the Man on the Moon, and here are some of the most engaging: • One medieval Christian tradition claims that he is Cain, who God condemned to become a fugitive and wanderer, forever doomed to circle the Earth as punishment for murdering his brother.

• Máni is the male personification of the moon in Norse mythology, whose sister Sol personifies the Sun. MOONIPULATION: photo by They both ride through the Keith Kiska sky on horse-drawn chariots, creating the different parts of the day and year, and phases of the moon.

• Among Alaskan Inuits, the Man on the Moon is the keeper of the souls of men and animals.

• In Chinese legend, the figure seen on the moon is female. The tale tells of a young woman, Chang’e, who accidentally swallows an immortality pill, which transports her out of earthly realms to live eternally on the moon.

Look out for...

The alignment of the Moon, Venus and Mars in our night sky on Saturday 21 February. Follow the tip of the waxing crescent moon downwards and you’ll be able to spot the two worlds of Venus and Mars seeming to exist side-by-side for a few brief days.

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S U N D AY 1 s t M A R C H 2 0 1 5 11.00 a m

BE I NSPIRED RUNNERS - PREPARE WELL AND BEST WISHES FOR YOUR BATHALF SPONSORS FOR CHARITIES - PLEASE GIVE GENEROUSLY SPECTATORS - PLEASE TURN UP AND MAKE SOME NOISE Last year, despite the cold, wet and windy conditions, over 30,000 people came to support and enjoy the spectacle of 11,300 runners taking part in the BATHALF and the 1,000 runners who took part in the family fun run.

It was the biggest single day fundraising event in the South West, raising over ÂŁ2 million for many charities.

Please be a part of the incredible BATHALF and help to make it better still.

PROUD TO BE A MEDIA PARTNER OF THE VITALITY BATH HALF MARATHON

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ocl A C C O U N TA N C Y

141 Englishcombe Lane, Bath BA2 2EL Tel: 01225 445507

www.oclaccountancy.com

Incorporate your business and save tax!

If you are starting a new business – or own a small business - you should consider incorporating the business (setting up a limited company) to take advantage of the favourable tax situation.

Owners of limited companies can pay themselves dividends from the profits of the company and so save paying national insurance at ever increasing levels.

The structure of a limited company also provides the opportunity to include other people (particularly family members) as shareholders, allowing them to benefit from dividend payments in addition to perhaps receiving a small salary (and utilising personal allowances that might otherwise be wasted).

Corporation tax starts at 20% and is very attractive for higher rate tax payers; amongst other benefits the ‘limited’ structure allows them to ring fence the profits from their higher rates and choose when to distribute them - or to have them available for reinvestment in the business without having suffered tax at higher rates and national insurance contributions.

The cost of incorporation is around £120 and takes less than 24 hours; the savings are available to any business making profits where drawings, by whatever form, are subject to national insurance contributions; the benefits can therefore be seen even with low profit and turnover figures.

We’ve been looking after small businesses (start ups to turnovers of £3 million) for more than twenty five years and we can explain these points to you at a first meeting, including what benefits you can see and how you can save money.

Please call or email to make an appointment – NO OBLIGATION OR CHARGE – to discuss your own situation and to see how we might help.

“OCL Accountancy always provide an excellent level of support in an extremely straightforward and user friendly fashion. Advice is sensible and constructive. It is much more of a partnership than a traditional client relationship which is particularly helpful.”

We have a wealth of knowledge and expertise in designing and creating beautiful wedding flowers. We are passionate about what we do and enjoy working closely with you, offering a completely personal and committed service. Please contact us for an initial discussion and to arrange an appointment, we would love to meet you.

The Fresh Flower Company 44 High Street, Colerne, Wiltshire. SN14 8DE

Telephone: 01225 744153 www.thefreshflowercompany.com email: sales@thefreshflowercompany.com Vist us on facebook!

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Call Marie Maggs, Mike Wilcox or Hannah Bratten on 01225 445507 to arrange a no-obligation meeting FEBRUARY 2015

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GETTING THE BEST FROM YOUR ACCOUNTANT Are you receiving the best possible business and tax advice? Debbie Boulton of Richardson Swift reveals the conversations you should be having with your accountant.

W

hen working with a new client, they often tell us that we’re giving them advice that they’ve not had before from their previous accountant.

Unfortunately, as in many areas of life, you don’t know what you don’t know, so if your accountant’s not giving you the right advice, how would you tell?

As a guide, here are the top ten conversations your accountant should be having with you, to help you both save and make money:

1

Ensuring you’re operating in the right business structure – if you’re setting up a new business, should you be a sole trader, a partnership, a Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) or a limited company? With each having their pros and cons, there’s a lot to consider. And if you already have an existing business, incorporating or dis-incorporating should still be considered and could save you thousands every year.

2

Tax planning – although there are increasingly less tax planning opportunities available for business and individuals, discussing tax planning pre-year end will ensure you’re maximising any tax savings and minimising the tax you legally need to pay. Some tax planning opportunities, such as pension payments, need to be made before the end of your financial/tax year, so waiting until your accounts or tax return have been prepared to have these discussions will be too late.

3

Advising on improvements to your bookkeeping and management information - if you’re running a business, the day-to-day bookkeeping needs to be done professionally so you have access to accurate, reliable financial information throughout the year on what to make your decisions. Not only that, but having management accounts prepared on a timely basis will ensure you know straightaway if something’s going wrong and won’t need to wait until well after the year end to discover costly mistakes.

4

Ensuring you’re speaking to a financial advisor – although accountants can do a great job in preparing your accounts and tax return and advising on tax planning, they can’t give advice on specific pension and investment products. By giving you access to trusted, local, independent financial advisors, you can ensure your retirement plans are in hand and your investments are well looked after.

5

Making sure you’re getting a good deal on your borrowings – as we’re in regular contact with the local banks and finance providers, we can review the rates you’re paying on new and existing borrowing, as well as charges on your current account and credit card transactions, to ensure you’re getting the best deal.

WWW.THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

6

Advising on inheritance tax planning and care home fees planning – with us all being increasingly aware of an ageing population, planning for your later years is essential, not just for you, but for your extended family. We have contact with local lawyers who can prepare a will that includes our tax planning advice so you can be rest assured that you won’t be leaving you loved ones with issues to sort out after your death.

7 8 9

Debbie Boulton Reviewing your remuneration structure – each year, your remuneration should be reviewed to ensure you’re getting the most tax efficient mixture of dividends, salary and pension for your business and personal needs.

Agreeing fees up front – accountants, historically, have billed on a time cost basis, meaning you may end up with a bill much bigger than you were expecting. By discussing and agreeing fees upfront, you can be reassured that there will be no unexpected and unbudgeted fees to pay for.

Offering profit improvement advice – we get to know numerous businesses so are well placed to discuss your year end accounts and management information with you, and talk through ways of improving business performance such as looking at your pricing to ensure you’re maximising your gross profit margin, and improving credit control to reduce your debtor days and improve cashflow.

10

Discussing your long-term objectives and exit plans – by looking to the future and your long-term personal and business goals, advice can be given on possible exit strategies and steps to take now to provide you with the financial future you require.

If you’re accountant’s not talking to you about these important areas, speak to Debbie Boulton at Richardson Swift on 01225 325580 or visit www.richardsonswift.co.uk

www.richardsonswift.co.uk 11 Laura Place, Bath BA2 4BL • 01225 325 580 FEBRUARY 2015

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FAMILY | WHAT’S ON

KEEP THEM ENTERTAINED As half-term approaches we’ve got lots of ideas for things to do with the family this month MATCH Saturday 7 February, 11.30am and 3pm The egg theatre, Sawclose, Bath Some of Bristol’s finest puppeteers and music makers bring this modern, adventurous take on a Hans Christian Anderson story to life. Suitable for children aged two to four. £7.50/£6.50 children and students. Tel: 01225 823409.

Also at the egg this month

If Only Rosa Could Do Magic

Also at No 1 for half-term HANDS-ON SCIENCE DAY Saturday 21 February, 11am – 4pm A day of fun interactive activities exploring the 18th century world of invention. Make a parachute, power a battery, and build and test your own designs. Free with normal admission to the museum.

ARABIAN NIGHTS Thursday 12 – Saturday 14 February, 7pm (matinee Saturday, 10am) This version of the magical fairy story by Dominic Cooke was performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company and is brought to Bath by the Bath Spa Unversity’s OnSet Productions company. Suitable for children aged six plus.

Tickets: £7.50/£6.50 children and students.

DR SEUSS’S THE CAT IN THE HAT Tuesday 17 – Saturday 21 February, times vary It’s fun to have fun, but you have to know how . . . the anarchic, sheer joy of The Cat in the Hat brought to life. Children love the rhymes and the tricks. Suitable for children aged three and over. Tickets: £7.50/£6.50 children and students.

IF ONLY ROSA COULD DO MAGIC Thursday 26 – Saturday 28 February, times vary Rosa has the prettiest dress, the loveliest hair and lots of pink toys – but she’s still sad.

Norwegian clown Katja Brita Lindeberg has performed this funny, poignant piece all over the world. Suitable for children aged five and over.

Tickets: £7.50/£6.50 children and students.

SATURDAY FEZZIWIGS FUN CLUB Every Saturday from 10.30am – 12pm, and 12.30 – 1.30pm Chapel Arts Centre, Lower Borough Walls, Bath Jimmy Mc of Bobo Boggle & Co and The Counterfeit Theatre Company (popular with young audiences at the Bath Fringe each year) and Sally Handley of Kidzfun, get together to bring a fun club for children to enjoy some silly, giggly fun. Ideal for children from four to 11, of all types, as Jimmy says: “ Shy ones, big-mouths, fast kids, slow kids, brave ones, worried ones, tomboys, tomgirls.” All are welcome. There’ll be all kinds of activities, followed by a live show from an invited entertainer. Children who stay for both sessions are invited to bring a drink and a snack. Places: £8 for the activity (siblings £7, £4 for the show, £3 for an adult. A combined ticket is £11.

HALF TERM DROP-IN SESSIONS WITH B&NES FAMILY ACTIVITIES ROMAN BATHS DENARIUS DESIGNS Monday 16 February to Friday 20 February 10am – 1pm & 2pm – 4pm Get up close to Roman coins and design a coin.

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who came up with the idea of putting meat between two slices of bread. Make your own sandwich using craft materials and add your design to the Sandwich Shop board. Free with normal admission to the museum.

FAMILY SPRING PLANTING Monday 16 – Friday 20 February, 3 – 4pm Dyrham Park, National Trust property, on the A46 north of Bath Put on your wellies and join the garden team to help with the spring planting.

FASHION MUSEUM Pick a colour!

Tuesday 17 February 10.30-12.30pm & 1.30pm – 3.30pm Use one colour in a variety of media to create your fashion design.

Victoria Art Gallery JURASSIC JAUNT Wednesday 18 February 10.30am – noon for three to 11-year-olds Investigate fossils and the Jurassic coast in this special exhibition. Walk in the footprints of dinosaurs and create fossil art. This event is free.

Also at Victoria Art Gallery DONNY THE DINOSAUR Friday 20 February 10.30am – noon for three to 11-year-olds.

Explore the exhibition about the Jurassic coast and make Donny the dinosaur using card, sticks and pins. This event is free.

Meet William Harbutt Saturday 14 February 1.30pm, 2.30pm & 3.30pm Join the historic character William Harbutt for an exploration of his magnificent invention, Plasticine.

THE HOLIDAY LODGE Monday 16 – Friday 20 February, 9am – 5pm In the grounds of the Paragon School, Lyncombe, Bath Not every parent is able to spend every day of half term with their children and The Holiday Lodge provides that ideal balance of being a safe, friendly place to send your child – and a really fun place to spend the day having indoor and outdoor adventures if you’re aged three to 11. Activities range from bug hunts to dressing up, from silly games to enjoying a campfire.

Places from £30 a day (bring a packed lunch and drinks) bookable at the Paragon School.

CELEBRATING SANDWICHES Saturday 14 February – Sunday 22 February 10.30am – 5.30pm (noon-5.30pm Mondays) No 1 Royal Crescent museum, Bath Learn more about the fourth Earl of Sandwich

Also at Dyrham for half-term FAMILY NATURE TRAILS Tuesday 17 & Thursday 19 February, 11am12pm Explore the park on a guided discovery trail.

From pond-dipping or bug-hunting to spotting the deer, head outdoors and discover the wild side of the parkland. Normal admission applies.

NEST BOX DISCOVERY Wednesday 18 February, 12-2pm Celebrate National Nest box week by helping the ranger install different and unusual nest boxes for a variety of birds, bats and other woodland creatures in the unique habitat of the woodland terrace gardens. Learn about the wildlife that use the nest boxes and the best places to put them at home. Help to create new habitat piles for animals such as hedgehogs to nest in.

TODDLER TRAIL Tuesday 24 February, 10.45 – 11.30am Join a garden trail designed for toddlers and learn about shape, colour and numbers while exploring nature. Meet in the garden at 10.45am. If you’re a few minutes late, join the group when you arrive. Trail lasts approx. 3045mins. Arrive in the car park by 10.30am in order to catch the first shuttle bus. Normal admission applies.  The Cat in the Hat

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FAMILY | WHAT’S ON CREATENOW! Wednesdays 4 – 5pm (except at half term) The Pound Centre, Corsham, Wiltshire The Pound’s new art club for children allows them to try different art and craft activities. £8, or £35 for five weeks Also at the Pound Arts this month LOOM BAND CAFÉ Tuesday 17 February, 10am – 3pm Meet up in The Pound Café and go loopy with looms. A free drop-in session is for all the family.

FOLKLORE FEBRUARY Saturday 14 – Saturday 21 February, 10am – 3.30pm Prior Park, National Trust property, Ralph Allen Drive, Bath There is no parking at the site, but parents can turn this to their advantage by taking their children up the hill by bus and making this even more of an adventure. All week through halfterm there’ll be the chance to get involved in traditional English customs, including making Green Man masks and following the fairy and elf trails. Free with normal admission price. For details tel: 01225 833422.

FAMILY CRAFT DAY, LED BY LOCAL YOUNG ARTISTS Wednesday 18 February, 10.30am – 3pm Arts for young people, led by young people.

Free, drop in, please bring an adult.

DRAGONS, DOGS AND DONKEYS Monday 16 – Friday 20 February, 10.30am – 1pm The Holburne Museum, Great Pulteney Street, Bath Art and activities inspired by the animals found in the museum’s collection. Free. To book, tel: 01225 388569.

MEDIEVAL ACTIVITIES Monday 16 – Friday 20 February, from 10am Ora et Labora, Church Street, Bath BA1 1NL Medieval mayhem craft activities for all ages, including brass rubbing, apothecary skills, quill and ink and natural beeswax candle making. £5

RADIO DJ TASTER SESSION, WITH KIK RADIO Thursday 19 February, 2pm – 5pm KIK radio DJs will be hosting free taster sessions to enable young people to produce a radio show.

For details of all Pound events tel: 01249 701627 or visit: poundarts.org.uk.

Box Tale Soup Farleigh Hungerford Castle tales of gruesome and brave deeds and in the crypt, there’s the best collection of humanshaped lead coffins in Britain. Admission, £4.20 adults, £2.50 children (free to English Heritage members.

BATH CITY FARM Every day Bath City Farm, Kelston View, Bath BA2 1NW The farm is open daily to walkers, who can enter via the kissing gates and enjoy seeing the sheep and cows. Dogs must be on a lead.

per workshop to include all activites, or for those short of time pick a favourite for a reduced rate. To book email: oraetlaborabath@gmail.comor, visit: ora-etlabora.co.uk, tel: 01225 481111.

WILD WEDNESDAY AT BATH SKYLINE Wednesday 18 February, 10.30am – 12.30pm Get the kids wrapped up against the cold and bundle them out of the house to take part in free outdoor activities and games in the woods off Claverton Down Road, look for the Woodland Play Area.

FARLEIGH HUNGERFORD CASTLE Weekends, 10am – 4pm Farleigh Hungerford, Somerset, BA2 7RS This is a great day out for youngsters whose imagination has been fired up by the Horrible Histories books. Take a picnic and a wooden sword and spend a few hours exploring the semi-ruined castle walls, which date back in parts to the 14th century. The castle has its own WWW.THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

BOX TALE SOUP PRESENTS ALICE IN WONDERLAND Friday 20 February 2.30pm The Mission Theatre, Corn Street, Bath Slip down the rabbit hole into a timeless world of wondrous fantasy. Carroll’s Wonderland floods onto the stage in a whirl of paper puppets and strange contraptions. Children and adults will find their own moment of magic in Wonderland and make it safely home again.

Suitable age four and over. Tickets: £8/£6 concs.

Bath Box Office 01225 463362 visit: bathboxoffice.org.uk.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A MONK Tuesday 17 February, 10.45am – 2.30pm Bath Abbey Find out what it was like to be medieval monk – but without having to have the classic monk haircut. Enjoy dressing up, candle making, writing with a quill, meeting a real-life Benedictine monk and more! Families can enjoy lunch in the Abbey’s magnificent surroundings (you’ll have to bring your own lunch, but there will be samples of medieval pudding to try.)

Suitable for ages 7-11. Children must bring an adult. £5 per child. To book, tel: 01225 422462 or email office@bathabbey.org.

FLIGHT DECK Monday 16 – Sunday 22 February At-Bristol, Anchor Road, Bristol, BS1 5DB Ideal for the young pilot or astronaut are these sessions throughout the day at the musuem which makes science popular. Free with standard admission. Watch your ideas take off in the Flight Deck – get hands-on with some engineering challenges that investigate the forces of flight. Make and test your own jet-propelled engine, explore aerodynamic design and see if you can take off in the flight arena.

Information/bookings, tel: 0845 345 1235.

PLANNING AHEAD The Bath Half Family Fun Run Sunday 1 March If Mum or Dad is running the Vitality Bath Half marathon this spring, their children might like to get a taste of what the experience feels like.

Admission is open now for young runners to enter the fun run, which takes place after the main race begins. It follows the route of the famous half marathon, beginning in Great Pulteney Street and following the course for the first half mile before turning back and finishing under the same gantry – to applause from the watching crowds – as the adult race. The fun run is open to under 16s, but under 11s will need to be accompanied by an adult. Entry is £6.30, £10.30 for adults and all fun runners will get a t-shirt, plus official chip times for their run. Funds from this event will go to Jamie’s Farm, a Box based charity which hosts students from inner city schools, many of who live challenging lives, to stay on the Wiltshire farm and experience the pleasures of working on the land, with animals and as part of a team. To sign up for the fun run visit: bathhalf.org.uk. n

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SCHOOL REPORT NEWS FROM THE CLASSROOM MONKTON PREP SCHOOL: School headmaster Andrew Marshall-Taylor recently unveiled some changes at the school for the top seniors, pupils in Years 7 and 8. They are now able to study Mandarin as a modern foreign language, and enjoy a new outdoor education programme which provides a challenging mix of orienteering, bush craft, leadership and team strategies. Mr Marshall-Taylor said: “To these we are adding current affairs, thinking skills and mentoring.” The school has recently acquired a new, easyaccess school drive and all-weather netball courts. Now Monkton Prep is inviting girls aged from nine to 12 to join the school for some expert coaching with England’s top netball players.

Members of the England Netball Squad will be at the school on Saturday 7 March from 12.30pm. Limited spaces are available for this free event. To register tel: 01225 831202 or email: info@monktonprep.org.uk. Pictured are the Monkton Prep head boy and girl.

CLIFTON COLLEGE REVISION COURSES: To help prepare students for summer exams Clifton College will be holding revision courses from Monday 6 to Friday 10 April. The courses focus on three specific areas: subject revision, which adds confidence for students – covering common areas, topics of difficulty, and areas to focus on and revise; exam technique – understanding that knowledge alone is not enough, courses focus heavily on how to interpret questions and write high grade answers, and finally exam practice. Sesssions will include answering past exam papers, improving essay writing technique and enabling students to cope under timed conditions. Class sizes are of 10 – 12 students, with course tutors delivering personal and interactive teaching methods, with students enjoying one-on-one attention. To find out more, including temporary boarding options, visit: ccslcliftoncollege.com, or contact course manager, Brad Clark, on 0117 3157 143, or email: bclark@cliftoncollege.com.

ALL HALLOWS SCHOOL: Children at this Somerset school are enjoying using their fabulous new Creative Centre, which was officially opened by VIP guest artist Bruce Munro. The centre, which is led by head of creative design and technology, Berin Nelson, offers many new opportunities, including 2D and 3D design technology, facilities for coding, laser cutting and 3D printing, as well as animation and digital photography. These skills, and more, will help equip students for the real creative world of work.

Berin said: “We want to demonstrate to the children that ideas can be brought to life in a number of ways with the help of technology and creativity and we aim to enlist the help of specialists along the way to inspire the children.” Designer and presenter of TV series Grand Designs, Kevin McCloud has been to see the new building and says: “I think All Hallows School’s new Creative Centre is just the ticket. The creative industries are growth industries and Britain is a world leader. Some of the biggest planetary names are powered by British design, media and architectural talents. So encouraging children to explore their creativity from a young age – and allowing them licence to think of creativity as important – gives them a head start in a competitive world.

Creativity = Original Thinking. The centre is a brilliant idea.”

Leadership Skills for Tomorrow’s World

University of Bristol offers free places for part-time Masters in Strategy, Change and Leadership for senior professionals The University of Bristol is offering free places on its Masters in Strategy, Change and Leadership. This part-time programme is for aspiring senior managers and is designed to fit around the demands of a busy job.

Today’s leaders are facing the most challenging operating circumstances for a generation. The necessary skills and competencies have shifted from the motivation of employees in a buoyant economy to change management and strategic leadership in this landscape of budget cuts, increased hours, more sophisticated technology and leaner workforces. Few organisations have escaped these changes whether they are in the private, public or not-for-profit sectors.

The University of Bristol has recognised this and designed a bespoke Masters degree in Strategy, Change and Leadership aimed at providing senior managers with the tools and techniques they require in order to navigate their organisations through such demanding times.

Programme Director Helen Ballard says “I am delighted we have the funding available to offer free places on our parttime Masters programme. Excellent leadership is critical in this challenging climate, and high performing organisations are recognising the need to further develop their managers.

This practical Masters degree will offer a return on investment from day one.”

To find out more about the programme and the free scholarship places available, come along to an open evening at the University on Wednesday 25th March from 6pm – 7.30pm. Contact Cheralyn for details: efim-scl@bristol.ac.uk

For further information about the course please visit www.bristol.ac.uk/efm/courses/postgraduate/new/degrees/ 64 THEBATHMAGAZINE

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Alison Lawson .qxp_Layout 1 19/01/2015 12:13 Page 1

ADVERTORIAL FEATURE

Give your child a new life this year

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ife was such a struggle for my son Jack, everything was a burden to him and we felt we must get him ahead in life. At 12 years he suffered from very poor memory, poor reading & comprehension, low self-esteem & confidence, as well as high anxiety & frustration levels. He was getting nowhere at school and we had to physically dress him to get him there. He would become upset in the class because he couldn’t do the work, and didn’t understand it. His teachers were confused as he tried his best, they didn’t seem to understand that he had a problem. He was always very frustrated and highly strung. He didn’t seem to have the ability to retain what he had learned and this was very frustrating for him.

We came across the Alison Lawson Centre who provide a revolutionary eye therapy for the symptoms that Jack was displaying. The treatment works on the eyes, correcting a visual stress problem and ensuring the muscles in both eyes work together. The treatment was only 10 sessions long, could be completed in 2 weeks and did not have to be repeated.

We really wanted him to enjoy school and achieve better results, so we decided it had to be worth a try. We told him that 10 days wasn’t long to change his whole life.

❝ WE TRIED A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS TO HELP JACK AND THIS IS THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS PRODUCED RESULTS, QUICKLY AND FOR LIFE

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About 4 days after treatment we started observing improvements. His spelling has improved drastically – he has surprised himself and his teachers that not only he remembered the work set in class, but he knew how to spell hard words that he has never spelt in his life before. He has jumped a lot of levels in maths, his teacher says that what he does is slow but correct. He is coming home every day now and telling me that he has got really good marks in his work – this is so rewarding!

We completed the program 6 months ago and he is just leaping up levels in all his work. He definitely concentrates well now, and has better memory which enables him to do his homework on his own.

As soon as he receives his homework he gets straight down to work without being told – he would never have done this before. He not only remembers the things he has been taught in school, but he is remembering detail as well.

He completed a French test that he hadn’t revised for and he received 19/24, before it would have been 1 or 2/24 which was very demoralising for him. Accomplishing this sort of result in French, not even English is a massive improvement.

All these things are really thrilling him to keep going. He came home the other day and told me that he had beaten a really brainy boy in his class!

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I have had other peers and teachers say to me that he will now volunteer in class and speak in front of his peers. He will offer to do things for people and his self- esteem is just so much better. His school say he is quite different in class, and if things go against him he now stands up for himself and defends himself instead of getting upset about it and the whole thing becoming a pile up and going on for a long time.

Whatever he puts his hands to, is done perfectly and to a high standard and we have had other people comment on this. He will pick up a book and read it now, before it was hard work, so it was easier not to. In fact he never used to read anything unless it was a comic or picture book. He now loves school, before we were going through a terrible patch to even get him to school and stay there.

We have been told the school are amazed at the standard of work he is turning out now and are thrilled at the marks that he is coming home with.

We tried a lot of different things to help Jack and this is the only one that has produced results, quickly and for life. You can’t put a price on getting sorted out for life. Every penny was well spent!

The quick & effective Alison Lawson treatment, which is appropriate from age 4, has been used in Australia for over 20 years, but has relatively recently come to the UK. The team at the Yeovil centre have had first-hand experience in the life changing results the eye therapy brings and have a burning desire to pass these benefits to so many others, as they are seeing parents and teachers astounded over and over again. Contact us at admin@dyslexia-treatment.co.uk or on 01935 403260 www.alisonlawson.com

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- UK FEBRUARY 2015

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MOVING ON UP

GROWING UP: Port Regis prep school offers advice for parents trying to find a senior school

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he prospect of moving on from prep school is daunting both for the child and the parents, and deciding on the right senior school even more so. Headteacher Benedict Dunhill and his staff at Dorset co-ed prep school Port Regis, which recently scored an all-round Excellent rating from Ofsted, offers some soothing advice.

WHICH SCHOOL? Get to grips with the basics: Single sex or co-ed? Day or boarding?

Location? Cost? Academic suitability? Once you have honed in on a handful of suitable schools, you will want to visit them. It is probably best to do this without your children in the first instance – it is better to trust your own instincts to start with. Later in the process it is a good idea to show your child the few schools which you have chosen to pursue.

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SECURING A PLACE Once you have decided that a certain school would be perfect for your child, you need to register your interest. This requires a fee (usually about £200), and ensures that your child is in the system and that he or she will be expected to sit pre-assessment tests or Common Entrance in due course. For most schools, it is advisable to register your interest before your child completes Year 6. A small number of more traditional boarding schools (Radley, Eton, Winchester) require you to register even earlier. Increasingly, schools will ask your child to come for interview and to sit a pre-assessment test. This will usually be in Year 7. If the result is good, you will be offered a place – usually described as being ‘subject to passing Common Entrance’.

Other schools will ask your child to sit Common Entrance, which takes place in the summer of Year 8 and involves exams in all academic subjects.

Senior schools will try to match applicants with places. However, there is always the possibility that too many children have taken Common Entrance for a particular school, and that places cannot be offered to them all.

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INTERVIEWS, ASSESSMENT TESTS AND REFERENCES For schools following the pre-assessment route, your child will usually be asked to attend an assessment day in Year 6 or 7. There will almost always be tests in English and maths, and often in science. Many tests are done on a computer, and are not dissimilar to the 11+ and CAT tests. There will also be an interview, and some schools require the children to take part in activities such as drama or sport. Your prep school will also be asked to provide a reference, usually prepared by your child’s tutor. It will report on all aspects of your child’s involvement at school. Schools will also be asked to give a general overview of your child’s personality, and to comment on his or her suitability as a pupil to the school in question.

3

SCHOLARSHIP AND BURSARIES While almost all schools are prepared to offer bursarial support, the level of financial assistance varies wildly. On the whole, the richer the school, the more bursarial help is on offer. There are two ways to access this support.

Firstly, there is the scholarship route. All schools aim to recognise academic excellence. Many offer scholarships for art, drama, sport and technology.

These carry a reduction in fees, from about 5 per cent to 25 per cent.

If more support is needed, then you will have to apply for a means-tested bursary. Such support is not limited to parents of children who have already won a scholarship, but it will help if your child has a talent which is valued by the school. Schools will apply different criteria when assessing applications. There must be a real need for assistance.

4

n Port Regis enjoys a 100% Common Entrance success record and its pupils achieved 28 scholarships last year to some of the country’s top senior schools including Bryanston, Canford, Charterhouse, Clifton College, Eton, St Edward’s Oxford, Harrow, Radley, Sherborne, Sherborne Girls’, St Mary’s Calne, Marlborough, Wycombe Abbey, Cheltenham Ladies’ College, and Winchester. The school’s next open morning is on Saturday 7 March. Tel: 01747 857914, email admissions@portregis.com or visit: portregis.com.

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New year, new goals?

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Designed for busy managers to fit around a demanding management role, this part-time programme will help you to: • enhance your impact as a leader • understand organisational complexity and issues affecting success • improve your ability to manage change and uncertainty • make better choices about growth and strategic direction

Email Cheralyn at efim-scl@bristol.ac.uk or Tel: 0117 331 7908 for details www.bristol.ac.uk/efm/courses/postgraduate/new/degrees Come along to our Open Evening on Wednesday 25 March between 6-7.30pm.

To register, please email Cheralyn at efim-scl@bristol.ac.uk

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We deliver to over 20,000 addresses every month. But if you live outside our distribution area or would like us to send a copy to friends or family then we are able to offer a mailing service for only £15.00 (6 issues) or £25.00 Euro zone; £30.00 (12 issues) or £50.00 Euro zone World Zone 1 £95.00 World Zone 2 £120.00 To subscribe just send a cheque payable to MC Publishing Ltd 2 Princes Buildings, George Street, Bath BA1 2ED or Telephone 01225 424 499 for card payment

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MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR RACE Thousands of runners, of all ages and abilities, will set out to tackle the 13.1 mile Vitality Bath Half marathon route through the city’s streets on Sunday 1 March – we’ve gathered some words of wisdom to see them on their way

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hether it’s your first half marathon, or you’re a long distance veteran, you’ll have put in the hours, and the miles, of training to prepare your body for race day on Sunday 1 March.

We thought we’d try and give you a boost by asking some runners to offer their tips for the last pre-race weeks and for advice on the big day itself.

First we turned to the experts, the organisers of the Vitality Bath Half for their advice. And this is what they said: You can’t get any fitter now so just stick to steady training, don’t overdo things as you don’t want to get an injury now.

Plan your rest day so you will be nice and fresh for the big day. If you rest on the Friday just do a steady two to three miles on the Saturday. Or alternatively, do an easy run on the Friday and rest on the Saturday.

Eat well. Don’t eat anything different on the days leading up to the half marathon. Stick to what you know your body is happy with.

Pack your kit, including warm clothes, protein bar or recovery drink for after the run.

Get up nice and early so that you can eat your breakfast with lots of time for your food to digest. Try to eat breakfast a good two to three hours before you run. You can always have a banana an hour before or sip at an energy drink if you feel you need to.

Make sure you pack warm clothes for after the run and spare trainers if possible in case you end up having to run in the rain.

Be prepared – make sure you fill out your next of kin and medical details on the back of your race number before you arrive and pin your race number to the front centre of your vest so that it is visible to all the marshals.

Try to warm up and stretch a bit before you start, and keep warm with old clothing before you start.

Please use an old hoodie or top to keep you warm until the start; we recycle clothing for our charities. If you do use a bin liner to keep warm at the start, please make sure you tie it to a barrier when you start the race – we’ve had nasty accidents with loose bin liners wrapping themselves around runners feet Start slowly – use the first couple of miles as a warm up. The first mile is gently downhill and most runners go off far too fast at the start only to suffer in the later stages. Start slowly and you’ll finish strongly.

Remember to enjoy it! It's been a big build up but all your hard work will be worth it once you cross the finish line and get your medal. Your chosen charity, friends and family will be so proud of you, well done!

Enter another race. Keep motivated and maintain your fitness by setting your sights on another challenge or a new PB. We then went on Twitter where we picked up a couple more tips from runners. The Send A Cow charity, which has runners fund-raising for its excellent work in providing African families with an income by providing them with a cow, suggested the wearing of merino wool. This,

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BANANAS: fruit and veg man Jimmy Deane , a familiar face in Southgate, is running dressed as Bananaman they suggest, is good for keeping you warm if it’s cold, but then doesn’t make you overheated once you’ve warmed up.

Hannah Lees advised runners to train wearing a headtorch. This, she said, is a great piece of kit to help you avoid putting your feet into puddles and potholes. It also helps keep you safe as you can be seen.

The Bloomsbury store team urged runners to keep to their usual routine and not to try anything new on race day.

If you’d like support from the crowd on the day we would recommend you wear your name on your vest – ideally back and front – as people respond well to this and will call out your name and words of encouragement. It’s surprising but true that the kindness of strangers can help you keep going.

Jimmy Deane, who runs a fruit and veg stall in Southgate, is running to raise money for the Forever Friends Appeal’s RUH Cancer Care Campaign. He’s already run half marathons, so knows what to expect, but has made the race more of a personal challenge by dressing up as Bananaman to tackle the run.

Jimmy’s fiancée Charlene Ollerenshaw, who also works at the stall, will be running her first half marathon on the day. Charlene said: “The aim is to get plenty of sponsorship so Jimmy will wear his Bananaman costume which will promote our greengrocer business and generally have a bit of a laugh. Being a local business in Bath, we’re hoping to drum up plenty of support from our customers and staff.”

SUPPORT THE RUNNERS There will be street closures on Sunday 1 March, so if you’re planning to enjoy the spectacle of the Vitality Bath half marathon, allow plenty of time for your journey. Locals may prefer to walk to the centre as around 30,000 spectators will be filling the streets.

If you’re going to cheer the runners on, the prime spot is in Great Pulteney Street where the race begins (at 11am) and ends. Expect the first runners, the elite, to finish in around an hour and a couple of minutes, while the slowest runners will still be coming in, no less triumphant, three hours later.

One thing that’s guaranteed to help get the runners round the course – other than hearing your cheers – is the sound of live music playing. This year bands are being invited to join the Battle of the Bands, to play on the day and receive votes from the runners. The winners will receive a prize of £500.

Every group will be given a designated pitch and marquee on the course route and electrical supply where required. Musicians need to be able to motivate runners – who will hear them twice on the two laps of the race – and to be over 18.

Those interested in getting involved should send an email with the band’s details and ideally a short video or link of online footage to dave@runninghigh.co.uk or call Dave Box on 07816 847028 for further information.

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HEALTH | & BEAUTY

In pursuit of ...

Somerset based therapist Alison Sutton has honed her life coaching skills to what she has dubbed happiness coaching. The Life Crafting Programme seeks to help people to reflect, identify and re-align with their deepest values, to create a new plan, to make choices that support those values and therefore create an outstandingly happy life.

It helps individuals to understand and to move beyond who they currently “think” they are and what they think they are capable of. Using a combination of conversation, mindfulness and hypnosis it focuses primarily on helping individuals to become aware of how they have got to where they are today and that they need not change jobs/relationships/homes/appearance if life isn’t working out how they wanted it too.

There are three different ways to experience the programme, from a one-off session to a ten month personalised programme with support between sessions. It is most suited to people who have been on a self-awareness journey and have a library of self-help books but still feel stuck.

Alison is an INLPTA accredited Master Practitioner of NLP, creator of Mindfulness Hypnosis and has taken part in Life Coaching training with the Coaching Academy. She is also working with Jamie Smart and the new paradigm of the Three Principles – mind, thought and consciousness. Visit: alisonheathersutton.co.uk.

A PERSONAL CHALENGE Everyone we’ve spoken to who has taken part in walking the 102 miles of the Cotswold Way to raise money for Bath homeless charity Julian House has really enjoyed taking part in the challenge and recommended it to others.

It’s a great adventure on our doorstep, to step out and complete the journey on foot in just five days, covering around 20 miles each day.

Starting in Chipping Campden, the route heads south, taking in panoramic views of the Severn Vale, Cotswold villages, open pastures and quiet valleys, with country pubs and tea shops along the way. Twisting and turning it goes through Broadway, Winchcombe, Cleeve Hill, Painswick, Birdlip and North Nibley before dropping down to the finish in Bath right outside Bath Abbey.

Entries are now open for this summer’s trip, which takes place between 28 July and 1

August and is limited to eight places. Julian House will arrange the transport, accommodation, packed lunches and transfer overnight luggage between each stage. The overall route is well marked and participants will be provided with the relevant maps so that they can confidently navigate their own way between each stage.

Participants will pay an initial registration fee of £240 which covers all the main costs, including accommodation, transfer, packed lunches etc. They will then be asked to raise the sponsorship target of £350 – all of which will go towards Julian House’s various projects helping homeless and vulnerable men and women.

Details are on the Julian House website: julianhouse.org.uk or email cathya@julianhouse.org.uk or 01225 354656.

GIVE YOUR BODY THE BEST CHANCE If you’re planning to get pregnant it’s a good idea to make sure that you’re in optimum health before you start trying: you will maximise your chances of conceiving and having a healthy pregnancy. Fertility peaks in most women in their 20s, and gradually begins to decline in their late 20s. At around 35, fertility starts to decline at a much more rapid pace, so giving your body every chance is important. Marje Isabelle, CEO of Fertile Matters, a fertility analysis service (fertilematters.co.uk) offers some advice.

Get your fertility checked which will tell you what is going on inside your body. Armed with the facts, you can make changes to your diet and lifestyle or get medical help. Medical techniques have moved on considerably lately and you can find out your fertility with just one appointment where you will have a scan and a blood test.

Maintain an ideal weight – weight is one of the major issues with fertility problems, both being underweight and overweight. A healthy diet will have good levels of protein with low levels of fat and dairy. Nutrition affects our hormonal balance and therefore women who are deficient in various vitamins and nutrients will have a longer menstrual cycle, which means that they are ovulating less frequently. The good things for women to top-up on are: zinc, the B vitamins, folic acid, selenium, omega 3 fatty acids, vitamins E and C as well as ensuring that they are eating plenty of protein. Men need selenium, Coenzyme Q10, omega 3, fatty acids, 74 THEBATHMAGAZINE

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vitamin C and zinc – it takes three months for the body to make new sperm, so dietary changes take a while to take effect.

Cut down on your alcohol – even better, don’t drink at all. Apart from often being a contributory factor in weight gain, it affects your hormone levels – along with weight, alcohol consumption is one of the big two lifestyle issues that are problematic for fertility.

Doing regular exercise is part of a healthy lifestyle and is therefore good for fertility.

However, extreme exercise which can lead to very low body fat percentages can affect the hormone balances and therefore adversely affect fertility. Gentle exercise is best – yoga is ideal and is also a good stress reducer, which leads me onto my next point . . .

Cut your stress levels as it is really bad for fertility. Numerous studies show that conception

levels decrease when women are going through psychological stress. Stress can be responsible for the restriction of blood flow to the uterus which can affect conception, and cortisol has been linked to encouraging the accumulation of fat evident especially around the waist can send hormones into flux.

If you’re in your 30s and your life isn’t settled in terms of a partner, a stable home and so on, then consider talking to a fertility expert about ‘fertility preservation’. Egg freezing has hit the headlines recently with Facebook and Apple offering this to their female staff – it’s a complex subject, but it’s worth considering sooner rather than later.

If your hormones are in balance, your skin will glow, you will feel better physically and mentally. Likewise women who are approaching menopause should have their levels checked, as it is now possible to manage that time much better and ensure that you feel vital way beyond the menopause.

The Fertile Matters team works with women and their partners to give them an opportunity to plan their personal lives by offering fertility testing, guidance and care. l The Bath Fertility Centre at Peasedown St John provides the latest treatments for NHS and self-funded patients. Patients eligible for NHS funding must be referred by their GP. To find out more attend the centre’s open evening on 18 March. Call: 01761 434464.

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HERALDS OF SPRING For a really good show in the garden next spring, now is the perfect time to plant bulbs in the green, says Jane Moore

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’m nothing if not predictable and so it’s around about now, as my thoughts spin towards spring, when I think ‘I really should have planted more bulbs’. Every year it’s the same – I’m so glad to be seeing the end of winter in sight and so looking forward to that spring show of bulbs that I always, always wish I’d planted more. Like Eurydice stepping out of the Underworld I want my spring to be a carpet of flowers, uninterrupted until the days lengthen and summer is nigh.

However, the reality is that Anna and I get completely burnt out with bulb planting by the end of October and, quite honestly, never want to see another tulip bulb again. It’s just as well that we soon forget this feeling in the wonder and glory of the following spring. And it’s also just as well that so many spring bulbs love being planted in the green; in fact they downright prefer it as anyone who has tried it will know.

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bulbs are still leafy and green usually just after they’ve flowered but not necessarily so. Snowdrops are so much easier to establish when planted in the green that, to my mind, there’s no point in planting them any other way. While you can plant them as dry bulbs in much the same way as daffodils and tulips, aiming for swathes of daintily nodding snowdrops, you could find yourself sorely disappointed as the success rate is not high in my experience. Whereas planted in the green in February or March, not only can you plonk them exactly where you want them but they tend to settle in better too, reappearing reliably as long as you’ve chosen the right spot where the soil won’t dry out even in the summer months. I can see why people get obsessed by snowdrops – they have a character all their own. Not only are they charming and so welcome in these bleak months but, if you have got the planting spot even slightly wrong, they will conveniently seed themselves into a more amenable position before they die out in their original location. When they bloom they’re always a welcoming sight ahead of spring.

SPRING A SURPRISE: main picture the native British fritillaria meleagris with its delicate but intricate markings

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SPRING | GARDENING

A CHEERFUL SIGHT: above snowdrops bravely poking their heads above the snow, left, cheerful yellow winter aconite and, below, the dainty British bluebell

Suits you There are a surprising number of bulbs that planting in the green really suits. As well as all the snowdrop species and varieties, you can also plant fritillaries of all sorts including the lovely native snakeshead fritillary which I would especially recommend for a dampish corner of the garden. You cannot grow anything prettier or finer in your garden than our native fritillary and it’s one in the eye for all those smug acidic soil gardeners with their rhododendrons, magnolias and camellias as they won’t tolerate thin, acidic soils. Hah! If you don’t already have the winter aconite or eranthis, give them a try as they’re such cheerful little flowers with the lion’s ruff of green fringing sunny yellow blooms in darkest January.

They’ll thrive in shady, well drained spots under trees in the border or in grass and will multiply quickly if they’re content.

The spring snowflake or leucojum is also a happy camper, spreading itself about and flowering anytime from January right into late spring. It’s not fussy about soil or situation but, although the flowers are dainty, you do get a lot of leaf, so plant in a more wild and woodlandy setting rather than a formal spot.

Personally I would resist the urge to plant British bluebells as we have such a problem with the coarse Spanish bluebells here in Bath that unless you scour your garden clean of the foreigners you will end up with hybrids which is very detrimental to our lovely, infinitely daintier, natives.

Robert and Patsy Floyd are opening the gardens of the 15th century National Trust owned Great Chalfield Manor (SN12 8NH) in Wiltshire on Sunday 8 February, from 2pm to 4pm, for visitors to enjoy the magnificent display of snowdrops. Entry is a donation to Dorothy House of £4 and refreshments are available including homemade cakes, tea and coffee in the barn. n Jane Moore is the award-winning head gardener at the Bath Priory. She writes regularly for the Telegraph and can be followed on Twitter @janethegardener.

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THE | WALK

UNFURLING: views and vistas along the route

A GENTLE CANTER IN THE COTSWOLDS Explore the southern Cotswolds with a shortish walk which includes some hills and may be muddy, warns Andrew Swift as he heads out to Uley in Gloucestershire to follow a route which ends at a country pub

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he southern Cotswolds are our destination for this walk through fields, along holloways, up muddy packhorse trails and across a breezy down, before circling the ramparts of the most spectacular Iron Age hillfort in Gloucestershire, and ending at a country pub. To get to the starting point at Uley, head north from Bath along the A46 for just over 20 miles, before turning left along the A4135.

After 2.5 miles, take the third right, signposted to Uley. Carry on at the crossroads, head down towards Uley, turn right at a T junction along the B4066, drive through the village and, after climbing steeply for half a mile, pull into a parking area on the left (ST786993).

Here you will see two gateways. Go through the one on the right, where you will be met by a superb view. Although the Cotswold Way leads enticingly off to the right, take a path ahead leading steeply downhill, ignoring turnings to right and left as it heads down a stony holloway through the woods.

After emerging into the open, carry straight on past Hodgecombe Farm. Turn right at a lane but, when the lane bears right, carry straight on across a stile and head uphill, crossing another stile, with a view of Downham Hill to the left. At the top of the field, follow steps up to a stile (ST777994) and carry on up a zig-zag path through woods to emerge on Cam Long Down.

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off, Oldbury power station and the River Severn.

Tyndale Monument lies to the south, while northward the loops and curls of the Severn lead the eye to Gloucester, with the distinctive treetopped profile of May Hill hazy in the distance.

Follow the main path as it heads downhill.

When you come to a marker post, don’t take a path doubling back on the left, but carry on for a few metres to a signpost and turn sharp left along a muddy bridleway (ST769992). Follow it as curves to the south and after 500m, when you come to a gravel drive, bear right along. After 150m, when it bears right, carry straight on (going through a gap in the hedge) along what today is a rough, overgrown bridleway, but was once a busy packhorse trail (ST774990). (Should you balk at venturing along a muddier track than the one you have just walked, you can turn right along the drive, and left along a lane at the end.)

When you come to a lane turn left past Hydegate Pet Resort. At a T junction, head

straight on following a bridleway sign up another holloway. When it forks, bear right (ST780987).

Carry on past steps on the left and go through a gate, continuing to climb. Through gaps in the trees on the left you can see up to the ramparts of Uley Bury. Eventually, you emerge into the open with the ramparts towering above you.

Follow the path as it swings left and head uphill – there is a choice of paths, but all lead up to the ramparts (ST783985). Bear left along the perimeter of the camp, where there are views across to Cam Long Down and beyond.

After 250m, follow the path as it swings right along the west side of Uley Bury. After another 700m, when the path swings south-east along the ramparts, carry straight on along a broad track to return to the starting point. From here, you can head back down to Uley and the Old Crown, which serves beers brewed in the village and generous portions of home-cooked food (ST791986). n

FACT FILE ■ Length of walk: 4 miles ■ Map: OS Explorer 167 ■ Refreshment: The Old Crown at Uley is open all day from noon. Food is served from noon until 2pm and 6pm – 9pm in the week and all day at weekends. Tel: 01453 860502, visit: theoldcrownuley.co.uk

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THE | WALK

SEE THE CITY IN A FRESH LIGHT ON A GUIDED WALK

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ne of the most popular strands of past Bath literature festivals has been the guided themed walks led by historians Dr Andrew Swift and Kirsten Elliott. The couple have Bath’s history running through them indelibly, like a stick of rock, and these walks show we locals as well as visitors some fresh aspects of the city.

There are half a dozen walks to choose from in the Independent Bath Literature Festival programme. l BEYOND THE NORTH GATE. Monday 2 March, 10am till noon.

We sometimes overlook Bath’s medieval past, overshadowed as it is by the Georgians and the 20th century. This walk shows us some of the fascinating, less well-known corners of the city. l LOST INNS AND BEERHOUSES. Monday 2 March, 6.30pm.

This is a pub crawl with a difference. Join the authors of The Lost Pubs of Bath as they head out of the city centre, along Walcot Street in search of the inns and beerhouses where last orders have been called for all time. l THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY. Tuesday 3 March, 2pm.

Kirsten Elliott led a walk on this theme 25 years ago and has updated her critique of the city’s architecture, which she will also share in her new book, Bath’s 101 Best Buildings. She is

WWW.THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

joined by Andrew Swift for this walk – expect some straight-talking. l SHOP FRONTS AND GHOST SIGNS. Thursday 5 March, 2pm.

If the editor had been given £1 for every person who’s offered their view of Bath’s faded signs she’d be a wealthy woman by now. But no one knows more about the subject than this pair.

You may have seen these signs before, advertising everything from dog food to a lending library but have you really examined them?

To book a place on one of the guided literary walks (you will be told where to meet once you have bought your tickets) visit: bathfestivals.org.uk or tel: 01225 463362. Be prepared to tackle steps, slopes and puddles on these walks. n LOST PUBS: Bath artist Nick Cudworth’s Ye Olde Farmhouse, which used to serve thirsty customers on Lansdown – one of the city’s now defunct inns

l TRAINS AND BOATS AND PLANES. Saturday 7 March, 3pm.

One the eve of the electrification of Brunel’s historic Great Western Railway line, this walk looks at the challenges the great engineer faced when building the railway line through Bath.

The walk will take in the Kennet and Avon Canal and the slopes down which stone travelled from Combe Down. l BATH’S FORGOTTEN ROMANTICS. Sunday 8 March, 10.30am.

Bath’s heritage industry is fixated on Jane Austen, but the city has many more romantic figures linked to its past. This walk will uncover some less known stories, such as Frankenstein creator Mary Shelley, the poet Coleridge and writer, and opium eater Thomas de Quincy.

Enjoy these stories and more while you walk.

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INTERIORS | KITCHENS

OUT OF CLUTTER COMES CALM Wonky walls and challenging spaces need not stop you creating a sleek contemporary designer kitchen in your old home, as Georgette McCready discovers in conversation with a design duo who share a clear vision

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t’s a classic Bath love story. You’ve fallen head over heels with a handsome Georgian golden stone townhouse, or you’ve lost your heart to a country cottage with outdoor space for a pony and a pottager. You are destined to be together. There’s just one flaw in the object of your desire – the kitchen is sadly out of date.

This is a story that Alan Blackwell and Cheryl Bates of Intoto kitchens of Bath hear all the time. Men and women who love to cook, enjoy their breadmaking, their steamed, spicy Asian dishes and their Japanese teppanyaki, find themselves inheriting a kitchen which just doesn’t match up to modern needs. These home cooks look longingly at well-stocked state-of-the-art kitchen showrooms but fear that the wonky walls and listed status of their current homes would make this an impossible dream.

Not so. Intoto’s 21st century kitchens can be fitted in with the uneven features and quirky architectural details of an old property, as Alan and Cheryl illustrate with a recent case study.

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A family with teenage boys live in a lovely 16th farmhouse just outside Bath, with a mother who loves to cook and an eat-in kitchen typically full of bustle, chatter and, of course food. While the house is charming the kitchen left a lot to be desired, with very little workspace once the microwave and kettle had taken their places, and a paucity of storage which would inevitably find the cook scrabbling in the back of a cupboard to find a jar of spice or a favourite flan dish.

The homeowners had seen Intoto’s immaculate showroom in Saracen Street, Bath (just around the corner from Waitrose) and been tempted to go and consult Alan and Cheryl about whether they could achieve anything like this in their characterful, quirky farmhouse kitchen.

As Alan says: “To most people, the obvious choice for a new kitchen would have been the traditional look, with a range cooker, traditional tiling and perhaps granite or solid wood worktops.

You wouldn’t have blamed them if they had played it safe.

“But when they expressed their preference for our glass fronted

TRANSFORMERS: 16th century farmhouse family kitchen as it was, with barely any clear work surfaces, and top, the new Intoto bespoke kitchen

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INTERIOR | KITCHENS

A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING: natural light shines on the smooth surfaces of the newly installed Intoto kitchen in the farmhouse

handle-less kitchen, with Corian worktops and glass splashbacks, we were, to say the least, excited at the prospect. Being retailers and designers of contemporary kitchens, we know the look works well in most settings, but for them it was a bold decision.”

The intrepid Intoto duo, who work well as a team, listened to the family talk about how they used the room and what their dream kitchen would be. Measurements were taken and a design drawn up for them to view.

The showroom has a clever software system which allows customers to see in three dimensional detail how their new room would look. They can then sit down and suggest changes. There might be several tweaks before the final design is settled on.

Cheryl points out that they can see the whole project through from start to finish. “I think about 95 per cent of the projects we undertake involve opening up space or building work of some kind. People like to be able to have an open space these days, where they can cook while talking to their guests, so that’s something we’ve been doing a lot. But we’ve also tackled small

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spaces, such as in basement kitchens.”

Bath based LA Interiors is the fitter and craftsman Intoto uses to see its projects through to completion. You need to enjoy the tactile experience of an Intoto kitchen to appreciate the attention to detail. Drawers that glide, doors that self-close, shutters which discreetly pull down to hide toasters and food mixers and Le Mans cupboard systems which allow even a heavy dinner service to be kept in a corner cupboard and swung out for use.

The Great British Bake Off has had an impact on how many home cooks use their kitchens. The unique Neff slide and hide oven door is a current highly covetable accessory ‘as seen on TV’ as they say, which allows one to get close to the oven interior without the door getting in the way.

Developments being incorporated into modern kitchens include multi-ovens for different purposes (such as a warming oven for slow cooking, bread proving or dish warming), or the instant boiling water tap, the Quooker. I am particularly taken by the double fronted butler’s pantry which opens up to reveal beautifully designed storage for all kinds of daily essentials from cereal and mugs to rice and spatulas. It’s all about a marriage of practicality and aesthetics. Yes, you can still have all your gadgets, but still manage to create clutter-free work surfaces.

Customers have the reassurance that Intoto is a national network of around 45 showrooms, owned by Europe’s largest quality kitchen manufacturer, Alno/Wellmann, which itself is part owned by Whirlpool. However, each showroom is a franchise, which allows the personal and friendly service offered by Alan and Cheryl. As a national organisation Intoto has been trading for over 30 years and is a member of the trade association for specialist kitchen bathroom and bedroom retailers, the Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom Specialists Association, (KBSA).

Alan and Cheryl welcome visitors to the showroom, where contemporary and traditional kitchens are available to admire, in the flesh, so to speak. You can contact Intoto Bath on 01225 335600. n

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LIGHTING SPECIALIST 8 BATH STREET, FROME. TEL: 01 373473555 WWW.FIATLUX.CO.UK

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the directory

to advertise in this section call 01225 424 499

Electricians

Health, Beauty & Wellbeing Acupuncture for Fertility, support alongside IVF, Pregnancy and Womens Health.

Holly Woodward (MBAcC, Reg Nurse) is an experienced fertility acupuncturist, having worked for leading fertility expert Zita West.

Call Holly on 07759 684552 Address: The Practice Rooms, 26 Upper Borough Walls.

Situated above ‘Lush’.

E: holly.woodward@yahoo.co.uk W: www.hollywoodward.co.uk

Entertainment

Gardening

Viv Kenchington Solution Focused Hypnotherapist & Reflexologist

A MAGIC CIRCLE MAGICIAN JACK STEPHENS

HPD, DHP, MNCH (Reg), AfSFH, DipReflex, MIFR Entertains Children Entertains Adults 45 mins or the whole party! Superb Close-up magic!

Sing-alongs with a guitar!

Private functions!

Puppets, games and balloons Corporate events!

Marvellous magic Walkabouts!

Depression, Anxiety, Stress, Phobias, Anger, Weight or Performance issues?

RHS Silver Medal winner 2012

FREE BROCHURE

• Award winning Garden Design • • Expert planting • • All aspects of Garden Construction •

t: 01380 850453 e: magic@jackstephens.co.uk www.jackstephens.co.uk

• Attention to detail • Reliability of service • • Highly experienced •

TEL: 01225 424499

Mob: 07967 078 058 Tel: 01225 789990

Advertising that keeps working

www.bretthardylandscape.co.uk

ONEMAGAZINEONECITYONEMONTH Health, Beauty & Wellbeing Alison Heather Sutton

The Life Crafting Programme Create a life you love

Breathe | Reflect | Rejuvenate | Smile www.alisonheathersutton.co.uk 07713 626673

The Practice Rooms, Bath

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Help change happen fast with effective professional treatments in Bath and Wiltshire Free initial consultation & parking available Contact: 07974 153487 email: info@hypnotherapyandhealth.co.uk website: www.hypnotherapyandhealth.co.uk

House & Home

FREE TRIAL Rising damp protection with NO BUILDING WORK involved:

- an alternative to traditional methods - electronically - active reverse osmosis - suitable for any size or type of building, especially period properties

www.damp-protection.co.uk Tel 02070609554

TEL: 01225 424499 Advertising that keeps working

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PROPERTY | HOMEPAGE

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his elegant, Grade II listed town house is situated just north of the city centre within a stone’s throw of The Royal Crescent and the Royal Victoria park. Many period features have remained including ornate fireplaces and cornicing, sash windows and shutters and the house has the wonderfully light and spacious feel associated with these sought-after Georgian terraces. In brief the accommodation comprises: Ground floor: Dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, utility room and cloakroom. First floor: Drawing room with doors opening to a morning room. Second floor: Master bedroom and second bedroom with bathroom and WC. On the third floor: the are three further bedrooms and bathroom. Two large cellar vaults also provide very useful storage space. Outside there is a pretty, and very easily maintained courtyard garden with space for dining. This classic Georgian townhouse is for sale with Bath estate agents Pritchards and viewing is recommended.

12 BURLINGTON STREET BATH • 5 storey elegant Grade II Listed town house • Easy walking distance to city centre and BR • Period features • 5 Bedrooms • Large dining room, two first floor reception room • Pretty courtyard garden

Price: £975,000

Pritchards, 11 Quiet Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 466225 WWW.THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

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pritchards-bath.co.uk

Burnett nr Bath & Bristol An exceptional stone built barn conversion & 1 BED ANNEXE. Peaceful country, village amenities close by. Panoramic rural views.

Airport - 14.5m approx, Station 2m & Bath 6m.

• Impressive hall & 4/5 receptions • 4/5 bedrooms • 3 bath/shower-rooms • Kitchen/breakfast room with Aga • Double garage/storage • Grounds (4 acres) & 2 acre paddock • 2 stables & tack room • Internal area house - 4500 sq ft/418 sq m • EPC rating D.

Guide Price: £1,700,000

Cleevedale Road An outstanding period detached family home set in a quiet location on the south side of Bath with far reaching views of open countryside.

• 4 bedrooms, en suite and family bathroom • 2 reception rooms and garden room • Beautiful landscaped gardens approx ¾ of an acre • Garage and off road parking • Within 1.5 miles of the city centre • Additional piece of land available by separate negotiation • Floor area aprox 2076 sq ft, 193.1 sq m • EPC rating E.

Price: £900,000 11 Quiet Street, Bath BA1 2LB

Tel: 01225 466 225

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pritchardsapartments.co.uk

Lansdown Place West A rare opportunity to purchase a G II Listed 3 bed maisonette forming part of an attractive Georgian townhouse well situated on the northern slopes of Bath.

• 3 bedrooms • 1 reception room • kitchen/diner • Good sized walled garden • Double sized garage • Planning permission granted to create a 2 storey coach house • No onward chain • Gross internal area 1938 sq ft/ 180 sq m excl garage.

Offers In Excess of £750,000 S AG ALE RE ED

Sydney Road A beautifully presented ground floor apartment with a balcony and charming outlook. Ideally situated within a short walk of the city centre with a garage and off road parking. Visitors parking.

• 1 bedroom • Spacious living/dining room with study area • Pretty outlook • Purpose built with a lift • Total floor area approximately 713 sq ft (66.2sq m) • EPC rating D.

Guide Price: £310,000 11 Quiet Street, Bath BA1 2LB

Tel: 01225 466 225

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Crafting beautiful homes In and around Bath

Bath’s Premier Removals Company

01225 79115 5

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Thomas Firbank Removals and Storage is a family run business that offers a personal and business service of the highest quality. For seventeen years we have ensured that all of our clients enjoy a stress free move and a great deal of our business is generated by referrals from satisfied customers. We tailor your packing and removal to suit your needs, and give you a prompt quotation without any hidden costs.

Tel: 01225 31 44 33 www.firbankremovals.co.uk

BAR Number T050

Long Cottage, Timsbury A charming and spacious two bedroom semi-detached cottage that has been recently refurbished to a high standard, tastefully combining period charm with modern comforts. Situated at the end of a private no-through road in the popular village of Timsbury, the property enjoys an elevated position with the most breath-taking southerly views.

Rent: ÂŁ1,800 pcm* substantial entrance hall | living room | open plan kitchen | Aga | large home office | utility room | cloakroom | 2 large double bedroom | dressing room | 2 en-suite bathrooms | gated driveway | beautiful south-facing gardens | raised lawn | stunning countryside views 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 ÂŁ420.00 inc. VAT applies.

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Beyond your expectations www.hamptons.co.uk

Lych Gate, Perrymead

£3,500 pcm

Lons Court, Bitton

£1,700 pcm

Hamptons are delighted to offer a rare opportunity to let a gracious detached residence built in the Arts and Crafts style situated in beautifully manicured gardens.

EPC D

Three double bed luxury apartment at Lons Court in between Bath & Bristol EPC F

Ferndale, Castle Cary

The Cottage, Bradfordleigh

£1,995 pcm

Looking for a rural quality property close to fantastic schools in the heart of Somerset?

EPC F

£1,995 pcm

Looking for a unique rural property with lots of space for parking?

EPC F

Bath Office

Lettings 01225 458546 | Sales. 01225 459817

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PROPERTY | THINKING

Why knowing your agent’s marketing strategy is more important than ever!

By Peter Greatorex, Managing Director of The Apartment Company who this month, looks at the important changes taking place in online property portals.

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hings are a changing in the estate agency world and we want to make you aware of The Portal Wars and why it affects you whether you are selling or buying an apartment. Property portals are an incredible tool, as we know most people begin their search online by browsing through the thousands of properties featured on them. The main two property portals are Rightmove and Zoopla, but what you may not know is that there is many more out there. Our records show that the majority of our potential buyers have used Rightmove and Zoopla as part of their search in finding a new home.

This year marks the launch of several new property portals, but one (launching at the end of this month), On the Market, is creating a portal war. On the Market is a property portal that has been created by a small number of estate agents and unlike all the other property portals, restricts its members to only being able to use one other portal, in effect they are having to choose between Rightmove or Zoopla.

Why does this matter?

If a potential buyer is searching for a new home on Rightmove, and your agent is a member of On the Market and withdrawn their properties from this portal, your property will not be seen. Let’s be honest how many people search on Rightmove and Zoopla in one day? How many potential buyers do you think you will miss? The proportion of agents already signed to On the Market is relatively small yet the affect it can have on you, as a vendor can be significant.

Act Now! If your property is not listed with us, we would certainly suggest you check with your agent today whether their marketing strategy will have changed as of the 26 January. You don’t want your property being hindered by not being in front of potential buyers.

Our Commitment At The Apartment Company we are committed to providing a service that is in the best interest of you and your home. We know your home deserves the best possible marketing to achieve a sale; therefore we are committed to featuring your apartment on both Rightmove and Zoopla.

For more information on any aspect of buying, selling or letting an apartment, call The Apartment Company on 01225 471144.

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fidelisinbath.co.uk GUILDPROPERTY.CO.UK

£309,950 St James Parade 3 Bedroom Maisonette in Prime City Centre Location Offered for Sale Chain Free Large Living Room | Kitchen / Dining Room | 3 Double Bedrooms | Bathroom | Views to the Rear | Has been producing an income yield of £1250 PCM | EPC Rating D

£369,950 The Mead – Timsbury A Fine 4 Bedroom Detached Family Home Located in a Small Cul-de-Sac Close to Local Shops Living Room | Dining Room | Garden Room | Kitchen | Utility Room | Cloakroom | Master Bedroom with En-suite Shower Room | 3 Further Bedrooms | Bathroom | Garage | EPC Rating C

Proud sponsors of Beechen Cliff School Fidelis February.indd 1

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01225 421000

Fidelis

ÂŁ850,000 Timsbury 5 Bedroom Detached Bungalow Occupying an Idyllic Location forming part of Kingwell Hall Estate 7.8 Acres including a private wood with specimen trees | Development Opportunity | Possible Separate 2 Bedroom Annexe | Breathtaking Views Across Somerset to the Mendips | EPC Rating E

ÂŁ350,000 The Empire An Elegant 1 Bedroom Apartment forming part of a Landmark Building in the World Heritage City of Bath set amongst Classic Georgian Architecture featuring Particularly Fine City and River Views Central Bath Location | Grand Foyer with Magnificent Staircase | Living Room | Well Appointed Kitchen | Double Bedroom | Large Bathroom | Passenger Lift | Communal Garden | Exceptional on site Facilities | EPC Rating C

Thinking of Selling in 2015?

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BLOOMFIELD ROAD - £625,000 This beautifully appointed, detached, home has exceptional views looking out across the City of Bath, adjoins woodland at the rear and comes thoroughly recommended by the owners’ agent. Viewing is strongly advisedl.

Reception hall, sitting room, large open-plan kitchen/dining room and conservatory, 3 double bedrooms (1 with en-suite shower room) and family bathroom. Good sized gardens and off-street parking for 2 vehicles. EPC = D. Approximate gross internal floor area: 1,545 square feet / 144 square metres.

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01225 422 224 www.mark-naylor.com

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WELLSWAY - ÂŁ489,950 A beautiful, Victorian family home which has undergone extensive refurbishment and modernisation by the current owners to include replacement central heating, upgraded electrics, refurbished sash windows and remodelled kitchen and bathroom. The property is located in the heart of Bear Flat and offers excellent access to a number of shops and cafes and is a gentle stroll down to Bath City Centre.

Entrance vestibule, hallway, sitting room, family room, kitchen/dining room, cloakroom, 3 bedrooms and bathroom. Front and rear gardens.

Gas central heating. EPC = D. Approximate gross internal floor area: 1,410 square feet / 131 square metres.

k Mar r o l y a N

Beyond your expectations www.hamptons.co.uk

Castle Combe

Guide Price £845,000

Castle Combe

Guide Price £475,000

This attractive and well maintained Grade II Listed detached village home, set in the heart of the famous Castle Combe village has been much improved to offer a superb four bedroom home arranged over three floors with three reception rooms. With many enhanced period features the stone cottage also benefits from a private enclosed garden and garage. EPC: Listed

A charming Grade II Listed cottage in a well renowned Cotswold village. Dating from the 1500’s, this delightful property benefits from beautiful walled gardens to the rear and a garage nearby. Offering many period features including Inglenook and beams, a modern garden room leads out to the garden. EPC: Listed

Bath Office

Sales. 01225 459817 | Lettings 01225 458546

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Bannerdown Road

Guide Price ÂŁ650,000

This very well presented Victorian residence offers open plan and versatile accommodation. The stylish interior is complimented by period features and the views are far-reaching across the River Avon. With an enclosed garden, parking and a garage, this is both a stylish and practical family home. EPC: D

Wellow Guide Price ÂŁ465,000

A double fronted Grade II Listed home situated in Wellow, recently voted the most desirable village to live in. Situated at the heart of this active village the cottage is arranged over three floors with an open plan ground floor, kitchen and dining room on the courtyard level and two bedrooms, a dressing room and a bathroom with views towards the countryside. EPC:Listed

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Highfield House Stunning detached Georgian house which has been renovated to a high standard.This Grade II listed home offers the following accommodation; drawing room, family room, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, utility, study, five bedrooms, three bath / shower rooms, nursery, gardens and parking.

“When we first saw Highfield House we were immediately attracted to the lovely classic Georgian façade, which dates from the 1790’s,” says Kate. “With four stories and five bedrooms and a nursery, it has plenty of room for the whole family to stay in comfort,” continues Francis.

Highfield House is in the village of Semington, Wiltshire, which has numerous listed buildings dating from the sixteenth century onwards and a decent pub. There is a primary school, a football club, a tennis

court, a playground and other youth activities. “We are really going to miss the community when we move. There are also very good prep and public schools not far away. There is a train service to Paddington from Chippenham that takes an hour and a quarter and the M4 is 25 minutes away.

Bath is thirteen miles from the village.”

“We have completely refurbished and updated the house to a high standard,” says Francis. “We have put in a new kitchen, three new bathrooms, created a study and installed a new boiler and heating system, and a four oven Aga. We had a lot of work done on the garden which was designed and landscaped with parterres in the front.”

“We will miss the friendly neighbourhood and convenience.”

SEMINGTON, WILTSHIRE STUNNING DETACHED GEORGIAN PROPERTY • FIVE BEDROOMS • THREE BATH / SHOWER ROOMS • THREE RECEPTION ROOMS • STUDY • UTILITY ROOM • GARDENS AND PARKING • EPC EXEMPT

Contact: 01225 320032

£850,000

Edward Street

Offers in Excess of ÂŁ635,000

Grade II listed | Georgian | Garden apartment | Newly refurbished | Two double bedrooms | Exclusive use of storage vaults | Private entrance | Rear garden A rare opportunity to purchase an exquisite garden apartment arranged over two floors with its own private entrance. The apartment offers several unique aspects including: private courtyard, extensive storage and permits holiday lets. The accommodation, which has been renovated to a high specification comprises: entrance hall that leads to the sitting room, fully fitted kitchen, utility room, master bedroom with an en-suite, cloakroom, and on the lower ground floor the second bedroom and shower room. Properties of this calibre are rare, therefore early viewing is highly recommended!

Kensington Chapel

Offers in Excess of ÂŁ350,000

Converted Chapel | Two double bedrooms | Luxury kitchen and bathrooms | Allocated parking space | Furnished/Unfurnished | Close to the City Centre This fabulous apartment is set within a unique chapel conversion. Designed by John Palmer this spacious two bedroom Georgian apartment offers spacious and beautifully presented accommodation and benefits from having a gated allocated parking space, lift access, sole use of a secure large storage cupboard to the rear of the property and a communal area for all residents to enjoy. Located within easy walking distance of the City Centre, close proximity to the popular area of Larkhall and with the canal just a five minute walk away.

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Rivers Street

Offers in Excess of ÂŁ250,000

Grade II listed | Georgian apartment | Top floor | One bedroom | Bright and spacious accommodation | Views | Highly recommended This delightful one bedroom top floor apartment is situated in the ever popular Rivers Street offering some of the most stunning views over Bath and Catharine Place. The property offers spacious living with a large entrance hall with space for dining, whilst the kitchen and sitting room boast fabulous views. The generous and bright double bedroom has the advantage of a large integrated wardrobe with space for storage and hanging. A superb opportunity to purchase a gem of an apartment in a highly sought after location.

Long Fox Manor

Offers in Excess of ÂŁ195,000

Georgian | Grade II listed | Top floor apartment | Newly refurbished | Two double bedrooms | Superb communal facilities | Allocated parking | Views Combining luxury country living with close proximity to Bristol and the world heritage City of Bath, located in the beautiful surroundings of what is Long Fox Manor, we offer a spacious newly refurbished two bedroom apartment and occupies the top floor. With dual aspect windows and generous accommodation the apartment comes highly recommended. The Manor sits within ten acres of communal gardens including mature woodland, outdoor heated swimming pool, sauna and hot tub, gym, bar and ample parking. With the added security of a gated entrance, this apartment is definitely one not to miss!.

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L AG ET RE ED

Cavendish Place

£1,300 pcm

Maisonette | Two double bedrooms | Well-presented | Permit parking | Landscaped gardens | Unfurnished | Agency fees £350+vat | Available now Georgian two bedroom maisonette located close to the City Centre. The accommodation makes full use of the space incorporating the mezzanine level in Bedroom two which would make an ideal study or dressing area. There is an open plan kitchen-diner, separate sitting room with period features, two modern wet rooms and two double bedrooms. Outside there is a private landscaped garden to the rear of the property and courtyard area.

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Royal Crescent

£1,300 pcm

Well-presented | Two double bedrooms | Views | Council Tax Band E | Parking - On street resident | Unfurnished | Agency fees £350+vat | Available Now A fabulous stylish and stunning Top floor apartment in The Royal Crescent. The accommodation comprises a stunning communal entrance hall with its grand doors and period features with sweeping staircase up to the apartment. There is a cloakroom on half landing and a few further steps to the apartment where there is a sitting room with views over The Crescent, well equipped fitted kitchen with space for dining, two double bedrooms and a spacious bathroom with a roll top bath. Recommended.

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Wellow An exquisite Grade II listed cottage situated in this highly desirable village

| sitting room | kitchen/dining room | family room | master bedroom with en suite shower room | 2 further bedrooms | family shower room | delightful garden | Guide Price: £615,000

Crisp Cowley Ralph Allen’s Town House York Street Bath BA1 1NQ 01225 789333

www.crispcowley.co.uk

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Lansdown A beautifully presented mews house within walking distance of the City Centre

| lobby | sitting room | dining room | kitchen | utility room | boiler room | wet room | 3 bedrooms | family bathroom | sun room | decked terrace with far reaching views | Guide Price: £795,000

Crisp Cowley Ralph Allen’s Town House York Street Bath BA1 1NQ 01225 789333

www.crispcowley.co.uk

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Englishcombe Lane A beautiful Edwardian style detached family house with superb views over Bath

| rare detached house | welcoming entrance hall | drawing room | large study | dining room | kitchen | cloakroom | beautiful staircase and landing | 4 generous first floor bedrooms (glorious views to the front) | modern family bathroom | large second floor bedroom with en-suite bathroom | well maintained and pretty front and rear gardens | driveway, ample parking and double garage

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Guide Price: ÂŁ800,000

Crisp Cowley Ralph Allen’s Town House York Street Bath BA1 1NQ 01225 789333

www.crispcowley.co.uk

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Combe Hay A beautifully presented detached house, which in part dates from the 18th Century, set in a most tranquil part of Combe Hay

| porched entrance | spacious hall | drawing room | study | open plan kitchen/dining/breakfast room | garden room | utility | 2 cloaks | master bedroom with en suite shower | guest room with adj. shower room | 2 further double bedrooms | dressing room/ bedroom 5 | family bathroom | delightful gardens | paddock | garaging | outbuildings | ample parking | Guide Price: £1,400,000 Crisp Cowley Ralph Allen’s Town House York Street Bath BA1 1NQ 01225 789333

www.crispcowley.co.uk

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