The Bristol Magazine April 2014 by MC Publishing Limited

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£3.00 where sold

THE

ISSUE 118

•

APRIL 2014

BRISTOL MAGAZINE

THE MAGAZINE FOR THE CITY OF BRISTOL

www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk

CITY LIVES

WIN’

A GARDEN LOVERs BREAK IN SOUTH WALES

BOHO Brist olian

Il l u s tra tor ROSIE WEBB ROBI

C N I N A G D O N I C E N COUSINS RETURNS TO HIS H

OME CITY

W A C KCAYR PRLA A CE S PEDAL

N S A RE

OFF TO A FL YING STA RT

G OTI Nr aGi nTi nHg ETDi I S T A N C E ps for

WEu

Getting a P B in the

PE L U S . . .

ASTER HOLIDA Y GUIDE WHA T’ s ON i n B RI S T O L

10K

A FxT E R N O Ot N T E A S i of th e be s p la ces

t o ind ulg e i n B r i st ol

THE VE RY BE ST IN L OCAL W RITING, WHAT’S ON, THE ARTS, LIFESTYLE, PROPERTY AN D SO MUCH MORE IN YOUR GUIDE TO LIFE AND LIVING IN BRISTOL

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THE | CONTENTS

APRIL 24

2014 12

54 12

ZEITGEIST

THE CITYIST My Bristol, the buzz & book of the month

BARTLEBY PEOPLE & PARTIES Snapshots from the city’s social scene

PRETTY PICTURES

SPRING FASHION

SIX OF THE BEST

WINING AND DINING

BRISTOL AT WORK

WACKY RACES FACE THE MUSIC Colston Hall’s head programmer, Todd Wills, picks his top ten tunes

RESTAURANT REVIEW

Dates for your cultural diary

DANCING ON ICE Robin Cousins comes back to Bristol

CREATIVE JOURNEYS Arts festival for charity at Paintworks

4 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

CITY UPDATES

APRIL 2014

80 OUT AND ABOUT A walk in the Welsh valleys

84 HOMES ON SHOW A house that’s got the wow factor

90 GARDENING How to add a water feature

PROPERTY The best homes in and around Bristol

News from Bristol businesses THE

FREELANCE MUM Aqua Natal Yoga in pregnancy

FAMILY FUN Easter holiday entertainment ideas

WHAT’S ON

We check out Clifton Village’s newest hair salon, Atelier

A new look at Graze Bar & Chophouse

Bringing the pedal car race back to Bristol

74 BEAUTY REVIEW

Foodie news and events

Florist Barry Toogood with his blooms

Spring essentials and health and beauty news

Places for afternoon tea

Inject some colour into your life

70 FIT AND FAB

Why illustrator Rosie Webb is making her mark on the city

Destination Bristol

ART & EXHIBITIONS What's on show in the city’s galleries this month

Five things to do this month

66 INSPIRATIONAL WORK We talk to founder of Kids Company, Camila Batmanghelidjh

BRISTOL twitter@thebristolmag

ON THE COVER Places to enjoy afternoon tea in Bristol. Images from Shutterstock Composition by The Bristol Magazine

68 GET SET, GO Training tips for the Bristol 10k

thebristolmagazine.co.uk

MAGAZINE

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.co.

Sneyd Park

A beau!ful detached home (4,018 sq ) in a sought a er road. 3 recep!on rooms, kitchen, breakfast room. 5 bedrooms, family bathroom, 3 ensuite bath/shower rooms, dressing room to master. Double garage, extensive cellar and store rooms. Ample parking, enclosed gardens with views. EPC ra!ng E.

KnightFrank.co.uk/bristol bristol@knigh rank.com 0117 3171999

Guide price: £1,395,000

Cli on

A most impressive ground floor lateral apartment (2,029 sq ) with communal garden and off street parking. Entrance ves!bule, 2 recep!on rooms, kitchen/breakfast room, conservatory, 2 bedrooms, guest bathroom, ensuite shower room. Communal gardens, off street parking. EPC ra!ng E. Guide price: £625,000

KnightFrank.co.uk/bristol bristol@knigh rank.com 0117 3171999

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Leigh Woods

A superb family home (2,541 sq ) with private enclosed grounds. 3 recep"on rooms, kitchen/breakfast room. 5 bedrooms, family bathroom, 2 ensuite shower rooms. Detached games room, carport. Good size level gardens and terracing. Drive with ample parking. EPC ra"ng E.

KnightFrank.co.uk/bristol bristol@knigh!rank.com 0117 3171999

Guide price: ÂŁ1,425,000

Cli on

A spectacular Grade II listed detached home (7,244 sq ) within about 0.73 acres. 3 recep"on rooms, study, workshop. Kitchen/breakfast room. 7 bedrooms, 5 bath/shower rooms (4 ensuite). Extensive cellar, 2 bed self-contained apartment. Sweeping drive, level gardens, garage, rear drive. Guide price: ÂŁ2,500,000

KnightFrank.co.uk/bristol bristol@knigh!rank.com 0117 3171999

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Cli on

A stunning lateral hall floor apartment (1,100 sq ) on a desirable tree lined avenue close to Cli on College. Drawing room, kitchen / breakfast room. 2 bedrooms (1 ensuite). Bathroom. Garage, communal garden. EPC ra&ng E. Guide price: £550,000

0117 3171999

West Harptree

A superb barn conversion (2,663 sq ) with a wealth of charm and character. 3 recep&on rooms, kitchen/breakfast room. Master suite, 3/4 further bedrooms, family bathroom. Car port, Good size level garden of approximately 0.57 acre. Sweeping drive with ample parking. EPC ra&ng D. Guide price: £775,000

0117 3171999

Over

A well-presented home (6,146 sq ) in an a'rac&ve part walled se(ng. 3 recep&on rooms, kitchen, u&lity/2nd kitchen, games room, 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms (1 ensuite). Indoor swimming pool, part walled gardens, adjoining Bristol Golf Club, integral double garage. EPC ra&ng D. Guide price: £1,250,000

0117 3171999

Leigh Woods

An immaculate first floor lateral apartment (1,261 sq ) with views, garden and garage. Open plan drawing room / kitchen / dining room, 2 generous double bedrooms, bedroom 3 / study, bathroom, ample storage. Garden, garage, store. EPC ra&ng D. Guide price: £485,000

0117 3171999

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.co.

SOLD Sneyd Park Guide £375,000

SOLD Clifton Guide £375,000

SOLD Clifton Guide £2,000,000

Market by numbers 55% increase in oﬀers made

SOLD Clifton Guide £1,250,000

50% increase in new instructions 100% increase in sales 32% shorter time on the market

SOLD Leigh Woods Guide £465,000

If you are considering a sale please call to arrange a free market appraisal. bristol@knightfrank.com 0117 3171999

SOLD Redcliﬀe Guide £395,000

SOLD Sneyd Park Guide £445,000

KnightFrank.co.uk/bristol bristol@knightfrank.com 0117 3171999

Knight Frank

SOLD Harbourside Guide £435,000

SOLD Clifton Guide £965,000

SOLD Sneyd Park Guide £1,000,000

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t last, it’s finally time to embrace spring. Retreat from hibernation and chilly nights cosying up by the fire and get outdoors and breathe in the fresh air. In this issue we celebrate the new season with plenty of ideas to get out and about – from making your garden look good with tips from garden designer Margaux Speirs, going on a country walk in Wales and training for the Bristol 10K, to indulging in afternoon tea, picking your own tulips in Farrington Gurney, admiring colourful blooms at Westonbirt Arboretum or attending one of the many events happening all over the city this month. Page 34 sees the start of our jam-packed What’s On guide where you’ll find everything from theatre and music concerts to comedy and circus. If it’s on, as they say, it’s in. And to make the most of the Easter holidays and time with the family, we offer you a guide to the best days out to enjoy in Bristol with your little ones – turn to page 64 for locations of Easter egg trails and craft activities and a date for your diary: the opening of a new Wallace and Gromit exhibition at M Shed. We’re always interested in what the people of Bristol are up to in their day to day lives and this month we catch up with illustrator Rosie Webb, whose watercolours are making a splash around the city; Todd Wills, head programmer at Colston Hall, who picks his top ten tunes in Face the Music; and florist Barry Toogood, whose portrait was taken by photographer Char Stone for our Bristol at Work feature. We also talk to Bristol-born ice skater Robin Cousins about his new show which comes to the Hippodrome at the end of the month, and grab a coffee with inspirational woman and founder of Kids Company, Camila Batmanghelidjh. Hear their stories, and many others throughout this issue, of life and work in Bristol.

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

CONTACT THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE: Editor Email:

Samantha Coleman sam@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

Deputy Editor Email:

Georgette McCready georgette@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

Production Manager Email: Commercial Production Email:

Jeff Osborne production@thebristolmagazine.co.uk Lorna Harrington lorna@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

Publisher Tel: Email:

Steve Miklos 0117 974 2800 stevem@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

Contact the Advertising Sales team on tel: 0117 974 2800 Advertising Sales Email:

Kathy Williams kathy@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

Advertising Sales Email:

Sue Parker sue@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

Address:

The Bristol Magazine, 2 Princes Buildings, George Street, Bath BA1 2ED

The Bristol Magazine and The Bath Magazine are published by MC Publishing Ltd and are completely independent of all other local publications.

WWW.THEBRISTOLMAGAZINE.CO.UK

APRIL 2014

THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 11

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ZEITGEIST Psycho

things to do in April

Pick your own

Watch Fifty years on from its release, Alfred Hitchcock’s cinematic masterpiece Psycho will come to life with a full live orchestral backing of its dramatic musical score by the British Sinfonietta Orchestra at Colston Hall on Thursday 10 April, 7.30pm. In this one-off immersive musical event, see one of the greatest thrillers of all time and experience a renowned live orchestra performing one of the most iconic scores in cinema history. Tickets are £26.88, available from the box office on tel: 0844 887 1500 or visit www.colstonhall.org.

For the third year running, Farrington’s Farm Shop in Farrington Gurney is inviting customers to spring outside and get their pick of the bunch in the UK’s first and only pick-your-own tulips field. Wander through acres of Somerset countryside taking your pick of over 50,000 beautiful blooms. From deep lilacs, pinks and reds to luscious yellows, there are over 50 varieties of tulips to pick, with ten tulips costing just £2.50 or £10 for 50. Depending on the weather, the tulips will be available to pick from late April to mid-May. Farrington’s is situated just off the A362 at Farrington Gurney, with plenty of other attractions on-site too, including a café, deli, fishmongers, plant nursery, gift shop and florist. For more information, visit: www.farringtons.co.uk

Taste The Chocolate Festival returns to Bristol on 5 & 6 April, this year at Brunel’s Old Station, from 10am – 6pm. Indulge yourself in all things chocolatey in this world of multisensory thrills, allowing you to discover the best and newest artisan chocolates. Enjoy a tasting lounge, chocolate café, cocoa spa, brownie trail and chocolate market among many other features. Tickets from £5 for general admission, £15 tasting ticket (includes general admission, the brownie trail and one session at The Tasting Lounge) available from: www.festivalchocolate.co.uk.

Book Admire Spring is starting to stir at Westonbirt Arboretum, and if you visit over the next few months you’ll see an explosion of colour as magnificent displays of rhododendrons, camellias and magnolias stand alongside bluebells and other tree and shrub species at their spring best, to create a kaleidoscopic show of shapes and patterns. Throughout spring, visitors to the arboretum can enjoy a range of activities and trails, as well as half priced admission every Wednesday during April and May. To find out more, visit: www.forestry.gov.uk/westonbirt-spring.

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Tickets are now on sale for Europe’s biggest veggie event, VegfestUK Bristol, held in the middle of the city on 23 – 25 May. This year the festival has adopted a disco theme with some spectacular headliners set to appear live on the stage, including 70s pop sensations Boney M and Gwen Dickey’s Rose Royce alongside tribute band Abba Gold on Friday 23 May; Peter Hook & The Light, playing a Joy Division and New Order set on Saturday 24 May as well as original punks Ruts DC and Goldblade. On Sunday the emphasis shifts to the traditional Vegfest Sunday reggae Sunsplash with original 70s Bristol reggae outfit Black Roots, before dance reggae maestros Zion Train. For a full line up of events and tickets, visit: http://bristol.vegfest.co.uk/ticketinformation.

Gwen Dickey

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THE CITY The buzz... Roadshow comes to Bristol BBC One’s Antiques Roadshow, presented by Fiona Bruce, will start filming for its 37th series in the grounds of Ashton Court on Thursday 29 May. The doors open at 9.30am and close at 4.30pm and entry to the show is free. People with large pieces of furniture or other big items can send details and photographs of their objects to: Antiques Roadshow, BBC, Whiteladies Road, Bristol BS8 2LR or e-mail them to: antiques.roadshow@bbc.co.uk.

My BRISTOL We ask Ali Robertson, director of the Tobacco Factory Theatres, what he’s doing this month What brought you to Bristol? My job in 2007, when I took up the post of director at the Tobacco Factory Theatres. It wasn’t a hard decision to make. I love Bristol, for its sense of community and unique culture and its balance between city and open spaces – the downs and the harbourside are some of my favourite places in the city.

Fiona Bruce

Best foot forward Now expanded over a month, the UK’s largest urban walking festival takes place in Bristol from Saturday 26 April until Monday 26 May. The festival aims to have up to 100 guided walks throughout the city and beyond on themes such as leisure and learning, health, arts and creativity and active travel. Walks, which can be viewed at: www.bristolwalkingfestival.co.uk, will include opportunities for speed dating, sketching, business networking and learning about the Suffragettes and female campaigners.

Teeing off around the world A new indoor golf facility on the Harbourside has already been proving very popular with locals, enabling golfers the chance to play 150 golf courses around the world without leaving Bristol. The inPlay Golf indoor simulation, the first of its kind in the south west, offers the latest technology to provide indoor practice facilities together with golf coaching, a high grade putting surface and a custom club fitting service. Six simulators enable golfers to test their ability on famous golf courses such as Pebble Beach, Carnoustie, The Belfry and Kiawah Island, while on-site PGA coaching professionals are on hand to provide specialist advice on how to improve your game. InPlay Golf is open all year round, no matter what the weather and members can benefit from regular tournaments, long driving and putting competitions and social events. Visit: www.inplaygolf.co.uk

inPlay Golf

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What are you reading? Just Money: How Society Can Break the Despotic Power of Finance by Ann Pettifor. I am quite pleased with myself but to be honest my reading isn’t usually so intellectual! What is on your MP3 player? Folk rock singer Sandy Denny, I am a big fan of 60s and 70s music. Which café or restaurant takes your fancy? Zazu’s Kitchen. Our neighbours just a bit further down the road from us on North Street. I seem to find myself there insanely often – good value, quality food, great atmosphere and my kids love it too. Film or play? What will you be going to see this month? Not that I don’t like films but obviously I’d have to say play! I probably see about three shows a week, at our theatre of course, but also at other venues in Bristol and in London. At the Tobacco Factory Theatres I am looking forward to seeing Arcadia, which is on throughout April. It’s a really witty, enjoyable 20th century play, but educational at the same time. We also have a great family oriented show Le Navet Bete coming up in the last week of May in our Brewery Theatre. It’s a contemporary clown show, really cleverly adapted for our space from its outdoor festival origins.

BOOK OF THE MONTH... Remember Me to the Bees by Judy Darley Bristol writer Judy Darley has released her first short story collection with independent press Scopophilia. Remember Me To The Bees examines the moments that change the protagonists’ lives forever – with sometimes startling consequences. The book contains 20 of Judy’s short works of fiction, inspired by travel, family and the fragile inner workings of the mind – from the small boy grappling with fears both real and imaginary to the married woman being ardently pursued by a man who seems able to

Which museum or gallery will you be visiting? The Bristol Museum. It’s massively under-rated in my opinion – it’s quite traditional in its form but there are rooms full of fascinating objects and stories. I also spend much of my visits being bullied in to the soft play area by my daughter! What are your hobbies or interests? At the moment swimming. I’ve signed up for the Bristol triathlon in June so I am getting some practice in. I’ve also done the Bristol half and the 10k several times over since I moved here. I do like to balance this by playing a healthy amount of poker too. What local event will you be attending? One of my favourite places to go as a family is At-Bristol so we will be checking out its Spring Alive exhibition during the Easter holidays. I am also looking forward to Eat Drink Bristol Fashion in Queen Square at the beginning of May. Any projects/work in progress? We have a show that we commissioned Banksy: The Room in the Elephant starting in London this month, it’s then coming to us in May before going on to Wales and Scotland. There’s also going to be a show from a very talented young writer called Thomas Eccleshare in our Brewery Theatre space at the end of April. It’s called Helen and is about a children’s writer who becomes a national favourite but is exposed as being not all that she seems. We’re also starting to plan for Christmas already – take a look at: www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com for the show announcement.

read her deepest thoughts. Judy says: “I wanted to make the collection a bit of a puzzle – each story stands independently, but adds up to a cohesive whole exploring my characters’ thought processes and vulnerabilities.” Each story is accompanied by artwork from Bournemouthbased illustrator Louise Boulter, who also designed the book’s cover image. The book is available to buy from Tangent Books: www.tangentbooks.co.uk

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Destination Bristol

hen did Bristol become so popular? The other weekend the sun was shining so we took a stroll round the Floating Harbour, only to find that approximately half of the UK population was doing the same thing. Millennium Square was so packed that we assumed some kind of festival must be in progress, but no. Nothing of any note was happening. People were just, to use a not very apt expression for a warm spring day, chilling. Actually there were one or two mildly extraordinary activities taking places. For reasons best known to themselves some people were lining up to throw themselves off the top of a crane with a length of elastic tied round their feet. A fairly venerable lady busker was singing a bluesy version of the theme tune from Bob the Builder – surely a cultural moment that ought to be broadcast round the world on Youtube. And various children were paddling in the Millennium Square fountains, which act of premature summeriness will, I’m sure, land us with a snowy April. There used to be a philosophy, widespread in Bristol, that we didn’t do tourism. If you wanted to visit a city on the banks of the Avon and sit around eating ice cream, then you went to Bath. If you really insisted on coming to Bristol then you might potter round the Cathedral or don crampons and make an ascent of Park Street, but until about 1970 anyone sauntering round the

“

City Docks would have faced the very real risk of being run over by a train. It wasn’t until the ships were long gone and housing development under way in the 1990s that the Floating Harbour became a place to stroll, and even then nobody could have imagined the crowds of today. But I for one still don’t understand what all these people are doing here. OK, a proportion must be local people like us, whose motivation is fairly simple: a stroll in pleasant surroundings, bafflement at Arnolfini, ice cream and a chance to marvel at the strange socio-cultural institution that is the Hen Night. Actually a fair number of the out-of-towners seem to be either women celebrating a friend’s imminent marriage, or men doing the same, and a cursory internet survey reveals that Bristol is one of the top five cities in the UK for this sort of thing. I suppose we can offer convenient hotels, eateries and drinkeries, but a major attraction must be the (generally) good-natured attitude Bristol people have towards gangs of young men dressed as Vikings. In some other cities I’m sure a group of chaps dressed as camp policemen or women decked out as burlesque acts would face a certain amount of hostility, but you can stroll around Harbourside in a pink onesie and nobody bats an eyelid. Not long ago we were sitting in the Brandon Hill Park and a group of women came straggling up the path, one of them with a fullsized, anatomically complete, inflatable man strapped to her back. Not a head turned. The women, on the other hand, did look mildly uncomfortable, having strayed from the crowded, anonymous regions by the river. When Millennium Square was first built I used wonder why the developers had bothered turning an empty, treeless and rather unwelcoming bit of old dockside into an empty, treeless and rather unwelcoming paved area, but when the crowds roll in it begins to make sense. Every weekend many thousands of people visit Bristol, bringing their cash and their peculiar pre-marital customs, but those of us who have chosen to live here are generally unaffected by the influx. Harbourside alone can absorb a whole legion of pretend Roman soldiers or ironic nuns, leaving the rest of the city to carry on with its shopping, footie-supporting and DIY. Meanwhile, the nation’s best men and bridesmaids-in-chief will be plotting this summer’s stag and hen nights, and memories will be made in Bristol. ■

... you can stroll around Harbourside in a pink onesie and nobody bats an eyelid

”

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BRISTOL | SOCIETY

PEOPLE & PARTIES Snapshots from events, parties and launches in the city Guests watch on as food is prepared using Miele appliances

Andy Bradbury

Chef Cesar Fernandez and home economist Laura Neilson

Right, store manger, Phil Harflett

Bradburys Miele Event Bond Street South, Cabot Circus Bradburys The Alno Store on Bond Street hosted a sizzling demonstration of its Miele products last month, as chef Cesar Fernandez and home economist Laura Neilson whipped up a three course meal for an exclusive group of guests, using appliances from the current Miele range. Store manager Phil Harflett said; “Our 2014 Miele Experience Events are a fantastic opportunity to see the Miele appliances in action and to learn how to make the most of them. Both food lovers and budding chefs alike will equally be impressed with the Miele range.”

Gordito launch event Colston Hall

Roger Jones (Bath Ales executive chairman) and Simon Hall (Simple Simon Design) A band provided music for guests on the night

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Last month saw the launch of two Bath Ales eateries at Colston Hall, including charcuterie bar Gordito in the first floor restaurant. Inspired by the La Boque market in Barcelona, Gordito serves charcuterie and cheese as well as small plates to complement, which guests had the chance to sample at the launch event while they listened to live music. Alice Bowyer, executive chef at Bath Ales, said: “We’ve wanted to open a wine and charcuterie bar for a long time and this location is a perfect fit for Gordito. For the food we’ve sourced the best cured meats and cheeses from home and abroad, which I’m sure will please foodie diners.” Gordito diners

Richard Dempster (Bath Ales founding partner) and wife Jane Dempster

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BRISTOL | SOCIETY

Guests enjoyed a three-course meal created by Bordeaux Quay

Andy Sheppard; Colin Gorrie (festival director); Pee Wee Ellis; Denny Ilett (festival director) and Lillian Boutté

Right, Sevdia, the Mayor of Tbilisi gives a speech

Bristol International Jazz and Blues Festival Gala Dinner Bordeaux Quay

Mayor George Ferguson receives a picture from Sevdia Ugrekhelidze, Mayor of Tbilisi

To kick off the festival that ran at Colston Hall in March, a gala dinner organised by Original Minds was held at Bordeaux Quay to cement support from key city influencers for the festival and its international agendas. This year was marked with a music exchange with Bristol’s twin city of Tbilisi in Georgia and the Mayor of Tbilisi, Sevdia Ugrekhelidze, attended the gala dinner and gifted Bristol with a picture, while Mayor George Ferguson returned the sentiment with some Bristol Blue Glass. The festival patrons, official New Orleans music ambassador Lillian Boutté, west country based James Brown Revue sax player Pee Wee Ellis and Bristol based Andy Sheppard, all received honorary patron gifts from festival directors Colin Gorrie and Denny Ilett showing thanks for their support in building workshops for new aspiring music students and delivering first class sold out concerts. During the evening, guests enjoyed cocktails, canapes, a three course New Orleans style dinner created by Bordeaux Quay and performance from Pee Wee Ellis and Fred Wesley, Lillian Boutté, Andy Sheppard and Beka Goschiavili. Photos: Jon Craig

Fred Wesley

Beka Goschiavili from Tbilisi

Pee Wee Ellis

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Fine & Country launch Whiteladies Road Fine & Country opened its doors to its new branch on Whiteladies Road in style with a launch party last month. The event was hosted by the branch partner Rupert Oliver and attended by The Lord Mayor of Bristol Councillor Faruk Choudhury and a range of Bristol's property and business professionals. Fine & Country, awarded 'Britain's Best Prestige Property Estate Agent' in the Estate Agency awards in association with The Sunday Times in 2011 and 2010, has offices in over 300 locations worldwide and the new Bristol office will extend the company's presence across the city and including South Gloucestershire and North Somerset. To commemorate the opening local sculptor Anna Robson Gartell was commissioned to create a sculpture which is on display at the branch named Bristol Perspectives. The sculpture, influenced by Bristol’s eclectic mix of architecture and its multi-layered history, contains a mixture of materials that emulate the city. These include Bristol Blue glass, images associated with Bristol and mirror polished surfaces that reflect the viewer. Rupert Oliver, Partner at Fine & Country, said: “Our opening event was fantastic and we have received a wonderful welcome to Bristol. We are already seeing clients coming to us to benefit from our experience, impressive local presence, and to utilise both our national and international avenues which we use to find the best buyers for their properties.”

Rachael Hancock, Victoria Le Masurier and Stephanie Edwards, Fine & Country Bristol

Outside of the launch

David Lindley (Fine & Country Mayfair), Steven Smith and Matthew Blower (both from Fine & Country Bath)

The Lord Mayor of Bristol, Faruk Choudhury; Michael Robson (CEO Fine & Country) and Rupert Oliver (Partner, Fine & Country Bristol)

The Lord Mayor of Bristol Cllr Faruk Choudhury and Anna Robson Gartell

Rupert Oliver - Fine & Country Bristol

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Green smock dress from M&S Collection, £45

A SPLASH OF COLOUR: clockwise from left, Erdem printed top, £310 from Harvey Nichols; yellow Susie skinny jeans, £79, Hobbs; Rainbow clutch, £195, LK Bennett at Cabot Circus

Blue Mindy dress from Hobbs, £99

Limited Edition ankle strap detailed heel £́29.50, M&S

Floral Autograph top, £35, M&S

COLOUR POP This season, make a statement with bright, bold colours and pretty prints – the top trends for spring

FEELING FRUITY: clockwise from top, yellow bag from M&S Collection £39.50; Laura Ashley windowpane dress £85 (30% donation to Fashion Targets Breast Cancer, supporting Breakthrough Breast Cancer) and Jimmy Choo neon pumps, £395 from Harvey Nichols

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Biba biker Jacket, £125, House of Fraser, Cabot Circus

Mary Katrantzou printed silk dress, £990 from Harvey Nichols

Vivienne Westwood Derby purse, £120, Garment Quarter, Cabot Circus

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Ladies and Girls Clothing and Accessories

10% oﬀ full priced stock with this adver sement

14 High Street, Westbury-on-Trym, BS9 3DU 0117 9502 757

www.sweetpeafashion.co.uk

A Step in the Right Direction! Right Foot First opened on 2nd March 2013 and has had a very successful year, we are a Children’s specialist shoe fitting shop, with a wealth and many years of knowledge and experience in fitting children’s shoes. Located next to Holbrook Dance shoes on Southmead Road, Henleaze, we offer a friendly stress free experience. Stocking big brands such as Start-rite, Hush Puppies, Skechers, keds & O’Neills. We are always on the hunt for more good brands and already have some exciting new stockists confirmed for 2014. Approved by the Society of Shoe Fitters we are confident we will help find that shoe to help either your tot or teen. Why not come and visit us and see for yourself, with very competitive prices and a family friendly loyalty scheme, which now has no expiry date and offers you 10% off on your 3rd pair and 40% off your 6th. We look forward to seeing you and thank all our customers in helping make 2013 a real success.

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bijoux gifts home interiors & dollshouse 127 Coldharbour Road, Bristol BS6 7SN T. 0117 329 1788 E: bijouxgifts@live.co.uk

‘Easter gifts for family and friends and indulgent treats just for you.’ ‘Home interiors, stunning designer jewellery and suppliers of WoodWick candles.’

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Want a new spring wardrobe full of gorgeous on-trend style?

COMPETITION

McArthurGlen Swindon Designer Outlet has teamed up with OSPREY LONDON to offer one lucky reader the chance to win a luxury collection of leather accessories worth over £500 for the start of the spring season. The lucky winner will take home The Cromer A4 Tote Bag in marine Saffiano leather, The Large Gaumont Purse in apple Saffiano leather and The Fakenham Dress Wallet in black Saffiano leather, ensuring their accessory collection is ontrend for 2014. With more than 90 stores, cafés and restaurants, McArthurGlen Swindon is one of the leading Designer Outlets in the South West, with favourite labels at up to 60% off, all year round. The OSPREY LONDON store features a wide range of luxury leather goods by designer Graeme Ellisdon, whose desirable vintageinspired designs for men and women are perfect for both business and pleasure. How many stores does McArthurGlen Swindon have? A) 20

B) 90

C) 250

Email your answer, with McArthurGlen Swindon in the subject line, to: competitions@thebristolmagazine.co.uk, along with your full name, address and telephone number. Deadline for entries: Friday 25 April. The editor’s decision is final. OSPREY LONDON Terms and Conditions: The prize is as stated and non-exchangeable or transferable. The products/colours you will receive as your prize are subject to stock availability. No cash or other alternative will be offered. The prize must be redeemed at OSPREY LONDON Swindon Designer Outlet and is not valid at any other OSPREY LONDON store or online. The prize must be claimed within one month of the winner being notified. The winner must contact the OSPREY LONDON Swindon Designer Outlet Store Manager to arrange an appointment for the collection of their prize. Travel to and from OSPREY LONDON Swindon Designer Outlet for prize redemption is the responsibility of the winner. OSPREY LONDON reserves the right to publish the competition winners name and home town only along with their photo which will be taken on collection of the prize. Any tax liabilities incurred through participation in the competition are the responsibility of the winners. The competition is not open to employees or associates of OSPREY LONDON or Swindon Designer Outlet. One competition entry only per person.

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A Gift that

is Loved

Beautifully crafted engagement rings, wedding rings and fine jewellery designed and traditionally handmade on the premises. All types of jewellery remodelled. Efficient repair service. Shown here: Left: Palladium, Diamond solitaire ring, twist 4 claw mount, 0.36ct Diamond, G, in colour. VS2 in clarity. Cost ÂŁ1,195 Right: Platinum, Mauve Sapphire & Diamond ring, Central oval Sapphire 2.25ct, flanked by two round brilliant diamonds 0.34ct total. ÂŁ3,495

Gold & Platinum Studio 19 Northumberland Place, Bath BA1 5AR Tel: +44 (0)1225 462 300 www.goldandplatinumstudio.co.uk email: mike@goldandplatinumstudio.co.uk WWW.THEBRISTOLMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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BRISTOL AT WORK Our series of photographic portraits by Charlotte Stone shows Bristol people at work

Barry Toogood Owner of Flowers by Barry Toogood on Coldharbour Road

was born in Bristol and educated in Bristol at Cotham Grammar. At six years old I aspired to own an ice cream van – it seemed like a good idea at the time. But by the age of ten my interest had moved to horticulture. My parents bought me my first greenhouse and the end of the garden soon resembled a nursery. Soon I was producing and selling plants to shops in Westbury on Trym as well as growing a large range of plants from seed to supply my parents and grandmother’s gardens. I joined Sainsbury’s management training scheme and enjoyed five very tough but rewarding years, eventually entering into a more specialised area of systems control when laser scanning was first introduced. Much travelling and living out of a suitcase soon lost its allure and I re-entered the branch network and enjoyed once more the cut and thrust of the retail environment. I was lucky to meet my lovely wife Jayne through work. I had always dreamt of becoming my own boss and when an opportunity presented itself, with much trepidation I left my secure, well paid job to develop a business opportunity a short distance from the former White Tree Garage in Henleaze. A business of which I have fond childhood memories due to close family ties. Within three years I had developed a very successful business achieving over 300% growth. Then it was time to move on. Following a short period of respite, Jayne, my mother and I opened a cards and flowers shop here on Coldharbour Road. It was of its time and quite unusual – moving away from the normal fruit, veg and flowers or pet food mix and introducing a more gift driven concept. Now 23 years later we continue to grow, evolve and develop. The very best part of this business is where I am located, the amazing people I have had the honour to serve and the links with local businesses and the education sector, particularly the close relationship with St Christopher’s school. It has been a great honour to have been included in so many life time events from births and marriages to new homes, jobs, congratulations on graduation and all manner of happy events. The most difficult aspect of our work is coping with the distress of bereavement and illness – this is never easy – but hopefully our calm and sympathetic approach helps our clients to manage this part of the arrangements at a time when they may be at their most vulnerable. Would I rather be doing anything else? Actually no, unless you include spending the day bobbing around on the river Dart, a distant dream for now.

NEW CLIFTON BASED DRESS AGENCY & FABULOUS FROCK BOUTIQUE We sell new and preloved high end High Street and designer labels on behalf of clients, with our aim being for the wearer of each sumptuous piece to draw compliments on that garment. We also: • Offer consultations. • Sell on commission. • Trade. • Hire out gowns. Our staff are very friendly and approachable, and passionate about finding the right items for you. We’d like to offer a 10% discount to our Bristol Magazine customers on your first purchase. Simply quote code ‘BristolMag141’ on purchase. 37 Princess Victoria Street, Clifton, BS8 4BX. Tel: 07785 797904. Facebook: Sumptuous Designerwear.

www.charlottestonephoto.com

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CITY | RACE

Bringing it back Samantha Coleman talks to Rob Harris who is bringing Bristol’s 24 hour pedal car race back at the end of the summer

edal car racing – a circuit racing endurance sport where teams of drivers race single-seater human powered sports cars up to 24 hours duration – is hugely popular in Hong Kong, France, Italy, Australia and the USA – as well as closer to home under the British Federation of Pedal Car Racing, all part of a growing interest around the world in racing human-powered vehicles. But did you know that this popular sport was invented in Bristol? Pedal car racing started in Bristol with an annual 24-hour pedal car race during University Rag Week, devised by the University of Bristol’s School of Mechanical Engineering. It first took place on a circuit around College Green in 1960 until it outgrew the location and moved in 1966 to the former Whitchurch aerodrome, now Hengrove Park in south Bristol. The event happened every year until the last race took place in 1987 when only one team from the university participated, and by this time the race had migrated to Durdham Down, near some of the halls of residence. Now, Bristol man Rob Harris (also known as Rob Champion from his work in tv, theatre and film), former pedal car racer, is bringing the event back in October, over the weekend of the 11 and 12, from 3pm to 3am, starting at College Green in front of City Hall. The cars will follow a clockwise circuit and to challenge racers and entertain spectators the route will include a high-speed straight, tight bends and inclines both up and down. Within this circuit lies a location for the pits, race HQ, car park and a place where teams can bed down and use toilets. 30 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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❝

The race took place at the end of February, which in 1968 at least, made for a very cold, wet night

❞

Rob says: “The time is right to revive this exciting endurance race. Bristol offers a unique streetscape which we are now celebrating with events such as Make Sundays Special, when parts of the Old City are devoted to street markets and entertainment. The pedal car race will offer another great way to enjoy the streets and spaces. It will be quite an event – there will even be food vendors and a mini bike fest for spectators to enjoy while the race is going on.” Rob came to Bristol to study architecture in the 60s and raced in the rag race of 1968, so knows first hand what great fun this event can be. Rob recalls from the 1968 race: “Teams seemed to come largely from colleges and training institutions around the country: the Rolls Royce aero-engineering apprentices from Filton and mechanical engineering students were particularly successful. The university’s own teams represented departments and halls of residence. The race took place at the very end of February, which in 1968 at least, made for a very cold, wet night.” Rob has been working on the idea to bring back the race since last autumn and has received a lot of support from many of Bristol’s movers and shakers, as well as the cycling community. “This new race combines the magic of the Monaco Grand Prix and the endurance of Le Mans but with human-powered pedal cars in tune with Bristol’s status as Britain’s first Cycling City (despite all those hills) and as Europe’s 2015 Green Capital,” says Rob. Teams of eight people (six drivers and two support) from all over the city are being encouraged to sign up and take part, from schools,

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British Federation of Pedal Car Racing in Lichfield WACKY RACES: main image, left, a snapshot of one of the first pedal car races at the former Whitchurch aerodrome, now Hengrove park; left inset, a newspaper photo from the 1965 race. Images: © University’s Special Collections

An artist’s impression of how the Bristol pedal race could look in October

community groups and businesses to college and university teams. Even teams from the British Federation of Pedal Car Racing are taking part, as well as teams from around the world, so it should be a real event. Rob says: “It’s an opportunity for everyone to come together in a unique event, supporting charity (the pedal car race will be working with local charities Tree Aid, Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal and St Peter’s Hospice) and enjoying the city streets in a very special, fun way. It’s especially perfect for design and technology students to get involved in a hands-on project.” Teams can enter for £50 or there are corporate deals available too – details of which are available on the website, www.bristol24race.co.uk. The pedal cars need to be built with set dimensions, as supplied by the race officials, and all cars will be

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Rob Harris

scrutinised before the race. Rules and car specifications of the British Federation of Pedal Car Racing can be found on the website where there are images showing how to build a pedal car. There will also be a separate six-hour race for youngsters if they don’t want to compete in the 24-hour race, on Saturday 11 October from 8am- 2pm. Perfect for schools, youth clubs and scout groups, entry for this race costs £25. ■ For further information about the race, or how to enter, visit: www.bristol24race.co.uk. Rob has also been trying to trace people who were involved in the original university pedal car races for pictures and information – if that is you, Rob would be very pleased to hear from you. You can email him on: pedalcar@bristol24race.co.uk

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HALL OF FAME Todd Wills, music programmer at Colston Hall talks to Samantha Coleman about his passion for bringing Bristol audiences diverse and exciting music experiences

ou’ll have noticed recently that Colston Hall has undergone a bit of a transformation – not only does it have a great big shiny new sign on the front of the gold faced building, and two new Bath Ales eateries inside, but the programme of music it offers is more diverse then ever, offering Bristol audiences something new and exciting each month. And that’s down to head of programming Todd Wills, whose aim is to push boundaries and open up the hall to a wider audience. Bristolian Todd has been at Colston Hall for nearly two years, having worked as a freelance programmer for various events in Bristol and London beforehand, including the contemporary music series at Bishopsgate Institute in London and the Vortex Jazz Club in London; one of the premier venues for live jazz and experimental music. It is no surprise that Todd works in the music business, having come from a music background – his father was a jazz drummer and Todd himself grew up playing the guitar in various bands. These days he says he only gets the guitar out when he’s showing off to his kids, but he channels his musical flair into creating an exciting programme of unique events and one-off experiences for Bristol audiences. Through the upcoming Psycho event – where there will be a big-screen presentation of the classic film accompanied by a live performance of Bernard Herrmann’s spine-tingling score – and last year’s Live Transmission, Colston Hall is able to offer audiences a more immersive experience. It is Todd’s aim to bring more of these type of shows to Bristol – larger projects that haven’t been done anywhere else in Bristol before. “For many years Colston Hall was just a receiving venue for bands looking for a Bristol date on their tour,” says Todd. “But now we are a lot more selective in our choices – we are doing our own promotions and are in complete control of what we offer our audiences, always bearing in mind that Bristol has many different tastes. It’s about making sure we offer something for everyone and finding the right balance. Personally, I’m always on the lookout for really interesting, slightly quirky acts – but I can’t do a programme filled with all the music I love, as much as I’d like to!”

Todd’s top ten: ❶ Frankie Ford – Sea Cruise When I was a kid we had a juke box full of seven-inch vinyl in our living room which I and my brothers just loved. It was full of classic blues and rock ‘n’ roll and Sea Cruise was one of our favourites. I’ve got an old photo of my brothers and I dancing in front of the juke box when I’m about six years old and I’m sure it must be Frankie we’re listening to.

❷ Jonathan Richman – That Summer Feeling I listened to a lot of punk/post-punk/new wave/no wave stuff when I was in my teens so I could think of a thousand tunes for this list from Buzzcocks to the Birthday Party, Swell Maps to Sonic Youth, Minutemen to Modern Lovers, and it’s the founding member of the latter that I’ve opted for here. The gentle wide-eyed charm of Jonathan Richman is hard to resist. The meaning of this song was completely lost on me when I was younger but now I’m heading into middle age I realise it’s about nostalgia for youth, which is rather depressing actually. ❸ Gong – Eat That Phone Book Coda I’ve seen Gong many times and I still can’t quite fathom what it is that draws me back. My favourite show was at the Bierkeller back in the early 90s, which went on for hours and for each new song Daevid Allen removed his t-shirt only to reveal another one underneath. He must have been wearing about 40 odd t-shirts at the beginning of the night! ❹ Glen Campbell – Wichita Lineman I don’t think Jimmy Webb ever wrote a better song than this. In fact, I’m not sure it’s even possible. I love the simplicity and pathos in the words WWW.THEBRISTOLMAGAZINE.CO.UK

Joy Division

and the music: “And I need you more than want you/And I want you for all time.” What a line. The song comes close to perfection.

❺ Joy Division – Atmosphere While I’ve put this list of ten favourite songs together today I have no doubt it would be completely different tomorrow apart from, quite possibly, Atmosphere. It’s daft choosing an absolute favourite tune for so many reasons but – gun to the head – I might just say this comes close. However, I’m hoping this situation will never arise.

❻ Lee Dorsey – Who’s Gonna Help Brother Get Further When I hear the bass line I can’t help but break into some bad dad-dancing. Working in The Coal Mine was another Dorsey classic we had on the juke box at home and when my Dad passed away I inherited all his records including that one. Now I love spending Sundays digging them out and teaching the kids about the history of rock ‘n’ roll like my old man did for me. Mind you, it’s probably not how they’d choose to spend their Sunday.

❼ Son House – Death Letter I listen to a lot of American blues and, again, I could pick a thousand tunes for this list but I’ve chosen Death Letter by Son House because it pretty much covers the essentials of the genre: death, women, God, misery etc, not to mention there’s always something quite pained about his vocal which means you really believe him. I play a bit of slide guitar myself and have always enjoyed the simplicity of his playing too and Death Letter is a great example.

❽ The Styrenes – In C In C is a piece for a large ensemble by Terry Riley comprising 53 melodic patterns played in sequence with musicians free to choose the number of repetitions of each phrases they play. It’s a masterpiece of minimalism. I could have just as easily chosen other minimalist tracks such Steve Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians or Electric Counterpoint but I like The Styrenes’ version of In C because it’s great to jog to! ❾ Kronos Quartet – Flugufrelsarinn This is a Sigur Ros song and it’s particularly poignant because it reminds me of working at WOMAD in 2007 when the rains turned the site into a horrendous quagmire. My youngest had been born two weeks early and I’d just made it off site to be at the birth but 24 hours later I was back at WOMAD and wishing I wasn’t. I was trudging past the Siam Tent when Kronos played this and I’m not ashamed to say I got a wee bit emotional. ❿ Underworld – Rez Lucy, my better half, suggested I include Rez because it sound-tracked quite a few parties we were at when we first met. It was also one of only about four records I could DJ with. My mixing skills were limited to say the least. I was the worst DJ Ever. Among my circle of friends back then I was the only one that couldn’t DJ. I’m actually rather proud of that fact now. ■ APRIL 2014

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CULTURE BOOK Our guide to this month’s top events in Bristol and beyond

Sophie Ellis-Bextor comes to the O2 Academy

Sauce for the Goose at the Redgrave Theatre

Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory: As You Like It, Until 2 May Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory celebrates its 15th anniversary season with Shakespeare’s greatest exploration of the meaning of love, its madness and transcendence in the funny and moving As You Like It. This production will embark on the company’s second UK tour immediately after its Tobacco Factory Theatre run. Tickets available from the box office on tel: 0117 902 0344 or visit: www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com.

Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory presents Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia, 27 March – 3 May Intriguing, challenging and witty, this play has been widely acclaimed as Stoppard’s masterpiece. In 1809 the grounds of a stately home are being reconstructed in the newly popular picturesque style. Amid towering crags and waterfalls will be a lonely hermitage, for which a real, living hermit will have to be found. Two centuries later, as an author and an academic pursue their very different lines of research, the hermit will be discovered to have been a madman. But what had driven him to madness, what was the purpose of the piles of notes discovered with his body, and what part had the young daughter of the house played in his tragic life? Crossing the centuries – and changing notions of the Arcadian dream – are mysteries of history, sex, chaos theory and Newtonian equations; and an accusation of murder against Lord Byron. This is SATTF’s first contemporary theatre production. Box office tel: 0117 902 0344 or visit: www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com.

Southwestern Native American jewellery lecture at RWA

debut to Bristol following critical acclaim at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe and two sold out London runs. The show has galvanized Williams’ position as British comedy’s bright young thinker, and marked his arrival as a new comic voice very much worth listening to. His is an hour of soul-smithied jokes and negative energy. Tickets: £8 from the box office: www.theinvisibledot.com.

Bristol Phoenix Choir: 50th Anniversary Concert, Clifton Cathedral, Saturday 5 April, 7.45pm An exhilarating programme of enjoyable music to celebrate the choir’s 50th season featuring Haydn, Nelson Mass; Haydn, Te Deum; and Purcell, Hail! Bright Cecilia. Presented by Bristol Phoenix Choir and orchestra conducted by Paul Walton, with Molly Alexander (soprano), Rob Waters (countertenor), Tom Castle (tenor) and Andy Marshall (bass). Tickets £15 (16 and under free) from tickets@bristolphoenixchoir.org.uk or tel: 07968 291882.

Bristol Chamber Choir, Redland Park United Reformed Church, Whiteladies Road, Sunday 6 April, 3pm The Bristol Chamber Choir, conducted by Gordon Pullin presents masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance with a programme featuring Gregorio Allegri’s Miserere; Antonio Lotti’s Crucifixus and Giovanni Anerio’s Missa Pro Defunctis. Tickets £10, concessions £8 and children free. Available from the choir secretary on tel: 07447 042 441 and from Opus 13, 14 St Michael’s Hill. For further information visit: www.bristolchamberchoir.org.uk.

Bristol Gilbert & Sullivan Operatic Society presents The Gondoliers, Redgrave Theatre, 1 – 5 April

Andrew Lawrence: There is No Escape, Tobacco Factory Theatre, Sunday 6 April, 8pm

The Gondoliers is a wildly colourful show involving Italian peasant girls, a wimpish and impecunious Spanish Duke and his entourage and the usual hilariously preposterous plot that we have come to expect from Gilbert & Sullivan. Tickets: £14, £12 concessions from the box office on tel: 0117 907 9122 or visit: www.bristolgsos.co.uk.

“Anyone who gives this spikily inventive performer the time of day will realise they’re in the presence of an A-list talent,” says The Guardian. As seen on BBC1’s Live At The Apollo and star of his own BBC Radio 4 series How Did We End Up Like This?, Andrew Lawrence presents his latest stand-up show direct from 2012’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Tickets: £15 from the box office on tel: 0117 902 0344 or visit: www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com.

Atomic Bomb: Who is William Onyeabor? Colston Hall, Sunday 2 April, 7.30pm Members of Hot Chip, LCD Soundsystem and Bloc Party are collaborating with Money Mark, Sinkane and other special guests to celebrate the music and the mystery of cult Nigerian funk synth pioneer William Onyeabor. One of only two performances in the world, this night will mark the first time that Onyeabor’s music has been performed live. Tickets from the box office on tel: 0844 887 1500 or visit: www.colstonhall.org/atomic-bomb

Liam Williams, The Wardrobe Theatre, St Michael’s Hill, Thursday 3 April, 8pm Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee 2013, Liam Williams, brings his solo 34 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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Jewels of Earth And Sky: Southwestern Native American jewellery for Body and Soul, RWA, Queens Road, Wednesday 9 April, 1pm-2pm In this lecture organised in collaboration with Rainmaker gallery, Dr Max Carocci (of the British Museum’s anthropology library and research centre) addresses the cultural significance of jewellery and precious stones among the native peoples of the North American Southwest. Dating back many thousands of years, the use of jewellery in this region is testimony to an astonishingly rich and enduring legacy. The lecture reveals the multiple meanings and social relevance of this remarkable art, while highlighting >>

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similarities and differences in the ways in which jewellery has been perceived in the West and among North American indigenous peoples over time. For further information tel: 0117 944 3101 or visit: www.rainmakerart.co.uk.

European Union Chamber Orchestra with Lesley Garrett, St George’s Bristol, Thursday 10 April, 7.30pm For this special night, popular soprano Lesley Garrett brings her easy charm and stunning voice to a first half selection of arias by Handel, Bach and Mozart, while in the second half the EUCO presents Haydn’s captivating yet mournful Trauer Symphony. Tickets from the box office on tel: 0845 40 24 001 or visit: www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk.

Book Launch and Signing: The Trees of Bristol, Stanfords, Corn Street, Thursday 10 April, 6-8pm

Welsh National Opera at the Bristol Hippodrome

Lesley Garrett

The Trees of Bristol celebrates the treasure house of trees in the city – some planted by former benefactors, some remnants of fine gardens now vanished, others naturally seeded by insects or birds or the wind. From the apple orchards of Goldney Hall to the unique-to-Bristol whitebeams of the Avon Gorge, this beautifully written and photographed book will delight both lovers of Bristol and the natural world. Free event with complimentary drink. RSVP to Stanfords, 29 Corn Street, tel: 0117 9299966, or email: Bristol@Stanfords.co.uk.

What The Frock! Comedy Award Night, The Mauretania, Park Street, Friday 11 April, 7.30pm One of only two all-female comedy competitions in the UK, the What The Frock! Newcomer Award returns for a second year. Come along to watch the finalists do their thing, and find out who is crowned the new queen of comedy for 2014. Hosted by Cerys Nelmes, the night also includes a set from 2013 runner-up Annabel O’Connell. The judging panel is Alex Lovell (BBC), Laura Rawlings (BBC radio), Cerys Nelmes (comedian) and Jane Duffus (What The Frock! founder). Tickets, £10 in advance or £12 on the door. Visit: www.wegottickets.com

Chew Valley Bird Fair, Chew Valley Lake Tea Shop, Friday 11 & Saturday 12 April, 10am – 4pm The annual Chew Valley bird fair provides nature lovers, birdwatchers and photographers with a great day out in the country. It takes place on the lawns outside the Lakeside Optics shop, next door to Chew Valley Lake tea shop, giving visitors the chance to view, test and buy birdwatching equipment. Over the two days there will be talks and demonstrations including Chris Sperring MBE on the current situation of owls in the UK, Danny Porter on digiscoping with Swarovski and a wild arena with photography demos. In attendance will be the Bath Natural History Society, the Bath RSPB, the Bristol Ornithological Club, the Hawk and Owl Trust, Banwell Falconry and there will also be an opportunity to build a nest box. For further information tel: 01275 332042 or visit: www.lakesideoptics.co.uk.

Welsh National Opera, Bristol Hippodrome, Manon Lescaut – Friday 11 April, 7.15pm La Traviata – Saturday 12 April, 7.15pm The subject of fallen women is the theme for Welsh National Opera’s spring season of operas which comes to The Bristol Hippodrome this month. Puccini’s Manon Lescaut >>

EDITOR’S PICK...

Invisible Circus

Invisible Circus presents Under The Dark Moon, Bristol Old Vic, 3-5 April, 7.30pm, 2pm (Saturday matinee) If you missed it last year at the Bristol Circus Festival, there’s another opportunity to see Invisible Circus’ Under the Dark Moon – this month at the Bristol Old Vic. In the first collaboration of its kind, Bristol Old Vic is supporting the ground-breaking and popular Bristol company to transform its successful circus show into a full-scale touring theatre production. Taking inspiration from the dreams and fears of its ensemble of artists, Invisible Circus journeys into the heart of the darkness, telling its own fairy tales across a psychologically scorched dreamscape, embracing circus and theatre, haunted by old film and live musical score. Doug Francis, director of Invisible Circus said: “Under The Dark Moon was previously created in three weeks on a shoestring budget. It ran over five nights in 2013 to a sell-out crowd and had a phenomenal response, but we knew there was a lot more we could do with the show. With the support of Bristol Old Vic we have the opportunity to work with internationally respected directors and producers to create a brilliant show.” Tickets £5-£18 from the box office on tel: 0117 987 7877 or visit: www.bristololdvic.org.uk

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and Verdi’s La Traviata follow the stories of two women whose different paths in life lead them astray. Box office tel: 0844 871 3012 or visit: www.atgtickets.com/bristol.

Bristol Classical Players: First World War Commemoration, St George’s Bristol, Saturday 12 April, 7.30pm Bristol Classical Players present a centenary commemoration of World War One, an evening of heartfelt, personal music by composers who served and suffered due to combat on the Western Front. In aid of Help for Heroes. Tickets from the box office on tel: 0845 40 24 001 or visit: www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk.

Charity Concert, St Paul’s Church, Southville, Saturday 12 April, 2pm for 2.30pm A multitude of talented choristers from the Blue Moon Choir, Free Range Acappella, The Gasmen, Clifton Gospel Choir and People of Note Community Choir are getting together for this concert in aid of The Matthew Tree Project. Tickets £5 from tel: 07707 812579.

Argentine Tango Intensive Beginners Course, Westmoreland Hall, Redland, starts on Sunday 13 April, 10am – 1pm This 15-hour course will be run over five sessions starting on Sunday 13 April and then on Thursday 17 April, 7-10pm; Tuesday 22 and Friday 25 April, 7-10pm; and Saturday 3 May, 10am-1pm. For further information or to book, visit: www.tango-y-tu.com.bristol or email: janetvakis@googlemail.com. Natalie Imbruglia stars in Things we do for Love at the Theatre Royal Bath

Blood Brothers, Bristol Hippodrome, Monday 14 – Saturday 19 April International smash hit musical Blood Brothers tells the captivating and moving story of twin boys separated at birth, only to be reunited, by a twist of fate and a mother’s haunting secret. The memorable score includes A Bright New Day, Marilyn Monroe and the emotionally charged hit Tell Me It’s Not True. Box office tel: 0844 871 3012 or visit: www.atgtickets.com/bristol.

The South at The Fleece

Sophie Ellis-Bextor, O2 Academy Bristol, Tuesday 15 April, 7pm Sophie Ellis-Bextor embarks on a 10-date UK tour following the release of her new album Wanderlust. For ticket information visit: www.o2academybristol.co.uk.

Things We Do For Love, Theatre Royal Bath, Wednesday 16 – Saturday 26 April

Derren Brown at the Bristol Hippodrome

In South West London Barbara, elegant and glacial, lives on the middle floor of her converted house. Downstairs, lovelorn postman and part-time plumber Gilbert has created a shrine to his landlady. Upstairs, the empty flat is a perfect bolthole for Nikki, Barbara’s old school-friend, and her fiancé Hamish. Unfortunately Hamish is everything that Barbara despises and Hamish takes an instant dislike to Barbara – a hostility which hides deeper feelings. In an intriguing set, which reveals a limited view of the rooms above and below Barbara’s flat, bedroom farce develops into something more complex as the two adversaries fall head over heels in lust. Making hilarity and ingenuity from the things we do for love, this sharp, insightful and uproariously funny drama from Alan Ayckbourn’s stars actress and singer Natalie Imbruglia, who makes her UK drama debut. Box office tel: 01225 448844 or visit: www.theatreroyal.org.uk.

An Italian Easter with The English Concert, St George’s Bristol, Wednesday 16 April, 7.30pm This leading Baroque orchestra brings its characteristically passionate approach to bear on a special Italian Easter concert, with a programme that includes Vivaldi’s Sinfonia al Santo Sepolcro and Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater. Tickets from the box office on tel: 0845 40 24 001 or visit: www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk.

The South: Sweet Refrains, The Fleece, Thursday 17 April, 7.30pm Following the success of their 2013 UK tour, The South make a welcome return with a tour to coincide with their new album Sweet Refrains. Ex members of The Beautiful South, Dave Hemingway and Alison Wheeler will be singing many of those hits including A Little Time, Don't Marry Her, Rotterdam, Good as Gold, Perfect 10 and many more from the back catalogue along with new songs. Tickets from: www.seetickets.com

Derren Brown: Infamous, Bristol Hippodrome Monday 21 – Saturday 26 April, 7.30 pm The acknowledged master of psychological illusion returns to the stage with his new oneman show, demonstrating why Derren is one of the world’s most renowned live performers; a dark manipulator of magic and mind control. For Infamous, a more personal show, Derren is re-united with his close collaborator and friend actor, writer Andy Nyman. Not suitable for under 12s. Tickets from the box office tel: 0844 871 3012 or visit: www.atgtickets.com/bristol. >> 36 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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Bristol Ensemble and Peter Donohoe, Colston Hall, Bristol Friday 25 April, 7.30pm

Gala: Achieving the Vision, Bristol Old Vic, Saturday 26 April

The distinguished pianist Peter Donohoe joins professional orchestra the Bristol Ensemble to perform Grieg’s Piano Concerto in a programme that includes the lively Peer Gynt suites, and Norwegian Dances by Johann Halvorsen. Acclaimed as one of the foremost pianists of our time for his musicianship, stylistic versatility and commanding technique, Donohoe appears regularly at the BBC proms and around the world with leading orchestras and conductors. Tickets from £15 to £29 from Colston Hall box office on tel: 0844 887 1500 or visit: www.colstonhall.org.

Join the Bristol Old Vic theatre in launching its capital fundraising campaign to rebuild the front of house, foyer and Studio theatre in time for its 250th birthday in 2016. Enjoy Champagne and canapés before a special performance celebrating some of the most memorable moments from the theatre’s history. Afterwards there is the option to stay for a sumptuous dinner followed by an exclusive auction hosted by Christie’s. Tickets from £75, visit: www.bristololdvic.org.uk for further information.

The Local Presents O Bro: A Musical Celebration of the Coen Brothers, St George’s Bristol, Friday 25 April, 7.30pm From inspired selections of catchy pop songs and faithful recreations of oldtime country, blues and folk, to striking original scores by Carter Burwell, the movie soundtracks of Joel and Ethan Coen are as pleasurable as the films themselves. To celebrate this considerable catalogue, folk specialists The Local have been commissioned to create and cast a special evening of musical tributes from a wealth of performers, with a main concert in the hall followed by an after party in the Crypt. Tickets: £16 from the box office on tel: 0845 40 24 001 or visit: www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk.

Weird and Wonderful Wedding World, At-Bristol, Saturday 26 April, 3pm – 8pm © Laura Power This alternative wedding show will appeal to couples looking for something different, who want to dress up, have a cocktail or two, listen to local bands, dance or chill out on their big day. Enjoy a bridal catwalk fashion show, watch jugglers, magicians and living statues and around the science centre itself see the weirdest and most wonderful wedding suppliers – whether you’re looking for just a touch of the unusual or a full-on theatrical wedding. Tickets £3 in advance from the website or £5 on the door. Visit: www.weirdandwonderfulweddingworld.co.uk.

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Coco and The Butterfields: A Little Big Adventure, Thekla, Saturday 26 April New folk act CoCo and the Butterfields come to Bristol on their first official UK tour, presenting a totally unique blend of folk, pop and hip-hop. The Little Big Tour comes as a precursor to the festival season for the band, with slots already booked at Glastonbury, Boomtown Fair and Larmer Tree Festival. Tickets: www.theklabristol.co.uk. >> Coco and the Butterfields

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Clifton Rocks Railway Open Day, Sunday 27 April It’s free entry to Clifton Rocks Railway on this day, where you can discover an underground gem of Bristol’s past and follow its evolution from Victorian funicular railway through to wartime shelters and BBC recording, broadcasting and radio transmitting rooms. Learn about its fall into disrepair and its rescue by a dedicated group of volunteers and their work to bring history back to life. Visit: www.cliftonrocksrailway.org.uk.

Bristol Ensemble with Leonard Elschenbroich, St George’s Bristol, Friday 2 May, 7.30pm Elegies from Vaughan Williams, Elgar and Bridge for the fallen of the First World War are performed by the Bristol Ensemble with Leonard Elschenbroich, a musician exciting interest as one of the most charismatic cellists of his generation. Tickets from the box office on tel: 0845 40 24 001 or visit: www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk.

BOOK NOW FOR... Bath in Fashion, 3-10 May, venues around Bath Bath in Fashion’s week-long festival celebrates the extraordinary creative energy in the British fashion industry and takes a nostalgic look back to fashion by BIBA as it reaches its 50th birthday. An exciting and eclectic programme showcases new season fashions on the catwalk, brings fashion celebrities and authors to share their style and stimulate debate, and stages workshops, style counsel, exhibitions and installations. For a full programme of events visit: www.bathinfashion.co.uk.

Maison Paradiso: Return to the Mansion, Kings Weston House, Sunday 4 May Following its debut Valentine’s event, Maison Paradiso returns to Kings Weston House for a spectacular evening featuring a pop-up restaurant by Kelly Sealy’s renowned company Pig & Swig, a party with the mighty Bedmo Disco, a giant outdoor cinema, and lots more entertainment. Dinner tickets cost £45, tickets for the party only are £15, available from www.eventbrite.co.uk.

Bristol Old Vic Theatre School: Sauce for the Goose, Redgrave Theatre, 7-10 May Georges Feydeau’s high spirited romp Sauce For The Goose is stuffed with a heady mix of passions, pace and pleasure. Untrustworthy husbands, betrayed wives, artful servants and crazed Germans demonstrate why the naughty 90s were so named, as master French farceur Feydeau’s sparkling play switches from riotous farce to barbed social satire. Tickets £15, concession £10 from the box office on tel: 0117 973 3955 or visit: www.oldvic.ac.uk.

Michala Petri & Lars Hannibal, Trinity-Henleaze URC, Henleaze, Bristol, Saturday 10 May, 7.30pm A rare opportunity to hear the worldfamous Michala Petri and Lars Hannibal recorder and lute duo performing live in the UK. The celebrated duo perform extensively in Europe, North and South America, Japan, China and Korea, having given more than a thousand concerts in a repertoire spanning from the late Renaissance to contemporary music written especially for the duo. Tickets Michala Petri and £16, £5 for under 25 year olds from Lars Hannibal Opus 13 music shop on tel: 0117 923 0164 or on the door. Visit: www.henleazeconcertsociety.org.uk for more details.

Heart and the City Black Tie Ball, The Thistle Grand Hotel, Saturday 31 May, 7pm This charity ball in aid of Above & Beyond for the Bristol Heart Institute will feature welcome drinks, a three course meal, live music, raffle, live auction and a disco until 1am. Tickets: £50 each, tel: 07583571459.

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Robin’s coming home Georgette McCready met ice skating legend, Olympic gold winner and judge of Dancing on Ice Bristolian Robin Cousins as he prepared to bring his new ice show to his home city

or teenagers growing up in Bristol in the 1970s and early 80s, a trip to the city’s ice rink was very much part of their social life. Groups of girls and boys would whizz endlessly round the city centre’s indoor rink to the thump of disco beat and the swish of speeding skates. They may have glimpsed sight of a slim young man, devoting hours of his time practising his figures on the ice and travelling at breakneck speeds that few others dared. That teenage boy from Sea Mills was to take the world by storm when in 1980 he took gold at the Olympics for his figure skating. I was among the millions who stayed up late, glued to the television to see Robin Cousins skate to victory for Britain. Robin’s competitive skating days are behind him but now in his 50s he’s still trim, agile and fit. He now lives in Brighton but came home to his native city recently for the launch of his new show, Robin Cousins’ Ice, which comes to the Bristol Hippodrome at the end of this month after a successful five month UK tour. It is fitting that the final night of the run will be in Robin’s native city and it’s bound to be an emotional occasion for many. As we talked about his early days in Bristol Robin quickly slipped back into talking about ‘we Bristolians’, despite the fact that he’s lived in Brighton for almost 20 years. “As I walked down the street today people still say hi,” he beamed with pleasure. He reminisced about his childhood, growing up in a family where money was tight. “I used to trudge the streets at five in the morning in the rain to do my paper round,” he said, “and the other members of my junior skating club were brilliant at organising fundraising events to help my training. “I recall with fondness the disco music at the old ice rink in Bristol and the light coming through the windows on to the ice. But sadly by the time it closed (in 2012) I think it was only the cobwebs holding the old place together. “It wasn’t really fit for purpose by the end. What Bristol needs is an arena with an ice rink which can be used for ice hockey, for short track training,

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figure skating and for leisure use. But it will need someone to sign the cheque and to create something with seating for an audience.” At the moment new generations of ice skaters must be content to travel to Swindon or Cardiff to skate, or to wait until winter when temporary outdoor leisure centres are set up in venues around Bristol. “We are a culturally rich city,” he added before smiling, “listen to that ‘we’ – you can see I still see Bristol as home, with places like the Arnolfini and the Watershed, but what happens if you come from Bristol and you make it big as a band? Where’s the arena for you to play in?” Cousins is clearing enjoying working with his cast for the latest show. He’s very experienced in knowing which skating moves and tricks have audiences enthralled. Having formed his own ice skating company back in the 80s he’s taken shows all over the world and his enthusiasm remains undimmed. “I love working with the young skaters in the show. They play, they laugh and they bring their own voice and creativity to my ideas. I think it might be harder for the boys than the girls, as they’re aware of what I used to be able to do.” He still holds the Guinness Book of Records for the back-flip he did which reached 19 feet and one inch. He was also unusual in being able to spin comfortably in either direction. He said of his latest show: “You won’t have seen an ice show like it before. There are no judges, just the audience. And while there is spectacle and drama I like those moments when there’s just one spotlight, one skater and a piano. “It’s lovely to be working on a show where the routine’s not all over in a minute and a half. We can do the music justice and skaters can move across the ice at speeds and in ways that a dancer on the floor just can’t.” Like many successful sports champions, Robin had to carve a new career for himself once his medal winning days were over. He’s done this very sucessfully and continued to use his knowledge of skating to great affect. He’s known to millions as a judge on ITV’s long running Dancing on Ice series, in which celebrities are teamed with professional skaters in a knock-

I recall with fondness the disco music at the old ice rink in Bristol . . . but sadly by the time it closed I think it was only the cobwebs holding the old place together

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LOCAL HERO: left and top, scenes from Robin Cousins’ Ice show which is coming to Bristol Above, the young Cousins winning his gold medal in 1980

out competition. He’s also a mentor to up and coming sportsmen and women, working with the British synchronised swimming team in the run-up to the 2012 London Olympics. He’s particularly strong on the psychology of creating winners, it’s inspiring to hear him speak on this subject with great passion. Robin’s most recent public enagement was as a BBC commentator for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, in which sadly the Team GB skaters failed to bring back any medals. He doesn’t rule out being at the next summer Olympics, in Brazil, again working with the synchronised swimming team on their routines as

he did for the 2012 Games. Meanwhile at the Hippodrome, one of our greatest British Olympians is off to see his most devoted fan – Monty his dog, who is patiently waiting in the bar where the theatre staff are making a fuss of him. ■ Robin Cousins’ Ice is at the Bristol Hippodrome Wednesday 30 April – Saturday 3 May, 7.30pm, matinees at 2.30pm from Thursday and Saturday, 11.30am also on Saturday. Tickets: from £10 – £35. Concessions available at certain performances. Visit: www.atgtickets.com/venues/bristol-hippodrome.

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CREATIVE JOURNEYS An arts festival being held at Paintworks event space this month will showcase the creative work of people supported by Milestones Trust

Pictured: shots from the knitted street

Bristol charity is holding an arts festival with a difference. The week-long event at Paintworks Event Space on 25 April features work from hundreds of people with learning disabilities, mental health needs and dementia, built into a creative landscape of installation art. “This is our fifth Expressions arts event, and it just gets better and better,” says John Hoskinson, chief executive of Milestones Trust. “This year the focus is on the creative journeys of the people who use our services, portrayed life-size in clay, cardboard, canvas, wool and words.” Visitors can enter the free exhibition and find themselves in a knitted street, woollen from its bricks to its parking meters and roof tiles to lamp posts. Pop into the shops on the street and browse knitted books in the library, try knitted wigs at the wig shop, buy a pint of knitted milk in the corner shop, take a photo in the photography studio, or shrink your jumpers in the launderette. Further on there is a giant cardboard train carriage, created by service users of Milestones Trust with the help of an artist/animator, a storyteller and a puppeteer, who all hope you will enjoy the journey on a train bound for a hundred destinations – real and imagined. Then take a break in the Shipwreck Café with homemade refreshments, and be amazed at the 12-foot sea witch, with all manner of aquatic life sewn into her skirt. The huge sculpture incorporates weaving, spinning and embroidery made by the group over the last 12 months. The first weekend of the event, 26-27 April, is crammed full of familyfriendly activities including clay sculpture, textiles, knitting, dressing-up and 46 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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different methods of photography. You can also see beautiful watercolour paintings and drawings made at Arnos Vale cemetery. Hear the sounds of birds and the rustle of the trees, with photos of each visit giving a sense of the individuals and their journeys. The exhibition will be formally opened at an evening reception on 25 April by Costa Book of the Year award-winning author Nathan Filer, whose book The Shock of the Fall follows a young man with schizophrenia. Milestones Trust supports around 1,000 people with learning disabilities, mental health needs and dementia in the south west. Expressions, the yearlong programme of arts activities run by the charity, is designed to give everyone equal access to the arts. Workshops and mentoring by professional artists enable people to try creative activities, often for the first time, and embark on their own creative journeys. ■ Expressions: The Journey runs at Paintworks Event Space, Bath Road, from 26 April to 1 May, open 10.30am-6pm daily. For further information visit: www.milestonestrust.org.uk/expressions, tel: 0117 970 9300 or email: info@milestonestrust.org.uk.

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Vendor over the moon as Rare Rolex sells for £69,000

Clevedon Salerooms March Specialist Sale included this rare Rolex ref: 8171 complicated Self-Winding ‘Padellone’ wristwatch that had spent the last decade tucked away in a drawer. Padellone is Italian for large frying pan and the nickname derives from the unusually large 38mm case for the period. In the same family from new, the watch was the property of a British diplomat domiciled in Monaco. Made between 1949-52 this 1950/51 example is no. 036 and has an 18ct gold case, triple date and moon phase, the dial inscribed ‘Officially Certified Chronometer’. In good original condition the watch carried a pre-sale estimate of £22,000 - £28,000. Bidders from the Far East & Europe all keen to secure a piece of Rolex history booked telephone bids in the weeks prior to the auction. On the day a Swiss private collector outbid the competition and parted with £69,000 for the privilege. If you have old watches or jewellery tucked away in a drawer why not bring it to Clevedon for a free no Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers obligation valuation. The Auction Centre Kenn Road, Kenn Clevedon, BS21 6TT

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Spring Shows ▲

The Power of the Sea, RWA, 5 April – 6 July From the sublime spectacle of crashing waves to the vast and open expanse of the oceans, the sea has long fascinated artists in Britain. The Power of the Sea is a major new art exhibition on show at the Royal West of England Academy, curated by Dr Janette Kerr PRWA, offering a multi-disciplinary approach to this fascinating subject. The show features paintings by renowned artists including Turner, Constable, Piper and Lanyon, among an impressive range of British artists from the 18th century through to the present day. This significant exhibition demonstrates the contrasts and continuities in artists’ engagement with the sea over a period that spans more than two centuries. It encompasses a time of great change in man’s relationship with nature – and the understanding of that relationship – bringing us to the present day and the effects of climate change upon rising sea levels, which has only lent greater urgency to their work. Open Tuesday – Saturday, 10am – 6pm and Sunday, 11am – 5pm. Tickets: adults £5, concessions £3.50, under 16s and students free. Royal West of England Academy, Queen’s Road, Clifton. Tel: 0117 973 5129, www.rwa.org.uk.

Francis Danby, The Shipwreck

Jeremy Deller: English Magic, Bristol Museum & Art Gallery, 12 April – 21 September A chance to see Jeremy Deller’s critically acclaimed Venice Biennale exhibition on tour in Bristol. This magical assembly of large-scale mural paintings, drawings, photographs, film and historical artefacts reflects Deller’s interest in the diverse nature of British culture, its people, icons, folklore, history and politics. Expect references to tax evasion, the Iraq war and Ziggy Stardust. Material from Bristol’s own collections, including paintings of the Bristol Riots in 1831, have been selected by Deller and will sit alongside the exhibition’s eclectic references to workers’ strikes, hen harriers, Range Rovers, marching bands, hand axes and Tony Blair, giving the exhibition a Bristol edge. English Magic was commissioned by the British Council. The UK tour is supported by the Art Fund. Bristol Museum & Art Gallery: Queens Road. Tel: 0117 922 3571, www.bristol.gov.uk/museums

Jeremy Deller, English Magic

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Derwood Pamphilon

Figuratively Speaking, Grant Bradley Gallery, 5 April – 3 May A mixed media group exhibition featuring work by Derwood Pamphilon, Patricia Ward, Dzemal Gugunava and Jenny Pamphilon. Figuratively Speaking contains images of the human form in photographs, sculptures and painting, created by four Bristol artists, using their experience in their individual crafts to achieve a transformation from the everyday to the extraordinary. The common theme that unites us all is the human figure. Derwood’s photographs capture people, movement and the beauty of dance; Patricia’s figure sculptures convey feelings through expression and pose; Dzemal’s works reflect his philosophy of life, a life of contemplation, absorption, harmony and deep reflection, purity, absence of showiness and simplicity of existence; and Jenny’s terracotta clay and bronze figure sculptures each tells its own story and many are characters from the 50s. The Grant Bradley Gallery, 1 St Peter’s Court, Bedminster Parade. Tel: 0117 9637 673, www.grantbradleygallery.co.uk

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“Fishing Station, Sound of Harris” by David Smith RSW

Beside the Sea: March 29 - April 29 Jud i th I Bri d gl and , Eua n Mc Grego r, Dav i d S mi th R S W

Lime Tree Gallery, 84 Hotwell Road, Bristol BS8 4UB

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Jane Orme, Sky Blue Framing & Gallery, until end of April Jane works in silk screen and produces playful, colourful images, often involving animals in absurd situations. She gets her inspiration from lyrical phrases or situations that tickle her sense of humour. Sky Blue Framing & Gallery, 27 North View, Westbury Park. Tel: 0117 9733995.

Jane Ormes, Unsatisfied

Easter Art and Sculpture Exhibition, Bristol Botanic Garden, 18-21 April, 10am – 5pm Sculptures from Greek legends, iridescent stained glass, a dinosaur lurking in the Evolutionary Dell, and a host of botanical art including delicate watercolours and exotic screenprints are just some of the creations to be seen at this weekend exhibition set in the botanic garden with its constantly changing natural light and backdrop of architectural plants, colours and textures. On show will be sculptures, original framed works, prints and cards from 30 artists. There will also be refreshments, tours of the garden and demonstrations available. Admission: Adults £3.50. Free to Friends, university staff and children under 16. University of Bristol Botanic Garden, The Holmes, Stoke Park Road. www.bristol.ac.uk/botanic-garden. Sam Bailey

Scape, View Art Gallery, until 27 April Scape is a celebration of the landscape, seascape and cityscape. In this group show, artists apply their individual creative minds and unique style to produce a memorable collection of scapes, of a diverse nature in 3D paintings, sculptural forms, abstracted reality, and through the minds of vivid imagination. Twice Jerwood Drawing Prize-winner Kristian Fletcher, whose new work has been purchased for Prince Charles’ royal collection, will be Andrew Munoz, Bluebirds introducing work from his new collection of Scottish landscapes, inspired by his time spent on his Dumfries residency. Simon Ledson’s landscapes can give the observer a feeling of familiarity but given time, tilted horizons, powerful colours and perspectives turn to majestic experiences of feeling fragile against nature. Vivienne Baker’s paintings draw on visual memories – she builds layers of differing tones and opacity, combining traditional painting with decorating rollers and spray guns. Simon Averil’s abstract landscape paintings respond to the fleeting and transitory effects of light. Thomas Dowdeswell explores the mechanical dynamism of the cityscape with an evolved vision of known movements such as Vorticism, Futurism and Constructivism. Ian Jacob is known for his experimental techniques that offer a fresh new vision of the landscape. The detailed cityscapes of Andy Price are inspired by the idiosyncrasies of the Japanese society. Andrew Munoz’s paintings can be considered both disturbing and beautiful and the result is a mix between fear and desire. View Art Gallery, 159-161 Hotwells Road. Tel: 05603 116 753, viewartgallery.co.uk

Man O' War Cove by Judith Bridgland

Beside the Sea, Lime Tree Gallery, until 29 April For its spring exhibition, three of the gallery’s most collected artists were asked to come up with paintings on the theme of Beside the Sea. Judith Bridgland, David Smith RSW and Euan McGregor have obliged with a show of varied and contrasting styles. As always, this exhibition is strong on painting and drawing, colour and light. It covers many aspects of the coast, harbours, beaches, seaside towns, piers, islands and seascapes, with wide-ranging interpretations from three well-established artists, at the peak of their careers. Lime Tree Gallery, 84 Hotwell Road. www.limetreegallery.com

■ From 19- 27 April at Hayloft & Saddlery, Ashton Court Estate, ID-Artists, a group of interdisciplinary artists from Bristol and North Somerset working in a range of disciplines, will be presenting their latest exhibition, In Passing. Free admission. Open 10am to 5pm everyday but will close at 4pm on Sunday 27 April. Meet the Artists on Saturday 19 April from 11am – 4pm. www.id-artists.co.uk

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Gravitas, Purifier House, Hotwells Road until 19 April Antlers Gallery is launching a new six-month programme in Purifier House – an old gas purifying station overlooking the floating Harbour in Hotwells. Until August Antlers is curating a programme of exhibitions and events: the first in a three part series is duo show Gravitas by Abigail Reed and Dorcas Casey, exploring the continual and complex relationships between human and animal. Responding to the impressive exhibition space, the two artists work in a large, bold manner in order to convey the power and weight of the animal form in relation to human scale. The exhibition brings together large-scale, monochrome oil on canvas paintings by Abigail Reed and life-sized fabric sculptures of Dorcas Casey. For further information visit: www.antlersgallery.com Dorcas Casey, Sewing Box, 2012

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CITY | LIVES

A stroke of creativity Samantha Coleman meets Bristol illustrator, Rosie Webb, whose watercolour drawings and prints are making a splash around the city

hances are, you’ve probably seen Bristol illustrator, Rosie Webb’s drawings before – she has been commissioned by magazines including Red, Waitrose and The Telegraph’s Stella; newspapers including The Guardian and The Times, and has started designing packaging for supermarket products. But, being a born and bred boho Bristolian, she has become well known for selling her prints and drawings in independent shops and galleries all over the city. Her style is free and fluid, choosing not to draw in pencil first, but from scratch with watercolours, which give her illustrations of mainly food and animals a charming naivety that lend themselves perfectly to glossy publications. “I like to emphasise the brush strokes in my drawings and try to keep them as loose and expressive as possible,” says Rosie. “I’m very influenced by Chinese calligraphy in this way.” Coming from a creative family – her mother is an artist – Rosie has always had a flair for drawing. But it was when she did her illustration degree at Manchester University that she really found her own style. She says: “I’ve always enjoyed doing hand-drawn illustrations – I’ve never been interested in illustrating on a pc. On my course I tried lots of different media for illustrating including paints, pencils and collage – but I found loose watercolours looked best and I felt most comfortable using them. When I had good feedback from people who wanted to pay me to do illustrations in this style for them, I knew that I could carve a career from it, something I’d always dreamed of.” After graduating, Rosie moved to London where she did some television post-production work while she got together a portfolio to send out to publishers and editors. “Hand drawn illustrations had started to become popular at this time, particularly for magazine editorials, and that fuelled me to go for it,” says Rosie. “Luckily I managed to get work quite quickly. My first job was for Time Out magazine, illustrating a wine guide feature, followed by a commission from Waitrose magazine. It seemed to all happen in a very short amount of time!” Then came work with the Telegraph’s Stella magazine, drawing for a food and drink dinner party page. “I would select three to four ingredients to draw from a given recipe – I always picked the most colourful and texturally interesting ones, for example, asparagus, pomegranate and fish,” says Rosie. “I also started doing drawings for a cocktail recipe in Esquire magazine and pieces for Jamie Oliver’s magazine. Because this was an international publication it meant that my work got noticed all over the world and soon I was contacted and commissioned by a magazine in Holland and for Red Dutch magazine, as well as design work for a Dutch café – they seem to like the loose painting style over there!” Rosie has now been an illustrator for over nine years and says she always prefers doing drawings for small, organic magazines. Despite this, she usually works on a very big scale – usually A3 size, which she can scan and shrink down if she needs to. “I like big movements and being able to let the paint bleed,” she says. “I love painting fresh food, and fish

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especially has a really interesting texture and colour to it and in watercolour, it bleeds really nicely.” More recently however, Rosie has been involved in hand-drawn design work for supermarkets and packaging for a soft drink company, and since moving back to Bristol last June, she has been doing more Giclee prints which she sells in independent galleries and shops, including Room 212 on Gloucester Road and Here Gallery in Stokes Croft. She says: “I have really thrown myself into this recently and there seems to be a real movement for print work in Bristol. It’s an incredibly inspiring city – I have met so many other creative people and artists and it encourages me to keep going and do more prints as there’s such a demand for it here.” Rosie now lives in Bishopston with her family and gets inspiration for her illustrations from her visits and walks around the city. “My hangout spots are the Arnolfini, M Shed, city museum and Papadeli at the RWA,” she says. “Bristol provides a great base for research for my drawings. I always prefer to draw from life, so for food I go to my local greengrocer, buy an interesting piece of fruit or veg and take it home to cut open and examine; and to get the most accurate personality of an animal I frequently visit Bristol Zoo and St Werburgh’s City Farm. I really enjoy drawing animals in humorous situations – crocodiles are especially fun to paint! I take my one-year-old daughter along with me on my visits too – she loves animals.” As well as selling her prints in various outlets in Bristol, Rosie’s work is also available online from her website – www.rosiewebb.co.uk – and also online at Little White Space. Rosie will be taking part in various city art trails this year, including BS9 in May, which offers a great opportunity to chat to Rosie and see her work up close. ■

Fish especially has a really interesting texture and colour to it and in watercolour, it bleeds really nicely

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Rosie will be holding an exhibition at Room 212 on Gloucester Road from 10 – 23 April. The Room 212 theme this spring is The Birds and the Bees and Rosie has been asked to be the featured artist. She has created a new body of work for the exhibition, largely focusing on animals and the humourous similarities and differences they share with humans. Her bright, simple watercolours have been made into limited edition prints, on sale from £12.

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CITY | LIVES

Rosie Webb in her studio in her Bristol home

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TIME | OUT

SIX of the BEST...

Places for afternoon tea

Afternoon tea at Berwick Lodge

We discover the best places to enjoy the most indulgent of British traditions in Bristol

❶ Harvey Nichols Decorated in decadent gold, the stylish setting of Harvey Nichols Bristol’s Second Floor Restaurant is the perfect place for an indulgent treat after a day of shopping. The traditional afternoon tea costs includes a trio of sandwiches, a selection of homemade cakes, homemade mini scone with clotted cream and a choice of Harvey Nichols preserves, all served with a pot of house tea. For an extra bit of indulgence, you can add a glass of Champagne, perfect to celebrate a special occasion in style. Cost: Champagne tea, £24.50 per person; afternoon tea, £18 per person. Served Monday to Saturday, 3pm – 5pm and Sunday 2pm – 4pm.

❷ Avon Gorge Hotel Enjoy afternoon tea while taking in one of the best views of the city at the Avon Gorge Hotel’s Bridge Café in Clifton – ideal if you’re showing visitors to the area. Floor to ceiling windows open out onto a terrace, where you can take in the vista across the Avon Gorge to the Clifton Suspension Bridge. Traditional afternoon tea here includes a selection of finger sandwiches, homemade scones with jam and clotted cream, Bristol fruit cake, madeleines and seasonal fruit tartlets, all served with pot of tea. Cost: £14.95 per person or £25 for two people, or upgrade to a Champagne afternoon tea for £19.95 per person. Available all week, served 2.30pm – 6pm daily. Visit: www.theavongorge.com.

❸ Thornbury Castle This magnificent castle hotel which sits on the edge of the Cotswolds offers a unique and quitessentially English afternoon tea experience. Here, where Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn once walked, the hotel boasts ornate Tudor architecture and historic walled gardens. After exploring the house and grounds, on a sunny day take afternoon tea in the picturesque garden or if it’s cold, sit by the fire in the cosy library, served by immaculately presented waiters. Afternoon tea at Thornbury Castle, is served Monday – Saturday between 3pm and 4.45pm and between 4pm and 5pm on Sundays and includes a pot of tea or coffee, freshly baked scones with homemade jam and clotted cream, homemade biscuits, a selection of cakes and a selection of finger sandwiches. Cost: £21.50 per person, Champagne afternoon tea, £31.50 per person. Visit: www.thornburycastle.co.uk.

❹ Hotel du Vin This magnificently restored Sugar House, just a stone’s throw from Colston Hall, boasts an award winning bistro, secluded courtyard and private bar where you can experience an elegant and French-style setting for afternoon tea. Choose from a selection of infusions including Darjeeling, Ceylon, China rose petal, Assam and the rich and refreshing house blend, and enjoy the beautifully presented finger sandwiches, a slice of tea loaf, cream cake, warm fruit scone, strawberry preserve and dollop of fresh clotted cream. Served daily until 5pm. Cost: £14.50 per person, or £21.50 served with a glass of house Champagne; £20.50 served with a cocktail in a china cup, or £19.50 with a gin and tonic. Visit: www.hotelduvin.com. 54 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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❺ Cox and Baloney Tea Room This is the place to come for afternoon tea if a sprinkle of glamour and lashings of fun is what you’re looking for. The quaint tea room on Cheltenham Road is beautifully decorated, full to the brim with vintage gems and treasures. It has really made a name for itself in Bristol, famous for its cream tea towers and afternoon teas, served daily alongside other traditional lunch dishes and fresh homemade cakes. Relax in a comfy armchair with your favourite pot of tea (there are 15 different loose teas to choose from, as well as bubbly and teapot cocktails) and tuck into finger sandwiches, homemade cakes, scones, cream, strawberries and local jam all served on pretty vintage china. Cost: with wine, £28 for two; without wine, £11 for one, £21 for two. Visit: www.coxandbaloneytearooms.com.

❻ Berwick Lodge This hotel and fine dining restaurant sits in a beautiful spot just off the motorway, 15 minutes drive from the centre of Bristol. It has been lovingly restored to its former grandeur to create a totally unique venue – blending the spirit and romance of the arts and crafts movement with a touch of the East. Located high on a hill and surrounded by acres of private garden and woodland, you can’t beat afternoon tea in the sunshine here. Or you can choose to sit in the lounge, a beautiful wood panelled room with feature fireplace and views of the garden. Afternoon teas include a pot of tea from a selection of fine teas, finger sandwiches, chocolate opera cake, vanilla slice, lemon tart, carrot and banana cake and scones. There is also a children’s afternoon tea available, great for treating the family on a special occasion. The children’s afternoon tea includes finger sandwiches of chocolate spread, peanut butter, jam and cheese along with strawberry jelly, banana and chocolate chip muffin, scone and chocolate cornflake cakes, all served with a glass of pink lemonade. Cost: £17 per person, £20 including a glass of pink lemonade, or £27 including a glass of our house Champagne. Children’s afternoon tea, £8 each for under 12s. Visit: www.berwicklodge.co.uk. ■

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FOOD | & DRINK

WINING & DINING news and reviews Fine dining in tipis

Eat Drink Bristol Fashion tipis in Queen Square

highlight of the Bristol dining calendar, Eat Drink Bristol Fashion returns to Queen Square this year from 1 – 18 May, bringing chefs from throughout the south west to cook for diners in the tipi village’s fine dining restaurant. The confirmed chef line up holds a total of nine Michelin stars between them, representing the best of the west country’s culinary scene. The latest additions to the bill include Dominic Chapman of The Royal Oak Paley Street, which has 3 AA Rosettes. Having worked in many great kitchens around the world, Dominic’s previous experience also includes the Fat Duck, and the role of head chef at Heston Blumenthal’s Hinds Head in Bray. Bath Priory’s Sam Moody will cook at the festival for the second year in a row on Sunday 4 May, while Matthew and Ian Pennington of Bristol’s Guardian Ethical Awards winners, the Ethicurean, will take over the tipis for a lunch service on Saturday 17 May. The fine dining marquee will host a unique collaboration between two star Cornish chef, Nathan Outlaw, and TV chef Valentine Warner on Friday 2 May. The full line up for the fine dining evenings, along with tickets, can be found at: www.eatdrinkbristolfashion.com. For casual diners, the Tapas Café will be serving food from 12 noon until 10pm offering a fantastic, modern British tapas menu, designed by Josh Eggleton, owner of the Pony & Trap, and live entertainment. Josh Eggleton, Eat Drink Bristol Fashion director, said: “The whole of the UK is talking about the food scene in the south west, epitomised by some of the exciting chefs cooking in the region. We are pleased to bring them together for the first time, cooking under canvas, Bristol fashion. We will be championing a field to fork philosophy throughout the 18 days in Queen Square, with entertainment each evening, free to the public.” For more information visit www.eatdrinkbristolfashion.co.uk and to keep updated with current news follow @eatdrinkbristol on twitter and like Eat Drink Bristol Fashion on Facebook www.facebook.com/pages/Eat-Drink-Bristol-Fashion.

Colston cool Independent brewer Bath Ales has unveiled two exciting new eateries inside Colston Hall. With the focus firmly on quality and individuality, the first floor restaurant has been transformed into a charcuterie bar called Gordito. Inspired in part by the La Boqueria market in Barcelona, Gordito serves charcuterie and cheese as well as small plates to complement. While the café bar on the Colston Street level, Colston Street Bar & Kitchen, boasts a menu drawn from modern American and European influences. It serves food all day with breakfast and great coffee and cakes too. Alice Bowyer, executive chef at Bath Ales, says: “Top quality food is at the heart of both new venues in Colston Hall. We’ve wanted to open a wine and charcuterie bar for a long time and this location is a perfect fit for Gordito. We have put a lot of care and attention into getting the menu and Various meats at Gordito ambiance right. For the food we’ve sourced the best cured meats and cheeses from home and abroad, which I’m sure will please foodie diners. We have found some of the finest Iberico ham and salamis we’ve ever tasted! Our favourites include a maple syrup pork belly and chipotle coleslaw, a sharing ice cream sandwich with salt caramel sauce and a selection of boozy milkshakes. We’ve worked hard to try and create an area that can be enjoyed at any time of the day, and hope that this venue will please those coming to see a show as well as becoming a destination in its own right.”

Quick bites ■ As part of the city-wide food celebration Bristol Food Connections, which runs from 1 – 11 May, the BBC will host BBC At Bristol Food Connections, a free, family-friendly festival, featuring affordable, achievable and inspirational cooking demonstrations with a host of celebrity chefs including Tom Kerridge, the stars of Junior Bake Off and Junior MasterChef, and lots of other hands-on fun activities. Situated in Waterfront Square, BBC At Bristol Food Connections will run across both festival weekends, from Saturday 3 May, and include five main tents – a 500-seat BBC Stars’ Kitchen; Making Sense of Flavour; The Science of Food; Eat like a Superstar and a radio hub which will broadcast live and pre-recorded audience shows throughout the festival bringing discussion, debate and entertainment all about food to a UK-wide audience. As well as providing plenty of fun, all the demos and activities in the tents are designed to inspire, excite and educate families about healthy food. ■ As spring vegetables start arriving in the kitchen, River Cottage Canteen’s event calendar is also growing, from monthly favourites Veg Out and Spice Night to learning about foraging in the wild with the legendary John Wright and various cookery demos. April also sees the start of a season of music at River Cottage Canteen with carefully handpicked, locally sourced talent entertaining guests as they dine. For more details on any of the events visit: RiverCottage.net/Bristol, tel: 0117 973 2458 or email: bristolcanteen@rivercottage.net

Easter treats... M&S pistachio nut & Sicilian orange dark chocolate egg with caramel coulis truffles, £́12

Carluccio’s Easter Basket, £9.95

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James Chocolates salted caramel chocolate egg, £15 from John Lewis at The Mall M&S assorted chocolate egg nest, £́10

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Graze Bar & Chophouse 63 Queen Square, Bristol BS1 4JZ. Tel: 0117 927 6706

REVIEW

A GEM IN THE QUEEN’S CROWN W hen you see a Bath Ales sign attached to a pub, you know that you’re walking into a fine establishment with a great selection of brews and freshly cooked food – something that is synonymous with the independent Warmley-based brewery empire. Bath Ales pubs are well known for offering something special for locals, drinkers and foodies alike, and their high standards have made them well respected in Bath and Bristol. Always looking to offer their quality and individuality to a wider audience, Bath Ales has recently opened two new eateries in Colston Hall – the Colston St Bar and Kitchen on the ground floor, serving food all day from a transatlantic-inspired menu, along with great coffee and homemade cakes; and Gordito, a charcuterie restaurant and bar on the upper ground floor serving cured meats and cheeses and complementary wines. With these shiny new additions to Bristol, Bath Ales felt it was only right to give the Graze Bar and Chophouse on Queen Square a new look to show off too. First opened in November 2009, the restaurant was the original of the successful Graze concept – with namesake venues subsequently opened in Cirencester and Bath. After closing for a month of refurbishment work, we were keen to check out the changes when it reopened – and were not disappointed. There has been a complete overhaul of the kitchen and seating areas have been improved – new bar stools are located by the kitchen to provide additional seating, while comfortable banquettes still dominate throughout the brasserie. The kitchen has also been updated, with a Josper oven at its heart, fuelled by charcoal and used to barbecue prime cuts of steak. The kitchen is centre stage, so you can watch the chefs hard at work as you eat. As well as cosmetic changes, the menu has been refreshed too, to include delicacies such as duck hearts on toast with dates and port sauce and smoked haddock kedgeree, cockles and a poached egg. This is a fresh and sophisticated take on the traditional British pub. Inspired by bars and chophouses in London and New York, the interior of Graze boasts stylish bespoke furniture, creative lighting schemes and some quirky features – including the huge, white cow’s head mount above the kitchen. On a chilly, blustery evening, the warm welcome, happy buzz of diners, cosy candlelit setting and tantalising smells from the kitchen were enough to lift our spirits. There is a friendly, relaxed atmosphere here and the menu is designed in such a way to allow you to eat anything you fancy, from a light lunch or snack such as mushrooms and kidneys on toast, to a three or fourcourse meal with fine wines.

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Graze serves Bath Ales beers along with an eclectic range of continental beers, premium spirits, interesting wines and soft drinks. Nick supped on a pint of his favourite local tipple – the Bath Ales Bounders cider, while I enjoying a crisp glass of the house white as we perused the starters and tucked into the complimentary crusty warm bread and butter. All the dishes sounded tempting, with something to suit most tastes, from green Sicilian olives (£3.50) to scallops, chorizo, white beans and sauce vierge (£8.95). I chose the cep mushroom and leek risotto (£5) from the specials menu, which was served with sweet candied walnut and pesto. This rich, nutty treat was made even more special by the gooey parmesan melted on top. Nick opted for the chicken liver pâté, which was smooth and creamy and perfectly complemented by the sweet plum chutney and brioche (£7.25), all stylishly served on a slate. Ingredients are sourced locally, we are told by the manager, so food miles are kept to a minimum. On top of this, all of the meat is sourced from top quality British producers, with high standards of animal welfare. It is obvious that the focus here is on quality and individuality. And this was perfectly demonstrated in the juicy 225g dry aged sirloin steak (£19.95) that Nick ordered for the main course. An excellent cut of meat and one of the best steaks he’s ever tasted, he commented. The steaks are served with chips and salad and you can choose a sauce or butter to accompany it for an extra £1.50. Be warned however, the portions are generous, so you might not have room for any of the delicious sides on offer including Pale Ale onion rings, portobello mushrooms or gruyère creamed spinach – as we discovered. I had the macaroni cheese with spinach and mushroom (£8.95), and while every mouthful tasted deliciously cheesy (the strong gruyere was heavenly), I admit I felt defeated halfway through the dish. After a rest – and in the interest of research – we thought it only right to sample something sweet from the dessert menu, so I enjoyed the lighter choice of coffee and petits fours – which included popcorn drizzled in caramel, a dark chocolate truffle, mini cinnamon madeleine and fruity jelly square – and Nick happily devoured a white chocolate and clotted cream panna cotta, served with raspberries and buttery, almond shortbread. On the busy Thursday evening that we were there, tables were full of couples, friends and families dining and drinking together. People were coming and going all evening – this is a social hub with a great atmosphere. And as the weather gets nicer, it is one of the best al fresco dining options in the city centre. ■ SC

As well as cosmetic changes, the menu has been refreshed too, to include delicacies such as duck hearts on toast with dates and port sauce

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BRISTOL | UPDATES

News in Brief ■ Made Just So of The Mall in Clifton has been selected as a finalist in The Greats gift retailer awards. The awards, now in their 12th year, were launched by Progressive Gifts & Home magazine to recognise and reward the UK's very best gift retailers across the retail spectrum. “These dedicated awards for gift retailers have risen immeasurably in status over the years and are now universally acknowledged as being true accolades of excellence,” says Sue Marks, editor of Progressive Gifts & Home. Liza Butcher of Made Just So says: "Being selected as a finalist was a fantastic achievement. There was a huge entry number this year, with some outstanding, first class entries.” All retail finalists were decided as a result of an industry-wide poll of gift suppliers, reps and agents and validation by a panel of experts. The winners of this year’s awards will be revealed at an awards lunch at the Savoy Hotel in London on Thursday 8 May. Further details can be found at: www.thegreatsawards.co.uk ■ A new Cancer Research charity shop has opened at 71 Queen’s Road. The bright and colourful interior has an upmarket, contemporary look and sells good quality clothes, accessories and household items. Prof Anne Williams, who is based at Bristol University, and is a Cancer Research UK funded scientist, opened the shop last month and said: “I feel honoured to have been asked to open this lovely new shop. It’s great to have the shop so close and to be able to search for a bargain. Shops like this one provide vital revenue for Cancer Research UK – funding research to help save lives.” Shop manager, Carole Hardwick, said: “We always need ongoing supplies of stock so we’d ask people to clear out their wardrobes and cupboards over the next few months and bring us their good quality clothes, shoes, bags, household items, books, CDs and DVDs.” The shop urgently needs new volunteers. Flexible hours are available. Drop in to the shop at 71 Queens Road, Clifton to find out more. Professor Anne Williams, research associate Tracey Collard and shop manager Carole Hardwick open the new store

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Kirsty Allsopp and Nikita Bennett from Goodman Lilley

■ Henleaze and Portishead Estate Agents Goodman & Lilley, recently took part in Kirsty Allsopp’s new show Best of Both Worlds. The TV personality, who has ventured away from her regular side kick Phil Spencer, presents a new show helping home buyers to negotiate the tug of war between town and country – showing you can have both the rural idyll and the the fun of the big city, if you know where to look. Goodman & Lilley director Guy Lilley successfully negotiated the featured property which was a beautiful, substantial detached family home located on the fringes of Easton in Gordano and proved our surrounding areas are the best of both worlds. The show was broadcast on Tuesday 18 March at 8pm on Channel 4, but you can catch up on 4OD.

Designers head for the country

hree more designer names, rarely available outside London, have joined Somerset’s Kilver Court Designer Village. Amanda Wakeley, Pretty Ballerinas’ flat pumps and Parisian label Agnes B, have joined big names including Liberty, Jack Wills, Mulberry and Orla Kiely in selling their wares at discounted prices in the heart of the Somerset countryside. Kilver Court, in Shepton Mallet, is a shopping destination for people who like big names at not such big prices. Amanda Wakeley’s designs are often seen on celebrities including Kate Winslet, Charlize Theron, Liz Hurley and Kate Middleton. AW will be on sale at up to 60 per cent off. Agnes B, who personally oversees every design, produces tailored pieces, wardrobe staples and prints for men, women and children. All are available in the Kilver Court Designer Emporium,

all with up to 40 per cent off the recommended retail price. Last, but by no means least, of the new arrivals is the Pretty Ballerinas flat pumps range. Each style of shoe is named after famous women in music and film and they’re made in a mix of pretty prints, colours and quirky designs. Kilver Court is open seven days a week, 9.30am – 5.30pm, 10am – 5pm Sundays.

CITY BUSINESS Old Vic plans approved Following 2012’s auditorium refurbishment, the Bristol Old Vic set out last year to make the theatre a more welcoming place. It consulted for three months with the public, council, heritage organisations, audiences and staff and plans were developed by architects Haworth Tompkins. Following the recent news of the council’s approval, work will start in April 2015, with completion scheduled for the end of 2016, to coincide with the theatre’s 250th anniversary year. When the work is complete, Bristolians will be able to enjoy the wide, open space of a new entrance foyer, lifts to all floors, more loos, a new studio theatre, longer bars and the return of Coopers’ Hall to its original 18th century use as an events space for the city. The £12 million programme will be supported by a range of funders. Bristol Old Vic has now raised half of its fundraising target. A public fundraising campaign launches with a gala event on 26 April.

■ Bristol Hospital’s Charity Above & Beyond has been chosen by the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta as its charity partner for 2014 and 2015. Money raised will specifically support its Golden Gift Appeal and raise funds to transform Bristol cancer centre, the BHOC and the Bristol Royal Infirmary (BRI) for millions of patients for generations to come. Sarah Talbot-Williams, chief executive of Above & Beyond said: “The Bristol International Balloon Fiesta is synonymous with Bristol, so it’s wonderful that this iconic event is supporting our city’s hospitals, which have a long history of caring for people in the region. They treat some half a million people every year – the same number as visit the event to watch over 150 balloons take to the skies.” The Bristol International Balloon Fiesta runs from 7-10 August this year. Above & Beyond is looking for people to join its volunteer team to work at the event. To register your interest, email Jenny at jenny.sheriff@aboveandbeyond.org.uk

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BRISTOL PEOPLE What the movers and shakers are up to... ■ Local shops, businesses and other community groups around the central part of Gloucester Road are working together to promote the area in which they work and live. They have chosen the name Glos Rd Central to reflect their place both as a hub for the community and as a part of this much loved street of independent and vibrant businesses. The idea of organising community events at Glos Rd Central was first born last Christmas with a couple of successful late openings when traders spilled out on to the pavements, Boston Tea Party offered free cakes and drinks and a local choir sang Christmas carols. Now Glos Rd Central traders have created a Facebook page, Twitter account and are working towards their first big event – MayFest on 3 May, to tie in with the Jack in the Green procession of musicians and morris dancers which begins in the city centre and moves up Gloucester Road. Traders of Glos Rd Central have many plans for Mayfest including creative activities and maypole dancing – keep up to date on the Glos Rd Central Facebook page or follow @glosrdcentral on Twitter. ■ A designerwear boutique and dress agency called Sumptuous Designerwear has opened on Princess Victoria Street, offering exquisite ladies’ new and preloved designerwear at hugely competitive prices, to buy or hire. You can also book a consultation on what high end pieces to sell from your wardrobe that you no longer wear. Sumptuous Designerwear was set up by Cathy Wilkin, following a lifelong passion for high quality fabrics and tailoring that translates into sophisticated and feminine items. Cathy launched Sumptuous Designerwear as a pop-up boutique in 2012 with a fashion show at Goldbrick House, and has since provided collections for seven other shows in Bristol. ■ Following the success of previous pop-up shops in Cabot Circus, Objets de Désir – an online boutique selling a collection of handmade treasures from fashion to homeware, all made by emerging artists and designers – is opening a new shop in the Arcade in Clifton Village. The shop will be open from the 3 April – 25 June, full of desirable and hard-to-find pieces that are not available on the high street. Owner Rachel Drake personally handpicks independent designers and artists, always looking for products that are personal, authentic and original. ■ Lady K Loves, a vintage fashion house of affordable, flattering and authentically cut 50s-inspired key pieces, has opened a pop-up shop on Broad Street. Kessie May, owner of the shop, has selected the finest in 50s fashion, with clothing from Di Brooks, Bernie Dexter, Miss Fortune and Flaming Star, along with top UK jewellery designers Bow & Crossbones, Dolly Cool and Bubblegum Vegas. To complete your 50s house and outfit looks, Lady K Loves also offers homewear and accessories. Kessie May said: “It’s been great to be able to put my experiences running a Lady K Loves © Holly Matthews, clothes from stand at various festivals over the last Lady K Loves 18 months into action with a pop up shop. It will work in tandem with our online shop, which offers lovers of 50s and rockabilly fashion the chance to collect in store or have delivered, and try on other brands, too. We’re also putting together a diary of events, from hair and make up tutorials, styling sessions to jive lessons.” WWW.THEBRISTOLMAGAZINE.CO.UK

Children and Families Bill As the Children and Families Bill is reaching the final stages of its progress through Parliament, Alison Dukes Family Law Specialist with AMD Solicitors considers some of the important changes that are likely to be enacted.

hen I was first in practice in 1986 the important terms in children’s cases were “custody” – either sole or joint – “care and control” and “access”. Parents who had “joint” custody were expected to discuss important issues in a child’s life together. The child would live with the parent who had “care and control” and then have “access” to the other parent. With the advent of the Children Act 1989 came “parental responsibility”. All mothers have parental responsibility as, since December 2003, have all fathers registered on their children’s birth certificates. Parental responsibility can also be acquired if the mother and father are married or by entering into a Parental Responsibility Agreement or by court order. The other terms under the Children Act were “residence” – with whom a child lives – and “contact” which replaced the former “access”. Residence could be “shared” even in cases where the number of nights a child spent with each parent was unequal. The Children and Families Bill is expected to replace the terms “residence” and “contact” with a “Child Arrangement Order” regulating with whom a child will live, spend time or otherwise have contact. The hope is that this will remove any appearance that there is one parent who has most of the involvement with a child while the other parent’s role is more peripheral. It should also mean the end of current arguments about whether “residence” should be “shared” or not. The intention behind the Bill is to underline a commitment to both parents being involved in a child’s life. A court will presume that involvement of a parent in a child’s life will further that child’s welfare unless, of course, there is evidence that a child would be at risk of suffering harm. This provision is significantly watered down from talk a few years ago of parents having a right to equal contact. For advice on family breakdown and children issues Alison or other members of AMD’s family law team can be contacted on 0117 9621205 or by email to alisondukes@amdsolicitors.com. © AMD Solicitors

A local award winning law firm

Telephone us on (0117) 9621205 or visit our website www.amdsolicitors.com APRIL 2014

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Mum, voiceover artist and BBC Radio Bristol presenter, Faye Dicker, meets the Bristol businesses that make family life easier...

’ve been keeping this one under my hat, so to speak, but we are due another visit from the stork very soon. In fact, there’s every chance, that by the time you read this she may have made her visit. I’ll be once again in throes of night feeds and nappies, while gazing adoringly at my beautiful spring baby. Meanwhile, as I sit and write this, I’m in the final uphill slog of pregnancy and struggling to make myself comfortable every day. Pregnancy with a toddler is a very different affair. Toddlers are like beautiful little batteries that take all your charge all day, while bouncing off the wall with their never ending energy. There is just no chance of keeping up with them in normal every day life, let alone when there’s a bun in the oven. While I’ve always been a big champion of exercising all the health and well being benefits, it’s increasingly hard to carve out a little me time. Let alone, perish the thought, focus on the new baby. So when I heard about Aqua Natal Yoga and how it can help during pregnancy, I was tempted. Gentle exercise in warm water, breathing exercises and blissful relaxation – you didn’t need to ask me twice! It was a case of grabbing my cossie and getting cosy. Hayleigh Jones runs the classes and is the brainchild behind Aquatic Harmony. In fact, it was her own pregnancy which gave her the inspiration. Feeling thoroughly frazzled after a swim in her local swimming pool – something which was supposed to be a relaxing experience, she felt compelled to see if there were any other options for pregnant women. At the time, there were none. Taking life by the horns, she seized the opportunity to find out what was involved in starting her own class and after much research and training, Aquatic Harmony was born. Her training was with Francoise Freedman, the founder of Birthlight – and to quote Hayleigh, was inspirational. Francoise Freedman herself has lived with indigenous families in the Amazon and developed practices encompassing yoga techniques. These have been proven beneficial to pregnancy, birth and those all important first years of life. All of which are translated in Aqua Natal Yoga in the pool. It has to be tried to be believed. The feeling of complete relaxation that you take away with you is worth it alone. I’ve never been one for gentle exercise – the words make me shudder, I’d rather work up a sweat than have a light work out – but these classes are a completely differently experience. As Hayleigh explains, the endorphins from relaxing are so important to take with you during pregnancy and set you on the right path for a good a birthing experience. So how does yoga in the water compare to land based yoga? Well, for a start there’s the feeling of weightlessness, which is pretty unique as you reach the end of pregnancy. Not to mention that being in water allows you to get into poses you’d struggle with on the land. Classes are held in pools that are 32 degrees plus, for warmth and relaxation. There are several held in different venues across Bristol, but it’s Monday nights for me at the Mercure Holland House Hotel, with fluffy white towels to dry yourself with. No wonder I come home completely chilled out. I’ll never profess to being a natural at pregnancy, but having an hour once a week to focus on myself and the baby is worth its weight in gold. Here’s to some more yummy yoga classes and the stork making its delivery soon! To hear Hayleigh’s story have a listen at: www.freelancebristolmum.co.uk ■

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Dr John Newton

The age of Independents

f we had to reinvent the education system in the United Kingdom, would we do it this way? As the next election looms and the political parties begin to shape their ideas for the future of Britain post recession, this is perhaps an apt question. It is even more apt when one considers the rising powers of new economies and new cultures who are challenging our hegemony, particularly in the area of educational standards. One constant feature of the independent sector over the last seventy years, since the 1944 Education Act, has been our declining place in the world and our declining standards of education. Thankfully, in the 1940s the Government decided not to prohibit independent schools. Whilst state educational provision has gone through swings and roundabouts, the independent sector has simply sailed on. Its standards have increased. Its facilities have become more impressive, and its place in the national psyche is well established. Many people do not like this and criticize the independent sector for providing too many individuals who take the top jobs in our society. I would say the opposite. Were it not for the independent sector we would not have some of the credibility we enjoy in the world beyond our shores. Thus my question: If we have to start the process all over again, would we really create a system like this? Not everybody can afford independent education and that is a great shame. Some say it is evidence of a divided country. On the other hand, the state sector is even more riddled with injustice and unfairness. If you buy a house in the right place or if you happen to live in the right postcode you will be better served by education. If you can pull a few strings, you get your children into the right primary school or the right secondary school. If you have enough money you can pay for tutoring and extra support. These days, the legal profession is doing good business with parents who can afford to 62 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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contend school allocations. All round education is unfair for those who do not have the levers to make the most of it. My contention is that all education should be done locally. Schools and heads should be given the power to make independent decisions based on what is right for their â&#x20AC;&#x153;market placeâ&#x20AC;?. It is furthermore my contention that if we are to make education really work we need to increase its funding. That cannot come from the public purse. By relying on the state to provide the funds to support education, we sadly open ourselves up to the influence of the state and all its shenanigans, uncertainties and irrationalities. The best education systems in the world are those that do not rely upon the cold, dead hand of the state. That is why I advocate a means tested voucher system to fund schools. Such a system allows parents to top up at whatever school they wish to send their child to. The poorer schools and families would get more because the funding would be skewed that way. And parents would get more options. I do not believe for one second that a liberalisation of the education system will ever happen. Politicians are too much in love with one thing more than anything else and that is power. Whilst the free schools and academies programme has many virtues, it still relies on central funding and that ties the hands of heads that wish to do more. One day we shall realise that our educational regression is damaging our economy and taking Britain down the wrong road. As usual, it will be too late to do anything radical and it will take a long time to put the problem right. However, in the meantime the independent sector gloriously enjoys its position above the fray. It innovates, it demands high standards and it has ambitions that its students will succeed on the world stage. Dr John Newton Headmaster - Taunton School

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Hunt for Easter eggs at Leigh Woods (c) National Trust Images / Jennie Woodcock

FAMILY | FUN

Egg-citing adventures Use our guide to plan quality time with your little ones this Easter. From family friendly theatre and storytelling to craft activities and egg hunts, there’s something for all ages to enjoy Spring Alive, At-Bristol, Until 28 April Celebrate nature’s party season by taking a scientific look at living things. Discover the biology around us in spring as you investigate plants, examine eggs, and get seeds to grow. Standard admission applies. Visit: www.atbristol.org.uk for further information.

Sea Hear Storytelling, SS Great Britain Tuesday 1 April, 11am Get comfortable and hear imaginative sea-faring adventures. Suitable for pre-school children.

Minotaur, Bristol Old Vic Studio, 1 – 9 April Given a surprising twist, Minotaur is an exhilarating re-telling of the Greek legend, full of bold story-telling, live music and song. This brand new play has been created in close consultation with KS2 children and staff. Suitable for ages 7+. Box office tel: 0117 987 7877 or visit: www.bristololdvic.org.uk.

A Knight’s Trail, Tyntesfield 5 – 21 April, 10am – 4pm Go on a quest this Easter to seek out 64 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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Tyntesfield’s treasures to become a gallant knight and solve the clues around the estate to be rewarded with a noble prize. £2.50 per trail.

Go Aloft! SS Great Britain, From Saturday 5 April Step into the shoes of a Victorian sailor and climb the rigging for a unique view of Bristol. Height and age restrictions apply. Weather dependant. Cost: £10, for further information visit: www.ssgreatbritain.org.

Wild Outdoors Day, Windmill Hill City Farm, Sunday 6 April, 10am-4pm A family day to celebrate play in the natural environment with information and activities that will help you get your family outdoors more this year. For further information tel: 0117 9633252.

Spring to Life, Bristol Museum & Art Gallery, Monday 7 April, 10am-3pm Get up close to nature with wildlife specimens from the museum’s collections. Curators will be on hand to help you identify all things buzzing and you can join in a mini bug hunt too, weather permitting. £2 suggested donation.

Pinocchio, Brewery Theatre 8 – 13 April, 11am & 2pm This new version of Pinocchio by acclaimed children’s writer, Michael Rosen (We’re Going on a Bear Hunt), is a magical adventure for families. Follow Pinocchio and his grasshopper friend as they set out on an adventure to find some fun. Presented by Hiccup Theatre who create children’s theatre through inventive storytelling and live music. Suitable for ages 3+ and their families. Tickets: £7, available from the box office tel: 0117 902 0344 or visit: www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com

Chocolate Inventions, M Shed Wednesday 9 April, 11am-4pm Handle mechanical objects and be inspired to design your ideal Easter egg delivery machine. Create a model of your invention to take home. Suitable for ages 4+. £2 suggested donation.

Toy Stories, M Shed Saturday 12 April, 11am - 4pm Play with a range of toys and games from generations past and use them as inspiration to make your very own old-fashioned toy. £3 suggested donation.

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FAMILY | FUN

Museum Magic, Bristol Museum & Art Gallery, Tuesday 15 April, 10am – 4pm Enter the museum of trickery and illusion. Discover magical collections from around the world, storytelling by Martin Maudsley and art activities by Bristol Drawing Club. Meet Stuart Nolan, Watershed’s Magician in residence and Ideobird, a magical, mind reading creature. Limited numbers, book at reception on the day.

estate will be alive with the sights and sounds of knights in shining armour. By order of the court of Tyntesfield, experience the camps, combat, dancing and jollities of medieval times. Normal garden admission applies. You can even join in knight school (£5 per child for a 1 hour workshop) where you can learn how to become a fearless protector of the Tyntesfield realm from rampaging dragons.

Let’s Tesselate, Bristol Museum & Art Gallery, Wednesday 16 April, 10am – 2pm Help create a giant mosaic picture then make a mini mosaic to take home. £2 suggested donation.

Wolves arrive at Wild Place A pack of six European grey wolves are the newest residents of The Wild Place Project, Bristol’s newest attraction just off junction 17 of the M5. The wolves, all young males, have come to Bristol from Highlands Wildlife Park in Scotland and are now living in the Ancient Howling exhibit; an area of woodland which has been left as natural as possible to replicate their native woodland habitat in Europe, Asia and North America. A log cabin-style shelter has been built for the pack, with a guest viewing area, a keeper room and two separate sleeping areas for the wolves. For more information about The Wild Place Project, visit: www.wildplace.org.uk or tel: 0117 980 7173.

Easter Prints, M Shed Thursday 17 April, 11am – 4pm Use an historic printing machine to make your own Easter card, inspired by a collection of objects from Bristol’s chocolate industry. £2 suggested donation.

Easter Egg Trail, Leigh Woods Friday 18 April, 10am – 2pm Follow a trail around the woods, learn about the animals and plants that live there and win a Cadbury chocolate Egghead prize. Cost: £3.50. For further information visit: www.eastereggtrail.co.uk

Knights of Tyntesfield, Tyntesfield Estate, 19 & 20 April, 10am – 4pm Step back in time to the Middle Ages as the

Knight school at Tyntesfield © Paul Harris

The Tinderbox, Bristol Old Vic Studio, 23 – 26 April The award-winning Bristol Old Vic Young Company presents a new devised piece based on Hans Christian Andersen’s original story that follows a disillusioned soldier who returns from the war and comes into possession of a magical tinderbox that can grant him anything he wants. Suitable for ages 10+. For tickets contact the box office tel: 0117 987 7877 or visit: www.bristololdvic.org.uk.

NEWS IN BRIEF Wallace & Gromit From the Drawing Board © Aardman Animations Ltd 2014

closely with Aardman and 3D design and construction firm, Cod Steaks Ltd, to develop the exhibition which coincides with the 25th anniversary of the first-ever Wallace & Gromit film release. Visitors will have the opportunity to see the famous duo up-close, view story boards and production artefacts such as notebooks from the creators, film archive, models, animation sets and clips. The exhibition will feature a series of rooms from Wallace & Gromit’s home, each exploring a different creative theme with interactive activities encouraging children to discover and explore their own creativity. Ticket prices: £5.95 adult, £3.95 child, £4.95 concession. Family tickets £14.95 (two adults & two children or one adult & three children). Free days on Wed 18 June, Wed 16 July and Wed 20 August.

New play café open in Bedminster

Wallace and Gromit back in town Visitors to the M Shed are in for a treat this year as Wallace & Gromit will once again be a highlight in Bristol’s cultural calendar when a new exhibition opens on Saturday 24 May and runs until Sunday 7 September. The exhibition, Wallace & Gromit From the Drawing Board will take visitors on a journey that explores the world which lies behind the characters, their Bristol based creators, Aardman Animations and the award-winning films in which they star. Bristol Museums, Galleries and Archives is working

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A new play café called The Hungry Caterpillar is receiving a warm welcome by families in South Bristol and beyond. The café is now a community hub also offering private hire on evenings and Sundays. Opened three months ago in Bedminster, by local mother Melody Beard, it has a large play area for children aged up to five, with a separate nonwalker zone, locally sourced food and drink for all ages and family workshops and classes. The Hungry Parents will be pleased to hear Caterpillar that there is an emphasis on play café the adult as much as the child here – the décor is not overly childish and the café offers free wifi and magazines. The café serves Clifton Coffee by trained baristas and food prepared by chef Isabelle Redon from Nourished Kitchen including mezzes, soups, salads and stews. Hungry Caterpillar Play Café is open Monday to Friday, 9.30am – 5pm and on Saturdays,10am – 3pm. For further information visit: www.hungrycaterpillarbristol.co.uk

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CHARITY | WORK

Ms RAINBOW BRINGS THE SUN Camila Batmanghelidjh, the founder of Kids Company tells Georgette McCready about the work her charity is doing to help young people in need in Bristol

t’s no wonder that children love Camila and welcome her, quite literally with open arms. Her smile is ready and warm, she’s dressed from head to toe in layers of rainbow bright shades, she listens attentively when others are talking and – most importantly, she’s bringing sunshine and warmth into their dark and stormy lives. The founder of the charity Kids Company, and a psychotherapist with many years experience Camila Batmanghelidjh has devoted her not inconsiderable energy and talents over the last 18 years to helping children and young adults who have slipped through the net. The stories she tells are enough to make even the most hard-hearted want to weep – of children who can’t sleep at home because they’re so frightened, who snatch the chance to sleep on the relative safety of a bus, who are so emotionally and physically malnourished that they look half their age, who don’t know what it is to be valued and loved. The worst thing about all these stories is that they’re happening under our wellfed noses. Since Camila brought Kids Company to Bristol after successfully running it in London since 1996, she has seen cases that have, as she says, genuinely shocked her. She was invited to talk recently at the Quartet Community Foundation’s annual philanthropy lecture at Clifton College and I managed to catch up with her just before that talk. She has been working with four centres for excluded pupils in Bristol, which has well above the national average number of children living in poverty and continues to have a rising number of them going into care. “There are children as young as seven who’ve been excluded from school, they’re so disturbed,” she says, “What we’re seeing is a history of mal treatment over generations. There are a lot of problems with drug and alcohol addiction in families in Bristol. There are children in the city who are eight or nine but look four or five years old – these are deeply unsettled children.” What Camila and her team give these children in centres dotted around the city, is love. She has no children of her own but says: “The great thing about being a human being is that you can love another child.” And her love is given by offering practical help, which might be getting a bus pass sorted, food in their bellies, a bed for the night. She arranges for troubled young people to have therapy, the sort of help they might need, be it art therapy, playing basketball, or learning techniques to manage and modulate their behaviour. It is a very child centred approach with at its heart the philosophy that sanctions or punishments are not the way to encourage good behaviour. “We’re doing extensive research, but it’s clear from what we’ve found so

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far that prolonged neglect changes the function of the brain – but we can work through therapy to repair that damage,” says Camila. She tells me about a study of a group of young adults who had their brains scanned before being given tasks to complete. They were then told their work wasn’t good enough and sanctions were imposed. Brain scans then showed a slowing down in the ability to perform tasks without making mistakes. In short, punishment deters people from doing well. But in the space of around 15 months Camila and her staff can see a real change in a young person’s behaviour. It’s not a magic wand, as she’s quick to point out “they do give us hell, don’t get me wrong,” but she is now seeing the children she first worked with in London having families of their own and embracing nurturing habits such as bath-time and bedtime stories with their own children. I ask her how as a country we break this cycle of abuse and neglect in families? The answer, she says, is to reform a care system which has remained largely unchanged since Victorian times. She says we need experts at street level – people who share meals with young people, who watch them interact with others and can spot when they need help before it’s too late. This month a major report will be published to help the campaign for reform and Camila, who was awarded a CBE for her work, will be championing that campaign. The charity, which helps thousands of children each year in London and Bristol, costs around £24m a year to run and Camila is dedicated to fundraising almost continually. Supporters include Jamie Cullum and his wife Sophie Dahl, Coldplay and artist Damien Hirst. But she’s now looking for a philanthropist in the south west who will help her buy an old fabric factory in Bristol that she plans to turn into a day centre. She explains that children don’t need to be referred to her centres – other children bring them. That, more than anything, is testament to her work. But what of her own image? She adopted the headscarves, multi-patterns and layers as a young woman inspired by the mountain women of Iran where she grew up. She doesn’t see it as armour, but as an expression of joy – “I really don’t care what people think.” As a schoolgirl at Sherborne Girls School she used to stretch her jumpers overnight to make them big and floaty, she’d paint her shoes bright colours and wear red bloomers. She’s a one off and God knows, the world needs people like Camila. Kids Company is looking for volunteers to help run its Bristol ventures, it also needs computers and funding is always needed. If you can help, email: josie.curran@kidsco.org.uk. ■

It’s clear from what we’ve found so far that prolonged neglect changes the function of the brain – but we can work through therapy to repair that damage

A Colourful Life with Camila Batmanghelidjh, founder of Kids Company. Bath in Fashion is hosting a talk with Camila on Wednesday 7 May at 6pm at the Bath Function Rooms, Green Park Station, Bath. Camila will

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be talking about fashion as armoury and about her life and work with vulnerable young people. Tickets £20, proceeds going to Kids Company. Tel: 0844 847 5256 or visit: www.bathinfashion.co.uk.

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a family ticket to Bath Racecourse’s Countryside Day

teeped in history overlooking the historic city of Bath, Bath Racecourse hosts 20 flat racing fixtures between April and October. And with a variety of entertainment and a number of themed fixtures Bath Racecourse has something for everyone this season. Bath Racecourse’s Countryside Day is one of the most popular days of the season for families. Tractor Ted, the children’s farming superhero, will be at the event, which takes place on Bank Holiday Monday, 5 May. There will be lots of Tractor Ted activities for young families to enjoy such as playing on mini-diggers in the digger den, riding on bouncy farm animals and of course Tractor Ted himself. Children will also be able to meet some friendly ewes and their lambs. As well as Tractor Ted the afternoon’s racing will be kicked off with a Shetland Pony race, followed by seven thrilling horse races.

Bath Racecourse is delighted to announce the return of the Quack Pack for the second year where audiences will be treated to the hilariously entertaining duck herding demonstrations by Meirion Owen and his team of border collies. Gates will open at 11.30am giving families plenty of time to explore the countryside market, offering families the chance to see the very best from local producers based in the south west. Tickets are £17 for adults when booked in advance, or £19 on the door, and kids are free. You can even enjoy a cream tea package for £39 for adults and £18 for children, with a space on a shared table in one of the hospitality boxes where you’ll be guaranteed one of the best views of the course. To find out more about the day or to book tickets tel: 01225 424609 or visit: www.bath-racecourse.co.uk.

Bath Racecourse is offering TWO readers the chance to win a pair of adult tickets to enter the Countryside Day event. Just answer the following question: Who will be herding ducks in the Quack Pack? Email your answer, with Bath Racecourse in the subject line, to: competitions@thebristolmagazine.co.uk, along with your full name, address and telephone number. Deadline for entries: Friday 25 April. The editor’s decision is final. Tickets cannot be refunded or exchanged.

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RUNNING | CITY

GET SET, GO! “Hurry slowly” is the advice from top running coach Bud Baldaro on running the Bristol 10k on 11 May. Here he offers his top training tips in the weeks before the race

he Bristol 10k is one of the nation’s best 10k road races catering for the first timer and the very experienced road runner looking for a fast time. If you are new to the sport you still have a good chunk of time to prepare for the event. • Try to find time to run three times a week and if you can do that try to include the following: 1) A long run – this is a relative term and it might be best to think in terms of time spent running/jogging/walking. If you can, try to build up gradually and patiently to spending 50-60 minutes on your feet. 2) Try and do some form of interval training: warm up for 10-12 minutes then try 8 x 400m at a good but manageable pace. After each 400m jog for 90 seconds to recover and then repeat the effort. After the last one, warm down for 10-12 minutes. You can increase the session by running further distances or by reducing the recovery time or by increasing the number of repetitions – but make sure you hurry slowly. 3) A very beneficial form of training is what we call tempo or threshold running. Having warmed up gently you run at sustained faster pace; what I describe as controlled discomfort ie, you are running at a good sustained pace but you are in control. Start with 5-8 minutes, progress to two lots of 5-8 minutes then perhaps one block of 15 minutess then 2 x 10 and then 20-25 minutes. Again be patient with your progression. • Definitely stay in control. • Have fun and enjoy Bristol. Explore the parks and trails in this great city. Maybe think about doing one of the Saturday morning Parkruns at Ashton Court or Stoke Park. • Try and find a running buddy or consider joining a club. • Make 2014 a RunBristol year and enjoy the time running – be with yourself devoid of stress and pressure. ■ 68 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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Not signed up? There is still time to sign up to run for those who are fit. Go to the RunBristol website: www.runbristol.com. The Bristol 10k has three official charity partners: Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal, CLIC Sargent and COCO who along with many other charities raise hundreds of thousands of pounds by their supporters taking part in the race.

Bud Baldaro is one of the most experienced and well respected endurance coaches in the UK, with a reputation as the man behind some of our top athlete’s best domestic and international performances – including golden girl 1,500m Olympian Hannah England and former Bristol half marathon British winner Hannah Walker.

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Anxious, stressed, depressed?

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health, happiness and personal growth Free happiness ps see www.thecalmwaterprac ce.co.uk

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Complimentary copies of TBM are now specially available to customers of Harvey Nichols Bristol PICK US UP WHEN YOU VISIT Supplies are limited and the stands are re-stocked by the Harvey Nichols staff on a daily basis. YOU CAN ALSO PICK UP THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE AT JOHN LEWIS, THE MALL AT CRIBBS CAUSEWAY, AND SELECTED WAITROSE STORES ACROSS BRISTOL

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HEALTH | & BEAUTY

Salon celebrates 25 years

n 19 April 1989 in the beautiful Dorset town of Sherborne the doors opened of the first Robin James salon. Robin Hague (Robin James are his Christian names) had just turned 21. He had learnt his trade as a stylist and had already built a very good reputation locally. It was quite young to be opening a salon but Robin was frustrated in the salon he was working in at the time.“I worked in a great salon but felt I'd hit a career ceiling age 20,” he said. “I’ve always been impatient. I had asked my boss if there was a chance of a management role but he didn’t think I was old enough. I had so many ideas that I wanted to put into action and tons of energy and believed I could make a difference – so I went for it.” Twenty-five years later, there are now four Robin James salons. The fourth is set on the ground floor of the House of Fraser store in Cabot Circus – its fabulous 3,000sq ft bespoke design boasts 18 styling stations and a spa with five treatment rooms. Robin chose Bristol to open the most recent branch for many reasons but mainly because of his affection for the city. He says: “Bristol has so much to offer. Not only is it the shopping centre of the south west, it has brilliant communications so the catchment is huge. The beautiful city of Bath is only a short train journey away and it’s easily accessed from every other direction. I love the diversity too – from Brunel’s wonderful Victorian architecture to Banksy’s art work.” Unable to cut hair all day long he now focusses his time on the business and training his stylists. “I’m a huge believer in education. Every stylist and spa therapist has a training plan no matter how experienced they are. I now get my hairdressing kicks out of sharing my knowledge with other stylists. Training is vital to keep the standards consistent across the group. If a guest goes into the Bristol salon and has a wonderful experience, I need to be confident that they would have received the same high standard in any other Robin James salon. It’s not just about technical skills either. Customer service is so important and we focus on this constantly. Visiting a Robin James salon or spa must be a wonderful experience. Anything less than that and we have failed as far as I am concerned.” Pop in to the Robin James salon in House of Fraser for further information or visit: www.robin-james.co.uk ■

Robin and the team at the Bristol Robin James salon

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FIT & FAB Products and the latest health and beauty news in the city

Step into spring...

Clockwise from top left: Jo Malone London has launched a limited edition cologne collection called London Rain, created by master perfumer Christine Nagel, capturing the different moods of a downpour – from a soft morning shower through to a wild rainstorm. The four fragrances are: rain and angelica, wisteria and violet, white jasmine and mint, and black cedarwood and juniper (available at Harvey Nichols, £82, 100ml). Acclaimed hair colourist Josh Wood has launched a hair saviour product at M&S – the blending wand. Available in four colours, £12.50 each, these are non-permanent instant colour solutions to hide grey hairs or blend re-growth – perfect if you’ve still got a few weeks to go until your next colour appointment. For the spring season, Bobbi Brown has launched a collection of nudes and nectars to warm up the skin tone for a fresh glow. We love the nectar and bare peach nail polishes, £11 each and the hibiscus cream cheek colour, £19.

Having a choice makes all the difference, says Wessex Counselling A survey by the We Need to Talk Coalition has produced a paper on psychological therapies which states the following: One in five of those surveyed has been waiting over a year to receive treatment. People who had a choice of therapies were three times more likely to be happy with their treatment, than those who wanted a choice, but did not get it. Julie Wilde, clinical manager of Wessex Counselling Service said: “The survey shows that many people are not getting what they need from the NHS. Because we are a registered charity we can offer an affordable alternative, for the many who are not satisfied with what the NHS can currently offer. We are able to help those who may need something now – not in a year’s time, and also a well-recognised, effective therapy which is able to continue for as long as it takes to establish lasting change. “Many difficulties which people encounter have taken a long time to build into the present emotional distress. Common sense tells us, that although we might understandably wish for it, this cannot be wiped out with a magic wand in a few

sessions. It is true that sometimes people can learn quick coping strategies, however often those who come to us for help say that they feel they have failed to engage with this technique, or have only lasted for a while, and then the problem re-emerges. “People may be confused by all the different therapies on offer but psychodynamic counselling is a long-established approach which can help with a huge range of difficulties. Working with the therapist can often reveal entrenched patterns which are not helping you gain fulfilment and peace of mind, now. These patterns take time and understanding to gradually bring about the sort of change which will last you for the rest of your life. “People can be fearful of coming into counselling, but actually the process is a very careful one in which you will first meet to explore if we can help, and are then allocated to one of our therapists. He or she will be at your side to support and encourage your progress. Many of our clients say that choosing to come into counselling was the best decision they ever made.” For more information contact the Consulting Rooms on tel: 01373 453355.

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HEALTH | & BEAUTY

Pale and interesting Bring a fresh glow to your makeup this season with English rose radiance, straight from the catwalk. We asked Rachelle Howells, beauty manager at Harvey Nichols Bristol, how to achieve the prettiest of pink looks

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N THE CATWALK: Fuchsia, oyster and pink washed over eyes for a pretty yet punky vibe at Burberry, Rochas and Dolce & Gabbana, while the shadow was so subtle at Balmain, Marni and Emilio Pucci that it veered more towards nude.

GET THE LOOK: Create the perfect base with Ole Henriksen Perfect Truth CC Crème and Crème de la Mer Luminous Loose Powder. For a pinched cheek look, a la Balmain, Marni and Alexander Wang, opt for with Benefit’s Posie Tint while Laura Mercier Mineral Cheek Colour in Pink Spark will give more definition. For eyes, use Laura Mercier Shimmer Bloc and layer the prettiest of pinks as you wish. We love NARS duo eye shadow in Bouthan for added colour. For runway-ready brows, apply Benefit’s High Brow Glow Pencil in champagne-pink under your brow arches for an instant lift. Keep your lips super kissable with The Rosebud Perfume Company’s new EOS lip balm in Strawberry Sorbet. For a barely-there shade, try Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited Satin Matte Lipstick in Pink. Add a final flourish to your nails with Deborah Lippmann Nail Lacquer in Modern Love. Model image: From Shu Uemera’s new Bijoux collection. ❶ Ole Henriksen Perfect Truth CC Crème, £32. ❷ Crème de la Mer Luminous Loose Powder, £55. ❸ Benefit High Brow Glow pencil, £15. ❹ Laura Mercier Cheek Colour – Pink Spark, £18.50. ❺ Benefit Posie Tint, £24.50. ❻ Laura Mercier Shimmer Bloc, £31. ❼ Rosebud Perfume Company EOS Lip Balm, £7.50. ❽ NARS duo eye shadow in Bouthan, £25 ❾ Deborah Lippmann Nail Lacquer – Modern Love, £18. ❿ Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited Satin Matte Lipstick - Pink, £22. All products featured are available from the Ground Floor Beauty Hall at Harvey Nichols Bristol.

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Atelier 14 Regent Street, Clifton Village, Bristol BS8 4HG. Tel: 0117 9734 142 or visit: www.atelierclifton.co.uk

REVIEW

Natural Beauty

’m a bit of a stickler for using natural based products on my hair and skin in an effort to reduce the number of chemicals that are absorbed into the bloodstream, which is why I love Aveda products and frequently go to Aveda hair salons. So when I heard that a new salon called Atelier had opened in Clifton Village that was championing a new range of products made from natural ingredients – primarily milk and fruit – by an innovative Italian company called Milk_Shake, I was eager to try it out. The Milk_Shake range, I discovered in my consultation with Atelier owner and director, Ella, is paraben, petrochemical and ammonia free, but still high performance. The colour, she said, “creates a luminosity like no other.” How it works is by protecting the cuticles of the hair and infusing each strand with milk proteins so the colour lasts longer. Ella opened Atelier in the heart of Clifton Village, on Regent Street, just over two months ago, after 14 years in the industry, including hairdressing in various salons around Bristol. It had always been her dream to open her own salon in her own unique style, so when the opportunity presented itself, she jumped at the chance and transformed an old salon space into this industrial-inspired, luxurious, boutique salon. The cool and trendy décor, with wooden flooring, up-cycled pieces of furniture, dark leather sofas, deep purple walls, patterned wallpaper and striking Moroccan lampshades all reflect Ella’s style and creative flair perfectly. She even has plans to open a spa with a number of treatments rooms below the hair salon by the end of the year – staying with the ethos of natural beauty. At the consultation we discussed cut and colour. Being blonde, I normally just have the same colour highlights every three months. But Ella could sense that I was bored with this and instead suggested breaking up the colour with some different tones, including a pinky rose gold. I was horrified at this thought but after showing me some samples and pictures of how it can really emphasise more vibrant blonde highlights as well as complement fairer skins, I felt safe with Ella’s knowledge and expertise, and excited at the prospect of trying something new. Ella’s enthusiasm shines through with everything she says and it is obvious that she is very passionate about hairdressing and customer service and knows exactly what will suit someone’s colouring and

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face shape to create a fabulous image. In terms of the cut, I explained that I was fed up with having shapeless, bulky hair so Ella suggested cutting a little bit off the length, taking out some of the weight on the sides and softening my fringe and shape around the face. Ella and her team of stylists are all experts when it comes to hair and are happy to offer inspiration if you are stuck for ideas. A week later I turned up for my appointment and as soon as I entered the salon, I felt I could switch off and enjoy being pampered. The atmosphere is tranquil, with comfortable seats, a large selection of refreshments, warmth, soothing aromas, gentle music and a complimentary hand massage all adding to the relaxing experience – an oasis of calm in the heart of a bustling city. After the highlights had been put in and set, I was taken over to the basin to one of the massage chairs and laid back as my hair was washed. The best thing about the Milk_Shake products is the smell – sweet and beautiful, and it lingers for a day or so, making your hair feel fresh and clean. Goodbye chemical whiff and sting on the scalp! Ella used colour enhancing shampoo and conditioner, followed by a Milk_Shake Colour Boost Active Yoghurt Mask. This intensive moisture treatment is rich in Vitamin E and can be customised with a specific colour to refresh tone and radiance. As well as the head massage and hot towel, the treatment was made even more special with a glass of Champagne (complimentary with every treatment) that I sipped in my blissful state of relaxation. Other treatments on offer include the popular Lab Therapy Label M Shots, from the salon’s other product range, which are specifically targeted to help damaged hair, replenish colour or soothe a dry and itchy scalp. Ella finished with a cut and blow-dry, explaining techniques that I could use at home to recreate the look. I was amazed how much more lustrous, shiny and healthy my hair was when I left – the colour was intense and vibrant and the condition hydrated, smoother and a lot more manageable. It was the first time I’d really seen a difference after having a colour, so in my books, Milk_Shake performs even better than Aveda. I’ll be back again for sure. ■ SC

Ella’s enthusiasm shines through with everything she says... she knows exactly what will suit someone’s colouring and face shape to create a fabulous image

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THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 75

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Natural help for Hay Fever and Allergies By Hermann Keppler, Principal of CNM (College of Naturopathic Medicine).

n allergy is an abnormal sensitivity of the body to certain substances, called allergens, such as pollen, micro-organisms, pet dander, dust, and sometimes food. There are generally two main causes.

A weak Immune System If your immune system is weak, it will over-react on exposure to allergens, such as pollen, causing the body to increase the production of ‘antibodies’ to destroy the invader. These antibodies release immune cells which cause unpleasant allergic symptoms such as: sneezing, wheezing, nasal congestions, itchy-watery eyes, running nose, itchy throat, asthma, stomach ache, fatigue, irritability etc. Antihistamines and steroids, sometimes given to suppress the symptoms, work by inhibiting the body’s defences. They can cause side effects, ranging from stomach problems to cognitive issues, and increased risk of developing disease. According to the naturopathic way of thinking taught at CNM, since the body creates immune cells to deal with allergens, it does not make sense to destroy them. Rather, it would be better to boost the person’s immune system, enabling them to deal with allergens and pollen. Leaky Gut Syndrome Most nutrients are absorbed in the small intestine. The intestine is selective and should only absorb digested foods. However, disruption can occur to the intestine lining for various reasons. Contributory factors could include some pharmaceutical drugs, vaccinations, a diet high in sugars, sweeteners, starches, over processed and microwaved foods, preservatives, refined flours and sodas, which introduce toxins into the body. Coffee, smoking, and alcohol cause inflammation in the gut and destroy the gut flora. If there is a disruption to the intestine lining, larger undigested food molecules together with toxins, yeast and other waste material which the body normally doesn’t allow through, is able to enter the blood stream, a condition known as leaky gut. The first reaction of the body to these foreign substances in the blood stream is to fight. Ultimately, the immune system comes into action against the intruders, resulting in allergy symptoms. What you can do To treat allergies and hay fever effectively one has to boost the immune system and improve the function of the digestive system. Eliminating smoking, alcohol, caffeine, plus sugars, starches, white flours, sodas and other irritating foods and substances, alleviates the inflammation of the gut and assists the 76 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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intestinal tract to return to its normal function. Stick to a diet which is rich in vegetables, leaves and herbs, organic where possible. To detox, or to do a supervised fast can help greatly. Chronic stress always suppresses the immune system. Find out what is causing your stress and solve the problem! Damaged gut functions are going to leave you with nutritional deficiencies. Seek the advice of a Naturopath or Nutritional Therapist about the types and levels of Hermann Keppler supplementation most appropriate for you, and which can also help rebuild the mucosal lining of the intestine. A good diet and cutting down on irritants is the first step to getting rid of bad bacteria in the gut. Then you need to repopulate it with a constant feed of good bacteria. Your Naturopathic Nutritional Therapist can find the right strain of probiotic bacteria to suit you. You’ll also need enzymes, found in foods, particularly raw organic vegetables, salads and herbs. Make sure you have some every day. You can supplement digestive enzymes initially. They help digest our food by breaking it down into very small particles to be utilized by the body. Acupuncture can help to identify what weakness in the body prevents it from coping with allergens. Insertion of needles in certain points of the body can boost organ functions and the immune system. Alongside taking nutritional steps, Herbal Medicine and Homeopathy can also further support the immune system naturally.

FREE CNM Open Evening Thursday 10th April 6.30pm-8.30pm Find out about training with CNM Bristol for a career in Naturopathic Nutrition or Naturopathic Acupuncture. You can also hear more about our short course ‘Nutrition for Everyday Living’. For details, and to reserve your place: 01342 410 505 info@naturopathy-uk.com

www.naturopathy-uk.com

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hair

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THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

MEDIA SALES

The Bath Magazine is the city’s biggest monthly media. Both titles are widely regarded as two of finest city magazines in the UK and we are now looking out for a talented individual who would like to work with our team. The ideal candidate will possess at least one year’s media sales experience, preferably gained from a quality magazine publisher or similar sales environment. Well educated, well spoken, you will be personable, enjoy selling and possess the drive and confidence to make a valuable contribution to our continued success. We love producing superb magazines, and offering our customers a great service. The best part of our success is that it is always well rewarded and becomes an enjoyable career opportunity. Please send your CV and covering letter to Steve Miklos. email: steve@thebristolmagazine.co.uk Tel: 0117 974 2800 www. thebristolmagazine.co.uk

Telephone 0117 974 2800

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OUT | AND ABOUT

Brook side This month we head to the Whitebrook Valley, north of Tintern, for a steep and sometimes muddy ramble alongside mountain brooks cascading over moss-covered boulders. Although close to some of the Wye Valley’s most popular attractions, Whitebrook is unspoilt and relatively unknown – a far cry from its heyday as one of Monmouthshire’s busiest industrial centres, says Andrew Swift

(SO523062), where there is also a large picnic area and adventure playground. A few metres along to the west, take a broad track leading into Manor Wood, and follow it as swings right and then left gently downhill. The stream on your right is not the White Brook but a tributary called the Manor Brook.

ireworks were first established at Whitebrook over 400 years ago, but in the mid-18th century they were superseded by papermills. There were at least six papermills in the valley at one time; the last closed around 1880. Many of the buildings associated with Whitebrook’s industrial past survive, some ruinous, some converted to other uses, while the millraces, leats and millponds that fed the machinery can still be seen all along the valley. Although the walk is relatively short, it is big on views, packed with interest, dog friendly and ideal for adventurous children. It is also in the middle of an area with plenty of other places to visit – the best-known being Tintern – and could easily feature as part of a full day out.

• After 350 metres, bear right at a crosspath (SO524061), cross the stream and continue along a broad track as it swings left to follow the stream. After another 350 metres, carry on past a track branching steeply off up to the right. A few metres further on, when the path forks, bear left to follow a waymark down a narrow path (SO528061).

• The walk starts at a village called The Narth, which lies amidst a network of lanes west of the A466 from Chepstow to Monmouth. It dates from the 19th century, when it was settled by workers from the papermills, and its name is thought to come from the Welsh word for ‘clearing’.

• After 125 metres, when a path branches off to the left, carry straight on, negotiating a fallen tree and crossing a small stream. From this point, the path grows ever steeper and muddier, but the sight and sound of the Manor Brook cascading down the hillside is ample compensation.

• Parking is opposite the village hall, at the southern end of the village

• Carry on past an old corn mill (SO532063), and a little further on you will

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OUT | AND ABOUT passing an old cider mill and a pair of cottages, look to the left to see the ruins – including an octagonal chimney – of Clearwater Paper Mill, established in 1760. • The path up through the woods is gentler and less muddy than the one you came down, but no less picturesque and, as you climb away from the village, the cascades are just as spectacular. Carry on with stream below you on the left, ignoring paths branching to left and right and after 1,250 metres you will come to a road (SO521070). Bear right up this for 150 metres, before bearing sharp left – almost doubling back on yourself – to the left of a house. • This steep and rocky green lane is not in great condition, thanks partly to trail bikers, but after levelling out at the top of the climb the surface improves. Carry on past a turning to the left and a little further on, when you reach the road, turn left (SO522066). Follow the road through the village to return to the village hall.

FURTHER INFORMATION... ■

IN THE VALLEYS left, along the walk you’ll go through woodland with cascading mountain brooks and come across the remains of an old millpond Above, the old Bell Inn

see Whitebrook Baptist chapel up to your right. Bear left when you come to a lane, and left again by the old Bell Inn (long closed but still with its old licensing details over the door). After passing Holy Trinity church on the left, bear right past Kingfisher Cottage and then turn left along a bridleway to Pwllplythin Wood (SO533065). • The White Brook, on your left, although more important than the Manor Brook, may seem a little tame, due to the leats and ponds built along it to power long-vanished millwheels. It does, however, assume a wilder character further upstream. After

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Distance: 4 miles

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Time: 1.5–2 hours

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Level of challenge: Muddy and steep in places

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Map: OS OL14

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Place to visit nearby: The spectacular ruins at Tintern Abbey are just a 20minute drive away, located at the southern end of Tintern village, open daily 9.30am - 5pm. In Tintern village there are pubs serving food daily, as well as public toilets and shops.

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CITY | LIVING

INTERIORS INSIDER Be inspired by the latest home and garden news and products

Spring delights...

SITTING PRETTY: Miss Behaving small sofa in Romo Pleasure Gardens Velvet Bloom, £2,879, from Sofa Workshop

FLY AWAY HOME: Timorous Beasties by Brintons, Yellow Ruskin Butterfly, £95 per sqm. www.Brintons.co.uk

COLOUR BLOCK: mix it up with Sofas & Stuff’s Buzz range, available in a range of colours. Corner sofa in Autumn Berries, from £544

News in Brief ■ Nothing stands still New bathroom show in the world of interiors area at Kit Stone and Kit Stone, Clifton has recently undergone a makeover resulting in a beautiful home interiors showroom, showcasing Neptune’s full range of kitchen, living, dining furniture and accessories. There is also a bathroom area, featuring solid wood, hand painted washstands and cabinets, which not only look stylish, but add valuable storage. New for spring is an upholstery collection, comprising sofas, armchairs, footstools and scatter cushions. Contemporary yet classic in design, they come in a range of neutral fabrics to complement any home. As well as a new look for the showroom, there’s a new manager and kitchen designer, Daniel Lincoln. With over six years’ experience of designing kitchens, Daniel was previously a cabinet maker, making bespoke fine furniture. Visit the showroom at 18 Portland Street, Clifton, and enter the prize draw.

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EASY LIVING: Jones Carpet and Bed Centre has some beautiful mellow colours and patterns for spring. Pop in to the showroom to have a look – 10 Vale Lane, off Hartcliffe Way, Bedminster

■ A Next Home & Garden store is due to open at Cribbs Causeway on Thursday 17 April, introducing the first store in Next’s portfolio to house a 5,000sqft bed shop. This brand new concept will enable shoppers to browse a huge range of mattresses and beds – from handy storage divans to elegant upholstered beds, all with a choice of fabrics. The store will stand at an impressive 31,000 sqft and include everything you need to kit out your house inside and out. You will be spoilt for choice with new summer collections including a relaxed, coastal theme and the Hothouse range of cerise pink and lime green with graphic floral prints and butterflies. Taking the look outdoors, multicoloured picnicware and waterproof printed bunting ensure that the garden is dressed equally as well.

Next Beachcomber range

Morris and Ling garden accessories

■ After selling interior pieces in Dig Haushizzle, Bristol interiors company Morris & Ling are now selling their collection of antique and vintage garden furniture and wares at the Riverside Garden Centre on Clift House Road. You will be able to find French and English garden furniture, rustic wood and zinc tables, hand thrown terracotta pots and urns, wrought iron chandeliers, 1930s metal bistro tables, early 20th century stoneware, zinc planters, vintage garden tools and other original pieces that, combined with Riverside’s wonderful selection of plants, will enhance your garden. You can also find Morris & Ling interiors online at: www.morrisandling.com

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HOMES | ON SHOW

A ROOM WITH AVIEW This upside down, detached, five bedroom house near Clifton Village offers splendid views over the Bristol Channel to the Welsh hills beyond, an abundance of space and light and super stylish designs, writes Marianne Swinkels

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as you enter the gated grounds which fan out ometimes it’s good to be prepared. at the end of a private lane you’ll get the first Hands up, I should have done my glimpse of the glory to come. Elevated in all homework, no pun intended, before senses of the word, the house is sited in the taking the tour round this fine piece of respectable lee of the village parish church, real estate, coming as it does with the overlooking gardens, farmland and word ‘unique’ writ large and bold in the sales paddocks stretching out on three sides. brochure. For if you enter this deceptively And all within a few minutes of the city spacious property with every reasonable one way and easy access to the motorway expectation of normality, you may well find network the other. yourself briefly discombobulated. As I was. There have been dramatic changes by the Instead of going round the houses about my current owners over almost a decade to viewing though, let’s get straight to the point extend, refurbish, re-jig and part rebuild the The house looks over surrounding countryside, the Bristol and give you the low down on this cutting-edge Channel and Welsh hills beyond original 1970s house on this secluded plot. home. They loved the setting but not the building Because this place simply, and quite rightly, and took the plunge to transform it into the turns the conventional on its head. And boy, divine three level, hi-tech and super-spec five does it work. Here is upside down living at its bedroom home it is today. very best. An entire top floor dedicated to The galleried hallway opens up to a sophisticated R&R, a middle floor given over domed roof window which floods the to a splendid array of sleeping quarters and a custom designed stainless steel staircase with ground floor to do whatever you want with. light and heralds the way to the vast open Beautifully engineered to take advantage of plan space above. Presented with a 50ft long its rural location, this striking and superbly L-shaped upper living room and a vast planned residence occupies arguably one of the expanse of floor-to-ceiling windows to finest positions outside nearby Clifton Village. exploit that hard-to-beat vista, the instant impression of this flexible layout is A one-off detached house with spot-on eco credentials, design priority has awesome (as in inspiring and admiring descriptive comment – not the been focused on creating abundant space, light and access to the spectacular commonplace teenage utterance, which so often fails to describe anything at south west facing views over surrounding countryside, the Bristol Channel all). and Welsh hills beyond. Three independent zones are incorporated in this classy and contemporary Blessed with a holy address – Church Gate, Church Lane, Abbots Leigh –

The galleried hallway opens up to a domed roof window which floods the custom designed steel staircase with light...

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HOMES | ON SHOW

top floor, flanked on three sides by raised balconies accessed by sliding doors to offer al fresco at its best. Where else can you gaze at a panorama from such a swathe of glass as this? With the architect designed living room area and its bespoke triple barrelled ceiling and curved glass windows, cosiness is achieved by a central woodburner and the mahogany floor which links with the minimalist dining area beyond; the sleek and chic kitchen with its stone worktops, breakfast bar and terrace access; the relaxing library cum music corner with more full length glazing and countryside views. On one hand, with its engineered double glazed aluminium windows, stilted verandas, super insulation, state-of-the-art solar photovoltaic electricity, solar vacuum tube technology for water and underfloor central heating and air-source heat pump for an outdoor heated swimming pool, Church Gate, like a certain German car advert, can boast ‘Vorsprung durch technik’ credibility. The vendors do not even have any electricity bills! For all its ‘progress through technology’ it is on the other hand, also a homey property at heart, with original character and antique furniture much in evidence on the two other floors. Spoilt for choice from a spread of bedrooms, I would plump for the master with its scenic backdrop, feature stone fireplace and en suite bathroom with Jacuzzi bath, double shower and sinks. Or perhaps the guest suite at the other end of the property which has direct access to the kidney shaped pool and the garden with its palm trees and exudes an ‘I’m so-on-holiday’ feel? There’s variety and flexibility aplenty and with another kitchen on this middle level, ample scope to incorporate an independent annexe or selfcontained accommodation, linking as it does via a cast iron spiral staircase to the large lower floor which serves as a family room. Or could that be a home office, poolside gym, cinema, music or games room? The real question is, who’ll be the lucky ones to face such tricky decisions? ■

PROPERTY PROFILE: Where: Church Gate, Church Road, Abbots Leigh, Bristol BS8 3QU What: A striking, detached, contemporary three level house with panoramic views over the Bristol Channel. Flexible accommodation offering 50ft open plan kitchen/dining/living room with wraparound floor to ceiling windows, sliding doors and balconies. Heated outdoor swimming pool in 0.4 acres of secluded grounds. The spec: 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, study, cellar, further reception room. Scope for self-contained accommodation/independent annexe. Private gated access. Detached double garage.

Price: Offers in excess of £1,495,000 Agent: Hamptons International, Clifton office 80 Queens Road, Clifton BS8 1QU

Contact: Tel: 0117 901 5591, email: bristol@hamptons-int.com or visit: www.hamptons.co.uk Heated outdoor swimming pool

The top floor features, balconies accessed by sliding doors, living room area, dining area, kitchen, terrace access and library

The master bedroom with a feature stone fireplace

Dining and kitchen area with breakfast bar

The master bedroom en suite bathroom with Jacuzzi bath

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INTERIORS

Main image and below: examples of Duck Egg Kitchen designs

Your dream kitchen is a reality Corinne Stokes-Gipson, of Bristol-based kitchen design company, Duck Egg Kitchens, explains the benefits of having a bespoke kitchen

f you’re looking to have a new kitchen and are growing tired of browsing through off-the-shelf packages from shops, wondering what compromises you are going to have to make – you may want to consider having a bespoke kitchen, as you can personalise it to your exact taste. And while you may be questioning: ‘but what about the cost?’ you need to bear these points in mind... • You are not restricted by any style or colour and you really do have the freedom to be your own interior designer. If you are striving to create a unique space in your home then you can be certain that a tailor-fitted kitchen will fit the bill. • The materials and build quality of a bespoke kitchen are second to none. When choosing an in-frame kitchen for example, the doors are hung with a butt hinge, a time-old tradition of handmade quality. Using this method means the doors won’t drop and will look perfect for years to come. Kitchen designers who specialise in handcrafted kitchens have comprehensive knowledge of their industry and can work through your ideas and needs, offering you the best possible advice and suggestions in order to create your dream. • The installation of a kitchen is a very important aspect in the whole process, there is nothing worse than a poorly fitted kitchen. When deciding to have a bespoke kitchen you can rest assured that the installation is carried out by true craftsmen, who are meticulous in every detail, and work to exacting standards. • The difficulty with mass produced kitchens is that they are never going to produce the kitchen you dream of. The offerings from off-the-shelf suppliers do not match up to the extensive choices of a hand built kitchen. You will have to compromise somewhere along the line. If you have an awkward shaped room or an old property, it can be difficult to fit an off-the-shelf kitchen into these spaces; while a bespoke kitchen is tailored to the room and no space is wasted. • Working with your ceiling height is where a bespoke kitchen really comes into its own. Often with a mass produced kitchen you are given the option of two heights which can leave you with a kitchen that doesn’t work with the proportions of your room. It is a shame to not use 86 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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extra high wall cupboards if you have beautiful high ceilings to really show off the elegance of the space. You can also produce a more eclectic look with a freestanding kitchen which is something you do not see very often in mass produced kitchens. • The biggest benefit to having a bespoke hand painted kitchen is that if you get the plan exactly right you won’t have to go through the expense and time of getting a new kitchen again, you can simply repaint the doors to suit your new colour scheme or add new handles, giving your kitchen a new lease of life. Painted kitchens are tough and hard-wearing but if any areas become damaged, they can simply be touched up rather than needing to be replaced. Replacing a factory made door can be a stressful process, especially when they get discontinued. • A bespoke kitchen has the image of being an expensive option, and many people don’t even explore the opportunity to choose hand built. The value for money you receive from a bespoke kitchen is excellent, especially when you consider the fact that you can re-paint rather than re-do. It’s worth exploring so that you can make an informed decision. ■ Duck Egg Kitchens is run by two sisters; Cassandra, the designer and project manager, who has been designing and managing kitchen installations for over 10 years; and Corinne, the marketing manager who works the cogs behind the scene. Duck Egg Kitchens is extremely versatile and offers a top quality craftsmanship experience. For further information or a free design consultation visit: www.duckeggkitchens.co.uk or telephone: 0117 958 8797.

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COMPETITION

WIN!

a garden lovers’ break in south west Wales

his exciting competition to win a three night short break offers up to four people a chance to visit some delightful gardens of south and west Wales, and stay in a comfortable, National Trust self-catering cottage at Colby Woodland Garden. The One Historic Garden project is a collection of seven restored woodland, parks and gardens across south and west Wales. Feel free to wander and explore their rich seams of history, poetry, landscape and Victorian grandeur. Walk through an ancient cloister garden, watch as an historic hidden terrace garden and a walled kitchen garden are returning to their former glory, hug a champion tree, swing over a stream, enjoy a wildflower meadow and feel the vibes where Dylan Thomas found youthful inspiration. The prize is for a three night autumn stay in The Cwms, National Trust holiday cottage at Colby Woodland Garden, Pembrokeshire to be taken any time between 31 October and 17 December. The prize also includes complimentary access to National Trust Colby Woodland Garden for four people and a private introductory talk by the garden manager. To be in with a chance of winning this fabulous prize, just answer the following question: What is the name of the project restoring woodland, parks and gardens in south and west Wales? Email your answer with Garden Break in the subject line to: competitions@thebristolmagazine.co.uk, along with your full name, address and telephone number. Deadline for entries: Monday 28 April. Terms and Conditions: The holiday is subject to availability and does not include any extras. No cash alternative or refund will be given and winners must be over 18. The competition is not open to employees of the National Trust or their families. The competition winner may extend their stay for the normal price of the cottage. The National Trust will not be responsible for any transport or accommodation costs incurred in the fulfilment of the 88 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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prize. Holiday must be taken before 17 December 2014. Standard terms and conditions of a holiday booking apply – see current brochure or National Trust Cottages website for details. The prize is brought to The Bristol Magazine readers by One Historic Garden, Colby Woodland Garden and The National Trust Cottages. For further information visit: www.onehistoricgarden.co.uk or for more about Colby Woodland Garden, visit: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/colbywoodland-garden or for The Cwms Holiday Cottage, visit: http://www.nationaltrustcottages.co.uk/ cottage/the-cwms-013001/ ■

Colby Woodland Garden

The Cwms National Trust holiday cottage at Colby Woodland Garden

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PUMP IT UP Our Bristol garden design feature writer, Margaux Speirs asks: “Is your garden beautiful yet?” and suggests a pond or water feature to add interest and charm

iven the incredible rainfall we have had throughout the spring it may be insensitive to write about creating a water feature in your garden. Certainty if you live on the Somerset Levels you will not be building a pond in your garden this summer! Nevertheless nothing beats the sight and sound of a cool pool or flowing water on a hot summer’s day, so looking ahead in optimistic anticipation let’s think about how beautiful your garden could look with a fountain or pond. Obviously the bigger the garden the grander the water feature can be but I think a small, modest feature is often more charming. My three favourite types of water feature for town gardens are a ceramic pot fountain, a stone fountain and a patio waterfall with a projecting water sheet. For any of these you need to have electricity supply and if the pump is some way away from the house you will want to install an outdoor power point nearby. Always use a residual circuit breaker so that if subsequent over eager digging or pruning cuts through the cable the digger or pruner is not hurt. Running the wire through a length of plastic conduit also protects it from accidental damage. The pump will be a mains submersible pump i.e. it sits in the water tank of your fountain and has a waterproof connection to the mains. The size of the pump you need will depend on its chosen use but all pumps are sold with reference to their flow rate in litres. A pump with 3,000 in its name will push out 3,000 litres an hour (but be aware that the flow rate drops as you raise the output end). The pump should state the maximum head it will achieve (the height to which it would pump water with no attachments) and give a guide to flow rates at different head heights so when you go to buy it

❝

have in mind the height differential between the place your pump will sit and where you want the water to flow out. Bristol is fortunate to have a specialist pond and fountain supplier in nearby Blagdon and they will be able to advise on the appropriate fittings for the fountain you want (www.blagdon-watergardens.co.uk). One of the easiest water features to construct is a pot fountain and unlike a pond, you don’t need to worry whether it is in sun or shade or fear that children or animals may fall in. You can buy one ready-made but why not have fun making one yourself using any ceramic pot, provided it is frost proof. Most pots will already have a drainage hole in the bottom but you may need to widen this to fit the pump hose through. Use plumbers’ putty to form a waterproof seal around the plastic hose once it is fed through into the pot. There are a number of useful ‘how-to’ videos on the internet if you want a tutorial before you start (just Google it). For less than £100 you can buy a kit which includes tank, grill and pump with fountain head. You will need to excavate a hole in the ground big enough for the tank and you will need decorative slate or pebbles to disguise the grill over the tank on which the pot stands. A variation on the simple pot fountain is to pump the water through a spherical granite ball or a millstone with a hollow core, so the water trickles back down or to have a simple bubble fountain where the pump head is at ground level, sending the water spraying out onto the pebbles and draining back through them to the tank below. A free standing stone fountain does not require excavating a hole for the tank and can stand on an existing terrace. I like the stone fountains made by Massarelli (http://www.massarelli.co.uk) but Haddonstone also make fine

One of the easiest water features to construct is a pot fountain and unlike a pond, you don’t need to worry whether it is in sun or shade or fear that children or animals may fall in

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looking products (http://www.haddonstone.com). You can buy a lovely fountain complete with pump for around £300. If you are interested in creating a water sheet effect fountain have a look at www.oase-livingwater.com for inspiration and products. They need a lot of water to look good so a 15 inch blade needs a 6,500 litre pump, together costing at least £270. Blagdon Water Gardens are a local supplier. Certain sorts of plants look particularly appropriate beside water features, for example Acer palmatum var.dissectum, Cornus, Dierama pulcherrimum, ferns and hostas. There is an excellent book called The Water Gardener by Anthony Archer-Wills which can help you to choose suitable waterside plants, water lilies and other floating leaved plants and bog planting. I love the stunning South African arum lily, Zantedeschia aethiopica which is just about hardy enough for England, particularly if planted deeply or well mulched over winter. It looks handsome beside formal or informal pools and can even grow in shallow water’s edge. If you want fish in your pond it will need to be at least 300cm deep (or deeper for fish other than goldfish). Fish ponds should always be in open sunny positions but too much sunlight can result in build-up of algae. As a rule of thumb, ponds in sun for about six hours a day stay algae free. Water lilies which relish the sun can be planted to shade the water below them to reduce the concentration of sunlight. If you are intending to keep a number of fish you may need to buy a filtration system. Shallow edged, naturalistic ponds are great for encouraging wildlife but ponds with steep, hard edges can be a hazard for hedgehogs, dogs and children. Finally give some thought to lighting your water feature if it is close enough to your house to enjoy in the evenings. Many fountain pumps come complete with lights and if you get the right effect (not coloured or flashing LEDs please!) there is something mystical about shadows made by light coming through moving water. ■

PLANT OF THE MONTH Amelanchier lamarkii is a wonderful, multi-stemmed small tree with masses of white flowers in spring followed by bronze young foliage turning green in summer. In the autumn its leaves turn orange and deep red and its red or purple berries provide food for the birds (or humans if you can beat the birds to them). It is small enough even for a courtyard garden (mature height 5 – 7m) and not fussy whether it is grown in sun or part shade. It is easy to grow, usually pest and disease free and needs little maintenance or pruning. Expect to pay about £100 for a pot grown specimen 5 – 6 feet high.

Margaux Speirs is a pre-registered member of the Society of Garden Designers, and runs her business, Margaux Speirs Garden Design from her home in Bristol. For further information visit: www.margauxspeirsgardendesign.co.uk

THEBRISTOLMAGAZINE THEBESTOFBRISTOL PERFECTLYCOVERED BRISTOLSBIGGESTMAGAZINE PERFECTLYDELIVERED TOADVERTISETEL: 0117 9742800 WWW.THEBRISTOLMAGAZINE.CO.UK

APRIL 2014

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Life is for living At Riversway Nursing Home quality of life means everything.

Our well-established, purpose-built home provides nursing care for a range of people with different physical needs, including younger people and those with dementia. Dedicated, highly skilled staff provide a wide range of person-centred services for adults and older people with needs including general nursing care, planned respite care, end of life care and dementia care. But no matter what care you require, we believe that every single person joins our community to continue their lifestyle and enjoy as much independence as possible. Joining our community

Our staff are dedicated to providing high quality support for residents, their carers and relatives. Riversway’s philosophy is that people are individuals who deserve dignity, respect and person-centred care in a homely environment. We want residents to live as full and enjoyable a life as possible, and we have our own unique lifestyle support team which works with small groups and individuals to continue their interests and hobbies. Music and dance are always a popular activity and we have a number of regular entertainers who visit to sing a selection of popular songs. It’s not just our residents who are quickly up and dancing – the staff love the visits just as much. Visitors to Riversway might be surprised to see our physiotherapist, Andy, pu(ng residents through their paces with equipment 92 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

APRIL 2014

including weights, boxing gloves, pads and trampolines. This is a popular ac'vity which fills the home with energy and laughter. Out and about

As Riversway is sited in bustling Bristol, we make sure that we organise trips to a number of the city’s sights as often as we can. Recent visits have seen a group of residents visit the stunning Bristol Aquarium to take in the octopus, sharks and the underwater tunnel. History was brought to life with a trip to M Shed, the dockside museum designed to retain the character of the former 1950s transit shed it inhabits. And all the fun of the fair was on offer during a special trip to Billy Smart’s Circus to see highlights including a fireman show. We also have great links to the local community, and are always keen to welcome visitors to Riversway. For example, we recently opened our doors to a group of medical students who joined us from Bristol University for a relaxing session of hand massage. This event, organised through Riversway’s GP surgery, Wellspring, was a chance for the students to learn a new skill, and for our residents to benefit from sensory stimulation. Families o en write with kind words for our staﬀ – below are just a few examples.

Just wanted say thank you for the great care

that my Grandad had at a Riversway. The staﬀ were brilliant and even though his stay with you was only for a short !me it was comfor!ng for the family to know he was in great care Thanks once again.” M “You show that key to life in all that you do at Riversway. For it seemed to us that it is one of those very special places where heaven does come down to earth. Again thank you." SF & MG.

”We would like to say how grateful we are for looking a er our Dad who was very special to us. To be able to walk away and know he was ge#ng the best care and a"en!on we could wish for was of great value to us as a family; there was not one of your staﬀ who did not show Dad respect and care.” M,S,K & family. For further informa#on, please contact us: Riversway Nursing Home Crews Hole Road, St George, Bristol, BS5 8GG wwww.riverswaycare.com info@riverswaycare.com Tel: 01179 555758 /riverswaycarehome @Springhill_Care

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BRISTOL PROPERTY | IN FOCUS

enn house is a lovely home which sits centrally within its grounds which provides a good deal of privacy and a sense of space. The spacious entrance hall has an oak floor and leads off to the three receptions rooms. The dining room also has an oak floor and views across the front terrace. Also at this end of the house is a large double aspect drawing room with French doors opening out onto the large decked area and there is also access to the enclosed front terrace. At the other end of the ground floor the light and airy kitchen/breakfast room also had French doors to the decked area and gardens. Further reception space comes in the form of a good sized sitting room and there is also a utility room and a boot room. Upstairs the light and airy feel continues with a bright double aspect master bedroom with window seat, fitted wardrobes and an en suite shower room with twin sinks. Bedroom two has an en suite shower room and the three remaining bedrooms share the family bathroom. There is plenty of outside space all easily accessible from the house and the large tarmac drive provides plenty of parking. The double garage has been converted to further accommodation and is currently being used as a games room and gym. This bright, well maintained family home is being offered for sale by agents Knight Frank. Knight Frank, Regent House, 27A Regent Street, Clifton, Bristol. Tel: 0117 317 1999

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PENN HOUSE LEIGH WOODS • Four bedrooms plus en suite guest bedroom • Games room and gym • Abundance of family space inside and out • Light and airy feel • Large gardens • Ample parking • Short drive to Clifton

£1,425,000 APRIL 2014

THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 93

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www.maggsandallen.co.uk

0117 973 4940 22 Richmond Hill, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 1BA

New Clifton Office NOW OPEN: 22 Richmond Hill, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 1BA

Bristol’s fastest growing Commercial Agency Retail | Industrial | Office | Investment T LE EED R AG

Pembroke Road, Clifton

£20,000PA

Former doctors surgery of approx. 1,000sqft with own access and rear courtyard, situated in a prime location on Pembroke Road just a stone’s throw from Clifton Village and Whiteladies Road.

Whiteladies Road, Clifton

£115,000

Attractive freehold former dentist surgery (Approx. 544Sqft Gross) situated just off Blackboy Hill, Clifton. Benefits from own entrance and courtyard. Potential for alternative D1 uses such as Beauty Salon, Physiotherapy, Medical/Health services or possibly residential (subject to consents).

Paintworks, Arnos Vale

£220,000

Very well presented and improved self-contained workshop/creative space (just under 1,000sqft gross internal area) with allocated parking. Situated in the highly popular Paintworks Development, Arnos Vale, Bristol’s creative quarter. Early enquiries recommended.

Estate Agents

Lettings & Management

Maggs & Allen Commercial April.indd 1

Four Acre Road, Downend

£350,000

Two attractive and extended semi detached properties currently arranged as a Doctors surgery. The property is to be sold with vacant possession and offers potential for redevelopment to 2 houses or flats subject to obtaining all necessary consents. Alternatively the property could be retained as a D1 use to suit a similar occupier.

Auctioneers

£159,995

LD SO TC S

Colston Street, City Centre

Attractive double fronted shop arranged as open plan retail space (approx 650sqft) with further store and kitchen and toilet facilities to the rear. Currently used as retail, trading as a costume hire and joke shop, which enjoys a thriving business.

£12,000PA

W NE ICE PR

St Stephen Street, City Centre

£550,000

Attractive Grade II listed 5 storey building situated in a prime City Centre location arranged as ground floor bar with basement and 3 additional storeys above. There is potential for conversion of the upper floors to office space or residential subject to consents.

New Homes

Canford Lane, Westbury-On-Trym

Rare opportunity to lease this well presented shop approx. 530sqft in the heart of Westbury Village. Benefiting from A1 and A2 planning consent with the addition of a rear courtyard and side access. Other notable businesses nearby include Cooperative, Grupo Lounge and Lloyds Pharmacy.

Chartered Surveyors

William Street, Totterdown

£435,000

Well presented Freehold Investment arranged as ground floor restaurant (with basement) and 2 self-contained flats above. Situated in a popular location in Totterdown occupied by the renowned ‘Thali Cafe’. Fully let producing £34,800p.a (due to increase to £36,300p.a in July 2014). Early enquiries recommended.

Commercial/ Investment

Energy Assessors

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W G S NO RIN ALE S FE OF ION CT U A

Bristol & Clifton’s premier Commercial Property Agents Keep up-to-date with our latest news and market comments at our website:

www.burstoncook.co.uk

(0117) 934 9977

WHITELADIES ROAD – CLIFTON

FORMER GOSPEL HALL, HANHAM, BRISTOL

Large double fronted retail unit in very prominent and busy pitch – 2,200 sq ft.

A modern hall with D1 consent on a large site with potential. Freehold for sale.

New lease – on application. FOR SALE – THRIVING CAFÉ PREMISES

WATERLOO HOUSE, CLIFTON OFFICES TO LET

Prominent and established location – fully fitted to a very high standard.

2nd floor office suite with ground floor reception/office.

Ready to walk in and trade with immediate profits –

1,004 sq ft – Mainly open plan. New flexible lease.

‘Freehold’ Only £225,000 ono.

COLSTON STREET – CITY CENTRE

502 WORLE PARkWAY FOR SALE/TO LET

A large retail/restaurant unit in popular, busy city centre location close to the Colston Hall.

4,575 sq ft modern office building with 26 car spaces. EXCELLENT VALUE.

A great opportunity.

7 HILL STREET (OFF PARk STREET)

2 BEAUFORT ROAD, CLIFTON

• Clear open plan offices. • 6 car spaces. • 2,482 sq ft. • High quality. • New lease £11.75 psf, exc.

Stunning office headquarters of 5,715 sq ft with 13 car spaces. Mix of contemporary, open plan offices and fine period rooms. TO LET.

INVESTMENT FOR SALE

RIVERSIDE, ST ANNES Modern industrial unit of 5,112 sq ft (incl 1,456 sq ft office).

A single lock – up shop forming part of Andrews Estate Agents city office.

Excellent central Bristol location.

Rent £6,750 pax. Price £80,000 ono.

TO RENT

(0117) 934 9977 Burston Cook April.indd 1

Julian Cook

Jayne Rixon

Charlie Kershaw

Finola Ingham

FRICS

MRICS

• • • • •

Sales / Lettings Acquisitions Valuations Landlord & tenant Auction Sales

• • • • •

Rent reviews Property Management Investment Sales / Purchase Development & Planning Dilapidations Advice

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www.maggsandallen.co.uk

0117 949 9000 60 Northumbria Drive, Henleaze, Bristol, BS9 4HW

Westbury On trym

£715,000

An attractive and nicely extended four bedroom 1930’s detached family house situated on the highly regarded Elmlea Avenue, just across the road from Elmlea infant school. The house offers pleasant accommodation comprising sitting room, formal dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, utility room and conservatory to the ground floor. The first floor comprises four bedrooms, three doubles (one with ensuite) and one single and family bathroom. EPC rating: D.

UNDER OFFER

Henleaze

£675,000

A stunning six bedroom semi detached property which is beautifully presented and has been very well extended creating a wonderful family home. The current owners have a great eye for detail which is demonstrated throughout the property. On the ground floor there is a welcoming hallway, through to a living room, an open plan family room, dining room and kitchen. There is also a good size utility room and cloakroom. On the first floor are four bedrooms, an en suite and family bathroom with two bedrooms and a bathroom on the top floor. Outside is a 53’ rear garden with patio areas and lawn with a brick paved driveway leading to a garage to the front of the property. EPC rating: E.

Estate Agents

Lettings & Management

Maggs & Allen April Residential.indd 116

Auctioneers

Henleaze

£425,000

A wonderfully spacious three bedroom family house situated on the ever popular Hill View, The Property is close to the various shops and amenities in Henleaze. The property has retained most of its period features with original oak flooring and oak panelling. The accommodation comprises sitting room, dining room and kitchen/breakfast room to the ground floor. On the first floor are three bedrooms and a family bathroom. There is a delightful private rear garden, a garage and driveway. This is a very impressive property which you simply cannot afford to miss! EPC rating: D.

Commercial/ Investment

Chartered Surveyors

Land/New Homes

Energy Assessors

14/03/2014 13:38

Bristol’s Leading Property Consultants Covering Bristol, Bath and the South West

“

Exchange took place at the last gasp last night when our solicitor managed to find two people at each of the offices of the other two solicitors - probably a tea lady and a cleaner - but who cares. I just wanted to say how immensely grateful we are to all of you for your professionalism, enthusiasm, support and sheer, bloody-minded doggedness for carrying our sale over the line against all the odds. You provided the drive and commitment when we and the solicitors began to flag. I shall (and have been) singing your praises to everyone who asks (and some who don’t) and will continue to do so. From the first valuation appointment onwards to the last soothing phone call to our seller, you have set yourself apart from the rest of the field by a country mile. The value you have added to the process has been both surprising and invaluable. You put the “A” into estate agency. Thank you. On behalf of us both, we wish you all every success in what we hope will be a continued recovery for the housing marking - I am sure you will clean up. You deserve to. No doubt we will speak over the next couple of days. Best wishes Mr. J. and Mrs. E. Derrington, Metford Road, Redland (seller) February 2014

”

SOLD

“

SOLD

For an elderly lady undertaking the sale of a property for the first time I had not expected so much kindness, understanding and patience Mrs. P. Moon, Fallodon Way, Henleaze (seller) March 2014

”

Just a small selection of letters and testimonials we have received from sellers. If you are thinking of selling or would like advice, please contact us:

0117 949 9000 agency@maggsandallen.co.uk

SOLD

“

My house had been on the market with another local agent for fourteen weeks, during which time I received only one offer and was considering taking it off the market until the New Year, putting my plans on hold. Almost immediately after making this decision I found a house I really liked so reluctantly decided to give it one more go. Maggs and Allen found me a buyer within twenty four hours and the house was sold subject to contract. What more can I say? Mrs. M. Ewens, Rockside Drive, Henleaze (Seller) January 2014

”

Selling our parents house was never going to be an easy time for us but Maggs and Allen really helped us. They were always sensitive in approach and ensured it was marketed in the best possible way to get the best results for us. We would recommend Maggs and Allen for anyone looking to sell and buy in the Henleaze area. Mr. S. Pullin, Ridgehill, Henleaze (seller) January 2014

”

Please see our testimonials online at www.maggsandallen.co.uk

Maggs & Allen April Residential.indd 118

14/03/2014 13:43

Henleaze

Stoke Bishop

Redland

Positioned on Durdham Downs, this eight bedroom period family home has many elegant original features throughout and offers vast space and light. The property briefly comprises; three individual reception rooms; all with fireplaces and ceiling features, fitted kitchen/ breakfast room two bathrooms and additional shower room, double garage and vehicle access to rear. EPC E.

Detached family residence with three individual receptions, lounge with triple aspect bay window, quality kitchen, separate utility and downstairs cloakroom. The first floor offers five family-sized bedrooms, bathroom and separate WC. To the outside of the property is an ample lawned walled garden with private outlook and mature trees surrounding. EPC D.

Charming Edwardian five bedroom family home positioned within 0.4 miles of Redland Green Secondary School. The property benefits from many original features including original windows, doors, coving and stripped wooden flooring. The property comprises; three reception rooms, kitchen, shower room, family bathroom and balcony to first floor. EPC D.

£935,000

£750,000

£500,000

Multi Award Winners 2011 & 2012 Triple Award Winners 2013

Bishopston

This attractive turn of the century five bedroom semi-detached family home is presented to the highest of decorative standards with period features adorning all three floors. Further benefits include two formal reception rooms and a large kitchen / breakfast room, sash windows, gas central heating and delightful gardens to the front and rear aspects. EPC E.

An immaculately presented period garden flat boasting its own allocated off street parking, private rear garden. The property has a bay fronted lounge, double bedroom overlooking the rear garden, kitchen diner, modern bathroom and additional storage to the rear of the property. EPC TBA.

Tucked away in this quiet cul-de-sac within Redland Green APR is this spacious Victorian terrace. Briefly comprising an entrance hallway, a bayed lounge to the front aspect, open plan kitchen/dining room with a utility area, cloakroom and lean to, three bedrooms and a family bathroom. Externally a courtyard style rear garden can be found. EPC F.

Guide Price £550,000

CJ Hole April.indd 1

£205,000

£360,000

14/03/2014 13:45

Clifton t: 0117 923 8238 (sales) t: 0117 946 6588 (lettings) clifton@cjhole.co.uk

www.cjhole.com Limited stock seems to underline the start to early spring. Not unusual necessarily but after the drought in property on the market last year almost everything we see attracts great interest. That is almost certainly why we have seen a rise in prices in areas like Clifton, Redland, Sneyd Park and the City Centre. There are still a lot of Buy to Let Investors looking for Bristol property. We are told that Bristol University has grown by as much as a third in the last two years and both students and young professionals are always searching for central accommodation. CJ Hole Clifton has always had the advantage of being able to look after both Sales and

Lettings clients which is invaluable if you need both services and continuity of care and professionalism. Traditionally this is the time that we start to polish our windows, trim the hedges and think about a move. It will be interesting to see if renewed confidence in the economy, further debate about interest rates and even local detail like Bristol’s Residents Parking and 20mph limits, create a perfect storm this Easter to see more property come to market. Howard Davis M.N.A.E.A Managing Director - CJ Hole Clifton

Blagdon

City Centre

Clifton

An exciting opportunity to restore a period cottage with views over Blagdon Lake. This four bedroom stone built property briefly comprises: kitchen/dining room; utility room; two reception rooms; bathroom; rear garden; parking and second garden area. EPC E.

A 2 double bedroom duplex apartment in the cleverly converted Unity Street building comprising entrance hall with utility/ cupboard and stairs rising to upper floor, open plan kitchen/living room, bathroom and stunning communal landscaped grounds. Location just off Park Street so offering excellent network access. EPC C.

A light and airy first floor apartment in a stunning detached period building, comprising entrance hall with storage cupboard, spacious sitting room with fireplace, kitchen and modern white bathroom. Additional benefits include gas central heating, high ceilings, stone flower balcony and allocated off street parking. EPC D.

£239,995

£249,950

£309,000

Central Harbourside

Redland

An excellent opportunity to live in the heart of the city in this superior two bed waterside apartment with direct views over the harbour. The interior is well presented throughout to offer an open plan living/kitchen space. The Master bedroom has an en suite shower room and a private corner balcony with views towards Redcliffe church. The property also has an underground allocated parking space. EPC B.

An exceptional 3 double bedroom Penthouse with dressing room and en-suite to master bedroom, a stunning living space, kitchen/ breakfast room, and private terrace with views over the City. Secure parking spaces for 2 cars. Viewing highly recommended. EPC D.

A superior 6 bedroom Redland family home offering a generous interior with accommodation over four floors. A great deal of the original character remains in the house with the ornate central staircase and coved ceilings and variety of original fireplaces throughout. There is also a generous basement area which is open to a wide range of possible uses. Great location.

£345,000

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Guide Price £595,000

£825,000

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Richard Harding Chartered Surveyors • Estate Agents • Auctioneers • Valuers

REDLAND guide £850,000

Located on a desirable tree lined road near Redland Green School - a substantial & welcoming 5 double bedroom late Victorian/early Edwardian period sd family house PLUS useful lower ground floor cellar rooms & a tastefully landscaped level 50ft x 28ft rear garden. A handsome generously proportioned residence retaining a number of period features. EPC: E

0117 946 6690 www.richardharding.co.uk 124 Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2RP

HENLEAZE guide £825,000-£850,000

A handsome large 8 bedroom, 3 reception, 3 ‘bathroom’ Victorian period semi-detached family house of character with a lovely big 101ft sunny south west facing rear garden & off street parking space. Prime location, open aspects, handy for Downs/Henleaze & excellent schools. Generous flexible accommodation able to adapt to the changing needs of a family. EPC: E

A charming 5 bedroom, 2 bath late Victorian family house with a delightful sunny south-west facing garden with comfortable and stylish accommodation with period features and many nice touches. Enjoys a peaceful situation on a popular road with good local shops nearby on Henleaze Road and North View, close to Waitrose and convenient for the Downs and Whiteladies Road. EPC: E

HENLEAZE guide £620,000

Civilised and refined – a delightful 4 double bedroom semidetached Victorian period family house with pretty town garden – sensibly laid out over two floors, and tastefully finished throughout – tucked away and yet so conveniently located. A well-presented and charming home in a favoured Redland location – very light and with a wonderful sense of space throughout. EPC: E

REDLAND guide £595,000

Set in just under an acre (0.92) - a 3 double bedroom 1980's built detached bungalow with generous double garaging and parking for at least 5 cars. Enjoy rural life yet only 3 miles from Clifton/less than 5 miles from city centre. Found down a country road on the edge of the countryside between Abbots Leigh and Ham Green, with extensive gardens/grounds - ideal for relaxing and entertaining. EPC: D

KINGSDOWN guide £500,000

Located with 500 metres of Redland Green School - this well located 1930’s 4 bedroom (1 with en suite) family home offers light and balanced accommodation, front and rear gardens and off street parking. Situated towards the head of a cul-de-sac nearby the local shops and amenities of Westbury Park. EPC: E

WESTBURY PARK guide £485,000

An engaging, deceptively spacious & beautifully renovated ‘fan shaped’ 4 bedroom (1 with en suite) Victorian period family town house located close to Bristol's harbourside, decked rear garden & undercroft cellars. So much more than meets the eye. Fabulous central location. EPC: D

A charming 4/5 bedroom town house with 42ft southerly facing walled garden& off street parking. Located in a private courtyard development on desirable Kingsdown Parade handy for access to city centre/central areas & within 0.5 miles of excellent schools. EPC: C

ABBOTS LEIGH guide £569,950

Professional, Reliable, Successful

HOTWELLS guide £425,000

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Richard Harding Chartered Surveyors • Estate Agents • Auctioneers • Valuers

SNEYD PARK guide £650,000

An exceptionally spacious hall & lower ground floor garden maisonette (circa 2650 sq ft) & set in this fine semi-detached grade II listed Victorian period building. Impressive accommodation with 3/4 reception rooms, 4/5 bedrooms. Externally, there is a large 83ft x 30ft south facing rear garden, front garden, off street parking & single garage. To be sold with the benefit of no onward chain.

0117 946 6690 www.richardharding.co.uk 124 Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2RP

BARROW GURNEY guide £625,000-£660,000

To the Manor Born but not in isolation & with a community of co-owners grand style country living in the remarkable setting of a magnificent grade II listed country park surrounded by beautiful green rolling acres yet Bristol City Centre only 6 miles. A special rural retreat circa 2385 sq ft plus a lovely garden area + iconic atmospheric communal gardens & grounds.

A civilised & welcoming 4 bedroom , 2 reception late Edwardian family house located just yards from the shops, cafes and amenities of Henleaze Road with off street parking for 2 cars, westerly facing rear garden + a garden cabin/studio. Within half mile of excellent schools including Henleaze Infant & Junior School. A well-located character house with a sunny garden and much to offer. EPC: E

HENLEAZE guide £550,000

An individual & highly versatile, detached 4/5 bedroomed family home, of circa 3,000 sq ft, set within mature gardens of about 0.25 acres with quadruple garage & ample parking, just 2.5 miles from Clifton. A rare opportunity to acquire this much enhanced home. EPC: E

FAILAND guide £550,000-£595,000

A well located and inviting 3 bedroom, 2 reception room period property offering exciting scope for some cosmetic improvement and further benefiting from front and rear gardens and a detached garage. Situated on the Redland and Westbury Park borders with the shops and amenities of Coldharbour Road, North View and Waitrose supermarket all at hand. EPC: to follow.

REDLAND guide £369,950

A charming & engaging 3 bedroom (1 en suite) 2 reception period end terraced cottage in a fantastic location with pretty rear garden. Situated on Stoke Lane with local pubs, cafes & shops all within a couple of hundred metres. An individual and characterful period cottage. EPC: E

WESTBURY-ON-TRYM guide £365,000

Bright, spacious and full of period charm and character - an extremely spacious grade II listed period apartment with 2 double bedrooms, large kitchen/dining room, separate living room and a single garage. Within just a few hundred yards of Durdham Downs with green open space and an approximate 500 metre walk to Café Retreat – popular for a morning coffee.

An individual & spacious modern town house in a very convenient yet tranquil backwater with the rare benefit of a garage. Close to Whiteladies & Durdham Downs. Smart & interesting property which needs to be viewed to be fully appreciated. EPC: C

REDLAND guide £399,950

Professional, Reliable, Successful

SNEYD PARK guide £325,000

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Free bespoke marketing to get you on the move

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MANAGEMENT • SALES • LETTING • CONSULTANCY

City Centre £314,950

Clifton £275,950

Property Concept is delighted to introduce to the market this stunning second floor duplex apartment at 10 Unity Street. Forming part of a grand, Grade II listed building, situated right in the heart of Bristol's historic centre, the ultra modern design of this apartment offers an enviable urban lifestyle with the convenience of Clifton Village, Park St, Bristol University and the teaching hospitals just a short walk away. The expansive accommodation incorporates a very large double height kitchen/sitting room and bathroom with stairs leading up to two double bedrooms and en-suite shower room. This stunning apartment is being sold with no onward chain and early viewing is strongly recommended. EPC Rating = C.

A large first floor flat situated in a Grade II listed property conveniently located between Clifton Village, Queens Road and Bristol University. There are a wealth of independent shops, cafes, restaurants and health clubs just a short walk away and the local teaching hospitals are also easily accessible. The light and airy accommodation, accessed by a gracious communal staircase, incorporates a lovely spacious sitting room, two double bedrooms, one with a very attractive period fireplace, a galley kitchen and a modern bathroom. Being sold with no onward chain early viewing is strongly advised. EPC = D.

Clifton £450,000

Henleaze £259,950

A completely unique apartment spanning the second floor of the end townhouse of The Paragon, renowned for its stunning views and amazing communal gardens. The apartment has been rented for the past couple of years as the current vendor lives abroad. The apartment has a contemporary feel and boasts the most amazing views due to its position in this Grade II* listed curved terrace. The property boasts a beautiful sitting room which is light and airy with period features and far reaching views towards Dundry, fitted kitchen with integrated appliances, shower room/cloakroom, master bedroom with en-suite bathroom and further bedroom. Viewing comes highly recommended as there is no onward chain.

This ground floor apartment is presented in excellent decorative order with modern kitchen and bathroom. This is a lovely light property with delightful views from both the front and the rear of the apartment across the well-kept communal gardens. Grange Court is set within communal gardens and is an immaculately maintained development. Located within walking distance of both Henleaze and Westbury-on-Trym with their cafes, restaurants and shops along with the local bowling club. The property comprises, large sitting/dining room, kitchen, shower room, cloakroom, master bedroom, guest bedroom and study/bedroom 3. There is a single garage along with some guest parking. Viewing is highly recommended. EPC Rating D.

21 Princess Victoria Street

Tel 0117 970 6119

enquiries@propertyconcept.co.uk

Clifton, Bristol BS8 4BX

Fax 0117 970 6109

www.propertyconcept.co.uk

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Clifton These two stunning, innovative and unique three bedroom homes form part of this exclusive new development on Alma Road in Clifton. Designed by award winning London based architects, 3W, renowned for their visionary creative flair. Externally, contemporary glass, steel and wood cladding is blended with traditional brickwork. Both properties have floor to ceiling windows providing an abundance of natural light. Large kitchen/dining rooms with tri-fold doors lead out to a central courtyard, ideal for summer gatherings. The contemporary kitchens have central islands and modern integral appliances making a culinary enthusiast’s dream. Both properties have very well thought out but very diﬀerent floorplans. Number 3 is accessed on the ground floor. Both the living room and kitchen / dining room have tri-fold doors onto the central courtyard. There is also a walk out terrace to the first floor accessed from both the master bedroom and landing. You can imagine how you could instantly add your own touch to this property, tailoring it to your liking. Number 5 is accessed at first floor level. The lounge has a galleried ceiling creating a real sense of space with windows to all four sides and one corner with impressive full height glazing overlooking the central courtyard. The generous kitchen/dining room has two sets of trifold doors opening to the central courtyard and rear garden. The master bedroom also

Prices from £569,995 has trifold doors onto the central courtyard. With the central courtyard as well as the main garden with lawn and a paved patio, this property is again perfect for summer gatherings. There is solid washed oak flooring throughout the living accommodation to compliment the modern finish of these properties. Bedrooms are carpeted and the bathrooms are tiled with under floor heating, creating a snugger and cosier feel. All of the rooms within these properties flow beautifully into one another but still allow for privacy when required. Featuring a Genvex (www.genvex.co.uk) heat recovery and air filtration system alongside high standards of insulation and double-glazing, the houses are a warm and healthy environment and have excellent energy performance. Firmstone, the developers, pride themselves on creating houses for real people to live in with thoughtful touches throughout. Every detail of modern life has been considered, so that when you move in, you are ready to start living straight away. Once settled you can then enjoy the array of independent shops, café’s, bars, pubs, and restaurants that Bristol’s premier shopping area, Whiteladies Road in Clifton, has to oﬀer. If you would like to register your interest and arrange a viewing on these exclusive new properties, please contact Andrew Morgan at our Clifton oﬀice on 01179 469811 or via email a.morgan@oceanhome.co.uk.

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Stoke Bishop

£550,000 Coombe Lane

£499,995

Westbury on Trym

£479,950

Located at the top end of Roman Way this family home is a truly unique residence oﬀering many bespoke features and an exceptional modern interior throughout. large open plan entrance hallway with open Oak staircase which to the rear has a designer kitchen with granite counter tops, under floor heating.

An attractive and well located detached home that was built in 1989, it was built on the location one of the Coach houses that served the Napier Miles estate/Kingsweston House in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Originally a Three bedroom 1930's dwelling, the current owners have sympathetically and substantially extended the existing footprint to create a Five bedroom family home. The extensions allow extraordinarily flexible accommodation rarely found in such a prime position.

Please contact our Westbury-on Trym branch on 0117 962 1973

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Westbury on Trym

£470,000 Stoke Bishop

w ion Ne uct tr s In

£399,950

Westbury on Trym

£379,950

With much of the original lavish ornamentation originally so prevalent in Art deco styling still in situe in this light and airey family home an early viewing would be highly recommended to avoid disappointment.

The chance to acquire a beautifully presented three bedroom semi detached family home situated in this popular cul de sac.The property occupies an elevated position and benefitting from some fine views across to the River Avon and beyond.

A simply beautiful double fronted semi detached home in an elevated position overlooking Shirehampton Park Golf course. Built circa 1930's this wonderful home oﬀers a mixture of character of the period with a subtle mixture of contemporary style, the accommodation is both attractive and light.

Please contact our Westbury-on Trym branch on 0117 962 1973

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Westbury on Trym

£360,000 Westbury on Trym

£309,950

Henleaze

£165,000

** OPEN DAY ON THE 29TH MARCH ** This fantastic three bedroom terraced house is located in a quiet cul-de-sac walking distance from Westbury on Trym C of E Academy. Accommodation comprises of three bedrooms, separate lounge, open plan kitchen/dining area and a family bathroom.

A well presented modern four bedroom, semi-detached family home located on a quiet semi-rural road, within easy reach of the motorway network, Cribbs Causeway and the City Centre all within a short walk from Brentry Primary School.

The chance to acquire a two bedroom purpose built flat located in this quiet and tucked away location close to excellent Henleaze shopping facilities.This delightful light and airy flat has the added benefit of a balcony.

Please contact our Westbury-on Trym branch on 0117 962 1973

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£182,500 Sneyd Park

Smart contemporary apartment on the fourth floor of this modern apartment blockashortwalkfromBristolCityCentre.Apartmentbenefitsfromtwodouble bedrooms, a 22' living room/kitchen with an engineered wooden floor and a bathroom with a white suite and a shower over the bath. The kitchen consists of cream gloss fronted units with integral appliances. There is electric heating and no onward chain. EPC – E Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007

Cotham

£225,000

First floor three bedroom apartment finished in a contemporary style. Benefits from 17' living room with a door opening onto the walk out balcony with far reaching views, separate kitchen with granite work surfaces, three bedrooms and a well finished 13' shower room. The property comes with a single garage, the use of the communal gardens and no onward chain. EPC – C Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007

£325,000 Redland

£329,950

Redland

£242,500

Top floor apartment set within an impressive period building on a quiet back road in Redland. Attractive 15'9 living room with views over Redland, modern separate kitchen/dining room and two double. Benefits from gas central heating, natural light to all rooms, lawned communal garden and no onward chain. Ideal first property for those looking for two useable double bedrooms. EPC - D Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007

Redland

£329,950

Two double bedroom garden flat set within a highly sought after period building. Benefits from private court yard leading to three sizeable vaulted storage, gas central heating, and tastefully decorated to a high standard. Master bedroom with feature chimney breast with double folding doors leading through to sitting area with window to garden, second double bedroom, open plan kitchen/dining area. An early viewing is advised. EPC – C

Two double bedroom courtyard garden flat set within the highly sought after Victoria Court development. Benefits from level access, single garage, and private courtyard garden leading to communal lawned. Living/dining area with separate kitchen providing direct access to private courtyard garden. Properties in Victoria Court rarely enter the sales market. No onward chain. EPC – C

Second floor balcony apartment situated just oﬀ Durdham Downs with secure underground parking. Benefits include lift and communal lawned gardens. Benefits from open plan living room/kitchen with wrap around walk out balcony with south westerly aspect and floor to ceiling windows, two double bedrooms, the master bedroom with en-suite shower room and fitted wardrobes. No onward chain. EPC – E

Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007

Clifton

£379,950 Clifton

£675,000

Frenchay

£899,950

Two bedroom first floor apartment providing spacious living accommodation. Situated within the ever popular Clifton area conveniently located by the Clifton Triangle and the within easy walking distance of the city centre. Externally the property has oﬀ road parking for two cars with a car port, leading to a substantial storage outhouse. The parking area has recently been re surfaced and the exterior of the building is well presented and maintained. EPC – E

Rare opportunity to purchase a modern four storey townhouse within Clifton. 66% sold, only four remaining. Each comprises large open plan kitchen/dining living area, separate living room and master bedroom with en-suite to the first floor. Second and third floors; four double bedrooms, bathroom and shower room. Each has an oﬀ road parking space, south facing rear garden and benefit from a 10 year building guarantee. EPC - TBC

Exceptional and unique five double bedroom detached property full of character and charm. The living space measures over 32ft in width with doors opening to the garden. Benefits from an additional reception room which would make an ideal home oﬀice, and a kitchen/breakfast area opening to the southerly facing garden. Located on the common, this really is a sought after location with open views from the front and rear. EPC - E

Please contact our Clifton branch on 0117 946 6007

Beyond your expectations www.hamptons.co.uk

Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol Offers invited

A substantial semi detached period house with off road parking situated within 400 metres of the Downs. This spacious family home offers 3 reception rooms, 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. The accommodation boasts many period features including sash windows, coving, leaded and stain glass window lights and high ceilings. The property has been extended and upgraded to include a cloakroom/utility, a kitchen/diner, conservatory and refitted bathroom. Outside there is a 60ft long landscaped garden with side access that includes a storage shed, patio and decked sun areas.

Offers invited • 3 Reception rooms • Kitchen/diner • 4 Bedrooms • 3 Bathrooms • Off street parking • 60 ft Rear garden

EPC Rating: E

Hamptons Bristol

Sales. 0117 322 6362 | bristol@hamptons-int.com

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NEW INSTRUCTION

Sneyd Park, Bristol

Guide price £1,800,000

Built in the 1930s by the revered ‘Stride’ building family. The Strides trade mark style was well proportioned rooms, striking wood panelling and an abundance of natural light from large windows and patio doors. This property has seen substantial changes in recent years including sympathetic extensions and a complete renovation. The house offers excellent lateral space, with all principle rooms providing an aspect over the substantial South West facing rear gardens. EPC Rating: D

Hamptons Sales April.indd 2

Guide price £1,800,000 • • • • • • •

Kitchen/breakfast room 3 Reception rooms 5 Bedrooms 4 Bathrooms Attic games room Gated driveway with ample parking South West facing and beautifully maintained gardens

20/03/2014 16:35

Long Ashton - Guide Price £585,000

Absolutely charming 300 year old grade II listed house situated in the Bristol side of Long Ashton. Packed full of period features such as fire places, beamed ceilings, flagstone floors etc. Three reception rooms, lovely kitchen/diner, four bedrooms, two bathrooms and a self contained 1 bedroom Lodge in the 150 ft long rear garden. Must be seen.

Redland - £435,000

A charming 4 bedroom period family house with flexible accommodation arranged over three floors in central Redland within walking distance of shops and restaurants. Sitting room, kitchen/ diner, utility and bathroom. Upstairs there are four bedrooms and family bathroom. South west facing rear garden accessed via the kitchen. No onward chain.

Clifton - £415,000

Clifton - £479,995

A superb 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom duplex penthouse apartment with balcony, terrace, secure car parking and far reaching views and lift access. lower floor comprises entrance hall, three bedrooms (one en suite) and bathroom. Upstairs there is a lovely light filled triple aspect open plan living/ kitchen/dining area with doors opening onto a large terrace and smaller balcony. A fantastic city pad!

Grade II listed Georgian coach house with accommodation arranged over 4 floors. Recently refurbished in an eclectic design style to retain period character and introduce the best of contemporary living. Ground floor studio/home office. Large kitchen/diner, three double bedrooms and two shower rooms. Courtyard style rear garden. A real hidden gem.

Barrow Gurney - £655,000 A fine four double bedroom detached house with one bedroom annexe offering almost 4000 sq/ft of living space. Galleried entrance hall, three reception rooms, kitchen/diner opening onto a good sized west facing rear garden. Utility, cloakroom, workshop and garage. Situated in Barrow gurney village with convenient access into Bristol. No onward chain.

Leese & Nagle April this one.indd 1

Clifton - £200,000

A well presented one bed first floor balcony flat in an attractive Georgian property located between Whiteladies Rd, The Triangle and Clifton village. Sitting room with full width balcony to the front enjoying a southerly aspect. Good size double bedroom to the rear. Offered with no onward chain the property is ideally suited to first time buyers or rental market.

20/03/2014 16:42

Stoke Bishop - £659,950

A 5 bedroom detached family residence in a prestigious location and superbly presented throughout. Two reception rooms, study and kitchenbreakfast room. Utility and cloakroom. A conservatory opens off the kitchen/breakfast room. Upstairs are five bedrooms (master en suite) and family bathroom. Double garage, off street parking and level gardens.

Stoke Bishop - Guide Price £600,000

A sizable three bedroom detached house situated in an extremely private tucked away location just off Stoke Hill. The house offers generously proportioned accommodation (could be four bedrooms) suitable for professional couples, retirees or those seeking privacy and tranquility.

Stoke Bishop - Guide Price £440,000

Coombe Dingle - Guide Price £400,000

A lovely period three bedroom house situated in the highly desirable Sunnyside cottages just off Reedley Road. Porch, living room, kitchen semi open to a dining area ands cloakroom. Upstairs there are three bedrooms and a family bathroom. Garage, parking and lovely garden.

An extended five bedroom detached house with stunning rear garden and elevated views to the front nestled in a popular road backing onto woodland in Coombe Dingle. Well cared for throughout but would benefit from updating in the fullness of time. No onward chain.

Westbury-on-Trym - £499,950 An extended four bedroom 1930’s semi with 80 ft. long rear garden in desirable Abbey Road within walking distance of local schools and shops. Potential to further improve and extend to the incoming owners own tastes.

Leese & Nagle April this one.indd 2

Westbury-on-Trym - £475,000

An attractively presented three bedroom Art Deco influenced 1930’s semi in a desirable spot within walking distance of Elmlea schools and local shops on Stoke Lane. Two reception rooms, kitchen and cloakroom. Upstairs are three bedrooms and bathroom. Decent size garden, garage and parking.

21/03/2014 09:50

CONTEMPORARY OR TRADITIONAL 25% OFF SOFAS

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WE SPECIALISE IN BESPOKE DETAILS & SIZES IN UPHOLSTERY AND CABINET FURNITURE Any of our sofa designs or our cabinet furniture may be changed in proportion or style

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25% discount still available on all cabinet and sofa orders for another few weeks

25% OFF BESPOKE WARDROBE SYSTEMS We are just past Clifton Down Shopping Centre 56/60, Whiteladies Rd, BS8 2PY Mon-Sat 9.30 - 5.30/Sun 12 - 5

TEL: 01173 292746