The Bath Magazine July 2018

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thebathmag.co.uk

ISSUE 190 | JULY 2018 £3.95 where sold

ART IN REAL TIME

Bath-based visual journalist Tim Vyner captures the spirit of the World Cup on a tablet

GREEN CITY

KATE CROSS INTERVIEW

SUMMER FUN

EATING OUT TOGETHER

ECO INTERIORS

Bath trees to treasure

Have MBE; keep rebelling

What to do and where to go

Dining for families

Make your home sustainable

T H E C I T Y ’ S B I G G 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 A T H

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Rock ‘n’ Roll summer promotion, normally £61.90 /m2, now £39.99 /m2, throughout June, July and August *

* Applies to price of broadloom carpet only. Does not include fitting or fitting materials

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50

62

Contents July 2018 5 THINGS

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10

Essential events to look forward to this month

FIVE MINUTES WITH

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62

Emma Clegg aspires to be a Plantagenet at The Sign of the Angel

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18

...Upholsterer and lampshade maker Joanna Heptinstall

DRAMA AT THE EGG

RESTAURANT REVIEW

SUMMER ON A PLATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Melissa Blease previews a selection of fun-filled foodie events in July

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COFFEE HITS

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66

Emma Clegg talks to Kate Cross MBE, director of the egg

Top spots in the city for a cup of Joe

TREES IN THE CITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

THAI HIDEAWAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

Georgette McCready discovers Bath’s collection of prized trees

Six ideas for exotic sun, sea and sand-filled getaways

WHAT’S ON

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26

Our guide to the top events happening around the city

SUMMER GUIDE

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82

Crystal Rose provides the essentials for your holiday travels

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34

Where to go and what to see with the family

BATH AT WORK

VAYCAY BEAUTY

WALKING WITH JANE AUSTEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Kirsten Elliot follows a historic walk through Sydney Gardens

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THE ECO INTERIOR

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Neill Menneer’s portrait of sculptor Alan Dun

Ideas to make your home more sustainable

SHADES OF SUMMER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

TREES IN YOUR GARDEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

A colourful look at what’s on offer at the local galleries

Acer, cherry or birch? That is the question, says Jane Moore

ART IN REAL TIME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

HOT PROPERTY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Visual journalist Tim Vyner takes his iPad to Moscow

The finest homes to buy or rent

TALES FROM BOWOOD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Catherine Pitt unravels the history of the Bowood Estate

EATING EN FAMILLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Melissa Blease finds some cool venues for eating out with the family

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

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Follow us on Twitter @thebathmagazine

ON THE COVER

A drum workshop at the Street Child World Cup in Moscow by visual journalist Tim Vyner. Turn to page 50 for more. © Tim Vyner

Follow us on Instagram @thebathmagazine

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EDITOR’S PICKS FOOTBALL CRAZY Earlier this year local artist Tim Vyner documented the Street Child World Cup in Moscow using his special style of visual reportage – this image depicts a spontaneous kick-about in the British ambassador’s back garden in Moscow. Now Tim is doing the same for the FIFA World Cup. See the piece on Tim’s work on page 50.

from the

EDITOR

T

he nifty thing about trees is that, while they are deeply rooted in the landscape, mature trees of a certain size also have a defining architectural presence. We are fiercely proud of the architecture in Bath, but think on this: everywhere we go is characterised in some way by the trees lining our roads, punctuating our squares, populating our parks and creating welcome dappled shade in our gardens. Bath’s mature plane trees even have an important role in keeping down pollution. Georgette McCready uncovers some of Bath’s most precious trees on page 22.

Whether or not you are a fan – and we most definitely are, as the large England flag on the wall of TBM HQ attests – there’s no escaping the football and all things World Cup. How delighted were we, then, to discover that one of our own, Bath-based reportage artist Tim Vyner, also an illustration lecturer at Bath Spa University, made a visual record of the Street Child World Cup earlier this year on his iPad sketchbook and is now doing the same for the FIFA World Cup. Simon Horsford tells the story of Tim’s brand of uplifting visual journalism on page 50.

Kate Cross, the director of the egg, has just been appointed an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list. I interviewed her this month and discovered that she is a ferocious powerhouse of ideas and opinions whose trademark is rebellion. Her 13-year tenure of the egg has seen an innovative programme of theatre for children, from small babies to 18-year-olds. What has always driven Kate is the power of a young person’s experience going to the theatre and watching a play – see the interview on page 18.

The school holidays are looming and we have a lively seven-page summer guide from page 34 that you can use as a resource to plan your summer timetable with the family. You’ll find everything from a word search in Corsham, a racing weekend at Castle Combe to a waterbus trip on the canal and classical concerts for tots. Then Melissa Blease has come up with some welcome suggestions for family friendly places to eat on page 56, whenever a refuelling stop is required. Melissa has also brought together a selection of summer foodie events on page 64 – from a traditional English garden soirée to a get-together with pizzas cooked en plein air to the strains of live jazz.

So we’ve got trees, football, drama, food and summer fun – throw in a walk, some advice on interiors and a bit of local history, and what more could you want from your July magazine?

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

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WATCH OUT Mallory of Bath will be hosting the 2018 Patek Philippe Exhibition Collection at the Bridge Street specialist watch showroom from 31 July to 4 August. The exhibition will feature an extensive range of ladies’ and men’s timepieces from the prestigious Genevan manufacturer, as well as new models launched at Baselworld (the world watch and jewellery show) earlier this year.

Visitors will have the opportunity to view and try on the watches, speak to in-house specialists and discover the unique history behind each individual design.

The exhibition is open from 9.30am to 5.15pm.

Mallory, 1-5 Bridge Street Bath, tel: 01225 788800 BATH COMEDY

Bath Comedy presents a little slice of Edinburgh Fringe from 24 to 26 July.

Six exciting preview shows take place over three days at 7pm and 9pm at the Ring O Bells at 10 Widcombe Parade, with world-class comedians such as Carey Marx, Anna Morris, Faye Treacy (right) and Simon Munnery. All shows £5 in advance, or pay what you feel; bathcomedy.com

to the trees talking in their sleep,’ ❝she‘Listen whispered, as he lifted her to the ground.

‘What nice dreams they must have!’ ❞ L.M. MONTGOMERY (1874–1942), FROM ANNE OF GREEN GABLES

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ZEITGEIST

5

things to do in

July

Festival fever in Frome Aston Merrygold Frances Barber and Nathaniel Parker in An Ideal Husband

Star-studded production A real treat for the Theatre Royal Bath’s Summer Season, Oscar Wilde’s An Ideal Husband is coming to the city from 18 July until 4 August. Set in London in 1895, this glittering comedy boasts some of theatre’s biggest names, including Edward Fox, Freddie Fox, Susan Hampshire, Nathaniel Parker, Frances Barber and Sally Bretton. Visit: theatreroyal.org.uk

The 2018 Frome Festival is taking place this month from 6 – 15 July. Featuring more than 200 events across many venues, the festival will include an eclectic mix of opera, pop, choral, jazz and folk music; theatre; workshops; exhibitions; films; walks; and talks and literary events. Plus the small Publishers’ Fair, the Hidden Gardens and the Children’s Festival. This year, the festival celebrates the 200th anniversary of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein which will include a talk on the works of film director Terence Fisher, who directed the Hammer Horror Frankenstein movies, and a showing of cult film Frankenstein Must be Destroyed. Names such as Badly Drawn Boy, Blazin’ Fiddles, Aston Merrygold and comedians George Egg and Viv Groskop are also set to perform. Visit: fromefestival.co.uk

Be inspired

Summer fun

School is nearly out and this month we’ve collated a Summer Fun Guide (from p34) to give you a round up of what’s going on around the city during the holidays. We’ve got all the family covered – activities include heading to Corsham for a bit of family fun and joining the young performers at the Curtain Up summer school. There’s so much going on for young ones!

Join Kaffe Fassett as he highlights works from his latest projects including his patchwork quilts, fabric, needlepoint, mosaics, painting and knitting designs on 25 July, 6pm, at the Assembly Rooms. Linked to his current exhibition A Celebration of Flowers at Victoria Art Gallery, on show until 2 September, this event is designed to inspire and motivate.

A significant amount of Kaffe’s inspiration comes from his travels and his lecture is designed to empower and inspire the audience to create and develop their mind’s eye. The event will last approximately one hour and will be followed by a Q&A and book signing. Tickets: £12. To book, visit: bathboxoffice.org.uk

Proms in the Peto Enjoy an eclectic evening (or two) of music and cocktails this month.

Bring friends, a picnic and relax in the glorious Peto garden at the beautiful Iford Manor in Bradford on Avon. Two proms will take place at Iford Arts Festival on Friday 6 and Saturday 7 July. The Midsummer Prom will feature performances from The Gin Trap

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Band in the Casita and Michelle John in the Cloister. Join accomplished and classically trained Jazz pianist Marco Marconi and Miss Kiddy and the Cads on 7 July for The Final Fling. Both events begin at 7pm, with the garden opening from 6pm for picnics, and will finish around 10.30pm.

Tickets: £35; ifordarts.org.uk

Miss Kiddy and the Cads

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ist

THE CITY THE BUZZ THE BUZZ

MINERVA’S OWLS

My BATH

The Revd Evelyn Lee-Barber, who is an associate priest at Bath Abbey, has a view of the abbey from her bed.

That’s entirely appropriate because its work is never far from her mind

Some of the 30 owl sculptures at the Royal Crescent

30 giant owl sculptures recently launched the city’s latest sculpture trail at Bath’s Royal Crescent. The trail will feature more than 80 large owl and smaller owlet figures. This, the latest public trail, takes inspiration from the Roman Goddess of Wisdom, Minerva, whose symbol was the all-seeing owl of wisdom. Each owl has been sponsored by organisations from across the region and have been decorated in collaboration with individual artists.

Owl trail maps will be available for £2 from outlets across the city, including the Visitor Information Centre, Waterstones and Bath Aqua Glass; minervasowls.org

UNEXPECTED BATH Visit Bath has launched Unexpected Bath, a new campaign highlighting a quirky, more unusual side of Bath to millennials and students, an audience never directly targeted before. Visit Bath will be working with those who offer an unexpected or alternative experience, including adventure experts Original Wild, Electric Bear Brewing Company and Bizarre Bath walking tours. It will include Bath on the Beach, which will see an area of Royal Victoria Park transformed into a Caribbean beach.

The campaign is based on research showing that 16–34 year old, budgetconscious ‘buzzseekers’ are taking fewer holidays at home; visitbath.co.uk/unexpected

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I look down over the Approach Golf course from my house and I can see the abbey from my bed. We moved there 20 years ago when the children were very little. I love being able to see the city, especially when it is foggy with the church spires poking through the cloud.

God’s presence in their life. Strange as that may seem, I’ve found that they are a most powerful combination. Oh, and I have found a voice to challenge injustice in the world.

I love to see God at work in others – it’s very moving.

I’ve been at the abbey for five years since I was ordained and have been an associate priest for the last year. I did my training there and then stayed.

The abbey’s Footprint project hails a huge change to the building that will enable the abbey to open its doors more widely to the city and its international visitors. It will help us to speak about Jesus and the faith of the church – that’s why we exist.

I have always worked in a business environment. My first job was at 14, and before I got a paid job I spent many years helping at the riding stables next door.

I have worked for FTSE 100s, run my own consultancy in team development and been a joint franchisee with my husband for Shred-it.

I have more qualifications and degrees than can possibly be good for you.

I do a lot of crying and a lot of laughing in my role as associate priest. Last week I took a wedding, baptised a baby, supported seven adults being baptised and confirmed, led services and preached, did quite bit of administration, and went to meetings about the running of the abbey and The Footprint Project. I spoke on the phone to the elderly and vulnerable and visited parishioners. I also prayed with others about people and situations. I also did all the stuff that anyone does in a job, laughing with friends, encouraging those around you and seriously wondering if you will get it all done. I did… and that’s a fairly typical week.

I work full-time and I honestly don’t count the hours. Festivals such as Easter and Christmas are rather busy – it could be 65 hours or more a week. Being part of a church community often does not feel like work, it’s about living and it is a calling – a way of life.

Volunteering at the abbey means that I can express the call that I heard from God to be a priest. Other people who form the community we work or live in are often vital to our wholeness, development and healing. I get to talk about Jesus and enable others to notice

I always have loads of books on the go at once. I love a good recommendation for fiction – Death of a Penguin by Kirkov is hilarious. I read theology extensively and find it relaxing and stimulating.

Jane Austen is my favourite Bath character from history – what a woman. She had a powerful voice for her time and now.

Outside of my abbey work my priorities are my family and travelling. Last month I spent time in Jerusalem and Cologne. We should never underestimate the sweep of history that a vote at the polling station sets in motion.

My parents recently moved to Bath and it was a great gift to us all – we can now pop in for a cup of tea, previously it could be a seven-hour round trip.

Bath is special to me because it’s my home.

And the sunlight on the Bath stone never fails to delight me.

I love visiting Mr B’s Emporium of Reading.

It’s the smell of possibility – all those new books waiting to be recommended by truly interested staff.

I did 16 pots in preparation for my daughter’s 21st birthday party, starting begonias from corms back in March. I currently have a lot of leaf. The anticipation of flowers, before the deer eat them, finds me peering nervously into the pots at regular intervals. I have been heard to encourage them along. n

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THE JOY OF HENS IN BATH

Our roving reporter lifts the veil on Bath’s booming party industry

T

hey pour out of taxis on a Friday afternoon, giggling as they unload their wheelie suitcases into their hotel. Yes, the hen party is in town. Within hours these good-time girls will be unleashed on to the bars and restaurants of Bath, intent on ensuring their bride-to-be has a send-off to remember.

The hen party industry is booming like never before. The bride-to-be and her chief bridesmaid plan the pre-wedding celebrations with all the precision of a military operation. Emails and texts will have been flying back and forth for months, a Whatsapp group will have debated such weighty issues as whether to go abroad, is Charlotte going to be too pregnant to be up for it, and will the bride’s mother cope with the smutty remarks about her daughter’s past exploits?

Up to 20 women, who only have one thing in common – that they all know the bride – will be thrown together for 48 hours of compulsory fun. There is generally a fancy dress element to the weekend – “you don’t mind dressing up as a bee, do you?” – there is usually a programme of shared activities or games, bringing out a dangerously competitive edge, and there is inevitably alcohol. The weekend starts on Friday and can run to Sunday, a long time to sustain unbridled merriment. If you’ve ever organised a children’s party you’ll know that two hours can seem an eternity. But two days and two nights, fuelled by Prosecco and cocktails… what could go wrong?

A Bath taxi driver I spoke to recently said that by late on Saturday night, hen parties all too often come unravelled. People have fallen out with each other, drunk too much, got tired of their heels or the themed outfit they’ve been forced to wear, or are simply questioning why they can’t wander quietly by themselves to explore this lovely city.

At least hen parties don’t generally inflict intentional harm or indignity on the person who is getting married. Stag parties are a different ball game. Not only will the stag probably not even know where he’s going for the weekend as he packs his bag, he doesn’t know whether Sunday night will find him eyebrow-less or on a one-way ferry ticket to Ireland.

One young groom told me about his stag weekend. His mates told him on the drive that this was to be a Star Wars themed weekend.

Great, he thought, I love Star Wars. He watched as his friends put on their Stormtrooper uniforms, complete with imposing white helmets.

Then they handed him a bag with his costume – a top-to-toe furry Wookie outfit. Sweating profusely as they travelled from bar to bar, the groom-to-be was accosted by people wanting their photograph taken with the cool Stormtroopers, and would he mind taking the picture? While he had an enjoyable weekend and his mates hadn’t done anything mean, he suffered serious chafing by throwing some shapes in a nightclub while wearing acrylic furry trousers.

At least hen parties and stag dos are held weeks before the actual wedding day, which gives everyone time to get over their hangovers and to forgive and forget.

But although Bath does financially well out of these pre-nuptial festivities, parties of same-sex revellers are not always welcome. Our local pub has a sign which reads: “No stag parties” and there are bars in Bath which discourage hens and stags because they say they’re noisy, disruptive and can upset other customers. And while the city is actively working to provide the right mix of multiple-occupation homes, there is very little that can be done to legislate the so-called party houses. If, as a private home owner, you decide to let your Georgian townhouse in central Bath out to groups of people, you are putting your immediate neighbours in the position where they could spend most weekends listening to the whoops and thumps of someone else’s once-in-a-lifetime pre-wedding party. Plenty of people live next door to these party houses and although I’m sure they wouldn’t want to be seen as party poopers, they don’t necessarily want to go eyeball to eyeball with a swarm of giant tipsy bees on their doorstep. n

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Follow us on Twitter @thebathmagazine

See more online thebathmag.co.uk

Contact us: Publisher Email:

Steve Miklos steve@thebathmagazine.co.uk

Editor Tel: Email:

Emma Clegg 01225 424592 emma@thebathmagazine.co.uk

Financial Director Email:

Jane Miklos jane@thebathmagazine.co.uk

Production Manager Email:

Jeff Osborne production@thebathmagazine.co.uk

Health & Beauty Editor Email:

Crystal Rose crystal@thebathmagazine.co.uk

Assistant Editor Email:

Jessica Hope jessica@thebathmagazine.co.uk

Contact the Advertising Sales team tel: 01225 424499 Advertising Sales Email:

Liz Grey liz@thebathmagazine.co.uk

Advertising Sales Email:

Jake Horwood jake@thebathmagazine.co.uk

The Bath Magazine and The Bristol Magazine are published by MC Publishing Ltd. The Bath Magazine is distributed free every month to more than 20,000 homes and businesses throughout Bath and the surrounding area. We also have special distribution units in the following city centre stores and coffee shops

2 Princes Buildings, George Street, Bath BA1 2ED Telephone: 01225 424499. Fax: 01225 426677 www.thebathmag.co.uk © MC Publishing Ltd 2018 Disclaimer: Whilst every reasonable care is taken with all material submitted to The Bath Magazine, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to such material. Opinions expressed in articles are strictly those of the authors. This publication is copyright and may not be reproduced in any form either in part or whole without written permission from the publishers.

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BUSINESS | AND | PEOPLE

FIVE MINUTES WITH...

Joanna Heptinstall runs an upholstery school with courses ranging from leisure classes to a professional diploma. You will frequently find her in the Victoria Art Gallery or rummaging for trimmings in VV Rouleaux.

She lives in the village of Atworth, nine miles from Bath

I moved to Bath over 20 years ago when I decided that London wasn’t for me and I needed somewhere smaller and more beautiful.

My first home was on Camden Crescent, which is like a grand eyrie overlooking the city. The flat was studenty, decadent and rather grungy, with jazz music drifting in from Ye Old Farmhouse pub.

Even though I no longer live in the city, I love knowing it intimately – the little short-cuts, and how it’s possible to avoid getting wet in the rain while crossing town by hopping in and out of shops. Also, I always seem to bump into someone I know. It’s a nice feeling and makes you feel as though you belong.

I discovered upholstery almost by accident – I was working as a freelance journalist and was sent by Homes & Gardens to write a piece about upholstery courses at a workshop in Wales. I fell in love as soon as I walked into that shed. It was the earthy smell of hessian and balls of twine, the fact that upholstery is so traditional and practical and creative all at the same time. I knew at once that I wanted to do it. An epiphany! I stayed the whole week, loved every minute, was good at it and then came home and enrolled on what was to be one of the last City & Guilds upholstery courses.

Lampshade making is a specialist corner of upholstery. It all started when I walked past a shop window on Broad Street and spotted a tatty 1950s lampshade frame in a shop window. I bought it, took it home and spent several evenings trying to recover it. I was already established as an upholsterer, and working on the launch of my upholstery school, so I deliberately chose to make lampshade making my creative outlet. I’m still having fun breaking the rules.

Just as you choose a frame to suit the painting, you should choose fabric that works with the furniture. I start with the fabric type: wool, velvet or a retro weave. Then I look at pattern and scale, usually choosing bold rather than polite and ditsy. Then I select the colour.

Upholstery used to be mainly men working in sheds, but now more than 90 per cent of newly trained upholsterers are women, many coming into the trade as a second career, so they are bringing a lot of business confidence and creativity with them. It’s making upholstery a vibrant craft and is allowing experimental and bespoke styles to flourish.

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Upholstery is a specialist skill, but it is becoming more sought-after as people realise that it is better to revive and restore than to throw furniture away.

My favourite haunt is Victoria Art Gallery. I love the changing exhibitions – the current Candance Bathouth work is just fabulous.

And the permanent collection – including paintings by Thomas Gainsborough and Walter Sickert – is a lesson in the history of art.

I always choose a favourite (it’s currently The Foreign Bloke by Whistler from 1933. It’s very weird). The building is cool and calm, and the loo is the best in town.

My most frequented retail outlet in Bath is VV Rouleaux on George Street. I take a scrap of fabric which I need to find trimming for and choose for hours. And Toast is just round the corner on Bartlett Street… the workwear is perfect.

On the weekend I like to get up in leisurely manner and walk my dog Nellie in the fields without having to rush back. Once tasks are done, and if nothing is planned, I sneak into my workroom for a spot of indulgent creative upholstery or lampshade making. n

The Traditional Upholstery School courses: Professional Diploma in Upholstery One-year part-time course designed to train individuals in the skills required to set up as an upholsterer.

12 week Foundation Course Evening class to teach budding upholsterers the core skills.

Tuesday morning leisure class 9.30am to 12.30pm, Tuesdays during term time.

Saturday workshops and taster days Visit: traditionalupholsteryschool.co.uk

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THEATRE

RUNNING THE SHOW

Kate Cross, director of the egg theatre, has just been appointed an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list, in recognition of her work in children’s theatre. Emma Clegg uncovers the magic of Kate’s theatrical vision

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paths. “I’m quite rebellious so I like to do things that other people aren’t doing. I like to shake up peoples’ ideas of what they are going to expect.”

The egg is one of just six dedicated children’s theatres in the country. “When we opened the egg,” Kate says, “I hoped that many more would spring up all over the country. I think I was dismayed that they didn’t. But we were at the tail end of a very affluent period in the arts. And then the credit crunch happened.”

❝

There is a prevailing British notion about children that they are not very clever... So you are always fighting the not very ‘importantness’ of children

❝

I

t was James Graham Brown, formerly of the Royal High School in Bath, who nominated Kate for her MBE, but Kate’s circle of supporters is extensive and vocal. This is due to her sterling, innovative work as she formulated the idea for the egg, which opened in 2005, and then employed as its director. The nomination of a candidate for an MBE involves gathering a number of citations. “Reading the citations,” says Kate, “what I realised was I felt very understood. It was probably the best school report I’ve ever had.”

Kate did a drama degree at Kent University, so was being an actor ever an option? “I got one year into that degree and thought that no way on this earth did I want to be an actor, I couldn’t cope with the rejection, quite honestly. And I wasn’t very good. And that’s not the kind of person I am.

I am too much of a driver. Being an actor is quite a servile role. You are at someone else’s bidding.”

It seems that Kate was destined to be a challenging forcefield rather than a follower of rules. “The first thing I did after university was a PGCE in drama. But there was no way I was ever going to be a teacher. There just wasn’t the freedom to be innovative. I would feel constrained within a building that has bells in it. What happens if I haven’t finished? A bell is the death of creativity.”

Kate joined Theatre Royal Bath in the late 1990s, working as a freelance education officer, and then, later, as head of education.

This was an formulative time. Discussions were taking place over a fundraising campaign for the education programme.

Danny Moir, the director of TRB, asked Kate to think of a strategy for fundr aising.

“It was a beautiful moment for me,” Kate says. “Because at the time what is now the egg was still Robins Cinema, and we knew that as soon as the multiplex opened this would no longer be a cinema. So I said, ‘Probably the best thing to do would be to buy the cinema next door and turn it into a dedicated theatre for children and young people’. And they said ‘Why would you do that?’ And I gave them all the reasons.”

Where did this passionate conviction come from? “What has always driven me is a young person’s experience of going to the theatre and watching a play. And I am still fascinated by this, what I think is a very intimate and private experience. You experience theatre in a collective way, but you have this private dialogue.”

While Kate emphasises the collaborative nature of her work at the egg, it is clear that it is she who is the driving energy, creating the momentum and finding unexpected

The idea of a children’s theatre is still a challenging concept. “There is a prevailing, British notion about children that they are not very clever,” maintains Kate. “And that people who work with children aren’t as clever or sophisticated as people who do things for adults. So you are always fighting the not very ‘importantness’ of children.

“And then economically it is a disaster area because they don’t go to work, so they don’t have the same money to pay the ticket prices.” More than this, Monday to Friday performances don’t work for school children. This is where the concept for the egg took form: “The economic argument for opening the egg was so we could create a platform for good-quality theatre, and where a good audience can stay for two or three or five days. We had to demonstrate that this was viable, that there was an audience and that they would come.”

One of the groundbreaking projects introduced by Kate, in 2014, was the Incubator. “I was becoming increasingly frustrated by the climate in which work for young audiences was being made,” says Kate. The project encouraged artists with ideas for productions to come forward. In return they would be given space, time, money, training, access to other artists. But most of all, Kate explains, they were instructed to “Forget about the money, forget about the audience age, forget about the show’s title. Let us worry about that. Just what is it that you are burning to say?”

This has opened up the creative possibilities and has given the egg an ability to feed their resources into the artists’ raw ideas at an early point, to use their creativity and feed it. Working in this way frees the artists from the clutter of marketing, of political expectation, of convention, and allows them to focus on the inspiration, and to create good theatre. “If you are fitting into boxes, the very last thing you are going to be is creative and artistic,” declares Kate.

Another major achievement has been the egg’s work with schools in its Schools Without Walls project. This involves a cohort of children taking up residence at the egg for seven weeks over the summer term.

They follow a creative curriculum which is supported by their teachers, egg staff and by 5×5×5=creativity, a group which specialises in children’s exploration and expression of ideas. The philosophy places the children at the centre of their own learning. By putting them into a new setting, the conventions, behaviours and habits associated with the ‘classroom’ start to fall away.

“We could make our lives easier by saying ‘let’s find out what schools want from us and give it to them’,” says Kate. “But I don’t want to give schools what they want.

Arrogantly, I’m sorry, I want to give them what they don’t know they want, which is happy learners, who feel as though they have a voice, their own creativity.”

Other offerings at the egg include the youth theatre and courses and workshops with children, young adults and teachers.

Most recently, the egg has developed a working partnership with Bath College where they deliver the Level 3 Performing Arts two-year course.

What are Kate’s plans for the egg? “On one hand I want to go very international. We are an island and we think in an insular way. I am British and I need to be challenged from another perspective.

“On the other hand I want to go right back home and create more inclusivity. A fully accessible building is where the story begins, not where it ends. The marketing material, how you describe your shows all has the potential to reject people without your realising it.”

As we wind up our conversation, Kate tells me how the best after-show feedback is overheard in the toilets. “The profoundness of those conversations between parent and child is the most beautiful thing.”

That shared experience and that open communication – in the toilets or elsewhere – is what makes the egg so very special. n • theatreroyal.org.uk/venue/the-egg

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Kate Cross MBE, director of the egg

Snow Mouse by The Travelling Light Theatre Company was a 2017 production at the egg

Handa's Surprise by Little Angel Theatre was a 2018 production

I Wish I Was a Mountain by Toby Thompson, an interpretation of a Herman Hesse story, is at the egg from 21 to 30 September

The Little Mermaid, the Christmas 2017 production at the egg

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The majestic plane tree in Abbey Green

TREES IN TIME

Bath is best known for its architecture, but what of the city’s collection of trees?

Georgette McCready discovers some prized highlights with the help of arboriculturist Denise Hart

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Photography main image TBM; pages 23–24 Matthew Sterling

the blood pressure.” So, it’s a peaceful and largely uncrowded place to lose yourself, but it’s also a site of pilgrimage for tree enthusiasts as it has a collection of what are called Champion Trees. These are recorded on the national Tree Register database, which singles out particularly fine specimens of note. In the Great Dell, for example, there is a Mediterranean looking Umbrella Pine, a large Smooth Arizona Cyprus and a Japanese Torreya with delicate, fern-like yellow-green leaves, all of them Champion Trees.

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The mature plane trees in Pulteney Road play a vital role in helping keep down pollution

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W

e may think of Bath as a place to admire for its architecture, but there’s another impressive feature to appreciate that’s every bit as historic and beautiful, and that’s the city’s collection of rare and prized trees.

Every day we see visitors photographing the buildings of the Royal Crescent, but how many of them will notice a stand of graceful old beech trees beside the bandstand in the park below the crescent, which marks the exact centre of the curve of the Georgian terrace?

These trees, like many others in Royal Victoria Park, date back some 160 years to the original planting scheme for this publicly owned park. The beech trees are currently surrounding by a low rope fence and the grass allowed to grow long beneath them, studded prettily with meadow flowers. The roping off has been done because these trees are nearing the end of their natural life expectancy so protecting their roots from footfall and mowing may prolong their healthy existence.

Arboriculturist Denise Hart is the tree manager for Bath and North East Somerset Council. She and her team run a 24-hour response callout as part of their care of the council’s 35,000 trees and areas of woodland, along with caring for outstanding sites on the muchadmired Bath city skyline, such as Rainbow Woods and Charlcombe Vale woods. Denise has many years experience working with the city’s trees and is a fascinating guide to accompany on a walk through Royal Victoria Park, which is home to more than 2,000 trees. We stop to admire a rare pair of male and female gingko biloba trees (popularly known as maidenhair trees), which can be seen as you turn left at the top of Marlborough Lane. These beautiful mature trees originate from Asia and have delicate fan-shaped leaves. They are a pre-historic plant, one of the oldest tree species, and respected in Japan where they were the nearest living thing to survive the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and have been given the respectful title, the Tree of Peace.

The fruit from the female tree is edible, but Denise warns me it smells unappetisingly like rancid cheese.

The Great Dell in the park is a wonderful shady arboretum to explore. Under the stern gaze of the giant stone head of the Roman god Jupiter, visitors can wander freely among the trees. The newly restored wooden walkway is particularly popular with children, while adults find the experience of being among these natural giants very calming. As Denise says: “Being among trees is very good for lowering

Denise’s work is largely taken up with careful observation and conservation of the city’s tree stock. She says the Highways team at Bath and North East Somerset Council work alongside her team to keep a watchful eye on trees and look after them. “This is especially important in sites such as Pulteney Road, “ she says. “Where the mature plane trees play a vital role in helping keep down pollution.”

She also cites the London plane trees in Abbey Green and Kingsmead Squares as examples of where historic trees enhance our city environment and bring pleasure to residents and visitors. Denise is clearly fond of her charges, referring to them affectionately as ‘he’ and speaking with sadness about trees that have had to be felled due to extreme old age, and their likelihood of them toppling by themselves.

But next to the stump of an old weeping lime in the Botanical Gardens she has planted a new weeping lime, which is dedicated to the campaigning of the Bath Suffragettes.

A few decades ago a tree disease known as Dutch elm disease was accidentally introduced to the UK, causing devastation in the countryside, killing thousands of native elm trees. But arboriculturists such as Denise Hart, are already creating solutions for future generations of people and trees. Denise has planted two young elm trees, from a new breed, which are immune to Dutch elm disease and you can find one of these specimens in the Botanical Gardens.

It pays to be observant and to keep looking up as you stroll round ➲

Bark of a cut leaf beech tree in Royal Victoria Park

A cut leaf beech tree in Royal Victoria Park

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the Botanical Gardens. Standing majestically at the top of a sweeping lawn is a tall tulip tree, which at the time of writing was in bloom, its orangey-green flowers like the cupped shape of a tulip. Outside the Temple of Minerva there’s a tree with distinctive berry-red flowers – that’s a pomegranate tree. Elsewhere you can find rare examples of a Tree of Heaven, a magnolia tree which produces fruit which look like cucumbers, and a cut-leaf beech whose luxuriant branches layer themselves gracefully like a crinoline, all the way to the ground. Many of the trees have labels on their trunks so we can learn their Latin names and discover whether they are Champion Trees.

Perhaps Bath’s most photographed trees are the impressive London plane trees that stand in the Tulip of treethe flower in their enormous canopies centre Circus, Royal Victoria Park spreading out towards the houses that surround them. John Wood’s original design for the Circus did not include the trees, which were planted in the 1820s, but they seem an intrinsic part of this scene. We think we know this site so well, but how many of us have noticed how many trees stand on this spot? The answer is five, although their position indicates that there used to be several more.

The circle of trees in the Circus

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As to Bath’s oldest tree? This is probably the ancient yew tree in the grounds of Bath’s oldest church, St Mary’s at Charlcombe. This was written about in Collinson’s History of Somerset when, in 1791, he described it as “a fine yew tree.” It doesn’t come under Denise’s jurisdiction as it grows on church-owned land.

To learn more about Bath’s historic trees there are two trail map leaflets available from Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution, Queen Square, for 50p each. The Queen Square Tree Trail explores the history of the square and looks at some of the exotic trees to be found, including the weeping ash, in which what look like faces can be seen on its bark, and the foul-smelling Tree of Heaven. The other leaflet is the Tree Gazing Trail, which includes a map of the Great Dell and Botanical Gardens in Royal Victoria Park and makes a great trail, full of interesting titbits, for families to follow. Bath and North East Somerset Council’s parks department is also currently selling plants from its nursery in Royal Victoria Park. n Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution 16-18 Queen Square, Bath; brlsi.org

Tulip tree flower in Royal Victoria Park

Gingko biloba leaves in Royal Victoria Park

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

Making light of the heavy sun New Modo in store

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WHAT’S ON in July Shakespeare’s Henry V at Ustinov Studio

HENRY V Until Saturday 21 July, times vary n Ustinov Studio Bristol’s most innovative and highly acclaimed theatre company, Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory will launch its brand new production of Henry V as part of Theatre Royal Bath’s Summer Season.

Experience the thrills and drama of the Battle of Agincourt and the siege of Harfleur.

Preview performances: £15, full price: £24.50; theatreroyal.org.uk

THE MAGIC OF THE BREATH: CONCERT AND WORKSHOP Friday 29 June, 6pm n The New Oriel Hall, Brookleaze Buildings, Larkhall Featuring students on flute, saxophone, piano and guitar. The second half will explore Bach and Britten via Mozart and Richard Strauss, Alexandra Bass on flute, Suzie Shrubb on oboe and vocals by Evelyn Strasburger. £12/£6. Email: atokenichols@gmail.com

MINERVA’S OWLS OF BATH SCULPTURE TRAIL Until 10 September n Locations around Bath A major public art sculpture trail of 80 individually decorated owls and owlets brings colour and fun to the city to celebrate Bath’s Roman heritage and raise funds for local charities. There is also an interactive mobile map. Free; minervasowls.org

BIG BAND SWING AND COMEDY LIVE Friday 29 June, 7pm for 7.30 – 10pm n The Marquee, Bath Recreation Ground Listen to swing performances from The Park Lane Big Band and comedy by Geoff Whiting, raising funds for Dorothy House Hospice Care. Tickets: £26, includes drink on arrival. All proceeds to the hospice. No dogs allowed; dorothyhouse.org.uk/events

PACIFIC: OCEAN OF ISLANDS EXHIBITION On until Saturday 22 September n Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution, Queen Square This summer exhibition focuses on items from the BRLSI collection with a connection to the Pacific Ocean: corals and shells, the ethnography of the many small islands, and natural history specimens. Prints from renowned international photojournalists, highlighting the impact of environmental change on the wildlife and peoples of the Pacific, will be on display. Free entry.

TORCHLIT SUMMER EVENINGS Until 31 August, last entry 9pm n The Roman Baths By the light of flickering torches, you can walk on 2,000 year-old pavements and watch the steam rise from the great historic baths as the sun sets. £16.50 for adults, £10.25 children, after 5pm; romanbaths.co.uk 26 TheBATHMagazine

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DAN CRUICKSHANK: 100 MOST IMPORTANT BUILDINGS Friday 29 June, 7.30pm n Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford on Avon Historian Dan Cruickshank will present a fascinating investigation into the most important buildings in the world. Journeying from ancient Egyptian pyramids to the soaring skyscrapers of Manhattan, he will explore the most inspirational creations in world architecture. £15/£7.50; wiltshiremusic.org.uk THE VINTAGE BAZAAR Saturday 30 June, 9am – 3pm n The Cheese and Grain, Frome The Vintage Bazaar brings visitors the very best vintage clothing and accessories, French brocante, antique textiles and beautiful handmade delights, handpicked by dealers who are bringing new stock from all over the UK and Europe. £2 admission. More information can be found on The Vintage Bazaar’s Facebook and Instagram pages, or visit: thevintagebazaar.blogspot.com

Pop-Up Opera at The Assembly Rooms

SMOKED & UNCUT FESTIVAL Saturday 30 June, 12 – 10pm n THE PIG, Pensford, near Bath Classic festi-food is order of the day across this festival, but if you fancy tucking into something a little heartier then head to one of the feasting tents. Chef Angela Hartnett and her culinary friends will be hosting long table three-course feasts in The Field Kitchen pop up, and chef Mark Hix will be paying homage to the British love of Indian takeaway. Make the most of the festival vibes and spectacular surroundings and sleep under the stars in your very own bell-tent if you fancy camping. Headlining the music side will be Paul Carrack, and Daisy Lowe will be the guest DJ; smokedanduncut.com BATH PHILHARMONIA: HAYDN’S CREATION Saturday 30 June, 7pm n Bath Abbey Bath Philharmonia, featuring soprano Mary Bevan, baritone Benjamin Bevan and tenor James Oxley, will be joined by the distinguished Philharmonia Chorus to perform Haydn’s Creation. Tickets: £20–£35; bathphil.co.uk ON THE TRAIL OF CHARLES DICKENS – A LITERARY WALK IN BATH Sunday 1 July, 10am for coffee and cake, 10.30am start n Topping & Co Bookshop, The Paragon Charles Dickens seems to have loathed Bath, which features prominently in The Pickwick Papers. Join a literary walk around Bath and discover what prompted his complicated relationship with the city. £15 including book; toppingbooks.co.uk SUNDAY SOOTHER AT THE SPA 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29 July n Thermae Bath Spa, Hot Bath Street Treat your body and soothe your senses with a three-hour spa session including treatment time. Includes either a reviver back massage and facial or a reviver back massage and

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Viv Groskop at The Frome Festival

Matt Richardson at Komedia’s Krater Comedy Club

head and foot massage, and the use of the spa facilities including the rooftop pool. £80 per person. Tel: 01225 331234; thermaebathspa.com WIMBLEDON THEMED AFTERNOON TEA Monday 2 – Sunday 15 July, 3 – 5.30pm n The Gainsborough Bath Spa Hotel, Beau Street Dan Moon has created the Wimbledon Afternoon Tea, a tennis themed feast including classic staples such as freshly baked scones and finger sandwiches and Wimbledon specials such as pistachio eclairs and Pimms jelly. £30 per person; 0800 5298 000; thegainsboroughbathspa.co.uk OPENING EVENING: THE SILVER RING CHOIR OF BATH Monday 2 July, 7.45pm n Manvers Street Baptist Church Hall Discover the joy of singing together. The Silver Ring Choir of Bath are a long-established mixed voice choir, celebrated locally and with an international reputation, who have a talented and dynamic young musical director. New members are welcome. Meet the members, listen or join in with the music at this open evening.

CONSONANT CONNECTIONS Tuesday 3 July, 1.10pm n The Holburne Museum, Great Pulteney Street A lunchtime concert with Musicke in the Ayre: Gillian Wormley (soprano) and Din Ghani (archlute and baroque guitar), exploring 17th-century Anglo-Dutch relationships. £6; holburne.org HONEY & CO BOOKSHOP SUPPER Wednesday 4 July, 7.30pm for 8pm n Topping & Co Bookshop, The Paragon The Honeys, Sarit and Itamar, have just published their third book, Continued page 28

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EDITOR’S PICK GOODNIGHT MISTER TOM Tuesday 3 – Saturday 7 July, 7.30pm n Tithe Barn, Bradford on Avon September 1939, Britain stands on the brink of war and many young children are being evacuated to the countryside.

In Little Weirwold, vulnerable William Beech is sent to live with reclusive widower Tom Oakley. The two develop an unlikely bond, but William’s mother is sick and wants her son back in London. Tom waves him off but can’t say goodbye to his young friend so easily... Presented by the award-winning Bradfordians. Step back in time, enjoy live wartime music, a glass of wine, a picnic by the river and a great show in the wonderful atmospheric surroundings of the Tithe Barn. Tickets: £8–£12.50; wiltshiremusic.org.uk

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Smoked & Uncut Festival at THE PIG

Dancers Kevin and Karen Clifton at The Forum

Honey & Co At Home, which is filled with the bright flavours they adore. Sample some of their easy and delicious Middle Eastern dishes. From £20; toppingbooks.co.uk RENAISSANCE: SPIRIT OF THE HORSE SHOW Thursday 5 – Sunday 8 July n Bath Racecourse Starring more than 20 magnificent horses from six countries in its own impressive 2,000-seat Equestrian Theatre touring arena, this lavish show includes the Spanish Dancing Horses with their unique style, flair and passion and the thrilling Russian Cossack riders. Adults from £18; spiritofthehorseshow.com IFORD ARTS: MIDSUMMER PROM Friday 6 July, 7.30pm n Iford Manor, Bradford on Avon An eclectic evening of music and cocktails.

Enjoy the powerhouse vocals of Michelle John in the Cloister, and get funky with the best rhythm ‘n’ blues, jump-blues, and jazz of the 40s, 50s, and 60s with The Gin Trap Band in the Casita. Garden open from 6pm for picnics. Tickets: £35; ifordarts.org.uk THE FROME FESTIVAL Friday 6 – Sunday 15 July n Various locations around Frome The Frome Festival has been the town’s biggest celebration of the arts for 17 years.

This year’s line-up will feature nearly 200 events including a mix of opera, pop, choral, jazz and folk music. Plus there will be theatre, workshops, exhibitions, films and talks. Headline acts include JLS singer and Strictly contestant Aston Merrygold, Badly Drawn Boy and Scottish folk rockers Blazin’ Fiddles. The festival will be celebrating the 200th anniversary of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein with various events, including a talk on the works of film director Terence Fisher. To see the full programme, visit: fromefestival.co.uk SUMMER ACTION FESTIVAL Saturday 7 July, 9am – 5pm n Castle Combe Circuit, Chippenham, SN14 7EY

All makes, all ages, all action at Castle Combe! Featuring more than 1,500 club cars, public track time, vintage buses, a KitCar village, trade village, show and shine competition and more; castlecombecircuit.co.uk THE JANE AUSTEN FESTIVAL SUMMER BALL Saturday 7 July, doors 6.30pm n The Guildhall Celebrating Jane Austen’s novel Persuasion, published in December 1817, this Regency costumed ball will feature a night of elegant dancing, entertainment and buffet. Dress in your 18th-century ball gown or breeches and dance the night away. £69 per person.

Pre-ball dance workshop also available; janeaustenfestivalbath.co.uk KEVIN AND KAREN CLIFTON: THE LIVE TOUR Saturday 7 July 7.30pm n The Forum Following their sell-out debut tour last year, Kevin and Karen Clifton are back with a brand new show. Featuring music that has inspired them to dance, this will be a hipswinging journey with heart-pounding choreography filled with Cha Cha, Salsa, Tango and Paso Doble. Tickets: £42.50–£25.

Tel: 01225 443114; bathforum.co.uk CLOUDBUSTING PRESENTS THE KATE BUSH SONG BOOK Saturday 7 July, doors 7.30pm, 8pm start n Chapel Arts Centre, Lower Borough Walls Kate Bush has written some of the most affecting songs in popular music such as This Woman’s Work, Wuthering Heights and The Man with the Child in His Eyes during her 40 year career. Cloudbusting’s The Kate Bush Song Book explores the genius of Kate, her imagination and her piano. Tickets: £20/£18.50; chapelarts.org RACE FOR LIFE Sunday 8 July n Royal Victoria Park Challenge yourself to a 5k or 10k Race for Life to raise money for Cancer Research UK and help beat cancer. Entry fees: £10 for

children and £14.99 for women. To sign up go to: raceforlife.org EDINBURGH PREVIEWS: THE DELIGHTFUL SAUSAGE AND JAMES MEEHAN Sunday 8 July, doors 7pm, 7.30pm start n Komedia Komedia’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe previews features Chris Cantrill and Amy Gledhill’s surreal sketches as part of The Delightful Sausage: Regeneration Game, and James Meehan’s delightfully aloof Work In Progress. In association with Saddlegoose Comedy. 16+. £8; komedia.co.uk ANTITHESES Tuesday 10 – Sunday 15 July n 44AD Artspace, 4 Abbey Street, Bath Susan Griffith-Jones will be showing her most recent paintings, both large oils and small acrylics, while Andy Mason, the award-winning woodturner and carver, will share the space. Susan’s work, although firmly abstract, references the shapes and colours and textures in the landscape and reflects her feelings about that landscape in her sense of colour. Andy’s finely turned and carved objects are often inspired by Far Eastern craftsmanship and ceramics.

Opening times vary; 44AD.net POP-UP OPERA Wednesday 11 July, 7.30pm n The Assembly Rooms Enjoy two delicious one-act comedies by this innovative opera company where a pair of actresses battle it out to be the prima donna, and a pair of lovers tease and test their feelings for each other. Showcasing Mozart’s uplifting music and sense of playfulness, the first written in the last years of his life and the second when he was just 12 years old.

Two lively and engaging stories to delight you either side of an interval. Tickets: £22/£20, hospitality packages from £29.95; bathvenues.co.uk/popupopera PLANETARIUM NIGHTS Thursday 12 and 19 July, 7pm and 8.15pm n We The Curious Wander into the Planetarium for an evening Continued page 30

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July Events Battle of the Nile & Egyptomania 9 July • 7.30pm

JMW Turner at the Edge of England 11 July • 7.30pm

How Climate Change affects Air Travel 12 July • 7.30pm War Girls: Poetry & Prose

by Women in World War 1 16 July • 7.30pm

The Skripal Poisoning Richard Guthrie, Chemical Weapons Expert

17 July • 7.30pm

Blueprint for a Housing Crisis 18 July • 7.30pm

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The first Briton in space, Helen Sharman, will be talking at We The Curious

ANTITHESES exhibition at 44AD Artspace

tour of the known universe. The team will tell stories of ancient stargazers, flying you to far away galaxies and showing you views from distant and newly discovered planets.

Grab a drink from the bar and enjoy the exhibits in the space gallery before the show.

The Exploring the Solar System show takes place at 7pm, and Summer Stargazing kicks off at 8.15pm. 16+. £8.50/£7.50; wethecurious.org BRSCC TCR RACE WEEKEND Saturday 14 – Sunday 15 July, 8.30am – 6pm n Castle Combe Circuit, Chippenham, SN14 7EY The busiest weekend of car action at Castle Combe in 2018, indeed one of the busiest and best value for money race-weekends in UK club motor sport, with Top Level Touring Car competition making its long awaited debut at Combe; castlecombecircuit.co.uk KRATER COMEDY CLUB Saturday 14 July, 8pm n Komedia Matt Richardson, Carey Marx and Jimmy McGhie take to the stage with MC Maff Brown for Komedia’s weekly big comedy night. 18+. Tickets: £30.50–£9; komedia.co.uk NATURE CLOSE UP: PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP WITH NICK UPTON Sunday 15 July, 9.45am – 4.30pm n Combe Grove, Brassknocker Hill, Monkton Combe Nick Upton will lead this workshop aimed at people who already enjoy photography using a Digital SLR camera and want to learn more or improve their technique, acquire some new tricks, or would like to photograph forms of nature they haven’t attempted before. Members £95, nonmembers £110; combegrove.com WAR GIRLS: POETRY AND PROSE BY WOMEN IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR Monday 16 July, 7.30pm n Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution, Queen Square The role and contribution women made to 30 TheBATHMagazine

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the war effort during the Great War of 1914–18 has been debated greatly in recent years. Actress Ruth Sillers has made professional recordings of poems and prose by creative women from the First World War and will present and perform a selection at this talk. £4/£2; brlsi.org THE SALISBURY POISONING: A LOOK BEHIND THE HEADLINES Tuesday 17 July, 7.30pm n BRLSI, Queen Square Dr Richard Guthrie will talk about the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal in March which caused international outrage.

This talk will put the events in Salisbury in a historical and political context and examine implications for the future; brlsi.org AN EVENING WITH MATT HAIG Wednesday 18 July, 8pm n St Swithin’s Church, The Paragon How can we stay sane on a planet that makes us mad? Matt Haig’s Notes on a Nervous Planet is a personal and vital look at how to feel happy, human and whole in the 21st century. From £7; toppingbooks.co.uk THE BLUEJAYS – ROCK AND ROLL REVOLUTION Friday 20 July, doors 7.30pm, start 8pm n Chapel Arts Centre, Lower Borough Walls The Bluejays are the UK’s leading 1950s Rock ‘n’ Roll band playing the biggest hits of Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, The Everly Brothers, Eddie Cochran and many more, who have toured the world, bringing their rockin’ 50s sound to cities across the globe. Tickets: £20; chapelarts.org DUTCH STILL-LIFE OIL PAINTING MASTERCLASS Saturday 21 – Sunday 22 July, 10.30am – 4.30pm n The Holburne Museum, Great Pulteney Street A two-day adult art workshop with David Cranswick, where you can learn the working methods of Dutch still-life masters of the 17th century to coincide with the Holburne’s current major exhibition. £100 per person,

includes entry to Prized Possessions: Dutch Masterpieces from the National Trust exhibition. Tel: 01225 388569; holburne.org BSO SMOOTH CLASSICS Saturday 21 July, 7.30pm n The Forum Relax and unwind as Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra performs some of the most beautiful and best-loved classical music ever written. Conducted by Victor Aviat. £25.50–£19.50; bathforum.co.uk IFORD ARTS: MADAME BUTTERFLY Various dates between 21 July – 4 August, 7.30pm n Iford Manor, Bradford on Avon The poignant image of a young Japanese girl faithfully, but in vain, watching the sea, longing for her husband’s return, sits at the core of this beautiful opera; ifordarts.org.uk EDINBURGH PREVIEWS: PHIL NICHOL AND LUCY PORTER Tuesday 24 July, doors 7pm, start 7.30pm n Komedia As part of Komedia’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe previews comedians Phil Nichol and Lucy Porter will be taking to the stage in Bath. Expect fierce and furious joy with Phil’s new show, while expect warm, witty and thought-provoking stuff from fringe favourite Lucy. 16+. £8; komedia.co.uk PLAYDAYS 25 July, 26 July and 30 July, 1 – 4pm n Weston Rec, BA1 4DY (25 July), Springfield Park, Foxhill, BA2 5PX (26 July), Beacon Field, Frenches Close, Peasedown St John, BA2 8SN (30 July) Bath Area Play Project hosts lots of creative and sensory fun for kids. This afternoon will be full of sports, games, obstacle courses, nature and water play, and lots of fun with food. £1 per wristband; bapp.org.uk KAFFE FASSETT: COLOUR AND INSPIRATION Wednesday 25 July, 6pm n The Assembly Rooms This lecture links to Kaffe Fassett’s exhibition A Celebration of Flowers on

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display at Victoria Art Gallery. The presentation focuses on his latest projects including his patchwork quilts, needlepoint, mosaics, painting and knitting designs. £12/£11; victoriagal.org.uk HOLBURNE UP LATE Friday 27 July, 5 – 9pm n The Holburne Museum, Great Pulteney Street Enjoy after-hours access to the Holburne’s galleries and garden.

Catch up with friends and sip a cocktail in the café, and explore the Prized Possessions: Dutch Masterpieces from the National Trust House exhibition for £10 (tickets include a cocktail); holburne.org FABULOUSLY FERMENTED: SAUERKRAUT AND KIMCHI Saturday 28 July, 2 – 5pm n Combe Grove, Brassknocker Hill, Monkton Combe We’ve heard of kimchi and kombucha but do we really know how they’re made and why they’re so good for our stomachs? Lucie Cousins of Bath Culture House will explore the science and health benefits behind fermented foods. Try your hand at fermenting and take away some practical skills and recipes to continue at home.

Members £55, non-members £60; combegrove.com THE FIRST BRITON IN SPACE: AN AUDIENCE WITH HELEN SHARMAN Saturday 28 July, 2.30pm n We The Curious The first Briton in space, Helen Sharman, will be talking about her experiences on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft in 1991. She spent eight days orbiting the Earth, working on the MIR Space Station. Hear her incredible journey, from learning Russian and the meticulous training, through to launch and landing. £20/£18; wethecurious.org WEYO / WYJO Monday 30 July, 7.30pm n Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford on Avon Two regional youth orchestras join forces ahead of their tour to France for an evening of orchestral and big band classics. The programme will feature extracts from work by Rimsky-Korsakov and Bernstein’s West Side Story, plus a tribute to the Rat Pack. £15–£9; wiltshiremusic.org.uk

advert

WHEELY FUN Tuesday 31 July, 1 – 3.30pm n Odd Down Cycle Circuit, Chelwood Drive, BA2 2NX Bring your bikes, cycle helmets, scooters and skates for an afternoon of fun on the circuit. There will be riding obstacle courses, decorating, making bike smoothies and pictures; bapp.org.uk PLANNING AHEAD...

NATIONAL PLAY DAY Wednesday 1 August, 12 – 3pm n Queen Square, Bath Kids can get stuck in with lots of fun activities including samba, bikes, straw dens, inflatables, swing boats, pizza bike and much more. £1 per wristband; bapp.org.uk PLAYGO! Thursday 2 August, 11am – 2pm n Meet on Weston Rec, BA1 4DY Whether you fancy going on bike or foot, join the Bath Area Play Project for a day of play and exploration. Bring a packed lunch; bapp.org.uk BATH PRETTY MUDDY AND PRETTY MUDDY KIDS Sunday 23 September n Bath Racecourse A muddy obstacle course that women can climb over, crawl under, and charge through for charity. For the first time in Bath there will be Pretty Muddy Kids, a new exciting obstacle course designed just for children. £10 for children, £19.99 for adults; raceforlife.org n THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

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Joanna MacGregor

Courtney Pine

WORLD CLASS MUSIC ON YOUR DOORSTEP A feast of musical talent to whet your appetite as Wiltshire Music Centre launches its autumn/winter season

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hidden gem atop the idyllic landscape of Bradford on Avon, the Wiltshire Music Centre celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Bringing the best in classical, folk, jazz and world music to a stage near you in rural Wiltshire, this 300-seat concert venue is quite the musical powerhouse.

WMC’s Artists in Residence this year include acclaimed pianist Joanna MacGregor and jazz vocalist Claire Martin OBE, who join Orchestra in Residence, the OAE (Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment), ETO (English Touring Opera), jazz legend Courtney Pine CBE, Irish folk band Altan and the Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain for a bumper line-up that celebrates the centre’s 20th anniversary.

WMC also leads an extensive year-round creative learning programme in the community, matching visiting artists who want to share their creativity beyond the concert hall, with rural schools seeking a little extra musical stardust and curriculum support.

Riding high off their collaboration with Bath Festivals this summer for a community performance of West Side Story, the centre’s creative learning team will be busy again this autumn, delivering a major Special Schools Festival with musicians from the OAE and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra’s disabled-led ensemble, BSO Resound.

Bringing together more than 80 pupils from four local schools, the project will culminate in a performance that will open national disability arts festival, Fast Forward, which is being held at Wiltshire Music Centre for the first time in November, in partnership with Bristol Music Trust. Headlining the three-day festival programme, blind and learning-disabled pianist Derek Paravicini will be taking requests in an impromptu, interactive performance.

With a host of fun family events, lectures, intimate live in the bar gigs and opera screenings – including a relaxed livescreen performance of The Nutcracker by the Royal Ballet – there’s something for everyone to enjoy at the Wiltshire Music Centre this autumn/winter season.

General booking opens on Monday 2 July. n The full season programme is available at: wiltshiremusic.org.uk

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FAMILY | FUN

Head to Corsham town centre this summer

SUMMER FUN GUIDE!

From spotting tractors and taking part in a theatrical production to visiting the torchlit Roman Baths and wandering the streets of Corsham, we’ve got everything you need to ensure your holidays are full of fun for all the family

FASHION MUSEUM BATH

CORSHAM TOWN CENTRE

The Fashion Museum Bath is one of the world’s great museum collections of historical and contemporary dress. The headline exhibition A History of Fashion in 100 Objects shows how fashions have changed throughout the ages, while the annual Dress of the Year selection shines a spotlight on contemporary fashion. New this year is the show-stopping exhibition Royal Women, which showcases royal dress and explores the fashions worn by four successive generations of women in the British royal family. Visitors can also create their own period outfit from the dressing up items. A vibrant events programme offers creative workshops, after-hours talks and family activities.

For anyone living in BANES, Fashion Museum entry is free with a Discovery Card. Tel: 01225 477789; fashionmuseum.co.uk

Why not take to the streets of Corsham in the summer holidays for a word search with a difference? Track them all down as you walk around this historic town (and make the most of the award-wining places to eat, drink and shop, too) – you never know, you might just win a prize. And, on top of that, use the words in a story ready for Corsham StoryTown (19 – 21 October), and you could win another prize! Entry forms are available from the Town Hall or online. Plus enjoy craft activities every day at The Pound (poundarts.org.uk), including specialist workshops on Tuesdays and family films, or let little ones spend a week at the town’s Arts Hub at summer school.

There’s so much to do in Corsham – go and see for yourself.

High Street, Corsham SN13 0EZ Tel: 01249 702130; corsham.gov.uk

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BOWOOD HOUSE AND GARDENS Bowood looks ahead to a fun-filled summer with a variety of new events and return appearances that will appeal to all ages and interests. Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Band, Katherine Jenkins, Classic Ibiza, Bowood’s Triathlon, A Classic Car Show and The Great British Food Festival are among those heading to Bowood this summer. Surrounded by 2,000 acres of Grade I listed parkland, looking down to a mile-long lake with the beautiful Georgian house as a backdrop, the atmosphere will be truly exceptional. Children can be entertained for hours this summer with the adrenaline-fuelled adventure playground featuring a lifesize pirate ship and a soft play area for the younger children.

A hop, skip and a jump away is Tractor Ted Little Farm with a barn full of friendly farm animals. Don’t miss Tractor Ted Diggers and Dumpers Weekend in August.

Tel: 01249 812102; bowood.org

CASTLE COMBE It’s Summer at the circuit! If you’re stuck for plans on 11–12 August, make your way down to the BRSCC Caterham Race Weekend, or head to the Combe Countdown meeting on Bank Holiday Monday 27 August. If two wheels are more your style, head to the Castle Combe Grand National Motorcycle meeting on 1–2 September to see corners taken at over 100mph. Plus, there are car shows, driving experiences, giant car boot sales, Startline under 17s experiences and much more.

Castle Combe Circuit, Chippenham, SN14 7EY Tel: 01249 782417; castlecombecircuit.co.uk

Photography by Daniel Watkiss

THE ROMAN BATHS

WE THE CURIOUS

The Roman Baths will stay open until 10pm every evening this summer, offering visitors a chance to soak up the special atmosphere around the torchlit Great Bath. Torchlit Summer Evenings will run until 31 August (last admission 9pm). The historic site takes on a magical atmosphere once the daylight fades and the flickering torches are lit.

Visitors can walk around the Great Bath where people bathed nearly 2,000 years ago, see the ruins of the Temple of Sulis Minerva where Roman worshippers gathered, and wander around the Roman Baths museum. Evening visitors will also benefit from reduced ticket prices after 5pm and admission is free to Discovery Card holders.

Visitors can combine a visit to the Roman Baths with a breakfast, lunch or dinner package at Roman Baths Kitchen or Pump Room Restaurant.

Tel: 01225 477785; romanbaths.co.uk Photography by Amy Sanders

Be inspired at We The Curious this summer. Launching on 26 July, the summer programme at Bristol’s science centre is all about the wonderful things that can happen when we work together, try out new ideas and pause to ask, ‘what if I could change the world?’

The excitement begins with the Festival of What If (26–31 July), six action-packed days of making, creating, music, theatre performances and pop-up cafés. Highlights include model-making workshops run by Aardman and a visit from Britain’s first astronaut, Helen Sharman, on Saturday 28 July. All summer long, the inspiration continues with chain reaction workshops, a 3D Planetarium show that puts the audience in charge, a brand-new studio show all about great ideas and plenty of making and doing with visiting artists and researchers.

Tel: 0117 915 1000; wethecurious.org

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CURTAIN UP From Alice in Wonderland to The Addams Family, the diverse summer school from Curtain Up is perfect for Bath’s young performers this year. Known for many years as ‘the best week of the summer holidays,’ children aged eight to 18 can join in to create an entire fully staged spectacular performance. During day one the performers meet and get to know each other. By the time they go home that day they have been cast in their roles and just a few days later perform to delighted audiences. Rehearsed and performed in the West Wing Roper Theatre, Curtain Up Summer School is open to all, not just weekend students. Early booking is advised.

Tel: 01225 307939; curtainup.org.uk

BISHOP’S PALACE, WELLS Enjoy a huge range of fun-filled activities at Bishops Palace from July to the end of August. The first of the Make It Mondays will begin on 30 July with a theme of Animals at the Palace which will include making handprint swans, bushytailed squirrels and Maisie the cat masks. Each session runs from 10.30am – 3.30pm and is included in standard admission. Also running weekly are the Nature Ninjas Family Garden activities every Friday from 11am – 3pm. On 5 August, the South Lawn will be transformed for the Midsummer Mayhem Summer Family Fun Day with games for all ages. This year’s day of fun will include a bouncy castle, a giant inflatable slide, crazy golf, balloon modelling, giant games, dressing up and face painting. Wookey Hole Circus School will be teaching circus skills all day, so if you’ve ever fancied learning to stilt walk, walk the wire, unicycle, juggle and much more, go along to find out how! Bring a picnic along with you or visit The Hungry Dragon snack bar or The Bishop’s Table café. There will also be a candy floss and snow cone van available to tempt the little ones.

Tel: 01749 988111; bishopspalace.org.uk

LADY LENA How about something different on the canal? Great for families, wheelchair users and dog walkers or anyone wanting an affordable boat trip. The electric boat the Sir John Knill waterbus runs between Bathampton and Bath at weekends between April and September but daily during the B&NES school holidays. From Bathampton at 10am, 12pm, 2pm and 4pm, returning from Bath Top Lock at 11am, 1pm, 3pm and 5pm. Adults £5 one way, children between five – ten £3, seniors and concessions £4.50. Returns are also available stopping at Sydney Gardens or the Folly Bridge on request.

Tel: 01225 834250; ladylena.co.uk

BATH AREA PLAY PROJECT Bath Area Play Project (BAPP) has a range of play provisions over the summer holidays with opportunities for children of all ages and abilities to have playing with friends and family. Play helps children to keep active, mentally and physically. The Summer Play 2018 programme kicks off on 25 July with a Playday in Weston on the Rec next to the playpark. It has PlayGo! sessions that consist of exploring walks and a cycle ride – accessible bikes are available to book. The highlight of the summer will be National Playday on 1 August where it will join with hundreds of other organisations across the UK to celebrate the child’s right to play. Join in the fun in Queen Square from 12pm. Help support these events by donating to: localgiving.org/appeal/savesummerplaydays For further information on the SOFA programme (for 12+ years) and Holiday Playschemes (five–12 years); bapp.org.uk/play-provision

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MILL ON THE BRUE Open for 35 years, Mill on the Brue Outdoor Activity Centre knows exactly what kids like. Fun and excitement includes huge zip wires, a climbing tower with a 10-metre jump, canoeing, raft building, archery, assault courses and fire lighting. There’s also archery, crafts, rocket firing, high ropes, pizza making, air rifle shooting, giant water slides and much more in the 25 acres of woods, fields and river valley. Summer day camps for 7 – 12 years on Mondays to Fridays 8.45am – 5.30pm from 23 July – 17 August for £60 per day/£269 weekly.

Booking and payment beforehand is essential.

Tel: 01749 812307; millonthebrue.co.uk

MUSIC FOR MINIATURES Music for Miniatures is a series of short live classical concerts specifically designed for parents, grandparents and carers to enjoy in the company of babies, toddlers and young children (aged 0 – 4). The best thing about a Music for Miniatures concert is that it doesn’t mind noise! Babies can sleep, cry, babble and crawl while toddlers are free to explore and enjoy in their own way. The summer pop-up concerts this year are all about a Teddy Bear’s Picnic so be sure to bring your teddy along too. Older siblings are also welcome.

Tickets: £8 per adult/child pair, £4 extra adult, £3 extra child.

All Saints Centre, New Oriel Hall, St Bart's Church, HUBnub Centre Visit: musicforminiatures.co.uk

THE EDGE The Edge is hosting The Fantastical Multimedia Pop-up Project this summer from 20 July – 24 August . Go and discover the digital laboratory, get hands on with Virtual Reality and explore new worlds. Plus, discover how we will be using 3D printers in the future, or become a character in a video game and be part of a live gaming experiment. Explore the intersection between arts, digital and science in these three different zones. The pop-up project runs from 10am – 4pm, Tuesday to Saturday with free admission. There will be art works from the Zabludowicz collection, Rachel Rossin’s immersive and painterly Virtual Reality installation and David Blandy’s hacked and customised arcade machine. There will be something for all ages.

Tel: 01225 386777; edgearts.org The Edge, University of Bath, Claverton BA2 7PD

THE HOLBURNE MUSEUM Explore Colourscape at The Holburne Museum from 20 – 29 August. From 11am until 4pm, enjoy different programmes of music and performances each day. This ten-day arts festival takes place within a sculpture and provides a unique experience of the most intense colours that you could imagine. Put on a coloured cape and step into a new world where there are no horizons, just soft curved edges and intense colour and light.

Turn a corner and another fabulous view opens up. Become lost in colour and space and explore until you discover live musicians and dancers leading you on a journey of music and colour.

Tickets: £5, available on the day.

Tel: 01225 388569; holburne.org

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FAMILY | FUN

VICTORIA ART GALLERY Go and get creative at the Victoria Art Gallery this summer.

There are different activities on offer every Wednesday and Friday, all inspired by the themes of flowers and nature from the current exhibition, A Celebration of Flowers: Kaffe Fassett with Candace Bahouth. Young visitors can make a felt flower or bug badge to wear, create a tree full of blossom, make a secret garden full of flowers and insects, create a picturesque pond, or follow a bug trail around the Gallery. All activities are free and booking is not required. Suitable for children aged three and over.

Tel: 01225 477233; victoriagal.org.uk

AEROSPACE Have you visited Bristol’s newest family attraction yet? Aerospace Bristol offers an ideal day out with the kids this summer. The new museum is home to the last Concorde ever to fly and gives you and your family the chance to step aboard as part of an exciting handson journey through time. From WW1 biplanes to modern fighter jets, helicopters, rockets and satellites, Aerospace Bristol takes you on a flight through aviation history, including fun, interactive games and children’s trails to enjoy along the way.

Visit between 2 July and 2 September to see Gromjet, the highflying Gromit brought to life by Rolls-Royce as part of the Gromit Unleashed 2 trail.

Tickets include free return visits for 12 months and are available to purchase at the museum or at aerospace.org. Book online and print at home to enjoy ‘speedy boarding’; Tel: 0117 931 5315

WILTSHIRE MUSIC CENTRE

BRISTOL OLD VIC This summer, Michael Rosen’s much-loved poem, Chocolate Cake – also a gorgeously illustrated picture book – is transformed for the stage by Polka Theatre, a UK theatre dedicated exclusively to children. It’s the latest wonderful piece of family theatre from the people who created We’re Going on a Bear Hunt and How to Hide a Lion, don’t you know?

Following the adventures of two brothers and the night-time disappearance of a chocolate cake, this five-star “deliciously moreish” show (The Stage) is a delight from start to finish, chockfull of music, songs, film and animation, and sure to have the family shouting “more please!” on the way home.

Tickets £12; family ticket £40 (two adults, two kids or one adult, three kids).

Chocolate Cake, Tuesday 24 – Saturday 28 July at Bristol Old Vic. To book: bristololdvic.org.uk/chocolatecake or call the box office: 0117 987 7877. Bristol Old Vic, King Street, BS1 6ED 38 TheBATHMagazine

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From toddlers to teenagers, kids takeover Wiltshire Music Centre for a month of creative and musical activities (30 July – 30 August). Young drama kings and queens can take to the stage in Musical in a Week! and a Devising Drama workshop; whilst budding rockstars can meet and play together in a weeklong Rock Band workshop, Plug In, Plug Out sessions (fully-equipped room hire, every weekday in August for just £5 an hour), or cook up their own Rockstar Wristwear in a clay oven. For little ones, there’s music and dancing in Fidgety Feet and Little Piccolos sessions. Explore nursery rhymes with Twinkle Twinkle Little Star or go on a Dragon Adventure in crafting workshops. Bring a story to life in the Animate a Short Film, or create original music in a threeday Young Composers workshop. Enjoy puppet making or clown about in Clare’s Circus Skills class. From 18 months to 18+ years, there’s fun for all ages this summer at Wiltshire Music Centre. Book online or find out more by visiting the website.

Visit: wiltshiremusic.org.uk; Tel: 01225 860 100 Ashley Road, Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire BA15 1DZ

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INSIDE | ART

LONDON STREET BY WALTER SICKERT Walter Sickert spent two extended periods in Bath during the wartime years. Jon Benington, gallery manager at the Victoria Art Gallery, provides a commentary on one of Sickert’s Bath paintings and a background to his work.

London Street Looking Towards Walcot, Bath about 1940

By Walter Sickert, assisted by Thérèse Lessore Oil on canvas 48 x 79 cm Painting purchased in 2005 with the aid of the MLA/V&A Purchase Grant Fund, the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Friends of Victoria Art Gallery

BELOW: Sickert at the opening of the BSA exhibition at the Victoria Art Gallery, Bath in 1939

HISTORIAL BACKGROUND Walter Sickert (1860–1942) spent many years on the continent and became friendly with the Impressionists. He despised academic painting, stating that his mission was to take art out of the drawing room and into the kitchen. After moving to London in 1905, he formed a group of like-minded young painters, urging them to tackle working class street scenes and interiors. Later he set up his own etching school and studio, where he was assisted by Thérèse Lessore, his future wife.

He loved the half-light and would blur his sitter’s features if that was what he saw.

During 1917–18 and 1938–42 he moved to Bath to escape the London air raids. He adored the slightly seedy and soiled Georgian architecture, as it then was, and the way the streets seemed to stretch effortlessly into the surrounding hills: “What country, and what town,” he would say.

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The combination of light, traffic and limpid, late afternoon sunshine makes for a seductive image

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his painting is a view of London Street taken from the iron railings outside St Swithin’s Church. The combination of light, traffic and limpid, late afternoon sunshine makes for a seductive image. The painting has been executed on a piece of rough canvas or hemp, quite possibly all that was available due to wartime shortages. The grid lines that were used to transfer the preliminary drawing to the painted surface have not been disguised, for Sickert grew to like their abstract appeal. He may also have thought that since they were part and parcel of the process, it would be more honest to keep them in.

Sickert lived with his third wife, Thérèse, at St George’s Hill House in Bathampton. He opened a show of student work at Victoria Art Gallery and wrote to Clifford Ellis, head of the School of Art on 3 March 1939: “It has occurred to me that when in the due course of time I am gathered to my father’s, I shall be about the only witness of the work and teachings of the important series Degas, Manet, Monet, Whistler etc.

I knew them all personally for years, and worked under them. I wonder if I should not be useful by giving a morning once a week to lecturing from 10 to one o’clock. I could not accept any fees from your school.”

Sickert attended every Friday and spoke for two hours, with projected illustrations by Daumier, Gavarni, Keene and others, but showing images of his own work only once.

Sickert’s advanced age meant that he needed assistance in the studio, so he would dispatch Thérèse to take photographs of the Bath buildings he wanted to paint. A good painter in her own right, she was mindful of her husband’s frailty and squared up the photographs to transfer the view on to paper first, and then with his approval on to canvas.

The ultimate aim was to retain the freshness of the moment when the scene was first seen.

Sickert died in 1952 and is buried in Bathampton churchyard. Two years later Thérèse passed away and her ashes were moved to Bathampton and her name added to her husband’s gravestone. The lettering on the stone was carved by Clifford Ellis. In notes he made for a radio talk in 1966, Ellis recalled Sickert’s habitual attire, comprising a tailcoat of reddish Harris tweed, a fisherman’s cap and bedroom slippers.

Clifford Ellis also recalled that: “After the outbreak of war, the school was moved to Green Park. Mr Sickert looked from a window towards Kingsmead Flats. It was washing day and drying clothes were fluttering along the balconies. He commented, ‘See how those people with their few, poor things are writing poetry for us?’ n

Victoria Art Gallery Bridge Street, Bath BA2 4AT Open daily from 10.30am – 5pm Web: victoriagal.org.uk Tel: 01225 477233

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HOW TO MAKE A SMALL FORTUNE FROM ANTIQUES - START WITH A LARGE ONE? Duncan Campbell HAS BEEN DEALING IN ANTIQUE SILVER SINCE 1986

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started off in the silver trade with the stark realisation that, if I was going to go on acquiring interesting bits of silver, I would become broke fast.

The only way to sate my desires was to raise money through selling silver in order to buy more!

This then became, I think, a virtuous circle. The more I bought the more I learnt and the more I was able to buy. As with any hobby, the

obsession descends incrementally. You find out an interesting thing and you want to know more, then before you know it you are gripped.

There is certainly an element of addiction in the antiques trade. Not only is it an almost impossible job to quit but the prospect of that big win, just like a gambler, gets you out of bed in the morning.

I could flatter myself that the in-depth study of my subject and connoisseurship give me an edge, but the reality is that the big finds are largely luck. The best things I have bought over my career have been total punts on antiques I knew little, if anything about. You might say that the guess was educated, but it was still a guess.

The only real skill brought into play, apart from 30 years of experience, is being there and in a position to pony up the cash.

While it is true that specialist knowledge can be very helpful, the commercial world has no respect for esoteric information for its own sake. I know too many dealers who, having gained an encyclopedic knowledge of a particular area, find that nobody else cares - there are no interested collectors and therefore no money to be made.

The evaluation of an antique requires the careful assessment of the age, rarity, workmanship and provenance, the condition and quality, the maker and design but, most important of all, vastly outweighing any other criteria, “can I make a profit?� n www.beaunashbath.com, 01225 334234

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BATH @ WORK

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

Alan Dun

Sculptor

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riginally from Bristol, I first explored Bath and the surrounding countryside as a teenager on my road bike. Cycling gave me a taste of freedom, second only in importance to making things. Making things turned into making sculpture, and this a lifelong entanglement.

Some of these early rides made me feel a connection to history, to Roman Bath and to Avebury’s neolithic landscapes, and all this has been an enduring inspiration in my sculptural toolbox.

As well as being an exhilarating sport, cycling introduced me to the value of meeting new people and exploring new ideas.

Those early visits were to a stone-blackened city, buildings stained by centuries of coal fires. It was full of whispers of past lives, but was also emerging into the late 1960s. Old values were being challenged, and a cultural rebellion was in full swing. I saw a sculpture show at Widcombe Manor that included cuttingedge work by sculptors such as Anthony Caro, whose work I still admire. And a festival concert was headlined by Led Zeppelin – we all loved it, but I’m not sure residents knew what had hit them.

Seeking the anarchic energy of the capital, I studied fine art at Chelsea School of Art in London and stayed for a further 30 years before moving to the Limpley Stoke valley. The Kennet and Avon connects my interest in history and landscape. For a commission to design the canal’s 200th anniversary memorial in Bath, I created a large cast-iron sundial that marks the passage of time and alludes to the industrial age.

While my enthusiasm for cycling endures, my speed has declined. When asked to sculpt a sport during the 2012 Olympics, I chose track cycling. Trying to express the power and exhilaration of the race in bronze, I twisted a tyre into a strip of velodrome with two cyclists – part-human, part-machine.

I feel lucky to live in Bath, a beautiful city with a proud Roman history. The Roman sculptors had incredible technical mastery.

I think it’s important not to slip into nostalgia. I’m currently making a series of bronze sculptures inspired by the innovative, microtonal music of Georg Friedrich Haas. We are now seeing the impact of digital technologies on the world of design. In the 1980s I established a company fusing art and technology, so enjoy the work of Bath University’s ICIA, which often presents artists or performers working with, or inspired by, new science.

Recently I’ve sculpted the owl for the Minerva’s Owls of Bath art trail – and I have been lucky enough to sculpt all Bath’s public art trails. The owl references Roman sculpture in homage to Aqua Sulis’s goddess, Minerva, and is a Little Owl (Athene Noctua), Minerva’s symbol – a characterful species whose UK population is declining due to loss of feeding habitats. My wife works for Bath conservation charity, Rainforest Concern, so I am increasingly aware of the fragility of our natural world and the need to protect it. I hope Minerva’s Owls raises funds and awareness for all the charities it is supporting, including the Little Owl Project, and the pioneering new RUH Cancer Centre.

At its best, art, like science, can be utopian – it can look outward, explore the world and imagine how to make it better.

PORTRAIT: Neill Menneer at Spirit Photographic.

Visit: capturethespirit.co.uk, tel: 01225 483151

SET ON A BEAUTIFUL ORGANIC FARM IN SOMERSET

Treehouse, 3 luxury Yurts with beautiful communal lodge and brand new Roundhouse New woodland Sauna theyurtretreat.co.uk Email: theyurtretreat@gmail.com • Tel: 07773 505 671

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ART | EXHIBITIONS

THE SHADES OF SUMMER Bath’s galleries and exhibitions bring a variety of warm colours and textures to the city this July

Fired Earth by Natasha Kumar

NICK CUDWORTH GALLERY London Street, top of Walcot Street, closed on Mondays Tel: 01225 445221, web: nickcudworth.com Throughout July Les Dawson was a favourite of Nick’s for many years. His deadpan face and dry humour was guaranteed to make him laugh. The painting was part of a series of his favourite comedians that Nick painted over several years, all of which are now available as prints.

Les Dawson by Nick Cudworth

AXLE ARTS Leighton Road, Weston, Bath Open: Monday to Saturday, 10am – 5pm by appointment Tel: 01225 461230, web: axlearts.com

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

DREAMS AFAR Throughout July A group exhibition of travel inspired artworks by artists including Rebecca Hawkins, Suman Kaur, Natasha Kumar, Chitra Merchant, Jamel Akib, Rennie Pilgrem and mosaics by Antonella Scarpa-Isles.

Equilibrium by Edward Willis

STILL LIFE STUDIES: MOIRA HUNTLY RWA RSMA RI PPPS Throughout July Moira Huntly’s still life studies are meticulously designed, twodimensional constructs with carefully considered balance between positive and negative space. Pattern often features in her work with shape referencing the smooth, fluid modernity of the 1960s as well as elements of abstracted, early art-deco design.

Huntly’s energetic and confident mark-making distracts the eye from the careful balance of form, Japanese Still Life with and her deeply saturated pastel Ikebana by Moira Huntly colour is often underpinned with a deeper hue of acrylic or gouache. Huntly is an elected member of four prestigious federations, including Past President of the Pastel Society. She exhibits widely and her work is held in many private and public collections.

CELEBRATING ART IN THE GARDEN Until Sunday 8 July, closed Mondays and Tuesdays Urchfont Manor, Wiltshire, SN10 4RF Tel: 01672 540180, web: friendsofthegarden.org.uk The garden at the 17th-century Grade II Urchfont Manor is currently being redesigned by award-winning practice del Buono Gazerwitz. The garden provides a wonderful backdrop to an exhibition featuring more than 100 pieces of contemporary sculpture.

Any of the figurative and abstract work shown will provide the final touch to a garden.

Work by Bath artist Edward Willis will feature in one of the parterres. This major exhibition takes contemporary sculpture out of the gallery and into its proper setting.

A café and pop-up shop are also on site. Admission £5. Hosted by voluntary organisation The Friends of the Garden.

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ART | EXHIBITIONS

THE HOLBURNE MUSEUM

The Duet by Gabriel Metsu

Great Pulteney Street, Bath Open daily, 10am – 5pm (11am Sundays) Tel: 01225 388569 Web: holburne.org

© National Trust Images/Christopher Hurst

PRIZED POSSESSIONS: DUTCH MASTERPIECES FROM NATIONAL TRUST HOUSES Until Sunday 16 September This exhibition brings together some of the National Trust’s best-loved works of 17thcentury Dutch art to celebrate the enduring appeal of two great achievements of European culture: Dutch Golden Age painting and the British country house.

National Trust houses contain an extraordinarily diverse collection of almost one-million individual items. Displayed together for the first time at the Holburne are 22 highlight Golden Age pictures from National Trust houses. Admission £10/£9, National Trust members £7.50.

BATH TO BAGHDAD: ELLEN TANNER’S COLLECTION OF MIDDLE EASTERN ART Until 21 October From sumptuous textiles to delicate carved woodwork and lacquer, plus elaborately decorated metalwork, this collection is on display for the first time following a major conservation project generously funded through the Big Give Christmas Challenge.

COLOURSCAPE Monday 20 – Wednesday 29 August, 11am – 4pm Colourscape is a unique experience of intense colours. Put on a coloured cape and step into a new world where there are no horizons, just soft curved edges and intense colour and light. Become lost in colour and space and explore until you discover live musicians and dancers. Each day there will be a different programme of music and performances. £5 entry.

VICTORIA ART GALLERY

By Pulteney Bridge Open daily, 10.30am – 5pm Tel: 01225 477233 Web: victoriagal.org.uk

SCULPTURE TO ENHANCE A GARDEN Saturday 14 – Sunday 15 July, 11am – 5pm The garden at 165 Newbridge Hill, Bath Web: thehiddengardensofbath.co.uk

Three local sculptors come together to showcase their dynamic sculpture within a garden setting. Wander around at your leisure and enjoy tea and homemade cake or scones from the terrace overlooking the garden.

Entrance is £3, payable at the gate.

Proceeds to go to The Peggy Dodd Centre in Combe Down for those suffering from memory loss. For further information contact: helen@thehiddengardensofbath.co.uk or phone 07793 085267.

A CELEBRATION OF FLOWERS: KAFFE FASSETT WITH CANDACE BAHOUTH Until Sunday 2 September Internationally renowned colour expert and fabric designer Kaffe Fassett returns to Bath with a new exhibition at the gallery. When Fassett and Candace Bahouth last exhibited here in 2008, the gallery welcomed a recordbreaking 31,000 visitors. Inspired by flowers all his life, Fassett will demonstrate his full creative flair in A Celebration of Flowers.

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

MUSEUM OF EAST ASIAN ART Bennett Street, Bath, open: Tuesday – Saturday, 10am – 5pm; Sunday, 12 – 5pm Web: meaa.org.uk THE QUEST FOR WELLNESS Until Monday 12 November The theme of wellness is the predominant theme of this city based on its origins as a Roman spa town. In this exhibition, artist Zhang Yanzi explores common frailties and shared humanity, investigating the nature and meaning of wellness in China: its history,

Inhalation by Zhang Yanzi

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Roses Galore by Kaffe Fassett

unique expression in mosaics using found material from nature as well as china and high-tech plastics.

and its modern counterpoints from a Chinese perspective. Works on display include Excess, a silk robe covered in pill capsules which portrays pills as a kind of physical and psychological armour in the modern world; Inhalation, a Chinese painting on analgesic plasters that explores the ability of beautiful objects to provide humans with psychological comfort; and Pure Land, an ink painting of Buddha’s portrait in the ancient Chinese Buddhist mural style that alludes to the concept of well-being from a spiritual angle.

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nick cudworth gallery

Getting Under My Skin - Oil on canvas

JULY EXHIBITION An exhibition of paintings and prints by Nick that reflect his interest in a variety of subjects including portraits, still life and Landscape

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

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

DAVID SIMON CONTEMPORARY 3 – 4 Bartlett Street, Bath Open: Monday – Saturday, 10am – 6pm, closed Wednesday and Sunday Tel: 01225 460189 Web: davidsimoncontemporary.com BEN LOWE & MYLES OXENFORD: A NEW HORIZON Thursday 5 – Monday 30 July Visitors will be treated to a strong and varied range of both landscape and still-life compositions in oils by two painters showing together for the first time. The paintings of Ben Lowe are powerful, lively and full of depth as he captures atmosphere and emotion through painting landscapes and still life with an abstract approach. Myles Oxenford, a graduate of Falmouth College of Art, has a distinctive style, which includes a range of paintings based on the rugged coastline and coves of Cornwall. These two painters’ different approaches create an exhibition that carries the viewer through a visual journey ranging from dynamic energy to calming tranquility that can be enjoyed over the two floors of the gallery.

Act 6, The Watchtower by Ben Lowe

OTTELIEN HUCKIN 44AD artspace, 4 Abbey Street, Bath Open: Monday 23 – Sunday 29 July, 10am – 5pm (Saturday 28 July, 10am – 8pm) Web: 44ad.net, ottelienhuckin.co.uk

GALLERY NINE

An exhibition of paintings, drawings and ceramics by the young emerging artist Ottelien Huckin, inspired by the words of Oscar Wilde’s Salomé.

Contextualising her own experience of ‘woman’ within the work, the artist, inspired by Wilde’s words, attempts to construct relevant visual narratives from language and themes. Ottelien’s bold and expressive figurative compositions are rooted in the traditional practice of life drawing, allowing her to work from sketches and intuition. Ottelien is a Bath-based artist and associate of 44AD artspace and studios. Graduating with a degree in Fine Art: Painting from the Edinburgh College of Art, Ottelien has exhibited at the Whitespace Gallery, Edinburgh and The Mall Galleries, London with The Royal Society of British Artists. This exhibition will be her first solo show.

SUMMER EXHIBITION Friday 6 July – Friday 31 August

THE EDGE The Edge, University of Bath, Claverton Down Open: Tuesday – Saturday, 11am – 5pm Tel: 01225 386777, web: edgearts.org THE FANTASTICAL MULTIMEDIA POP-UP PROJECT EXHIBITION Friday 20 July – Friday 24 August Multimedia artworks and installations from the Zabludowicz Collection, London, feature in this exhibition which explores the intersection between digital, arts and science. From Rachel Rossin’s immersive and painterly virtual reality experience, to David Blandy’s hacked and customised arcade machine to 3D concrete printing, the show is a chance to experience new technologies in myriad ways. Free admission. n 48 TheBATHMagazine

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9b Margaret’s Buildings, Bath Open: Monday to Saturday, 10am – 5pm Tel: 01225 319197, web: gallerynine.co.uk

Renowned jeweller Laura Baxter creates pieces that capture the essence and beauty of plant life. Each piece is a work of art and is made in silver and 18ct gold. Caroline Reynolds hand constructs all her own work in silver and gold using piercing, soldering and forging techniques. Award-winning ceramicist Lara Scobie makes individual slip-cast vessels and bowls in porcelain and Parian clay, decorated in crisp lines. Rosie Musgrave works with limestones, marbles and alabasters and cuts stone mostly by hand with hammers and chisels. Elka Sada returns with her Capriccio range. Every piece is replete with painterly brush strokes, creating powerful fields of colour which she combines to form vibrant, perfectly functional vessels. The exhibition will also showcase a wide range of print works by a group of Flower pendants emerging and established

by Laura Baxter artists.

I Came And Went As A Ghost Hand (Cycle 2)

by Rachel Rossin

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ARTS | PEOPLE

ART IN REAL TIME

Reportage illustrator, visual journalist and social commentator, there are many sides to Bath artist Tim Vyner.

Simon Horsford discovers how technology has brought a powerful immediacy to Vyner’s brand of visual journalism

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im Vyner, senior lecturer at Bath School of Art & Design (part of Bath Spa University) is currently documenting the FIFA World Cup in Moscow – his work can be seen in The Telegraph – capturing events and impressions of the tournament on his iPad. For Vyner, reportage illustrations are the ideal medium for tapping into the atmosphere of an event and the essence of a particular culture: “Visual journalism is an exciting way of portraying the passion and encapsulating a moment in time,” he said. “It’s about giving a sense of where you are.”

In many ways, he is part of a lineage dating back to the likes of William Hogarth, the 18th-century critic and cartoonist, and continuing through to the illustrator Paul Hogarth and more recently David Gentleman. All in their own way are making a social record of a particular time.

Vyner, whose work has a wonderfully raw, immediate and colourful impact, has found sport, and in particular football, an effective route to depicting what he is trying to achieve. In his travels in the 1990s and the early 2000s, including to Beirut, Vyner saw kids playing football on the streets and found the game provided a common interest and ready introduction to an area. “So I produced a children’s book – World Team – about kids playing football around the world.”

The book led to Vyner being taken up by the Professional Footballers’ Association to cover the England team as the official artist at the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan. Taking a different route during the 2006 World Cup in Germany, he travelled to Ghana to see how the progress of the first-time qualifiers was received back home in their soccer-mad nation. He then switched tack to cover the Beijing and London Olympics in 2008 and 2012.

As a reportage illustrator, Vyner sees his role as “being someone who goes to site-specific events that are under the spotlight, or depicting a moment in history and finding stories that can be recorded visually. In the past I worked with traditional tools – watercolour, pen and paper, gouache – which were then published after an event. But

now we want news in real time, which is a challenge for artists. So around 2012 when the iPad came out, it was a chance to work on a blank digital canvas with work that could be published quickly. I made that transition around the London Olympic games, sending three images a day to The Times [which was publishing his work]”.

But it’s Vyner’s constant search for something different that has made him such an interesting artist. In Japan and South Korea for the World Cup there were concerns, he recalled, about how the authorities would treat English football fans. At the Olympics in Beijing, China was undergoing a huge transformation, while even in London in 2012 there were worries about the displacement of communities and transport. And before the World Cup started in Russia there were issues about intolerance, hooliganism and the low point in the relationship between Moscow and Britain.

“I think [my work offers] a gently persuasive attempt to show the world how it is and to challenge the stereotypes and the headlines.

Drawing can present things in a slightly different way.”

Away from the spotlight of major events, Vyner recently covered the Street Child World Cup in Moscow, part football tournament, part art festival. The event is staged every four years by Street Child United, a London-based charity whose intention is to change the perception of street children. Featuring more than 200 players from 24 nations (there was an English girls team from South London, via the homeless charity Centrepoint).

“It’s a chance,” says Vyner, “for the kids taking part – who live on the streets or in care and who ranged from a team of Kenyan boys who live in awful conditions to railway children from Chennai and favela kids from Brazil – to openly discuss their hopes, desires, rights and concerns.” For the record, Uzbekistan won the boys’ tournament and Brazil the girls’.

A Street Child Cricket World Cup is set to take place next year in London. With homelessness very much an issue in Britain (in 2016 Shelter said there more than 250,000 people affected in this country), the fate or otherwise of these children is something that is of

The opening game of the Street Child World Cup 2018: Russia versus Brazil

A shop in Beijing during the Beijing Olympics 2008

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If iPads had been available at the time, I’m sure the great war artists such as Eric Ravilious would have used them

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ABOVE LEFT: An evening hosted by the British ambassador in Moscow during the Street Child World Cup included a spontaneous kick-about in the back garden ABOVE RIGHT: Red Square and Saint Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow where the Street Child World Cup teams lined up for photographs RIGHT: An inspirational drum workshop at the Street Child World Cup in Moscow produced a collective rhythm, with everyone instinctively working as one BELOW LEFT: A monastery and gardens in Athos, one of 20 painted by Vyner over a year BELOW RIGHT: Street Child World Cup mural by Bristolbased artist Mr Penfold, in the Vernissage area of Moscow

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ARTS | PEOPLE

particular interest to Vyner, who added that “I would love to follow up some of the stories and see what their lives are like later on.”

Closer to home, Vyner has created a mural on the perimeter fence of the former Herman Miller furniture factory on Locksbrook Road in Bath. The building will become the new home of Bath School of Art and Design, which currently resides on Sion Hill, next year. The mural, which runs along a 300-metre wall by the canal, celebrates the work and industrial heritage of the city and the art school. There’s also a timeline by Bath Spa alumni offering a history of the school. He has also depicted headstones, tombstones and typography from Bath Abbey.

Away from sport, Vyner travelled to Mount Athos a few years ago, situated on a peninsula in northeastern Greece, receiving a bursary to paint all 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries over a calendar year. Home to around 2,000 monks, women are not permitted within 500 metres of the shore. “It was an amazing place that hasn’t really changed in hundreds of years. The work was exhibited in Thessaloniki and hopefully will be seen in the UK one day.”

One intriguing aspect of his current work and one that Vyner shares with other artists, such as David Hockney, who have embraced the iPad is that it also allows viewers to see the process of how a particular piece unfolds.

“You do feel exposed,” says Vyner “as it recalls the history of that drawing with every mistake, but people are fascinated by that. If iPads had been available at the time, I’m sure the great war artists such as Eric Ravilious would have used them instead of pen and ink. But what I don’t want is for the medium to dominate – the story must be at the forefront.”

Vyner’s images of the World Cup can also be seen later

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this year at the National Football Museum in Manchester and he hopes they could at some stage they will be shown in Bath or Bristol. His London 2012 illustrations were, for example, shown at the Royal United Hospital in Bath and such is the body of his work, one of the city’s galleries might give serious thought to staging a retrospective of his artwork. In the ephemeral world of social media, Vyner’s vibrant illustrations give a moment in time a sense of permanence. n Visit: timvyner.com

ABOVE: Vyner’s mural on the fence of the former Herman Miller furniture factory on Locksbrook Road, Bath BELOW: Brazilian footballer Gilberto Silva captured by Vyner at a question and answer session

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HISTORY

Bowood in the 1920s,

by Charles Reid

TALES FROM THE ESTATE Behind its beautiful architecture and the impressive landscaped gardens by Capability Brown, Bowood House holds tales of tragedy and heartbreak. Catherine Pitt explores the history behind the estate

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ess than 20 miles from the centre of Bath is an estate and stately home that holds fond memories for many locals – a place of many family picnics by the lake and pirate ship adventures, the site of annual dog shows and outdoor concerts. But what is not so widely known is that Bowood also holds much history and some tragic tales.

Bowood House and Estate is the residence of the Marquis and Marchioness of Lansdowne and is open for half the year to the public. It boasts beautiful Capability Brown landscaped gardens, grottos and a sparkling lake, plus a children’s adventure playground and farm on site. There’s also a hotel, spa, as well as an 18-hole championship golf course.

A FAMILY AFFAIR Bowood was once part of the Royal Forest of Chippenham and the original great house began to be built in 1725 on the site of a hunting lodge. In 1754 the estate was bought

by John Petty, 1st Earl of Shelburne (1705–61), whose son William (1737–1805) was Prime Minister for a short time from 1782–83. In 1784 William became the 1st Marquis of Lansdowne following his part in negotiating peace between England and America after the War of Independence.

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Major Lord Charles, the son of the 5th Marquis, who died near Ypres in 1914

ministers of state for colonial affairs, and the 5th Marquis, Henry Charles Keith PettyFitzmaurice (1845–1927) was Viceroy of India and Governor General of Canada.

It is interesting to note that the Lansdownes use the French ‘Marquis’ instead of ‘Marquess’ as their title. This links to their French ancestry through the 4th Marquis, Henry Thomas (1816–66), who married Emily de Flahaut, daughter of the Comte de Flahaut, Napoleon’s aide-de-camp.

It also explains the Napoleonic collection that is on view to the public in the house, which includes Napoleon’s death mask, handkerchief and a lock of hair.

A HOME FROM HOME The 1st Marquis was an avid collector of fine art and sculpture and built up a vast

collection, sadly squandered by the 2nd Marquis, John Henry Petty (1765–1809), who sold it to pay his debts. However, the collection on display today mainly comes from the 3rd Marquis, Henry PettyFitzmaurice (1780–1863), who was an avid patron of the arts and a philanthropist. Some of the fixtures, fittings and artwork on display are from the original main house, though there is little but black and white photographs now to bear witness to what was once an even more impressive estate.

The house that we see today is only half of the story. Bowood is, in fact, a survivor of post-war Britain, but only just. By 1955 crippling death duties, taxation and restoration costs had caused at least one stately home to be demolished every five days. There was no heritage building protection policy at this time and Bowood very nearly joined a long list of lost houses.

The 8th Marquis, George John Charles Mercer Nairne (1912–99) deliberated long and hard over the need to demolish the main house (known as the Big House), but in the end, to prevent the loss of the whole estate, he reluctantly did so. The interior and exterior were sold off at auction and in 1956 the south portico, the final relic the Big House to remain, was torn down and the area was levelled.

The family reside in part of what is known as the Little House, overlooking the lawn where once the Big House stood. If you position yourself at the end of this expanse of lawn you can just make out the faded remains of the original drive, wending its

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HISTORY

The ward when Bowood ran as a military hospital, c1918

© Anna Stowe

Bowood is known for its impeccable gardens

The 5th Marquis used his position to write a 2,000 word letter in 1917 arguing for a negotiated settlement with Germany, fearing continued bloodshed, deadlock and financial ruin. It was published in The Daily Telegraph on 29 November 1917, stating: “If (a knock-out blow) is made in vain…the war with its nameless horrors will have been needlessly prolonged.”

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If (a knock-out blow) is made in vain…the war with its nameless horrors will have been needlessly prolonged – LANSDOWNE LETTER, NOVEMBER 1917 –

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(1872–1936) had five children, three of whom were boys. His first son died young, and both the second son, Charles (who inherited his father’s title in 1936), and the third son, Edward, died within a few days of each other fighting in the Second World War. The title passed to their cousin George (the 8th Marquis) whose father had met an equally tragic end in the First World War. In the current exhibition in the orangery, visitors can discover how the impact of the death of the 5th Marquis’ beloved younger son Charles (1874–1914), inspired a bereft father to go against the popular and political opinion of the day and cause the family to be initially shunned by society.

NEW DISCOVERIES At the start of the First World War, and as Next door to the library is a small, a member of parliament, the 5th Marquis unassuming room, but one of historic and the Lansdowne family supported the war importance. It was here, in what was a small laboratory in 1774, that a scientist, and tutor effort. In fact the very orangery where the exhibition is displayed was once a military to the 1st Marquis’ sons, Joseph Priestley, hospital for wounded soldiers, and there is a discovered oxygen. One historic discovery it seems was not enough however, and only a bronze plaque above the door and photographs attesting to the role of Bowood few years later, in 1779, Dr Jan Ingenhousz during this period. was invited by the 1st Marquis to use As with most men in 1914, Lord Charles Priestley’s lab. It was here that Ingenhousz wanted to do his duty and head to the Front. discovered photosynthesis. These important He had fought previously in the Boer War as scientific discoveries are celebrated by a part of the King’s Royal Dragoons and number of plaques on the door to the joined them again, this time as Major in the laboratory.

6th Cavalry Brigade.

In what is now regarded as the sculpture Leaving behind his young wife and two gallery you can find 16th and 17th-century infant children (including the future 8th Flemish tapestries along with Greco-Roman statues. This Marquis, George), he died fighting near Ypres in October 1914. room’s original use in the “Our sorrow…will last as long as 18th century was we last ourselves,” Henry, 5th apparently as a Marquis, wrote to his wife menagerie, and it is following his son’s death. recorded that both a The poignant letters between leopard and an the parents, siblings and between orangutan were kept Charles’ wife and his parents are here, though heart-wrenching to read. The hopefully not in the simplicity of a cross marked in same vicinity. his brother’s diary on the day of his death is a moving tribute.

THE TRAGEDY OF WAR As the war progressed and Despite their there was no sign of peace, the 5th privileged position, the Marquis grew despondent at the The 5th Marquis Lansdowne family have continued unnecessary loss of life with the future 8th not been without tragedy. due to the government’s insistence on Marquis, George The 6th Marquis c1916 fighting regardless of the cost.

ghostly way through the grass, and then vanishing.

In what was once stables, an orangery, and in the 18th century a zoo is the part of the Little House that is open to visitors. There is also the family chapel, a restaurant and shop as well as exhibition space.

The library is where you will find homely touches, such as family photographs and comfy sofas. In the winter the family regain public areas and you can imagine them sitting by a roaring fire set in the Robert Adam fireplace rescued from the drawing room of the Big House.

In the exhibition you can see what is known as the Lansdowne Letter in full, as well as the subsequent responses. At a time when patriotism and military support were highly regarded, the 5th Marquis was a lone public voice against continued fighting.

Privately he received many letters of support.

Publicly, however, he was shunned from society. Even his heir, Henry, Lord Kerry, disassociated himself from his father, although later on in the 1930s, after some time of reflection, he later retracted this.

Vilified and outcast, the 5th Marquis’ actions during the First World War have largely been forgotten. Although notably American President Woodrow Wilson cited his letter as inspiration for the Paris Peace Treaty with Germany in 1918 that finally ended the war. It is hoped that this exhibition will help restore his reputation.

If peace had been negotiated earlier, inspired by the Marquis’ words, there is no doubt that many young men’s lives would have been saved. n Bowood House and Gardens are open daily until November; bowood.org

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FOOD | AND | DRINK

EATING EN FAMILLE

The summer holidays are looming – exciting for children, but the pressure is on for those planning the schedule of events, and especially what to eat in between. Melissa Blease has some inspired ideas for food that works for families

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ummer’s here, and the time is right for... wondering how on earth to deal with the hungry school holiday ahead. It’s possible that all manner of get-togethers are rising high on the summer months agenda, too, as the diary fills up with playdates, family celebrations and out-of-town visitors landing on your doorstep. What to do, where to go – and what are we all going to eat?

Read on...

A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY Taking a break from the at-home kitchen can be a wonderful opportunity to introduce younger members of the clan to flavours or styles of eating that they’ve yet to discover. Lunch or dinner at The Scallop Shell – the cheerfully chic little seafood café/diner on Monmouth Place – is a ‘safe territory’, an obvious family friendly option. Yet consider this: while fish, chips and mushy peas (and even the most pea-phobic among us will adore the marvellous mushies served here) can’t fail to hit the feeding-frenzy sweet spot for all ages, this distinctly laidback zone doubles up as a fascinating showcase for all manner of fish and seasonal seafood. And much of it is displayed at the front of the open kitchen (in itself a pretty good attention-distractor for fractious families) in a Victorian cast iron, ice-filled bathtub. If the little ones among you have yet to sample their first taste of prawns (served here in half-pint portion), mussels or razor clams, this is the kind of place that’s guaranteed to encourage them to dive in. Still not convinced? There are braised meatballs, cod fishcakes and chickpea fritters on the menu too, while an alfresco terrace offers a seaside holiday vibe... and a glimpse of potatoes being peeled through a dinky little window into the Potato Room is surprisingly fascinating good fun.

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created from myriad fresh ingredients in an environment that tastefully blends both old and new world design inspirations within the elegant confines of Bluecoat House on Saw Close. The Little Tapas for Little People selection offers a mix’n’match small plate menu (two dishes for £5.95) that’s specifically designed to appeal to palates not yet accustomed to highly spiced flavours, but just spicy enough to enthral; think along the lines of pork dumplings, chicken satay, spring rolls, chicken and vegetable noodles and mild Massaman curry, served up in a bright, lively environment.

PLAY SAFE! Pizza, burgers and sausages: they’re the fall-back freezer staples that every household with kids under the same roof relies on. It’s rare, however, that you’re able to offer ten different dough bases (including gluten-free options) for that pizza, or an instant grilled cheese sandwich or hot dog as an alternative to that burger, or a veggie/fish finger alternative to those who turn their nose up at the prospect of sausages on any given evening. So... let the specialists do the hard work for you.

Dough Pizza specialises in dough bases topped with all manner of toppings from the classic Margherita to the Meaty Feast by way of Le Freak, the Poker and even a chocolate base version, filled with strawberries, banana, and Nutella. If there isn’t something for everybody on that list, share a lasagne or pesto pasta with them. And if they need something to look at while they’re waiting for the food to appear, there’s a dough acrobat (yes, really) hard at work in the open kitchen.

At the Clifton Sausage, a spacious alfresco terrace offers splendid views across Bath and plenty of space for pushchair paraphernalia inside too, should you need to take your sausage festival indoors. On the Little Piglets menu, sausages (including a vegetarian option) sit happily alongside roast chicken and fish fingers, all served with either chips, skinny fries, mash, baked beans or peas for

ABOVE: left, the egg café is located at the entrance of the egg theatre just by the Theatre Royal Bath.

ABOVE: right Dough Pizza has a dough acrobat performing in the open-plan kitchen to keep the little ones entertained

OPPOSITE: left, the Komedia Café has plenty of room for buggies and supplies toys and books to keep boredom at bay OPPOSITE: right, the Victorian cast ion icefilled bathtub at The Scallop Shell

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just £4.95, to include a scoop of ice cream or sorbet for pud.

Down SouthGate way, the kid’s menu at Smashburger – Bath’s buzziest, brightest burger emporium – offers chicken, hot dog and grilled cheese sandwich options alongside the enduringly popular patty-in-a-bun for just £4.95, to include a drink (but not, unfortunately, one of Smashburger’s amazing hand-spun shakes, which can only be described as irresistible to all ages).

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Establish a camp on the Locksbrook’s huge alfresco patio and let the little ones make free with the children’s menu

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GET ACTIVE Eating out with little people isn’t known for being a linger-long, relaxing experience. Fortunately, there are welcoming watering holes on hand to accommodate both your needs and theirs: you get to sit back and chillax while they run wild and do their own thing.

The unique, innovative egg – part of the the Theatre Royal Bath complex on St Johns Place – has all kinds of everything going on for children and young people, all year round. But it’s also home to a family-friendly café based in lively, spacious surroundings incorporating a large play area complete with an indoor sandpit.

Healthy, well-balanced lunch menus at The egg run the whole gamut from paninis, salads, quiches and bagels for the grown ups to fish finger sandwiches, hummous and carrot sticks and soup in child-friendly portions for the kids. The Children’s Lunch Plate costs £4.95 and includes fruit, carrot sticks and crisps to accompany their choice of buttie, and gluten-free, veggie and vegan options go large... as do the tantalising homemade cakes, best enjoyed with a pot of tea at an alfresco table on the traffic-free lane outside (weather permitting, natch!)

The vibrant Arts Café at Komedia on Westgate Street prides itself on offering a warm welcome to families with little ones on tow, with plenty of space for prams, spacious changing areas and lots of toys and books to keep the brood busy. On the food front, downhome dinky delights such as macaroni cheese, boiled or scrambled egg with soldiers, homemade baked beans on toast and chicken goujons/fish fingers with chips – all freshly prepared from locally sourced ingredients, with no sugar or salt added – cost no more

than £4, while the grown-up menu includes eggs Florentine, Benedict and Royale that are widely acknowledged to be the tastiest versions of the genre in town, alongside a wide selection of imaginative, hearty, trendy homemade treats.

GET OUTSIDE Offering swoonsome views across across the hills, vales and hamlets to the north and east of Bath from rolling lawns, split-level patios and huge picture windows, The Hare and Hounds – perched on the northerly Lansdown slopes – offers a picture-perfect pastoral paradise experience without the stress of a long drive from the city centre. In the garden, a magical woodland play area just begs to be explored, with rope climbs, log challenges and look-out points guaranteed to keep your explorers entertained for hours while you sit back and take in that view.

You won’t have any problem, however, when it comes to calling them back to base for some grub; the H&H Children’s Menu has all possible refuel requirements covered, from nibbly bits (vegetable batons with hummous and breadsticks; garlic bread with cheese) to main courses such as pasta pesto, sausage and mash or mini fish and chips, while all the dishes on the grown-up menu can be ordered at a half-size portion for half the regular price.

H&H sister venture The Locksbrook Inn, meanwhile (on the other side of Bath, in Lower Weston) boasts the perfect summertime staycation location, directly adjacent to the canal and offering easy access from/to the cycle/towpaths. Drop anchor/hop off the bike here, establish a camp on the Locksbrook’s huge alfresco patio and let the little ones make free with a children’s menu that includes complimentary bread sticks with every meal on arrival before sailing through classic faves such as spaghetti and meatballs, fish and chips, pizza and sausage, mash and peas all priced at £4 or £6, depending on appetite. Fancy a triple chocolate ice cream sundae? The kids definitely do – and at £3, you won’t put up too much of a fight about ordering one for yourself, either; ah, the summer holidays bring their own rewards for well-behaved grown ups, too. n • The Scallop Shell, 22 Monmouth Place, Bath • Giggling Squid, Bluecoat House, Saw Close, Bath • Dough Pizza, 14–16 The Corridor, Bath • Clifton Sausage, 5 Bladud Buildings, The Paragon, Bath • Smashburger, 8/9 Southgate St, Bath • The egg café, 36 Monmouth Street, Bath • Arts Café at Komedia, 22–23 Westgate Street, Bath • Hare & Hounds, Lansdown Road, Bath • The Locksbrook Inn, 103 Locksbrook Road, Bath

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FOOD | NEWS

FOOD&DRINK NEWS NEW BAR FOR SCALLOP SHELL

The Scallop Shell fish and chip restaurant and seafood grill on Monmouth Place in Bath has opened its new bar and outdoor terrace. “If we’re full, our customers can sit and have a drink in our first-floor bar,” says chef and owner Garry Rosser. “We’ve extended our drinks offering and have just introduced a weekly cocktail.”

The alfresco terrace has a nautical decor and a secluded feel: “It’s easy to imagine you’re by the coast rather than in the centre of the city,” adds Garry. The terrace will be open until the end of British summertime and is covered and heated for days when it’s not so warm; thescallopshell.co.uk

SEVEN COURSES AT THE BATH PRIORY

Executive chef Michael Nizzero’s menus at The Bath Priory are just about as beautiful to look at as they are to eat. A seven-course tasting menu with matched wine flight is available for £150 per person until 31 July, a great opportunity to taste a range of dishes.

Each dish makes the most of the finest ingredients of the season, and each course is paired with a wine chosen by the hotel’s head sommelier. Should the sun shine, you can also enjoy one of the city’s most beautiful al fresco spots, and take coffee on the summer terrace, overlooking The Bath Priory’s four acres of gardens.

The tasting menu is available at lunch and dinner, Monday to Thursday, until 31 July. Pre-booking is essential.

Tel: 01225 331922; thebathpriory.co.uk

DARCY’S NEWS CAFÉ

Breakfast served until 3pm daily Lunch from 12pm 34 Gay Street www.darcysofbath.com 01225 425 308

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HOP TO HARE BREWERY

The west country brewer, Bath Ales, has recently opened its doors to a state-of-the-art brewery. Hare Brewery combines traditional artisan methods with advanced, modern brewing equipment to bring old favourites and some exciting new beers. For the first time, there will also be weekly tours.

As well as a full guided tour of the brewhouse, visitors will be treated to a beer sampling session and two complimentary half pints in The Bath Tap. There are plenty of freshly brewed beers on draught to choose from, including Bath Ales’ first lager, Sulis.

Brewed with Lemon Drop and Hüll Melon hops, it is light and refreshing with a hint of fruitiness. Tours take place on Thursdays at 6pm and Saturdays at 2pm, at £15 per person. Tel: 0117 947 4797 or email hare@bathales.co.uk; bathales.com/brewery

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TRISTAN DARBY Columnist Tristan Darby recommends some interesting and alternative summer wines

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e’ve passed the halfway mark of the year, the mercury is rising, and it’s time for buying lighter, fresher styles of wine for the warm summer days ahead. But with so many different wines available to us lucky UK consumers, it’s easy to stick with safe ‘go-to’ options like sauvignon, pinot and Beaujolais. With that in mind, here are a few alternative off-thebeaten-track wines that are perfect for summer sipping.

Pedro Ximenez (PX for short) is a white grape you might have heard of before. It’s from Andalucia, where its harvested over-ripe and sun-dried either to make one of the world’s sweetest wines (also called PX) or to be used as a sweetening agent for sherry. However, our first wine is an unusually dry and crisp take on PX that’s well worth checking out.

Vina Falernia, Elki Pedro Ximenez (£8.95, Great Western Wine) is made on the southern fringes of the Atacama Desert in Chile’s northern Elqui Valley. With lovely floral and lime zest notes, it’s ideal for everyday summer drinking, aperitifs and light summer salads. There’s some weight and texture to the palate too which adds interest for drinking and also makes it suitable for light fish and chicken dishes. This is a fab summer staple worth stocking up on.

Sparkling wine is England’s flagship style with national and global accolades, but we’re also making some delicious still wines, and with production and quality on the up they’re starting to make their mark too. Production costs are high, so rather than compete with bulk wines from afar, savvy producers are focussing on quality. Lyme Bay, Shoreline (£16.95, GWW) is made just north of Seaton on Devon’s Jurassic Coast. It’s gorgeously light, dry, aromatic and fresh with subtle layers of citrus, elderflower and nettle followed up with a lip-smackingly dry mineral and saline finish. This is English coastal countryside in a glass, and the perfect wine for fresh seafood, summer afternoons in the garden, or a trip to the beach.

Chilling red wine seems counter-intuitive to many Brits I meet in our often grey and pleasant land. But a lightly chilled red on a hot day can be really refreshing. Juicy, fruity, lower tannin, lower alcohol wines work best and pinot noir, grenache and gamay are classic grapes to go for – but here’s a couple of alternatives. Ailala, Souson (£13.95, GWW) from Ribeiro in north west Spain is fresh, fruity and jam-packed with blueberry and plum flavours. It’s smooth but comes with the local Souson grapes’ hallmark acidity which brightens the palate and refreshes. It’s great to have at hand for when the sun gets his hat on and is perfect with chicken, pork or cured meat.

Elegant and attractively fresh, Huaso de Sauzal, País (£22.95, GWW) is made from local Chilean Pais grapes harvested from ancient vines up to 300 years old in the Maule Valley. It’s a ‘natural’ wine vinified using gentle traditional winemaking techniques, resulting in another fabulously juicy red with cherry-like fruit and touch of smoky spice on the finish. It’s unique, unusual and versatile enough to enjoy at picnics, barbecues, and even with poshed-up pizza. n

Join Tristan for an Interesting Whites and Refreshing Reds tasting at Great Western Wine on 25 July. Visit: greatwesternwine.co.uk/events for tickets.

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Food review July Sign of the Angel.qxp_Layout 1 22/06/2018 12:35 Page 1

RESTAURANT | REVIEW

SIGN OF THE ANGEL 6 Church Street, Lacock, Chippenham SN15 2LB. Tel: 01249 730230; signoftheangel.co.uk

R E V I EW

A SIGN OF THE TIMES

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et’s go back to 1480. It was nearing the end of the Plantagenet period.

Edward IV was on the throne.

Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile had initiated the Spanish Inquisition. And The Angel Inn was built in Lacock. The ‘angel’ was an English gold coin introduced by Edward IV – so iconic that many pubs were named after it.

Later rebranded as Sign of the Angel, this ancient inn does, literally, transport you back in time. The timber-framed exterior, the leaded oriel windows, the wonky beams, the moulded stone fireplaces and the stone floors have seen five centuries of use.

Since 2014, Sign of the Angel has been run by two entrepreneurial brothers, Jack and Tom Nicholas (who also run another local business, the Whitley Golf Club), in collaboration with chef Jon Furby who oversees the kitchen and the day-to-day operations. When the brothers first arrived, the inn was looking run down after a long winter when it had been left empty and cold, so they refurbished the building, stripping back and decorating simply and subtly around the sturdy ancient features.

The food, too, had a makeover. Defined as modern rustic, it’s fresh, seasonal and assiduously sourced from the west country.

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masked disguise. But that’s all part of the powerful period backdrop.

The lunch menu looks honest and downto-earth – including sea salted fish and chips, Cheddar cheese ploughman’s or ‘Angel’ pie with creamed potato, seasonal vegetables and gravy. There are vegetarian and glutenfree options, too, and an evening tasting menu, for £40 for seven courses with £18 for drinks pairing. There are also monthly events where the tasting menu is based around three items – July, for example, features rabbit, bass and apricot.

Having taken our order, waitress Erin came back with a selection of home-baked, hardto-resist character breads – curry and coriander; raisin; and smoked salmon and sesame seed. Having eaten way too much of all three, my starter was lobster arancini – creamy risotto rice balls, breaded, fried and stuffed with lobster meat, avocado, cucumber and mango. Edward IV, or one of his Lacock nobles, might not have encountered arancini, certainly not with avocado or mango, but that wasn’t the point, as the avocado ooze and the fresh tang of mango were sublime. Rob – aka Drogo – went for a more traditional meat option, duck liver parfait with watercress, plum, crackling and whisky.

Waiting for the main, Drogo and I were taken aback when Erin brought us a cooling blackcurrant sorbet. Night’s Watch recruit Hot Pie would not have approved. It was a palate cleanser. Hot Pie would still not have

approved, but the sorbet was totally, angelically divine.

I transferred from the food of the sea and the fruit of the hedges to the food of the air – with guinea fowl and pea bubble squeak cake with beetroot, raisin, orange and mustard dressing. It was simple and stylish, with circular daubs of pale mustard dressing creating a decorative surround, the thick slices of poultry melting softly into the bubble squeak cake. Drogo – who rarely has truck with a light main – chose the lamb rump served with minted potato, broad beans, celeriac and mint sauce. It was a juicy, textured spectacle, succulent lamb piled on glistening minted potato with cubes of celeriac absorbing the jus.

Eschewing my favourite brûlée option for dessert – and it did sound wonderful, vanilla brûlée with pecan and shortbread – I enjoyed gin and lime parfait with meringue, jelly and cucumber. Served on a matt black plate, the mini white meringue cakes and the bleach of the parfait creached a suffusion of brightness, only dimmed by its consumption.

Drogo – normally a crumble man – unexpectedly chose the west country cheese platter. With an exotic selection of crackers, a walnut concoction and yellow cherries balancing elegantly on the cheese, this was cheese and biscuits with attitude.

Go then to this ancient inn – find your character, take off your sword, warm yourself by the fire and tuck in. n

EC

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SUMMER ON A PLATE

The days are lengthening and that means there’s more time for getting out and about. Melissa Blease takes a look at some summer foodie events in July – from eating pizzas to a background of live music and joining an alfresco dining club

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n and around Bath, we’re spoiled for glorious pub gardens to kick back and relax in. We’ve got perfectly picturesque picnic locations on our doorsteps. Many of us have our own little patch of greenery to set up an impromptu party in... or at least, a handy park nearby. But sometimes, we want a taste of summer handed to us on a plate that we don’t have to worry about washing up when the sun sets – which is why we’re celebrating the summer parties that we’re all invited to this month.

AFTERNOON SUMMER SOIRÉE AT THE BATH PRIORY

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The USP: real pizzas, freshly prepared by a team of dedicated foodies who are passionate about the local produce on our doorstep

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Ah, The Bath Priory: located in Bath’s version of the Hollywood Hills, this quintessentially elegant, long-established, world-class, escape-from-it-all sanctuary represents the epitome of traditional British glamour. Meanwhile, the hotel’s sublimely beautiful private grounds (four acres in total, incorporating a kitchen garden, sumptuous meadow and impeccably manicured lawns, all lovingly tended by Chelsea Flower Show award-winner Jane Moore) form an integral part of the overall Bath Priory experience. On Thursday 5 July, we’re all invited to experience the glory of those gardens at what’s surely the most refined summer soirée in town. Arrive at 12.30pm and expect to be greeted by live music, courtesy of a mellow jazz band before you enjoy an arrival drink and canapés served on the garden terrace. The canapés will subtly segue into a three-course lunch and wine in the hotel’s restaurant before you take a leisurely stroll around the fabulous foliage. Tickets for this exquisite extravaganza cost £55 per person; call the hotel’s events team on 01225 331922 or email events@thebathpriory.co.uk to make that all-important reservation.

POP-UP EVENTS AT ELECTRIC BEAR CO

Since totally reinvigorating the site of a former maltings on Brassmill Lane in August 2015 by establishing a craft brewery and tap room, it’s estimated that the Electric Bear Brewing Co has produced more than 250,000 pints of beer. This is from a range of 25 plus labels, many of which have won a clutch of prestigious local, national and international beer awards. Now it has to be said that the car park adjacent to beer HQ itself doesn’t exactly scream “location, location, location” to those in search of dignified summertime fun. But if you think laterally, it’s the ideal spot in which to put a whole new spin on the old saying based around who best knows how to organise an, erm, knees-up in a brewery.

You can sample the freshest Electric Bear brews direct from the taproom every Friday and Saturday, or visit the shop any day of the week. But if you fancy a taste of urban carnival life, the Electric Bear Street Food events hosted by fabulous Filipino-themed foodies JC’s Kitchen on Friday 13 July and the Twisted Indian Pop-Up on Friday 27

July are the hippest, most happening dates for your diary.

SUMMER SESSIONS AT THE BATH PIZZA CO

The Bath Pizza Co is the little sister venture to the Green Park Brasserie restaurant and bar, which has proudly flown the flag for the city’s independent merrymaking scene for almost a quarter of a century. Since raising their canopy in April 2016, the Bath Pizza Co has transformed the area adjacent to the thriving Green Park Station Market into the kind of casual, lively refuelling hotspot that tasteful Bathonians so richly deserve. An open kitchen is home to a wood-fired oven that acts as the epicentre to the BPC’s USP: real pizzas, freshly prepared by a team of dedicated foodies who are passionate about the local produce on our doorstep. But there’s yet more to the BPC than even those perfect pizzas. The company’s Summer Sessions series plays host to a variety of the best music-makers in and around the locale, with the super-cool Kinsman Trio playing live on the covered semi-alfresco terrace to supplement the dough-based delectation on both Thursday 12 and Thursday 19 July. Admission is free; drink and meal deals abound.

ALFRESCO DINING CLUB AT THE INN AT FRESHFORD

If you haven’t visited the Inn at Freshford lately, summer is the perfect time to get with the fresh-faced programme. This characterful, historic pub now thrives in the capable hands of the Ideal Trade Company, who fairly recently undertook the

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alfresco terrace that opens on to the historic park and gardens nearby. Enjoy exclusive after-hours access to the Holburne on Friday 27 July, when the galleries, café and garden will all remain open until 9pm, four hours longer than usual. There’ll be live music in the café and the opportunity to enjoy a cocktail and admission to the Holburne’s latest special exhibition Prized Possessions: Dutch Masterpieces from the National Trust Houses at the special offer price of £10.

FUTHER INSPIRATION FOR GROWN-UP JULY JOLLIFICATION

Piper Heidseick Rooftop Champagne Bar at The Mint Room, Lower Bristol Road Champagne/premium liqueur-based mix-up magic-in-aglass served up in super pretty, instant instagram hit surroundings (fairy lights and candles; cushion-strewn sofas) combine to create an exclusive ‘members only club’ vibe set against a unique contemporary skyline backdrop.

ABOVE: take advantage of afterhours access to the Holburne Museum on 27 July when there will be live music in the café BELOW: left, The Ivy Bath Brasserie’s rooftop terrace offers a dose of chic, chilledout glam BELOW: right, Alfresco dining with food cooked on an open fire at the Inn at Freshford

OPPOSITE: above, real, freshly prepared pizzas served by The Bath Pizza Co adjacent to the Green Park Station Market OPPOSITE: below, an Electric Bear Street Event with JC’s Kitchen

refurbishment of three very special pubs in the nearby vicinity (the Cross Guns in Avoncliff and the Old Crown Inn on Kelston Road completing the triumvirate), giving all of them the care and attention they so richly deserved.

Today, all three funky contemporary inns specialise in proper, down-to-earth modern pub grub and feature splendid gardens to chill out in when the sun comes out to play – and on Friday 27 July, playing out at the Inn at Freshford is exactly what we’re going to do when the Barabiku Alfresco Dining Club dominates proceedings.

Featuring a bespoke seasonal menu freshly prepared on site from locally sourced ingredients and cooked using a variety of open-fire cooking methods, we reckon that this is set to be the barbecue garden party of our dreams.

Space is strictly limited and the event is predicted to be very popular indeed, therefore advance booking is essential; call 01225 722250 or email info@theinnatfreshford.com for further information and to ensure your place on the guest list. Can’t make the date? Check out the Barabiku Feasts hosted by the Cross Guns in Avoncliff on the first Sunday of every month.

HOLBURNE UP LATE

Home to one of the most fascinating art and museum collections in the west country, surrounded by enchanting esplanades and adjacent to a former 18th-century pleasure garden, the Holburne Museum is Bath’s grandest cultural oasis... and it happens to be attached to the glorious, fully licensed Garden Café, featuring a private

Rooftop terrace at the Ivy Bath Brasserie, Milsom Street Chic but chilled-out, glam but genial, this lovely little open-air courtyard dining room subtly beguiles all who take to a table here. Top tip: the lunch/early dining set menu offers exceptional value for money – two courses £16.50; three £21.

Alfresco Sharing Menu at The Royal Crescent Hotel Royal Crescent executive head chef David Campbell has created an array of delicious sharing plates designed to be enjoyed in the the hotel’s beautiful private garden from 5–8pm every weekday... This proves that luxury can be a very affordable treat for all: the elegant small plates are priced at a remarkable £2–£6 each, while impeccably gracious service, an exquisitely dignified vibe and the uniquely beautiful surroundings come as standard. n • The Bath Priory, Weston Road, Bath • The Electric Bear Co, Unit 12, The Maltings, Brassmill Lane, Bath • The Bath Pizza Company, Green Park Station, 2–3 Westmoreland Station Road, Bath • The Inn at Freshford, The Hill, Freshford, Bath • The Holburne Museum, Great Pulteney Street, Bath • The Mint Room, Longmead Gospel Hall, Lower Bristol Road, Bath • The Ivy Bath Brasserie, 39 Milsom Street, Bath • The Royal Crescent Hotel, 16 Royal Crescent, Bath

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THE TOP SPOTS FOR COFFEE Our favourite places for a good ol’ cup of Joe and a delicious spot of lunch

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re you a fan of a flat white? Or are you more of a caramel macchiato kind of person? Maybe you’re always in search of your morning espresso, or a mocha is your daily indulgence.

Either way, everyone has their preferred brew and it seems that the coffee market doesn’t show any signs of slowing in the UK. It has pushed past the recession at great speed and sales are increasing year on year, with an estimated 2.4 billion cups of coffee being consumed annually in this country, according to the World Coffee Portal, resulting in a turnover of £9.6 billion in 2017.

Whether it’s an early morning take-out, a mid-morning refreshment, or an afternoon pick-me up, enjoying quality coffee has become an essential part of most people’s day, and Bathonians are no exception. Bath’s baristas serve up an estimated £16 million worth of espressos, lattes, cappuccino and flat whites every year. But how do you pick where to go for your cup of Joe? We’ve been on a delicious tour of the city this month and rounded up some of the city’s best cafés and delis to discover the best coffee blends, sweet treats and savoury snacks.

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THE COLOMBIAN COMPANY Owner Jhampoll Gutierrez opened his lively, welcoming coffee shop The Colombian Company in November last year, but his passion for coffee started during his childhood. Today he imports the best speciality green coffee from Colombia, buying only from small farmers. This gives him direct contact with producers who struggle to compete with big farms selling to large companies.

The company is based on quality, traceability and a direct relationship with the farmer. As well as ethically sourced and expertly made coffee, including the specially created Bombon (espresso and condensed milk), the range available also includes Colombian chocolate and Panela (sugar cane) as well as delicious cakes and savouries. Ground coffees are also available to buy from the coffee shop and online.

6 Abbeygate Street, Bath BA1 1NP Tel: 01225 316774; thecolombiancompany.com

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COFFEE | SHOPS

THE GARDEN CAFÉ The Garden Café at the Holburne Museum has been run by Benugo since the museum reopened in 2011. The company specialises in serving great-tasting food in beautiful surroundings.

Benugo has partnered with some of the best cultural and historic institutions in the country, if not the world. It operates in amazing locations like the British Museum, the V&A, the Natural History Museum, the Ashmolean Museum and, of course, the Holburne, as well as a collection of castles which are part of Historic Scotland.

The Garden Café has fresh food that changes with the seasons, with delicious light salads, pasta, cakes and tarts which can be enjoyed in the café or taken out under the trees for an impromptu picnic.

If you’re a coffee connoisseur, you’ll know that Benugo is famous for its coffee credentials, having picked up two London Lifestyle Awards for London’s Coffee Shop of the Year. This espresso culture is reflected in the new barista-brewed drinks, which include flat whites, macchiatos and soft brew.

Benugo’s coffee has a 90/10 split between Arabica and Robusta beans, and is sourced from Brazil, Nicaragua, Honduras and Vietnam – with flavours ranging from tropical sweetness to red berry.

If you are visiting the Holburne, be sure to drop by. Don’t forget, too, that the museum and café are open until 9pm on the last Friday of the month for drinks, nibbles, music and pop-up events.

The Holburne Museum, Great Pulteney Street, Bath, BA2 4DB Tel: 01225 388572; holburne.org

THE BATH COFFEE COMPANY

The Bath Coffee Company offers a spacious place to sit back and relax over a cup of coffee made from expertly prepared espresso.

Owner and master roaster of Square Root Coffee Adrian Smith roasts his arabica beans in small batches, meaning there’s usually something new and seasonal for visitors in Kingsmead Square to try all year round.

After working in the brewing industry for 20 years, Adrian turned his hand to speciality coffee, using his experience to identify certain flavours and aromas obtained from different beans.

Adrian says: “We work very closely with a number of speciality green bean importers who ethically source all the beans that we roast. We are therefore able to track the bean from field, through farm, processing, storage and shipment to ensure that only the freshest and ripest are being sourced.”

Using Square Root Coffee’s blend, The Bath Coffee Company has a range of different coffee for everyone to enjoy, from flat whites to lattes and mochas to espressos – even little ones can enjoy a babyccino.

There is also an array of delicious daily specials, juices, pastries and cakes available to eat in or take away. Plus, with a variety of board games at hand, you can challenge your friends to a game of Cluedo when you visit. You can also pick up a bag of The Solution, Square Root’s superb blend, in store.

14 Kingsmead Square, Bath, BA1 2AD Tel: 01225 314881; bathcoffeecompany.co.uk

THE BRIDGE COFFEE SHOP The Bridge Coffee Shop can be found right on the world-famous Pulteney Bridge. It has been a coffee shop for more than 50 years and has a loyal following of regular customers – it’s not hard to see why with its glorious views over the weir and its cosy décor.

Locally roasted coffee will not disappoint, especially if accompanied by a slab of cake made in the bakery; do you fancy the ultimate chocolate cake or strawberry cheesecake?

The Bredge Coffee Shop is ever popular for takeaway lunches with local workers (there’s a great value meal deal) and with those who fancy a picnic in the warmer months in one of the local parks or down by the river. Well-known for an excellent full English breakfast, we recommend arriving early to avoid disappointment as the seating gets taken up very quickly.

For an afternoon treat you can’t beat enjoying a cream tea with warm scones and a cuppa while you watch the world go by. There is also a special addition of blueberry scones over the summer. Open 8.30am – 5.30pm Monday – Friday, 9am – 6pm Saturday and 9.30am – 5.30pm on Sundays.

15 – 17 Pulteney Bridge, Bath, BA2 4AY Tel: 01225 483339

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THE OLD STABLES COFFEE SHOP

WIDCOMBE DELI Since opening Widcombe Deli in January 2017, Nicky and Jon Ison have received a very warm reception and now have a whole host of loyal regular customers.

Having previously worked in the corporate food industry, they took the opportunity to open this charming local deli/café and engage with the tight-knit community after moving to the area. They want people to feel they’re coming into their kitchen at home, so worked hard on bringing decorative personality to the deli.

The couple pride themselves on independence – everything is home-baked from local produce, plus they have their own brand of coffee, j.j beano’s.

The café and deli seats around 40 guests with lots of sunny outside space. It’s also dog friendly and serves quiches, pastries, bakes, snacks and salads as well as a great range of homemade cakes. They offer outside catering for parties and picnics and can also deliver too.

Gluten-free options. Three separate seating areas ensure that Widcombe Deli retains its quiet and relaxed atmosphere, even when busy.

Talking to customers (and their dogs) and hearing what they want has shaped the transformation of Widcombe Deli, giving local people a place to meet and chat while enjoying fantastic local produce.

18 Widcombe Parade, Claverton Buildings, Bath, BA2 4LD Tel: 01225 313037

Tucked away just off the picturesque streets of Castle Combe, The Old Stables coffee shop offers just the place for a rest from exploring. Inside awaits a delicious choice of homemade cakes, locally roasted coffee, light bites and their renowned heart-shaped scones, all of which can be enjoyed either snuggled up in front of the wood burner or outside soaking up the tranquil atmosphere. Since opening in 2014, The Old Stables has sourced coffee from Rave in Cirencester, using its unbeatable signature blend with notes of chocolate, caramel and nuts. They’re mud friendly, which is good news for dog owners, walkers and cyclists. Open Tuesday–Sunday from 10am.

The Estate Yard, Castle Combe, SN14 7HU Tel: 01249 783872; oldstablesdeli.co.uk

CAKE CAFÉ With two equally delightful outlets on Quiet Street and George Street, Cake Café offers a refreshing coffee shop experience. It specialises in a wide array of homemade style classics, including: rock cakes, carrot cake, Victoria sponge and Bakewell cake to name but a few, all made in the onsite bakery on the first floor of the George Street shop.

The coffee is excellent. The Brazilian beans are locally roasted and made by trained baristas and ground in front of the customer to offer the freshest, tastiest cup of coffee. There is a choice of beautiful looseleaf teas, packed full of flavour; we challenge you to find a nicer Earl Grey blend anywhere else.

There are filled baguettes and toasted paninis for lunch as well as Cornish pasties and sausage rolls, available to eat in or take away.

Families are welcome, and both outlets have a separate lounge with sofas and armchairs. The shop on George Street (which is larger) also has a children’s bookshelf, high chairs and baby changing facilities.

3 York Buildings, George Street, Bath BA1 2EB 2 Quiet Street, Bath BA1 2JS Tel: 01225 789010

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THE EDGE CAFÉ

DARCY’S NEWS CAFÉ Perfectly situated en route to The Circus and The Royal Crescent, Darcy’s is an independent family run café right in the heart of Bath. The team serve Lavazza coffee, a wide range of loose-leaf teas and the delicious ‘real’ hot chocolate (milk, dark, white or sugar free) is such a big hit with the regulars. There is also a large selection of milkshakes and iced coffees. We love the fact that Darcy’s also sells newspapers (including foreign and international titles) and a well chosen selection of magazines – after all, great reading is the perfect accompaniment to a freshly prepared full English breakfast. You can browse the full menu online, but there’s nothing like the real thing... pop in and try it for yourself.

Darcy’s News Café, 34 Gay Street, Bath BA1 2NT Tel: 01225 425308; darcysofbath.com

Settle down with a drink, a salad, sandwich or a slice of cake in this modern new venue set in the heart of the impressive new arts facility based at the University of Bath. Indulge your senses with snacks and light bites at CAFÉ before taking in stimulating art, classes, courses and entertainment in The Edge.

Open: Mon–Fri 9am-2pm, Sat 10.30am–2.30pm. Please note the café is closed on 30 June, 7 and 14 July. The bar is also open in the evening for professional events The Edge, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY Tel: 01225 386777; edgearts.org/visit/cafe

CAFÉ LUCCA

THE BEST OF THE REST PICNIC COFFEE 9 Saracen Street, Bath, BA1 5BR Tel: 01225 330128 picniccoffee.co.uk

ST JAMES CAFÉ DELI 5 – 6 St James’s Street, Bath, BA1 2TW Tel: 01225 336106

TIME OUT Café Lucca revives and relaxes in equal measure. It serves wonderful food in a welcoming environment, offering freshly ground coffee and a light breakfast in the mornings, lunch from a selection of brightly coloured salads and bruschetta and panini, or for afternoon tea an array of tempting cakes. This is the perfect place for catching up with friends, or as a respite from shopping and is one of Bath’s favourite places to see people and be seen. Deliciously fresh, modern Italian-style/Mediterranean food is served in the elegant and spacious surroundings of The Loft. All the fresh produce and Italian products are from small local family suppliers. Based in a traffic-free street in Bath’s boutique quarter, the restaurant is just two minutes’ walk from Milsom Street and The Fashion Museum. And when the sun shines there are tables outside from where one can watch the world go by.

1 – 2 Bartlett Street, Bath BA1 2QZ Tel: 01225 938282; cafelucca.co.uk

Bath Guildhall Market, Bath, BA2 4AW Tel: 01225 424672; bathguildhallmarket.co.uk

SOCIETY CAFÉ 4 – 5 Kingsmead Square, Bath, BA1 2AB and The Corridor, 19 High Street, Bath, BA1 5AJ Tel: 01225 442433; society-cafe.com

CAFE AU LAIT 12 – 14 Dorchester Street, Bath, BA1 1SS Tel: 01225 571808

MOKOKO 7 Dorchester Street, Southgate, Bath, BA1 1SS and 6 Abbey Churchyard, Bath, BA1 1LY Tel: 01225 333444; mokokocoffee.com

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CITY | PEOPLE

CITYNEWS ASSEMBLE FOR A GRAND PARTY Bath’s Assembly Rooms have always been associated with grand parties, gatherings, balls and entertainment. The location still caters for party-goers and this summer, until 31 August, the spacious card room and south-facing garden is available for evening hire, perfect for an evening rendez-vous, an impressive birthday party or an anniversary celebration. Searcys, who offer dining packages from £25, will be catering.

The Assembly Rooms are steeped in history. Jane Austen famously observed high society from there, and Charles Dickens gave public readings there, also mentioning them in The Pickwick Papers. The evening will be held beneath the magnificent 18th-century Whitefriars crystal chandeliers, which are the focal point of all the rooms. An evening’s hire runs from 7pm to midnight, with access from 5pm. The cost is £600.

Tel: 01225 477786 for booking or email bathvenues@bathnes.gov.uk bathvenues.co.uk

BE WISE, BE SEEN Mowbray Woodwards has sponsored a Minerva Owl, which will be perching near the law firm’s office in Queen Square.

The owl has been designed and created by Nyamachomastapeace, a collaboration between two friends and conceptual Bristolbased artists, one of whom is a lawyer at Mowbray Woodwards. The owl design is a satirical reminder of the right to make a choice and the right to freedom of expression. The text on the owl is taken from the famous Monty Python sketch and translates to “Romans go home!”

All funds raised by the Minerva Owls sculpture trail will be shared between four local charities; the RUH’s new Cancer Centre, Bath Young Carers, the Roman Baths Archway Project and the UK Little Owl Project based in Bath; mowbraywoodwards.co.uk

LOOK OUT FOR:

TWILIGHT SHOPPING The streets of Bath are being brought to life with a series of events celebrating Bath’s vibrant evening scene.

Bath at Twilight takes place on 19 July, 16 August, 20 September and 18 October.

Brought to the city by The Bath Bid and Visit Bath, Bath at Twilight will feature a summer market, latenight shopping and a range of entertainment. The days will run from 12 – 8pm. The summer market, created by the organisers of Bath’s Christmas market, will take place in Union Street where fairtrade crafts and produce from local businesses and artisans will be available.

Shops will be offering everything from stylish clothing to beautiful homewares. Thermae Bath Spa is offering twilight sessions every evening from 5 – 8pm and South Gate will be hosting World Cup matches on the big screen. Park & Ride buses will be operating every 20 minutes until 10.30pm; visitbath.co.uk/twilight

BATH BUSINESS BAROMETER

The second Bath Twilight Market takes place on 19 July 2018

UPDATE: MAY 2018

provided by

High Street Footfall

n UK shoppers hit the high street, helping retail sales to bounce back and grow at the sharpest rate in four years, up 4.1% compared with last year; the highest rate of growth since January 2014 (BRITISH RETAIL CONSORTIUM). It was the sunniest May since records began in 1929 with the Royal Wedding and FA Cup Final boosting food and drinks sales. In Bath Saturday 5th May, the bank holiday weekend, recorded the highest footfall, with Bath Rugby seeing a home win.

The Bath Festival 70-year anniversary celebrations and overseas visitors supported the city’s upbeat month of +4.3% increase in footfall year on year.

Bath

(Month on month % change)

+0.9%

South West UK

+4.7%

+4.3%

As Bath prepares for the holiday season, new businesses are arriving and the new monthly Bath at Twilight market will bring an added dimension to early evenings in the city. Businesses are encouraged to stay open and take part – bathbid.co.uk Springboard Research Ltd.

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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

Lifetime gifts and Inheritance Tax (“IHT”) Lifetime gifts, if made tax efficiently, can significantly reduce the amount of Inheritance Tax payable on death.

Individuals have an annual exemption of £3,000 – the value of gifts each tax year that can be made without them being added to the estate. Unused annual exemption can be carried forward to the next year - but only for one year. Spouses each have an annual exemption so there is the potential to give away £12,000 in any tax year free of Inheritance Tax issues.

Each tax year, an individual can usually also give away: • A gift of any amount to a spouse or civil partner provided you are both permanently UK resident • Wedding or civil ceremony gifts of up to £1,000 per person (£2,500 for a grandchild or great-grandchild, £5,000 for a child) • Normal gifts out of your income, for example Christmas or birthday presents you must be able to maintain your standard of living after making the gift • Payments to help with another person’s living costs, such as an elderly relative or a child under 18 • Gifts to charities and political parties • As many gifts of up to £250 per person as you want during the tax year as long as you haven’t used another exemption on the same person.

Gifts exceeding these exemptions & made to non-exempt beneficiaries are normally considered Potentially Exempt Transfers falling outside of your estate provided you live for 7 years following the gift. If there is IHT to pay, it is charged at 40% on gifts made in the 3 years before your death. Gifts made 3 to 7 years before your death are taxed on a sliding scale (‘taper relief’).

Where the transferor of a Potentially Exempt Transfer continues to receive a benefit from the gifted property - for example where the transferor gives their residence to their children but continues to live in it, then special rules apply designed to prevent taxpayers reducing the value of their IHT estates through making gifts while effectively leaving their basic situation unchanged. Such a gift will normally not be considered exempt and may therefore be treated as part of the death estate and still charged to IHT if the estate value including the gift exceeds £325,000.

For tax saving tips contact us – call Marie Maggs, Hannah Pettifer or Mike Wilcox on 01225 445507 for a no-obligation meeting.

We look forward to meeting you - and see our website for more, including FREE download guides.

What our clients say:

“We are a small, but very busy, independent restaurant in Bath…We couldn’t have reached this stage without the help of OCL. I would thoroughly recommend OCL accountants to any small to medium sized business.”

“We couldn't have reached this stage without the help of OCL. I would thoroughly recommend OCL accountants to any small to medium sized business.”

Don’t leave it to chance over your finances

W

hen it comes to our finances, the first priority for many is to protect the wealth that family members have built up over a lifetime, ensuring that our loved ones can enjoy a secure future.

However, personal finances can be incredibly complex, and with so many sources of information out there it’s not always easy to know if you’re getting the best advice, and whether that advice applies to your very specific financial situation.

Most people, of course, seek professional guidance over their financial affairs, as they want to ensure they’re protecting their assets and optimising financial return. However, we’re noticing that, increasingly, clients are speaking to separate legal and financial advisers over a single issue - especially when circumstances are particularly complex.

What this often means is that people have to invest a lot of time explaining their situation to multiple advisers, then relying on those professionals to communicate effectively with one another to move things forward and arrive on a solution. This can be a frustrating process, especially when neither side knows what the other has last said, and you’re left trying to join the dots yourself.

We considered this problem at some length and decided it made a lot of sense to have all of these advisers in one place, so clients could obtain a seamless service, offering the best advice at the greatest possible convenience.

So last month we launched Mogers Drewett Financial Planning – a combined financial and legal advice package under one roof, which can advise on all aspects of a client’s financial affairs including wealth protection, savings, investments and insurance products. we’re excited to be able to offer this forward-thinking service that will add value and make our clients’ lives a lot easier.

At Mogers Drewett, we have an experienced team of legal and financial professionals who make it their mission to go above and beyond for clients. For a friendly discussion about your financial needs, please call 01225 750000. www.mogersdrewett.com Sean McDonough, Partner at Mogers Drewett

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

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EDUCATION

EDUCATION NEWS

Tom Lewin won the CIFE College Award

BATH ACADEMY AWARD WINNERS Bath Academy has announced this year’s CIFE (association of independent sixth form colleges) academic awards winners who were recently presented their awards for academic excellence by Lord Lexden at the House of Lords.

Awards are given to students across CIFE colleges who achieved remarkable A Level and GCSE results last summer.

Tom Lewin won the CIFE College Award – after overcoming many learning challenges, Tom’s determination and focus led to his achieving grades ABB in A Level Business, English and Geography and gaining a place at Oxford Brookes University to read for a BSc in Real Estate Management.

Lucy Brosch was the award winner for the CIFE Value-Added award due to her eight grade improvement to A*AA despite facing health difficulties. She is now studying Psychology at Sussex University.

Lord Lexden said: “This event recognises tremendous academic achievement in our national exams by students from all over the world. It is an acknowledgement of the success of the pupils themselves, and of their teachers, and of their families who entrust their children to our independent sixth-form colleges.” For more information visit: bathacademy.co.uk

ACTING SHOWCASE AT THE RONDO

The cast of students

Lucas Porter delivering Edgar’s speech

A showcase event for students of the Bath School of Acting took place in June at The Rondo Theatre. The Bath School of Acting was set up by husband and wife Tristan and Sarah Carter in 2017, and Liz Jones, who specialises in vocal studies, has recently joined them as a business partner. The Bath School of Acting prepares young adults for the career of acting and gaining entry into major acting schools.

The event was held on a Sunday, which can mean a poor audience turn-out, but the event was full of proud parents and family as well as curious industry professionals such as Gerry Tebbutt, Head of Musical Theatre Foundation at Guildford School of Acting. There was a sense of expectation at the start, as nervous warm-ups took place in the background, the stage styled simply with two underground carriage seats, swirling with theatrical mist.

The students took full control of their showcase with the highly

entertaining Pre Show Message transcribed by Matt Finch.

Programming was cleverly paced to ensure a fabulous night of entertainment. Edgar’s speech from King Lear, delivered by Lucas Porter, was astonishing. The duo of Charlotte Howgego and Olivia Locke in The Woman Who Cooked her Husband was unsettling, as Henry Stratford morphed from boorish husband to liberated man.

There were several fabulous fight scenes to keep the audience on their toes, choreographed by Maisie Carter.

The musical arrangements neatly showcased each voice, with performances a combination of solo pieces and tight harmonies.

The highlight was a joint performance of Stephen Sondheim’s Being Alive by the students with the BSA’s patron Jeremy Taylor, who had taken a break specially from his current role in the West End’s production of Phantom of the Opera; bathschoolofacting.co.uk

BELOW: left, Charlotte Howgego receiving her certificate from Jeremy Taylor; right, Tristan Carter

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• Co-educational day school for pupils aged 5-13 with

dyslexia and other specific learning/language difficulties.

• Located in Wiltshire between Bath and Chippenham.

CReSTeD approved.

• Fully qualified specialist teachers with maximum class size of eight - reducing to one-to-one as required.

Call 01225 743 566 or visit www.CalderHouseSchool.co.uk 76 TheBATHMagazine

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TRAVEL

THAI HIDEAWAY

Endless sun, swathes of sand, exotic beaches, jungle landscapes and lively cities to boot – do we have your attention? Here are six delectable ideas for how to Thai up your next holiday in style

I

dyllic beaches, bustling cities and remote jungle landscapes make Thailand the destination for both exploring and relaxing. But does the Land of Smiles really live up to its name? Is it a trip to add to your wish list?

Many choose the classic combination of Bangkok and its many beaches, but you can combine two or more beaches on an islandhopping adventure. Here’s a rundown of what’s hot right now in Thailand.

KOH YAO NOI

KOH SAMUI

KOH LANTA

A journey to Koh Yao Noi gives the traveller an opportunity not just to enjoy the tranquil beaches in a dramatic setting but also to experience a pace of life that has changed little in 20 years. Breathtaking bays in sheltered coves dot the west coast, while the east of the island is home to mangroves, paddy fields and sleepy fishing villages.

TOP TIP: Stay at the Treehouse Villas, a brand new, innovative resort where you reach the incredible treehouse accommodation by suspension bridge.

One of 52 islands in the Koh Lanta group, Koh Lanta Yai enjoys powdery white sands, lush tropical forests as well as peace and seclusion. The national marine park harbours beautiful snorkelling spots and exceptional diving with shallow coves, sea mounts and undersea caves, home to everything from tiny seahorses to huge manta rays.

TOP TIP: Set in 100 acres of tropical forest on a quiet part of the island, the luxurious Pimalai Resort & Spa boasts direct access to a long, beautifully unspoilt beach. It’s the ultimate island paradise with excellent facilities, a host of impressive dining options and two spectacular infinity pools.

Due to its beautiful location and world-class dive sites, Koh Phi Phi – made famous by the film The Beach – is rapidly gaining in popularity among experienced travellers.

The island’s northern coastline, however, still remains a secluded haven of towering palms, empty beaches and clear, calm waters.

Diving and snorkelling here provides an intense experience of the amazing local marine life.

TOP TIP: Opt for a stay at the Zeavola Resort and enjoy its relaxed atmosphere of barefoot luxury.

Blessed with beautiful beaches, clear waters and vibrant nightlife, Koh Samui has long been one of Thailand’s most popular destinations, but as its second largest island there’s still plenty of choice for those looking to escape and unwind. With a huge range of hotels to choose from, there’s something for everyone here.

TOP TIP: Perched on a headland on the northern tip of the island, Six Senses Samui is an intimate property set among native jungle with spectacular sea views. Attention to detail, sustainability and a high level of personalised service are the focus of this stunning resort.

KOH PHI PHI

Keemala Bird’s Nest Pool Villa in Phuket

KHAO LAK

Just over an hour’s drive north of Phuket, Khao Lak enjoys miles of beautiful white sandy beaches. Although its popularity is growing quickly, it retains a quieter, slower pace of life than its southern neighbour. The Similan Islands, offshore, offer superlative diving and the nearby Khao Lak National Park is a stunning combination of sea cliffs, mangroves and beaches.

TOP TIP: The Sarojin is a luxurious boutique resort that evokes the feeling of a private estate. With breakfast available all day (which includes sparkling wine), an impressive pool and an impeccable attention to detail, what’s not to love?

PHUKET

With beautiful scenery and great beaches, Phuket draws tourists from around the world. Bustling Karon and Patong offer great shopping and vibrant nightlife, while to the north and south the beaches become quieter and the hotels more secluded. North of Phuket lies ancient Khao Sok National Park, a great accompaniment to a beach holiday in this region.

TOP TIP: For something a little different, why not try a magical tropical wonderland of innovative and inspiring design? Keemala is a boutique bolthole that features a remarkable variety of thatched pool villas, enchanting treehouses, canvas-covered hideaways and stunning treetop villas, some loosely resembling birds’ nests. A stay at Keemala presents a unique and invigorating experience.

These top spots and tips were compiled with the help of the team of travel experts at Trailfinders. Their travel centre is at 5 Union Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 724 000; trailfinders.com 78 TheBATHMagazine

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Peter Cuff and dog Pies aboard their boat Mettela

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HEALTH & BEAUTY

HEALTH & BEAUTY NEWS A luxury start-up close to home, find your inner yogi, use a skin optimiser and have a Sunday soothe. Crystal Rose shares the latest goings-on in the health and beauty sector

THE BEAUTY BLUR

THE SUNDAY SOOTHER

The first product of its kind, the skin optimiser from Vita Liberata enhances and smoothes your complexion with an HD primer and the brand’s own Advoganic skincare. Following suit from its best-selling big sister Body Blur, this primer has all the skin finishing benefits you need to achieve that flawless complexion.

Available in five shades, the Beauty Blur can be worn alone as a tinted moisturiser or used as a primer to give you the perfect make-up base.

With a combination of organic ingredients – aloe vera, vitamins C and E and shea butter – it is skin-healing, anti-ageing and hydrating, giving you the most radiant glow.

Every Sunday this month the Thermae Bath Spa will encourage you to ignore the call of the sofa and soothe your senses with its new Sunday package.

The Sunday Soother includes the choice of a reviver back massage and facial (50 minutes) or a reviver back massage and head and foot massage (50 minutes). A three-hour spa session and complimentary use of towel, robe and slippers is also included in the package.

For £80, you will also have use of the spa facilities, including the rooftop pool with its impressive views across the city, the Minerva Bath and the state-of-the-art Wellness Suite.

Refresh your energy levels and get ready for the week ahead – your mind and body will thank you for it.

Beauty Blur, £29.95, Vita Liberata, Boots, SouthGate, 1 Newark Street, Bath; vitaliberata.com

Thermae Bath Spa, The Hetling Pump Room, Hot Bath Street, Bath BA1 1SJ; thermaebathspa.com

SUMMER YIN YOGA

AHH...LOKI Bristol-based luxury start-up brand Ahloki caught our eye this month – its ethos centring around the creation of natural, sustainable and eco-friendly home fragrance products that are also free from pollutants.

The story began in the kitchen where founder Sue Kaur hand-poured her first Ahloki candle made from natural plant wax, vegetable oil blends, herbal and botanical ingredients.

Combining a love for opulent fragrances with a desire for toxin-free products, the candles are all inspired by notions of wanderlust, memories and romance and, to be sure, we’re in love. Prices from £22.99.

Find your inner yogi at Combe Grove’s Summer Yin Yoga workshop. On Sunday 8 July at 2.30 – 4.30pm, celebrate the joy of summer and stretch off, working with a combination of soft, long supported backbends, deep forward bends and upper body stretches. The workshop will finish with a light Metta Meditation to soothe the heart. Make a day of your visit with full use of the fitness and leisure facilities at Combe Grove. Enjoy the indoor pool, steam room, sauna and fully equipped gym – all included in the workshop price (members £25, non-members £35). Not around this time? Enjoy a couple’s yoga session on Sunday 16 September at 2.30 – 4.30pm. Mats and chilled water are provided.

Booking is essential.

Tel: 01225 838680; leisure@combegrove.com combegrove.com

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EVENTS - MINVERVA’S OWLS TRAIL

DISCOVER THE MINERVA’S OWLS TRAIL AT BMI BATH CLINIC BMI Bath Clinic is inviting the local community to discover its own medical owl sculpture, to be unveiled as part of the Minerva’s Owls of Bath 2018 Trail.

On site at Bath Clinic and accessible directly from the National Trust Skyline Walk in Combe Down.

• WHEN? Saturday 30th June, 10.00 -11.00am • WHAT? Pop-up owl tea party, competitions & more!

• WHERE? BMI Bath Clinic, Claverton Down Rd, Bath BA2 7BR / Accessible via National Trust Skyline Walk

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ore the Why not expl Skyline t us Tr National me sa e th at k al W time?

Booking not required. To find out more call 07525 770525 or follow @BMIBathClinic on Facebook / Twitter BMI Card is a credit facility offered by BMI Healthcare Limited, BMI Healthcare House, 3 Paris Garden, London, SE1 8ND. 0% interest for 12 months then 0.79% per month, representative 9.9% APR variable. Up to £20,000 available (subject to status).

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Serious about health.

Passionate about care.

BMI Bath Clinic’s Private GP Service offers access to tailored consultations from £65*

GP APPOINTMENTS WHEN YOU NEED THEM *Prices subject to change

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Health and Beauty July v2.qxp_Layout 1 21/06/2018 09:12 Page 1

HEALTH | & | BEAUTY

It’s so easy to mistreat those locks while you’re away. This 50ml bottle of Moroccanoil infused with antioxidantrich argan oil is perfect for giving your hair the care that it deserves.

Find Moroccanoil products at Figo Hair Limited, 15 Margaret’s Buildings, Bath; figohairltd.co.uk

We’re all guilty of staying in the sun for a little too long. Even though you may be out of the rays, your skin is still in need of re-hydration and care. A post-tan must – it won’t fit in your hand luggage but it’s a holiday essential for your suitcase. £5, Boots, SouthGate, Bath; boots.co.uk

This refreshing and cooling face gel from L’Occitane instantly recharges skin leaving it replenished, radiant and plumped.

Containing thousands of micro-bubbles, the skin is instantly rehydrated. £28, 12 New Bond Street, Bath; uk.loccitane.com The little luxuries range by Jo Malone is full of your most-loved products that are all aeroplane and travel-ready.

From body crèmes, hand lotions and bath oil, the collection has all the essentials that you don’t want to leave behind but just can’t justify taking a fullsized bottle.

Pomegranate Noir Cologne, £45. Lime, Basil & Mandarin Body Crème, £20. 6-7 Old Bond Street, Bath; jomalone.co.uk

Vaycay BEAUTY

The holiday is planned and the flights are booked, but what to pack? Crystal Rose picks some holiday beauty essentials We’re too familiar with that feeling of stepping off the plane and transforming from a bronzed goddess to your former pale self. This Tan Maximizer by Lancaster is all about keeping that glow even after the holiday has ended. £22, Debenhams, SouthGate, Bath; lancaster-beauty.com

Being exposed to the sun for prolonged periods of time can really damage you hair and leave it worse for wear. This Masque UV Défense Active is formulated with Kérastase’s Photo-Défense Filter which provides active protection against both UVA and UVB rays.

Find Kérastase products at Material, 47 Walcot Street, Bath; materialhair.co.uk

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An absolute holiday-essential in our books.

Detangling those knots can be hard at the best of times, let alone when you’ve just come out of the sea looking far from a beach babe with that knotty nest on your head. The Tangle Teezer dramatically reduces hair breakage, giving you shiny, healthy locks.

Bad hair day – knot an issue! £10.99, Tangle Teezer Original Blueberry Pop, Boots, SouthGate; boots.co.uk

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

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

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Book online www.frontlinestyle.co.uk

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The Sydney Hotel by John Claude Nattes 1805

IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF JANE AUSTEN

Ambitious plans to restore Sydney Gardens, once called Bath Vauxhall Gardens, to their former Georgian glory await approval. Kirsten Elliot enjoys a historic walk and visualises how the pleasure garden may have looked in the 18th century

W

hen Jane Austen came to live in Bath, her only consolation was that she would be opposite Sydney Gardens, which had been open for nine years. Right from the start, it was a green oasis. “The foliage is so luxuriant as to afford ample shade”, wrote a correspondent to the Bath Chronicle in 1795.

It also afforded “beautiful prospects”. Today, the tall trees hide most of the views. Sydney Gardens are very different from when they attracted thousands of visitors in the late Georgian period. At present they look somewhat neglected, but in August the council is making an application to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for a grant to revive the fortunes of this unique garden.

A successful application would transform the quiet park back to the vibrant place it was intended to be.

Start at the front gate of the Holburne Museum, by gazing down Great Pulteney Street. Sydney Gardens were intended as the hub of the Pulteney estate, with Great Pulteney Street forming a grand approach to the city. On the horizon at the far end you can see the trees on top of Twerton Roundhill. In the 18th century this was known as Barrow Hill and believed to be the burial place of Bladud.

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exercise, a ride, equipped with leaping bars, encircled the gardens. Most visitors to Sydney Gardens wanted to enjoy the attractions within. They would have entered through what is now the Holburne Museum. Late in 1796, work began on the building, described as a tavern with banqueting room, coffee and billiard rooms. In 1853, the hotel failed and was converted to a college. A new entrance was made to the gardens, and in 1857 a gatekeeper’s lodge, now tucked away behind the old tea-room, was constructed, originally with a thatched roof.

Walk to the back of the Holburne. Two crescents of alcoves once enclosed this space, where visitors dined, watched firework displays, or listened to music. Walk up through the gates to the central promenade, and cross the lawn to your right, formerly a bowling green, heading for the iron railway bridge. A serpentine path once led towards the entrance to a grotto and labyrinth, but all that changed when Brunel brought the railway though the gardens in 1840. Stop in the middle of the bridge and look to the right, to see a large flat area, designed as a viewing area to watch the trains. Before the railway came, the grotto, which was also the exit from the labyrinth, would have been over to your left, with the labyrinth looming up ahead of you.

The labyrinth was one of the original

attractions. It was described as one of the most intricate and extensive in Europe, and at its centre was a Merlin Swing, the forerunner of the modern swingboat, named after its inventor JJ Merlin. Steps led from the swing through a tunnel to the grotto.

Although much of the labyrinth survived the coming of the railway, the grotto did not, although there is evidence to suggest it may have been rescued and later reconstructed in the grounds of the Bath Spa Hotel. The labyrinth was further reduced when part of the ride and garden were sold in 1853 so that two houses could be built there. It was last mentioned in 1867, but there are plans to reinstate it on the other side of the canal as a grass maze. Fortunately, the owners of Glendurgan Gardens in Cornwall decided, in 1833, to copy it, so we still have a good idea of its appearance.

Walk up to cross the Kennet and Avon canal on the first iron bridge. To your right is the western tunnel portal bearing the face of Sabrina, spirit of the Severn. The canal was allowed through the gardens in 1800, after payment of 2,000 guineas to the proprietors, and the promise of decorative bridges. Just above the water level you will see a lump of stone over which water runs. This is a 200year-old accretion of limescale.

Continue across the bridge. Ahead are sunken stone walls with iron doors. These

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Main image: © Victoria Art Gallery, Bath and North East Somerset Council / Bridgeman Images

THE | WALK form the entrance to reservoirs which supplied water to Bathwick. Walk past the tennis courts, where originally there were simple swings, to the loggia. This is all that remains of an original feature. It was once longer, with a serpentine façade, and two charming carved cherubs on the central bay.

In 1938, however, the council restored it by chopping off the sides, a decision greeted with dismay by many. Although not mentioned in the HLF plans, one might hope that, of all the lost features, the loggia would be restored.

Head down the main path to cross the canal on the second iron bridge. To your right is the eastern tunnel portal, with Old Father Thames above the arch. The Kennet & Avon was the link between the Thames and Severn. The canal was not accessible from the gardens until the 1990s when a gateway between the bridges was installed.

After crossing the bridge, take the path on your right. As it curves round to approach the railway you will see a gap in the trees, which was the site of the moated sham castle, often the centrepiece for firework displays.

Beyond it is a deserted nursery, occupying part of the ride, which is planned to be reabsorbed into the gardens.

Turn left alongside the railway to head back to the central promenade, and cross the bridge. Immediately in front of you is a representation of Minerva’s Temple. Designed

as Bath’s exhibit in the Empire Exhibition of 1911 at Crystal Palace, it was erected here in 1913 to commemorate the Bath Pageant of 1909. Although the pageant was in Royal Victoria Park, the fringe events held here attracted more visitors.

Turn right on the path which runs parallel with the railway until the tarmac runs out.

Beyond it is a gravel surface which is the only surviving piece of the ride’s macadamized surface, dating from 1825. Turn back and take the path on your right, which leads past the children’s playground – there are plans to extend and improve this. The lawn on your left as you pass the tennis courts was formerly the small bowling green. In 1840, the Horticultural Society erected a rustic pavilion here, with a rockery and fountain behind it. Only the rockery remains very overgrown. The pavilion was designed by Edward Davis, who was also probably responsible for the gardener’s lodge, which you see as you reach the end of the path.

Down to your right, you see the paybox of 1914, designed by AJ Taylor. Lurking behind the modern loos is one of a pair of iron loos, installed in 1914. The other, in rather better repair, is the gents, on the far side of the modern block. It is planned to restore both of these rare survivals and put them to alternative use. Finally, return to the main promenade where, in bushes on your left, a bandstand was erected in 1861, only to be

Looking up to the loggia from the Holburne rear gate demolished in 1948 for lack of money needed to repair it. A HLF grant would mean that the gardens’ surviving features will not suffer a similar fate. n More information about the park and the proposed development can be found at bathnes.gov.uk The Holburne Museum is open daily from 10am to 5pm; holburne.org

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INTERIORS

THE SUSTAINABLE INTERIOR Sustainability is no longer just a trendy buzzword; it’s becoming a way of life. Interior designer Clair Strong shows us how we can get with the eco vibe and make our homes more sustainable

ABOVE: Mid-century chairs painted in green Annie Sloan chalk paints

SAVE ENERGY

Image shows Farrow and Ball and The Rug Company Portland Rug

The first area for concern in sustainable design is how we can save energy. In the home, this usually starts with reducing our heat and light output. Most of a building’s heat escapes through the windows, especially if they are old or single-glazed. If new windows aren’t in your budget or if you have constraints such as having a listed building, you can hang thick insulating curtains or blinds to keep cold air out and warm air in. You can also buy curtains with a thermal lining, or add a lining of fleece to your existing pair. When having new windows installed, select double or triple-glazed, energy-efficient windows. The initial installation cost may be high, but if you have them you will save on your heating bill year after year, and feel more comfortable and warm, too.

To reduce the amount of energy spent on lighting your home, choose LED bulbs. They are extremely energy efficient, very long-lasting – one bulb could last up to 20 years – and they’re recyclable.

You could also save energy in the way you decorate your home.

Choosing pale colours and using reflective surfaces, for example, can increase the amount of light in a room and reduce the need for artificial lighting. It’s also true that having carpets and rugs will help prevent heat loss by up to 10 per cent.

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INTERIORS INTERIORS | AND | STYLE

DESIGN LONGEVITY Image shows Cecil Hand Woven Wool Cushions

One of the other ways in which we can create sustainable homes is by reducing the amount of waste we produce. This doesn’t just relate to how we manage our everyday lives, but in the way we design our homes. If you are making decisions on products that we have iny our home – floors, walls, tiles and furnishings – it’s vital to consider the longevity of items, so how long flooring will last, how often we update furnishings or re-paint. Decorating your home creates a large amount of waste, so reducing the need for frequent renovations will make your home more sustainable.

So aim to include durable, timeless materials and opt for quality over quantity. You can also avoid trendy items that might look outdated in a year’s time, or cheap furnishings that will quickly need to be replaced.

Designing flexible, functional spaces that can grow and evolve with the family will reduce the need for eventual renovation, while allowing you to update as necessary.

ABOVE: Hand-woven and handmade cushions carry a quality that endures

BELOW: The bamboo pendant, wicker chairs and wooden table focus on natural materials

UPCYCLE

Image shows Out There Interiors, Bloomingville Bamboo pendant

Upcycling is inspired by a desire to reduce waste and create bespoke items for the home. It’s a form of recycling where old, damaged or unfashionable items are given an entirely new look. Upcycling takes many forms, from repainting furniture to recovering lampshades and everything in between.

The benefits of upcycling for the environment are clear.

Instead of being thrown away and replaced, items are renewed. It’s more environmentally friendly than recycling, because there’s no manufacturing required. It’s a very costeffective way to live more sustainably, and it allows you the opportunity to create looks that are entirely your own.

N AT U R A L M AT E R I A L S

Clair Strong Interior Design is a small, friendly, creative business based in Bath and London, providing services for residential and commercial clients. Visit: clairstrong.co.uk or contact: clair@clairstrong.co.uk

Image shows Annie Sloan Chalk Paints

We all know the damaging effects that plastic can have on the environment. While the main culprit is single-use plastics, it’s helpful to reduce your use of all plastics. Some plastic is recyclable and so can be reused where possible. This type of plastic can be transformed into stylish interior products, such as carpets and rugs made from recycled plastic bottles.

Natural materials such as wood, marble, stone, clay, cotton, wool and jute are a more sustainable option for your home. This is because they’re renewable, often recyclable and highly durable.

Plus, they don’t leach toxins into the environment when they break down.

Natural materials can also be produced in a way that is unsustainable and harmful to the environment. Deforestation and mass-manufacturing both contribute to this. You can avoid these issues by choosing locally made products, where the provenance of the material is known, and by buying antique or vintage furniture. n

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GARDEN | ENTERTAINING

WHAT’S COOKING?

Would you like to take your garden barbecue to the next level? Matt Chylewski of kitchen company Stephen Graver explains why an outdoor kitchen will give you versatility and an unparalleled outdoor experience

W

e all love barbecue and pizza ovens, but what’s the attraction of having an actual outdoor kitchen?

We know that people want to spend more time outside and make the most of their gardens. The ability to have a sink, a fridge and a barbecue in a contained area makes life easier if you want to make the most of your outside space. What we’re offering is more of a lifestyle choice, not just a product for a garden.

Could you have a basic style outdoor kitchen in a small garden?

The concept we use, at three metres long and one metre deep, was designed with a small garden in mind.

Is an outdoor kitchen a significant financial investment?

The price depends on the client’s individual preferences. Barbecues can range from between £50 and £5000 and more, so an outdoor kitchen has to be tailored around what the exact needs are. The size of outdoor kitchen that we have built, shown here, has a cost of around £20,000, excluding the fitting.

How practical is an outdoor kitchen?

The beauty of this outdoor kitchen is that the door doubles as a roof, so should the elements not be on your side, you’re protected. Our outdoor kitchen was

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specifically designed to offer a solution where an individual could cook outdoors in any weather.

Can you choose a seating area with table and chairs to fit with the kitchen’s style?

It would make sense to match any table and chairs with the style of the outdoor kitchen and Stephen Graver can help with that, perhaps producing a range of furniture to suit. We could also match the style to that of the inside kitchen in a house, bringing continuity to both cooking areas.

How does the outdoor kitchen look in a garden when it’s not being used?

We decided to match the ‘look’ to that of any typical outside building – the cedar cladding we’ve used can be found on many garden summer houses or sheds. The kitchen can, however, be finished in any way that fits with the style of the house. So, for example, the cladding used could feature a more contemporary material.

Is an outdoor kitchen just designed for barbecues and grills?

No, a number of different appliances would work in an outdoor kitchen. Apart from fridges and freezers, it would be easy to fit an induction hob with under-counter oven.

Our appliance partner Sub-Zero & Wolf do a great gas cooktop that would fabulous in an outdoor kitchen.

What are the technical requirements before

you can start installing an outdoor kitchen?

Location is key when considering any technical requirements. We would recommend having a site survey first to determine what can be achieved. In order to have a sink, there would need to be suitable drainage in the desired location, and access to mains water for the accompanying tap.

Electricity could easily be run from the main house and a gas bottle would be required for any gas barbecue or grill.

Is there anything that cannot be installed in an outdoor kitchen?

Domestic fridges are not designed to be outside – they have to be of a certain type to be installed and work outdoors. Also, any outdoor water supply would need to be isolated for the winter.

How do you see outdoor kitchens progressing in the future? Is it a phenomenon that will grow?

Cooking outdoors in general is tremendously popular. We all love barbecues, and an outdoor kitchen is taking the outdoor eating experience to a really sophisticated level. It’s also true that there are limits to how we can extend our homes – so the addition of an outdoor kitchen provides extra versatility to your home and could increase its value. n Stephen Graver, Elmsgate House, Edington Road, Steeple Ashton, Trowbridge.

Tel: 01380 871746; Web: stephengraver.com

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CLAVA DINE IN MATT WHITE

BY VITA COPENHAGEN

LIGHTING SPECIALIST 8 BATH STREET, FROME. TEL: 01373473555 WWW.FIATLUX.CO.UK TUESDAY – FRIDAY 9.30AM – 5.30PM, SATURDAY 9.30AM – 5.00PM

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INTERIORS | DESIGN

PAINT GLORIES

After five years living in New Zealand, designer and decorator Susan Wild has made her new home in Bath. She loves working with old properties and specialises in renovating interiors and in decorative paint techniques

S

usan Wild trained as a fashion designer. There have been a few creative twists and turns in her career since then, including most recently a five-year spell living in New Zealand.

Creative versatility is Susan’s stock-intrade. She designs and renovates interiors, and paints, distresses and sources interior elements and furnishings. Her design artistry combines effectively with her well-honed practical skills: “I come from a family of builders and so I am very proficient with carpentry tools. I have designed and made corbels, brackets and fretwork as well as designing and building my own kitchens.”

Where did her passion for interiors come from? “When I was twenty I lived in Paris and fell in love with the architecture, brocantes and flea markets,” Susan says.

“I began photographing everything. I bought my first flat and so began my obsession with creating beautiful spaces. I bought pieces of furniture which I painted and then made all the soft furnishings thanks to my training in fashion design.”

Her passion for old buildings is allconsuming: “I always prefer to work on old properties as they have so much more charm.

While other people are modernising their homes I like to return to the past, a look which I find far more beautiful.”

Despite this, Susan has experience creating an expert vintage look even if there is not much of one to start with. “One property I renovated was an ugly 1950s brick bungalow. I made it into a two-storey

BELOW: from left, a vintage-style decorative wall panel; painted rose details; and a bathroom wall treatment creating a mottled, bruised effect

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Victorian-style weatherboarded house, complete with huge sash windows, verandas and a corrugated metal roof. It has since been used as a location for filming.”

Do the houses in New Zealand provide different design challenges to those in Great Britain? “New Zealand interiors are similar to British ones but bigger,” explains Susan.

“It’s the exteriors that are different, especially the indoor/outdoor flow, because of the warm climate. The preference there is also generally for a contemporary look.”

Susan is most passionate about her decorative artwork, the special effects, the distressed finishes and the murals. She also creates canvases, which follow the style of her faded, textured walls and fit seamlessly

ABOVE: A grand vintage vision in a 1950s bungalow with scumbled walls and upcycled furniture with the existing style of a room.

“A distressed look with floral details characterises these pieces,” explains Susan.

“I love to use flowers and feature them often.

I also use types of Swedish-style wall panel.”

Creating children’s rooms is another focus, but these don’t feature dinosaurs, football or princesses. “I do not use primary colours, but go for something far more subtle and relaxing with a vintage, fairytale influence.”

If you are looking for a dose of seasoned grandeur, here it is. n Visit: seasonedgrandeur.com

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ZEN AND THE ART OF TREE SELECTION

Choosing a new tree for your garden calls for careful evaluation says Jane Moore. Opt for small and beautiful with a golden acer, a single trunk Japanese cherry with spreading arches of perfume, or what about a statuesque birch tree?

I

t’s a big subject but let’s talk trees this month. Whatever the size of your garden, it needs a tree. That is a fact and not one that you should shy away from. Trees give scale and proportion to a property, framing it, adding height and structure as well as softness and subtlety with the changing seasons. Whether it’s a multi-stem birch, a flowering cherry or a pencil thin evergreen your house needs a tree or two to accentuate its good looks or distract from its less than alluring façade. If only it were so easy for us humans…

Not one for beating about the bush I know that trees can be both a joy and an utter pain. Homeowners, and I am one, fear the costly maintenance, the loss of limbs and leaves and annoyed neighbours muttering about too much shade, bird droppings and so on. It’s a question of choosing the right tree for your situation and there, dear reader, I aim to assist.

Small and beautiful

It’s debatable when a shrub becomes and tree and vice versa and I intend to leave that hot potato well alone here, instead we’ll concentrate on a handful of small trees or shrubs that can give you that tree ‘feel’ without towering over the whole street.

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These little trees are often the stars of the garden, providing height and interest even in a larger garden such as The Bath Priory. In a small garden such as my home garden these are often your only trees. A good example is my favourite little Cercis ‘Forest Pansy’, which I may have mentioned before, with its deep purple heart shaped leaves and lovely ‘umbrella’ habit. Think of the lovely Japanese Acers in this group too, along with flowering Cornus and even a crown lifted Cotinus would sit well in this group. These shrubby trees often branch low down giving a slightly multi-stem look but they do need some clear stretches of stem so they look like proper little trees.

Multi-stem…

I love a multi-stem birch and who doesn’t frankly? However be warned as they aren’t cheap by any means. If you do decide to fork out for one then the classic choice is the Himlayan White birch, Betula utilis or jacquemontii, with ghostly pure white stems which are a feature in their own right. Pair them with dainty bulbs or herbaceous perennials beneath and you have instant Chelsea, darling.

For those of us with budget restraints, you can achieve that multi-stem loveliness by

simply planting three sapling birches together in one hole as a cluster. It’s not quite the same effect and they’ll take a while to grow but it works. Or you can forget the multistem thing which is a bit artificial to be honest and just go for a naturally branching tree such as the ‘Forest Pansy’ mentioned above, or an Amelanchier which gives a lot of bang for your buck with charming starry flowers in spring followed by spectacular autumn colour.

…Or straight?

The good thing about a simple straightforward single trunk tree is that they’re way cheaper and you get far more choice than you do with multi-stems. A lot of really great trees don’t respond well to multistemming so nurseries tend not to do it – or when charge big bucks for it. Think of the beautiful handkerchief tree, Davidia involucrata, or flowering cherries. These trees look perfect with their canopies arching over the border or lawn beneath and it’s a crime to force them into behaving differently. My favourites include the Japanese cherries, especially ones with spreading branches such as ‘Shirotae’, rowan trees of all descriptions and of course birches which personally I prefer in their natural shape of a single trunk.

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HOMES | GARDENING

❝

If you’re looking for something more statuesque then go for a birch, a magnolia or even an architectural pine variety

❝

Houses and roots

A tree close to the house can do wonders for framing your property and softening it’s less attractive features. However every homeowner lives in fear that planting a tree too close to the house will lead to damage, mainly from the roots, whether that’s from them contributing to subsidence or invading drains and blocking them. But there are trees that are fine for planting close to the house and again it’s a question of choosing wisely.

Good varieties include fruit trees of all descriptions such as apples, plums, pears and so on. That of course includes their ornamental namesakes such as the flowering crab apples, especially Malus floribunda, one of my favourite trees as it’s smothered in blossom in spring, as well as ornamental

plums and flowering cherries. Besides these you can plant any rowan variety and some of them are really lovely with pink, white or yellow berries as well as the more usual orange and red.

If you’re looking for something more statuesque then go for a birch, a magnolia or even an architectural pine variety. Birches such as our own native birch Betula pendula have a soft wispy quality and that wonderful white bark. Look out for ‘Tristis’ with a more weeping habit and ‘Dalecarlica’ with finely cut leaves. As for Magnolias it’s a job to know where to start as they’re so lovely and there are oodles of varieties. Do avoid the evergreen Magnolia grandiflora as it’s a bit of a beast. And Magnolia stellata, while lovely in the garden, is a bit twiggy and shrubby rather than tree-like. When it comes to pines my choice is Pinus pinea, the stone pine, which has the most delightful umbrella habit and enormous cones.

Finally, do remember that most trees close to buildings do no damage whatsoever, partly due to modern building techniques. So don’t be afraid to plant a tree, choose sensibly and you won’t regret it one bit. n Jane Moore is an award-winning gardening columnist and head gardener at The Bath Priory Hotel. Twitter: @janethegardener

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Trowbridge & Neal’s Yard Bath

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94 TheBATHMagazine

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JULY 2018

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PROPERTY | HOMEPAGE

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vy House is a splendid Grade II listed town house situated in an excellent location on the lower slopes of Lansdown and backing on to Cavendish Crescent. Tall and slender, the property is arranged over five floors to offer versatile and spacious accommodation amounting to an internal area of approximately 225 sq m. The main living space is on the ground floor and comprises of a formal dining room to the front, sleek contemporary kitchen and a bright breakfast room to the rear which opens out onto the courtyard. The first floor houses an elegant sitting room and a bedroom and there are two further bedrooms on the top two floors, each with its own bath/shower room. On the lower ground floor there’s a fourth bedroom/work room, a cloak room, utility room and lots of storage space. Outside there is a pretty courtyard garden and there are lovely views from the house over the nearby parkland and beyond. This interesting and attractive home is marketed by agents Pritchards.

Pritchards, 11 Quiet Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 466225

IVY HOUSE CAVENDISH ROAD GUIDE PRICE: • 3 or 4 bedrooms • Courtyard garden • Grade II listed • Carefully renovated • Prime location

Guide price: £1,050,000

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“Founded in 2011 by Marcus Spanswick, who already had 20 years’ experience in the industry, Mardan Removals and Storage Ltd is a, family run, professional full service removals and storage company based in Bath. Marcus wanted to build a company that he and his team would be proud of. The key to the company’s success is providing a personalised service, treating each customer as an individual to ensure they get an excellent removal service. Mardan have a fleet of vehicles allowing them to offer; commercial moving, local to international moves and storage”.

DOMESTIC & COMMERCIAL MOVERS • PACKERS • STORERS • SHIPPERS

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pritchards-bath.co.uk

Cleveland Walk

Gays Hill

An exceptional detached 4 double bed 1960s family home sitting in an established plot of approximately 0.3 of an acres in this highly sought after residential location backing onto National Trust owned farmland.

Integral double garage and ample driveway parking for numerous vehicles. Shared driveway, owned by Number 8. Internal area approx.

2305 sq ft, 214 sq m including integral garage (image is rear shot)

An exquisite Grade II Listed period property which has been sympathetically updated and extended over recent years, enhanced by the most impressive good sized private walled garden with breathtaking views. Excellent access to city amenities.

Internal area: 1382 sq ft/128 sq m.

Guide Price: £1,350,000

Guide Price: £925,000

Weston Lane

Bloomfield Road

A fine 5 bed detached modern house enjoying spacious and extremely versatile accommodation in a sought after and most convenient road close to the Royal United Hospital and just over a mile from the centre of Bath. Attractive enclosed landscaped gardens.

Single Garage and driveway parking for 3/4. EPC E. Internal area: 1795 sq ft/166.75 sq m.

A substantial 4 bed detached family home set in an elevated position with far reaching views across to Wales. Beautifully presented throughout with a level walled rear garden and a separate 1 bedroom apartment. Garage and an off road parking space. EPC D. Internal area approx 1577sq ft/146.5 sq m (rear view illustrated)

Price: £799,500

Guide Price: £699,950

11 Quiet Street, Bath BA1 2LB Pritchards July.indd 1

Tel: 01225 466 225

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[SOUTH WESTERN] LIMITED

Early bird reservations being taken on next phase of homes at Holburne Park

W

Crafting beautiful homes

Bath | Somerset | Wiltshire | Cotswolds | Dorset

Norwood Dene, Bathwick Hill

Seven luxury apartments with unrivalled specification and exceptional quality From £895,000

01225 791155 ashford-homes.co.uk

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july 2018

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issue 190

ork has started on the much-anticipated second phase of Bath’s newest neighbourhood, Holburne Park, with homes now available for early bird reservations.

With over 90% of homes built in the first release now sold, the next phase of Holburne Park offers a range of houses from four-bedroom, three storey Bath style terraced townhouses and five-bedroom, four storey homes to five and six-bedroom detached villas.

A rare opportunity to own a brand new, but classically designed home in Bath, the handsome terrace houses and stunning detached villas offer exceptional attention to detail including hand-made Neptune kitchens, a spacious ground floor, formal living rooms with elegant wood burners and master bedrooms complete with dressing area. Many of the properties also offer expansive views across Bath.

The facades are made of locally sourced Bath stone and natural materials with bespoke detailing, ensuring the homes blend in with the classical architecture of the city.

Robert Adam, whose firm designed the Duchy of Cornwall’s Poundbury in Dorset, is the acclaimed architect who has created the homes at Holburne Park, while the interiors have been designed by luxury interior designer Sim Hilditch, renowned for their fresh take on the English country house look.

Set in a secluded location off Warminster Road, the homes are a short stroll from the picturesque Kennet and Avon Canal. Surrounded by greenery and big open skies, with expansive views, yet a short, gentle stroll from the vibrant city centre, the homes honour Bath’s distinct character but are designed for modern living.

Prices for the houses in phase 2 start from £1,000,000 For more information and to register your interest in the homes at Holburne Park, visit www.holburnepark.co.uk, call 01225 302888, or visit The Marketing Pavilion, Warminster Road, Bath, BA2 6SF from Monday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm, or on Sundays, 10am to 4pm.

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Cherry Grove, Farmborough A choice of 3 detached, new-build houses, each with a garage and private garden, forming part of an exclusive development situated in the picturesque village of Farmborough. The properties enjoy convenient access to Bath and Bristol, whilst a range of popular amenities can be found locally in the village.

Rent: £1,500 - £1,950 pcm* 3, 4 or 5 bedroom house | stunning open plan kitchen /reception room | ample living & dining space | en-suites shower room | family bathroom | utility room | study/guest bedroom | private garden | garage & driveway | 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 £420.00 inc. VAT applies.

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Why many buyers are looking to reconnect with the river

West Farm, Faulkland

A

shford Homes are building thirteen new homes and have refurbished two original barns in the picturesque Somerset village of Faulkland, which is within easy reach of Bath and Bristol. The World Heritage City of Bath is approximately 8 miles distant and other surrounding towns include Frome and Bradford on Avon which provide a more individual range of retail outlets.

West Farm is located in the heart of Faulkland village and enjoys the tranquillity of the countryside together with wonderful views and superb walks. Somerset Lavender is in the village of Faulkland and their Lavender Garden has over 20 varieties of Lavender and they also have a café, the Lavender Farm is extremely popular and is definitely a point of interest.

Peter Greatorex, managing director of The apartment Company

W

ith the sun beating down, the warm weather is shining a new light on what our city has to offer.

Our waters have been attracting people to Bath for centuries, but it’s not just the healing powers that appeal, rather the works being undertaken to help us reconnect with the river.

As the city has grown, we have kind of turned our back on the River Avon. Now, thanks to the Bath Quays Waterside project, this is changing. I don’t know if you have ventured down to the river lately, but I recommend you take a stroll and see what beauty can be found in this often overlooked part of our landscape.

We are already seeing a number of new and dynamic developments taking advantage of the changing scenery, and according to Bath and North East Somerset Council this change could potentially generate 3,400 new homes and 9,000 new jobs.

As well as homes, the approximate 250 acres of land surrounding the River Avon will also see the development of leisure facilities, parks and workspaces.

The river is now being seen as an inspiring place to live close to, especially with the associated health benefits of living near the water.

The air that you breathe Fresh air that has been exposed to water helps your body absorb oxygen, due to it being charged with negative ions. Fresh air is known to be good for the mind, body and soul as it balances your serotonin levels, which control stress and mood.

Feeling happier The development has a range of attractive new build house designs with an exceptionally high specification throughout. Each property has been designed to ensure that the accommodation maximises the space and views with French doors leading from the kitchens to the gardens.

There are two refurbished barns within the development both of which are 3-bedrooms, South Barn has an enclosed garden to the side with parking and has an asking price of £425,000. Whilst North Barn boast double height living area and has parking with an asking price of £385,000.

People who live close to water tend to be happier, this could be because, as scientists have discovered, looking at water fills your brain with the ‘feel good’ hormone, dopamine. Often, looking at water can send you into a meditative state known as ‘Blue Mind’.

General wellbeing Living near water is also known to strengthen your immune system and help fight off illness; these lucky people tend to sleep deeper and feel rejuvenated every morning. There is no doubt that water is very therapeutic in many ways and some say can even help to lengthen your life.

Your river home Imagine waking up each morning to the sound and the scenery of the river, or relaxing after a busy day at work on your terrace and enjoying a moment of calm simply just taking in your waterside view.

Cobb Farr are currently marketing the barns together with the 3bedroom terraced properties, a 4-bedroom three storey detached and some 5-bedroom detached with prices ranging from £295,000£740,000.

Cobb Farr have the show house open on Sundays from 11am – 3pm. If you would like to view and you would like to do so on a different day then please do not hesitate to contact the office to arrange a mutually convenient date and time 01225 333332/01225 866111.

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issue 190

With many developments already in construction and more in the pipeline, it is no surprise to us at The Apartment Company that we are seeing an increased demand from buyers and investors wishing to focus their property search along the river. It’s an exciting time in the ever-changing face of Bath, where we continue to honour and cherish our archeological heritage whilst sympathetically enhancing the city with new and exciting developments and homes.

Let us take you for a tour so you can find how Bath is once again reconnecting with the river and the lifestyle opportunities river living can offer you.

The Apartment Company Pg@theapartmentcompany.co.uk or call 01225 471144.

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Catharine Place Bath ÂŁ2.35 Million

A handsome Grade II listed Georgian townhouse of fine proportions, positioned beautifully on the westerly side of an elegant residential square, adjacent to the Royal Crescent.

Camden

Andrewsonline.co.uk SOLD STC

Southbourne Gardens, BA1 ÂŁ799,500

An elegant and modern townhouse with parking, perfectly located for access to Larkhall and Bath city centre.

Set in a private no-through road, this home offers four bedrooms, family bathroom, two en-suites, a garage and parking.

Energy Efficiency Rating: B

01225 809 868 camden@andrewsonline.co.uk

To view more properties and other services available visit Andrewsonline.co.uk

Central

Andrewsonline.co.uk

Widcombe Hill, BA2 ÂŁ699,950

01225 809 571

Andrews July.indd 1

Semi-detached 1930s style house situated on Widcombe Hill on leafy fringe of city. A delightful three bedroom family home with lovely views and excellent accommodation. Spacious kitchen/diner, three bedrooms, family bathroom, downstairs wet room, level garden, permit parking. Great location.

Energy Efficiency Rating: D

central@andrewsonline.co.uk

To view more properties and other services available visit Andrewsonline.co.uk

19/06/2018 15:07

Newbridge Andrewsonline.co.uk

Park Road, BA1 ÂŁ675,000

Victorian family home with deceptively spacious, recently extended accommodation arranged over three floors. The property is exquisitely presented throughout and offers a beautiful blend of contemporary and period finishes.

Energy Efficiency Rating: TBC

01225 809 685 newbridge@andrewsonline.co.uk

To view more properties and other services available visit Andrewsonline.co.uk

Bear Flat

Andrewsonline.co.uk

Dunkerton, Bath BA2 ÂŁ595,000

Packed with period detail, this former coaching Inn occupies an impressive plot. Over three storeys, the house offers four/five bedrooms, three en-suites, two reception rooms, conservatory, southerly garden and parking.

Energy Efficiency Rating: E

01225 805 680 bearflat@andrewsonline.co.uk

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To view more properties and other services available visit Andrewsonline.co.uk

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THE STONE BARN, Atworth

Guide Price ÂŁ895,000

This four bedroom period house with attached stone barn, with gardens, car port for three cars with plenty of additional parking, is situated in the old part of the idyllic Wiltshire village of Atworth. There is an opportunity to purchase a separate two bedroom cottage next door, possibly for an elderly relative, buy to let or bed and breakfast.

EPC: D

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THE GREEN, Faulkland

Guide Price ÂŁ699,950

The Cottage, originally the old police house, is a delightful Grade II listed four bedroom period stone house with garage and gardens positioned on the edge of a quintessentially English village green, complete with duck pond and stocks. The beautifully presented home is situated between the World Heritage City of Bath and the artisan town of Frome.

EPC: exempt

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Great Pulteney Street

£1850 pcm

This beautifully renovated First Floor apartment is located in the highly renowned, Great Pulteney Street with a level walk into the city centre. Comprising: open plan living area, two bedrooms and two bathrooms.

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Russel Street

£1300 pcm

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Rivers Street

£1200 pcm

This fabulous top floor apartment is located in central Bath. The property has excellent space and offers an open plan kitchen and sitting room with ample room for a dining area. Central parking.

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The Apartment Company is delighted to bring to the market this beautiful first floor apartment. Full of Georgian grandeur, the property comprises: sitting room, kitchen, master bedroom, a second double bedroom and bathroom.

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The Regina

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£2000 pcm

We are delighted to bring to the market this exceptional apartment that is sure to impress.

Comprises; drawing room, kitchen, master bedroom with ensuite, contemporary mezzanine second bedroom and shower/utility room.

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£1200 pcm

Directly opposite from the historical Assembly Rooms, this beautiful, two bedroom, Georgian conversion is sure to excite. With period features, the apartment comprises; sitting room, kitchen, master bedroom, second double bedroom and bathroom.

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Marlborough Buildings

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New Marchants Passage

£1100 pcm

This modern, two bedroom apartment is located in the heart of Bath. The apartment offers generous living space comprising; open plan sitting room/kitchen, master bedroom, second bedroom and bathroom.

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Royal Crescent

£900 pcm

Located in one of Bath’s most prestigious crescents, the Apartment Company is delighted to bring to the market this beautiful studio property. The accommodation comprises; entrance vestibule, living area and shower room.

SALES

01225 471 14 4 The Apartment Company July.indd 1

LETTINGS

Brunswick Place

£900 pcm

The Apartment Company is delighted to market this stunning first floor, Georgian apartment. Full of Georgian grandeur, the property comprises; sitting/dining room, fitted kitchen with integrated appliances and a fitted bathroom.

01225 303 870

Rochfort Place

£700 pcm

This delightful second floor studio apartment is situated with a short walk of the city centre, shops and amenities. The accommodation comprises; hallway, sitting room/bedroom, kitchen and bathroom.

sales@theapartmentcompany.co.uk

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Beaufort East

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£260,000

Located on the popular East side of the city is this stunning courtyard apartment, set within a truly stunning Georgian terrace. The property comprises; sitting room, modern kitchen, bedroom and bathroom.

LD SO TC S

St James Square

O.I.E.O

£370,000

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Portland Place

St Peter’s Place

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O.I.E.O

£325,000

An unusual and exciting first floor property with excellent room sizes that are attractive and well appointed. The property is neatly set in the round part of the Chapel and boasts a private roof terrace.

LD SO TC S

This apartment is located on the top floor of a Grade I listed Georgian townhouse in a highly sought after location. The property comprises: two bedrooms, sitting room, kitchen, bathroom and utility room.

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Green Park

O.I.E.O

£425,000

This top floor apartment is located mid terrace in the beautiful south facing Portland Place. The property comprises: sitting room, kitchen, bedroom with ensuite, second double bedroom, bathroom and a private parking space.

O.I.E.O

£450,000

EW

Camden Crescent

Bennett Street

O.I.E.O

£335,000

We’re delighted to bring to the market a charming two bedroom apartment. Ideally situated on the north side of this elegant street in the heart of Georgian Bath, facing The Assembly Rooms.

LD SO TC S

We are delighted to market this two bedroom apartment, situated in central Bath and forming part of a grade II listed Georgian townhouse.

Comprising; sitting room, kitchen, two double bedrooms and bathroom.

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Grosvenor Place

O.I.E.O

£525,000

£260,000

A recently redecorated second floor Georgian apartment located in a popular location on the eastern outskirts of Bath. This one bedroom property retains much of its original character and charm, much like the city itself.

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This Georgian courtyard apartment is located in a prime residential area. The property is well proportioned being arranged over two floors and comprising; sitting room, modern kitchen, dining room, two bedroom and a luxury bathroom.

O.I.E.O

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Cavendish Place

O.I.E.O

£575,000

This stunning two bedroom garden apartment comes beautifully presented and boasts a rear courtyard with working open air fireplace. Internally there is a large reception room, modern kitchen, master bedroom with ensuite, second double bedroom, luxury shower room and useful storage vaults.

www.theapartmentcompany.co.uk

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