Dents glovemakers: serving kings, queens and James Bond
Interior designer Ashley Hicks shares his creative inspirations
Textile artist Carole Waller brings new life to fabric offcuts
We meet new curator Nathalie Levi from Victoria Art Gallery
Mark Gatiss and Ian Hallard and the world’s first ABBA tribute drag act
Discover gastronomic bliss at the Royal Crescent Hotel
5 THINGS Great things to look forward to this month• 08
CITYIST We meet portrait artist Sally Muir, who specialises in painting dogs • 10
NOTES ON A SMALL CITY
Columnist Richard Wyatt thinks back to the crowning of King Edgar in 793AD, the first king of a united England• 16
FOOD REVIEW Melissa Blease dines at the newly launched Montagu’s Mews at the Royal Crescent Hotel • 52
THATCHERS Cider maker Eleanor Thatcher about what’s in store for the Thatchers business • 54
LEATHER TALES Dents produce gloves for royalty and for James Bond • 58
INTERVIEW Melissa Blease talks to Mark Gatiss and Ian Hallard about their new theatre production • 18
COUNTRY STYLE Sophie Bateman conjures up a vision of Country Brocante, with enamelled teapots and floral quilts • 24
WHAT’S ON Our monthly guide to all the things to enjoy in and around the city • 28
ARTS & EXHIBITIONS Here’s our monthly round-up of artistic goings-on• 34
INTERVIEW Emma Clegg meets Nathalie Levi, curator at Victoria Art Gallery, and discovers her plans for the future • 42
MAKE DO AND MEND Carole Waller finds new ways of using up her colourful textile offcuts• 46
DRINKS AHOY Mocha, espresso, Breakfast or Earl Grey? Here are some of our favourite places to drink the hot stuff • 48
FIVE MINUTES WITH... Discover the work of artist Anthony Sheeran• 60
HISTORY An investigation of the watchman’s sentry box in Bath• 62
BEAUTY Discover the transformative effects of VelaShape and HIFU at The Orangery• 68
THE WALK Kirsten Elliott focuses on windows as she walks through Bath• 74
INTERIORS Designer Ashley Hicks explains the influence of his father and shares his creative inspiration• 76
LANDSCAPE Designer Sam Selby talks about his approach to Bath gardens • 82
OUTDOOR LIVING It’s time to prepare for endless hours in the sunshine (we hope)
• 84
GARDENS Ellie West considers the allure of the common bluebell • 86
Iremember watching scenes from the (then) Prince of Wales’ investiture at Caernarfon Castle in 1969. I was too young to have an opinion, but I watched in awe as the Queen placed the coronet on the head of her kneeling son. It felt like a scene from a fairy tale. Of course we’ll see a much grander ceremony with the King’s coronation on 6 May. The prospect must be a bit nerve-wracking for Charles, but we wish him well, and he has at least got lots of support! This also brings our bank holidays to a total of three this month, which sounds very civilised indeed.
So how to use all this available time? We suggest a visit to Victoria Art Gallery to see the Bath Society of Artists 118th Annual Exhibition. I spoke to new Head Curator Nathalie Levi about the plans for the gallery (see page 42) many of which are orientated around broadening appeal and inspiring the community. There’s also the Theatre Royal Bath’s production of Just Like Old Friends Do from 30 May, a new comedy about devotion, desire and dancing queens (yes there’s a strong ABBA theme), written by and starring Ian Hallard and directed by Mark Gatiss. Melissa Blease catches up with them both on page 18. We’re also (weather permitting) planning some garden celebrations and feasting –take a look at page 84 for some stylish furniture and entertaining accessories.
I visited Dents leather factory this month, a company that has made the last three coronation gloves for George V, George VI and Elizabeth II, as well as leather driving gloves for James Bond, proving how they have both a modern-day and traditional profile. You can see some of their gloves on page 58. Dents are still in regular contact with Kensington Palace, so look out for news of the latest coronation glove. Also this month we talk to textile artist Carole Waller about a project she developed to reuse her fabric offcuts (page 46); Melissa Blease visits the Royal Crescent Hotel’s relaunched restaurant Montagu’s Mews (page 52); and on page 76 we are treated to some of the thrilling interiors of designer Ashley Hicks. Do make sure that you make good use of all those bank holidays.
Emma Clegg, Editor
A concert celebrating the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III takes place at the Abbey on Friday 5 May, with music including Parry’s I Was Glad, Let the People Praise Thee by Mathias, and Handel’s Zadok the Priest. The Melody Makers join the Abbey choirs of Boys, Girls and Lay Clerks in a glorious evening of Royal music | Tickets £22, £17, £10 (16s and under half price) from bathboxoffice.org.uk
On Saturday 6 May the Coronation will be broadcast live in Bath Abbey and a Coronation Peal will be rung at the end of the service. All the Sunday services in the Abbey will have a coronation theme and the 3.30pm service will be a special Coronation Choral Evensong. The bank holiday on Monday 8 May also has a drop in family craft activity. bathabbey.org
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Enjoy a Behind the Scenes tour at Iford Gardens with Head Gardener Steve Lannin. The romantic design and architecture of this Grade I listed garden combines formality with nature and magnificent rural views across an unspoilt valley. The tour includes the main garden and the private walled garden. All day garden entry and a cup of tea or coffee are included in the price. (The visit includes steep, uneven terrain and steps.) Behind the Scenes tour with Steve Lannin, 3 May, 10am–11.15am, £28.There’s another garden tour with owner William Cartwright-Hignett on 11 May at 10am. ifordmanor.co.uk
The Wells Comedy Festival brings a ‘weekend-long comedy jamboree’ (The Guardian) for the bank holiday weekend of 26–28 May. Shows include Jamali Maddix, Rosie Jones and Britain’s Got Talent finalist Nabil Abdulrashid, along with Rhys James, Mark Watson, Paul Foot, Spencer Jones, Jordan Brookes, Celya AB and Thanyia Moore. Others appearing within the line up are Lou Sanders, Phil Wang, Tim Key and John Robins. Tickets from £9. All shows on sale at wellscomfest.com
A new sculpture by British wildlife sculptor Hamish Mackie for the new Dyson Cancer Centre at the Royal United Hospital will be installed on 5 May. Entitled Swifts and representing a pair of swifts in flight, the sculpture will form part of the inpatient courtyard in the new centre. The larger than life sculpture has been cast into bronze and mounted on a limestone plinth where it will form a focal point for the open air first floor courtyard. The artwork has funded through a kind donation from a local individual and supporter of the Trust’s charity RUHX. ruh.nhs.uk
London-based Diva Opera are bringing their performance of L'elisir d'amore by Italian Composer Gaetano Donizetti to the chapel at Monkton Combe School on the evening of 1 June.
The event, organised by Professor Keighley, past governor and former Monktonian, will raise funds for The MASIC Foundation, a charity he founded to support women who have sustained severe lifechanging injuries during childbirth. Complimentary fizz and canapés on arrival and picnic Glyndebourne-style in the grounds of Monkton Combe School. £95 for adults/£50 for under 18s. Search eventbrite.co.uk with ‘L’elisir d’amore’.
The Styled by Design exhibition at David Simon Contemporary, presented by Gray MCA, is one to add to your art calendar. You’ll find rare and limited edition textiles as well as original paintings and works on paper by Modern Masters including Pablo Picasso, Alexander Calder, Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Elizabeth Frink, Patrick Heron and John Piper. The exhibition runs from 19 May –30 June at David Simon Contemporary, 37 High Street, Castle Cary BA7 7AW. davidsimoncontemporary.com
Artist Sally Muir is a prodigious portrait painter of dogs, but she also paints human portraits, landscapes, and the occasional rodent and bird. Before this Muir had a successful knitwear business, Muir & Osborne. She has published a number of books about dogs.
I came to Bath accidentally when I met my husband, who was renting a cottage in Bath. I’ve always loved Bath and used to visit before moving here.
I was at art school for a long time as I was part-time. I did one year at Bath City College and five years at Bath School of Art in Sion Hill and Somerset Place. I loved it –all the buildings were crumbling around us and it had lovely overgrown gardens and lots of space and beautiful views. I was so lucky to be there at that time.
I was always making things as a child and teenager, and when I was about 23 I bought a knitting machine for £5. My brother told me that I should meet a friend of his who also had a knitting machine, so Joanna Osborne and I met up and decided to start a business together. That was over 40 years ago and although we stopped making knitwear last year, we still work together.
I went as a mature student to Bath Spa University when I was in my forties and I had a wonderful time. I had applied to go to the same school, then called Bath Academy at Corsham, when I was 18 and got rejected, so it was wonderful to finally get there. As my mother said at the time, “qualified at last”.
I used to work in publishing and although I enjoyed it in many ways, I hated working for someone else. I’m much happier working for myself, following my own pace. I’m not great in the mornings, so I can arrange my working day to suit myself.
I’ve always loved dogs, and have drawn them since I was a child. When I left art school I intended to become a portrait painter specialising in children. I used to be asked to paint the odd dog with the child, and I discovered that what I really enjoyed was painting the dogs. When Jo and I started our knitting business we both got dogs from Battersea Dog’s Home, Fanny and Alice, and they were very much part of our business. Several years ago we started writing knitting books, Knit your Own Dog, so dogs managed to infiltrate our business too.
My old whippet Lily died last summer, so now we just have Peggy who is a 10-year-old whippet, quite anxious and fearful about the world. She doesn’t really like other dogs, particularly ones she doesn’t know, which is tricky in my line of work. But she is a terrific model and sits in an armchair in my studio, available for modelling at any time.
There are so many cafés in Bath that it’s hard to choose my favourite, but I particularly like Vero’s Spanish Cafe in Milsom Place, lovely friendly people, and lovely coffee.
On a typical working day I tend to do any dog walking, admin, shopping and other things in the morning, and get down to working in the afternoons. I work in my studio every afternoon, which is the front room in my house –it looks like chaos, but I sort of know where everything is. I have different parts of it for different media: I print on top of a plan chest, draw large things on one wall, have an easel for large paintings and my father’s old desk for smaller paintings, with the drawers all full of paints. I’m walled in by a hostess trolley full of oil paints one one side and a pile of pastels on the other.
I usually have several books on the go. I’ve been reading Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver for ages. It’s the retelling of David Copperfield, set in Deep South of the US. It’s a brilliant transposing of the story, very dense, very heartbreaking, very clever. The other one I’m in the middle of is Jerry Saltz’s Art is Life. He is the art critic of New York Magazine and the book is a brilliant, succinct, funny survey of the last 20 years in the art world.
My new book Rescue Dogs has recently been published. This came about when I asked people via social media to send me photos of their rescues. They all came with wonderful stories, some very sad, some bizarre, some touching, but they were so fascinating and added so much to the portrait that I’ve added the stories. I’m vaguely thinking about a next book, but the last one was a mammoth job, so I’m not in a great rush.
sallymuir.co.uk
Bath Rugby are revealing new designs to the public for the redevelopment of the club’s current stadium at The Rec. The stadium plans will go on show at the club’s final home game v Saracens on 6 May from 2–4pm, as well as on 10 May at Widcombe Social Club from 11am–7pm and they will also be available online at bathrugby.com from 6 May.
Stakeholder and public feedback during previous consultations has influenced the new stadium design that the club plans to submit to B&NES Council. The previous scheme shared pre-pandemic has evolved and the project team are looking forward to sharing the stadium’s designs and benefits. As part of the redevelopment, the public riverside space to the west of The Rec will be widened, creating a more inviting and usable space, on matchdays and nonmatchdays, and the structure itself will allow for greater community use. The proposed capacity of the stadium will increase to 18,000 with increased provision for accessibility needs, as well as providing a new permanent home for Bath Rugby Foundation. bathrugby.com
The Circuit of Bath Walk has become an unmissable institution and a vital fundraiser for charity Julian House. Now in its 22nd year, the 20-mile challenge across the outskirts of Bath has seen thousands of people explore some of our most stunning countryside and experience the city in a whole new way.
This year’s event takes place on Sunday 24 September. Participants will walk a circular route that takes in stunning views overlooking the historic city, including the gorgeous vistas from Little Solsbury Hill and South Stoke Millennium Viewpoint. While the charity is encouraging people to tackle the full 20-mile route, participants can choose their own distance and start point, thanks to the five checkpoints along the route and a free taxi service between each.
Community and Events Fundraiser Gavin Osborn said: “By taking part, you are enabling us to support at-risk people in our emergency hostel and domestic abuse refuge. You will be helping to save lives”.
Early Bird tickets are on sale now (£10 adult, £5 child, £22 family). Dogs are welcome and there are buggy-friendly sections. To sign up for the walk go to www.eventbrite.co.uk and search for Circuit of Bath Walk.
Al Murray has always had a passion for history and on 22 May he is coming to do a talk at BRLSI. Based on his recently published book Command: How the Allies Learned to Win the Second World War, Murray will highlight the performance and careers of some of the leading protagonists who commanded armies, as well as the lesser-known officers who led divisions, regiments and even battalions for the British, Commonwealth and United States of American armies.
By showcasing each combat commander across every major theatre of operations the allies fought in, Murray tells the story of how the Western Allies rebounded from early shocking defeats (Dunkirk and Pearl Harbor) to then victories (El Alamein and D-Day) in its efforts to defeat the Axis forces of Nazi Germany and Japan, and what that tells us about the characters and the challenges facing them.
Al Murray is best known as a multi-award winning stand-up comedian and also hosts the podcast We Have Ways of Making You Talk with military author James Holland. Command has received extremely positive reviews and been praised for bringing a unique perspective to some of the key characters and events of the Second World War.
Command talk with Al Murray, 22 May, 7.30–9pm, in person or online. BRLSI, 16 Queen Square, Bath, £4–£7. brlsi.org
Bath Contemporary Artists’ Fair (BCAF) launches its new season of art fairs on 14 May at Green Park Station. BCAF brings the best of contemporary art to Bath, with fine art, photography, sculpture, textiles, ceramics and much more.
This year BCAF –which celebrated its 20th fair last December –is collaborating with Bath Spa University, offering mentoring, placements and subsidised exhibition spaces for their talented ‘Emerge’ students (who have graduated within the last two years). BCAF is also linking up with The Bath Festival and the first fair on 14 May coincides with the start of the festival’s events programme. The BCAF fair will also see the launch of the fair’s first ever mentoring programme for 16–25-year-olds, with mentors offering career advice, pricing or technical support. BCAF has also produced its first BCAF brochure, available throughout the city, featuring artists from BCAF and information about all the events. BCAF, 14 May, 10am–5pm, Green Park Station; bcaf.co.uk
by Penny Chivers StanleyVulnerability or Strength
Depp V Heard: The Unreal Story by Nick Wallis, publishing on 17 May, is the definitive account of the infamous court battles between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard.
In 2020, movie star Johnny Depp sued The Sun newspaper at the High Court in London for calling him a wife-beater. His ex-wife Amber Heard was the star witness. Depp lost. In April last year, Depp sued Heard in the US for claiming she was the victim of domestic violence. This time Depp won. This raised a fundamental question: after two exhaustive trials, how did the outcomes differ so widely?
Nick Wallis was the only journalist on the ground at both trials. In London he live tweeted from inside the court, publishing daily transcripts of proceedings, and connecting with millions of people on social media. Nick was the first to tell the world that Depp had lost against The Sun and that he’d failed in his application to appeal. Nick then crowdfunded his way to Virginia for the second trial as an independent reporter. As coverage of the trial snowballed, Nick experienced the effect it had on everyone involved.
The book seeks to tell the definitive story of the saga. In an engaging style Nick sets up the legal drama, weaves in his own reportage and analyses the evidence to unearth the real truth.
Nick Wallis is an award-winning journalist and broadcaster and author of The Great Post Office Scandal (Bath Publishing, 2021). Depp V Heard: The Unreal Story, Bath Publishing, £12.99; bathpublishing.com
South west legal and financial planning services firm Mogers Drewett has acquired Bath-based Freemans Solicitors following Shaun Freeman’s decision to retire.
Established in 1999, Freemans solicitors developed a specialist private client practice, renowned for its exceptional client care and service. The acquisition will enable Mogers Drewett to grow its market share in both legal and financial planning services.
Sean McDonough, Managing Partner of Mogers Drewett explains, “Shaun has a great reputation for delivering a highly specialised and personalised service to his clients, who will now benefit from a wider range of both legal and financial services offered by Mogers Drewett and we look forward to welcoming his clients.”
Shaun Freeman says, “Mogers Drewett has an excellent private client department and is therefore perfectly equipped to ensure my clients receive the standard of care and level of expertise they need now and in the future, and I shall retire knowing my clients are in safe hands.”
mogersdrewett.com
In celebration of her 20 years in business, Joanna May has produced a new series of paintings for the exhibition
Crop Circles and Wildlife. Joanna discovered that some crop circles, a feature of the Wiltshire summer landscape, portray animals. Inspired by this she has portrayed the featured animal in exquisite detail next to the crop circle and embellished the painting with gold leaf, creating a decorative, highly collectable style of work. Prints are priced from £350 and original works from £2,900.
Joanna is known for her paintings of hares, leopards, zebras, lions and tigers and her works, selling at up to £15,000, are collected widely. She has a listing in Who’s Who In Art and her artwork can be seen at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Raymond Blanc’s hotel near Thame, Oxford. She has held exhibitions with wildlife TV presenter Chris Packham to raise money for tiger conservation, at the Savoy Hotel London with TV presenter Michaela Strachan to raise awareness for the plight of the Tiger in association with London Zoo, and with Lee Durrell to raise money for the Gerald Durrell Foundation.
Love Letter to Wiltshire: An Exhibition of Works by Joanna May is open at Wiltshire Museum until Sunday 11 June. Tickets, which include entry to the museum, start at £7.50 (concessions available, free for under 18s) and can be pre-booked at wiltshiremuseum.org.uk/prebooktickets. Museum opening times: Monday to Saturday, 10am–5pm and Sundays 11am–3pm.
Forest Live, the major outdoor live music series presented by Forestry England, takes place this year between 8–18 June and introduces forests to new audiences in unique, natural woodland arenas around the country.
Over 2 million people have attended a Forest Live gig in the last 22 years, experiencing great music and supporting the nation’s forests. Going to a concert helps Forestry England create beautiful places for people to enjoy, run important conservation projects and keep growing trees. Last year they planted some 6.8 million trees, caring for the nation’s 1,500 woods and forests sustainably and welcoming 363 million visits annually. Forest Live in this region takes place at Westonbirt Arboretum, near Tetbury, Gloucestershire. This year’s headline acts are: Paul Weller with special guests Far From Saints and guest support Seb Lowe on Thursday 8 June; Tom Grennan with special guest Matilda Mann and support Liv Dawson on Friday 9 June; and Jack Savoretti with special guest Natalie Imbruglia on Saturday 10 June. For further info/tickets: forestryengland.uk/music
As the coronation of King Charles III approaches, Richard Wyatt thinks back to the crowning of King Edgar, who is believed to be the first king of a united England, in a Saxon church that once stood within the footprint of Bath Abbey
By the time you read this, a very special and much-missed metal plaque should have been returned to its original location. Modest in size, but powerful in meaning, it sits on one of the buttresses fronting the external east wall of Bath Abbey.
It may not the biggest of its kind but with our new King’s coronation at hand it marks a very important and proud link this city has had with the monarchy for a thousand years and more. It commemorates the fact that Edgar –believed to be the first king of a united England –was crowned in a Saxon church that once stood on the spot now occupied by its Tudor counterpart. It reads: “King Edgar was crowned King of All England in Bath on Whitsunday 973 AD.”
The plaque had lost a screw and the wooden backing was falling apart, so it was taken down. Since then the amazing multimillion pound Footprint Project got in the way of any further action –until just recently, when it was sent off to a specialist in Winchester for restoration. Those wonderful crown-embossed security-proof screw caps will be replicated. (Find out more at bathabbey.org.)
The service used for Edgar’s coronation was compiled by a west country educated cleric called Dunstan, who was by then Archbishop of Canterbury and was later made a saint. He was a monk highly favoured by a succession of kings, although his jealous enemies were always ready to have him disgraced.
Maybe you’ve heard the story of King Edmund who was out hunting near Cheddar, soon after banishing Dunstan on some trumped-up charge. The stag the hounds were chasing ran blindly over the Cheddar Gorge cliffs, as did the hounds, and the king’s horse was likely to follow. Seeing death as imminent, His Majesty remembered his harsh treatment
of Dunstan and promised to make amends if his life was spared. At that moment his horse was stopped at the very edge of the cliff. Giving thanks to God, Edmund returned to his local palace and called for Dunstan to follow him to Glastonbury where he made him Abbott.
After many more adventures Dunstan officiated at the coronation of King Edgar in 973 AD as Archbishop of Canterbury. Edgar was crowned in Bath in an imperial ceremony planned at the culmination of his reign rather than at its start. King Edgar died two years later. This service, devised by Dunstan himself, forms the basis of the present-day British coronation ceremony.
Last performed in 1953 to crown our late Queen Elizabeth II, many will fondly remember she came to Bath in 1973 to mark a thousand years of monarchy. This institution had started here in our city with the first anointing of a royal head.
I was nearly four at the time of the coronation and only remember being given, along with all the other children in the village where l spent my early years, a silver-coloured spoon decorated with a red, white and blue ribbon. Two other relics of that event have gone missing. I swapped my beautiful coronation coach for a tank transporter. Not the best investment by any means.
I also had a commemorative book with beautiful colour images of a young smiling Queen. As a post war baby, my world –and much of this book –tended towards black and white, so even a single rainbow-coloured image registered with the same impact as opening the lid of a jewel-filled treasure chest. Having lost my copy of the book, l found another online. It was an emotional moment for me to look through it. The Queen’s reign did, after all, cover much of my life.
Maybe, others of my generation have been more careful in preserving their souvenir keepsakes from 1953. Now, with a new monarch officially taking to that historic throne, there will no doubt be more to collect and keep this month. n
I swapped my beautiful coronation coach for a tank transporter.
Not the best investment by any meansAn enlargement in the new Discovery Centre of part of the Bath Abbey stained glass window depicting the crowning of King Edgar in 973. Image courtesy of Bath Abbey
It’s time for a double interview and a strong ABBA theme with actor, comedian, screenwriter, director and producer Mark Gatiss and actor and writer Ian Hallard, ahead of their new production at Theatre Royal Bath. Melissa Blease invents a new acronym and discovers that the ties of friendship carry Mark and Ian, and the new play, through...
Times of joy and times of sorrow, we will always see it through. Oh, I don’t care what comes tomorrow, we can face it together... the way old friends do.”
Those lyrics may not come from the most obvious of Swedish supergroup ABBA’s greatest hits back catalogue but the song itself – The Way Old Friends Do, the last track on the band’s chart-topping 1980 album Super Trouper – is certainly one of their most evocative, led by Agnetha Fältskog’s plaintive vocal storytelling set against a lilting bagpipe soundscape that slowly builds up to a spine-chillingly redolent climax.
Some four decades later, that song provided actor/writer Ian Hallard with the title and the original inspiration for his brand new comedy, described as being all about “devotion, desire and dancing queens” (and, in my opinion, a heck of a lot more besides), directed by none other than Mark (Nolly; The League of Gentlemen; Sherlock; Dracula; Doctor Who) Gatiss, aka Hallard’s husband of 15 plus years.
Phew! There’s a heck of a lot of a backstory storyline going on here before we even get to what Mark and Ian refer to as ‘the matter in hand’ – as in, the imminent arrival of TWOFD at Theatre Royal Bath at the end of this month. “Yes, you could call us very busy people!” says Mark. “But the thing is, a lot of what we’ve both done covers a long space of time, and there’s enough to talk about right here and now without referring to five, ten or 20 years ago. And I like to have a broad spread of things to be getting on with; TWOFD is the second play I’ve directed this year, and I’m straight on to the National Theatre, to play John Gielgud in Jack Thorne’s The Motiveand the Cue. So yes, a very nice spread of things – and quite eclectic, for sure!”
“We’re both very lucky,” adds Ian; “we both love doing all the things that we do.”
For Ian, ‘what he does’ must surely have been dominated, in recent times at least, by the play that he not only wrote but stars in too, as long-term ABBA superfan (and middle-aged former librarian) Peter, who is coincidentally reunited with an old school friend. After all the years spent apart, the pair come out to one another: one as gay, and the other as – ta-daa! – an ABBA fan. On from there, the old friends’ new journey is quite the story... but where did the story behind the story start?
Ian debuted his first play Adventurous (produced by Jermyn Street Theatre and streamed online) in 2021, having formerly worked as both a co-writer (with Gatiss) and script associate on various episodes
of the David Suchet/Agatha Christie: Poirot series for ITV, alongside other projects. “I actually sat down to try and write another play around three and a half years ago... but I just didn’t know what I wanted to write about,” he says “Eventually I thought, okay, if I’m going to try to write a new play, then I’m going to write a part in it for myself – so what part would I most like to play? I decided I would have to be a member of ABBA! On from that, I tried a plot that would enable me to do that – and here we are.”
So we can deduce that Ian is a big ABBA fan? “That would be a huge understatement!” he laughs. “My mum was pregnant with me when ABBA won Eurovision in 1974, so I guess I was a fan in the womb. I wasn’t some sort of immaculate ABBA conception, but yes, mum is a massive fan too, and ABBA became the soundtrack to my life that’s never left me”. But how does one turn that kind of personal history into a drama/comedy about “devotion, desire and dancing queens”? “Mark’s better placed to answer that as he gets to sit in the auditorium watching the audience and listening to their comments while I’m on stage sticking to a script I wrote!”, says Ian. So...
“Broadly speaking, the storyline focuses around two former school friends who meet up again in middle age and decide, due to various reasons, to form the world’s first drag ABBA tribute act,” Mark explains. “On one level it’s a feel-good comedy, but to me it brings out the essence of ABBA themselves: a very spangly, catchy surface, but actually rather deep, and sort of shot through with melancholy. The response so far has been terrific; people clearly want to be cheered up and have a wonderful time, but also they seem to become really invested in the characters, and moved by the story”.
“I tried to create some kind of poignancy; it’s definitely not all froth!”, adds Ian. “The characters go through some turbulence and difficult times together, but the ties of friendship carry them through –that’s what the play’s about, it’s all there in the title and it runs the whole gamut, both laughter and tears.”
It’s very clear that Mark and Ian’s working relationship seamlessly runs alongside their personal relationship without the infamous friction that blights so many celebrity power couples (and in theatre world that’s the best way to describe the Gatiss/Hallard partnership) away from the spotlight. Am I right?
“Put it this way,” says Ian. “I wrote the first draft of TWOFD not knowing if it would be any good, or if I’d ever want to show it to anyone. Then I got to the end and I thought okay, I’ll see what Mark thinks, because I know that we’re close enough for him to say okay, look, I love you dearly but let’s delete this and never show it to anyone else. Fortunately he didn’t say that, but he would have done, if he’d needed to, and I’d have trusted him with that!”
“And actually, parts of the script that we’re working with today are remarkably similar to the original draft, so he didn’t have anything to worry about, did he?” says Mark. “But yes, working together and being married too can be a little odd at times, because you can’t really close the door on work – our working lives will pursue us home. But we’re having a great time on TWOFD, and it’s a lovely project, and we
My mum was pregnant with me when ABBA won Eurovision in 1974, so I guess I was a fan in the womb...
have a lovely cast [including, by the way, offstage characters voiced by Miriam Margolyes and the late, great Paul O’Grady], and we do really love each other, and that doesn’t change in the work environment.” “We love each other and we respect each other as well”, says Ian; “and above all, I trust Mark and follow his judgement”.
“Listen to us!” laughs Mark; “We should go on Great Canal Journeys next, and see what happens then!”
Now there’s an interesting concept: Gatiss and Hallard take to the UK waterway network! “Having said that, when you think about the real life story behind TWOFD...”, says Mark (and I just know, from the twinkle in his voice, that there’s a cheeky rejoinder coming up), “from being shown the script for this play several years ago, written by a guy who actually dressed as ABBA’s Agnetha as a child, to premiering it in his home city at the Birmingham Rep, directed by his husband –that’s quite a nice story arc for another project, isn’t it?”
In the safe hands of the creative tour de force that is Gatiss and Hallard, who says it couldn’t happen? They could face that one together.... the way old friends do. n
The Way Old Friends Do, Theatre Royal Bath, 30 May –3 June; theatreroyal.org.uk
Fresh from a visit to Watches & Wonders 2023, the recent annual watch showcase in Geneva, Switzerland, Mallory Jewellers review the latest models as well as the most exciting trends from the world of fine watchmaking. Find out more at Mallory, 1 - 5 Bridge Street, Bath BA2 4AP. mallory-jewellers.com
Patek Philippe enriches its range of travel watches and complications for everyday use with a new self-winding Calatrava Travel Time model featuring a distinctive 24-hour display.
Model: 5224R-001 £46,190.00
Panerai celebrated its history by revamping the Radiomir collection, with new and heritage-focused models. Quaranta, forty in Italian, stands for the 40mm case size that defines the collection’s essence.
Model: PAM01293
£5,200.00
With its two time zones and Saros annual calendar, the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Sky-Dweller is an elegant and trusted companion for world travellers. The range has been updated with numerous enhancements illustrating the role that excellence plays even in the tiniest details.
Model: M336935-0001
Price on request
The all-new TAG Heuer Carrera Date 36mm, featuring a sporty, ergonomic profile and racing-inspired design codes. With colourful dials, a tapered bracelet design, and upgraded movement, this iconic timepiece has been reborn.
Model: WBN2311.BA0001
£2,750.00
Tudor has expanded the Black Bay GMT line with a new, whimsical dial in opaline to match the distinctive burgundy and blue bezel. It is also equipped with a steadfast Manufacture Calibre.
Model: M79830RB-0010 £3,590.00
The grey glacier pattern dial gives the impression of looking into the depths of a glacier with all its minerals captured in time for millennia. Inspired by the Mer de Glace, this glacial texture was achieved using an almostforgotten ancestral technique called gratté-boisé.
Model: 130793 £2,785.00
Designed to push competitive limits with its ultralegible dial and 'glass box' crystal, this watch is a celebration of speed and style.
Model: 168619-3001 £8,030.00
Tudor presents a new version of its Black Bay line in steel with a fixed bezel. All fitted with Manufacture Calibres, the models come in four sizes, with a five-link bracelet and clasp with rapid adjustment.
Model: M79600-0004 £3,720.00
Patek Philippe reinterprets the self-winding Aquanaut Luce in rose gold with an elegant taupe-coloured dial and strap – a warm shade of grey that matches the contemporary sporty chic style of this ladies' model.
Model: 5268/200R-010 £43,340.00
Sophie Bateman visits the West Sussex home of Lucy Haywood and discovers a bucolic vision of real country living, with galvanised watering cans, stoneware jugs, enamelled teapots, floral quilts and vintage French linen. Welcome to Country Brocante, which you can experience for yourself at the interiors lifestyle fair which is coming to Bruton in June.
paint. The garden alone gives the strong impression of a deeply creative person who loves a project. When Lucy emerges from the cottage to welcome me she is flanked by an elegant lurcher and a small terrier. I am invited in for tea in the pretty kitchen fashioned from reclaimed wood by talented friends. Tea comes in a classic enamel teapot served in mismatched cups, and I am offered buttered hot cross buns on a charming sponge-ware plate.
Although Lucy began her antique and interiors fairs inspired by the French Brocante style, her home is quintessentially English in style. “We have such a rich history of English style”, she explains, “I am really keen to reintroduce people to our own style heritage, from beautiful Welsh quilts, to simple farmhouse furniture to Sponge-ware, which are all essentially folk art pieces”. Indeed casting my eye around the kitchen, there is a wealth of English style, from an early stoneware jug dating back a hundred years, to the work of current day ceramicists. The mantlepiece above the small log burner is piled up with collections of bowls and cups, an abundance of colour and pattern.
Avisit to the West Sussex home of Lucy Haywood, the author of Country Brocante Style, is a little like stepping back into a different era. As I make my way up the country lane and turn into the driveway of her picture perfect tile-hung cottage, I am struck by a sense of place and a real sense of a person for whom country living is somewhat of an art form. This place feels like a hidden treasure, a secret garden of rambling roses, surrounded by fields, complete with a tiny spinney filled with delicate fritillaries, small hens picking their way through the long grass of their enclosure. It is a bucolic vision of real country living, not the neat and sanitised version we are often presented with, but the natural, rustic reality.
In pride of place in the garden is a shepherd’s hut, an original, which Lucy has painstakingly restored with the help of a friend. Around the garden are the signs of a life of early mornings spent at garden sales, boot fairs and flea markets. Lucy has a the skilled eye of a collector. There are beautiful objects aplenty, from collections of Victorian terracotta pots and garden tools to old rustic gates, galvanised watering cans and even a very early wooden hay feeder for lambs. The latter is an object I would not have paid much heed to, but here it is elevated from a practical farm item to an object of simple beauty.
Everywhere I look there are signs of creative industry: borders are being planted up, a trellis is being fashioned out of hazel sticks found in the woods, the shepherd’s hut is getting a fresh coat of
Lucy’s passion for all things vintage was ignited at an early age. “My parents spent all their free time at antique fairs, and I grew up in a home where old things were really valued; it sparked an interest in treasure hunting that has stayed with me ever since.” Lucy has an eclectic style, which is by no means limited to what we would consider things of ‘value’.
“I love the story of an object and I love getting a sense of its previous life, I often like to imagine the maker or the previous owner who treasured it.” Lucy tells me she is as excited by a mundane find just as much as by one of antique value. “House clearance sales are so interesting to me; as well as beautiful furniture or precious chinaware, one might look in a box and find
Tea comes in a classic enamel teapot served in mismatched cups, and I am offered buttered hot cross buns on a charming sponge-ware plate
an immaculate collection of vintage cashmere or even more mundane a collection of hundreds of lolly sticks carefully packaged up to use as plant labels from the greenhouse of an avid gardener. Also evident in the cottage is Lucy’s love of antique and vintage textiles, from piles of simple French linen sheets to floral bedspreads and pretty patterned scraps of fabric or pieces of vintage lace ready to be repurposed.
It is this eclectic eye that led Lucy to leave a career in design and follow another creative path. Initially putting her huge collections of china to use, hiring them out for weddings and parties, work that she could combine with bringing up her young daughters. This led to opening a little shop in Sussex, at one point opening in a large and draughty rustic barn, inviting other collectors to sell alongside her. Word of mouth made the stores a destination for vintage lovers in the know. Lucy began to host sales in gardens and on village greens and The Country Brocante was born. Over the last 12 years the business has evolved and grown from humble beginnings to hosting large seasonal interiors and lifestyle events in stunning locations around the UK.
But the original vision is still held in mind, and Lucy has always wanted the event to be accessible to all. She values the small artisan starting out just as much as the big established dealers. She hopes that every visitor will be able to visit the fair and leave with something they love, whether a basket full of plants, a simple jug or a Swedish dresser. Lucy’s style is not precious, or rather, perhaps, everything is precious. Exquisite treasures sit alongside humble, simple ones, and everything is cared-for, used and loved. n
Visit The Country Brocante Summer Fair 2023, from 9–10 June at Roundhill Grange, Charlton Musgrove, Bruton, Somerset BA9 8HH; thecountrybrocante.co.uk
8 Pulteney Bridge, Bath, BA2 4AX Open: Wed-Sat, 10am-4pm and Sun 11am-4pm
Honey Willow is a Bath family run jewellery business. We make meaningful, personalised jewellery celebrating loved ones and life’s milestones. Jewellery that customers love to give and receive. All handmade to order in our Bath workshop.
Visit us on Pulteney Bridge or find the full range online: www.honeywillow.com
Discount code for 10% off : BATHMAG3
MUSIC AT GREEN PARK BRASSERIE
n Green Park Brasserie, Green Park
Enjoy live jazz/funk/soul/swing at Green Park Brasserie on Weds and Thurs from 6.30–8.45pm and Fri and Sat from 6.30–9.45pm. Music includes dynamic duos, modern trios and a Hot Club style quintet. greenparkbrasserie.com
GARDEN SCULPTURE TRAIL
Until 31 May
n The American Museum & Gardens, Claverton Down
The Garden Sculpture Trail features 40 unique sculptures from British artists and designers. The contemporary abstract sculptures are made from a range of stone, metal and glass, and will be artfully arranged in the beautiful spring gardens. Curated by Andrew Illingworth. americanmuseum.org
EXHIBITION: AMERICA IN CRISIS
Until 4 July
n The American Museum & Gardens, Claverton Down
The American Museum & Gardens are hosting a major American photography exhibition on its first and only showing outside of London. The exhibition features over 80 photographs from 39 top American artists – both contemporary and historic – as well as an interactive immersive experience that explores image classification and consumption. americanmuseum.org
RICHES OF THE EARTH: THE BEAUTY OF MINERALS
Until 7 October
n Bath Royal and Literary and Scientific Institution, 16–18 Queens Square, Bath Riches of the Earth reveals the beauty of minerals through the astounding forms and vibrant colours of more than a hundred carefully selected specimens from the BRLSI collection. The exibition is free to attend. brlsi.org
28 April –1 May
n Locations across Bristol and Bath
The Festival of Nature team and partners have put together an exciting programme of free family-friendly nature events, including expert-led wildlife walks, at beautiful outdoor locations across the West of England region, including Bristol and Bath. Help put your local nature on the map this Spring. citynaturechallenge.org.uk
U3A MONTHLY TALK: DROPPING THE HABIT | A NUN’S STORY
4 May, 9.45am
n Bath Pavilion, North Parade Road, Bathwick
As a young girl, Marion Dante always knew she would be a nun. In 1959, at the age of 14, Marion entered the Salesian Sisters Convent in Surrey. In 1965 she took vows of chastity, poverty and obedience. But Marion left the religious order –and this talk is about the how and why of the new life that she built. Admission is free for members but a donation of £2 for non-members. If you join U3A in Bath at the meeting then your admission fee is refunded. u3ainbath.uk
4 May –5 June
n Aerospace Bristol, Haynes Way, Patchway Luke Jerram’s Mars will be stunningly displayed alongside the last Concorde ever to fly in this exhibition marking the 20th anniversary of Europe’s first mission to Mars, with models of the Mars Express Orbiter and the Beagle 2 lander also on display. Measuring seven metres in diameter, Mars features detailed NASA imagery of the Martian surface. aerospacebristol.org
A ROYAL CELEBRATION CONCERT
5 May, 7pm
n Bath Abbey
A concert celebrating the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III including Parry’s I was glad, Let the people praise thee by Mathias, and Handel’s Zadok the Priest. The Melody Makers join the Abbey choirs of Boys, Girls and Lay Clerks in a glorious evening of Royal music. Tickets £22, £17 and £10 (16s and under half price) from bathboxoffice.org. Visit the Abbey website to discover more coronation events. bathabbey.org
CORONATION SPECIAL SUPPER CLUB
5 May, 7.30pm
n Iford Manor Estate, near Bradford on Avon
A wonderful evening full of delicious food and music to be enjoyed with friends. Sevencourse tasting menu comprising favourite foods of King Charles III. To include a
welcome glass on arrival. A list of accompanying wines by the glass or bottle will be available on the night (separately charged). Homemade and sustainably sourced from the Iford Manor Estate | £75 per person. Visit the Iford Manor website for the full menu, timings and to book. ifordmanor.co.uk
HOLBURNE MUSEUM PLANT SALE
7 May, 10.30am–2.30pm
n Holburne Museum, Bath
Enjoy teas, coffees and homemade cakes, as well as specialist stalls selling plants and related products. There will also be expert advice from the Friends Plants Stall. holburne.org
BINOCULAR AND OPTICS SHOW
12 May, 10am –3.30pm
n Chew Valley Lake, Walley Lane, Chew Valley, Bristol BS40 8XS
This binocular and telescope show organised by the London Camera Exchange takes place on the lawn of Car Park No. 2 overlooking the Chew Valley Lake. An opportunity to ‘try and buy’ the latest binoculars and telescopes from leading manufacturers including Hawke, Opticron, Swarovski, Nikon, Vortex and Zeiss. Special offers available on the day; part exchange prices offered for quality used gear. lcegroup.co.uk/events
SABOTAGE BY NOFIT STATE CIRCUS
13 May –2 June
n The NoFit State Big Top, Wilson Street, St Pauls, Bristol BS2 9HH
SABOTAGE is another full-on, boisterous, and audaciously fierce performance, bringing a darker, grittier, and more subversive edge to NoFit State’s trademark large-scale contemporary circus spectacular. Back in the Big Top with incredible new acts, original music, new apparatus and a more theatrical feel, SABOTAGE challenges the status quo. Suitable for children. £24£17. nofitstate.org/sabotage
Friday 12 May, from 5pm
With ten days of live events celebrating music and books, The Bath Festival kicks off on 12 May with Party in the City, an evening of free music in dozens of city centre venues.
Musicians, poets, bands and choirs will perform in more than 30 venues and music will ring out from churches and chapels including Bath Abbey and St Michael’s Without. Enjoy performances at museums and galleries, including The Holburne Museum, Victoria Art Gallery and BRLSI. Pubs and bars, cafes and shops will all be hosting live events throughout the evening. Bring the family and enjoy the party atmosphere as thousands gather for a joyful celebration that marks the opening of the Bath Festival, this year marking its 75th anniversary. As well as music indoors there will be a stage and stalls in Queen Square as well as entertainment in Parade
POLARI SALON: PAUL BURSTON, JOELLE TAYLOR & MISS HOPE SPRINGS
17 May, 7.30pm
RICKY COOL AND THE IN CROWD PRESENT – A NIGHT AT THE FLAMINGO
20 May, 8pm
n Chapel Arts Centre, Lower Borough Walls, Bath
Take a trip back in time to Soho’s iconic music venue of the early 1960s, with Ricky Cool and the In Crowd. Red Hot Rhythm and Blues and Soul, Ska and Bluebeat, just as it was at the Flamingo’s legendary Friday and Saturday ‘All Nighter’ sessions. Tickets £15/£17 chapelarts.org
THE ARTS SOCIETY BATH LECTURE: THE EXPLOSIVE WORLD OF CORNELIA PARKER
15 May, 11.30am
n Widcombe Social Club, Widcombe Hill, Bath, and live-streamed
Contemporary sculptor and installation artist
Cornelia Parker is known for her large-scale installations like Cold Dark Matter: An Exploded View where she took a garden shed, had it blown up and then installed the debris around a light bulb with the effect of an explosion frozen in time To book a place as a guest (£10 in venue or £7 on Zoom) please contact bath@theartssociety.org by 12 May theartsocietybath.com
ELMWOODS: BATH VALUATION DAY
16 May, 10.30am–6.30pm
n Bath Scouts, 7 Grove Street, Bathwick BA2 6PJ
Come and recieve free, no-obligation expert valuations for fine jewellery, watches, designer handbags and fashion. Zero fees for selling. elmwoods.co.uk
n Komedia Bath, 22-23 Westgate Street London’s award-winning literary salon Polari –a celebration of LGBTQ+ words and voices –comes to Bath. Polari Salon founder, Paul Burston kicks off the evening followed by a spoken word performance from TS Eliot Prize winning poet Joelle Taylor and the spell-binding singing of Miss Hope Springs. Tickets £9–£22.50. komedia.co.uk
CONCERT FOR THE PEOPLE OF BATH WITH ESTHER YOO AND BATH PHILHARMONIA
18 May, 7.30pm
n Bath Forum, 1A Forum Buildings
The Bath Festival’s annual Concert for the People of Bath returns with superstar Esther Yoo performing Sergei Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 1, one of the fastest violin concertos in the world. A symphonic-sized Bath Philharmonia is joined by a choir of 120 young people and to complete the evening, Bath Phil present the theme tune to BBC’s The Apprentice and the vitality and epic power of Igor Stravinsky’s The Firebird Suite. £5.50–£33. bathfestivals.org.uk
DIGUARDO BOUTIQUE
19 May –10 June, Monday to Saturday, 10am–5pm and by appointment
n DiGuardo Boutique, 21/22 Milsom Place, Bath
DiGuardo Boutique will be opening for a period at 21/22 Milsom Place, with beautiful summer collections and some great events. This independent store sells clothing and accessories curated from a handpicked selection of independent designers. It carries small collections with a unique sense of style. diguardoboutique.com
Gardens and at Green Park Station. The fun starts at 5pm and to help you plan your evening there is a programme flyer. bathfestivals.org.uk/the-bathfestival/whats-on-party-in-the-city/ Party in the City will be followed by ten days of events featuring Bath Philharmonia, Schools’ Voices, a choir made up of young people from 12 local schools, plus visits from Jeremy Bowen, Kaffe Fassett, Vince Cable, Fern Brady, Esme Young, Natalie Haynes and Gary Younge. bathfestivals.org.uk
ENTRIES INVITED FOR ALDRIDGES FINE
ART & ANTIQUES AUCTION ON 30 MAY
Entries invited until 20 May
n Aldridges Fine Art & Antiques, Phoenix House, Lower Bristol Road, Bath Aldridges offer full valuation and estate dispersal services in Bath and the surrounding areas, and free pre-auction advice. From a single item, a private collection of specialist antiques, or an entire house contents. To include silver, jewellery, ceramics, glass, paintings, prints, clocks, antique, furniture and furnishings. Home visits also offered. aldridgesofbath.com
CASSIAN SCHMIDT: INSPIRED BY NATURE –THE NEW PERENNIAL MOVEMENT OF HERMANNSHOF
25 May, 7.30–9pm
n University of Bath Gardening Club, Room 1 Level 1, East Building, East Car Park, University of Bath, Claverton Down New ground has been broken and international trends set at Hermannshof in Germany. Cassian explains the blend of ecology, artistry and imagination that produces an all-season kaleidoscope, inspired by nature but not copying it. Open to all; Membership £20, Visitors £6. ubgc.org
SHINDIG FESTIVAL
25–28 May
n Dillington Estate, Ilminster TA19 9AG
This year’s Shindig headliners include Sister Sledge featuring Kathy Sledge; and satirical news reporter (and comedy genius), Jonathan Pie. Other acts include London post-punk band, Warmduscher; the original queen of reggae music Dawn Penn; artist, producer and DJ Erol Alkan; top dog in reggae dance halls David Rodigan; DJ Norman Jay MBE; and BBC 6 music’s Huey Morgan. Tickets have a pay in instalments option. For the full line-up and tickets, visit shindigfestival.co.uk
U3A MONTHLY TALK: THE HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE NORTH SOMERSET COALFIELD
1 June, 9.45am
n Bath Pavilion, North Parade Road, Bathwick
A talk by Shane Gould, Head of Industrial Heritage Strategy at Historic England. Free for members; a donation of £2 for non-members. If you join U3A in Bath at the meeting then your admission fee is refunded. u3ainbath.uk
1–3 June
n The Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset BA4 6QN Come and enjoy a Great British family day out. The show will feature activities, demonstrations and entertainment; including fast-paced excitement in the Main Ring and an enhanced food hall experience. bathandwest.com/tickets
GARDEN DAYS OUT TOUR
2 June
n Plaz Metaxu, meet at Tiverton Parkway Station at 11am; return at 3.30pm Plaz Metaxu, located in a Devon coombe, occupies a series of spaces that are signalled by sculptures and visual references to the classics, art, psychology and poetry. Developed over some 30 years by Alasdair Forbes, Plaz Metaxu has attracted much admiration for its horticultural excellence. Includes introductory talk, a garden tour and a picnic lunch. Travel to the garden is by coach. Tickets £140. gardensdaysout.com
AN HOUR IN FRANCE
4 June, 7.30–8.30pm
n Mission Theatre, 32 Corn Street, Bath
Come on a musical journey across a country with a rich and complex musical history.
Countertenor Joe Levy and pianist Peter Adcock provide a concert exploring the classical tradition of French music.
From the Baroque
decadence of Lully, to the romantic lullabies of Faure, each work tells a different story. Taking place within one hour, this is a lively snapshot of French classical music. Part of the Bath Fringe 2023. Visit bit.ly/hourinfrance for tickets
5 June, 11.30am
n Widcombe Social Club, Widcombe Hill, and live-streamed Lecturer Jane Gardiner explores the contribution of Josiah Wedgwood to the history of world ceramics. To attend as a guest (£10 in venue or £7 on Zoom), reserve a place by emailing bath@theartssociety.org by 2 June. theartssocietybath.com
IFORD JAZZ FESTIVAL
29 June –2 July
n Iford Manor
Iford Manor Jazz Festival 2023 is open for bookings! A series of jazz events over four days.Visit the Iford Manor Jazz Festival for more information. ifordmanor.co.uk
For more events and happenings visit: thebathmag.co.uk or subscribe to receive our weekend e-newsletter.
Mizuyo Yamashita, Comhghall Casey, Laurie Steen and Jane Sheppard, 13 May –10 June Beaux Arts Bath, 12-13 York Street
Canada-born Laurie Steen’s detailed drawings depict the countryside environs of her Devon home. Her work is sewn into the background mount at the upper edge and suspended behind glass, light passing through the mylar paper surface lending it a semi-translucent other-worldliness. From Donegal in the north-west of Ireland, Comhghall Casey’s meticulously observed oil paintings have been reproduced as postage stamps in Ireland and his work has regularly featured in shows such as the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition and BP portrait prize. Large hand-coiled ceramics are by Jane Sheppard, smaller vessels in stoneware are by Japanese artist Mizuyo Yamashita. beauxartsbath.co.uk
Bear Flat Artists Open Studios, 27–29 May, 11am–5pm Bear Flat, Bath BA2
Sandra Higgins Art is delighted to exhibit new works by artist Richard Walker, which are on public exhibition in London and by appointment in Bath.
In Walker's own words, he is “drawn to the audacity of shape, texture and colour” and this “pure and joyous form of expression” is abundant in his work.
Visit Sandra Higgins’ online gallery to view Richard’s latest work or email Sandra for the latest exhibition news.
sandrahiggins.art; sandra@sandrahiggins.com
Clockwise from top left: Over State Lines, 30 x 40cm; The Centre Cannot Hold, 100 x 100cm; The Whole World is Empty, 25 x 35cm. All mixed media on canvas
Bear Flat Artists open their studios over the Whitsun Bank Holiday weekend from Saturday 27 to Monday 29 May, the 20th anniversary of this popular Arts Trail. More than 200 artists have taken part over the years and to mark the occasion, artists from the early days are invited to exhibit, and work by young, up-and-coming artists will go on show across the trail. Free admission. Celebrations include a launch party at The Bear Inn on Thursday 18 May, open to all. bearflatartists.co.uk
IMAGE: Wild Boar Charcoal by James Nunn
David Ringsell: Contemporary Art Prints and Paintings of Classic Bath Architecture
“I aim to present a contemporary perspective on some familiar places. I often focus on the darker side of Bath architecture with peeling paint and stained stonework.”
Alberta Whittle: Dipping Below a Waxing Moon, until 8 May
This, Alberta Whittle’s first museum show, combines sculpture in the form of limbo dancers, poetry and film.
Painted Love: Renaissance Marriage Portraits, 26 May –1 October
This lavish exhibition explores the role of portraiture in the process of marriage in Renaissance Europe. Marriage portraits not only documented the legal union of spouses, but also celebrated the union of families, their wealth, power and land, and the forging of political alliances. holburne.org
David’s work is being exhibited at The Claremont Pub, 5 Claremont Road, Bath; and at The Old Crown, Weston, Bath. Custom prints are available online in a range of sizes – see the website: real-images.com
Image: Only Sky Above and Heaven Below, A2 framed giclée print by David Ringsell. This painting is a reflection of the tower of Bath Abbey from the Roman Baths
For many of us, our home is a place we find happiness, where families are raised and good times are shared with friends. Not everyone will necessarily think to have an image of the outside of their house displayed on the wall inside, but a portrait of your home can represent a lifetime of memories – both past, present or still yet to be made.
When asked to paint someone's house, I know I am being entrusted with a great task: to capture the character of their building: whether it is an elegant Georgian townhouse, a rustic farmhouse or something more modern or in between. The finished work of art will be unique and treasured for many years to come, and every home is worthy of a painting.
Now in my second year as a professional artist, I have mostly chosen subjects in and around our wonderful city, such as my painting of Bath Abbey - Reflections on Bath Abbey Square. One day last year I was stood painting at the Abbey when I met Mr Simon Beresford-Wylie, who asked me if I would paint his new home: Cleveland House in Bath. I was delighted to accept, and this would be one of the first of several commissions to paint homes and beautiful buildings for other people, alongside my other work.
Even before I start a painting, I give a great deal of thought and consideration to the composition, size and proportions, which I discuss with the owner. I prefer to paint first hand, not from a photograph. I spend many hours and days, thus with the benefit of the passage of time, observing the travel of the
sun and the effects of the light and shadows, in order to capture a strong sense of the house and the street, which they call home.
In today's fast and increasingly digital world, the long tradition of painting remains popular with owners - a tangible and enduring legacy, en hommage to their home.
If you would like to discuss a commission with Charlie, please get in touch by sending an email to cmintyart@gmail.com
www.cmintyart.com
Watts Farmhouse
27 St James Square
Cleveland House
Gallery Nine, 9B Margaret's Buildings, Bath, until 31 June
The exhibition features jewellery by Susie Hines and Zsuzsi Morrison, and a mixed print show including works by Phil Greenwood, Paul Cleden and Merlyn Chesterman.
Zsuzsi marks fine silver, 22ct gold and glass, through fire, to create modern relics. She uses traditional techniques of enamelling and is fascinated by blurring the boundaries between materials, styles, times and thinking, values and perceptions.
Working with diamonds, gemstones, gold and silver, Susie Hines’ work explores the surface through a range of experimental etching and other surface techniques using contrasting patination. galleryninebath.com
Bath Contemporary Artists’ Fair, Sunday 14 May, 10am–5pm Green Park Station, Green Park Road, Bath
The award-winning monthly Bath Contemporary Artists’ Fair (BCAF) is back on Sunday 14 May. Committed to bringing the best of contemporary art from the city and beyond to the heart of Bath, the fair has created a regular space where artists can network, share ideas, connect with the public, and where the public can connect with art. Visitors can browse the works of local artists and admire fine art, photography, sculpture, textiles, ceramics and much more, all under the vaulted glass roof of Green Park Station. For updates and exhibiting artists visit the website: bcaf.co.uk
Newbridge Arts Trail
Saturday20 –Sunday 21 May, Newbridge, Bath, 10.30am – 5pm
Gray M.C.A presents an outstanding exhibition of framed 20th-century Modernist textiles that brings together a collection of rare and limited-edition works by significant and renowned artists including Pablo Picasso, Alexander Calder, Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth and Patrick Heron. In response to the
collection, David Simon Contemporary has curated an exhibition of original artworks and multiples by many of these 20th-century masters, creating a fascinating survey exhibition, which explores the artists’ journeys from the easel and the translation into textile. Highlights include a significant and rare linocut by Pablo Picasso, Peintre Dessinant et Modéle Nu au Chapeau, created in 1965; and John Piper’s stunning screen print commissions for both Arthur Sanderson and David Whitehead.
Open Monday –Saturday (except Wednesday), 10am –5.30pm. davidsimoncontemporary.com
Snowy Owl by Elisabeth Frink, 1983, screen print on
Over the trail weekend, 29 artists in Newbridge will open their doors to the public. Now celebrating its 12th year, the trail provides an opportunity to meet artists, talk about their work and see original art from the local area. There’s an impressive range of media, including painting, printmaking, drawing, illustration, photography, jewellery, ceramics, felting, bookbinding, graphic and digital art. Much of the work is offered for sale at affordable prices. There are 14 venues and entry is free. A printed trail guide, with map showing locations, is available from local shops and Bath Library. newbridgeartstrail.org
Queens and Monsters: Paintings and Sculptures by Ray Wirick
13 May –13 June, Tues-Sat 10am–4pm Lansdown Stores, Lansdown Road, Bath BA1 5EE
Ray Wirick is an American-born artist now working from his Marshfield studio near Bath. Ray’s work has been exhibited and collected extensively in the US, Berlin, London and Hong Kong. His work deals primarily with the human form, both physical and allegorical. In his studio Ray investigates his relationship with worlds both real and imagined, sacred and profane. Often, the human form is dissected, deconstructed and manipulated while investigating its purpose. It is then re-assembled, specific to a new environment and telling a new story. raywirick.com
Charlie Minty: Oil paintings created in Bath
Charles Minty is Artist in Residence at Bath Rugby Club for 2023/2024. As well as rugby scenes Charlie paints scenes of the streets of Bath and the city’s architecture, and he accepts commissions. Visit Charlie’s online gallery to view his oil paintings. New work is always being added, all available to view and purchase. Contact Charlie at cmintyart@gmail.com cmintyart.com
Days Like These 1 May –3 June, DE LEÓN, Bath
An exhibition of new work by Nick Goss, France-Lise McGurn and Clare Woods
By appointment only, please contact: bridget.deleon@icloud.com | 07957 438402 bridgetdeleon.com
Bath Society of Artists 118th Annual Exhibition, until 24 June
Victoria Art Gallery, Bridge Street, Bath
This exhibition showcases the best of the region’s artistic talent through many different forms, including paintings, drawings, prints and sculpture. Whatever your taste, you are sure to find something among the 400 or so works on display to delight and intrigue. victoriagal.org.uk
Image courtesy of Clare Woods and Simon Lee Gallery
When I was growing up, my parents gave me an antique silver item for every birthday and Christmas. At the time, I’m not sure I truly appreciated the gifts but as the years passed, my interest grew in particular for useful silver that can be used every day and not simply stored under the bed and brought out for special occasions.
Unbeknownst to me at the time, they were also teaching me to invest in a very profitable commodity. My Georgian spoons and forks have multiplied probably tenfold. The real value however has been the stories they have witnessed across a dozen homes and nearly the same number of countries across the globe.
Since the pandemic, the price of silver has increased significantly, reaching levels not seen since 2013. As of April 2023, the spot price of silver sits at over £20 per ounce, a remarkable increase from the sub-£10 prices seen just a few years ago. While there are several factors driving this price surge, there are a few key factors that stand out.
Firstly, the global economy has been in a state of flux over the past few years. In times of economic instability, investors seek out safe-haven assets like gold and silver, which are seen as a store of value. This has led to increased demand for silver, driving up its price.
Secondly, the demand for silver has been boosted by the rise of electric vehicles and renewable energy. Silver is a key component in many electronic devices, including solar panels and batteries, and as these technologies become more popular, the demand for silver is likely to continue to increase, which in turn drives up its price.
Finally, the supply of silver has been constrained in recent years. Silver is a byproduct of other mining operations, meaning that production is largely determined by demand for other metals like gold and copper. In recent years, demand for these metals has been relatively low, leading to lower levels of silver production. This has tightened the supply of silver, contributing to its price surge.
While it is difficult to predict exactly how long this price surge will continue, it seems likely that silver will continue to be a valuable commodity in the near term.
Email us for free silver valuations. n
beaunashbath.com; ron@beaunashbath.com; 01225 334234 @beaunashbath
Monday 10th April - Friday 30th June 2023
9b Margarets Buildings, Bath, BA1 2LP 01225 319197
Exhibition can be viewed on our website: www.gallerynine.co.uk
There’s been a changing of the guard in Bath’s cultural and heritage scene over the last year or so, with new faces bringing fresh ideas into the mix. The latest arrival is Nathalie Levi, Senior Curator at Victoria Art Gallery. Words by Emma Clegg
Victoria Art Gallery, run by Bath & North East Somerset Council, is an essential landmark in Bath’s cultural life with its exhibition programme and permanent collection of 14,000 pieces, including 1500 oil paintings and sculpture, works on paper, ceramics and glassware.
“I’m really excited about what’s to come, the impact that I can have, and being able to work with such a fabulous collection,” says Nathalie Levi, the new Senior Curator. She joined the gallery at the end of 2022 after the retirement of gallery manager of 26 years Jon Benington. There has been a significant changing of the old guard within B&NES’s cultural institutions over the last couple of years, with other new faces including Head of Heritage Services Robert Campbell and Roman Baths and Pump Room Manager Amanda Hart. Nathalie comments, “It’s like a new stage, lots of doors are opening, and people are very much open to ideas and change. So that’s been a really good environment to come into.”
Nathalie did a fine art and art history degree at Newcastle University, largely a studio-based course, and then a Master of Fine Arts in Curating at Goldsmiths, University of London. “My experience as a student made me realise that I didn’t want to just be in the studio; I wanted to be out there in the world sharing what I was doing. So I started organising shows for students and friends in the city. It was just so rewarding to see people coming and enjoying what we were doing, so that led to me to want to pursue it formally.”
Her most recent role was at the Royal West of England Academy (RWA) in Bristol as Head of Programme Curator of Exhibitions. Has the shift in location been an easy transition? “I am still Bristol-based, so I feel like I’m getting the best of both worlds,” says Nathalie. “Despite their proximity, Bristol and Bath have very different identities, so it’s fascinating having worked in both. The astonishingly rich culture and heritage here in Bath does feel like something you need to really live up to if you’re part of the creative sector. Bath just feels incredibly special; there’s nowhere like it.
“Moving to Bath has been quite a big adjustment in terms of the gallery programme; I always want to make things as appealing to all kinds of cultures as possible, so it’s getting to know what’s right for Bath. I think the gallery has always done really well at striking a good balance between having a local appeal and making sure that’s maintained alongside a more international outlook.”
Achieving this balance has to be done within a post-pandemic climate that has seen the gallery’s visitor figures decline. In the year
before the Covid pandemic, almost 190,000 visited the gallery, but it only attracted 40,000 people in 2021/22 and for 2022/23 the figure will be around 70,000.
“Visitor figures are a sector-wide issue, especially in cities that rely on a tourist crowd,” says Nathalie. “Everyone in the sector was hoping for a quicker recovery, but we weren’t expecting the cost of living crisis and the ongoing impact of Brexit, so it’s been a triple whammy for the cultural sector. That’s why it’s really important to look at how we can best serve the people who are here.”
There are about 100 paintings on display in the Upper Gallery, plus around 50 works on paper and 600 items of decorative art. Works from the collection are also displayed in the Guildhall and Pump Room. The programme is always seeking ways to get more pieces out for people to appreciate. Nathalie says, “I am really excited about working with a large collection and lots of the ideas I have for future exhibitions are based on the collection and using that in new and different ways, as well as bringing in more contemporary art.”
One of Nathalie’s ideas for the future is to do a rehang of the Upper Gallery, last done 10 years ago. “If we can do this there are certain ‘old favourites’ that will stay on display, such as works by Thomas Gainsborough and Henry Herbert La Thangue’s view of geese in a country lane, The Watersplash, but other parts of the collection could be switched out for works that have been in storage for a long time.”
She also sees this as an opportunity to bring in some different perspectives and voices to the interpretation, and to look at historic works from different angles, with input from members of the local community, and the gallery’s cohort of volunteers and visitors. There is a clear intention for the gallery and its exhibition programme to resonate with people of all ages and backgrounds and to be enabling and inclusive. “We want the gallery to feel welcoming
Everything was contemporary at the time it was made and things that might not look very radical or experimental to us now really were at the timeThree of Nathalie’s favourite pieces from the gallery’s collection, from left: Anna Bilinska by Emmeline Deane (1858–1944); Small Harbour Scene by Paul Klee (1879–1940); and Before Lockdown, 2019, by Shani Rhys James (b. 1953) Below left and centre, credit Victoria Art Gallery, Bath and North East Somerset Council; below right, © Shani Rhys James. Victoria Art Gallery, Bath and North East Somerset Council
to everyone, a place that different people can visit, and to broaden our appeal to the local community, including young people and families, and international communities as well.
“There are barriers for lots of people coming to an art gallery. For some it could just be that they can’t get across town easily, so we want to look at what we can do to take what we do out into the community. Artworks from our collection often go out on loan to exhibitions nationally and internationally, but we can also have our collection seen in areas closer to home –taking pieces out to inspire workshops in the community and delivering more activities for families and children, at the gallery and elsewhere.”
The recent recruitment of a new Community Engagement Officer will help achieve such initiatives and the gallery is also benefiting from two additional spaces in the Guildhall building: “We’re getting a new education space next to our permanent collection gallery on the first floor. It was originally set up for drawing and modelling – it has this beautiful glass-vaulted ceiling, and was part of the footprint of the original gallery. It will be used as a dedicated space for practical workshops, activities, talks and events and will open up later this year.”
There is a smaller room next to this one, which will be used as a bookable quiet area, a calm, relaxing space where people can step aside from the fray to absorb and recharge.
Nathalie inherited an exhibition programme that was planned up to summer 2024. “It’s quite normal for a curator to arrive and realise someone else’s programme for the first year or two. And it’s good to arrive to a programme that’s already planned out a certain distance ahead, so that you’ve got time to do the planning ahead yourself,” she explains. “And there are some really exciting things coming up.”
From 1 July – 1 October comes Kaffe Fassett: Timeless Themes – New Quilts and Candace Bahouth: Enchanted Visions. “This is a really excellent summer show, a really vibrant riot of colour,” says Nathalie.
“Another exhibition that I’m really excited about is touring from The Hepworth Wakefield gallery, called When Dreams Confront Reality: Surrealism in Britain.” Running from 13 October – 7 January 2024, this is entirely sourced from The Sherwin Family Collection and shows the diversity of British Surrealism and European influences, with works by artists such as Eileen Agar, John Banting, Max Ernst and Man Ray.
The gallery shows many artworks from previous eras, but Nathalie explains that the collection also includes a significant amount of contemporary work, including works by Grayson Perry, Shani Rhys James, Peter Randall-Page and Sophie Ryder, and extending this is an important emphasis for the future.
“I was always interested in both historical and contemporary art and although as a student much of my work was conceptual, it was done in the context of thinking about wider issues and society. I knew that I wasn’t working in isolation of what was happening before and after me, and I think that’s very similar to how you think curatorially; you don’t put an exhibition together in a vacuum. That’s why I like to think holistically as a curator, because everything was contemporary at the time it was made and things that might not look very radical or experimental to us now really were at the time.
“That’s where you do a good job in an exhibition where you bring those insights in. And as I’ve grown into the profession, it’s been important to think more about the people that you want to bring into exhibitions, and not solely about the message that you want to put out. If you’re only doing one or the other, you’re not doing it properly.”
Successful, well-established year-round language school in the centre of Bath requires HOMESTAY HOSTS IN BATH
to host both short-term and long-term students.
We teach adults and teenagers, and need both single and twin-room accommodation.
For further details, including rates of payment, please contact our Student Services Manager:
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Kaplan International Languages Bath, 5 Trim Street, Bath, BA1 1HB
Direct Line (01225) 448840
Email: sarah.wringer@kaplan.com
Lawrences Auctioneers recent book sale on the 16th March was one of the most successful provincial specialist book auctions to have been held this year.
The archive of material relating to Albert Smith, the Victorian Alpinist and Performer, contained some unrepeatable items which came to the market for the first time, direct from the family.
Few of us outside the relevant specialist fields will have come across Albert Smith before, but he was well known in the Victorian period who wrote for many publications and even ran his own magazine ‘The Man in the Moon’ as a competitor to Punch. He is best known for having climbed Mt Blanc and the show that he put on in the Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly in London for a number of seasons told the story of this adventure. The archive which achieved a total of over £52,500 (inc BP) included his original lecture notes, publications, letters, and items of ephemera which had been kept by the family in wonderfully good condition. The scrolling Diorama (pictured) gave us a glimpse of the Mt Blanc Show which was enjoyed by thousands of paying guests, including Queen Victoria and her family at Osborne House.
FREE Valuations are available with specialists at the Crewkerne and Wessex salerooms. Also available Online | Email | WhatsApp
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Entries are invited for our Summer auctions to include:
Silver | Vertu | Pictures | 19th/20th Century Design | Ceramics
Oriental Works of Art | Jewellery | Watches | Furniture | Clocks | Rugs
Militaria | Coins | Medals | Collectors | Sporting | Textiles | Wine | Spirits
Books | Maps | Manuscripts | Photography
South Street, Crewkerne, Somerset TA18 8AB.
T: 01460 73041 E: enquiries@lawrences.co.uk
WESSEX
1a Woodlands Estate, Westbury BA13 3QS
T 01373 822337E: wessex@lawrences.co.uk lawrences.co.uk
Making a piece of clothing inevitably involves wastage as unwanted fabric is cut away, but for textile artist Carole Waller every last scrap of fabric is put to good use. Recently she has been collaborating with two young artists to bring new creative life to her fabric offcuts
Carole Waller is a painter who makes paintings on unprimed cloth, which are then made up into scarves and clothes. She works on flat lengths of fabric, controlling the composition carefully for each section of the garment. The fabric is then cut out and constructed by her dressmaker. None of the fabric is wasted –all the offcuts are retained and used in some way. Carole has used them to make patchwork scarves, cards and bags, and what is left after that is donated to local schools for the art room.
Carole has recently been working on a creative project with local painter Zac Merle and Amy Harrison-Ray, a third-year textile design student at Bath Spa University. This was an ambitious collaborative experiment that was designed to give a new creative use to Carole’s fabric offcuts. “The aim was to explore what we might be able to do with
offcuts of painted cloth from the making of my clothing, to make new experimental art pieces,” says Carole.
Carole met with Zac and Amy in her studio, and together they tipped out large bags of offcuts onto the studio tables and started to move them around the space. “At first I had no idea what I was doing and had no intention except to interfere as little as possible with the shapes coming out of the bags,” Carole says. “I wanted to see what they suggested, and remember the history of the fabric offcuts as a residue from the making of something else.”
Some of this collaborative work was recently shown in an exhibition at Sion Hill Gallery with paintings by Carole Waller, collage paintings by Zac Merle, and two large collaborative textile collage works. The biggest piece consists of a three-metre square ‘found’ cotton quilt, on which a landscape of appliquéd collage offcuts from the making of organic cotton jackets emerged. The design of the quilt was created by the three artists moving the pieces of cloth around on the quilt surface like pieces of a jigsaw to see what worked visually.
Carole’s brief to Zac and Amy was to alter the offcuts as little as possible – letting them retain their ‘memory’ of the missing pieces cut from them to make the jackets and other clothing pieces. So the final quilt shows the recognisable shapes of sleeves, collars, and garment pieces in the negative spaces around the colourful offcuts. “These negative spaces began to form their own narrative – internal spaces almost reminiscent of rooms in a building or maps with land-masses which remind us of the human form,” says Carole.
Textile techniques lend themselves to transformation and the idea is close to Carole’s heart. This way of honouring the shape of the offcuts also made sense for Zac for whom memory is a strong theme in his work. This memory of clothing became a starting point for Carole’s most recent collection of painted clothes and scarves, ‘Offcut'. Her process was to draw from the collages and then made screenprints of the new shapes: “I so loved the cyclical nature of this transformation”, she says.
Carole also teaches textile printing and painting at her studio just outside Bath, sharing her love of colour and cloth and its unique language as a creative medium. “We all understand cloth – we all have some relationship with it and our clothes form part of our identity. They reveal and conceal aspects of our lives and loves, while also keeping us warm and covered up.” n
Carole Waller can be visited at her showroom and studios near Batheaston by appointment. In May she will be showing her Summer Collection at a group pop-up shop in Bath. @carolewaller; carolewaller.co.uk
Pop-Up Shop, 12–14 May: Includes photography, painting, jewellery, textiles and ceramics with work by Carole Waller, Shay Parsons, Clare Hubble, Sarah Farrier of ucdesignstudio, Georgia Cox, Tania Harvey and Annie Beardsley.
Six @15 New Bond Street, Bath BA1 1BA
Open Friday 10am–7pm, Saturday 10am–5pm and Sunday 11am–5pm
Artist Zac Merle is curating a small exhibition of paintings upstairs at 15 Old Bond Street from 12–14 May (see opening times above); @zac.merle
Amy Harrison-Ray is designing a small collection of digital print scarves for Carole Waller; @amyharrison.ray_textiles
I wanted to remember the history of the fabric offcuts as a residue from the making of something else
What better way to celebrate the King’s Corrie with some tea, finger sandos, a good slice of cake and some delicious sweet treats? Raise a pinkie and indulge yourself. God save the King!
1 Grove Street, Bath BA2 6PJ Tel: 01225 251707 Web: sugarcanestudio.co.uk
Voted Bath’s best café in 2022, Sugarcane Studio is located near the picturesque Pulteney Bridge in the centre of Bath. They specialise in French patisserie with East Asian flavours, and with a rotating menu of cakes, pastries and confectionery, you will find a variety of matcha, black sesame, and tropical fruit flavoured delights, along with macarons and the freshest choux buns in the city! Oolong and black tea is imported from Taiwan, and matcha and hojicha from Japan, making the perfect pairing for your sweet treats. Opening hours: Wed–Thur 12am–5pm, Fri–Sat 9.30am–5pm, Sun 12.15–5pm
105–107 Walcot Street, Bath BA1 5BW Tel: 01225 319606 Web: bathaquaglass.com
At Cafe By The Furnace, Bath Aqua Glass will be celebrating the King’s coronation by offering pre-bookable cream teas for only £19.95. These will include finger sandwiches, scones with cream and jam and selected cakes. We will also be listing coronation baubles just like last year’s jubilee baubles to celebrate this momentous occasion. We will also be working on a coronation paperweight as well.
15-17 Pulteney Bridge, Bath, BA2 4AY
Offering the lighter option of a simple but delicious cream tea for the King’s Coronation, look no further than Pulteney Bridge Coffee! This is a quintessentially British destination for the occasion, situated in these beautiful Georgian shops on the bridge. The homemade scones are baked on the premises and are served warm with clotted cream, strawberry jam and a pot of loose leaf tea. There is the option to have different jam and/or a hot drink if desired. Situated on the World Heritage site of Pulteney Bridge these cosy coffee shops are an ideal spot to pop in, enjoy the freshly baked treats and take in the beautiful view. Cream teas are available to eat in or takeaway. No booking required.Open 8.30am–5.30pm
Monday–Friday, 9am–6pm Saturday and 9.30am–5.30pm on Sundays.
1–2 Bartlett Street, Bath BA1 2QZ
Tel: 01225 333844 Web: cafelucca.co.uk
Situated in a traffic-free street in Bath’s boutique quarter, 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 an array of tempting cakes for afternoon tea. 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 Mediterranean style food is served in the elegant and spacious surroundings of The Loft. All the fresh produce is sourced from small and local family suppliers.
8 Upper Borough Walls, Bath BA1 1RG
Tel: 01225 333259 Web: thewholebagel.co.uk
Now in its 16th year as Bath’s bagel shop and café, and firmly established as one of the top lunch spots in town. All the food is freshly prepared to order, using high quality, fresh and locally sourced ingredients to fill bagels. It has a cosy café which offers a haven from the busy town centre, with over 30 seats inside and a secluded courtyard area. Perfect for a relaxing breakfast, lunch or afternoon tea. Not only do they sell the most delicious bagels (and salads, and baguettes, and wraps!) but also do great coffee, cakes, fresh smoothies and the thickest of real ice cream milkshakes. They also cater for gluten free and coeliac customers with gluten free bread, a separate preparation area and almost all fillings gluten free. An independent business proudly serving Bath since 2007. Keep up to date with all bagel news by following them on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Bring this
29 Milsom Place | Bath | BA1 1BZ | 01225 984834
Supper club every Wednesday and Thursday evening - 3 dishes for £25
Bath@thegaffrestaurant.co.uk
The Royal Cresent, 16 Royal Crescent, Bath BA1 2LS; Tel: 01225 823333; royalcrescent.co.uk
Rich in fascinating history and cultural heritage, renowned across the globe for iconic architectural status and subtly exuding the kind of discreetly luxurious red carpet glamour rarely experienced outside of a handful of London’s grand old dames of the 5-star hotel scene, the Royal Crescent Hotel and Spa has to be one of the most sparkling jewels in Bath’s ornate crown. But precious gems need a little TLC from time to time –and recently, the Royal Crescent has taken TLC to a whole new level, refurbishing its bar and dining experience and relaunching as Montagu’s Mews, named after Elizabeth Montagu, the original resident of number 16 Royal Crescent, host of the Blue Stockings Society, writer, salonière and advocate for women’s education.
There’s no doubt that Ms Montagu would adore her old home’s new look, complete with a brand new heated, partially covered terrace in the hotel’s breathtakingly pretty garden. But it’s in the reception area twixt alluring bar and invitingly elegant dining room that the full impact of the refurbishment wraps itself around you: the soft, skilfully sensual hues (dark rose, burnt orange, crème brûlée); the combination of plush sofa, funky bucket, banquette or bistro seating covering all dining moods and modes; the intelligently seductive, harmonious mood lighting; the subtly convivial ambience... it’s all, quite simply, an oasis of modern luxury. What hasn’t changed recently, however, is the chef at the helm in the kitchen – and for that none-change, we have yet another reason to be cheerful.
Martin Blake joined the RCH Team in 2021, bringing over 12 years of experience at some of the south west’s best hotels and restaurants with him and today maintaining the hotel’s bouquet of 3 AA rosettes.
Martin and his team focus on creating classic modern British dishes which are clean, elegant and perfectly executed – perfectly suited, then, to his new environment. Within that new environment, we took to a table in what could be called the inside/outside conservatory area of the dining room where a team of super-welcoming, well-informed staff danced from table to table making sure that allcomers’ expectations are exceeded. Following our pre-dinner cocktails (an absolute must) and shared Shokupan – a Japanese version of brioche – served with a tidy heap of taramasalata and proper butter, we started our voyage around Martin’s menus, which waltz from our à la carte choices to a range of tantalising Tasting Menus including both vegetarian and vegan options.
To begin, a deceptively complex Beef Tartare wrought from neat cubes of Dry Aged Herefordshire Beef topped with a smooth, rich Bath Ale Hollandaise and lightened with citrussy/sweet IP8 vinegar, and a second plate of smooth, aromatic Wild Garlic Velouté topped with a Crispy Hen’s Egg, with silky, semi-translucent slithers of Dorset Guanciale (think, a deeply flavoursome Dorset version of Pancetta) ‘hidden’ underneath the whole combination – stunning starters indeed.
For mains, sweet, tender poussin accompanied by the first of the new season’s Wye Valley asparagus in both spear and ravioli format, the ravioli embracing an almond uplift, the addition of an almond pesto dotted hither and thither bringing the whole theme together and a deeply flavoursome chicken jus rôti, adding deeply umami undertones without detracting from the overall delicacy of the dish. Across the table, a classic combination of succulent ribeye steak elegantly slathered with intensely savoury Café de Paris butter and accompanied by charred hispi cabbage, plump, roasted vine tomatoes and beautifully seasoned rosemary salted chips – ‘steak and chips’, elevated to stellar heights.
Even after all that, we couldn’t resist the prospect of Valrhona Kalingo – Kalingo being one of the most extraordinary chocolates in the whole Valrhona range, here cleverly partnered with caramelised banana and hazelnut, resulting in a sort of very upper-crust version of a Double Decker bar. But we didn’t overlook the Amalfi Lemon Tart either: a lighter yet no less sophisticated dessert served with rich, tangy crème fraîche, a touch of fresh basil adding further foodie flair.
Martin is a Master of the Art of technique, presentation and inspiration that cleverly avoids that over-cheffy habit of straying away from the realms of common sense. Like Montagu’s Mews itself, his menus gently challenge your perceptions of familiarity but make you feel right at home; the new old jewel in Bath’s ornate crown sparkles very brightly indeed. n
Our meal for two at Montagu’s Mews, without drinks, totalled £122
Sweet, tender poussin [was] accompanied by the first of the new season’s Wye Valley asparagus in both spear and ravioli formatShokupan Ivy House Farm Salted Butter, Smoked Roe Mousse
After Thatchers Gold jumped to the top spot in the South West as the best-selling draught pint, we caught up with fifth generation cider maker, Eleanor Thatcher, and orchard manager, Chris Muntz-Torres, to talk innovation, fermentation and what’s in store for the next generation... All images courtesy of Thatchers Cider
simply seemed no better place on Earth to grow apples. In fact, throw a dart at a map of Somerset and you’ll likely happen upon a farmhouse cider or apple juice producer. But I wonder, what is it about this county that makes it so suited to cidermaking?
“Trees need deep, nutrient-rich soil,” explains Chris, who joined the farm six years ago. “A lot of our orchards hug the foothills of the Mendips where it’s not too low and wet and it’s not too high and rocky. Somerset also gets long, cool autumns, which helps the flavours develop. All our apple varieties are also perfectly suited to this area because of the cider history and heritage and how important it was to people to make cider on their farm. For the past 200 years, the apples haven’t left the farm; they’ve been picked from the trees and made into cider. People with a good reputation for making good cider attracted the best workers. When one third of their wages were paid in cider, it was very important that it was good cider. That history and heritage is still very much ingrained. Some of the varieties that we grow are exactly the same that were grown here hundreds of years ago.”
William Thatcher first started to make cider for his workers from the apples he grew. As cider grew in popularity, there was an interest for cider makers to plant more trees to produce more apples to make more cider. In turn, trial orchards were introduced by the Long Ashton Research Station in Bristol – an agricultural and horticultural government-funded research centre created in 1903 to study and improve the west country cider industry.
“Long Ashton partnered with a few key landowners around the west country to put in trial orchards, aiming to identify which varieties would grow best in different areas,” Chris explains. “The orchard here in Christon is quite a special orchard –planted in 1928 it was a mix of varieties. It was from orchards like this that we were able to pinpoint which variety would work the best on more modern systems.”
Family cider makers since 1904,” reads each bottle of Thatchers’ cider. Five generations have lived on Myrtle Farm, tending to what feels like an ever-expanding plot of land. A single garden has turned into 500 acres of orchards – 180,000 trees now stand tall and orderly on the foothills of the Mendips. The family-run business leans on 119 years of expertise and now presses more apples in a day than it once did in a year.
The fourth and fifth generations – Martin Thatcher and his daughter Eleanor – have witnessed the business’ meteoric rise to success, becoming an internationally known and widely loved brand in over 20 countries. They have picked up many a prestigious award over the years, but Thatchers Gold that last month overtook all draught beer and draught lagers to become the best-selling pint across the south west. It was the first time since records began that cider had made it to the top spot. An incredible 15.2 million pints of Gold were poured in 2022.
We met up with Eleanor and orchard manager Chris Muntz-Torres at Thatchers’ oldest plot in Christon – just a stone’s throw away from Myrtle Farm – to gain a deeper understanding of where the cider industry began and where it’s headed, looking at the importance of preserving cherished aspects of Somerset’s history and heritage and securing a sustainable business for future generations.
The swathes of green land, all packed full of apple trees, glistened in the morning dew. Captivated by the magical beauty of Somerset, there
Thatchers is one of the only cider makers in the UK to still carry out trials in its orchards every year, with nearly 50 acres devoted to them. The company is also dedicated to the development of its acclaimed Exhibition Orchard, home to the largest collection of apples for cidermaking in the country – over 458 different varieties. Planted by Eleanor’s grandfather and third-generation cidermaker, John Thatcher, many of the trees in the Exhibition Orchard were saved from the Research Station when cider research stopped in 1985.
Protecting, preserving and caring for the UK’s largest and most diverse collection of apples used in cidermaking is at the top of Thatchers’ agenda. In recent years, the cider makers partnered with the University of Bristol in a ground-breaking project that uses DNA fingerprinting techniques to identify apple tree varieties. With many heritage varieties beginning to disappear, the project used genotyping –comparing DNA to find the differences in genetic make-up – to identify the varieties. Scientists from the university gathered leaf samples, creating the largest database of apple tree fingerprints in the world.
“Back in the day, people reproduced trees from cuttings and over hundreds of years, varieties often got misnamed or forgotten. The university are now giving them a benchmark in history,” says Chris. Perhaps most interesting was the scientists’ investigation into what makes a good cider apple and if their genotyping procedure can be used to generate a disease-resistant, high-quality cider apple variety.
As growing apples for cidermaking is a long-term commitment, with young trees taking at least six or seven years before they crop commercially, having a long-term view appears to be essential to all aspects of the business. “The decisions we make today don’t really affect
us; it’s for the generations to come,” says Eleanor. These decisions are most evident in the way the family has intertwined traditional methods with modern technology from pip to pint.
“In terms of cidermaking, we still use our 150-year-old giant oak vats [each holding 120,000 pints]; we know they’re an important part of cidermaking but we also move forward with modern technology in terms of apple processing and, more recently, bringing in sustainable energy with the use of solar panels. All of our electricity also comes from renewable sources. But it’s also a trade-off and there are things done in the past that we mustn’t forget because it was done for a reason. We can modernise their ways, though, and innovate to not only make them more efficient but to make better cider – it’s all about quality for us.”
As the cider market evolves, tastes change and new styles of cider become popular, it’s important for Thatchers to plant varieties of apple that create contemporary ciders. The company released its first alcoholfree cider in 2020, Thatchers Zero, which still holds all the appley aromas expected from Thatchers. “It’s now the number one alcohol-free cider and has won quite a few awards,” the team explain.
Thatchers’ 500 acres are home to a diverse habitat, yet the family are conscious of making a real contribution to the local environment and the biodiversity of the area. Recently Thatchers planted 169 trees and hedges including native species such as hawthorn and hazel, English oak and field maple, together with grasses and nectar-rich wildflowers. This helps create sheltered micro-habitats, and aids the important retention of a dark corridor for bats and other wildlife.
“We’ve also got beehives in or near every one of our orchards,” says Chris. “We’ve worked with about half a dozen beekeepers in the area and have about 70 hives on the farm. Bees are vitally important to us in terms of pollinating the crops. We do a lot to encourage wild, solitary bees as well as bumblebees, masonry bees, and mining bees.”
As for Eleanor, life at Myrtle Farm has clearly been a happy one. “My earliest memories of being on the farm are being with my grandfather. I remember going out and picking the apples with him and I used to love that. Harvest time is also such a magical time because suddenly the farm is alive and buzzing.”
Eleanor’s focus is around the science behind the fermentation process. “I have this passion for fermentation and blending that goes on – I love that part of the business. My grandfather’s love was the orchards and mine is absolutely fermentation.
“I spend half my time making cider and half speaking to our customers. I love the balance – you get to see what our customers want and what they like to drink. That really helps when you’re doing new things and setting the direction for the future.”
With plans to one day take over from her father, does Eleanor feels the pressure? “There’s definitely a level of responsibility. I’ve got so much to learn, which is really exciting. I’m mainly thinking about what the next generation of customers are going to want to drink and what we can do to meet their aspirations while ensuring we continue to be even more sustainable than we are now.”
As the sun rose higher in the sky and our time together came to a close, Eleanor reminded us of the translation of the county’s Old English name. “Somerset is the land of the summer people,” she says.
“Spreading a little bit of Somerset around the world, I think, is something that we can be really proud of.” n
thatcherscider.co.uk
The Griffin Inn on Monmouth Street in Bath has reopened with Bath resident and owner of Robun Roger Payne taking over this Grade II listed pub with rooms. Working alongside Bath Ales, Roger and his team are initially opening The Griffin Inn as a drinking establishment with bar snacks, before launching its new food menu and refurbished rooms. A popular venue with locals and visitors, the
The Vegan Platform is Bath’s new monthly vegan market and will offer a haven for all things plant-based and sustainable.
Taking place on the first Sunday of every month at Green Park Station, with the first one on 4 June, The Vegan Platform offers a one-stop-shop for all your vegan needs, from delicious plant-based street foods, clothing, beauty products, and even household items. This market is a space for small businesses that promote a healthy and sustainable lifestyle.
The Bath Independent Market is also returning monthly to Green Park Station, with the first event on Sunday 21 May from 11am–4pm.
theveganplatform.co.uk; @thebathindependent
From June to August, take a walk in Bath and discover the royals, rascals and religious folk who lived in the city along with fascinating facts and intriguing inventions. You can do this courtesy of the Mayor of Bath’s Honorary Guides who have announced their summer programme of free guided walks – each walk lasts for around two hours and they will run on certain Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between the beginning of June to the end of August. This year sees a boutique series of eight different walks including Bath and the Monarch; Beau Nash – The Reign of ‘King’ Richard; The Benedictines in Bath; and Bath, India and the Nabobs, a walk highlighting Bath’s links with India. Booking is essential –and you can reserve a free place on the website.
The Mayor of Bath’s Honorary Guides also offer regular daily walks taking in the city centre and the main attractions including the Royal Crescent and The Circus, and Pulteney Estate Walks on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11am. See the website for more details. bathguides.org.uk
refurbishment will breathe new life into the taproom, parlour and snug areas, as well as the accommodation upstairs, while retaining the building’s unique character and charm. The bar list will include a number of Bath Ales favourites, a hand-picked wine list, high-end spirits and a selection of cocktails crafted by award-winning mixologist, Tony Vega. The new food offering is set to be eclectic and contemporary.
thegriffinbath.co.uk
Susannah Way, a receptionist and frame stylist at independent Bath opticians Ellis and Killpartrick has achieved national and international recognition for her jewellery. Her piece Freedom 90 promoting diversity and equality was on show at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, while another of Susannah’s designs was recently on display at the Armory Art Center in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Susannah’s design for the Freedom 90 trinket box is based on George Michael’s life and music, with the six tapered rods breaking through the picture in a frame referencing the exploding guitar in the video of his Freedom 90 song. Two of Susannah’s pieces of jewellery, her Mycelium necklace and earrings made in sterling silver with gold plate and eco friendly papier mache, were selected for the exhibition Verdant Bodies at the Armory Art Center.
Ellis and Killpartrick are having a Maui Jim Open Day on 3 June from 9am–5pm where you can visit to view the collection. ellisandkillpartrick.com
Judy King, mainstay of the Bathampton Art Exhibition has announced her retirement after 22 years at the helm. “It has been a privilege to run the exhibitions for so many years for such a vibrant, talented and diverse group of artists. I will of course stay in touch with the group, many of whom have become good friends.” Not least among these is Judy’s friend and painting partner Geoff Pollard who while also stepping away from admin duties, continues as an enthusiastic painter at the Thursday morning painting sessions. Local painter Jane Riley said, “Judy has
created a great foundation on which our exhibition can continue to thrive.”
The Bathampton Art Group was founded in 1968 as a social leisure painting group in the village and grew to encompass a regular exhibition, which now runs as an annual, sometimes twice-yearly event. Anyone interested in joining a painting group, contact Jane Riley on 07801 444521 or georgeandjane@hotmail.com bathamptonart.com
Dents glovemakers have been in business for almost 250 years. Emma Clegg talks to CEO Deborah Moore about the gloving business, how to stay market relevant and about creating leather gloves for kings, queens and James Bond
The record of one ceremony at Oxford in 1566 notes that Queen Elizabeth I wore a beautiful bejewelled and embroidered pair of gauntlets, and that she pulled off and put on her gloves over one hundred times so that all might enjoy her graceful hand movements.” (Jay
Ruckel)I am in the museum room within Dents glovemakers in Warminster and I am looking at Elizabeth I’s coronation glove. This was one of a pair of gloves worn at her coronation at Westminster Abbey on 15 January 1559. Made from white alum-tawed sueded leather with handsewn prix seams (seams with two edges showing), the gauntlet is embroidered with silver threads, purl and sequins and silk satin inserts depicting orb, flowers and leaves. The white fingers are indeed long and elegant.
This glove is part of Dents substantial collection, which also includes the duplicate coronation gloves for George V and George VI and the original Elizabeth II glove, on loan from the Worshipful Company of
angular gauntlet embroidered with golden metallic threads. This glove was made by Dents for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey on 2 June 1953. The white leather glove was worn to protect the royal hand until the coronation ring was put on the Queen’s finger.
Dents was set up in 1777 by John Dent in a small wooden house in Wood Street, Worcester, then the centre of the gloving industry, and the company quickly became synonymous with English-made luxury gloves. In this era gloves were in demand from all sections of society, used as protection in wartime, and for work, fashion, special occasions, and for business and formal wear.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, Dents built factories across Europe and opened sales offices and warehouses in cities such as Paris and New York and the company continues to supply the world’s leading retail stores, now exporting to 27 countries all over the world. All Dents gloves are made from the highest quality ethically sourced leather and are stitched by artisans, ensuring that they
The glove factory itself, which employs 14 specialist workers, feels established and oldstyle with its traditional raised glove-making machines, allowing the gloves to be pulled
and shaped; piled-up boxes of sewing cotton reels; and a large collection of glove irons in different sizes for shaping and stretching. A collection of old machines in storage is used to repair the machines whenever necessary, simply because there are no modern versions. I am shown the main hand pattern for a glove (like a stencil), called the ‘trank’ –this is from where the leather for each glove is cut with leather shears.
Dents, now based in Warminster, use three types of leather for its gloves. Hairsheep from North Africa, Ethiopia and Nigeria is known for its great strength and natural elasticity. Deerskin leather also has great strength and elasticity but it has more of a pebbled appearance. This is one of the heavier and hard-wearing leathers and is favoured for men’s gloves. Finally peccary leather from the South American wild boar is rare and luxurious; considered to be the ‘king of leather’, it has a textured surface, and is very supple. A pair of durable peccary gloves will last for years, and this is reflected in the price, a pair costing up to £900 retail. Peccary is a notoriously difficult leather to work with. Dents CEO Deborah Moore tells me, “Sewing a pair of gloves is difficult because you are sewing with a stretchy material. You put two pieces of leather together for your fingers and one bit can stretch more than the
There is a real sense of wanting to get it right and to make the best-quality product in our factory. It’s a real craft industry...Deborah Moore
leather together for your fingers and one bit can stretch more than the other. Each skin is also different, so you must use the same skin for a pair of gloves –you can’t have a right hand made from one skin and the left hand from another.”
The traditional roles, long established in gloving, with men as leather cutters and women as glove sewers, are maintained in the factory, because leather cutting is a very physical role. In fact Dents, operating for almost 250 years, is a business built on tradition. Deborah tells me that a high proportion of the company’s employees have worked there for years. “When people come into the gloving business they either leave very quickly or they stay for the rest of their life. We have staff who have been here for up to 60 years, and staff whose parents worked here.
“It’s because it’s a quality product – somebody once said to me you don’t get leather off a roll. Leather comes from an animal and so every skin is different. There is a real sense of wanting to get it right and to make the best-quality product in our factory. It’s a real craft industry with gloves made by artisans, and Dents are one of only two leather glove factories left in the country.
“We also have these long-term relationships with our suppliers. In Japan we’ve had the same distributor for over 75 years and we’re now dealing with the third generation of that family. This is what the business is built on.”
Deborah joined Dents at the invitation of owner Robert Yentob 33 years ago at a time when things needed reassessing. “My husband and I, who were both from a retail background, joined in 1990, when Dents were producing briefcases and ladies’ handbags. At that time the company was selling what it could make rather than making what it could sell. Our focus then was that it’s not a sale until it’s checked out at retail stage. You have got to provide what the high street wants, so we went back to basics and changed everything. And we’re now a very focused company; we export to 27 countries all over the world and our internet sales form 38% of the business.”
Now the business focuses entirely on its core business, gloves and leather accessories, but the nature of the demand for leather gloves has also shifted with the times: “The market has changed dramatically in the time I’ve been here. When I came into the business in 1990 we were producing 65% women’s gloves and 35% men’s gloves and now that is reversed. Our export has increased dramatically, particularly in Asia.”
Dents have a modern day as well as a traditional profile –the company continues to produce the driving leather gloves worn by Daniel Craig as James Bond, as well as supplying a large number of period-style leather gloves for TV shows and films such as Downton Abbey, The Crown and Bridgerton
So is there, we wonder, another coronation glove in the pipeline? This information is currently under wraps –but suffice it to say that there will be acoronation glove for King Charles III, and it will follow in the family line of coronation gloves. dentsgloves.com
Anthony Sheeran ran an engineering consultancy until he retired in 2019. He loves to draw the urban scenes of Bath and sells his ink drawings and watercolours through his Etsy shop, Sheeran Studios.
Q. Where do you live?
My wife and I have lived in the Trowbridge area for some five years. I retired from my engineering consultancy five years ago when living in Hampshire –we had always wanted to be near Bath, so this was the perfect timing.
Q. You used to work as an engineer. Why did this suit you?
I fell into engineering after leaving school, but it has been fulfilling in that some of the projects I have worked on have been both exacting and enjoyable, for example working on the nuclear bunker under Whitehall. My clients have included the University of Reading, Bloomberg and St Anthony’s Hospital.
Q. You create art technique teaching videos. Why do you like to do this?
I have always thought that teaching others would be both challenging and rewarding, so my courses on Udemy are a way of looking at how I go about drawing and painting –setting out the student’s methodology ensures that I can review my own methods and approaches.
Q What is your fascination with drawing and painting Bath’s urban scenes?
Drawing has been something I have always enjoyed and working in liaison with architects in my consultancy led me to join the Society of Architectural Illustrators (SAI).
Being a part of the SAI enabled me to utilise some of the skills I learned in engineering, in that I took plans from the architect and created elevations for a client to see the finished building. Moving near to Bath, a city I was already in love with, allowed me to take my architectural drawings further.
Q. Tell us about drawing while travelling I have become more fascinated by urban drawing, where drawing and painting is taken out of the studio. This method allows the artist to establish the best view of a subject, to capture the light at that moment. I recently travelled to one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Florence, and created a Udemy course while there (Urban Drawing in Florence), with the help of my wife who filmed the drawings and paintings I completed around the city. I drew statues, buildings, people in cafés, and landscapes. This was very rewarding and will hopefully be financially beneficial, enabling me to go on further European urban drawing classes.
Q Do you like to draw and paint anywhere? I always take a sketchbook with me to capture a scene or a building. I also take photos, in order to capture a particular light. On warm days you will find me in the countryside, sketching and painting, and sometimes in Bath.
Q. Has your artistic style changed over time? My style of painting is still me, but it is maybe more refined. I plan a painting more thoroughly now. My process consists of sketching, planning, looking at colour balancing, and of course ensuring that the composition works correctly.
Q. Do you draw from life, or from photographs?
I look for an interpretation of the scene, and try to find shadows that define the parts I find most interesting. Perspective is very important to me; it gives the reality I am looking for. I mainly draw from life, but I do take photos too, to ensure that I don't miss anything, and to confirm where the light is coming from.
Q. Why did you publish your book Architecture of Bath?
I published the book because I am so inspired by the city. I have completed quite a few drawings of architecturally important buildings in the city, both ink drawings and ink and watercolours, and wanted to bring them together in one publication.
Who is your favourite all time artist? Andrew Wyeth, who I came across when living in Toronto. His work is so methodical, planned and completed in such detail, although there is also a freshness and looseness of style in his watercolours.
What immediate plans do you have?
I want to publish a second book of watercolours of Bath and the Cotswolds, and to travel to Lisbon to create another Udemy course on urban drawing. I am also creating new paintings for the First View Gallery in Stourhead. n
Architecture of Bath by Anthony Sheeran can be found on Etsy (£7.99), at the Bath Abbey shop, and the Holburne Museum. You can see Anthony’s paintings in the First View Gallery, Stourhead. Contact:
For businesses, electric cars benefit from first-year allowances (FYAs) of 100%, providing the car is new. This means that 100% of the cost of the car can reduce your taxable profit in the year of the purchase (until March 2025). This is also available to qualifying expenditure on electric vehicle charge-points.
For employees or company directors, the provision of a car for private use, is a benefit in kind (BIK) on which the employee/director and the company pay tax. The BIK for cars is determined by the list price of the vehicle and the level of C02 g/km that it emits. A car with high CO2 emissions attracts a higher percentage rate applied to the list price. The highest rate currently being 37% for cars with CO2 emissions of 170 g/km and above. Fully electric cars have a much lower rate of 2% which will remain in place until 2024/25.
An £80,000 car with CO2 emissions of 170g/km would result in a taxable BIK of £29,600. A fully electric car of the same price however, would generate a much lower BIK of £1,600. As the income tax and Class 1A NIC due is based on the BIK amount, employees/directors and companies will find their tax bills are lower for electric cars than for cars with high CO2 emissions.
Hybrid cars also benefit from a lower BIK where the CO2 emissions are below 50g/km and the higher the electric mileage range, the lower the BIK.
Charging the company’s electric car at or near the place of work using the employer’s electricity is an exempt benefit in kind, even if the car is not being used for business miles.
If the employee has an electric company owned car, there is no benefit in kind when the employer installs a charging point at the employee’s home. The same does not apply where a charging point is installed for an employee-owned car used for business mileage, the BIK is based on the cost of the employer to install in that case.
There are various government grants available surrounding electric cars, including the plug-in grant, which reduces the cost of the purchase of an electric vehicle; the electric vehicle charge point grant for multi-unit properties and the workplace charging scheme for workplace charging units.
For tax saving tips contact us – call Tristan Wilcox-Jones, Samantha Taylor or Lucas Knight on 01225 445507
A recent survey of 2,000 UK residents by Which found that while 85% of respondents knew what a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) was, only one in seven people had one in place.
In her latest article Qualified Paralegal, Kate Norris discusses LPAs, the misconceptions, and the benefits of having an LPA.
The misconceptions
There are many misconceptions about the use of LPAs but the two most common are that people incorrectly believe they lose access to their financial accounts once the LPA is registered and that an LPA can be created at any time during a person’s lifetime, not realising that it cannot be done once mental capacity has been lost.
There are two different types of LPAs. Under the LPA for Property & Financial Affairs, while you still can make your own decisions, you can ask your attorneys for help with your financial matters, for example, to sign documents for you or go into the bank on your behalf. Your attorneys would only take over if you were ever to lose the ability to make your own decisions about your finances.
With an LPA for Health & Welfare, your attorneys would only be able to act if you were unable to make health and welfare decisions yourself.
If you lose mental capacity to make your own decisions without an LPA in place, your loved ones will have to apply for a Deputyship Order at the Court of Protection. It is a significantly more costly and complex application than making LPAs. The Deputy is accountable to the Court on an ongoing basis and an annual supervision fee applies. Applying for a Deputyship Order also takes considerably longer than registering an LPA.
You can appoint someone you trust
An LPA gives you peace of mind that someone you know, and importantly trust, oversees your affairs. Without an LPA in place, it is left up to the Court to approve who should make decisions on your behalf if you lose mental capacity.
If you are the primary earner and you became incapacitated it is likely that your partner, children, or friends would need urgent access to your bank accounts to ensure essential bills continue to be paid. An LPA protects your loved ones from entering a legal limbo where they cannot make these crucial decisions.
Having an LPA in place means you can leave instructions for your loved ones. If an attorney is presented with a choice, they can follow any instructions you have left in your LPA, which would be legally binding.
Think of LPAs as if they were an insurance policy. Once you have made LPAs and the documents have been registered, you can simply file them away and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing that if anything should happen, they are in place to make things easier for you and for your loved ones.
We insure all aspects of our daily lives in case the ‘worst’ should happen, so why not our ability to make decisions?
To discuss making a Lasting Powers of Attorney or if you have any questions, please get in touch with Kate Norris on 01225 750055 or email kate.norris@mogersdrewett.com.
A Watchman was a forerunner of today’s police constable and their base was a watch box, just like the one in Bath’s Norfolk Crescent. Find out more in this abbreviated version of a paper by Melanie Gilbert-Smith and Professor Barry Gilbertson
AWatchman was a forerunner of today’s police constable specifically tasked with providing a night-time presence on the streets to deter criminal activity and reassure the populace about their safety.
Early concepts of policing in Britain were based on ancient laws that relied heavily on subjects having a responsibility to assist in maintaining law and order. Gradual regulation saw the creation of the office of Sheriff in the ninth century with responsibility for mobilising the citizenry to suppress lawlessness and defend the country.
In the 13th century provisions for further maintaining order were introduced, including the roles of Constables, Watchmen and Beadles. The Constables were unpaid and untrained, and carried out policing duties on a rota, keeping order with powers to arrest and punish criminals. The purpose of the Watchman – a paid position – was primarily to deter criminal activity, with a secondary role in ensuring public safety by raising alarms. Beadles were paid Ward functionaries, organising and upholding discipline. A system of ‘Watch and Ward’ also came into being where householders were required to maintain the peace in their parishes and the duties of the night (watch) and daytime (ward) were defined with the numbers of Watchmen specified according to the size of the community.
In 1663 Charles II funded a force of paid Watchmen to patrol the streets in all towns and cities, although local initiative did affect the efficiency of the local force. Town authority local Improvement Acts in the 18th century often included provision for paid Watchmen or Constables to patrol at night and Constables (or Beadles) to patrol by day at public expense through the rating (or local tax) system. Rural areas had to rely on more informal arrangements, and it became clear that provision across the country was inadequate to the scale of the growing problem of crime that came in the wake of industrialisation. Tighter law enforcement evolved through legislative ‘Improvement
Acts’ into development of the police service we know today, which was founded in 1829 by Sir Robert Peel. It took until 1856 for policing to become a requirement throughout England and Wales so, in parts of the country, the Watchman role continued well into the 19th century.
The Watchmen generally gathered at the Watch House at nine o’clock in winter and ten o’clock in summer where the Ward Beadle called the roll. Armed with a staff, a lantern, and later a clapper to signal another Watchman for help, they took their positions at watch boxes or anywhere they had a good view of a street. Their locations were printed and posted in public areas to notify citizens. Watchmen often worked in pairs, patrolling their beat, calling the time and announcing the weather. They came off duty in the morning at seven in winter and five the rest of the year. An offender arrested by a Watchman would spend the night in the Watch House. In the morning, the Constable would take the offender to a magistrate. As any male citizen (with exceptions) could be co-opted to serve as Constables or Watchmen, many sought to avoid the duty by paying a fine or hiring a deputy – often elderly men or ex-soldiers who needed the money. The system was not designed to attract the brightest and best. By the 18th century the service had come into disrepute and was known for corruption, incompetence and drunkenness.
Like every other walled city Bath had a City Watch and it is likely that it was based on the 13th-century system of Watch and Ward. Bath avoided the negative aspects of industrialisation, but urbanisation brought poverty, unsanitary conditions and increased crime. National Improvement Acts between 1757 and 1825 brought Bath better roads, street-lighting and regulation of the Watch. Cooperation between the three separate forces in Bath (Walcot, City and Bathwick) was poor, however, and crime flourished. It was not until 1835 that Bath’s Watch Committee organised a single police force incorporating Lyncombe and Widcombe into the original three areas.
Watch boxes made of timber or stone increased in number during Queen Anne’s reign (1702–1714), but there is no way to know how prevalent they were in Bath. Three are believed to remain – two outside the Holburne Museum (formerly the 18th-century Sydney Tavern and Gardens) and one in Norfolk Crescent. All three are fabricated from Bath stone. The Holburne ones resemble a soldier’s sentry box built into the ex-hotel’s boundary wall, whereas the one in Norfolk Crescent is free-standing which makes it unusual and a rare survivor.
The crescent of 19 houses was originally called Norfolk Place and named for Nelson’s home county. Norfolk Place was very fashionable when built so it makes sense that it might feature a watch box, although for one to survive is unusual. The box dates to
Like every other walled city Bath had a City Watch and it is likely that it was based on the 13th-century system of ‘Watch and Ward’
c.1810 and would probably have become redundant in 1835 when the old watch system was abolished. Historic England describes the watch box as being “set into a corner of triangular green to the west of Norfolk Crescent. It faces north towards the street and is open to the approaches to the Crescent. It is comprised of a small, plain, cylinderlike construction using limestone ashlar to the sides and roof.”
There are four pilasters to the moulded capitals carrying entablature and eight plain, raised paterae to the frieze and moulded cornice below a flat, conical dome with two steps. No bases are visible but may be concealed by a rise in the pavement and the ground level. There is a worn plank door with strap hinges. Architectural historian Neil Jackson speculates that the box could be an early interpretation of the Choragic Monument of Lysicrates in Athens. Versions of this classical monument became a popular feature in Georgian Britain.
It is not clear from written sources whether a door to the Norfolk Crescent box was originally there or added after its initial construction and use. Certainly, the door has changed over time. The watch box was integral to a railings and low wall enclosure scheme surrounding the communal garden outside the crescent. Photographs show the railings partially removed in 1945 and completely removed by 1965.
The two (presumed) watch boxes at the Holburne Museum do not appear to have ever had doors. The Historic England listing for them advises that they were constructed c.1840 when the pleasure gardens around the tavern underwent a period of enhancement. They share with the box in Norfolk Crescent a high level of quality in their architectural style, materials, and craftsmanship. However, they were built late in the history of watch boxes and well after the creation of a single police force in Bath, so it is reasonable to speculate that their purpose was ornamental.
The Norfolk Crescent watch box is a rare and important structure. It became redundant within 30 years of construction, yet it has stood for over 200 years as a modest emblem of Bath’s (and indeed the whole country’s) social, architectural, policing and cultural history. n
The Norfolk Crescent watch box was restored in 2012 by the World Heritage Enhancement Fund (WHEF). The Fund carried out further minor restoration work in 2022. The full paper on The Watchman’s Sentry Box can be found on the WHEF website: bathworldheritage.org.uk/bath-world-heritage
ABOVE: Georgian Watchman's Box of c.1810, Norfolk Crescent, Bath. This Grade II* listed structure is a very rare survival of its type, showing a high level of architectural finish. It was restored in the 1890s, and again in 2012
BELOW: The Choragic Monument of Lysicrates in Athens –the design of the Norfolk Crescent watch box is believed to be based on this monument
Bath College is investing in the region’s future with the expansion and refurbishment of workshops and facilities at Somer Valley Campus in Radstock. Brand new workshops are being built to house the college’s new state-of-theart Engineering Suite, which will be open for business in September 2023.
The Somer Valley Construction Centre will have upgrades made to many workshops, including the installation of two mezzanine floors to provide additional teaching space for electrical and multi-skills students. It will also now house the state-of-the-art BIM (Building Information Modelling) and Fulmax Suite. This investment will enable Bath College to continue to grow its provision, and meet regional and national industry skill requirements. bathcollege.ac.uk
Prior Park Educational Trust (Prior Park Schools) is seeking their next Chair of Trustees and welcomes applications from qualified individuals with the time, energy, skills, and enthusiasm to devote to this important role. Prior Park Schools are a family of Christian schools based in Bath and Gibraltar offering education for pupils aged between 3 and 18. The schools’ mission is to steward a thriving family of communities with love for the young people they serve at their heart.
The Chair of Trustees oversees the strategic development and direction of the schools and guides governance to the highest possible standards. The schools seek applications from those with an innate enthusiasm for education and who are able to lead the Board of Trustees to promote an inclusive and supportive board room environment, building good relationships and encouraging participation from all members, with a calm and collaborative approach.
For more information visit: chalkdownresearch.com/pps or call Ali Hollingbery for an informal conversation: ali@chalkdownresearch.com
Somerset Education Alliance are an independent supply teaching agency that provide supply teachers and teaching assistants with a peronalised service offering work opportunities in schools. Directors Emma and Marie come from a teaching background and have over 15 years experience in the recruitment industry, 10 within the education sector. Somerset Education Alliance is actively recruiting thorughout the area to serve the busy requirements from schools for an array of roles including long term supply cover and more flexible ad-hoc supply cover. They are recruiting for teachers, teaching assistants, learning support assistants (LSAs), HLTAs and cover supervisors. Somerset Education Alliance take on experienced, new and returning teachers and TAs and would love to hear from you. somerset-education-alliance.co.uk
The summer is approaching and summer dresses, shorts and swimming costumes beckon. If you’re reluctant to expose areas of your body that aren’t looking so tip top, then consider a vist to The Orangery, says Emma Clegg
be heated up through those soundwaves. Then if you are exercising you’re more able to access that fat and use it, so it’s useful for breaking down and body sculpting.”
With HIFU you have one treatment and come back for a six-week review and the number and level of treatment is discussed to suit the client and their budget and what they want to achieve.
“If people feel they can only afford to do one layer at a time you can still get good results,” says Victoria, who also tells me that a younger person will get results more quickly because your metabolism changes as you age. Many of her clients are in their 50s and 60s, frustrated by loose and crepey skin, but younger clients include those going on holiday, getting married and wanting to treat areas of cellulite or lose some weight.
Have you booked a summer holiday this year? Are you looking forward to some quality time in the sunshine? Well, if you’d like to make your body look the best you can on the beach or around the pool, it could be a good time to think about some body sculpting. I talked to Victoria Rawlinson at the Body Clinic at The Orangery in Bath who specialises in various body shaping treatments including VelaShape and HIFU.
Victoria started our conversation by showing me a picture of the upper legs of a 67-year-old lady, and then a picture of the same area after a series of treatments of VelaShape. The results were astonishing.
VelaShape is a non-invasive body shaping treatment using suction rollering. It aims to reduce cellulite and alter the contours of the body with radio frequency energy and infra red. “The heating with the suction roller helps melt some of the fat in the cellulite pockets and also tightens and tones the skin,” explains Victoria. The heating stimulates the growth of new collagen and elastin, which reduces loose skin and body volume, and improves skin structure and texture.
VelaShape is area specific, so the treatment starts by marking up the area that is to be treated, typically the stubborn areas you want to tighten and tone. After applying oil to the skin the machine is turned on. “You can feel the skin and flesh being sucked in and then you feel the warmth. It’s like a gentle suction, moving around, building up the heat. Eventually the heat will become quite intense, and that’s when we move to another area.”
It takes about 20 minutes per area to build the heat up. It can cause a small amount of bruising, but Victoria describes this as “all part of the healing process, after which the skin will start to tighten and tone from there. You need to feel the heat for it to be really working.”
Another treatment, HIFU (High Intensity Focused Ultrasound) is a non-surgical treatment that uses ultrasound to lift, firm and tighten the skin, treating lines and wrinkles and areas with reduced skin elasticity. “Our skin constantly renews itself, but by the time we age, the renewal slows down and causes the skin to age”, says Victoria. A HIFU treatment applies ultrasound energy below the surface of the skin, which results in the contraction of the layer of skin.
The HIFU treatment starts with the marking up of the area, and the application of a cooling gel to the skin. Then a handheld device emits the ultrasound waves in short bursts. The level of penetration will depend on what the area is. The process of HIFU is designed to break up the fat. Victoria says, “It’s very useful for people who want to lose weight because it means the fat is more bioavailable. If you have a stubborn, fatty area and it’s been penetrated by sound it will
“For weight loss and body shaping for both VelaShape and HIFU it is also important to have a healthy diet, because otherwise your body can’t heal itself,” says Victoria. “All the treatments are just winding the clock back, so the impact of one or a series of treatments will vary. One treatment might wind you back a couple of months; a combination could wind you back two, three or even four years.
“We have to work with the individual. It’s a partnership. You can resculpt your body if you want to. If you’re prepared to put the work in, do a bit of exercise and look after your diet, you can rebuild the tummy, take away some of the love handles and tighten the skin on your legs.”
That sounds like the perfect change in order to feel more comfortable and confident this summer. n
The Orangery, No. 1 Argyle Street, Bath BA2 4BA; tel: 01225 466851; theorangerylaserandbeautybath.co.uk
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This month’s walk by Kirsten Elliott is focused on the architecture of the city centre –specifically on windows and some of the other endlessly varied external details of Bath’s buildings. It’s a short but intense wander that might make you look differently at windows, panes and glazing bars.
This short but informationpacked walk introduces you to little details in Bath’s buildings which are often overlooked. Windows, coal-holes, drainpipes and the width of glazing bars have their own history. After you finish this route, you will be ready to identify similar examples elsewhere in the city. The walk begins by the obelisk in Queen Square.
Windows were originally simple holes to let smells and smoke out and fresh air in. After a time they became integral to architectural design, especially in grand houses. As glass-making became more sophisticated, allowing larger sheets of glass to be made, the proportions and size of the panes influenced the proportions of the windows and the buildings. Fashions in windows changed, especially the glazing bars – the pieces of wood which hold the panes in place. They became slimmer and more elegant. In addition, windows became larger.
Head over towards the gateway on the east side of Queen Square. Opposite is No 3. Its windows and even the whole house look narrower than its neighbours – but they are exactly the same width. This optical illusion is due to the lengthened windows and the removal of glazing bars, which has destroyed the proportions of the whole building. In the years following 1836, when the invention of patent plate glass meant it was easy to make large panes of glass, it became the fashion to remove Georgian glazing bars, and cut down through the sill band, the narrow course of stone which jutted out below each window to form the sill.
Turn left along the path and head up to the north side – the square’s grandest façade. These windows have also been lengthened. The first-floor windows once had stone balustrades beneath them which have been lost.
Turn left again to look at the west side. The central block is a hundred years later than the two end buildings so its long windows are original. But look at the buildings at each end. Again, windows have been lengthened, and this time they have cut through into the rustication – the stone carved to look like blocks on the ground floor. Notice how, when the windows were lengthened, an extra piece had to be added to the bottom of the internal shutters. Over the windows, the blocks set on edge like wedges are called
voussoirs, the central ones being called the keystones. This construction creates a flat arch which is much stronger than a plain lintel. However over the central windows and doorways the rustication was used as a relieving arch – so called because it relieves stress. This gave the architect, John Wood, the chance to experiment with large flat stones placed in the arch. Unfortunately, the experiment failed –nearly all have cracked.
Leave the square via the exit on the south side and cross to Princes Street. At the top of the street, you will see that there are blind windows. These are nothing to do with window tax. The Georgians were obsessed with symmetry and good taste. Left as a blank wall, this would not have looked right. The false windows hide fireplaces and staircases. However, at a later date, a long window was inserted into the house on the east side.
On your right you will see a building with a large ghost sign for Shepherds Hall. Just to the left of the sign, you can see the original drainpipe. Made of lead, with large flanges holding it to the wall, it appears very different from the later iron ones. At the bottom of the street is a shop window which sticks out from the building. This is called a flying bay. At the top there is a deep groove into which shutters were slotted at night to protect the windows. They rested on the wide sill at the base.
Turn left into Beaufort Square. The houses on your left have a variety of windows. Some have nine panes in each half of the sash (known as nine over nine) with thick glazing bars, showing that they are early and have the decorative architraves framing them. However, they have been cut away to allow more light. At others, the windows have been moved close together. A change in regulations in 1747 stated that windows less than 12 inches apart counted as one window, so these were altered to be less than 12 inches, thus avoiding tax. Some kept the old frames –others inserted new sashes with six over six frames. Several have a little hinged gadget. The counterweight in the frame should perfectly balance the window, but sometimes it didn’t. These little hinges would hold the top sash in place when closed and, if folded down, allowed the sash to be opened safely as far as the hinge. Head straight on, across Barton Street, to the far end of Trim Street. Here the road is paved with stone setts. In amongst them you will see square metal covers over
the old coal holes, which allowed coal to be tipped straight into the cellars below. One still has the original stone cover. Retrace your footsteps and turn right into Queen Street. Ignore the first shop window on your left which is a good 20th-century fake. It even has a shutter slot. However, a photograph from around 1904 shows it did not then exist. The other shop windows further up the street are some of the earliest in Bath. They have no fascia boards with shop names so must have had hanging signs. As such signs were banned in Bath in 1767, we know these shops are earlier.
Turn right at Quiet Street, cross Milsom Street and go into Green Street. When this street was built in the early 18th century, many builders did not understand about the newly fashionable Palladian architecture. They were still building houses with gables – you can see these on the right-hand side. The builders had, however, acquired pictures of Palladian details. At No. 14, the builder filled the narrow frontage with windows decorated with architraves, pediments, and keystones. Sadly, he did not understand the importance of proportion so the façade is rather muddled.
Head left up Broad Street, cross at the lights, turn left and walk along the high pavement as far as Miles’s Buildings. Make a short detour here to notice how many triple – or Venetian – windows there are. The mullions are less than 12 inches wide so they counted as one window for tax. Retrace your steps, turn right and head to the end. As you reach Gay Street, you will see a house with its glazing bars restored. Notice how much slimmer they are than the early ones in Beaufort Square. Cross Gay Street, turn left and then right into Queen’s Parade Place. Look through the first gateway to the left and see how the backs of the houses were not constructed of ashlar blocks but built of cheaper rubble stone. However, this was often hidden by lime render – you can see the space left for it between the corner stones and the rubble wall on the leftmost end of the building. If you continue on to the little shelters – sedan chairmen’s rests – you can see that these too were once rendered. At the end turn left again and head back down to your starting point in Queen Square.
There are many more intriguing details to look out for as you walk round Bath – too many to include in this walk. But the purpose of this trail is to encourage you to look at the city with new eyes.
Many more walks can be found in Andrew Swift’s Country Walks from Bath published 4y by Akeman Press; akemanpress.com
Starting point: The obelisk in Queen Square, Bath
Length of walk: just under one mile
Accessibility: There are no steps, except for kerbs
Designer Ashley Hicks started his art education at the Bath Academy of Art and then trained at the Architectural Association in London. He worked briefly for his father, interior designer David Hicks, before starting his own design practice. Here Ashley tells us about his memories of Bath, the influence of his father and his own contemporary practice.
Ashley Hicks trained at the Bath Academy of Art and then at the Architectural Association in London. He has designed architecture and interiors in the UK, Europe and the United States, mixing private residential projects with larger-scale commercial work.
Q. You studied fine art at the Bath Academy of Art. What do you remember of this experience and what memories do you have of Bath?
I did a Foundation Course next to the lovely Holburne Museum in the city; and then a three years Fine Art degree in Corsham where I spent happy days in a studio in the old riding school making some appalling paintings that were rightly disapproved of by the tutors. I am sorry to say that none of the tutors had any influence on me; we rather loathed each other. I was a pretentious and confused youth and they sensibly wasted little time on trying to help me. I did love Bath and its beautiful buildings!
Q. Your father David Hicks has been described as, “the rebellious prince of English décor, who broke away from the traditional English style…” How did your father inspire you as a designer?
He had a very disciplined, graphic style and approach, always firmly grounded in traditional inspirations which he radically modernised. He started out determined to set himself apart from John Fowler’s regime of English prettiness, and that urge, combined with a desire to make photogenic, imagerich interiors to fill magazine and book pages, defined his work. His was a very simple aesthetic, boldly adventurous in colour and pattern, but always ruled by an instinctive sense of harmony. He had a clear, ruthless and singular vision, which I totally lack. I like a bit more confusion, layering and softness.
Q. Historic interiors have been a constant lure for you. When did this fascination start?
I grew up surrounded by them and my father spent a lot of time ‘training my eye’, teaching me to differentiate styles and periods of furniture and architecture from a young age. My mother is an avid reader and very knowledgeable about history. Between the two of them they fired me with a lifelong passion for the past.
Q. One of your specialisms is creating bespoke commissions for murals and wallpaper based around historic themes – what gave you the idea to do this?
I have always loved trompe l’oeil interiors, again inspired by my father. When I took over his rooms in Albany in London I wanted them to feel like they were hung with tapestries. To achieve a contemporary version of this old idea, I pasted jute hessian on the walls onto which I painted grisaille views of Istabul, Greek statues, a giant eye… it made a rather fascinating effect, warm and atmospheric. For my partner Martina Mondadori I made a room in Milan with Piranesi’s drawings of the Greek temples at Paestum; for an Italian client’s dining room I painted Manhattan in 1937 – the day view on one side, the night on the other.
Q. The design of things – furniture, murals, wallpapers, fabrics, handles –seems to be your main fascination. How do you create a relationship between these individual creative elements and the vision of an interior?
I must admit that I don’t do it deliberately or thoughtfully. Stuff just sort of piles up! Because it’s all made with my own hands and from my own enthusiasms it naturally fits together – or at least I hope it does. I rather prefer spaces to look somewhat accidental and undesigned. I like rooms to feel not only lived in but as though their look comes not from design but from being lived in, full of objects collected with love and interest.
Q. You also have a range of printed linen fabrics. Where do the design ideas come from for these?
I call them ‘textures’ – they are all made very simply, one-colour prints on linen, from drawings I made myself, partly very simple small designs, partly patterns from the Italian Renaissance that I have drawn as if they were messy woodcuts. They are intended to look a bit rough and old, with a tactile quality despite being prints, hence the name ‘textures’ – a trompe l’oeil conceit.
Q. In recent years you have been making furniture and decorative objects by hand. What drew you to this?
I wanted handles for kitchen units 25 years ago and made one with polymer clay called ‘Super Sculpey’ which I had cast in bronze by a foundry down in Sussex. It built into a small collection which I sell online or through designers, although I am hopeless at marketing so the numbers are very small. They were the first things I made with my own hands and started me on a journey that has led to all sorts of carving and modelling. Most recently I made a vanity unit for a billionaire in San Francisco out of resin that I carved to look like fur, with a dark bronze finish and gilt lion’s paw feet, my personal riff on grand furniture of the 18th century.
Q. You have written a number of books including one about the interiors of Buckingham Palace. You are related through your mother to the Mountbattens, so did you know something of the interiors?
I had seen the Chinoiserie room behind the palace’s famous balcony as a child and was thrilled to be allowed to return and photograph it and some of the other interiors for a book published with the Royal
Collection Trust. I have to admit my research was not very scholarly and the book is very much a potted history, although I did make a few small discoveries, like what Queen Mary had done with Prince Albert’s light fittings which Edward VII had chucked out, and that George IV as Prince of Wales bought French furniture from the Piccadilly shop of Dominique Daguerre, who supplied MarieAntoinette before the French Revolution.
Q. David Hicks pioneered an eclectic mix of antique and contemporary furnishing, and this underpins your own interiors. What are your own design rules for combining them?
I don’t much believe in rules! I do think that elements in an interior should not look angry with each other. Modern and antique will mix more easily if their contrasts are not too jarring. Look for common features of colour or material, simplicity of line, anything that will connect them and form a dialogue rather than a shouting match.
Q. What projects and creative plans do you have in the imminent future?
All sorts. I’m helping an old client with a small villa in Sardinia, making some giant totem sculptures for a big resort situation, designing a special wallpaper for a stair in Chelsea. I just spent two weeks making a big grisaille painting from Baron Gerard’s drawing of 10 August 1792, when Louis XVI was suspended as king, a crucial moment in the revolution, to hang over someone’s sofa in New York. Jack of all Trades, c’est moi. And, I fear, master of none. n ashleyhicks.com
Ashley Hicks’s new book David Hicks in Colour is available from cabanamagazine.com
I don’t much believe in rules! I do think that elements in an interior should not look angry with each other.Photographs by Ashley Hicks
Research shows that in recent years homeowners are growing increasingly more aware about how their life choices impact the environment. So, they’re beginning to make more conscious decisions about the companies they work with and the products they buy. The number of homeowners looking for items which are durable, long-lasting, and reusable is increasing year-on-year.
While buying locally produced goods is a fantastic change in the right direction, one way to have an even bigger impact involves looking much closer to home. Exploring the materials that we use in our homes can make a significant difference to the environment as Managing Director of Bereco – manufacturer and supplier of high-end timber windows – Nicola Harrison explains.
“If you have an interest in making more eco-conscious decisions that’ll have a lasting impact, then take a look at the materials used in your own property. Making your home more energy efficient is a great way to reduce your household’s energy bills and carbon footprint.”
Improving the energy efficiency of your home Reports show that 25-30% of a home’s heat is lost through inefficient windows, so looking at the type of windows you currently have in your home is a great first step.
Timber is a first-class window material that truly ticks all the boxes for eco-conscious homeowners. It’s replenished naturally which means it is fully biodegradable and has the lowest embodied carbon rate compared to any other window material.
With proper maintenance and care, timber windows can last up to 60 years or more, which is twice as long as other alternatives, reducing the amount of overall waste created from replacing windows. Additionally, as a fully recyclable material, any old timber windows can simply be reprocessed for other uses, so nothing is ever truly wasted.
“When it comes to windows, timber is a fantastic choice for those looking for a more sustainable option,” explains Nicola.
“It’s a robust and reliable natural material that’s 100% renewable and it lasts a lifetime.”
Timber is also an impressive insulator which is why it’s the perfect addition to any home, as Nicola highlights.
“Timber windows not only look fantastic, but they deliver outstanding thermal performance and can help to keep your property well insulated during the colder months.
“When designed correctly, timber windows achieve excellent u-values and can reduce the amount of unwanted heat loss in your home, helping to lower your energy bills. Plus, as it doesn’t take as much energy to heat your property, you’ll also be reducing your carbon footprint.”
Choosing the right timber windows for your property is an important decision. You want to not only find the best match for your home, but you want to work with a company that will deliver the best possible service.
At Bereco, timber windows are made from naturally renewable materials that are carbon negative and are manufactured from sustainable forests. With almost 20 years’ experience working with homeowners across the UK, the team has the skills and knowledge to help every customer enhance the character of their property with beautifully bespoke and carefully crafted timber windows.
If you’re looking for timeless timber windows for your home in Bath call 01709 838188 or visit: https://www.bereco.co.uk
Based just outside of Bath in Newton St Loe, Bath Reclamation stocks and sources all types of Reclaimed materials, focusing in particular on Traditional Building Materials.
The mission of landscape gardeners Selby Landscapes is to create beautifully crafted outdoor spaces that give a lifetime of pleasure. We ask Sam Selby about his experience of creating gardens in the Bath region.
Q. What are some of the issues you encounter when designing and landscaping gardens in Bath?
Designing and building gardens in Bath can often be a challenging task with its hilly terrain, tight access, and strict planning conditions on listed properties.
The slopes of Bath can often pose a challenge for us as it can be difficult to create a flat and functional garden space on steep slopes. Landscaping on hills requires careful planning and consideration of drainage and retaining walls. As we are so familiar with the area, we can help navigate these challenges and create beautiful and functional garden spaces that meet the needs of our customers while adhering to local regulations.
Q. What typical features do people ask for in their gardens?
There are certain landscaping features that are consistently popular and provide good garden solutions. Using decking on composite subframes and stone retaining walls is a particularly effective way of creating terraced gardens in Bath, as it blends in well with the local landscape, and decking has remained a popular choice for creating outdoor living spaces.
Bath is renowned for its stunning Georgian architecture and natural stone, and using stone retaining walls can help to create a seamless transition from the garden to the surrounding landscape. Similarly, composite decking is a great choice for a terraced garden as it is both durable and low-maintenance, meaning that it can withstand the often unpredictable weather in the UK while still looking great.
There has also been an increasing interest in including natural and
eco-friendly elements in garden design, such as wildflower and natural gardens and plants to attract wildlife. Then there are the various hard-landscaped elements, such as stone patios, retaining walls, and pathways, which are all still popular for creating structure and visual interest in a garden.
Q. The Wildlife Trusts and Royal Horticultural Society are asking gardeners to cut their grass less regularly and embrace naturally flowering plants like daisies and dandelions. What is your perspective?
‘No Mow May’ is an easy and accessible way for individuals to contribute to conservation efforts and support biodiversity. By simply refraining from mowing their lawn for one month, people can create positive change for the environment and help to protect pollinators. Allowing wildflowers to grow in urban areas during May can help to increase the availability of food sources for pollinators, which can improve their chances of survival.
Q. How do you keep your design ideas fresh when designing gardens? What sources of inspiration do you use?
I don’t find keeping design inspiration a challenge as every garden is always so unique, and I almost always get an immediate sense of what would work best for the space when I first see a garden. The trickiest gardens tend to be those in really big open spaces.
Q. Do you sometimes have to advise people to rethink their ideas about what they want from their gardens?
There is usually a conversation with clients about what they would
like as well as what is most practical in terms of building it and in order to find something that accommodates the budget. Designs will typically be scaled back to fit into a budget. We do our best to design within a budget when needed.
Q. Is there a best time of year to create a garden, or is it possible at any time of year, weather permitting?
The best time of year to build a garden for us is obviously during the spring and summer months. But having said that we work all year round, otherwise we wouldn’t still be in business! Proper footwear, clothing and a full lunch box are three of the best ways to navigate through the onslaught of rain in the darker months.
Q. Do you like to work with small gardens?
We have worked on many small gardens, courtyards and new-build gardens. They’re fun projects to work on because they will have a quick turnaround time and you can provide a really big impact on a smaller budget.
Q. What is your own garden like and is it a refuge for you?
My ‘garden’ is only a 1 x 4m balcony but I have built storage, shelves and train planters up the walls. Solar lights and an outdoor rug set the scene to enjoy my mini garden on a summer’s evening.
selbylandscapes.com
Your garden room has come out of hibernation and it’s ready to be stylishly furnished and prepped for endless hours spent (in the sunshine, naturally) sitting, socialising, dining, drinking, cooking, lazing and planting. Here are some ideas...
As nature rolls out the blue carpet, Elly West considers the natural magic and the folklore of the common English bluebell...
There’s something magical about bluebells en-masse, carpeting the dappled shade of deciduous woodland and seeming to cast their own luminous glow, making it easy to understand their long association with enchantment and fairies. From mid-April and through May, woodland floors across the country are transformed into a delicate sea of blue, as one of the nation’s most loved and recognised wildflower comes into bloom.
Almost half of the world’s bluebells are estimated to grow here in the UK and they’re relatively rare elsewhere. Protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, digging up the bulbs or picking the flowers of our native bluebell, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, from the countryside is illegal, and can incur fines of up to £5,000 and a six-month prison sentence.
English bluebells are under threat from their invasive Spanish cousin, Hyacinthoides hispanica, which was introduced to the UK in the late 17th century, and became a popular garden plant from Victorian times onwards, being tougher and more vigorous than the native variety. Hyacinthoides non-scripta, the English bluebell, has stems that droop or nod to one side. The flowers are a darker blue and, like the stems, hang to the side, with petals that curl back at the edges. They have a fresh, sweet fragrance, unlike the Spanish variety, and are more attractive to early foraging bees. The leaves are narrower, up to 1.5cm wide.
Spanish bluebells, on the other hand, have stiff, upright stems with flowers hanging all around them and the petals flare rather than curl back. The leaves can be up to 3cm wide. However, because of crosspollination and hybridisation, it can be difficult to tell the native and Spanish bluebells apart, as each takes on traits of the other. Pollen colour can be a giveaway, as our native bluebell has creamy-white pollen, while the hybrids or non-natives have green or blue pollen. Because of their vigour and ability to hybridise, it’s advised not to grow Spanish bluebells in rural locations, as escapees could potentially
oust our natives, out-competing them for light and space, and eventually taking over.
In Victorian flower language, a bluebell symbolises constancy, humility and gratitude. The name is apt given the flowers’ colour and form, but other names in history include crowtoes, granfer griggles, cuckoo’s boots, wood hyacinth, fairy flower, bell bottle, lady’s nightcap and witches’ thimbles.
The Latin name Hyacinthoides non-scripta was given to the bluebell by Carl Linnaeus, the 18th-century Swedish botanist and socalled father of modern taxonomy. Hyacinthoides means ‘like a hyacinth’. In ancient Greek legend, Hyacinthus was a handsome and charming young man who attracted the attention of the god Apollo. One day, while teaching Hyacinthus how to throw the discus, Apollo accidentally hit Hyacinthus on the head, killing him. A hyacinth flower appeared where the blood of Hyacinthus hit the ground. Apollo’s tears fell on the flower, spelling out ‘AIAI’, meaning alas, on the petals. However, Linnaeus, when naming the bluebell, realised this must be a different plant to the one in the myth as there are no letter-like markings on its petals, so gave it the name ‘non-scripta’, meaning unlettered.
Bluebells have long featured in art and literature, inspiring poets and writers including Oscar Wilde, Emily and Anne Brontë, and Percy Bysshe Shelley, as well as William Morris fabric designs. And they are also the subject of folklore, associated with ancient woodlands and
It is said that bluebells ring to call fairies together, but the sound is deadly to humans who will die if they hear it
magic, both good and bad. It’s said that bluebells ring to call fairies together, but the sound is deadly to humans who will die if they hear it. It’s also said to be unlucky to trample on bluebells because you will annoy the fairies resting there (not to mention the potential prison sentence and fine of up to £5,000).
Notwithstanding the fact they are protected, it’s said that if you manage to turn a bluebell flower inside-out without tearing it, then apparently you shall win the one you love – but don’t try this with flowers growing wild. Likewise, a garland of bluebells around your neck ensures you tell the truth. Plant bluebells near your front door for good luck, because if someone unwanted comes, the flowers will ring to warn you (unlike the ones in the woods, which will might kill you if you hear them).
Other uses for bluebells have included the starch from the bulbs being used to stiffen the ruffs of Elizabethan collars, and gum from their roots was used historically to glue feathers to arrows, and in bookbinding. Although they don’t have much use in modern medicine, in the past, Tennyson wrote of bluebell juice being used to cure snake-bite, and extracts have also been used for their diuretic properties, and to stop bleeding.
Bluebells contain chemicals called glycosides and all parts are toxic. Eating any part can trigger nausea, vomiting, and a decrease in heart rate and blood pressure. Some people can also get skin reactions from touching the plant, so if you are growing them at home, wear gloves. Buy them as dry bulbs in autumn or plants ‘in the green’ (after flowering, still with leaves) in late spring, and choose a reputable source. They like partial shade and well-drained soil. Try planting them under a deciduous tree for a mini-woodland effect. Leave the foliage to die back naturally after flowering, to feed the bulb for next year. n
ellyswellies.co.uk
Here are some places in and around Bath where you can see carpets of bluebells this month.
Bathwick Wood
ThisNational Trust owned wood just north of the University of Bath is a haven for bluebells.
Location: Bathwick BA2 6JG; OS Map Ref: ST 7669 6521
Leigh Woods is a drive out of Bath towards Bristol, but worth visiting for the bluebells. Location: Bristol BS8 3QE; OS Map Ref: ST 5593 7275.
Vincients Wood, an easy drive towards Chippenham, is a small nature reserve with a circular trail. Location: via Brittain Close, Chippenham SN14 0UE OS Map Ref: ST 898 734
King’s Castle Wood was once an Iron Age fort and is now a nature reserve and semi-natural woodland. A mile south-east of Wells it is only accessible by foot on the B3139. Lower Woods, near Wickwar; OS Map Ref: ST 568 456
11 Fairfield Park Road is an attractive mid terrace period family home having been comprehensively refurbished throughout and offering stylish, flexible accommodation arranged over 2 floors, with the opportunity to extend both into the loft space and side return with the necessary permissions. There are wonderful elevated far reaching views across Solsbury Hill, the Charlcombe Valley and towards the Bathampton and Box Valley to the front.
On the ground floor there is an impressive open plan, double aspect bay fronted living and dining room with original exposed floor boards, a Scandinavian-style Morsø log burner and a bespoke contemporary wooden mantle with matching slate hearths across both rooms. The dining area leads through to a well-appointed Shaker style kitchen and a garden room which offers excellent storage and utility space or development potential.
The handsome master bedroom is to the front on the first floor and has plenty of built in bespoke storage. To the rear there is a further double bedroom with views over the pretty rear garden along with a large bath and shower room with a central claw foot bath.
Externally to the front there is a gated garden with a lawn, mixed evergreen hedge row, and lavender hedging bordering the pavement. To the rear, accessed from the garden room, there is a pretty paved sun terrace and a level lawn with established shrubs, box-plant hedging and a Silver Birch tree. Conveniently, there is gated access to the rear onto Raglan Lane. There is plenty of on street non-permit parking to the front and rear.
Cobb Farr, 35 Brock Street, The Circus, Bath; Tel: 01225 333332
Bath, BA1
•Fashionable Larkhall village on the doorstep
•On the cusp of open countryside with walks nearby and farreaching views from the property
•2 double bedrooms
•Beautiful open plan bay fronted living and dining room
•Well-appointed Shaker style kitchen
•Pretty south-west facing garden
Guide Price £500,000
Guide Price £595,000
An attractive end of terrace townhouse immaculately presented throughout and offering flexible accommodation arranged over 3 floors.
• 3 bedroom property over 3 floors
• Open plan kitchen/living/dining
• Office with underfloor heating
• Private, terraced, courtyard garden
• 2 parking spaces and a an electrically operated garage door
Guide Price £850,000
An elegant semi-detached Grade II listed 3-bedroom Georgian villa of handsome proportions retaining a wealth of period detail, located in a fine elevated position, enjoying wonderful far reaching panoramic viewings of Bath and conveniently within 15 minutes-walk of the city centre.
• 3 double bedrooms, 2 shower/bathrooms
• Elegant formal drawing room
• Dining room
• Well equipped kitchen breakfast room
• Wealth of period detail
‘The pandemic saw a shift in the Bath property market; people were seeking outside space and people were looking to move out of cities. Since the start of the year we are starting to see these movers wishing to return to the city they loved. The fear of lockdowns has eased and there is a big desire to have those fantastic transport links. Since January we have seen a 13% increase in buyer activity.
‘Historically Bath has always attracted London buyers who have been keen to still live in a city, but one that was commutable and also offered a different kind of lifestyle. The low crime rate is also an attraction for those looking to move out of the capital.
‘The market has gone back to pre-pandemic levels, not the crazy pricing we have seen over the last couple of years. It’s a price-sensitive market, one where you need to make sure that your property is priced correctly and is presented to a high standard should you wish to sell.
It was only the beginning of the year when Sharon joined The Apartment Company, and already she is making her mark. As she is now settling into her new role, we felt it was time to get to know our new Sales Manager, Sharon Hill.
Born in Devizes in Wiltshire, she started her professional career in estate agency as a trainee negotiator in Bristol. A mere three and a half years later she was already running her own office for a corporate brand, where she stayed for 15 years. It was during this time that she also had her beautiful family, three boys, and so began her many hours of standing on the sideline of football pitches, and endless washing.
When she began to get itchy feet, she decided to take the leap and experience being a self-employed agent, which she did for the next 18 months until the chance to work with a Bristol independent estate agency arose. After four years she felt she was ready for a new challenge; this led her to an opportunity to join The Apartment Company.
‘The unique USP of The Apartment Company extremely interested me. There is nothing else offering such a service. I knew Bath very well and I was excited to get to know it in a work capacity and discover parts of the city I had never ventured before. Bath just has a special feeling about it: it’s beautiful, small, extremely accessible and blessed with a wealth of bars, restaurants, shops, schools and green spaces. It is a place where you always feel safe and secure.’
‘We have seen a rise in the number of enquiries from buyers seeking holiday lets for Airbnbs. Some leases allow holiday lets, some don’t. Properties between £220,000 and £320,000 that can be used as a holiday let and have strong yields are flying out, as they can be very lucrative. On the flip side we are seeing firsttime buyers deciding to hold on to see what the year brings with regard to interest rates in the autumn.’
‘The sales and the lettings team work cohesively. Should an investor be seeking to reduce their property portfolio, the sales team and I are on hand to sell their investment. We have recently sold a couple of properties to an investor which are now being managed by Nicola and our lettings team. This strong unified approach ensures that all The Apartment Company clients receive a smooth high-quality service, be that for investment, tenancy or sale.’
Sharon’s advice for sellers – to succeed in this market you must price it right.
Sharon’s advice for buyers – work with an estate agent that has the expertise in selling the type of properties you wish to buy, and in Bath’s case for apartments, that can only be The Apartment Company.
have patience. It may take longer to sell your property discreetly than it would if you were to sell it on the open market. Discreet selling is one option open to you, and it is always essential to talk through all marketing approaches available to you to ensure it works with your particular requirements.
When you sell your unique home on the open market, it is likely to attract a lot of attention from potential buyers. Unique homes are, literally, one of a kind. They offer a specific lifestyle which can be extremely alluring and, as such, gain a lot of interest. This can be overwhelming, especially if you are not used to having strangers in your home. Discreet selling allows you to sell your home with a limited number of viewings.
Our goal is to bring together buyers and sellers in a secure and confidential manner. We understand the need for privacy, and that's why we provide our clients with the assurance that their transactions will remain private.
It can often feel like our lives are a series of chapters, and when you start to feel like a chapter is coming to an end, change is afoot. Most people move home a total of eight times in a lifetime, which means you get to experience a variety of homes, from your first property to the one that you have dreamed of. Owning a unique home is something we know you cherish, and often the decision to say goodbye is not one you long to shout about. This is why at Peter Greatorex Unique Homes we understand how to operate discreetly and effectively, allowing you to move silently.
We know what your home means to you; you will have created a mountain of memories, may have undertaken painstaking restorations, and it has your heart and soul. You may wish to sell, but only if it is to the right buyer. In this market the right buyer isn’t someone that places an attractive offer – it is a person who thoroughly understands the needs of such a home. They are passionate about being its next custodian and have their own dreams that only such a property can fulfil.
Our wealth of experience within the high-end market sees buyers contacting us from all over the UK and overseas seeking a property in the aera. They too have a vision of what this home offers and are happy to wait for months and even years to move, as to them it is about finding the perfect home, not about a time frame. This is why we are able to discreetly bring buyers and sellers together when we think there is a synergy with a property and a buyer’s wants and needs.
Discreet selling is not for everyone, and it does require you to
When it comes to finding a property partner you can trust to sell your unique home, there are certain traits you should be looking for. Expertise is of the utmost importance – your broker should have years of experience in selling high-end homes and have a thorough understanding of the local market. You want an property broker with established connections because this will provide you with access to a larger network of potential buyers whether locally, nationally or internationally.
The property partner you choose should be eager to understand your needs and truly care about the outcome of your sale. Make sure to communicate your expectations and desired timeline in advance so that they can ensure that the marketing strategy and your circumstances align.
If you are thinking of selling your unique home and wish to know more about our discreet service, please give us a call on 01225 904 999.
Georgian · Grade l listed · First floor · Two bedrooms · Wealth of period features · Close to local amenities · EPC E rating · Approx 777 Sq. Ft.
COMINGSOON
Georgian · Listed · Brand new kitchen · Spacious double bedroom · Bright and airy · Utility area · EPC TBC · Approx 453 Sq. Ft.
COMINGSOON
Georgian · Grade l listed · Spacious upper maisonette · Sought after location · Stunning views · Parapet balcony · No chain · EPC E rating · Approx 1,756 Sq ft
COMINGSOON
Georgian · Period features · Central location · Well presented throughout · Modern kitchen · New radiators · EPC D rating · Approx. 661 Sq. Ft.
Georgian · Listed · Private garden with direct access to Hedgemead Park · Private entrance · Two bedrooms · Wealth of period features · Central location · EPC TBC · Approx. 1076 Sq. Ft.
Top floor · Stunning views · Modern kitchen and bathroom · Open plan · Great investment opportunity · Residential area · Level walk to city centre · EPC D rating · Approx. 478 Sq. Ft.
Newly renovated to a high standard · Holiday lets allowed · Georgian · First Floor · Bright and spacious · Share of freehold · No chain · Central location · EPC C rating · Approx. 517 Sq. Ft.
Georgian · Grade ll* listed · Second floor · Two double bedrooms · New bathroom · Good level of decoration · Communal garden · Short walk to city centre · Share of freehold · EPC E rating · Approx. 765 Sq. Ft.
Spread across two levels · Spacious sitting room · Beautiful views · Central location · Close to local amenities · EPC E rating · EPC E rating · Approx. 893 Sq. Ft.
The Grange, Freshford £1,750 pcm
Available now · Fully furnished ·
Spacious living room · Prime village location · Superb communal garden · Sharers considered – No students · Council Tax Band D ·
EPC Rating D
Battlefields House, Lansdown £1,300 pcm
Unfurnished · Courtyard apartment · One bedroom · Two vaulted rooms · Parking & garage · Communal garden · Council Tax Band C · EPC Rating D
Bedford Street £1,150 pcm
Unfurnished · One bedroom apartment ·
First floor – own entrance · Immaculate throughout · Gas central heating ·
Suitable professionals · Council Tax Band C ·
EPC Rating C
Available now · Two double bedrooms · Communal garden terrace · Furnished (except bedroom 2) · No students · No pets · Council Tax Band C · EPC Rating C
St Lawrence House, Southgate £1,400 pcm Catherine Place £1,350 pcm
Unfurnished · Two double bedrooms · Open plan sitting/kitchen room · Three storage vaults) · Sorry no pets · Situated over two floors · Council Tax Band C ·
EPC Rating D
Rochfort Place, Bathwick £1,300 pcm
Available May 2023 · Stunning Georgian apartment · One bedroom · Study/dressing room · Fully furnished · Set over two floors · Close to City Centre · Council Tax Band B ·
EPC Rating E
Mulberry Way £1,200 pcm
Unfurnished · Double bedroom · White high gloss kitchen · First floor apartment · Prime location · Allocated Parking · Council Tax Band A · EPC Rating A
Philip House, Southgate £1,700 pcm
Available now · Fully furnished · Two double bedrooms · Suitable professionals · Bike store · Southgate development · Council Tax Band C ·
EPC Rating C
Rivers street £1,250 pcm
Part furnished · One bedroom · Excellent order throughout · Prime location · Georgian features ·
Suitable professionals · Council Tax Band B ·
EPC Rating E
