The Bristol Magazine July 2017

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THE

Issue 157

THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

£3.95 where sold

I

juLY 2017

MAGAZINE

MAZE RUNNER BEHIND THE SCENES WITH THE MAN WHO CREATED THE CRYSTAL MAZE AT BRISTOL’S BOTTLE YARD STUDIOS

AS YOU LIKE IT

THE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL IS BACK

AFRICAN INITIATIVES A BRISTOL CHARITY CHANGING WOMEN’S LIVES

HOT PROPERTY

THE FINEST HOMES ON THE MARKET

CRUSHING HARD ON CRANE 29?

GET THE LOOK

WEST IS BEST HOW BRISTOL INFLUENCED WORLD-RANKING SQUASH DUO

SUMMER IN THE CITY THINGS TO DO PLACES TO GO

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

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Bristol’s property market has been surprisingly resilient so far this year, even despite the wider backdrop of both political and economic uncertainty.

The city market continues to outperform in terms of price growth, although this differential is expected to narrow as buyers take advantage of the relative value now offered by more rural markets. If you would like some advice on buying or selling your home - within or outside of the city please do get in touch.

James Toogood

Partner + 44 0117 295 0425 James.toogood@knightfrank.com

Leigh Woods

Old School Lane

Wraxall

Wonderful home (3,067 sq ft) on a private road. 3 reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast room, 6 bedrooms, dressing room, balcony, 2 bathrooms. Gardens, garage, garden room and summer house. EPC G.

Immaculate 4 bedroom contemporary town house with stunning harbour views. dining room/kitchen/breakfast room, sitting room, master suite, guest suite, 2 guest bedrooms, family bathroom, roof top garden, 2 balconies, parking.

Former granary (6,823 sq ft) in a private and rural setting. 3 reception rooms, kitchen/sitting room, 6 beds, 4 bathrooms. 2 bed annexe.

Integral garage, outbuildings, swimming pool. In all about 2.7 acres of grounds. EPC D.

Winscombe

Redland

Bower Ashton

Beautiful period home (10,084 sq ft). 8 reception rooms, kitchen, utility.

9 bedrooms, 8 bath/shower rooms. 2 bed cottage. Garage, tennis court, swimming pool, stores, gardens and grounds. In all about 2 acres. EPC E.

Substantial 6 bedroom family home (3,332 sq ft). Drawing room, kitchen/breakfast room. 6 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, guest shower.

2 bedroom self contained apartment, bathroom. Garden. EPC E.

A 6 bedroom house (5,903 sq ft) with adjoining 2 bed cottage, 1 bed annexe and attractive part walled gardens, moments from Bristol's city centre but in a rural setting. In all about 1 acre. EPC E, cottage EPC D.

Guide Price £1,750,000

Guide Price £1,895,000

Guide Price £995,000

Guide price £1,275,000

Guide Price £1,950,000

Guide Price £1,795,000

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The latest available data from the Land Registry shows a 10% increase in the number of property sales above £500,000 in Bristol over the year to the end of March 2017. There are a number of factors underpinning this, not least the continued widespread demand for homes in the city. Our figures suggest just under a third of Knight Frank sales in Bristol so far in 2017 were to buyers from outside the local region. Our integrated network of offices around the globe assists us in targeting these buyers.

Robin Engley

Associate + 44 0117 295 0425 Robin.engley@knightfrank.com

Leigh Woods

Clifton

Leigh Woods

A unique 4 bedroom family home with attractive gardens in Leigh Woods. 4 reception rooms, sun room, master suite, 3 guest bedrooms, family bathroom, guest wc, guest shower room, double garage, gardens.

Drawing room, kitchen, breakfast room, 2 bedrooms, family bathroom, extensive loft area, cellar storage.

Immaculate 4 bedroom former lodge house (1,818 sq ft). Bespoke kitchen/breakfast room, utility, bay fronted living room, study, 4 bedrooms (1 en suite), bathroom, WC. Level gardens and ample parking. EPC C.

Clifton

Clifton

Cotham

A Grade II Listed 2 bedroom (1,380 sq ft) top floor apartment in central Clifton with views across Victoria Square. Impressive drawing room, kitchen, dining hall, 2 bedrooms (one ensuite), bathroom. No onward chain.

A Grade II Listed courtyard apartment (652 sq ft) found close to Clifton Village. Drawing room, kitchen, 2 bedrooms, bathroom, laundry room, courtyard gardens, vaulted storage and parking.

A regency Grade II listed family home (2,799 sq ft). 2 reception rooms, kitchen. 5 bedrooms (one en suite), bathroom, basement/cellar. Double garage, parking and gardens front and rear. EPC E.

Guide Price £895,000

Guide Price £465,000

Guide Price £475,000

OIRO £300,000

Guide Price £1,095,000

Guide Price £1,295,000

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Our stock levels ended June at the highest level since the end of 2014, which suggests vendors have been undeterred by recent economic and political events. The fact this has coincided with a 4% increase in prospective new buyers registering with us over the last 12 months and a 7% rise in viewings bodes well for the remainder of 2017.

Freddie Wright

Senior Negotiator + 44 0117 295 0425 Freddie.wright@knightfrank.com

Easton-in-Gordano

Chew Valley

Pill

Well-presented family home (3,394 sq ft) with views across the surrounding countryside. 1 reception room, kitchen/breakfast room, 5 bedrooms (3 ensuite), family bathroom. Integral double garage and garden. EPC B.

Impressive country house (4,075 sq ft) enjoying a rural outlook.

3 reception rooms, kitchen, 5 bedrooms, 5 bath/shower rooms, tennis court, swimming pools, gardens, garaging. EPC D.

An attractive 4 bedroom 19th century house (4,486 sq ft inc garage). 2 receptions, kitchen/breakfast room, study, studio, conservatory, bathroom, 2 shower rooms. Fabulous gardens, triple garage, outbuilding. EPC D.

Badgworth

Clevedon

Binegar, Near Wells

Substantial 5 bed farmhouse (4,343 sq ft) with a range of traditional outbuildings (4,033 sq ft) with planning to convert in to a separate dwelling. Riding arena, gardens and pasture totalling 11 acres. EPC E.

Detached house with spacious garden and views across Bristol Channel.

Newly built 5 bedroom house (2,859 sq ft) in a pretty village setting.

Open plan L shape sitting/dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, orangery.

5 bedrooms (2 ensuite), bathroom. Enclosed gardens. EPC C.

Guide Price £895,000

Guide Price £1,350,000

OIEO £1,100,000

Guide Price £675,000

Guide Price £875,000

Guide Price £695,000

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SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

Clifton

Abbots Leigh

Clifton

Sold in May 2 bedroom hall floor apartment with a private garden.

Sold in April 5 bedroom family home in a private and peaceful setting.

Sold in April 3 bedroom hall floor apartment with garden and garage.

SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

Sneyd Park

Cotham

Sneyd Park

Sold in April 4 bedroom upper maisonette with garage and views across The Downs.

Sold in May 5 bedroom house with gardens to the front and rear.

Sold in June 4 bedroom house in a modern and exclusive development with garden and garage.

On average we have achieved 99% of the guide price on sales in the past 3 months and currently have 730 potential buyers on our books looking to spend a collective total of ÂŁ738.4 million.

If you would like advice on selling your home, please call 0117 295 0425 SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

Barrow Gurney

Long Ashton

Chew Magna

Sold in June 4 bedroom house with wonderful views over the surrounding countryside.

Sold in June 5 bedroom bespoke newly finished house with gardens, parking and impressive views.

Sold in June 5 bedroom conversion with 4.3 acres in a country setting.

SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

Westbury Park

Dundry

Victoria Square, Clifton

Sold in May 3 bedroom house with attractive gardens close to The Downs.

Sold in June 5 bedroom contemporary home in a rural setting, with breathtaking views over Bristol.

Sold in June 2 bedroom second floor apartment with lift, views and access to the local amenities of Clifton.

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Photo by Phil Field

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Contents

Photo by Edward Moore

July 2017

REGULARS ZEITGEIST

THEATRE

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14 16

Surf’s up for the Bartleby clan

48

BRISTOL CONNECTION

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54

MOTORING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Chris Lilly finds VW’s new Golf both high-tech and refined

FASHION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 We’re into the bold and beautiful this summer .......................................................................

24

The team at Harvey Nichols pick out some seasonal essentials .........................................................

SPORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Rod Gilmour meets high-flying Bristol brothers and international squash stars, the El Shorbagys

WILD BRISTOL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 60

Ellie Barker chats with some of the ITV team

WALK THE WALK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Andrew Swift takes in sights including Iford Manor’s Italianate gardens

The first in a new series; and a look at the city’s peregrine population

FOOD & DRINK NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Tidbits from our local eateries and producers

THE CULTURE BOOKS

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We celebrate the work of a local NGO on its 20th anniversary

BARTLEBY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

BRISTOL AT WORK

MUSIC

Get ready for River Town’s superb bill of blues, gospel and country

We meet entrepreneur Kevin Basham and report on local goings-on

SHOPPING

32

Pat Reid previews an excellent-looking Bristol Shakespeare Festival

Five of the best things to do in the city this month

CITYIST

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REVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 30

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Charlotte Pope’s fave LGBT+ writing ahead of Pride 2017

WHAT’S ON & HAPPENINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Get the diary out!

Emma Payne is bowled over by Backwell House

HABITAT HOME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86

SUMMER FUN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Want to recreate Crane 29’s look in your own space? We chat to its sustainability expert and hunt down some of the hero accessories inside

Your guide to all the best goings-on

GARDENING

FILM

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46

One Bristol centre is giving young women a foothold in filmmaking

EXHIBITIONS

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52

Short-term lettings expert Gayle Roberts gives us some tips

ON THE COVER

FEATURES TELEVISION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

10 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

Elly West is into the idea of edibles right now

PROPERTY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94

What’s on at the city’s galleries this month?

We go behind the scenes of the Bristol-set Crystal Maze!

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The new series of The Crystal Maze has begun! We go behind the scenes at the Bristol-built set on p26

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THIS MONTH WE’VE BEEN...

We loved the all-new Futuristic Zone during our visit to Bristol’s Crystal Maze set

Gorging...

...On possibly the juiciest burgers in town – courtesy of a new foodie joint on Colston Street. Asado (‘barbecued’ in Spanish) also serves the best rosemary fries we’ve ever tasted, and a mean bourbononi – a whiskybased take on the negroni...

• asadobristol.com

from the

Drinking...

EDITOR “...Start the fans!”

B

y which we not only refer to the recent spell of uncharacteristically decent British summer we’ve had, but the new series of cult Nineties game show The Crystal Maze, which has just returned to our screens after an impressive 21st-century upgrade.

The show has been filmed over the last few months at an incredible new purpose-built set inside Bristol’s own Bottle Yard Studios – home in the past to Sherlock, Broadchurch and Poldark to name a few. We were lucky enough to visit just before the show aired and – get this – actually touch a crystal, after meeting the creative and technical wizards that make up the production team. On p26 the man behind the Maze – original designer James Dillon, whose handiwork you might also have seen in the likes of The Mighty Boosh – tells us why he just had to return for the remake.

On p32, Pat Reid previews another excellent-looking Bristol Shakespeare Festival – plenty of alfresco fun included – while on p40 we jot down some more summery ideas to ensure you make the most of the current season. There’s music this month in the form of the blues, gospel and country-fest that is River Town (p52); your motoring fix from Chris Lilly (p70); sports talk with Bristol’s world-ranking squash stars (p72); sustainable interiors ideas from Crane 29 (p86); and on p50, LGBT+ literature to coincide with the Bristol Pride celebrations. It’s been hungry work, mind, tying that lot together – we chose to refuel at the impressive Backwell House (flick to p64 for the findings).

Meanwhile, on p54, we’re celebrating 20 years of African Inititives – a local NGO working on long-term projects in Tanzania – and hear of one young teacher’s inspiring story, in pursuit of an education for all Maasai girls. Then, in a similar vein on p46, we flag up the Knowle West media centre giving young females a foothold in the filmmaking industry. Interested? Get involved...

AMANDA NICHOLLS EDITOR Editor’s image by Paolo Ferla; ferlapaolo.com

@thebristolmag

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thebristolmag.co.uk

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@thebristolmag

Pinkster’s raspberry gin – oh-so pretty over ice thanks to its rosy hue, and best taken with a drop of sparkling elderflower. Available at Harvey Nichols, £46 per 700ml • pinkstergin.com

Loving...

Yankee Candle’s summer range Viva Havana – inspired by the vibrant Cuban capital and featuring energising scents of mojito, tobacco flower and guava to transport us to the exotic destination from the comfort of our own homes • yankeecandle.co.uk

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ZEITGEIST

Top

5

things to do in JULY

Image © Steve Tanner

FALL IN LOVE

TAKE PRIDE Show some love and support to the LGBTQ+ community as the UK’s largest free Pride event wings its flamboyant way into town. Flying the rainbow flag from 29 June – 9 July, Bristol Pride will feature a host of events across the city for all ages, with screenings at Watershed, comedy at Bierkeller, and even a dog show in Castle Park. The Pride Day party on 8 July never disappoints – expect a music stage headlined by Busted, live dance troupes, cabaret and plenty of family activities with AtBristol. Don’t forget the iconic Pride march at 11am, starting at Castle Park.

Comedy, live music and passion combine in timeless romance in Tristan & Yseult at Bristol Old Vic this month. From 4 – 15 July, watch as the love triangle between Cornish King Mark, the enigmatic Tristan and the beautiful Yseult unravels, to an ultimately tragic end. This may be a traditional Celtic tale as old as time, but Kneehigh Theatre’s critically-acclaimed production, adapted

by Emma Rice, is a raunchy romp perfectly suited to the 21st-century audience.

• bristololdvic.org

LEAP OF FAITH Skate and BMX fans need look no further as NASS festival returns to Shepton Mallet this month. From 6 – 9 July, NASS will be home to international pros from across the globe, a street art lineup curated by the folks at Upfest, seven music stages, a ring of fire, DJ and MC workshops and six sport courses. Also returning to the UK, for only the second time in 30 years, is the iBMXff BMX World Championships, hosting both professional and amateur contests on a range of tracks. For those wishing to leave with a memento, head to the Stall Yard indoor market for the biggest brands, merchandise and replacement parts (not something we’ll be worried about – reckon we’ll leave it to the pros).

• bristolpride.co.uk

Image © NASS Festival

• nassfestival.com

DANCE IN THE STREET PAINT THE TOWN If you loved our June front cover – courtesy of Bristol’s own Jody – head to Bedminster from 29 to 31 July to watch artists from the South West and beyond cover every available wall in their work. This year, Upfest has teamed up with Ashton Gate stadium to provide the largest live painting space, where over 100 spray-can maestros will be adorning a 200m stretch with graffiti, photorealism, stencil work and more.

Alongside the towering two-storey artworks, entertainments at Upfest include Morphmaking workshops with Aardman, rainbow bubbles, shadow puppets, rock guitar workshops, a New York subway-style train and plenty of music and food besides – we’re coming for you, Bemmie!

• upfest.co.uk

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Make the trip up Park Street to the sunny haven of Clifton Village from 7 to 9 July and discover a weekend of revelry in the streets at Clifton Fest. Organised by BID Clifton Village, this miniature festival will see Boyce’s Avenue, Waterloo Street and Regent Street come to life with all manner of magicians, entertainers, singers and musicians including Jo McNab, Kit Morgan, Elles Bailey and Mendip Swing Big Band. Much-loved venues such as The Bristol Fringe, Coronation Tap and Avon Gorge Hotel will all host performances, and lucky visitors might also spot Bristol Zoo’s Denzel the dinosaur on their travels.

• discoverclifton.co.uk

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Manchester . York . Sutton Coldfield . Bristol . Farnborough . Brentwood . Aberdeen Tunbridge Wells . Beverley . Exeter . London - North . London - West End

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THE CITY THE BUZZ

My

BRISTOL This month we catch up with entrepreneur Kevin Basham

Dark side of the planetarium At-Bristol has added to its special evening event series, with an aural and visual extravaganza inspired by the music of Pink Floyd. ‘Dark Side of the Moon: The Fulldome Experience’ features the entire 1973 Dark Side of the Moon album in surround sound, with arresting abstract visuals projected on to the dome enveloping the audience in the state-ofthe-art planetarium. “It’s an incredible production, and the mesmerising visuals are a perfect match for the music,” said Lee Pullen, planetarium manager. “We’re looking forward to welcoming lots of music-lovers!”

Each show (5, 12 and 19 July) runs for 45 minutes, with tickets £15 each.

• at-bristol.org.uk

Tell us about what you do...

I’m the co-founder of a plastic recycling company called Plastic Expert. We help the waste management sector recycling plastic waste and also work directly with some businesses. Outside of this I’m a business coach and will soon be launching a podcast around the subject of living life as your true self. I’ve not had the most typical route to becoming a businessperson and want to tell my story to help other people.

What brought you to Bristol?

We set up the company in Bristol in 2010 as I was living in Clifton at the time. It’s a great place to start a company especially being the ‘greenest city’ in the UK. My business partner lived in South Gloucestershire and we needed to be closer together.

What projects are you working on?

Apart from projects within my plastic recycling business; I’m launching a new podcast named ‘My No-Filter Life’ which discusses the subject of living life authentically, embracing who you are, whether it be strengths or weaknesses.

What are you reading?

I’m currently reading Tools of Titans by Tim Ferris but I’ve just finished a book named the The Big Leap which I would highly recommend.

That’s Friday night sorted...

Josh Eggleton has opened the harbourside’s first fish and chip joint – sister to Salt & Malt at Chew Valley Lake, which opened in 2014 with picturesque views and award-winning gluten-free fish and chips. At the new Wapping Wharf restaurant, gluten-free recipes remain at the heart of the menu, and there’s a takeaway counter with fresh catches from the South coast. “Fish and chips is one of those classic British dishes that when done right, really takes some beating,” says Josh.

“My first job was in a chip shop, so this is something I’ve loved for a long time. Ever since we opened on Chew Valley Lake, we’ve had our eye on a second waterside location but it depended on having the perfect spot.”

• saltmalt.com 16 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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What’s pumping out of your speakers?

Usually a podcast! My two favourites are the Tim Ferris Show and The James Altucher show.

Which local café/restaurant/watering hole are you enjoying?

The Boston Tea Party is my favourite café ever! They have the most amazing cakes and coffee.

Evening in or evening out?

Most week days; an evening in. I’m an early to bed, early to rise person. Usually I’m up by 6am and in bed by 10pm.

Weekends are much more about going out and socialising.

What hobbies or interests will you be pursuing this month?

I’ve starting boxing training a couple of times per week which is really rewarding both physically and mentally. I’m also experimenting with Tarot and the more spiritual side of my life.

What local event will you be attending?

It’s got to be Grillstock.

Favourite local walk?

Clifton Downs, every time.

• kevinbasham.com

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THE CITY Crabsolutely fabulous!

Last month saw visitors to Southville’s recently opened beer bar, The Old Butcher’s, enjoying flavours of the Deep South, Vietnam and beyond as part of a newly introduced food menu, devised by the frontwoman of long-standing Bristol band Doreen Doreen. With a little help from Des Rogers – chef and Doreen Doreen drummer – Carol’s Crab Kitchen will be serving up soft-shell crab burgers, gumbo, Carol’s crab cakes, wings and sharing trays, as well as top-notch supporting acts of triple-cooked corn on the cob, prawn cocktail or sweetcorn chowder fries, pickled popcorn shrimp, and deep-fried, pickled shitake mushrooms. As well as The Old Bookshop and The Old Butcher’s owner Ben Gatt, and head chef Nick Delgado, Carol’s travels have inspired the international menu focused on a beloved ingredient from her childhood in the North East.

“Crab is in my DNA,” she says. “I was brought up in the North East of England and every Saturday in the summer my father used to cycle three miles to Newbiggin-By-The-Sea to buy a stone of live crabs from the local fishermen. He’d bring the sack home and tip out the contents into the bath and together we used to clean and prepare the crabs.

“So when Ben contacted me to be part of his vision for North Street, I jumped at the chance. I love that we’ve worked together to create a menu of recipes from my travels with crab taking centre stage.”

Special events will include The Weekly Seafood Boil – a steaming hot pot of clams, mussels, smoked sausage, langoustines and veg served on a sharing tray – and Carol’s Supreme Monthly Boil hosted by her band, which promises to be an extra-special crab extravaganza.

BRISTAGRAM Some of our favourite recent snaps taken by folk around the city! Tag your Bristol pics using #thebristolmag

@kris.av ery and co squeezed so sunshine me fresh in Portis head

leboarders Dusk padd ured by capt treet @ukfranks

• Twitter: @oldbutchersbris Carol with Old Butcher’s owner Ben Gatt

Painter @m ichewatkins captured th is North Stre et scene beautif ully

Animal magic To mark this year’s National Reading Challenge – Animal Agents – Bristol Libraries have invited local author Kirsten Hemingway to visit libraries across the region and share her stories about an animal detective called Angus Management.

Angus is an owl who lives in the Mendips and solves puzzles with his friends on Hellenge Hill. The first series of these children’s stories, beautifully illustrated by Upfest artist Lilly Nicholls, will be launched this month as part of the tour. There are also songs and audio versions of the book, written and produced by Joe Mitchell – joining Lilly and Kirsten to perform stories and encourage children to help to solve the mysteries. “Each of the stories has a moral and they are designed to help children develop problem-solving skills,” said Kirsten.

“We wanted to launch our locally-based stories in a way that benefits the community in and around the Bristol area and also hope to be visiting some of the libraries in North Somerset.”

• angusmanagment.co.uk

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ysic Garden by Castle Park Ph graphy @gertie.photo Bristol Comed y Garden was a hit with _trudi __

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ETHICAL, SUSTAINABLE AND FASHIONABLE Nestled on Alma Road, just off Whiteladies Road in Clifton, is Movement Boutique Bristol. This is a beautiful independent lifestyle boutique selling womenswear, menswear, accessories, apothecary and homeware.

Over two floors you will find carefully curated pieces, many from ethical and sustainable sources.

Clothing labels include Beaumont Organic, an international ethical women’s brand which uses high quality organic linen and cotton to produce gorgeous blouses and tunics, and Nygardsanna, a Swedish label that uses rami fabric for flowing summer dresses.

The menswear brand Knowledge Cotton Apparel uses organic cashmere, cotton and 100% PET recycled bottles! Homeware brand, Canvas Home Store, uses reclaimed wood, recycled glass and bamboo. The Boutique’s loyal customers know they will find something different and unique to Bristol.

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Surf’s up

O

n a recent family trip to Cornwall I was sent off to buy the younger Bartleby a wetsuit. The last time we did this, he got stuck in a full-body suit that was evidently a bit small, and at one point it was looking like a toss-up between calling the fire brigade and spending the rest of our lives in a tiny changing cubicle in St David’s. The problem there, we decided, was my ignorance of the subject, and this time we decided to seek expert advice.

Heading into the nearest town we found My Wave! – a surf emporium established by a Beach-Boys-crazed hippy in the Sixties, and now the almost-exclusive domain of the young. It was a bit like walking into one of those snazzy Bristol bike shops, where the staff, assuming a certain level of knowledge (and interest), speak in an incomprehensible cycling patois.

We managed to convince the pleasant fellow presiding over the wetsuits that my son wasn’t intending to row solo across the Atlantic or surf with Father Christmas. There were many things he didn’t need from his suit, so many in fact that you could sum up our requirements in a familiar short phrase: cheap and cheerful. Of course you can’t say ‘cheap’ in either a bijou bike shop or a surf shack, so instead I made do with remarks like; “He’s still growing fast!”

Undeterred, our assistant pulled out wetsuits, describing them in terms comprehensible even to me: “This will keep him nice and toasty.”

While the son and heir was ensconced in the changing room, I chatted with the salesman, who turned out to be the proverbial mine of knowledge; if there was anything about aquatic sportswear he didn’t know, it probably wasn’t worth knowing. Having asked him if he had a favourite surfing beach, I was forced to admit that I do, occasionally, take to the board myself. Let me say quickly that I would never describe myself as a surfer. However I do know which end you’re supposed to point towards the shore and, on par, probably manage to stand up maybe twice a year, for an average of – I don’t know – three or four seconds. Not particularly impressive stats, I know, but consistent.

Once my credentials were established, the conversation flowed. I explained that I was from Bristol, a city with an unusually high population of surfers given that the nearest waves are an hour or more away. Unless you include the Severn Bore, that is. I once spent a rather chilly winter morning in the car park of a pub near Gloucester, waiting with a motley collection of local hacks and Bore buffs for the famed tidal phenomenon to occur. We chatted. Stamped our feet. Then abruptly the atmosphere changed. Everything became very still. And from around a bend downstream appeared a solitary surfer, heading towards us on the crest of a small but impressive wave. Seeing us gathered on the bank, he gave a cheery thumbs-up and promptly fell in.

I was describing this scene to the wetsuit salesman when he interrupted me. “You’re from Bristol?” he said, as if processing this information for the first time. “Well you’re in luck. They’re building a non-marine-based artificial surf facility there!”

Seeing my confusion, he kindly translated into human. Apparently a posse of entrepreneurial types are planning a pool somewhere down in Avon Gorge, fitted with a wave machine. Not the kind that were all the rage when I was young, and which simply created an uncomfortable swell. No, this generates waves; actual rollers with a curl. Should this facility come to be, as promised, Bristol’s frustrated surfers will have an outlet more reliable than the Severn Bore, a lot closer than Ilfracombe.

Now the younger Bartleby has his new wetsuit, I wonder whether he’ll be among the throng of surf dudes cruising down the Portway.

Maybe I’ll go along too, and finally crack the five-second barrier. ■ 20 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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Indoor Living Kitchen & Dining Outdoor Living New Designers

NISILIVING.CO.UK

10% off your first purchase.

Enter ALFRESCO at checkout.

Valid for one purchase only. Offer ends 30 Sept 2017.

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SHOPPING | FASHION

BOLD and beautiful Fashion is loving strong, vivid and adventurous pattern and colour at the moment, so we pulled together a few favourite pieces with a view to injecting a little excitement into the wardrobe this summer and projecting complete confidence at all times BIBA JACKET, £69 A jaguar print bomber to suit city work-outs or a night on the tiles

• houseoffraser.co.uk THERAPY FIONA HANDBAG, £39 Bright fuchsia is big in SS17’s palette – get involved!

BIBA SCARF, £20 This animal stripe poly scarf is pretty fierce, no?

TED BAKER FORTOI DRESS, £275 Perfect for the races or the regatta

KAREN MILLEN DRESS, £170 This scuba pencil number is a ray of sunshine

SPORTMAX CODE JACKET, £356 100% suede,100% suave...

JAMES LAKELAND TROUSERS, £54 These velvet beauts are a chic choice for a cool summer evening

LABEL LAB TROUSERS, £49 Feel the breeze in these loose-fit palm print kecks

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LOST INK SANDALS, £60 How about these racy platforms with perspex heel? YES.

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BIBA JUNGLE PRINT SHIRT, £59 Because we are the champions, and you’re going to hear us roar...

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SHOPPING | HOLIDAY

SUMMER essentials

CHRISTIAN DIOR SUNGLASSES, £380

We’re all about the pink Seventies-style aviators at the moment and are loving these split-style shades TOM FORD EAU DE PARFUM 50ML, £155

Effervescent, textured, luminous: Mandarino di Amalfi claims to capture the calm idyll of the whitewashed cliffside villas of Amalfi...

LA PRAIRIE MIST, £64 Soothe sun-parched skin with comforting, nourishing botanicals, providing relief in a cool mist as refreshing as summer rain

Whether you’ll be on the beach, beside the pool, or simply dangling your legs over the edge of the water outside Arnolfini – cold one in hand – this month, we want you looking, smelling and feeling your best.

We had the team at Harvey Nichols pack us a bag of must-try bits and bobs...

• harveynichols.com

LA MER REPARATIVE BODY SUN LOTION 200ML, £75

We’re always keen to move away from sticky lotions and this SPF 30 is ideal with its quick absorption, anti-ageing benefits and defence against harmful rays

THIS WORKS PERFECT LEGS SCULPT & SHINE 60ML, £29

Dare to bare with this roll-on illuminator offering precision sculpting, and algae extract for instantly tightened and better-looking legs

DR PAW PAW BALM, £6.95

One of our favourite balms, Dr Paw Paw’s papaya now contains a peach pink hue to add colour to your lips/cheeks/life

KATE SPADE NEW YORK TOTE, £270

With its pretty pompoms and sequinned script, this straw bag is the one we want over our shoulder when we hit the sand

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BENEFIT HOOLA ZERO TAN LINES 150ML, £25

We’re suckers for Hoola’s blusher, and if you’re anything like us, you’ll want a bit of colour before you get your pasty pins out, so Benefit’s hands-free body bronzer is a great shout for a believable bronze

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TELEVISION

James and the team entirely updated the new Futuristic Zone

TO THE DOME! Nineties cult game show The Crystal Maze has just returned to our screens – but did you know it was filmed in Bristol? We caught up with original Maze designer James Dillon to find out more about the 21st-century reincarnation

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TELEVISION

F

rom traversing the murky bog of the Medieval Zone, and tunnelling through the Industrial, to materialising in Futuristic and scaling the walls of the Aztec, the contestants on the eagerly awaited, all-new series of game show The Crystal Maze certainly have their work cut out for them.

If you tuned into the first episode, you’re likely to have seen some mysterious, riddle-posing new characters – played by actress Jessica Hynes and comedian Adam Buxton – and new Maze Master Richard Ayoade and his special (by special we mean somewhat creepy) wooden hand, guiding intrepid adventurers through fantastical zones both familiar and entirely updated, packed with quirks, games and features to test, torment and trap contestants as they tackle the physical, skill, mystery and mental games to obtain the time crystals they need to ensure as much time as possible in the famed (and improved) Crystal Dome, and make sure nobody gets left behind and locked in the Maze...

In the often risk-averse televisual landscape of today, where much money is thrown behind big drama, innovation can be thin on the ground, and that’s part of the reason this remake is so exciting. The Crystal Maze has moved forward, fulfilling the ambitions of the team – largely fanatical Maze fans – while retaining the spirit of the show, and giving it entertainment value proportionate to the demands of the modern day and its tech.

The other reason, of course, is the huge part in many childhoods that the cult programme played during the Nineties. Oh, and the incredible new set having been built in Bristol, in the city’s excellent Bottle Yard Studios – home in the past to the likes of Sherlock, Broadchurch, Poldark, Wolf Hall and many more. The latter meant we were lucky enough to take a tour of the 21st-century Maze, and meet the creative and technical wizards behind it, including exuberant executive producer Neale Simpson and original Maze creator, James Dylan – a giant in the world of production design, who designed the map 26 years ago and just had to return for the new season.

Is there anything you miss from the original set?

The Aztec river that contestants paddled down when they entered the zone. It was fun to see contestants struggle with the unwieldy mock log canoes and occasionally get a soaking.

TBM: What is your favourite part of the set and why?

James: I’m always happy in the Aztec set. It’s like being on an exotic holiday. Sand, water, palm trees – and it’s always (artificially) sunny.

The 4,000 gallon water tank now has a swimming pool filter and heater in it so it’s great for taking a quick swim in before starting filming in the mornings.

We can’t help but notice you also designed sets for The Mighty Boosh…

Was that a set designer’s dream in terms of creative thinking and off-thewall ideas?

Indeed, it was. Noel and Julian were fantastic to work with because they have brilliant, visual ideas that are much more theatrical than most traditional TV comedy. I trained originally as a theatre designer so loved

Twenty-seven years after the original, was there scope for a more adventurous set this time in terms of technology and special effects?

Yes, especially in the new Futuristic zone. We have incorporated LED screens and hi-tech lighting as well as a computer-controlled revolve that makes part of the set turn. Some of the games also used complex laser effects. Plus we have installed a Star Trek-style matter transporter which enables contestants to beam down to any other zone instantaneously. It’s a real time saver for transitions.

...Few places would be happy to see 12,000 gallons of water, 18 tonnes of sand and a tropical forest arrive at their front door...

How has the concept been adapted for a modern audience?

There is a much more elaborate camera and lighting rig than in the original shows. This should allow the viewer to feel more immersed in the environment and games. All the sets have been given a makeover with the latest scenic techniques and we have also structured the Maze so that it’s possible to travel from any zone to any other zone now (last time round, technical considerations meant contestants were restricted to a limited number of set routes).

Adam Buxton makes a cameo in the new series, playing mysterious, riddle-posing new Maze character, Jarhead

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TELEVISION the chance to be able to create surreal worlds that fitted in with the insanity. Richard Ayoade appears in several episodes of the Boosh and I know that Noel is a big Crystal Maze fan as well so there are some nice connections. In fact, the opening line of The Mighty Boosh’s title voiceover; “Come with us now on a journey through time and space…” would be an equally fitting intro for the Maze.

The Industrial Zone of the 2017 series is reassuringly familiar, meanwhile

...Making the production work logistically was like the ultimate Crystal Maze challenge... Fortunately I had more than two minutes to complete the task...

When designing the original Crystal Maze, how did you come up with the format? Were you inspired by any other game shows?

The original concept for Crystal Maze was to produce a studio-based version of The Keys to Fort Boyard. But the look of Fort Boyard is somewhat grey and claustrophobic and it soon became clear as I worked on the format with the original producers that we needed to create a more engaging world. Keeping what was good about the format but altering the journey by travelling into different worlds and times was what made The Crystal Maze special. The zones were inspired more by films than anything else. I wanted the viewer to feel we were in places that felt epic and exciting and that they and the contestants were on an adventure together, leading to the iconic Crystal Dome.

filming is crucial to the success of the show and everything starts with finding the right space. In this instance we were fortunate to be able to come to the Bottle Yard. They had the floor space we needed (some 32,500 sq ft) and the management team there were fantastically helpful in accommodating all the needs and demands of the Maze.

Very few places would be happy to see 12,000 gallons of water, 18 tonnes of sand and a tropical forest arrive at their front door. Making the production work logistically was like the ultimate Crystal Maze challenge. It all starts with CAD plans of the studio and then fitting in the sets and allowing enough space for the cameras and lighting to access all the areas they need to get to in order to film. Fortunately I had more than two minutes to complete the task although I’d probably have been locked in a cell by the producers if I’d failed.

The Crystal Maze is a world of its own – how do you go about fitting so many unique areas into one, navigable space suitable for filming?

In the original series, we made one show every two days. This series we were sometimes shooting two shows in a single day and up to seven shows in a week. Making the space work for the sets, games and

Any whacky ideas that didn’t quite make it off the drawing board?

I wanted to try and do something involving gravity in the Futuristic Zone. I looked at those experiences where you are kept afloat by fans that blow air up and give a skydiving feel. We also looked at a game involving suspending contestants on wires and floating them in a challenge as if in space. Hopefully, if there’s a series two, we can invent an anti-gravity device of some kind.

If you had to live in one of the zones, which would it be?

They’d all have advantages and disadvantages as living spaces. The Crystal Dome might work best. Its fan-cooled for hot days and has lots of glass for views of the surroundings as well as a constant supply of gold and silver tokens that can be exchanged for mediocre prizes that are hard to resist!

Do you think there is scope for more entertainment shows like this on our screens? There’s a lot of big-budget drama around at the moment I’m sure there is scope. A lot of big-budget dramas are being made in the UK because of tax breaks and they are creating lots of jobs and spend in the local economy. A show such as Crystal Maze could be very appealing as an international production and hopefully overseas producers will want to come and bring their own contestants to try and ‘crack’ the Maze. It’s obviously very expensive to make the initial commitment to building sets on this scale so tax breaks for this kind of show would help enormously.

What happens to the set after the series has finished? We’re assuming you’ll have the rotating futuristic zone screens installed in your front room... (We would) At present the set’s being stored at the Bottle Yard. I think that everyone will want rotating screens in their front rooms from now on.

I’m ramping up to manufacture…

Jessica Hynes guards the Medieval Zone

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Have you got any other exciting work in the pipeline this year?

Yes. I am just starting work on a new series with Bristol legend Russell Howard for Sky TV. He is currently on his world tour and we will be shooting the new series this autumn on his return. ■ • Tune in on Friday evenings to watch The Crystal Maze; or visit thebottleyard.com for more information on the show’s Bristol location

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There’s just something magical about the Medieval Zone, don’t you think?

Contestants are up against the clock, with just a couple of minutes to complete their task

We reckon the wonderfully deadpan Richard Ayoade was an excellent choice for the show’s new presenter

The Aztec Zone – James’ favourite and possibly ours too!

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BOOKS

READ ALL ABOUT IT Foyles bookshop’s Charlotte Pope picks out favourite LGBT fiction and non-fiction to celebrate Bristol Pride on 8 July

GIOVANNI’S ROOM: JAMES BALDWIN

American expatriate David has spent his whole life running, desperate to repress his desires for other men. He has just proposed marriage to his girlfriend, Hella, but in her absence he falls in love with young Italian Giovanni. In 1950s Paris, the two embark on a passionate, intense affair – the world inside Giovanni’s room becoming a retreat from the world around them. But when Hella returns, David is wracked with shame. He pushes Giovanni away, convinced two men like them can never make a life together: and it is the beginning of Giovanni’s downfall.

First published in 1956, this is a masterpiece of LGBT fiction. Baldwin’s words are like poetry on the page – so sparing and yet conveying so much. A stunning work of literature.

ORANGES ARE NOT THE ONLY FRUIT: JEANETTE WINTERSON

Jeanette is adopted at birth by an Elim Pentecostal couple and raised to be one of God’s elect. Devoted and passionate, she seems destined for life as a missionary. But then she falls in love with one of her converts – a girl.

Suddenly, things aren’t so simple anymore, and when their relationship is discovered, the young couple are subjected to forced exorcisms by Jeanette’s mother and her group of religious friends.

Jeanette realises that there is no way on earth her family will ever accept her – she must venture out into the world alone, friendless but ultimately true to herself. The novel is semiautobiographical, based on Winterson’s own experiences when she was growing up, and is a fantastic read.

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BECOMING NICOLE: AMY ELLIS NUTT

Becoming Nicole by Amy Ellis Nutt From a very young age, Nicole Maines was convinced she had been born in the wrong body.

When she was still a little boy named Wyatt, she hit her twin brother Jonas, and when asked why, she replied: “Because he gets to be who he is and I don't.” Jonas preferred trucks and sports and other things boys were ‘supposed’ to like, whereas little Wyatt preferred princess dolls and dressing up and seemed to hate his male body. Nicole became front-page news when, in 2014, she triumphed in a landmark discrimination case successfully suing the Ohio school district in Maine for barring her from using the girls bathroom. Becoming Nicole is a coming-of-age saga, and the moving story of an American family.

AND TANGO MAKES THREE: JUSTIN RICHARDSON AND PETER PARNELL

Roy and Silo are just like the other penguin couples at Central Park Zoo. They are inseparable: they bow to each other, swim together and do everything together. But Roy and Silo are a little different from the other penguin couples, because they are both boys. One day, the penguin keeper notices Roy and Silo are attempting to hatch a stone, copying the other penguin families with their eggs. He realises it might be time for Roy and Silo to become parents for real, and gives them their very own egg to care for. Before long, the penguins become proud daddies to a baby penguin called Tango. Based on a true story, this adorable picture book proves that all you need to make a family is love.

QUEER CITY: PETER ACKROYD

Newly published, Queer City shows London in a whole new way – through the eyes of its gay population. Peter Ackroyd tells the secret past of the city, from Roman Londinium, to Oscar Wilde’s “the love that dare not speak its name”; the coffee houses of the Sixties to the Gay Liberation movement and the horror of the AIDS crisis. This is a fascinating read, telling a unique history of London that has rarely been discussed before, and in previous years was forcibly erased. Ackroyd goes right back through history – a truly impressive feat – to look at the times when ‘passionate friendships’ between men were honoured by the Celts, then onto the secretive underground gay culture of the Georgian and Victorian eras. This is an excellent and wellresearched study of queer history.

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Glow from lanterns reaches Beijing

Heuer Autavia case & dial

Chinese Lanterns

China Trade Figures

Charles II Tankard

£7,400

£25,500

£5,950

£5,550

This pair of late 18th/early 19th Chinese Zitan wood lanterns attracted bidders from around the globe. Estimated at £3,000 – £4,000, bidders on the internet, the telephone and in the room battled for the 40cm high lanterns. The successful purchaser bidding from in front of their computer in Beijing, parted with £25,500 to secure their fragile prize.

The sale included the usual selection of fine quality wristwatches from the second half of the 20th Century, a niche in which Clevedon have gained an excellent reputation.This Heuer Autavia chronograph case and dial, with no other workings or movement sold for £7,400. A result confirming that a watch need not be working to be valuable.

Clevedon Salerooms are now accepting entries for their next Specialist Sale on the 14th September and also for their regular Antiques & Interiors sales held each fortnight that include all sorts of interesting items, Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers all of which can be viewed and bid for live online.

The Auction Centre Kenn Road, Kenn Clevedon, BS21 6TT

Free Valuation Days 3rd, 4th, 5th & 17th, 18th, 19th July --------------------------------------------------

At the Salerooms 9.30am – 1pm & 2pm – 5pm No appointment necessary – Ample free parking Alternatively for a free no-obligation valuation, email images to info@csrauctions.com

Tel: 01934 830111 www.clevedon-salerooms.com

Stunning Engagement rings, Wedding bands & tailor-made rings

Engagement Rings • Wedding Rings • Wedding Gifts Beautiful Gift Ideas for the bridesmaids, mother of the bride and for the groom A 10% discount on any pair of rings purchased & off any further gifts for your wedding when you mention The Bristol Magazine We also offer Bespoke Jewellery • Silver Jewellery • Watches • Jewellery & Watch Repairs • Gold purchased (old jewellery & coins)

History, Tradition & Quality - the only Kemps Jewellers since 1881 9 Calton Court, Westbury on Trym, Bristol, BS9 3DF

www.kempsjewellers.com

0117 950 5090 THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

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THEATRE

This year, The Handlebards will be presenting A Midsummer Night's Dream at Windmill Hill City Farm

AS YOU LIKE IT After last year's mega-celebrations, you could forgive Bristol Shakespeare Festival for sitting back and enjoying a less demanding 2017. Yet, this is set to be the biggest year ever, featuring music, dance, film and even a world premiere. However you take your Shakespeare, read on...

Words by Pat Reid

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THEATRE

ith an impressive 23 shows in total, this year’s Bristol Shakespeare Festival is a proudly wide-ranging affair. As well as performances of Shakespeare’s most famous plays by established companies like the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, the Handlebards and Taking Flight, there will be music and dance from the Shakespeare Heptet and South West Dance Theatre, a film night utilising the big screen in Millennium Square, and ‘A Play and A Pint’, which will provide beer-fuelled discussion of the Bard’s works.

According to legend, Bristol Shakespeare Festival was started by a student at Bristol Old Vic Theatre school in the early years of this century. From modest beginnings – a couple of touring companies were invited to come and perform – it gradually grew into one of the city’s finest annual cultural events.

In 2016, the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, the festival attracted 4,000 visitors, and artistic director Suzanne Booth received a Points of Light Award from prime minister Theresa May – at least that’s one thing Theresa got right, then...

The play is based on a small-town production of The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Shakespeare’s worst play, according to some) where one of the cast is having a bit of a breakdown. “There’s a bit of Shakespeare in there,” says Jacqui, “and a lot of talking to the audience, and it’s hilarious. Whether you like The Simpsons or Shakespeare, or just enjoy comedy, it’s brilliant.”

Meanwhile, Taking Flight Theatre Co return to perform The Tempest in the Dairy Garden at Blaise Castle (7 – 8 July). It’s a promenade piece, which means the audience gets to move around with the performers, and it also has live integrated BSL interpretation and audio description.

Also back this year are Heartbreak Productions, who’ll be performing Shakespeare’s sexual-politics-hand-grenade of a play, The Taming of the Shrew, on Brandon Hill Bowling Green (12 – 13 July).

And yet another reprising company, The Lord Chamberlain’s Men, will be working their usual magic with Shakespeare’s ludicrously entertaining The Comedy of Errors, also on Brandon Hill Bowling Green (28 July).

...Whether you like The Simpsons or Shakespeare, it’s brilliant...

If music be the food of love, The Shakespeare Heptet will be on hand to feed the audience with their melodious take on the Sonnets, ‘From Muses to Music’ (15 July). This is part of the fringe programme to be savoured in The Room Above at The White Bear on St Michael’s Hill – and like all good fringes, this one sounds like it’s well worth dipping into alongside the main productions. There will be 10 or more different types of performance going on, and admission is free (audiences are invited to make a donation). Among the exciting new pieces to be found here, the aforementioned A Play And A Pint (29 July) will feature Dr Laurence Publicover of Bristol University chatting about Shakespeare over frothing tankards of ale (er, probably). We’re told that “no prior knowledge of Shakespeare is required” so this could be an entertaining introduction for anyone curious to find out what it’s all about.

Butterfly Theatre Company, who so memorably staged The Tempest in Leigh Woods in 2015, are back with Romeo and Juliet, and this year they’re at the fantastically atmospheric location of Arnos Vale Cemetery.

Making their BSF debut are bicycle-powered Shakespearean eccentrics The Handlebards, who will be presenting A Midsummer Night’s Dream, rude mechanicals and all, at Windmill Hill City Farm (23 July).

W

This year’s highlights include the world premiere of Shakespeare’s Worst (4 – 8 July), written by US performer and Shakespeare scholar Nick Newlin, and Mike Reiss of The Simpsons fame and mega-success.

According to rumour, the festival caught Reiss’s attention partly because of the good publicity it generated last year and partly because he liked the name, having grown up in Bristol, Connecticut. Nick and Mike will be flying over from America to attend the premiere, and there will be a question and answer session with both authors.

Shakespeare’s Worst will be directed by Ed Viney, hot from the Royal Shakespeare Company and a well-known name in Bristol’s theatre scene. It’s being staged in the splendidly-named Stackpool Playhouse, located in the St Thomas Mar Thoma Church on Stackpool Road. “It’s a community venue that’s been shut for three or four years now,” explains festival manager Jacqui Ham. “It’s just been opened by a new church and they’ve been really welcoming. There’s a lovely little theatre, so it’s a brand new space and a brand new piece of writing.”

Fringe action

South West Dance Theatre are set to perform 'A Waltz and Shimmy with Shakespeare' at Hamilton House

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THEATRE

Meanwhile, Folksy Theatre will be doing Twelfth Night up in the Boiling Wells Amphitheatre (21 – 22 July), before Sun and Moon Theatre bring their version of the same play to St George Park (28 July), the first time the festival has graced that particular location.

There’s also an ever-increasing educational dimension to the festival, with an impressive selection of workshops and one-off happenings.

Festival perennials Acting Out Summer School are taking Romeo and Juliet and Twelfth Night to Easton Community Centre as well as Southville Centre (24 – 26 July). Impromptu Shakespeare are delivering precisely that at The Wardrobe Theatre (6 – 7 July), while Sun and Moon are weighing in with ‘Speaking Shakespeare: Empowering the Text’ at The Room Above (23 July). And watch out for Hammerpuzzle Theatre Company, whose “preschool introduction to Shakespeare” take on The Tempest will be coming to both Windmill Hill City Farm and Arnos Vale (22 – 23 July).

Shakespeare’s volunteers

With a background in acting, producing and teaching drama, BSF’s festival manager Jacqui Ham is a passionate advocate of theatre for all.

She tells us more about the people who make it happen...

Tell us about your role as festival manager Usually my role involves looking at the companies, inviting touring companies in and also looking at unusual venues they might be able to use. This year I’ve also been producing in-house show Shakespeare’s Worst. That’s taking up quite a lot of my time so Fabi (volunteer manager) has been looking after the touring companies as well. Also I sit on the board of directors so it’s quite nice to be in all the different layers of the festival.

How many volunteers are involved?

We upsize and downsize depending where we are in the year. On the actual committee there are six or seven of us working through the year, but come festival time, we’ll have 30 or 40 volunteers. It’s a really big group and we’re so reliant on everyone’s help. It’s amazing how it all comes together. Particularly this year because we have a really large programme, we’re going to need a lot of volunteers.

Do you finish one festival and then immediately start work on the next?

Pretty much. We usually take a month to breathe in August, and then

by September certainly the core committee are back on, re-contacting people. A lot of the companies we work with usually get back in touch with us pretty early on because they’re keen to get booked in for the following year, which is brilliant and makes our job a lot easier. And obviously the board of directors sit, all year round, looking strategically at where the festival is going. I think becoming a Community Interest Company, four years ago now, has changed the dynamic of the festival.

We wanted to make it much more of a body. The festival was always brilliant, we always had brilliant plays, but it was much more fluid – committees came and went, and knowledge wasn’t kept within the festival. One of the major things that has changed in the last four to five years is that some key members of both the board and the committee have stayed with the festival and kept growing it.

You had something good going on and it was time to professionalise it?

Absolutely. We’ve had some great performances, great productions, and some amazing places in the city, and there are fantastic audiences that we haven’t reached yet, so we just thought that it was time to absolutely professionalise it. And it also means more people are encouraged to get involved. There’s a really clear identity to the festival – I think that’s one of the key things we wanted to work on.

Can we talk about the B-word – branding?

Yes, I don't like it because it sounds a bit commercial, but I think the branding is important, and I think it’s important for the companies that come as well. Because of what we can give to those companies, to bring those audiences... Because people know now – they know the Shakespeare Festival, they know what to expect, and they know there’ll be lots of different things.

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What is it about Bristol that enables the festival’s clear identity?

I think it’s that we work on an almost ‘Edinburgh’ basis. We have so many different sizes and different types of Shakespeare and Shakespeare-based pieces coming in. We look for a real mix, and we’ve got a whole fringe element this year. Whereas some of the other Shakespeare festivals, which are all brilliant, are perhaps a bit more traditionalist. We in Bristol have made it veer away from being traditionalist, because one of our key missions is to get as many people to come and see and get involved with Shakespeare as possible. And hopefully people who’ve never even looked at it before will come and see something. I think that unless you diversify and approach it in a different way, you’re not going to get those people coming in.

Has there been a moment when you’ve felt; ‘this is what it’s all about’?

So many. The first one when we put on a performance in a cave – I set up that performance and the relationship with the council, and I felt very pleased. It was a version of The Tempest, a two-woman show.

Quite unusual, quite a difficult theatre piece. There was a real sense of achievement, of going somewhere completely different. There have been some incredibly successful performances in the caves since then. But the first performance was really magical. When we worked with Luke Jerram and we did The Tempest on the boats (a promenade production in Leigh Woods), that was special too. and The Lord Chamberlain’s Men are always amazing. I think last year we peaked at just under 700 people. The feeling of being among that audience size – it is huge – for a piece of theatre in Bristol is really amazing.

...When we worked with Luke Jerram and we did The Tempest on the boats in Leigh Woods; that was special...

Is it testament to the sheer number of people in Bristol who want to get involved in drama and find out about Shakespeare?

Absolutely, yes. There’s a real love for Shakespeare in the city, and we’re really lucky to have that. And there’s a lot of inspirational people out there doing really exciting things with Shakespeare; having a place like the Bristol Shakespeare Festival means they can say ‘I’m doing it, and I’m doing it in July where we’re guaranteed to get people in.’ And also people know there’s that one-stop shop to have a look at.

What's your message for people who haven't yet been to BSF? Please come! It doesn’t work without the audiences, and it doesn’t work without the volunteers. We’re not a closed shop, everyone’s welcome to join us. And even if you just want to see the shows, you can always join as a volunteer and access it in that way. On a sunny day, you just think ‘Gosh, it’s going to be an amazing summer, and we’ve got an amazing festival’... ■

Take it outside...

Bristol Shakespeare Festival has a noble tradition of outdoor performances and events. So grab your picnic blanket and folding chair (not forgetting your umbrella) and go to an alfresco show: Shakespeare on the Big Screen: Millennium Square, 26 June The Tempest: Blaise Castle Dairy Farm, 7 – 8 July The Taming of the Shrew: Brandon Hill Bowling Green, 12 – 13 July Romeo and Juliet: Arnos Vale, 19 – 23 July Twelfth Night: Boiling Wells Amphitheatre, 21 – 22 July The Tempest: Windmill Hill City Farm/Arnos Vale, 22 – 23 July A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Windmill Hill City Farm, 23 July The Comedy of Errors: Brandon Hill Bowling Green, 28 July Twelfth Night: St George Park, 29 July • bristolshakespearefestival.org.uk

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THEATRE

Sun and Moon Theatre's Twelfth Night (Or What You Will) is coming to St George Park

Two of The Shakespeare Heptet photo by Edward Moore

Bicycle-powered Shakespearean eccentrics The Handlebards

Bottom’s up!

Romeo and Juliet will be performed by Butterfly Theatre Company at Arnos Vale – photo by Julian and Elle de Burgh

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WHAT’S ON

Jungle Book swings into Bristol Old Vic, image © Richard Davenport

80’s classic Dirty Dancing hits the Bristol Hippodrome stage, image © Alastair Muir

FROM 1 JULY 1 – 2 JULY, ALL DAY

Grillstock, Lloyds Amphitheatre Meat. Music. Mayhem. What more could you possibly want?

Enjoy music from Craig Charles funk and soul club, chilli eating contests and the ‘King of the Grill’ BBQ cook-off. Full weekend tickets cost £50, day tickets available; grillstock.co.uk 3 – 8 JULY, TIMES VARY

Dirty Dancing, Bristol Hippodrome Relive the ’80s with this raunchy summer story featuring innocent teen Baby and charming dance coach Johnny, with fave hits including Hungry Eyes. Tickets from £15.40; atgtickets.com 4 – 8 JULY, 2PM & 8PM

Translunar Paradise, Tobacco Factory Theatres From Pink Mist co-director George Mann comes this touching exploration of grief, following the story of William who struggles to cope with the loss of his wife. Tickets from £10 to £14; tobaccofactorytheatres.com 6 – 7 JULY, 10AM – 3.30PM

Big Bang Bristol, Trinity Centre This two-day science, technology, engineering and maths fair

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features demonstrations, handson activities, local companies and universities. Open to the public on Thursday and KS3 school groups on Friday.

Entrance is free; 3ca.org.uk 7 JULY, 7PM

Pinkmans Charity Banquet, Hamilton House Enjoy a 10-course mezze banquet including falafel, hummus, lamb koftas and more, all in support of charity Help Refugees. Tickets cost £35, all proceeds go to Help Refugees; eventbrite.co.uk

FROM 8 JULY 8 JULY, 1.15PM

Music for Choir and Organ, Lord Mayor’s Chapel The Chapel Singers, directed by John Marsh, present music for choir and organ. Entrance is free, donations are welcome; lordmayorschapel.org.uk

Translunar Paradise comes to Tobacco Factory Theatres

11 – 20 JULY, TIMES VARY

Ferment Fortnight, Arnolfini & Bristol Old Vic Discover the South West’s latest trailblazers with a fortnight of exciting performances and new ideas – all presented by Ferment, Bristol Old Vic’s artist development project. Tickets cost £5 per event; bristololdvic.org.uk

FROM 15 JULY 14 & 15 JULY, TIMES VARY

The Life Aquatic, The Kaskelot at Bristol Harbourside Catch Wes Anderson’s classic film on board ocean liner the Kaskelot, plus a range of free events celebrating Bristol’s maritime heritage. Screening tickets cost £15.99; eventbrite.co.uk 15 JULY, 1.15PM

8 JULY, 7.30PM

An Evening of English Music, St Peter’s Church Join Bristol Cabot Choir for a selection of inspiring English music from Tallis, Purcell, Tavener and others, conducted

by Rebecca Holdeman and featuring soloist Shelley EverallHolban. Tickets cost £15, including refreshments; bristolcabotchoir.org

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A Concert of Choral Music, Lord Mayor’s Chapel Anthony Peck directs an afternoon concert of choral music. Entrance is free, donations are welcome; lordmayorschapel.org.uk 15 JULY, 3.30PM & 7.30PM

The Emperor’s New Clothes, Theatre Tropicana Join Illyria theatre for a cheeky

take on the classic children’s story. The Emperor is a lovely man, but he’s not the best judge of character – what will his subjects think of his ‘barely there’ outfit? Tickets from £9 to £13, or £38 for a family of four; tropicanaweston.co.uk 16 JULY, 8PM

Yola Carter, The Lantern Portishead-born powerhouse singer Yola Carter goes back to her first musical loves – gospel and soul – with a stunning live performance. Folk duo The Black Feathers will join Yola as part of Colston Hall’s starstudded River Town festival.

Tickets cost £13.50; colstonhall.org 16 JULY, 10PM

Punjabtronix, Arnolfini DJ Swami joins forces with Punjabi folk musicians in this exciting sonic and visual experience, fusing the electronic with the traditional in a celebration of Punjab’s eclectic musical soundscape. Tickets cost £15; arnolfini.org.uk 20 JULY, 7.30PM

The ELO Experience, Bristol Hippodrome Rock rhythms and classical influences combine in this celebration of the influential Electric Light Orchestra. Tickets cost £25; atgtickets.com

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20 – 28 JULY, 4PM & 8PM

Goldilock, Stock and Three Smoking Bears, The Wardrobe Theatre Wardrobe Theatre’s eccentric comedy fuses the classic porridge-thief fairy tale with Guy Ritchie’s cult 1988 cockney caper, creating something totally unique. Tickets from £10 to £14; tobaccofactorytheatres.com 21 JULY, 7.30PM

Persuasion, Redgrave Theatre Chicago Chamber Opera present their musical version of Jane Austen’s final novel, commemorating 200 years since the beloved author’s death.

Tickets from £12 to £15; redgravetheatre.com

FROM 22 JULY 23 JULY, 7PM

THT Goes West, Watershed A fabulous evening of cabaret, comedy drag from Pearl and Dean, music from Bristol’s LGBT choir Sing Out Bristol and more, all in aid of Terrence Higgins Trust. Tickets cost £15; bristolticketshop.co.uk 24 – 29 JULY, TIMES VARY

Dreamboats and Petticoats, Bristol Hippodrome Norman and Bobby compete for fame, fortune and love in this rock ‘n’ roll musical, but who will see their name in lights?

Tickets from £17.90; atgtickets.com 27 JULY, 6.30PM – 10.30PM

The Graduate, Averys Wine Cellar Bristol Film Festival’s ‘Beyond Popcorn’ series continues with an evening of carefully selected

wines, classic film and a three course Californian-inspired meal.

Tickets cost £60; bristolfilmfestival.com

Enjoy blooms, falconry, veggies and more at Portishead Flower Show

27 –29 JULY, 5PM & 7.30PM

Jungle Book, Bristol Old Vic Kipling’s much-loved children’s story comes swinging into the 21st century with Metta Theatre’s spectacularly urban street dance and circus retelling.

Tickets from £10 to £20; bristololdvic.org.uk 28 JULY, 7.30PM

BSO Classical Extravaganza, Colston Hall Enjoy Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra’s stellar selection of classical music including some of the most recognisable tunes from Strauss, Grieg, Mozart and Tchaikovsky. Tickets from £8; colstonhall.org

All aboard the Kaskelot to learn more about Bristol’s maritime heritage

29 – 30 JULY, TIMES VARY

Portishead Flower Show, Flower Show Field A traditional flower show and country fair combine with 400 horticultural and handicraft exhibits, a gundog display, falconry, live music from The Hipcats and the Harlem Rhythm Cats and more. Tickets cost £5 per adult, children go free; portisheadflowershow.com

NEXT MONTH...

31 JULY – 9 AUGUST, 7.30AM – 5.30PM

UoB Photomarathon Exhibition, Wills Memorial Building View every photo from the University of Bristol’s photomarathon competition, where entrants were tasked with taking 10 photos of 10 themes, all in the correct order over a five-hour period. Entrance is free; bristol.ac.uk

Music, meat and mayhem galore at Grillstock this month

EDITOR’S PICK...

21 – 23 JULY, ALL DAY

Bristol Harbour Festival, Harbourside If you’re anything like us, this iconic city event will have been in the diary for months already. If you’re a fan of totally free frolics this is the place to be: the packed line-up includes music from Roots Manuva and The Outlook Orchestra, a dance village celebrating performers of all ages and styles, and daredevil circus acts from Cirque Bijou. Alongside myriad entertainments, learn more about life on the high seas aboard three tall ships: The Kaskelot, The Earl of Pembroke and The Phoenix.

Image © Paul Box

• bristolharbourfestival.co.uk

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Why not take a trip out to beautiful Bowood?

SUMMER FUNNING! The school holidays are just round the corner; time to put plans in place and visit some of the region’s excellent attractions...

Pliosaurus! at the City Museum & Gallery Travel back in time 150 million years at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery and meet a fearsome Jurassic beast – the pliosaur. Bristol was a very different place 150 million years ago. Warm seas covered the land where the city stands today and while dinosaurs walked the land and pterosaurs were flying in the skies, marine reptiles dominated the seas.

One of the biggest and fiercest of all was the pliosaur. The length of a bus, with sharp teeth the size of bananas, four huge flippers and crushingly powerful jaws, the pliosaur was the ultimate underwater predator. There is nothing alive like them today. Visitors can come face to face with an enormous Pliosaurus called Doris – a full-sized interactive model creating a memorable experience for children and adults alike. Not only will visitors get to meet the beast, afterwards a Jurassic Explorer guide will take visitors on a journey throughout the museum to discover more about Doris’ world – including geology and fine art galleries. Exhibition entry is on a pay-what-you-think basis.

• City Museum & Gallery, Queens Rd, Bristol, BS8 1RL; 0117 922 3571; bristolmuseums.org.uk/bristol-museum-and-art-gallery

Hoo-Ha Festival at Colston Hall Hold on to your party hats, because Hoo-Ha festival is back in August. For the third year, Colston Hall comes alive for three days, filled with music, mirth, and rip-roaring fun for all the family. With interactive shows, awesome activities and tons of surprises in store around each corner, everyone is invited to the Hoo-Ha party. This year’s line-up includes kids TV legends Dick and Dom, Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes live, and Mischief and Mysteries in Moominvalley.

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Other highlights include an interactive show for dinosaur lovers with Bristol-based Bakehouse Factory and Bristol Zoo, featuring Professor T Rex, assisted by Velocity Raptor and Terry Dactyl as well as one ginormous birthday party to celebrate Colston Hall’s 150th featuring Andy Day, and DJ Cheeba. During the festival the foyer building will be buzzing with a range of free activities, crafts, shows on the foyer stage and other spontaneous happenings…

• Colston Hall, Colston Street, Bristol, BS1 5AR; 0117 203 4040; colstonhall.org

Fire Tech Camp at Bristol Grammar School Fire Tech Camp is the UK’s leading provider of tech education for nine to 17-year-olds. Launched in 2013, it has delivered over 4,000 courses and workshops, in 20 subjects in coding, making and digital arts.

Their goal is to develop and encourage the next generation of innovators through a supportive community. This summer, Fire Tech Camp is coming to Bristol and taking bookings now for one of the courses on offer at their Bristol venue, Bristol Grammar School.

Combining fun with interactive learning, the courses on offer include Minecraft Maker, Video Game Design, Junior Coder, Mobile App Design, Coding Games with Java, Teen Coding with Python, and Python and Electronics with Minecraft. Courses run over blocks of five days between 31 July and 18 August. For a full list of courses and the applicable age groups, please refer to the website.

• Bristol Grammar School, University Road, Bristol, BS8 1SR; 0207 193 4002; firetechcamp.com

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Storybox Festival at Foyles

Victorian Summer Circus – ss Great Britain

The Storybox Festival returns to Foyles’ Cabot store this summer, bringing with it a range of free events to inspire and engage young readers. On Saturday 15 July, Foyles’ will host an interactive storytelling session with award-winning children’s author Yasmeen Ismail. Children will be invited to join in with the telling of Yas’ stories and get involved in some hands-on craft activities. Suitable for children aged three to eight, Friday 28 July sees the store host a storytelling and illustration workshop with children’s author Yuval Zommer, who will be introducing his latest book, The Wonderful World of Beasts. Children will learn all about the beasts in the book, and even create their own at this entertaining event.

Make sure the older readers out there pop along to the store on Saturday 12 August where, from 7 – 8pm, there will be a YA panel made up of authors Jenny McLachlan, Karen Gregory, and Orlagh Collins. After readings from each author, there will be the opportunity to meet and mingle with the authors and enjoy some complimentary refreshments.

This summer, from 22 July – 3 September, the circus is coming to town! New for 2017, a Victorian circus will be enteraining families thanks to Cirque Bijou, a Bristol-based contemporary circus company, taking over Brunel’s ss Great Britain. Inspired by the iconic ship’s history and voyages, the original and impressive performances can be enjoyed every day throughout the summer holidays, plus there’ll be exciting free circus workshops in Brunel Square from 12pm – 4pm.

Once you are exhausted from watching all those daring feats, don’t forget ss Great Britain has lots more to keep you entertained; explore not only the ship itself but also the dry dock, the dockyard museum and (if you are feeling brave enough) try the ‘Go Aloft’ experience (£10 extra) and climb the rigging to over 25 metres above ground level!

• Foyles, Cabot Circus, Brigstowe Street, Cabot Circus, Bristol, BS1 3BH; foyles.co.uk/bookstore-bristol; email cabotcircus@foyles.co.uk to book your place.

Family shows at the Hippodrome A trip to the theatre is the perfect excuse to get out of the sun if it’s proving too much, and the Hippodrome is hosting a range of shows over the summer, with something for everyone. From the makers of Peppa Pig comes the BAFTA award-winning television animation Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom, live on stage at the Hippodrome for four performances over 12 and 13 July. The show promises an exciting, enchanting and magical musical adventure packed full of games, songs and laughter.

Between 7 and 12 August, the new UK tour of Sister Act comes to town.

Directed and choreographed by Craig Revel Horwood, it’s a feel-good musical comedy based on the smash hit movie staring Whoopi Goldberg and Maggie Smith – but you knew that already, we hope!

• Brunel’s ss Great Britain, Great Western Dockyard, Bristol, BS1 6TY; 0117 926 0680; ssgreatbritain.org

Summer Schools at Tobacco Factory Theatres This summer, Tobacco Factory Theatres is offering an exciting and unique opportunity for young people to take part in a week-long performance summer school delivered by highly experienced theatre makers. Participants will spend six days in the theatre, creating a brilliant show that they will perform to family and friends at the end of the week. Working with professional directors, musicians, and choreographers, the days will be jam-packed and lots of fun.

Two summer schools will be offered – one for young people aged 13 Have you spotted mischievous MegaMorph on his travels around Bristol? He’ll be at Cribbs Causeway soon enough

• The Bristol Hippodrome, St Augustines Parade, Bristol, BS1 4UZ; 0844 871 3012; atgtickets.com/venues/bristol-hippodrome

Skeletons: Our Buried Bones – M Shed Until 3 September, six skeletons discovered in Bristol will be on display at M Shed alongside six skeletons from the Museum of London’s 20,000strong collection; bringing to life stories that have long been hidden! The individuals on display include a Bronze Age man with a spear-head lodged in his spine, a decapitated Roman woman, and children with conditions linked to poor nutrition – each providing a personal insight into the human history of both cities. Alongside the exhibition, M Shed and the University of Bristol have developed ‘The Bone Lab’ – a space where children can reveal some of the science behind the stories. Children will discover how to distinguish between a male and female skeleton and how to identify what diseases and injuries the people had by searching for hidden clues and hearing from experts of the excavation site, lab and museum. Entry to the exhibition is pay-what-you-think.

• M Shed, Princes Wharf, Wapping Rd, Bristol, BS1 4RN; 0117 352 6600; bristolmuseums.org.uk/m-shed

Morph: Still Naughty at 40 – Cribbs Causeway Batten down the hatches: a gentle giant has arrived in Bristol!

MegaMorph, a mighty three-metre tall Morph, is coming to the city to mark the launch of exclusive exhibition ‘Morph: Still Naughty at 40!’

He’s already begun his travels – you might have spotted him around the city – but you can find him at Cribbs Causeway from 10 July.

Morph’s birthday exhibition at The Mall will run from 14 July until 5 September, raising money for The Grand Appeal, and will feature 20 pint-sized sculptures, memorabilia, Morph and Chas screenings, an interactive green screen and model-making workshops.

• The Mall at Cribbs Causeway, Bristol, BS34 5DG; entrance is free with a suggested donation of £2; all proceeds go to Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal

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to 19 and the other for eight to 12-year-olds – and multiple practitioners will be working on each. The theatre challenge for eight to 12-year-olds is all about Greek myths, Norse gods, Vikings, beasts and heroes! The older group will work with acting and musical experts to take on the musical myth of Orpheus: expect live music, bold theatre and lots of noise! Bursary places are available – email ailie@tobaccofactorytheatres.com

animal songs for kids and adults that they can hop, wriggle, bounce and roar along to; a relaxed and welcoming session in the setting of the farm café, this costs £3 per child.

• Tobacco Factory Theatre, Raleigh Road, Southville, Bristol, BS3 1TF; 0117 902 0345; tobaccofactorytheatres.com

Bowood House & Gardens, near Chippenham is the perfect place for a family visit, with something for everyone! Whether it's the 2,000acre ‘Capability’ Brown parkland, the Adventure Playground or Tractor Ted’s Little Farm, you're bound to spot some further calls this summer with a line-up of diary dates! The first weekend of August, Bowood welcomes a 'Classic Ibiza' concert on Saturday 5th and ‘The Great British Prom’ on Sunday 6th. For Tractor Ted fans, Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th August Bowood introduces ‘Diggers & Dumpers Weekend’. Then the Great British Food Festival returns on the Bank Holiday weekend (Saturday 26th - Monday 28th August) with Great British Bake Off finalists, guest demos, kids’ cookery lessons, with over 80 top local producers, real ale, wine bars and live music among the great range of foodie delights. Bowood House & Gardens really does have something for all the family this summer!

Theatre Tropicana at Weston-Super-Mare As part of a collaboration between North Somerset Council and Theatre Orchard, Theatre Tropicana is bringing unusual theatre productions to the seaside at Weston-Super-Mare’s glorious former lido. With a schedule set to extend through the rest of the year, this summer will see two special shows available to book. On Saturday 15 July, The Emperor’s New Clothes – Hans Christian Anderson’s cheeky tale of the vain and very gullible Emperor – is brought to the stage. (With the production suitable for ages five and above, parents can rest assured there is no nudity in the production!) For slightly older children (age eight and above) The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, arrives for a one-off show on the bank holiday, Monday 28 August, and follows the four intrepid explorers as they travel to an uncharted plateau in South America following a few scant directions scribbled in a sketch book. The adventure ahead of them includes prehistoric thrills and monster laughs, as life-size dinosaurs abound in this must-see show. Please note: this production takes place outside in The Old Town Quarry (BS23 2LU) Picnics welcome!

• Theatre Tropicana, Marine Parade, Weston-Super-Mare, BS23 1BE. To book The Emperor’s New Clothes: 0117 902 0344; tobaccofactorytheatres.com/campaigns/theatre-tropicana To book The Lost World: illyria.uk.com

Wiltshire Music Centre There’s a month of creative and musical activities for children and young people going on here throughout the school summer holidays.

This year’s programme includes a contemporary dance intensive, with award-winning Neon Dance Company (2 – 3 August) and Street Theatre, where budding actors will devise a new play in two days (17 – 18 August). Young rockers can experience playing in a band at Rock It (31 July/ 1 August) and for aspiring composers and songwriters, there’s a three-day course where participants will write new music based on a folk tale (14 –16 August). For little ones aged up to 12 months, and toddlers, there are workshops with singing, storytelling, crafts and plenty of messy fun. There’ll also be screenings of Disney films, including Toy Story and Beauty and the Beast, where audience members are invited to come dressed as their favourite characters.

• Wiltshire Music Centre, Ashley Road, Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire, BA15 1DZ; 01225 860100; wiltshiremusic.org.uk

Windmill Hill City Farm Windmill Hill City Farm is a long-time favourite for families around Bristol, hosting a huge selection of activities throughout the week to cover all ages (and adults too). One of the most popular activities, Farm Adventurers, offers regular sessions between Tuesday and Friday every week and, designed for children aged two to five years, provides children with the opportunity to freely explore the outdoor environment while enjoying activities such as animal care, growing and gardening, cooking, pond dipping and much more. For those looking for an introduction to Farm Adventurers there is a weekly stay-and-play session on Mondays between 9.30am and 11.30am that involves nature play, animal care, music and crafts. Places allocated on a first come, first serve basis. Fancy a sing-along? On Wednesdays, the farm hosts an interactive performance of original

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• Windmill Hill City Farm, Philip Street, Bedminster, BS3 4EA; 0117 9633252; windmillhillcityfarm.org.uk

Bowood House & Gardens

• Bowood House, Derry Hill, Calne, SN11 9PQ; 01249 812102; bowood.org

The Holburne Museum Open daily, with free admission, The Holburne in Bath makes for a lovely family day out. Current exhibition ‘Tapestry: Here & Now’ runs until 1 October and costs £10 for adults while those under 16 go free. There are creative art activities to be enjoyed in the Sackler Discovery Centre; learn the art of tapestry in a workshop if you fancy some hands-on fun, or attend a talk to learn more about the design process involved in contemporary tapestry making. There’s plenty for those interested in ‘early years’ activities, summer art camps, art masterclasses for 11 to 18 year olds, and family workshops too.

Visitors can also enjoy after-hours access to the museum’s galleries and exhibition until 9pm on the last Friday in the month – relax with friends and a drink, share some nibbles throughout the evening and enjoy music in the Garden Café – where you’ll find a new summer menu, including weekend barbecues on the terrace.

• The Holburne Museum, Great Pulteney Street, Bath, BA2 4DB; 01225 388569; holburne.org

We Do It In The Woods Treat yourself to a day out of the ordinary or give a loved one the gift of the great outdoors. We Do It In The Woods offers art, craft and other creative workshops for grown-ups in a beautiful ancient woodland setting. Try your hand at jewellery making, mosaics, drawing, creative writing and more, all led by practising local artists.

Experience all the enjoyment and enrichment of the creative experience and also the deep nourishment and pleasure that comes from simply ‘being’ and ‘doing’ in the outdoors: spending time in nature and particularly in woodlands is proven to enhance wellbeing.

Workshops are held on weekends from 10am-4pm and cost £60 (over 16s only. Booking is essential, email tara@wedoitinthewoods.co.uk.

• Pipley Wood, Lansdown, Bath, BA1 9BZ; 07773283547; wedoitinthewoods.co.uk

Wells Cathedral Escape for a few hours to Wells Cathedral; set in the heart of the medieval city and easily reached by car and public transport from Bristol. Self-guided family trails and free family creative workshops will be available throughout the summer; or you can join one of the regular free daily tours with one of the highly trained cathedral guides. They’re available every day (except Sundays), no booking is

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Want to find out more about the fearsome pliosaurus? Head to the City Museum & Gallery (picture by Bristol Culture)

Head to the ss Great Britain to watch the Victorian summer circus

There’s plenty of music-making fun to be had at Wiltshire Music Centre

There’s more family fun than you can shake a stick at over at Colston Hall during Hoo-Ha Festival

Alexandra Burke plays Deloris Van Cartier in Sister Act at the Hippodrome (photo by Tristram Kenton)

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Head down into Wookey Hole Caves and meet the witch and her bat companion Harold in the midst of an experiment gone horribly wrong...

required, and highlights can include the magnificent West Front, stunning scissor arches, Chapter House and steps and the medieval Vicars’ Close.

The cathedral also runs free ‘Window Walks’ and embroidery taster tours on most Saturdays and Wednesdays (April to October). Why not make a day of it with refreshments in the popular cathedral café or visit the Wells Market which takes place every Wednesday and Saturday. There’s no entrance fee at the cathedral but, as English Cathedrals receive no regular funding from the government or Church of England, donations are very welcome.

• Wells Cathedral, Cathedral Green, Wells BA5 2UE; 01749 674483; wellscathedral.org.uk

Wookey Hole This summer, escape the heat for a day at Wookey Hole, where there are more events running than ever before. A whole new underground world is waiting to be explored, where never-before-seen caves have been blasted and uncovered. Get to grips with their history; learn how they were formed and who lived in them. Special events that are new for summer 2017 include the Superhero Circus Show; a daily showcase of young performers who will unicycle and skate their way round the theatre and dazzle you with juggling, hula hooping, trapeze tricks and magical illusions. Also new for this season is the 4D cinema experience showing ‘Happy Family’, an adventure-filled show promises surprises and thrills. Join Harold – bat companion to the Witch of Wookey Hole – in the middle of an experiment that has gone horribly wrong. Can you help?

• Wookey Hole Caves, The Mill, High St, Wookey Hole, Wells, BA5 1BB; wookey.co.uk

Wookey Hole reader offer Wookey Hole Caves has a special offer for readers. Present this voucher from the magazine and enjoy 20% off entry, valid for up to five people. No photocopies accepted. Not valid with any other discount, offer or special events. Ref B&BMAGSUMMER.

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The Tobacco Factory is running summer schools for young people interested in theatre and performing Got a computer-loving kid? They’ll love Firetech Camp

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WHAT’S ON | FILM Image, by Jessica Kathleen Brady, from Blood Warriors – a modern-day period drama

FROM HER POINT OF VIEW According to stats from the British Film Institute, when it comes to UK independent films, women still make up a slim proportion of directors and writers. Two Bristol organisations have been trying to change that...

W

omen are under-represented in many areas of film and video production, and over the past few months, Bristol-based arts organisation Knowle West Media Centre has been helping to challenge this imbalance and amplify the voices of talented women who haven’t had a platform to tell their stories on film.

Thanks to funding from Creative Skillset’s Film Skills Fund, with BFI’s Film Forever, since January, the centre – which helps people to make positive changes in their lives and communities using technology and the arts to come up with creative solutions to problems – has spent the past months delivering an intense film training programme for Bristol women.

Since 1996, the charity has offered a range of activities, business development initiatives, a diverse exhibition programme and opportunities for young people to learn skills in media production – and last year, when the new funding was received, the team decided it was time for a change of lens and a new perspective.

The programme saw 14 young women enjoying weekly training to develop their professional skills and create two short films, and included talks from visiting speakers, opportunities to network with others working in film and TV, and sessions in scriptwriting, camera and lighting, sound recording, working with actors, 2D animation, production design and puppetry. Early on, the women formed two production crews and began developing ideas. Each crew received a bursary to spend on production – hiring actors, props, costume, make-up and catering – and the resulting films, Blood Warriors (facebook.com/bloodwarriorsfilm) and Black Cherry (facebook.com/blackcherryfilmUK), were screened recently at Arnolfini with Bristol Film Festival. “The experience has been amazing,” said Kam Gandhi, director of coming-of-age story Black Cherry. “Who would have thought: before applying for the scheme I was thinking of giving up on filmmaking and now I feel the exact opposite – I’m certain this is what I want to do!”

“Discovering and developing new female filmmakers are essential components in ensuring equality and diversity in the UK film workforce,” added Lisa Howe at Creative Skillset. “We are so pleased to have supported KWMC in the ‘From Her Point of View’ project, encouraging women to not just develop their creative voices, but to learn and build confidence in practical craft and technical skills.”

• Visit kwmc.org.uk/projects to find out more; email enquiries@kwmc.org.uk for more on training and film programmes 46 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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Below: Stills from Kam Gandhi’s coming-of-age story

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COMPETITION Valley Fest have teamed up with The Bristol Magazine to offer a lucky a winner a pair of weekend tickets with camping.

For your chance to win this prize simply email competitions@thebristolmagazine.co.uk with your name, contact number, and address.

Competition closes 14th July 2017 and winner will be notified shortly afterwards.

One entrant per person.

Join the knees up!

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MUSIC ON | MUSIC WHAT’S

TAKE ME TO THE RIVER...

Andy Fairweather Low, Paul Carrack and Nick Lowe

Back under the name of River Town, Bristol’s Americana weekend is bringing the best of current blues, gospel and country to the city from 14 – 17 July. Here’s what not to miss...

Colston Hall, 14 July, 7.30pm The festival kicks off with Ben Earle and Crissie Rhodes’ country-pop duo – following their sell-out show at 2015’s Americana weekend, and top 10 album. They’ll be joined by Hampshire sister act Ward Thomas.

The Shires

The Lantern, 14 July, 8pm Born in Kent, Jon is expertly versed in the distinctive piano-led funk and R&B styles of New Orleans – his home for the past 30 years. The funk master will be taking to the stage with soulful pop tunes, supported by singer-songwriter Amythyst Kiah.

Jon Cleary

Mavis Staples

The Lantern, 16 July, 7.30pm Known as The Emperor of Cool, The King of Soul and The Ace Guitarist of a Generation, this revered trio – who make for an astonishing collective with a back catalogue spanning decades – is coming together for an eclectic evening of song.

Nick Lowe, Paul Carrack & Andy Fairweather Low

Colston Hall, 16 July, 8pm After 15 years as a writer, producer and singer with artists such as Massive Attack, Chase & Status and Phantom Limb, Yola has returned to her first love – country gospel and soul. Named Artist of the Year at the 2017 UK Americana Awards, her powerhouse voice is guaranteed to move. Joining are folk duo The Black Feathers.

Yola Carter

Ward Thomas Bristol’s Yola Carter

Colston Hall, 17 July, 7.30pm Legendary gospel singer Mavis has been delivering powerful songs for nearly 70 years. Starting in family band The Staple Singers – associated with the American civil rights movements thanks to a close friendship between her father and Martin Luther King Jr – she’s as fiercely relevant as ever thanks to new collaborations with Wilco and Bon Iver.

She will be joined by soul singer James Hunter.

Mavis Staples

Jon Cleary

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An exciting and rewarding opportunity With 20,000 copies of The Bristol Magazine printed and delivered every month we lead the way as Bristol’s biggest premium lifestyle magazine.

THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

MEDIA SALES

We believe that quality, engaging content and excellent production means we are the exception (rather than the rule) when it comes to popularity for print. Thankfully, our readers and advertisers seem to agree.

We now have a superb opportunity for a talented individual to join our team at our Bristol offices.

The ideal candidate will possess media sales or relevant marketing experience, preferably gained from a quality print or similar sales environment.

Well educated, well spoken, you will be personable, conscientious, and enjoy a consultative approach to advertising sales, with a real emphasis on great customer service,as well as possessing the drive and ambition to make a valuable contribution to our continued growth Please send covering letter and your CV to Steve Miklos. email: steve@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

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EXHIBITIONS

STATE OF THE ART Yatika Starr Fields, Rainmaker Gallery, 12 July – 30 September This solo exhibition showcases the recent work of contemporary Native American painter and muralist Yatika Starr Fields, and comprises a series of 15 oil paintings on canvas, created specifically for Rainmaker Gallery.

Yatika will be travelling to Bristol this month for an artist reception and talk on 25 July, and will also be attending Upfest – as the first Native American artist to participate in the street art festival. He will be creating a large-scale mural for the enjoyment of everyone in the city.

His paintings pack a visual punch through intensity of colour and movement. He avoids the linear and perspectival views of much of Western art in favour of an immersive visual field of vivid whirling shapes, echoing the vibrancy of life that we see and feel around us. His works have a directness and confidence that produce heightened senses in the viewer, as if on a wild ride through an urban cityscape or plunging deep into the natural world to see its underlying strength.

• rainmakerart.co.uk

Rebirth, The Station Gallery, Silver Street 4 – 31 July

Air: Visualising the Invisible in British Art, RWA, 16 June – 3 September

Solid Air III by Peter Randall-Page

A suitably summery exhibition celebrating the rich tradition in British art of finding inspiration in the skies above us and the air that we breathe. The show brings some of the nation’s masterpieces to Bristol, including Joseph Wright of Derby’s An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump, on loan from the National Gallery and believed to be visiting Bristol the first time. Other well-loved works include John Everett Millais’ Bubbles and J.M.W Turner’s The Thames Above Waterloo Bridge. See depictions of the earliest hot air balloon flights and celebrations the 18th-century’s ‘balloonmania’ in addition to the sinister shadows and trails left by warplanes and the ominous shape of bulbous barrage balloons in works by Eric Ravilious, Frank Dobson and Christopher Nevinson.

• rwa.org.uk

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Emerging artist Rebecca Jo Lesley will be hosting her debut solo exhibition at the Station Gallery in July – throughout which there will be several events in the space, bringing together a lively mixture of visual artists, poets and muscians. Elements of surrealism are blended with hyperrealism to create dream-like states that focus on atmosphere rather than a direct narrative.

Working with oil paint on a variety of surfaces from glass to wood panel, she is influenced by the contemporary painters Henrik Uldalen, Alyssa Monks and Mark Ryden. After studying performance design at Saint Martins and AUB, Rebecca went on to work in costume departments for film and TV. In 2016 she started experimenting with oil paint for portraiture and then received a small fund from the Arts Council to develop her practice. She then became part of the Creative Youth Network alumni who have provided the studio that she has created her new series in.

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EXHIBITIONS

Horizon, Christmas Steps Gallery, 25 – 31 July See the work of three Somerset designers united through their unique interpretations of the environment. Jewellery designer Emma Aitchison is passionate about sustainability and so – made using conscientious production methods – her designs respect the planet and its people. Ceramicist Phoebe Smith is both consciously and unconsciously inspired by the landscape around her, so her functional, beautifully crafted ceramics reflect her interest in the natural environment. Her love of the ceramics process, and turning raw materials into a new form, has been a huge influence on the way her work continues to develop.

Multidisciplinary designer, printmaker and keen traveller Josie Falconer celebrates the every day, heavily influenced by varying landscapes and global diversity. Through her bespoke designs, she creates a wide range of products including stationery, gift cards and books.

• christmasstepsgallery.co.uk

Botanical, Diana Porter Contemporary Jewellery, until 25 August

This summer, the team at Diana Porter Contemporary Jewellery are keen to take visitors and shoppers on a journey to fantastical locations as they explore the bountiful treasures in their dynamic exhibition. Warm hues of Indian summers dance alongside lush greens, and modern materials are juxtaposed with fine porcelain and silks. Botanical influences run through each of the collections featured, and the beautiful designs include foliage paired back to its skeletal structure or layers of petals and fruit that create bold pieces of wearable art. The Botanical exhibition features the talented work of Alena Willwroth, Farrah Al-Dujaili, Holly Suzanna Clifford, Rachel Codd, Rebecca Wilkes and Vershali Jain.

• dianaporter.co.uk

● Topography by Four, Bristol Guild Gallery, 17 June – 8 July Four photographers; three shows; one venue. See the work of Luis Bustamante, John Brooks, Iris Bolster and Martin Edwards at the Guild this month and prepare to be impressed. Primal Landscapes (from Luis Bustamante and Martin Edwards) features two volcanic landscapes that are poles apart, while Chile’s Atacama Desert and Iceland coalesce in colours, textures and beauty. Transitions (by John Brooks) offers the viewer a fresh perspective of the everyday but abstracted and in complex photomontage, as 850 (Iris Bolster and Martin Edwards) uses infrared light to create both dramatic and subtle, vast and intimate, landscapes.

• bristolguild.gallery.co.uk

● Uprooted, The Island Gallery, 8 – 15 July An exhibition of portraits by Art for Action founder Rose Illingworth, with refugee children’s artwork, and photographs by Syrian refugees Abdulazez Dukhan – who now has asylum in Belgium – and Abdul Saboor – who, sadly, is living in transit on the Serbian border. The launch night on 8 July runs from 6pm until 10.30pm, with an art raffle and bar donations going towards Art For Action’s next project in Lesvos. The charity, which runs street art projects, portrait and canvas workshops for those who have experienced trauma through war, and young people living in marginalised communities, will showcase work produced in Iraq, French and German refugee camps, Colombia, Sri Lanka, The Gambia, Egypt and Tanzania.

• theislandbristol.com

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EDUCATING A FATHER Ellie Richold tells a tale of changed attitudes and changed lives as Bristol women’s rights charity African Initiatives celebrates its 20th anniversary. Photography by Phil Field

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W

e are sitting in a classroom topped with a metal roof, which shines into the interminable blue sky of Ololosokwan – a small, Maasai village on the border of the Serengeti in Ngorongoro. As we’d jiggled our way across the plains, we had wondered what this beacon was, growing bigger as we approached. But once we stepped out of the jeep, the school roof was quickly forgotten; a flaming wave of humming, buzzing, grinning students engulfed us, urging us to join their dance. They were dressed in the traditional clothes of the Maasai – bright colours and beaded decorations, the boys with red shuka fabric over their shoulders and sticks in their hands, leaping and whooping.

Photographer Phil Field and I, both British and fond of watching from the side lines, were overwhelmed, overjoyed and utterly embarrassed by the welcome. We found ourselves in the centre of a circle, jumping high into the air or crouching low and wiggling our hips, doing our clumsy best to copy the moves and retain some dignity.

The girls formed a circle and began to sing a call-and-response song. Translated, it loses some of its beauty, but the call went something like this: “We implore you, our leaders, our parents and the whole community; please preserve our culture and traditions; protect our rights; never sell our land; send girls to school to be educated; do not force us into marriage at a young age.” Although the melody was traditional, as you can see, the words were not. The last two requests would have been inconceivable until a few years ago and without the existence of a phenomenal group of women called the Pastoral Women’s Council, and two decades of unfaltering conviction that Maasai culture is compatible with women’s rights.

We had been sent to northern Tanzania by African Initiatives – a Bristol NGO now celebrating its 20th birthday. Two decades is a substantial chunk of time for a small development organisation to be in one place – but it’s been a satisfying stretch, given that one of its founding principles was to form long-term, committed partnerships that would last beyond the life-span of a project.

This small NGO was so named because the ideas and implementation were to come from the communities in Africa, not from the global north. The Bristol outfit has since been supporting grass-roots organisations in northern Tanzania, and Phil and I were tasked with documenting the legacy.

Somoine’s story I had been told that Somoine Jeremiah might have a story to tell us, which is why we had travelled the 400km from Arusha to Emanyata Secondary School where she is the deputy head teacher.

Somoine (So-moy-neh) has a serious face for a 28-year-old and

speaks quietly and calmly. That is until you put her in front of a class of students – when her face lights up at once. If one thing is abundantly clear, it is that Somoine adores teaching. “I always knew I wanted to be a teacher,” she tells me. “I love Swahili and civics. I like to give people knowledge, remove their prejudices. Education is important – of course – but more than that, I can show them what’s possible. They know my story. They know the obstacles I’ve climbed and where I’ve come from. I’m so lucky now, to be in a position to show others what is possible if they put their minds to it.”

Like the majority of her students, Somoine is Maasai. Emanyata, which means ‘warrior’s camp’ in Maa, was founded in 1992 by Maasai activist Moringe Parkipuny. It was the first school to be built in Ngorongoro district – one of the poorest in Tanzania – and was designed to give students an education while maintaining their Maasai values and a focus on pastoralism. The school is also unique in that, these days, the majority of students there are girls. As it is a boarding school, the girls are away from home and therefore better able to resist family pressure to drop out of school to marry.

Until recently, girls in Maasai communities did not get to go to school. Secondary schooling costs money in Tanzania and an educated girl would receive a smaller dowry upon marriage than a more ‘compliant’ wife-to-be, so in the short term at least, it doesn’t make economic sense for a father to educate a girl child.

Somoine’s father was no different in his attitude towards educating his four daughters. “He used to say to me; ‘There is no need to send a lady to school,’” says Somoine. She has three sisters and all of them were married young in exchange for livestock. “But one of my sisters was married to such an old man that she was a widow already at 16.”

This is a phenomenon I have encountered a lot over the last few days, talking to Maasai women. In patriarchal, polygamous, Maasai society, women are seen as dependents throughout their life. They are traditionally not allowed to speak in front of men and girls are viewed as domestic workers and/or financial assets. Girls of poor families have as little say in their destiny as any other, but they are more likely to draw the short straw when it comes to a husband, as a poor girl’s family will be more desperate to see her taken off their hands and less able to hold out for a better offer.

Somoine’s family were poor, but the situation was compounded by her father’s drinking. “Each of my sisters had already been exchanged for a dowry but it was hard to know how many cows he had got for each of them. He would come back with cows but he would also come back drunk, so we knew he had sold at least one of them already to buy the alcohol.

“I remember the day he took one of our last two cows,” Somoine says quietly. “He didn’t come back until he had drunk all the money and my mother lay down on the bed and wept. She cried and said; ‘I’m so tired of this life. Your father has taken everything. We have nothing.’ I remember that day so well. We all lay down next to her and cried too. What else was there to do?”

When Somoine was 12 and coming to the end of primary school, her father pointed to an old man in his sixties who lived nearby with his three wives. “He said; ‘Daughter, you are about to finish school and this is the man you are going to marry,’” Somoine says. “I felt sick to the stomach but I didn’t say anything. On the outside I was compliant, because you have to respect your father or you will be beaten, but on the inside, my heart was against it.”

Somoine’s mother soothed her, saying; “Don’t worry. Maybe someone will help us.” In fact, while collecting firewood that day, she had been lucky enough to meet a woman called Maanda and to recognise that she could be Somoine’s way out.

A change in fortune Maanda Ngoitiko had refused to be married at 12 and had run away to Dar Es Salaam at 15 so that she could go to school. The Irish embassy then supported her to attend a two-year program management course in Arusha and also sponsored her degree in development studies in Ireland. Upon returning to Tanzania, she vowed to help other girls like her, who desperately wanted to be educated but could not afford it. In 1997, Maanda and nine other women founded the Pastoral Women’s Council

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(pastoralwomenscouncil.org) “to address the three key problems facing Maasai women: lack of education; lack of financial independence; and lack of participation in local leadership structures.”

At the same time that PWC was forming, an activist called Mike Sansom was setting up African Initiatives. He was disillusioned with the NGOs he’d been working for and determined to start one with long-term partnership at its heart. Maanda met Mike when she was working as a translator and was impressed by his ethics; asking him to come with her and meet the fledgling women’s group in Loliondo.

“When I saw how the women were organising themselves and how they were ignored by the other NGOs, I knew we had to do something,” says Mike. PWC didn't have a bank account at the time, but Mike felt they were so strong and had such a clear vision. “It wouldn’t be possible now, but we found a way to get them some funds.”

Six years later, PWC was flourishing. Membership had risen from nine to 900 and Maasai women were coming together to support each other in standing up for their rights and the rights of their daughters.

Maanda knew it was the women searching for firewood to sell who were struggling the most to make ends meet, and it was in 2003 that she stopped to talk with Somoine’s mother about the Pastoral Women’s Council, about the women’s groups and about girls’ education scholarships.

Somoine’s mother was too afraid to say anything about her daughter directly or to ask Maanda for help. She knew that if her husband found out she had been speaking with PWC, he would beat her. Although she remained tight-lipped with Maanda, she kept cryptically saying to Somoine; “There is a woman I think you should meet...”

“I remember thinking; ‘Why do you keep going on about this woman and why won’t you tell me anything about her?!’” laughs Somoine. “So in the end I went to meet her and we talked about everything – girls’ education and forced marriage and women’s rights and about my particular situation. PWC offered to sponsor me and that changed my life. From that moment, everything changed.”

A new chapter That was in 2004, when Somoine was 14 years old. She did exceptionally well in her exams and won a place at the nearby Embarway secondary school. But it was not all plain sailing. Though a boarding school, it was near her village, which proved problematic.

“My father plotted to remove me from that school. He tried to come and get me but PWC protected me. I am so grateful that they managed to move me to another school, further away from my father.”

Once she was safe, Somoine worked hard to make the most of the opportunity she’d been given. The only time she questioned her decision was when her sister became a widow and she realised how far away she was from her family. “I was in form six and I heard that my sister’s husband had passed away. I couldn’t go home during term time, I had to wait for the holidays. She was 14 when she was married but he was already so old he could hardly walk so it wasn’t a surprise that he died, but I was sad for her because I knew she would have nothing left. We don’t have rights to ownership as Maasai women. She would be left with absolutely nothing at all.”

When Somoine went to see her sister, it was worse than she’d feared. Already, the brother of her sister’s husband had taken the house and his property; the livestock they’d had, but he was also arranging for Somoine’s niece to be married. His dead brother’s daughter was now his property and he wanted to exchange her for cattle. Somoine’s voice shrinks again and she looks down at the table: “She was so little. Much, much too young.”

Somoine told her sister she would support her. “I said; ‘Come on!

We must fight!’ I think she thought I was crazy.” They managed to get some of the goats back and to rescue the little girl from being forced into marriage – and as soon as Somoine started earning, she paid for her to go to school.

In 2006 the Pastoral Women’s Council were asked by the leaders of the district to begin managing the community secondary school.

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Emanyata was at risk of collapse and it’s testament to the trust and reputation that PWC had established, that the school was handed to them. The women rose to the challenge and just over a decade on, it is the top-performing school in the district.

All PWC’s sponsored girls now attend Emanyata. This year, 65% of the students are Maasai girls, selected for sponsorship because they are academically strong, financially weak and at a high risk of forced marriage. Instead of being pregnant before their bodies are ready, they have the opportunity to work on their minds, in a safe environment, and go on to further studies if they perform well.

Leading by example Twenty years later, the sponsorship programme is bearing fruit. There are Maasai women working, not only as teachers, but nurses, NGO programme officers, accountants, social workers, police officers and entrepreneurs. I was told of one woman who owns an extremely profitable stationery business in Dar Es Salaam; one who works for the District Council’s Wildlife Department; another at the Women’s Economic Empowerment Department. One is a gender specialist with an NGO which establishes land rights for pastoralists – a vital issue for the Maasai and one which needs women’s voices. All of these professional women are an example to the current generation of girls and their communities; living proof of what can happen when you educate your daughter.

I ask Maanda Ngoitiko if she is pleased with the progress that she and the Pastoral Women’s Council have made in 20 years, and she is unequivocal that there has been a sea-change in the attitudes of Maasai communities in general towards educating girls. “When we started PWC there were times we had to use police escorts to rescue girls fleeing from forced marriages, whereas now we see parents supporting girls throughout their education. Advocacy has played an important part, and hard work by many people – here on the ground and fundraising in the UK. There’s no doubt in my mind that the impact of sponsorship has been far-reaching, for women in particular, but it has touched many, many families and communities.”

When Somoine took up her teaching post at Emanyata in October 2013, she was offered a much more lucrative position in a government school, but turned it down. She fitted in immediately and was quickly promoted to matron before becoming deputy head.

Somoine says she would not want to be anywhere else, and is honoured to be a role model for the girls at Emanyata. “Because I was sponsored, my life was transformed. I can meet my needs!” she says with incredulity. “Not only for myself, but my family too. And other people now seek me out; people I don't know. Because I was helped, I am in a position to help them,” she smiles ecstatically.

I ask how many people she currently assists with her teacher’s salary. “Oh!” she claps her hands. “So many! I have four brothers and three sisters. I support my sister’s children – the one who is a widow. I pay for her children to go to school and her youngest lives with me. My grandfather also lives with me – I look after him.”

“And your father?” I ask. “My parents are separated,” she shrugs.

“He has not forgiven my mother for interfering. But now at least he is proud of the fact that I’m a teacher. I hear from people what he says,” she chuckles. “He says ‘Don't worry! Don't worry! My daughter will pay for that.’” Good natured as she is, this doesn’t seem to bother her as it might someone else. “But,” she raises a finger. “He has changed his attitude towards school. My sister’s little girl – he knows she should be going to school. He doesn’t say to her; ‘There is no need to send a lady to school.’ Yes, he’s definitely changed his mind on that.”

These days, the Pastoral Women’s Council has upwards of 6,000 members and they help between 200 and 300 girls a year to go to school. African Initiatives continues to fundraise for PWC’s scholarships, community sensitisation and women’s rights projects; and they are planning on continuing the partnership for at least another 20 years... ■ • Visit african-initiatives.org.uk to get involved in the Go Orange anniversary campaign on 14 July

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Somoine has been able to help many others with her salary as a teacher

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Technology has changed the way the newsroom works but one thing that has remained constant is the sense of family

BRISTOL @ WORK Reporter and presenter Ellie Barker shines a spotlight on one local media institution making up the fabric of city life

I

t’s 4.15am and your alarm rings – correction: howls – followed by actual human howling from your husband, demanding you turn the darn thing off. Such drama at such an hour normally has to be for something magical, surely? Going on holiday, catching a flight, setting off early to beat the Bank Holiday traffic? Going to work doesn’t feel quite the same. But this was my life for six years and four months.

Three nights a week I was tucked up before Coronation Street, then come 4.45am, I’d share my drive to work with, mainly, students staggering around the city – their night just ending, my day beginning.

But (and this, I promise, is not due to delirium after years of sleep deprivation) there was something magical about where I was going.

I have worked at ITV West Country for the past 11 years – more than half of this time as a part-time ‘early presenter’. The show may have changed its name and its looks over its five decades of life – and staff have come and gone – but what has remained constant in that building on the Bath Road is the excitement of working on live television. It’s probably what bonds us in our ‘ITV West Country family’ too. Even in the winter, when the sun hasn’t begun to think about rising, we’re still able to feel that buzz when someone over in London says; “Stand-by, one minute to you.” No matter how many years you’ve been doing it, you still feel the butterflies in your stomach, the slight feeling of dread and the need for it to go perfectly even though it’s often out of your control. All that is then followed by the exhilaration that comes when it all goes okay (or a lot of chocolate if it doesn’t). It’s a feeling that lasts throughout the day, from the lunchtime news to our six o’clock show and on to our late bulletin. And that is quite special.

One of our longest serving family members, Jeanette Flaherty, remembers the first time she stepped through the then HTV doors for

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her interview in 1979, before starting working in the post-room and being promoted to the media library. “I was excited and nervous,” she recalls. “Back then it wasn’t just a news organisation; many dramas were made by the Bristol studio: Robin of Sherwood, Ghost of Canterbury, Jamaica Inn to name a few. You never knew who you were going to bump into in the canteen.”

As Jeanette spent her days watching and recording every shot of our programme, she was able to see it change and develop, thanks to new technology. But one part of her working life has never altered. “I’ve worked with such great people over the years,” she beams. “I can honestly say it’s a great team and I’ve made friends for life. Some no longer work at ITV, but I still see them. I have seen many firm friendships made.”

Julie Ebbs, a relative newcomer compared with Jeanette, has worked with the company for more than 28 years and is now a lead production specialist directing programmes and bulletins. “When I first arrived, it was my job to make sure the autocue was correct for the presenters,” she explains. “The producer, Simon Whitby, would type out the script – handing it to me sometimes with five minutes to air. I would then have to type the words into the machine, ready for when we were live. It was so stressful – I can’t lie – especially when there were last-minute changes. But it was so exciting too, to be part of something like that.”

Over the years, technology has changed. Our autocue is instantly updated, for example, the minute you type something in the script on your computer, and is often operated by the presenter’s foot. Even so, for Julie, the excitement has never gone away. “I think the assumption is that newsrooms are intimidating places with much shouting and people losing their tempers. Perhaps, in the past, this was the case but our newsroom is friendly and welcoming. It does feel like an extended

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family, especially as I have known my colleagues longer than my husband! Some days are hard when things go wrong on air; we care about what we do so it’s easy to get frustrated. The best thing about working here is the people, as well as the buzz from being on air. And I’ll let you into a secret: the buzz is even bigger when things go wrong but we manage to save it.”

Just as technology has evolved, so have many careers. Ian Axton recently switched from presenting the flagship programme alongside Kylie Pentelow, and our late bulletins, to become our head of news.

“I’d been in front of the camera at ITV West Country for almost seven years and before that I presented the news in another part of ITV,” he says. “I’m a great believer that in any career you need to push yourself to develop, and I’d held senior management positions in the radio industry before entering television, so the chance to lead the team was too good to pass up.”

Ian remembers visiting HTV when he was just 11 years old. “I’ll never forget feeling the magic of television for the first time,” he smiles.

“When I returned 30 years later to present the news, I couldn’t believe my luck – that magic is still there for me every day. Like any family, we have ups and downs but we always look out for each other and each night at 6pm we work as hard as we can to deliver the best possible programme to our viewers.”

He believes the way we approach our jobs has also changed the way we work: “The modern way of working gives people more opportunities. In the past, people’s talents could be constrained by the job they were in but many barriers have now come down and that’s really allowed people to flourish. I’ve seen reporters become amazing camera operators; admin staff develop an editorial career; and journalists become talented members of the technical team.”

He may have left Kylie on-screen but he takes with him some unforgettable moments shared – the most memorable, he says, is available on YouTube. “It involves me, Kylie and a cucumber,” he laughs. “I’ll say no more – go and watch it.”

Kylie, meanwhile, who also presents ITV’s national news, has an analogy for describing our family: “Imagine Christmas lunch. Someone is stirring the gravy, another is laying the table, someone is peeling potatoes while another is carving the turkey. All this is done to a tight deadline and everyone has to work together to get everything on the table by 6pm. We are a brilliant team. We all work hard, but manage to tell the odd cracker joke while doing it.”

She believes the biggest change has been the way we consume news: “It brings challenges for us in TV news. Lots of people will know the stories of the day from social media, so it’s all about the extra content and analysis we can give viewers around those stories.”

It’s not always as glamorous as some may imagine. “Most viewers are surprised that I do my own make-up and buy all my clothes,” she says. And in the era of reality television and constant ‘behind the scenes’ images on our Twitter feeds, we wonder if that same old magic is there for our younger members when they come in. According to Laura Heads, a production journalist who joined just over a year ago, it is. She had been working in the area as a journalist for a news agency and ITV West Country seemed the next logical step.

“I knew I’d love the place if I was ever lucky enough to get a job, because I’d met so many of the lovely reporters while I was out and about,” Laura tells me. “It was actually one of them who told me I should apply and it all turned out perfectly. My first day is all a bit of a blur, being honest. I remember at one point being sat at a computer to shadow the lunch bulletin and suddenly getting very overwhelmed. As the day went on, people were constantly coming to say hello; introducing themselves and offering help.”

It’s the first time, she says, that she has lost that dreaded Monday morning feeling (just as well when she is working on the early shift). “I love what I do but it’s the team I love most. It really is a welcoming family, loyal, maybe a bit dysfunctional at times – but isn’t any other family? They always have your back. You’re pushed to do your best work, but in the nicest way possible.”

Finally I speak to our newest member, Mark Longhurst, who joined us after decades of working in news. “I knew, on the day that I came in for my screen test and sat next to Kylie, that it would all work. It’s a very professional set-up but also very friendly and those two things don’t always go together in television news. The newsroom is a

vibrant, young place with lots of energy and ideas fizzing around. I have worked in quite a few newsrooms in my time and this is a very happy and productive environment.”

Perhaps the secret to our success is one of Mark’s first discoveries at ITV: “They like cake, here. After joining, I found the email system had a catch-all address called ‘Cake’ which informed everyone when goodies were being distributed.” (For the record, Mark would like it to be noted that his favourite is coffee and walnut.)

For myself, the best part of it all is how my work family has helped me so much with my own family. For starters, I met my husband (reporter Robert Murphy) at work. And during the nerve-wracking, exhausting days of my two pregnancies, my work family saw me through. They took me to Burger King when I had cravings for onion rings and told me I didn’t look huge (even though I knew I did).

“Going back to work after having my children was the best decision,” Julie Ebbs agrees. “It was hard leaving them when they were younger, but being able to come back part-time was ideal. There have been difficult times, when my daughter was ill for an extended period for instance, but my colleagues were amazing. I honestly think that without them I would have had to give up work altogether.”

Personally, those early starts meant I could still work in the job I had always dreamt of, yet still spend my afternoons with my boys. It wasn’t always easy – teething babies aren’t worried about what time their mum gets up for work, nor toddlers with bad dreams, or a five-year-old who has just remembered which dinosaur is his favourite, at 1am. But every morning when I arrived at work, there was someone there to put the kettle on and make me feel everything was going to be okay.

But I have just switched off the 4.15 alarm clock for the last time. As my boys start staying up later than Coronation Street, so must their mum. We’ve had a bit of a swap-around at work and I am going back to reporting for our 6pm show while my lovely colleague Matthias Kurt swaps sport for the early presenter job which suits him too.

ITV has given so many of us so much excitement, and moments we’ll always remember as well as a few that, perhaps, we’d like to forget! It’s given us friendships, partners and most of all, excellent cake. It has meant, as a working mum, I’ve had the best of both worlds and, for me, that really is magic. ■

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FOOD & Drink

TASTY TITBITS FROM THE CITY’S RESTAURANTS, CHEFS AND PRODUCERS

BRISTOL SUPER BEER PMA – Bristol-based Moor Beer’s pale modern ale ‘for those with a positive mental attitude’ – is celebrating a year of fundraising to fight cancer. Having already generated £4,100 towards cancer research, the beer was brewed in collaboration with charity Hardcore Hits Cancer (HCXHC) and is a 5.3% vegan-friendly, hoppy ale, naturally conditioned with live yeast.

Justin Hawke, owner and head brewer at Moor Beer, and vice chairman of the Society of Independent Brewers, met the HCXHC team at a Berri Txarrak concert in Spain in 2015. “PMA is a fantastic beer and its recipe is one I wanted to brew for a long time,” said Justin. “The flavour has been wellreceived and it’s on track to become one of our best-sellers. A chance meeting with HCXHC led to its creation, and what better way to help them get their message out around the world than with a top-quality ale? It has been fantastic to brew such a flavoursome, popular ale for such a good cause.”

• moorbeer.co.uk

SILVER STANDARD

NEW TO TEMPLE QUAY An exciting new indie trader has been added to the roster at Temple Quay’s Thursday food market. Beleaf – which currently operates a delivery service allowing office workers in the heart of the city to dine al-desko on deliciously healthy, jam-packed salads – was founded by Harry McDowell.

“I worked in an office myself and was just too busy to stand in a queue for 20 minutes every lunchtime – it led to a pretty unhealthy diet,” he explains.

“My work, mood, energy and general wellbeing all suffered. For me it’s about giving people an option that not only celebrates seasonal, locally sourced ingredients and their amazing producers but gives people a healthy choice that will sustain them and their busy lifestyles – helping the environment along the way with 100% plastic-free, biodegradable packaging.”

• be-leaf.co.uk

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The Somerset-based Dunleavy Vineyards received the silver gong at the UK Wine Awards recently for their latest release – a 2016 Pinot noir rosé.

Hundreds of entries were judged to international standards by 12 top wine experts that regularly judge the biggest international competitions. Chaired by Susie Barrie MW and Oz Clarke, the line-up comprised Masters of Wine David Bird, Richard Hemming, Alex Hunt and Phil Tuck, as well as Christine Parkinson from Hakkasan, Rebecca Hull MW from Waitrose and Hamish Anderson from Tate restaurants. They were joined by writer and broadcaster Jane Parkinson, M&S wine buyer Elizabeth Kelly and Corney & Barrow buyer Rebecca Palmer.

Bristol resident and Dunleavy director Ingrid Bates planted her vines at her Chew Valley site back in 2008.

Ingrid had studied biology at Imperial College in London before moving to Bristol to work at the BBC Natural History Unit as a junior researcher. After leaving to pursue a career in horticulture, she learned the viticultural trade at a small vineyard at Thornbury Castle before saving up to plant her own Pinot noir and Seyval vines. The Dunleavy label has produced five vintages of Pinot noir rosé to date – its first sparkling wine should be ready at the end of 2018 – and has again collaborated with illustrator and Children’s Laureate Chris Riddell to produce 200 limited edition labels with some unique artwork alongside the usual logo.

• dunleavyvineyards.co.uk

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BACKWELL HOUSE Emma Payne gets behind the wheel with a 19th-century countryside haven set firmly in her sights

W

e Brits are good at so many things – tea drinking, queuing and indecisive elections to name but a few – but one thing we excel at is stately homes. Sprawling country piles bring tourists from far and wide to our fair isle, and the Regency splendour of Backwell House is as fine an example as any. Opened in 2016 after an extensive refurbishment, this countryside haven boasts nine en-suite double bedrooms, quintessentially English walled gardens and a perfectly elegant restaurant. We took a quick trip slightly south to check out the latter…

Our first impression is one of Brideshead Revisited-esque grandeur, as we roll up a sun-drenched gravel drive in finedining attire (albeit in our pokey Ford Fiesta, and not an open-topped 1920s Morris). It’s hard to believe we’ve driven a mere 20 minutes outside of Bristol’s buzzing centre, as we emerge from the tree-lined car park to see Backwell House looking out proudly over the rolling North Somerset hills.

Tearing ourselves away from the vista, we wander through the impressive entrance hall, complete with glowing chandelier – no, light installation – and are seated in the dining room, where hotel guests are already whiling away the balmy evening, chilled cocktails in hand. Trendy, dark slate walls and heavy black lamps give a contemporary edge to complement the rustic, period features; our gaze drifts from the splendid fireplace and tall sash windows to the beautifully crafted oak tables, set with wildflower posies.

We settle in and make a beeline for the wine list, choosing an eminently drinkable – and hugely popular, we’re told –

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South African Chenin Blanc. We choose to stick with this refreshingly crisp vino for the remainder of our meal, but for those wishing to sample something different, each item on the menu comes with a ‘sommelier’s recommendation’ – a nice touch if, like us, you’re regularly overwhelmed by bountiful wine lists like Backwell’s.

Turning our attention to the small but perfectly formed menu – with just three starters and four mains to choose between – we’re struck by the familiar anticipatory stomach grumble at the mere mention of a sirloin steak. Just as we contemplate gnawing on a handbag mint, an attentive server materialises, hoisting a platter of curried ox and ‘BLT’ appetisers – the latter a fresh take on a Great British classic.

Appetite teased and minds focussed, we waste no time and pick out all three courses with surprising effici ency – wine, heat and hayfever considered. The lure of a summery tomato gazpacho is strong, but I plump for the pressed pork with intriguing tarragon ‘emulsion’ to start, while R is dead-set on a bit of Brixham crab. With the knowledge that Bristol-born chef Ross Hunter’s menu is based entirely on locally sourced, organic produce, including vegetables and herbs from Backwell’s own kitchen garden, our expe ctations are high.

After another (fabulous) taster of warm sourdough with whipped butter, our first courses make their entrance, each component arranged daintily in the centre of two expansive, contemporary dishes. My perfectly tender pork with crunchy garden peas, tangy vinaigrette and crackling to rival mum’s Sunday roast, captures the flavours of an English country garden, as Backwell’s own flora and fauna flutter outside the

Above: Backwell’s resplendent dining room seats up to 40 guests, with views of the Somerset countryside Opposite, clockwise from top: the Woolley Park chicken with asparagus and girolles; Backwell’s Victorian walled gardens; the grand exterior; the ‘beer barrel’ hotel bar; a playful pud of strawberry cannelloni with meringue

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windows. It’s R’s seaside scoff that steals the show, however, as his delicately seasoned stack of crab, enhanced by a theatrical splash of pink beetroot purée and crunchy nori seaweed, evokes the salty Devon sea air of many a childhood summer holiday.

Abandoning him to powder my nose and quash my crab-related food envy, I take the chance between courses to meander around the hotel’s ground floor. Passing by the plush chesterfields and rich velvet curtains of the lounge, I come across the glittering bar – an atmospheric hideaway clad in dark oak panels, walls lined with tempting tipples. It’s not often you write about a toilet during a food review, but Backwell’s commitment to Georgian-glamour-meets-hunting-lodge luxe pervades throughout, from the quirky sink in a suitcase to the vintage copper fittings and ornate tiles.

...Our first impression is one of Brideshead Revisited-esque grandeur, as we roll up a sun-drenched gravel drive...

Returning to the dining room, thoughts turn to the main – I’ve ordered a fillet of ling, with fresh spring greens. The meaty white fish (which, we’ll admit, we hadn’t heard of until that moment) disassembles at the touch of the fork, though we do miss the crispy skin of a panfried piscine fillet. The star of the plate, however, is a tasty little crab bonbon, with crunchy deep-fried casing around a soft, herby filling – an ideal match for the accompanying crab bisque. As I comment on the unusual addition of salty kohlrabi (a biennial relation of the cabbage family), R tucks into his ballotine of chicken leg, barely pausing for breath between mouthfuls. Surreptitiously stealing a bite, I’m impressed by the succulent poultry, earthy girolle mushrooms and seasonal asparagus.

Courses one and two devoured, the highlight is yet to come. The moment our desserts hit the table I’m in my element, struggling to pick between the mallowy meringue and fresh berries with my strawberry cannelloni – cleverly created using a bright red gel encasing smooth vanilla cream filling. It sticks around just long enough to admire the smaller details, including the playful splatter of jus. Equally, R’s assiette of chocolate and passionfruit, comprising refreshing fruity sorbet and creamy mousse hidden in a chocolate sphere, more than hits the spot.

Trundling back down the drive, we’re sorry to leave the serenity of this countryside hideaway, sneaking one last peek at the view before we head to the cut-and-thrust of the city. Two hundred years on from its creation, this beautiful estate is the perfect fusion of old-world splendour and contemporary decor, a concept which permeates in the refreshingly minimalist restaurant offering. If you’re looking for some respite from the city and want English cuisine at its finest, Backwell is the one – but be sure to book a room to fully immerse yourself in daily life at the manor (vintage car and tweed optional, but recommended...)

• backwellhouse.co.uk

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BRISTOL UPDATES BITE-SIZED BUSINESS NEWS FROM ACROSS THE CITY

NEW AT THE BOTTLEYARD

CLIFTONS ESTATE AGENTS EXTEND SPONSORSHIP Gloucestershire Cricket has announced its continuing partnership with Bluepoppy Vehicle Solutions and Cliftons Estate Agents.

The Bristol-based vehicle leasing firm and Cliftons Estate Agents have provided cars to a number of the Gloucestershire players including Limited Overs Captain, Michael Klinger, and fellow Australian overseas star Cameron Bancroft.

Phil Stolworthy, Managing Director of Cliftons Estate Agents said: “We are delighted to support Gloucestershire Cricket again for the second year. I feel it is important for local businesses and local sport to work together.”

Gloucestershire cricket chief executive Will Brown added: “These are two fantastic businesses for the Club to be partnered with. Over the last year they have become tremendous supporters of the squad and indeed the team off the pitch as well, providing solutions for our vehicle and property requirements that have been spot on.We look forward to growing together over the next few years.”

• cliftonsestateagents.co.uk

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BONDING TIME Around 85 guests and clients were treated to vesper martinis and Aston Martins at an exclusive screening of the James Bond film Goldfinger in Bristol recently.

The event – part of Bristol Film Festival and sponsored by the Bristol office of accountancy, investment management and tax group Smith & Williamson – took place at the Aston Martin showroom at Cribbs Causeway. “It was a very different sort of evening with a talented mixologist serving 007’s favourite tipple,” said Helen Bassett, an associate director at Smith & Williamson. “The Aston Martins – which included two DB5s made famous by Bond himself, the DB9 GT Bond Edition and two vintage DB4s – were another talking point. The film was as entertaining as ever and we were pleased to show our ongoing support for the festival.”

Festival director Owen Franklin added: “Aston Martin and Bond are an enduring partnership, and we were delighted to be able to show perhaps the most iconic Bond film of all to a packed audience in a very fitting place.”

• smithandwilliamson.com; bristolfilmfestival.com

Long-established costume hire company Bristol Costume Services and film/TV industry healthcare specialists MRU Services are the latest additions to the creative hub at The Bottle Yard Studios.

Their arrival brings the number of companies based at the Bristol film and TV studios to 21, bolstering its significance as a centre for creative industry business in the West of England.

Founded in 1990 and previously based in Filwood, Bristol Costume Services provides period and contemporary costume and accessories for hire to the theatre, television and film industry.

With a hire stock of over 90,000 costumes, it also operates a professional workroom which delivers pattern cutting and making as well as costume alteration and maintenance, dying, breaking down and fitting services.

“We’re very happy to be successfully installed on site and part of such a friendly, like-minded community,” said Louise Nipper of Bristol Costume Services. “It took our team of 10 more than three weeks to move – with three 40-foot pantechnicon lorries transporting up to eight loads a day, each containing 30 rails of costumes.

After such a monumental task, it’s safe to say we’re never moving again. We’ve definitely found our forever home at The Bottle Yard Studios.”

MRU Services supplies experienced health care professionals, to support TV and film production companies and proactively support cast and crew to maintain the overall health of production teams. The company can also work closely with stunt co-ordinators and animal handlers, and in some cases supply a fully equipped ambulance with appropriate staff including registered paramedics. “Since forming in 2007 we’ve supported a large number of TV production companies filming in the Bristol area, often based at The Bottle Yard Studios,” said Jim Gardiner. “The TV industry is expanding in Bristol and we’re really pleased to have moved on site to continue our work as part of the studios’ tenant community.”

• thebottleyard.com

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WRITING YOUR WILL: FIVE THINGS TO THINK ABOUT JOELLE ALLEN,

The very thought of making a Will might feel daunting, but it doesn’t need to. Joelle Allen, Head of Wills at Barcan+Kirby, looks at five things to consider when writing your Will.

I

f you’re in your 20s, 30s or 40s, the likelihood is that you’re working.

You might own (or at least be buying) your home, have children or even own a business. But, do you have a Will? Probably not – despite the fact that you have assets and family members to protect.

So why are younger people less likely to have a Will? Too young, too little time, too asset-poor – these are commonly quoted reasons. Some people also (mistakenly) believe that, in the event of their death, their assets automatically pass to their partner – but this isn’t necessarily true, especially if you’re unmarried.

Who should you choose as executor?

One of the most important decisions you’ll need to make when writing your Will is who to choose as your executor. This is the person appointed by you to carry out your final wishes, as outlined in your Will.

Even if your instructions are straightforward, this can be a difficult job – so it’s important that you get it right. Anyone aged 18 or over can act as executor and you can appoint more than one. Most people choose their partner, spouse or family member, but you can also appoint a solicitor.

Who should look after your children?

If you die before your children reach 18, what would happen to them?

Writing your Will is one of the most important things you can do to ensure that your children are cared for by the people you would choose.

In your Will you can appoint a guardian to be responsible for the care of your child, as well as someone to manage your financial assets on their behalf until they reach 18.

Think carefully about who to appoint. Obvious choices include your parents, siblings or other family members, but it’s worth considering who your children would choose as their guardian in the event of your death.

What assets do you own?

Listing possessions and assets in your Will, along with who you want to inherit them (the beneficiaries), will ensure that your belongings are distributed as you intended.

Before drawing up your Will, it’s worth compiling a list of your assets and debts. Assets include your home, antique furniture or jewellery, whilst debts could include your mortgage. Listing your possessions with their value will be useful information for your executors.

Do you need a Lasting Power of Attorney?

A lasting power of attorney (LPA) is a way of giving someone you trust the legal authority to make decisions for you if you’re unable to do so.

Many people think that LPAs are just for the elderly – but this simply isn’t true. A serious accident or illness can affect any of us, whatever our age and circumstances. That’s why it’s important to put an LPA in place early – long before there’s any possibility of you needing to use it.

Funeral instructions It may sound morbid, but including funeral instructions will be beneficial to your executors. This makes them aware of your wishes, including how you would like to be buried and any other special requests you may want. n Joelle Allen is an Associate Solicitor and Head of Wills at Barcan+Kirby.

You can contact her at j.allen@barcankirby.co.uk or on 0117 325 2929. www.barcankirby.co.uk

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Ilott V Mitson – The final verdict!

Sarah Burgess of AMD Solicitors discusses the recent Supreme Court Appeal of Ilott v Mitson.

Background

Supreme Court Judgment

The case of Ilott v Mitson concerned a daughter’s claim against her late mother’s estate, despite them having been estranged for much of the previous 26 years.

Apart from surviving spouses or civil partners, claimants can only seek reasonable financial provision for their maintenance.

The judges’ view was that the terminology used in the legislation is flexible, for example ‘maintenance’ usually means what is sufficient to meet every day expenses but this varies depending on personal circumstances. The court confirmed that maintenance cannot extend to ‘any or every thing which it would be desirable for the claimant to have’.

Melita Jackson (the deceased) and her daughter (Heather Ilottt) fell out when Heather, aged 17, left home in the middle of the night to elope with a boy who her mother strongly disapproved of. Melita never really forgave her daughter even though Heather later married and had 5 children with her childhood sweetheart.

Melita Jackson made her last Will and Testament in April 2002 leaving the majority of her £486,000 to several animal charities, expressly excluding her daughter. Melita felt so strongly about excluding her only daughter that she left instructions that her executors must defend any claims against her estate.

Sarah Burgess on 0117 9621205 or by email on SarahBurgess@amdsolicitors.com or pop into one of our offices in Clifton, Henleaze, Shirehampton or Whiteladies Road or visit our website www.amdsolicitors.com

Some of the main points we can take from the judgement are: • testamentary freedom has been preserved; • it has restored charities’ status as proper beneficiaries; • estrangement is a relevant factor (conduct); The charities’ appeal was successful but what does this mean for potential Inheritance Act claimants?

Court Judgments • In the first instance, Mrs Ilottt was successful and awarded £50,000. Mrs Ilottt appealed on quantum and the charities appealed the decision.

• The High Court upheld the original award of £50,000. It was appealed.

• The Court of Appeal awarded Mrs Ilottt the sum of £143,000 plus an option to draw down a further £20,000 at will. The award was calculated so that Mrs Ilottt could purchase her home from the housing association and so as not to disrupt her right to state benefits. The charities appealed the decision to the Supreme Court.

• On 15 March 2017, the Supreme Court overturned the Court of Appeal decision and re-instated the original judgment from 12 years earlier which awarded Mrs Ilottt £50,000.

Some of the factors courts consider when hearing Inheritance Act claims include: • any financial resources or needs (present or future) of the claimant • any financial resources or needs (present or future) of any other potential claimants • any financial resources or needs (present or future) of the beneficiaries • the size and nature of the estate Time limits apply to the bringing of an inheritance claim, and potential claimants should obtain professional legal advice regarding the merits of their claim at the earliest opportunity and be willing to engage in alternative dispute resolution to avoid costly and lengthy litigation proceedings.

For more information relating to contesting or resisting a claim against an estate contact

Sarah Burgess

A local award winning law firm

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

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MOTORING | TEST DRIVE

THE GOLF SCORES HIGHLY One of the world’s greatest cars gets a mid-generation makeover.

High tech and refined; there’s no better car to recommend than VW’s new Golf.

Words by Chris Lilly

A

s a breed, motoring writers get asked two questions a lot.

One is “What’s the best car you’ve driven?”, but that’s not particularly pertinent to this review. The other is, “I’m looking at buying a new car, what should I get?” After asking about budget, practicality and performance needs, fuel economy, and myriad other different requirements, the answer is often: “You should look at a Golf.” In fact, it’s often easier to suggest a Golf and then work out whether you’re right or not through further questioning.

But now there’s a new model. No really, the photos here show a new – or at least heavily refreshed – generation of Golf. Technically still termed the Golf Mk VII, many are describing it as Mk 7.5.

There are sharper looks front and rear as bumpers and light units have been altered. Under the bonnet you will find a new engine range, and the interior has been fitted with VW’s latest infotainment set-up.

Safety kit has been significantly improved too.

The Golf might look similar to the previous version, but compare them side by side and the latest version definitely looks better. Crisper design details help, and go some way to arguing against critics that find the Golf’s styling a little bland. It’s still Teutonic in design – aesthetically pleasing but far from flamboyant – and the sensible looks make it clear that this is a Golf.

Anyone who has driven a VW Group product over the past few years will feel right at home in the cabin too. Similar in concept to the exterior, the interior is refined, ergonomic, and lacking in anything frivolous. The two biggest changes come in the shape of VW’s new Discover Navigation Pro infotainment system and the Active Instrument Display, both available on certain models.

The first is a large 9.2 inch touchscreen that has high quality graphics and responds to gesture commands too. Specific displays need only for you to wave your hand one way or the other to change screens. It’s a bit gimmicky and the touchscreen controls often work better, but with time its usefulness improves. The Golf is the first car in its class – or a number of classes above – to use this gesture technology, so future offerings are likely to be better. Still, the system works intuitively and will be useful to some drivers.

The more useful bit of newness is the Active Instrument Display, which replaces the traditional analogue instrument binnacle within a digital screen. This is customisable, with dials that can be shrunk or enlarged, and the sat-nav’s map and route can be shown between the instruments. It’s a lovely system that works brilliantly and is a great option to have. Other kit to be newly available is smartphone compatibility through MirrorLink, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto, and semi-autonomous driving capability which will pilot the car by controlling throttle, brakes, and steering inputs. It’s particularly handy in heavy traffic.

The rest of the cabin is largely the same as before, which is to say, excellent. The seats are comfortable and supportive and there is plenty of space in the rear. The Golf will envelop four adults and a holiday’s worth of luggage in the boot, with no complaints to be heard about head, leg, or shoulder room. Equally, it will deal with all the paraphernalia of family life and up to three children in the rear with the same lack of problems.

The driving experience is just as good as the rest of the car, and in keeping too. For standard Golfs, the handling is not the most exciting around, but the Golf has been designed for use in everyday life, not to set a quick lap around a racetrack. This means that driving around town will see the VW cushion occupants from the jolt of pot-holes and

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speed bumps, while on motorways the Golf settles down with the ability of a much larger car. It is only when driving down a twisty Broad that you might yearn for the handling prowess of a Ford Focus for example, but this happens a handful of times a year, and the Golf is the best car for the job the remaining 95% of the time.

The main reason for this last statement is the sheer breadth of options available to buyers, driven – if you’ll excuse the pun – by the engine line-up. The biggest change to the powertrain options is VW’s new 1.5 TSI Evo engine, which offers a good balance of power and economy, aided by technology that can deactivate cylinders when they are not needed.

The range starts with a three-cylinder 1.0 litre 85hp petrol, and climbs through to a 2.0 litre four cylinder 310hp petrol. On the way, buyers can find 1.2 litre and 1.4 litre petrols, and 1.6 and 2.0 litre diesels, all in various states of tune. There isn’t a poor pick among them, but the best are the 1.0 TSI and 1.6 TDI in general.

It’s difficult to generalise though because there are so many variants available. You can get a Golf as a three or five-door hatchback, as an estate, an electric car, a plug-in hybrid, or in one of three different performance options.

The ‘normal’ Golf is excellent, but if your needs are more specific, the line-up still delivers. The all-electric e-Golf has had the biggest changes made to it because VW has extracted about 50% more performance from the car’s battery. This means drivers can go an official 186 miles on a single charge, putting it up there with some of the best in its class. In fact, I think the e-Golf is the best EV around considering range, quality, and price. Even in the real-world, drivers will be able to drive more than 150 miles on a charge, which is more than enough for many.

At the opposite end of the spectrum are VW’s performance models, though these categories are bridged nicely by the Golf GTE. Linked in name and styling to the GTD and GTI, the GTE is VW’s plug-in hybrid Golf. Able to travel around 25 miles on electric power, a 1.4 litre petrol engine is there as back up or for longer trips. It’s a great jack-of-alltrades; part hot-hatch, part green machine.

For full hot-hatch thrills though, you need to go for the GTI, which grips and goes like, well, like a Golf GTI. It’s a worthy wearer of the famous badge, and provides practicality alongside performance. Erring on the side of greater economy but with the desire for plenty of oomph is the GTD, which makes the most of a powerful diesel unit for improved MPG. Finally, the Golf R is the range’s flagship and has so much performance, you can’t really describe it as a hot-hatch in the traditional sense. It’s part of a new breed of performance hatchbacks, with 300+ horsepower, a brilliant exhaust note, and four-wheel drive.

The Golf R is one of the fastest cars in the UK from point to point.

Yes, a Ferrari or similar might be quicker around a track, but bearing in mind the bumpy roads, often wet weather, and appalling traffic, the easy-to-drive yet blisteringly quick Golf R will keep up with just anything you care to mention.

Essentially then, VW has taken a class-leading model and made it better. Flexibility to meet almost any demands, extra equipment, improved safety kit, and the long-established reliability record and strong residual values make the Golf a superb product. It’s a great car, perhaps made better still because of its versatility. The changes are welcome then, even if it simply means that we motoring hacks don’t need to change our recommendation just yet. ■ • volkswagen.co.uk

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MOTORING | TEST DRIVE

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The brothers are on UWE’s High Performance Athlete Programme and studying part-time Master’s degrees

CITY OF CHAMPIONS High-intensity squash and Bristol's relaxed environs have helped shape two Egyptian brothers into world-class sportsmen, as Rod Gilmour discovers

C

an a city be seen as a catalyst for success in an elite sportsman’s career? Leeds may have the Brownlees, Team GB’s triathlon heroes, but two Egyptian brothers are firm believers that living in Bristol has been key to shaping their sporting careers.

For the last decade, the West Country has been home to squash stars Mohamed and Marwan El Shorbagy, who have consistently made headlines – as well as making jaws drop – with their hard-hitting style since settling in Bristol.

I met the brothers to discuss their remarkable rise in squash, the pressure to maintain sibling success and how the city has kept them both grounded and anonymous. After all, how many people know that Bristol has had a world number one, in one of the most physically demanding of sports?

“It’s been a very interesting journey and one day I will hopefully be retelling it to my kids,” says Mohamed, who was world number one for nearly two years until April. “Every top athlete has a story to inspire people. Right now I try to live that story so I can tell it.”

And he’s doing so from his adopted city. “You just have your own freedom here,” adds the 26-year-old. “Bristol is a city where anyone can do what they want – a city with no rules! It feels like there is something exciting happening the whole time. I feel at home and I’m comfortable when I go back.”

Marwan, three years younger, also heaps praise on the place. “For the first two years I didn’t discover Bristol,” he confesses. “Once I did, believe it or not, it has made a huge difference to my squash. It’s one of the reasons why I got to the top 10.

“I've always put myself under pressure but the city helps me recover mentally and relaxes the mind. How? Well, as a friend said, you don't

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get Bristol until you get it!”

Squash has been making giant strides to finally become an Olympic sport after failing to be included at the last three Games. Forget thoughts of cold plaster courts on a Tuesday evening. The modern glass court can be positioned anywhere – there are tournaments in front of Egypt’s Giza Pyramids and in the art deco hall at Grand Central in New York. High-definition coverage has added television appeal, while the speed of the game, with players regularly scampering to all four corners, makes for compelling viewing.

We meet at the season-ending World Series Finals in Dubai. And just to emphasise the sport’s growth, the all-glass court is located on stage at Dubai Opera, a lavish multi-million pound arts venue.

The El Shorbagy brothers have been at the forefront of this squash revolution over the last few years. While most Egyptian players opt to stay in Cairo and Alexandria – despite the country’s troubles of recent years – Mohamed and Marwan have forged a different path.

From the beginning...

It started in the West Country in 2006 when, on a player’s recommendation, Mohamed – then 15 – travelled to Millfield School in Somerset on a sports scholarship. Marwan followed a year later and both were coached by the great Jonah Barrington. Now in his seventies, he still remains the brothers’ mentor.

To remain close to Barrington, the brothers studied at the University of the West of England. They have resided on Frenchay campus since 2010, are on UWE’s High Performance Athlete Programme, and are now studying part-time Masters' degrees; Marwan in real estate management and Mohamed in finance. “Everything is organised in the

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SPORT

ideal way and the university has made it that way,” says Mohamed.

“From the first day I arrived, everything was set up perfectly. I have no reason to change my life right now.”

If there was change, it would be to move into a city centre flat, which the brothers are currently exploring. And after seven years out at Frenchay, who could blame them? But being entwined with their peers has kept the brothers grounded. “I think Bristol has a very positive influence on the brothers,” says their coach, Hadrian Stiff. “The city is quite anonymous for them. Nobody is looking at what they do or how they do it and they benefit from the interaction with young people at the university who are not involved in squash.”

The pair train at Frenchay facilities and the Vivo Club, the bustling squash and fitness centre on Floating Harbour. Mohamed was the first pro player to train at the club; now there are a host of players from across the globe. “It feels nice,” he says. “We recently had a social tournament at the club. It was 1am and we were all still chatting and laughing. Seven years ago I was the only one sat at the table.”

Where Mohamed is undecided on where he will live after his career finishes, Marwan is unequivocal. “I would live in Bristol for the rest of my life. When you first move, it’s all about the night life. As I’ve got older, I’ve realised that it’s so different. I feel more at home here than Egypt. I was homesick when I first moved to Somerset. It’s now the case that I have that smile when I’m nearing home after a tournament: that feel of the river, the harbourside, the city.”

Mohamed’s passion still runs deep though. “I love Bristol’s vibe, the atmosphere and different culture. I'm the kind of person who doesn’t like capitals. I like cities which have everything and everyone knows everyone. That’s Bristol.”

Thanks to his explosive game, everyone certainly knows Mohamed on tour. He became world number one at the end of 2014 and stayed there, barring one month, until April. In that time he has won the British Open, the oldest event in the sport, and lifted seven trophies in 2016. The World Championship title still evades him, but he has been runner-up twice.

After Marwan led Egypt to world junior team success in 2012, his senior rise has been as rapid as his court game. He entered the world’s top five last year, meaning that we are likely to see the El Shorbagy name in the top 10 for the next decade.

Head to head Of course, they do have to play each other at times. At Chicago’s Windy City Open in March, Marwan beat his older brother for the first time. On winning, he turned to Mohamed, dropped his head on his shoulder and cried. The video went viral. “Whenever we play each

other, fans seem to love the matches,” says Marwan. “We don’t enjoy it but it’s bringing something new to squash.”

Victory changed certain aspects for Marwan. “You have to be careful where you go in Egypt. After the match in Chicago, things changed for me. My brother is well known on the Cairo streets but for me, it made a huge difference. People started to know me. I’m the type of guy who likes to do my own thing. Sometimes as an athlete you like to be appreciated – I get that when I go to Vivo, while in the street I can be free. In Egypt I don’t feel free. I don’t feel comfortable.”

Meanwhile, defeat for Mohamed meant that he lost his world number one status. This year has been tough for him in all. Up until the season-ending Dubai event, he had yet to win on tour. The pressure of being the hunted had taken its toll. Yet he renewed his hunger for the sport by joining the group training sessions at Vivo – and making the odd trip to Brandon Hill. “I’m a person who loves natural views and places, it’s my favourite place,” admits Mohamed. “If I have a problem with my life I can go there morning or night. I feel like I’m top of the world.”

Feeling reinvigorated, he travelled to Dubai in early June with roommate Marwan. A few days after we speak, he performs brilliantly on stage to lift the World Series Finals trophy. “This season I didn't play with my spirit, but I’m really proud I got that back,” he says.

Marwan was the first to climb on stage and embrace Mohamed. But the younger Shorbagy is now ready to step out of his brother’s shadow.

“He’s my role model and I’ve lived everything with him,” says Marwan. “But I’ve managed to put the pressure away and I want to create my own story and the best version of myself.

“Everyone has a story to tell and I’ve started to appreciate what others are doing too. It’s not all about the money and we’re blessed with what we have.”

And Bristol should certainly feel blessed too. “The city and university have given us so much that we want to give something back,” they add, in brotherly unison. “We are so thankful for their support.” ■

Mohamed and Marwan’s perfect Bristol day Small St Espresso for breakfast and flat whites To Vivo Club on Floating Harbour for a hit with our coach Lunch at St Nicholas Market for some Moroccan food A walk on Brandon Hill for the special view of the city Back to Vivo for an afternoon training session Chill by the harbourside in the evening • Twitter: @moelshorbagy; @maelshorbagy

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Nuffield May final fp.qxp_Layout 1 21/06/2017 14:56 Page 1

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

INSIGHT INTO CATARACTS Cataracts affect many of us as we get older, but acting early can reduce the impact they will have on your life.

Here, we focus on the signs to look for, and what can be done to alleviate the problem.

C

ataracts are a very common eye condition, and many people aged over 60 years will have at least some amount present. A cataract is a clouding of the lens in your eye, which causes your sight to become misty.

Cataracts slowly get worse and your sight gets cloudier over time, but the vast majority can be treated successfully.

How does your eye work?

Light enters your eye through your cornea (the clear window at the front) and your lens makes sure this light is focused correctly to form an image when it reaches the retina. To produce a sharp image the lens must be clear.

Throughout your life, your lens changes shape to help you see things clearly in the distance and close up. This is called “accommodation of vision”. As we get older, the lens isn’t able to change shape as well as it used to. When this happens, most people can see clearly in the distance but need reading glasses for near work.

How does a cataract affect your sight?

Cataracts could affect your sight in a number of ways. Your vision may become blurred or appear misty; you may be dazzled by lights; or your colour vision may seem washed out or faded.

Most people will eventually develop a cataract in both eyes, though one eye may be affected before the other. If a cataract isn’t removed, eventually it will be like trying to see through a frosted window. Even if your cataract gets to this stage, it can still be removed and your sight will be almost as it was before the cataract developed.

What causes a cataract?

The most common reason is growing older.

Most people over the age of 60 have some amount of cataract and this gradually worsens with age. Apart from getting older, other

common causes of cataracts include diabetes, medications such as steroids, and longstanding eye conditions. They can also be present at birth (congenital cataracts).

Consultant Ophthalmologists that offer Cataract surgery at Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital:

What treatment is available?

The only effective treatment for cataracts is surgery to remove your cloudy lens and replace it with an artificial clear lens implant.

Cataract surgery is one of the most successful operations. New glasses will not help if the cataract is too advanced.

Mr Rafik Girgis MB ChB, MSc, MRCOphth, FRCS (Ed)

Mr Michael Greaney MD, FRCSEd, FRCOphth

Mr Philip Jaycock

When should I have the operation?

In the past, eye surgeons often waited until the cataract became “ripe” before removing it.

Nowadays, with modern surgery the operation is usually done as soon as your eyesight interferes with your daily activities, such as reading and driving, especially at night.

What does the operation involve?

Cataract surgery is usually done with a local anaesthetic and normally takes about 20 minutes. Small cuts are made and the cataract is removed in small pieces using sound waves (phacoemulsification) so you don’t need stitches. The artificial lens implant is placed inside the eye. Surgery is generally very successful and effective.

How soon will I recover?

MB, ChB, BSc, FRCOphth, Cert LRS, MD

Mr Mo Majid MBChB, FRCOphth, PhD Specialities: Cataract & Premium Lens

Nuffield Health is the UK’s largest not-forprofit healthcare provider, which means that all of its profits are reinvested into better facilities for the patients.

For more information about the eye treatments available at Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital, The Chesterfield, call the enquiries team on 0117 911 5339, or visit online at: nuffieldhealth.com/hospitals/bristol/eye-care

After surgery, you can usually go back to your everyday activities within a few days. You will be given eye drops to use for up to four weeks.

Most people have no problems after the surgery and they are up and about the next day.

What should I expect to see after the operation?

Usually, everything in the distance will be clear.

However, your reading vision in the operated eye may be blurred. This is because the standard lens implant isn’t able to provide clear vision for both distance and near.

Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital The Chesterfield, 3 Clifton Hill, Clifton, Bristol BS8 1BN

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Type II Diabetes – a natural approach to avoiding it.

By Gemma Hurditch for CNM (College of Naturopathic Medicine).

T

ype II Diabetes has grown to become one of the greatest health issues worldwide, negatively affecting an increasing number of adults and children.

The good news is that if you are looking to reduce your risk of developing Type II Diabetes there is plenty that you can do about it, with help from natural therapies.

Exercise Exercise is a crucial part of preventing Type II Diabetes. One of the easiest ways to regulate blood sugar levels (which lies at the core of Type II Diabetes), and combat obesity is to exercise regularly. Prioritise exercise in your daily routine, take the stairs instead of the lift, get off the bus one or two stops early, find activity you enjoy and do it frequently.

Re-think your diet Swap fast food and ready meals for cookfrom-scratch fresh whole-foods, preferably organic. Ditch artificial ingredients for real ones, and steer clear of ‘low sugar’ options that mean artificial sweeteners have been used.

Keep the sugar ‘hit’ of your meals low, by eating foods which have a low glycaemic load (GL). They enable the body to better moderate insulin, blood sugar and energy levels. Reduce or replace foods which exacerbate insulin desensitisation, such as refined carbohydrate foods which encourage high insulin responses. Diets high in saturated fat are also ill-advised as they are under investigation for reducing insulin sensitivity,

replace with unsaturated fat where possible.

Avoid: • Sweets, chocolate and honey • White flour bread, pasta and pastry products such as cakes and biscuits • White rice • Fruit juice, fizzy drinks or soda pop • Alcohol • Lots of fatty meats and dairy Eat: • Meals or snacks with some fat and protein, never carbohydrate only • Cinnamon and nutmeg – to replace sugar or honey • More fibre – in the form of fresh vegetables and plenty of salad greens • Lean protein - legumes such as chickpeas, lentils and beans, more fish, mushrooms, quinoa, brown rice and rolled oats • Tree nuts - preferably raw and unsalted • Onions and garlic, fenugreek tea and ginseng tea.

Extra help A qualified natural health practitioner can help create a tailor-made dietary and lifestyle plan to support your health, taking into account your health history, current state of health, medications and their side effects, personal weight loss or lifestyle goals, and any drugnutrient interactions of which you need to be mindful.

Your practitioner may consider nutritional supplements and herbal preparations to improve glucose tolerance, insulin response, or to support vascular integrity, for example.

Please don’t self-prescribe. See a qualified natural health practitioner for education and to determine appropriate support for your specific circumstances.

Address stress Stress is a contributory factor in all ill health, which is why natural health practitioners take a holistic view of physical, mental and emotional factors. Identify and deal with your causes of stress.

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Acupuncture Acupuncture can help to combat obesity, which is a primary risk factor for developing Type II Diabetes. It can also help you manage diabetic symptoms and provide support for complications of the disease if you have it.

Clean up your act It’s not only agricultural residues and artificial additives in the foods we consume that can increase our toxic burden and make us more susceptible to illness and overweight. It makes sense to take control of the things that we can, like the personal care products and household products that touch our skin, and can enter our bloodstream. Become informed about the overall health-effects of commonly-used ingredients, and why more and more people are choosing natural products.

Gemma Hurditch

Attend a FREE Open Evening to find out about part time training with CNM Bristol for a career as a Naturopathic Nutritionist or Don Geoff Naturopathic Acupuncturist.

Thursday 6th July (Acupuncture) Wednesday 26th July (Nutrition and Acupuncture) Please book online at:

www.naturopathy-uk.com

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WILD BRISTOL

KING OF THE CONCRETE JUNGLE In the first of our new ‘Wild Bristol’ series, Pete Dommett meets a Bristol photographer and peregrine addict

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“

nipe...pigeon...teal...pigeon...skylark...” Head down, Sam recites a roll call of species as he picks through the feathers, legs and other bits of bird that litter the bottom of Castlemead tower in Cabot Circus. After several minutes, he looks up. “I’ve got a whole woodcock head in the freezer at home,” he tells me with unrestrained glee and the look of a man who’s very clearly got an obsession.

Sam Hobson is a Bristol-based wildlife photographer and a selfconfessed peregrine addict. Peregrine falcons – the fastest bird on the planet – live right here in the commercial heart of the city and Sam is showing me the proof. The prey remains that he’s collecting from between the feet of people hurrying to work are clear evidence of their existence, but wait – snipe, skylark and woodcock? Surely these are birds of the countryside and not usually found on city streets.

...When the birds are flying over Bristol in the small hours, they’re lit up from underneath by the city’s lights like a late-night takeaway...

“You’re right,” confirms Sam. “But they do migrate over urban areas at night.” He explains that these birds are ‘countercamouflaged’ – basically, brown on top and white underneath. While this helps them evade predators during the day, it means that when the birds are flying over Bristol in the small hours, they’re lit up from underneath by the city’s lights like a late-night takeaway.

Peregrines have altered their behaviour to hunt at night and exploit this unexpected source of food. It’s another indication of how well

these raptors have adapted to city living. Since narrowly avoiding extinction in the ’60s due to persecution and poisoning, peregrines have bounced back, especially in the urban environment. In fact, they’ve become the kings and queens of the concrete jungle, swapping traditional nest sites on coastal cliffs and mountains for high-rise city structures like office blocks, mobile-phone masts, shopping centres, football stadiums and cathedrals. There are now around 100 pairs breeding in British towns and cities, with over 30 pairs in London alone. Bristol has at least four, including a pair here in the city-centre and the well-watched duo in the Avon Gorge that you can see from the Peregrine Viewpoint on The Downs.

Sam and I walk to the nearby multi-storey car park and take a lift to the very top. With its steel, glass and minimalist style, this is überurban birding. The Castlemead building is easy to see from here – at 80 metres, it’s the tallest tower block in Bristol – and it doesn’t take Sam long to spot a peregrine. It’s the male, or tiercel, perched on a concrete window ledge like an excommunicated gargoyle. We watch it shredding yet another pigeon, the downy feathers drifting onto unwary commuters below like wedding day confetti. I got married down there, almost 20 years ago, at Bristol Registry Office in Quakers Friars – now home to Brasserie Blanc. As we watch the falcon tucking into his breakfast, Sam recounts an urban peregrine myth.

This month, young peregrines are learning how to find food for themselves. Adult birds help them hone their hunting skills by flying high with a prey item, then dropping it for their offspring to catch.

Except that this doesn’t always go to plan. Apparently, a diner at Raymond’s restaurant was enjoying an alfresco lunch when a partially dismembered pigeon (that she hadn’t ordered) fell from above and landed on her plate. Bon appétit, madame... ■

• Photography by Sam Hobson; see more of his work at samhobson.co.uk

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WALK | THE WALK

HAUNTS OF ANCIENT PEACE Andrew Swift recommends two of our most favourite Wiltshire spots for a summer stroll

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n this month’s walk we visit two Grade I properties – Westwood Manor, set amid clipped yews and described by Nikolaus Pevsner as “a perfect Wiltshire manor house,” and the Italianate gardens at Iford, laid out by Harold Peto in the early 20th century.

Although they can both be visited by car, they lie among narrow, winding lanes, and to get to them from Bristol entails running the gauntlet of the traffic through Bath. Far easier, as they both lie within walking distance of railway stations, to take the train and combine your visit with a stroll through the woods and meadows of the Frome valley.

The four-mile walk described here starts at Avoncliff station (half an hour’s journey from Temple Meads) and visits Westwood and Iford before ending at Freshford station. If you need any further persuasion, there are country inns, open all day, near both stations.

There is one drawback – the only times that both Westwood and Iford Manors are open are on Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday afternoons from June to September.

So, to visit them both, you need to time it right. Catching the 12.39 from Temple Meads to Avoncliff on Tuesday or Wednesday, or the 12.10 on Sunday should get you to Westwood Manor by the time it opens, giving you plenty of time to visit Iford as well.

Directions

● On arriving at Avoncliff station, walk up steps to the canal towpath, turn left across an aqueduct over the River Avon, on the far side of which is the Cross Guns Inn. Instead of carrying on along the towpath, take a path leading under the canal. Once through the tunnel, you can see how the central arch of the aqueduct has sagged. Although it may look alarming, it has been like that since shortly after it was built over 200 years ago, due to the poor quality stone used.

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● Turn left uphill past the tea gardens (open Friday-Sunday) and carry on up the road. After 150m, when the road swings left for a second time, carry straight on through a handgate to follow an old packhorse trail up through the woods. When the path forks, take the left-hand fork to continue uphill. At the top, go through a metal squeeze stile and head up the lane. At the T junction, with a telephone box ahead, turn left. After a few metres – just past a wall post box – cross the road, go up some steps and along a path beside a hedge. ● After 100m, continue along a path to the left of the fence.

At the end, carry on along the road for 150m before continuing along a footpath behind the houses on the left.

After 125m, just past the Old Baptist Chapel, turn left along a road for 50m, before crossing over and climbing steps to cross a slab stile. ● Go along a path through a kissing gate (KG) and a handgate. At the crosspath, carry straight on alongside a wall to emerge by Westwood church. Its perpendicular tower, dating from around 1500, is regarded as one of the finest in Wiltshire. The church also contains exquisite medieval glass and a famous carving of a predatory devil, known as the Westwood Imp, over the font. ● Go through the churchyard and turn right into the grounds of Westwood Manor. Walking into its cool interior is like stepping into the 17th century – largely down to sensitive restoration and discreet embellishment carried out by Edgar Lister, who bought the manor, after a long period of decline, in 1911. He collected tapestries and early keyboard instruments, and was an expert in needlepoint, upholstering the antique furniture in the house in historically appropriate styles. The manor was bequeathed to the National Trust on his death in 1956. ● Retrace your steps through the churchyard and along the path walked earlier. After crossing the slab stile at the end, cross the road and turn left along it. After 600m, at a fork

This page: The cool marble cloisters of the absolutely gorgeous Iford Manor gardens Opposite page: Medieval glass at Westwood church

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in the road, bear left to follow a sign down to Iford Manor. ● Like Westwood, the house (not open to the public) dates back to medieval times, although little of the original building remains, and the façade facing the road dates from the early 18th century. The glory of Iford is its garden, an Italianate fantasy established on a steep hillside in the early 20th century, incorporating antique columns, sculptures and sarcophagi. The sound of water, running down rills or flowing from fountains, fills the air. Cool marble cloisters, a secluded Japanese garden, a woodland trail and a broad Roman-style terrace are among the other delights of this timeless and extraordinary garden. ● Leaving the gardens, cross the bridge over the River Frome. With the shadows of leaves dappling the water, kingfishers darting through the arches and a statue of Britannia on the parapet, this too is a magical spot. After 100m, past Iford Mill, take a footpath on the right and follow a track through a meadow. After 700m, it leads past into Friary Wood. After 150m, go through a meadow and continue in the same direction, before bearing left up a lane for a few metres and turning right to follow a track across a spring.

Follow it as it climbs two flights of steps and go through a gate.

After 350m you come to Dunkirk Mill, built around 1795 with five storeys; reduced to three when converted to housing in the 1970s. ● Turn right and follow a lane curving left past a pillbox built in 1940 as part of the GHQ Green Line, an outer ring of defences designed to protect Bristol in the event of enemy invasion. At a T junction, head right to follow the lane as it runs alongside the River Frome.

As it swings right across the river, you can glimpse the shell of a 16th-century building at the heart of Freshford Mill. ● As you continue alongside the river, you’ll see another pillbox on the opposite bank. Follow the lane right and after 35m go through a KG on the left. The official footpath heads straight across the field, but bear left for a more scenic river route. After passing another pillbox, go through a KG and turn left along a busy lane. After crossing a bridge, you come to the Inn at Freshford, with a datestone of 1713. ● Freshford station is 500m on. Continue past the inn, following the lane as it curves uphill, and go right along Station Road. ■

At a glance...

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Length; map: 4 miles

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Map: AA Walker’s Map 25 (Bristol, Bath & the Mendips); or OS Explorer 142, 155 & 156

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HOME IMPROVEMENT

CHANGING THE LAYOUT OF YOUR HOME Sophie Bridge, from leading home design experts Architect Your Home, offers some practical advice on how to make a success of changing the layout of your living space

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hen it comes to updating your house, there are many things that can be done to help you fall in love with it all over again. Changing the layout is one of them. It may sound like an enormous task, but it can make a real difference to the feel of your home. Plus, it may add value to your property.

Switch rooms Make your living room your new dining room or your dining room your new living room. Changing the purpose of your rooms can make a big difference to your home and can be done quickly.

If you like to entertain, moving your dining room into a larger room can give you more space to enjoy dinner with friends. Whilst your former dining room could make a lovely, cosy retreat to relax in at the end of a long day. If you’re not keen on the change, you can swap back!

Open plan Open plan homes can give you a great sense of space as well as flexibility. For example, an open plan kitchen/living area offers more room to play with when it comes to kitchen space. However, if you’re considering opening up the downstairs of your home, there are a few things to bear in mind.

For instance, the walls between your hallway and reception rooms often provide structural support and will need something there to replace them. It’s a straightforward job, but your design may be different to what you imagined. An open hallway also means your front door opens into your living area, meaning you lose a little privacy and can be open to the elements. Think about whether you

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want the door to open directly into your main living area or not.

Either way, a good architect will help you get the design just right.

New bedroom Adding an extra bedroom to your home is a great way to increase space and add value. Attic conversions or garage makeovers are a popular choice. Garages are usually easier and cheaper to convert as they don’t need any structural alterations, however, the advantage of converting your loft is that it’s closer to other bedrooms and bathrooms, making it much more convenient. Garages, however, make excellent guest rooms or even games rooms (pictured above).

Adding a basement A basement in any home can offer lots of extra space, but it does come at a cost. On average, extending your home below ground level tends to be between 75%-100% more expensive per square meter than above ground modifications. In areas where space is at a premium, basement extensions can offer a great return on investment, despite the upfront cost.

Planning permission applies in most cases, which means you’ll need to consider things like natural light, but when you’ve got the goahead, your basement space has endless possibilities, think: gym, office, home cinema…

Whatever you decide to do with the layout of your home, remember that there are building regulations and requirements to consider.

However, an architect can not only help you when it comes to the design, but they can help with said regulations and make sure your project runs smoothly. ■ • architect-yourhome.com

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High Quality Craftmanship

Specialist

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THE HOT BRITISH BRAND Georgette McCready discovers the energy efficient Everhot range of stoves that’s quietly winning converts

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he British have a special affection for the enamelled stove, its steady all-day heat providing the beating, warm heart of the kitchen. It’s a cooker where the kettle’s always poised to make a brew, where cakes are evenly baked and where the family can warm their socks and their hands.

But here’s a surprise. The name of that handsome cooker may not be the traditional brand you’re used to seeing, but Everhot, a thoroughly British product invented and made in Gloucestershire. The Everhot stove was created in the 1970s by engineer Ossie Goring, who had bought Coaley Mill near Dursley and harnessed its ancient mill waters to create electricity and was, in turn, inspired to build a range that could be run on electricity.

And so the Everhot range was born and has evolved into a stylish piece of kitchen kit. It now comes in a dozen colours including black, burgundy and British racing green, although the current customer favourite is graphite grey. The Everhot runs off ordinary 13 amp plugs and doesn’t need a flue or a concrete base. The slim versions are a standard cooker size and therefore suitable for city flats or small homes, while those hankering for the farmhouse four-oven range can opt for a larger edition. In addition to the eternally hot plates (so good for tea and toast) the Everhot has an induction hot plate, ideal for gentler tasks such as making cheese sauce. There’s a full width grill in the top oven too.

It seems that Everhot fans are a devoted lot. One such is Simon Lunt, who runs Boniti interiors with his brother Giles near Dyrham. Simon bought an Everhot for his family and is happy to be an ambassador for the brand. Boniti is the sole dealer for Everhot for the Bath and Bristol area. He tells the story of a customer who was a keen baker and had asked if he could try the cooker for himself to test. Simon said: “We invited him to come up to the showroom and he happily baked away.

Having been used to another brand he was amazed by the size of the ovens and the controllability of every aspect of the Everhot and the saving in running costs.” In short, another convert.

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Other devotees to what is seen as an eco-friendly cool brand, include a chart topping British singer-songwriter, a celebrity chef and the host of a TV show watched by millions.

The stoves are hand built to order, with almost all the raw materials, apart from the sheet steel, made in artisan style in Gloucestershire. Being made in Britain may impress those who were disappointed when Aga was taken over two years ago by an American company. Everhot is also happy to report that it’s the most energy efficient range on the market, costing typically around £12 to £14 a week to run, with the cooker ready at any time.

You can have the ambient heat on 24/7 every day of the year – perfect for airing clothes, rearing premature lambs or simply for lolling against to warm the bottom – but there is also a touch panel behind one of the doors which allows you to put the stove in sleep mode. Ideal in a summer heatwave or if you want to shut it down while you go on holiday. And if you decide to move house, but don’t want to part with your faithful Everhot, the company will undertake to move the cooker for you.

Unlike other brands the Everhot does not need specialist servicing.

Boniti has also commissioned its own range of lid pads, designed to fit the hot lid of the stove and is the only approved supplier of Everhot lid covers in the UK. The pads are made from heat resistant cotton and towelling, with magnets inside to keep them in place.

These black lid covers are free on orders made at Boniti, as is delivery and installation.

The Everhot centre is at Coaley Mill, Coaley, Gloucestershire GL11 5DS. Boniti is at Dunsdon Barn, West Littleton, SN14 8JA, just off the A46 at Dyrham, open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

To make an appointment to talk in detail about Everhot, or attend a stove and cookery demonstration, tel: 01225 892200, visit: boniti.com. n

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INTERIORS | KITCHENS

EVER READY: the Everhot range comes in various models and sizes, suitable for all scales of kitchen and available in 12 colours – the next shade is promised to be pink Far right, the current favourite shade with customers is graphite grey. Below, the Everhot badge - an emblem of Great British manufatcuring

Introducing Hans J. Wegner’s CH23 Chair from 1950

Iconic chairs by Hans J. Wegner - The CH25 in oak-soap, CH22 in oak-walnut oil, CH26 in walnut-oak, CH23 in oak-walnut oil, and the CH24 in oak-white oil.

S annon F U R N I T U R E LT D

Contemporary Nordic furniture from Carl Hansen and Son, Fritz Hansen and Swedese. Lighting by Louis Poulsen. Our homewares include Marimekko, Iittala, Rorstrand, with lots of Moomin mugs, fabric and throws from Denmark, Sweden and Finland.

68 Walcot Street Bath BA1 5BD 01225 424222 non-uk.com THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

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HOME

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HOME

LIFE GOALS Crushing hard on Crane 29, we get some tips on how to make our own spaces a little more sustainable Opposite page, clockwise from top left: We love the rustic timber features and natural green shades in the little kitchen; ever considered planting up the walls?; hammocks may not have any eco benefits but we’re sure they’d benefit our own wellbeing; there’s a real sense of the outdoors when you walk up the decked pathway past the tropical foliage; oxygen levels are high in the well-lit bedroom (Photography © Iris Thores/Canopy and Stars)

H

ow long have you spent ogling images of Bristol’s crane-based accommodation lately, instead of tackling the to-do list on your desk at work? Not as long as us (sorry, boss) – we couldn’t get enough of Crane 29’s interior; tropical foliage, teal drapes, corrugated iron shower cubicle, living painting by local artist Anthony Garrett, forest-green tiles and all. We marvelled at the quality and attention to detail, considering how compact the place is, and – impressed with its eco credentials – demanded to know more about the little harbourside hang-out. Enter, sustainability expert Rachel Bradley, of B&Q: TBM: How did B&Q come to be involved with the project?

Rachel: Canopy and Stars wanted a partner with good sustainability credentials. We’ve been working on our One Planet Home project for 10 years and sustainable timber for more than 25 years. Small spaces can be a real challenge for people – this was a chance to showcase what you can do; that space doesn’t need to be a limitation. This project really is the pinnacle of unusual space – I mean if you can do it on the side of a crane, you can do it anywhere!

Crane 29 successfully attracts urban bees with roof planters.

How can people help the cause at home?

Wildlife is in decline, and a lot of the conversations revolve around agriculture and climate change – not something you might feel you can help with directly. Our first tip for anyone, whether you’ve got a garden or window box, is to get involved in science projects like the butterfly survey or bee count. There are hundreds of counts around – they open your eyes to what’s out there and help scientists to work out what attracts wildlife. If you can have a window box or doorstep pot with pollinating plants, you’ll be amazed at how quickly you start to see butterflies coming to visit.

Further afield, you can make sure you buy peat-free compost to help protect habitats in peat bogs, or if you’re buying timber you can use recycled or sustainably sourced wood. It’s about choosing your materials wisely, ensuring you’re not wasting – minimising food waste is something we can all do.

Bristol is a great place for community projects…

Absolutely, there are many projects like Incredible Edibles, which showcase what can be done. They grow planters at the railway station near me; you don’t need a garden.

What were the kind of challenges you faced?

We were particularly involved in bringing nature in – Canopy and Stars are really keen on connecting with the outdoors.

Some of the things we designed were the planters inside and on the roof. When you go up the garden pathway, you really get that sense of walking through a forest – partly due to the mulches on the floor and the path, partly because of the canopy feeling created by the planters. You need to make sure, if you’re planting up a wall, there is maximum space for people and maximum chance for the plant to live and thrive.

It’s about thinking outside the box isn’t it – at home you wouldn’t think to plant things up the wall...

There’s nothing stopping you! It’s the first time I’ve come across it in such a small space. You often see it in offices, but actually the feeling it gives is extraordinary. I love the hanging herbs in the crane’s kitchen as well – often a kitchen feels short on space but it brings so much freshness and life.

So much has been crammed in yet it doesn’t feel cramped…

They’ve been very smart in their choices of furniture, the colours, the big windows… I love the copper pipe curtain rails, I’m tempted to try that at home. The bathroom is really tiny yet feels luxurious – the watering can showerhead is awesome. It’s funny and reminds you of water conservation!

Why was sustainability such an important part of the build?

You look at what’s happening with climate change agreements, the targets we need to hit – we all need to do more. We’ve been looking at the barriers to bringing nature into the home, and the same reasons come up: not enough space or time, too expensive. Crane 29 addresses those issues.

Some of the wood is from Bristol’s community wood recycling programme, which we partner with. It shows eco living doesn’t need to be the compromise people think it will be. LEDs mean lighting is better and cheaper. Sustainably sourced materials don’t need to be dull – they absolutely can be beautiful.

It’s really important to get children involved as well, isn’t it?

Absolutely, my children were involved in the RSPB bird count last year and couldn’t identify any species, whereas this year they could spot a good 10 or 12. Through the course of the year, they’re the ones who say; “Turn the light off Mummy, it’s important for the animals!” It’s essential for children to make those links. Connecting with nature is good for mental health and it’s great for children’s education.

How did you come to be interested in sustainable living?

I used to work in the paper industry, and my job was product development. We were constantly assessed in terms of environmental regulations, so I learned about climate change and how to convince people to make environmentally friendly choices. Eventually I did a master’s in environmental decision making, and B&Q approached me to work on their programme, which was hugely flattering – they are a company leading the way in sustainability. In the UK, a quarter of carbon emissions come from homes, so you’ve got to help people adjust their homes – invisible things like insulation and becoming more energy efficient, factoring sustainability into everyday choices, which the crane does nicely. You’re less likely to turn the lights on because you’ll want to look at the view, and if you’ve got a rug or a throw you’re less likely to reach for the thermostat.

How do you feel when people denounce climate change?

The whole thing with Trump…people who deny it are starting to be known as dinosaurs. We’re past the point where denying has much to do with what’s really going to happen. It’s going to take Trump a long time to get out of those agreements, and all over the States, people are asking why they’re doing it. In the UK last week, 50% of energy was made by renewables – we’re on the right track. We’d prefer if everyone believed, but let’s just keep the conversation going! ■ • diy.com/one-planet-home

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INTERIORS | INSPIRATION

Get the

LOOK

Want to add a touch of Crane 29 to your abode? Recreate the natural palette with a few of these...

• anthropologie.com

MOROCCAN TILEWORK HAMMOCK, £108 This is a key piece in the cranehouse design

YOURSA CUSHION, £58 Scatter to your heart’s content

PIPPA GLASS, £20 Love this long-stemmed vessel TREE KNOTS PLANTER, £28 – £48 Timber timbre –fill with foliage

CELESTIAL COASTER, £8 Give your coffee table some gorgeous geological detail

HAMMERED PLANT HANGER, £68 Aren’t you, like us, obsessed with this handmade trio hanger?

IVORY EPOCH URN, £16 Fill with summer blooms or a super succulent

BRONZE AGE CUTLERY, £28 Say no more...

Marbled Glenna plate and mug, £9.95 each; bowl £10.95

OJAI WALL ART, £58 You may have a little fringing in the wardrobe but do you have any on the wall?

ALDALORA THROW, £118 Soft and stylish

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GARDENING

FOOD FOR THOUGHT Elly West is encouraging us to have a go at growing our own this month

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nyone who has ever grown their own edibles will know how rewarding it can be, and it’s a feeling of satisfaction that goes beyond the obvious health and cost benefits. Whether it’s a few strawberries or tomatoes tumbling from a window box, some fresh herbs planted in a sunny spot, or a full-on allotment filled with peas, beans and cabbages, there’s nothing to stop anyone with some outside space having a go.

Many of the gardens I design include space for crops, and this can be achieved in even the smallest of plots without sacrificing aesthetics. The early cottage gardens of the 15th century, through to Victorian times, were practical and densely planted, necessary to provide sustenance, and every inch of ground was filled with flowers, fruit, veg and herbs.

Flowers, with their lure of colour and fragrance, were included to attract pollinating insects. With the introduction of the mass production and distribution of food, flowers began to take more priority in the average garden and fewer people chose to grow their own vegetables. Today, we’ve seen a resurgence in growing your own, with more and more people wanting healthy, organic, home-grown, seasonal food.

Growing your own doesn’t have to mean boring rows of uninspiring greenery. There are lots of ways to introduce edibles to your garden that are attractive as well as practical.

If you’re short on space, containers are a great, as you can control the soil type and position them where the edibles will grow best. Most vegetables like full sun, as do fruit and herbs, but there are crops that are more shade tolerant. Mint grows well in shade, and leafy veg such as rocket, lettuce and kale are happy with shade for some of the day, where they are less likely to bolt. The other advantage to container growing is that you can move the pots into the borders to fill gaps. Just remember to keep them well watered.

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rotted manure and other organic matter. Raised beds provide better drainage, which is useful if you are gardening on clay, as many of us in and around Bristol are. They look attractive and are easy to maintain, and also suit many people’s preference for compartmentalisation in the garden. Multiple square beds with different plants in each can create a pleasing patchwork effect.

Think like a designer with your edibles – in terms of shape, colour and texture – and use the power of repetition as you would in the flower borders. Mix in flowers, both for added colour and to attract beneficial insects that will attack aphids and help with pollination. Grow edible flowers such as nasturtiums. Choose flowers that complement the colours of your crops. Red poppies will echo the round fruits of tomatoes, for example, while the bright blue flowers of ‘lovein-a-mist’ will create a popping colour combination with tomatoes and strawberries.

Add ornaments to embellish your edible plot, such as statuary, colourful pots, bird baths, sundials. Treat it as an ornamental space, rather than purely functional. Make it close to your seating area, especially if you’re growing herbs, where you can enjoy their fragrance and their good looks.

If you like formality, then you can’t beat the crisp lines of neatly trimmed box hedging, for the traditional parterre-type kitchen garden. Or you could border your plot with purposemade edging, old roof tiles, sleepers (although avoid reclaimed original sleepers, as harmful creosotes could leach into the soil), even half-buried upturned bottles or other recycled objects. Stepping stones criss-crossing the space, or paths between the plants, made of wood chips or crushed gravel, are relatively easy ways to add interest to your edible plot, as well as having a practical purpose.

Lots of vegetables need support, which gives a further design opportunity to add height with trellis or wigwams.

Squash can be grown over an arch. Pleached or espalier fruit

Above: There’s nothing to stop anyone, with some outside space, having a go – and the benefits are numerous. And how proud would you feel, having produced the likes of these?

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GARDENING

trees trained as a hedge or against a wall are particularly attractive and take up less space than traditionally grown fruit trees. And at ground level, herbs such as thyme can be squeezed in crevices, between paving stones, or in cracks and gaps in a wall.

The only limit is your imagination, and if that fails, then there’s always Pinterest!

Elly’s top five beautiful edibles Artichokes: These are tall and majestic, and loved by bees Chard: Try variety ‘Bright Lights’ for vivid stalks through winter Fennel: The bronze variety has especially beautiful, feathery foliage Chives: Great for chopping in salads, and the starry flowers are gorgeous too Curly kale: Choose ‘Scarlet’ for its unusual dark-purple crimped leaves • ellyswellies.co.uk

Incredible Edible Bristol Cropping up around Bristol are numerous gardens growing fruit, vegetables and herbs for the community as part of the Incredible Edible Bristol project. Founded

by Sara Venn, it’s seen 39 gardens built by volunteers and partner organisations around the city since its inception in 2014. These are in parks, street corners, even on station platforms – there’s one in the Bear Pit (pictured, right) – and they’re thriving. “It’s about challenging the way we see our public realm,” says Sara. “More and more people are living in cities and we need to bring nature into those cities.” As well as making areas more attractive and welcoming, the gardens are also providing free food for people in the community. “It’s a gift economy,” Sara explains. “Anyone can help themselves. Some of the people making use of the food are those who really need it, but there’s also a community of foodies – people taking the food, and making and sharing recipes on social media.” Sara also hopes to encourage more young people to get growing, and stresses this is a project anyone, young or old, can get involved with, as well as local businesses. To check out some of the gardens, why not take part in the Urban Food Trail? This consists of 14 gardens between Bristol Temple Meads and Millennium Square. For a map of the route, visit ediblebristol.org.uk

Elly’s Wellies

Garden Designs

Turning your ideas into beautiful spaces Elly’s Wellies Garden Designs will help you maximise the potential of your outdoor space and tailor it to your individual needs. Whether you are looking for a complete garden redesign, or just need advice on what to plant in a border, Elly’s Wellies will be happy to help.

For a free initial consultation, contact Elly West

www.ellyswellies.co.uk ellyswellies@gmail.com 07788 640934 THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

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BRISTOL PROPERTY | IN FOCUS

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BRISTOL PROPERTY | IN FOCUS

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he Woodlands is a hidden gem situated in a private setting and backing onto the Ashton Court Estate. The house is unlisted and thought to be Georgian in origin with period features such as fireplaces, cornicing, archways and panelled doors and walls. In all, the plot is around 1 acre. The house has a warm and family-friendly atmosphere, with light, well-proportioned rooms arranged around a central reception hall and galleried landing. There is a lot of accommodation on offer here, which comprises: Main House: Reception hall, drawing rooms, sitting room, dining room, breakfast room, family room, breakfast kitchen, rear hall, utility, cloakroom and cellar. Principal bedroom with en suite dressing room and bath/shower room, five further bedrooms, family bathroom, 2 en suites and cloakroom. Adjoining Cottage: Entrance hall, sitting/dining room kitchen, utility room, two bedrooms, shower room. Garage block & Annexe: Large garage block with garden store, adjoining one bedroom annexe. Summer House: Summer House with kitchen area and full height bi-fold doors opening onto a terrace. The grounds sit behind a gated entrance with lawns, a walled rear garden, fruit trees and a rose arbour and plenty of parking and turning space. The possibilities for this ‘mini-estate’ are endless and all within two miles of the city centre. Viewing is essential and by appointment with agents Knight Frank.

Knight Frank, Regent House, 27A Regent Street, Clifton, Bristol. Tel: 0117 317 1999

THE WOODLANDS BOWER ASHTON • Unlisted Georgian House in one acre plot • 6 bed, 4 bathroom main house • 2 bedroom adjoining cottage • Garage block with 2 bedroom annexe • Summer house with kitchen for entertaining

Guide price £1,795,000

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PROPERTY

ROOM FOR PROFIT? Property expert Gayle Roberts offers a few tips on short-term letting

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he rise of the sharing economy has been an interesting one to watch – the internet making the lease of assets all the more trustworthy and efficient. For some, booking an Airbnb or the like before setting off on a trip has become as routine a task as packing a bag, so now’s the time if you’re thinking about taking a leap into the land of short-term lettings and looking for a few pointers. If you have a space that you think could up your annual income, property guru Gayle encourages you to join the ‘short-term let revolution’ without delay...

TBM: How did you come to be in the short-term letting business?

Gayle: It’s a 25-year-long story! As a law undergraduate, I bought a house and rented out rooms to fellow students, then did the same when trying to find my feet after qualifying. That rental allowed me to pay off student loans – my £30,000 debts were paid off by buying, renovating and renting out property alongside working as a solicitor. I’d advise anyone to explore the same plan. Yes, it was hard work, but it paid off.

In my thirties I saw the emergence of the short-term letting market. A new generation seemed bored with hotels and needed something more soulful than a serviced apartment – which isn’t exactly tricky. In the early Noughties I purchased for investment in Nice – we saw a gap in the market for quality rentals with hotel-style services in the city so my husband and I set up Nice Pebbles. We’ve now welcomed over 70,000 guests to 150 hosts’ properties that we exclusively manage.

Why is short-term letting a great opportunity in Bristol at the moment?

Bristolians are lucky. You live in a beautiful city with plenty of tourist attractions. You have a well-respected university and lots of companies from London relocating. Airlines fly in from all over. For example, if you have a rental space near the airport, a decent marketing strategy to business travellers can be to provide more amenities than a functional Holiday Inn and generate a steady income stream. Students prefer not to host their parents in their often run-down student digs, and parents greatly prefer to enjoy their meet-ups in a short-term rental space where they can cook, host and take a break in a real home. What mum or dad wants to stay in a hotel where a minibar orange juice costs £5? Get your place online to take advantage of that market.

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What are your top tips for letting a space in Bristol?

I can’t tell you in a few paragraphs how to maximise the profits on your house, flat, spare room or holiday home. But I’ll start with these three points which are more universal. Put yourself in your guest’s shoes.

What would you want if you were paying top dollar to stay in your home? No-one wants to rent an airport lounge. What modern life gadgets, that are cheap to install, could bring in more bookings? Think coffee machines and Netflix. One owner in Nice offers guests use of an iPad. A pricey marketing investment, you may think? No, because over 150 guests have now utilised it, making an investment that cost £300 initially work out at just £2 per booking. Secondly, assess your competition. Sainbury’s always knows the price of a loaf of bread in Waitrose. Only if the bread can be sold as superior (crusts lopped off, high protein etc) will one supermarket cut and run on the price.

Otherwise their bread will get stale on the shelves and be thrown out, while their competitors sell out. Your space is worth what someone is willing to pay for it, not what you think it is worth. You must be objective on your pricing. If in doubt, see what local hotels and other rental properties are charging. Thirdly, care. There’s a phrase I use in my book: “Who cares, wins.” It’s obvious, to a guest, which hosts give a hoot, and over the long term these are the hosts who net the most income. If you care about your guests in your marketing by being transparent and informative, and look after them during their stay, you will garner a great review when they leave. Your love will pay off fast.

Your guests will do your marketing for you and you’ll reap the rewards.

Why not let long-term?

Two years ago, I was trying to sell my previous home in a struggling market. I then decided it could no longer sit empty and needed renting.

I thought, with the area more residential, I would struggle to find shortterm lets straight away so I opted for a long-term rental and made a huge mistake! I now have a sitting tenant who has not paid rent for 12 months. The letting agent tells me the place looks terrible and may cost £40,000 to put right. The lawyers advise us it could take another year to remove through eviction because he knows what he is doing and will drag it out for as long as possible – I have racked up huge legal costs.

Renting short-term has so many advantages to renting long-term. Guests arrive with a suitcase, and are planning to leave with that same suitcase.

They usually have a return ticket and have paid up-front by credit card, with their passport details on record. They are using the space to sleep and visit the area, not ‘living’ in it or abusing it in any way. Many guests don’t even turn on the oven during their stay – they are sampling local restaurants instead. In over a decade, I have never reported a sitting

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PROPERTY

tenant, serious damage or any major incident to one of our owners, nor experienced it myself. Another benefit of short-term letting is that you don’t need to give up your whole house, you can just rent a portion of it. Plus, if you are only renting a room, you have the benefit of the government’s rent-a-room scheme.

What could someone renting a room here think about making per year?

Short-term rental space is unique. A large part of achievable rental income depends on how a property is furnished, how the marketing is done, and the amenities and location on offer. A space overlooking Bristol harbour is going to achieve more than a standard room in a lesser location. Done properly, it should be easy to secure an income between £5,000 and £10,000 per annum for a rental room in central Bristol; others cities yield something similar. For a two-bedroom apartment in Bristol rented to maximum potential, then I would suggest anything from £15,000 to £50,000 per annum. I am basing this on what our two bedroom apartments in Nice achieve.

What can we expect from your book Room For Profit – it sounds like a pretty in-depth guide for those interested in short-term letting For any generation, mine included, life isn’t as simple as ‘school, work, retirement’ anymore. University fees, social care, pension plans – it’s an ever-changing world. Though life is more complicated now, more people than ever before own their own home, or are lucky enough to have a holiday house or spare room. Their biggest asset can earn extra income with a little effort. You can quite easily make money while you sleep.

We’ve interviewed many of the major players in the short-term letting industry such as TripAdvisor and onefinestay, and collated info from market leaders Airbnb and Booking.com. For me, the best stories in the book are the personal ones. Take Julie from the Midlands who we interviewed earlier in 2017. She is renting out a spare room now her daughter has gone to Manchester for university. That single asset brought an extra income of £7,000 last year, and with the government rent-a-room scheme this cash was taxfree. Now she doesn’t just rent the room, but is renting out the whole house when she and her husband take that four-week cruise they dreamed of this summer. Good luck to her! Room for Profit also includes my experiences from building a business from scratch in this revolutionary industry. I’m sharing this advice with people so they, too, can rent out their space and profit, not just from extra income, but for the sheer ease of starting their own business with just a few clicks. ■ • roomforprofitbook.com

Land & Development

B R O K E R S

RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT SITES WANTED WITH OR WITHOUT PLANNING PERMISSION FROM SINGLE PLOTS TO MULTIPLE UNIT SCHEMES STRATEGIC LAND UNUSED PUBLIC HOUSES, HOTELS AND COMMERCIAL UNITS

contact: CAMERON GRAY mobile: 07876 197522

cameron@landdevelopmentbrokers.co.uk www.landdevelopmentbrokers.co.uk

THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

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JULY 2017

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THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 95

Bristol & Clifton’s premier Commercial Property Agents Keep up-to-date with our latest news, deals, testimonials and market

(0117) 934 9977

comment at our website: www.burstoncook.co.uk

CARE HOME WITH DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL

CITY CENTRE A3 CAFÉ • Full extraction fitted • Busy city centre location

• 13,600 sq ft on 1 acre site

• New lease

• 35 bedrooms

• £15,000 pax

• Located between Abbots Leigh and Gordano

CLIFTON HMO INVESTMENT

COTHAM HILL – A3 • A3 restaurant

Comprising 12 bed, 11 bathrooms, offices with scope for 2 more beds + 6 rear car spaces with scope to build on.

• V busy pitch in established location

Prime location.

• New lease

FREEHOLD FOR SALE

• Rent o/a

WORKSHOP / WAREHOUSE

TO LET – 10 TEMPLEBACK

• From 1,600 sq ft to 7,000 sq ft

• Stunning penthouse waterfront offices

• New leases

• 13,000 sq ft (1,208 sq m)

• Rents from £10,400 pax

• Single floor plate

KINGSWOOD, HIGH STREET

EDEN STUDIO

• 8 car parking spaces

• Superb modern offices

• Lock up shop

• Easy access to Clifton & M5 motorway

• 512 sq ft • Shop & offices use

• 2,777 sq ft

• Only £9,000 pax

• Generous parking

3 WESTBURY MEWS, WESTBURY ON TRYM

PRIME CITY OFFICES

• Mews offices

• Newminster House BS1

• 1,184 sq ft

• 3 suites: 922 sq ft, 1,900 sq ft and 2,724 sq ft

• New flexible leaser • Only £12.50 psf

• New lease

Julian Cook FRICS

Burston Cook July.indd 1

Jayne Rixon MRICS

Charlie Kershaw MRICS

Finola Ingham MRICS

Tom Coyte BA Hons

• Sales / Lettings • Acquisitions • Valuations • Landlord & tenant • Auction Sales

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

19/06/2017 09:54

DEVELOPMENT & INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES

FOR SALE CARE HOME WITH DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL

• Care home with development potential • 13,600 sq ft net on a site of one acre • Adjacent to Eden Office Park between Abbots Leigh and Gordano • Currently 35 bedrooms • Suit other uses • Freehold offers are sought IRO £1,000,000 (Only £73.50 psf)

FOR SALE PRIME CLIFTON RESIDENTIAL INVESTMENT • Comprising 12 beds, 11 bathrooms, offices with scope for 2 more beds + rear car park with potential to build on • Estimated rental value c. £95,000 PAX • Freehold Guide £1,300,000 • Yield c.7.3% +

PLEASE TELEPHONE (0117) 934 9977 www.burstoncook.co.uk Burston Cook July.indd 2

19/06/2017 09:54

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Clifton Anglesea Place, Bristol, BS8 2UN £395,000

Bishopston Grittleton Road, Horfield, Bristol, BS7 0XD OIEO £400,000

A delightful garden flat which benefits from covered bicycle storage. It is situated between Pembroke Road and Whiteladies Road with all its shops, cafes and restaurants. This apartment has an impressive master bedroom, with a period feature fireplace and walk in wardrobe. There is a further second bedroom, a shower room and a stylish kitchen with a range cooker. There is also a larger than average garden with a decked area and garden shed. EPC rating: C

An exceptional modern semi-detached 4 bedroom, 2 bath family home, with an abundance of natural light, flexible accommodation, private outside space and parking for 2 cars. The house is arranged over three floors – and boasts a fabulous kitchen, with polished white stone work surfaces and an open plan reception space with plenty of room for a dining area and separate family seating, finished with an engineered oak floor, Bi-folding doors open up from the full width of the rear elevation leading to the patio area, really bringing the “outside-in”. EPC rating: B

Clifton sales 0117 4057659 Bishopston sales 0117 944 4400

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Westbury-on-Trym Nestled in Stoke Bishop this three bedroom semi-detached house is available with no onward chain. Lounge, Branscombe Road, dining room and fitted kitchen. Externally, there is a 30’ x 80’ rear garden laid to lawn with a decked area.

EPC rating: D BS6 7SA £475,000

Harbourside Castle Wharf, BS1 6JU £225,000

Fantastic one bedroom apartment in the central and sought after development of 'Finzels Reach', alongside Bristols Floating Harbour. The apartment has the benefit of open plan living with floor-to-ceiling windows in both lounge and bedroom, plus a contemporary fitted kitchen. EPC rating: B

Westbury-on-Trym sales 0117 405 7685 Harbourside sales 0117 911 4749

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MANAGEMENT • SALES • LETTING • CONSULTANCY

S.S.T.C

S.S.T.C. Similar properties required. This stunning, elegant apartment forms part of a most imposing double bayed detached villa boasting extensive views over the timeless and historic buildings and manicured playing fields of Clifton College. This impressive property is accessed via a short flight of steps leading to a private front door, originally the grand main entrance to the building, complete with Victorian tiles. The layout of the apartment affords a scale, rarely seen, incorporating a stately drawing room and master bedroom to the front of the property with recently commissioned floor to ceiling bespoke double-glazed windows installed in the triple bay windows thus flooding these lovely, well-proportioned rooms with light. The spacious kitchen/breakfast room, overlooking the charming communal gardens, is located to the rear of the building, also with a bay window and incorporating French doors. The second bedroom, also situated to the rear of the building has an en-suite shower room. The property further benefits from a third bedroom, that would also work well as a study or dressing room, a main family bathroom, utility room, private garage and off street parking (by common consent). This beautifully presented property, with its wealth of period features, is ideally situated between Clifton Village and Durdham Downs, in arguably one of the most desirable yet convenient locations in Clifton and viewing is highly recommended.

Length of lease 999 years from 29th September, 1981 (964 years remaining), Management Company Fee £135.03 currently paid monthly by direct debit, EPC rating E, Council Tax Band F

College Road, Clifton • Beautifully proportioned apartment • Three bedrooms • Wealth of period features • Views across to Clifton College • Garage and communal garden

£850,000

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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BRISTOL PROPERTY | NEWS

Redcliffe Place, an exciting new development right in heart of the city

C

ity centre living in serene surroundings is a rare commodity, but the modern luxury homes at Redcliffe Place will provide the best of both worlds. Most of the apartments will come with allocated parking and all with outside space.

Just moments from Bristol’s historic floating harbour, renowned developer Change Living is creating Redcliffe Place, a collection of two and three bedroom apartments and a stunning three bedroom coach house, all a short walk from the commercial districts and rich cultural and entertainment opportunities found in Bristol’s city centre.

Contemporary design has been matched with the highest specification. Kitchens by Porcelanosa will feature quartz work surfaces and integrated Neff appliances, whilst the luxury bathrooms and en-suites are also designed by Porcelanosa.

The floor to ceiling windows and doors in the open plan living areas will maximise natural light and oak flooring will complement the clean lines and sleek finish at this development. All homes will also benefit from either a terrace or a balcony, with many enjoying views across the city towards Ashton Court estate and woods.

Michelin starred Casamia is a brief stroll away as is Cargo; a collection of food and drink outlets housed in shipping containers, the M-shed museum and Arnolfini arts centre.

Bristol Temple Meads train station is easily reached on foot and the

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Nº 157

nearby M32 gives access to the national motorway network via the M4 and M5. For shorter journeys, you can also hop on and off the local ferries which operate around the Harbourside and city centre which also offer commuter services.

Redcliffe Place is also close to some of Bristol’s historic landmarks, including the Georgian splendour and green spaces of Queens Square, Brunel’s SS Great Britain and St Mary Redcliffe church, once complimented by Queen Elizabeth I, giving the best of modern living in truly historic surroundings. n For further information, contact Knight Frank on 0117 317 1999 or Ocean Land & New Homes on 0117 946 9838. .

Henleaze 108 Henleaze Road, Henleaze

t: 0117 962 9221 Email: henleaze@cjhole.co.uk

HILL BURN, HENLEAZE ÂŁ695,000 A natural four bedroom, semi detached family home with a westerly facing, 23m garden. Two individual reception room; front with bay and rear with patio doors leading to family garden, spacious kitchen breakfast room and downstairs cloakroom/WC. Four family sized bedrooms with family bathroom to first floor. Marketed with no onward chain, vast potential throughout. EPC D.

Westbury-on-Trym 25 Canford Lane, Westbury-on-Trym

t: 0117 950 0118 Email: westbury@cjhole.co.uk

BRIERCLIFFE ROAD, STOKE BISHOP Price Guide ÂŁ725,000 Situated within a highly desirable cul-de-sac is this substantial, 1920s, four bedroom, semi detached family home. The ground floor accommodation offers a spacious, welcoming hallway, living room to front with double glazed bay window and open fireplace and dining room to rear with French style patio doors providing access to a 26m level family garden. The ground floor also benefits from a kitchen breakfast room, downstairs WC and under stairs storage cupboard. To the first floor are three double bedrooms, family bathroom, separate WC and stairwell leading to second floor accommodation with a further double bedroom and en-suite bathroom. The property benefits from ample front and rear gardens, off street parking for several cars and detached garage. The property is positioned within close proximity to the shops and amenities of Stoke Bishop, Westbury-on-Trym and Henleaze. Good access to the M4 and M5 motorway networks.No onward chain. EPC E. Other offices also located across Bristol and Somerset

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

www.cjhole.com As a very young man I trained as a stonemason. Working with stone is a craft.

Restoring a building to its former glory and dignity is a privilege. I have lived, breathed, and worked with buildings and homes for more than 30 years, later training again and spending most of my life in property agency and finance.I know that it takes hard won skill and experience to ‘craft’ a deal so that both seller and buyer get the best possible outcome. Every agent would appear to use the same online marketing platforms, the same brochures, and the same processes: so which should you choose? Property in north Bristol

is very valuable and generally people’s largest asset and investment. Agents are not the same, just as eBay and Sotheby’s or even Poundland, John Lewis and Selfridges are not the same. Think carefully about selling or letting your property. Like a craftsman you can either whack something quickly into shape and risk undermining the foundations, or you can handle with expert care and get the pleasing and solid result that suits everyone.

Howard Davis M.N.A.E.A Managing Director - CJ Hole Clifton

REDLAND Guide Price £950,000 An exceptional semi-detached family house boasting a great deal of charm and character throughout with original fire places, coved ceilings and stained glass windows. The spacious interior is arranged over three floors offering: Two receptions, walk in storage room, kitchen/breakfast room, utility/cloakroom, five double bedrooms and two bathrooms. The house has an attractive south west facing rear garden and is well placed for Whiteladies Rd, Clifton Triangle, Cotham Park and The Downs. EPC D

MARKHAM Guide Price £675,000 This property is located within the hamlet of Markham which is near Abbotts Leigh and conveniently situated only a few minutes’ drive from Clifton, the M5 and Portishead. This detached family home is set within half an acre of beautiful grounds and is well-presented throughout. The property offers: Living room with study off, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, utility room, four bedrooms, three bathrooms, well maintained gardens, driveway and detached double garage. EPC F

Download our dedicated iPhone App today

CJ Hole Clifton July.indd 1

Other offices also located at: Bishopston, Clifton, Hanham, Henleaze & Southville

19/06/2017 09:56

REDLAND Guide Price ÂŁ410,000 Located in one of Redlands conservation areas and occupying the garden level of this stone built semi-detached Victorian building, is an exquisite, garden flat offering an extended and stylish interior which is beautifully presented to the highest of standards throughout. The property comprises: Living room, kitchen, two double bedrooms, two bathrooms, attractive front garden and landscaped rear garden plus a gated allocated parking space. EPC D

REDLAND Guide Price ÂŁ755,000 - SSTC BUYERS WAITING - A charming family home offering a spacious and versatile interior. The house retains a great deal of its original features throughout with fire places, coved ceilings and central staircase. The property offers a spacious open plan kitchen/breakfast room and conservatory area, living room, dining room, three bedrooms and two bathrooms plus an extensive basement area offering a good size room, storage and a wine cellar.

Download our dedicated iPhone App today

CJ Hole Clifton July.indd 2

Other offices also located at: Bishopston, Clifton, Hanham, Henleaze & Southville

19/06/2017 09:57

Redland ÂŁ425,000

Clifton Office 0117 946 6007

Three bedroom flat

This 3 bedroom garden flat ticks all the boxes. The location is perfect - quiet, tree lined residential street with Whiteladies Road, Gloucester Road and the City Centre all within a 1.5 mile radius. All 3 bedrooms are great size doubles and the garden is completely private. Well presented, gas centrally heated and no chain. EPC - D

oceanhome.co.uk

Ocean July.indd 1

Westbury-on-Trym Office 0117 962 1973

Westbury on Trym ÂŁ250,000 One bedroom flat

Melrose House is beautiful apartment conversion of the former boarding houses of Redmaids School. This top floor apartment is situated within easy walking distance of Westbury village and Durdham Downs with Clifton and the City Centre being within easy striking distance. EPC - D

19/06/2017 09:48

Redcliffe £485,000 Two bedroom flat

An amazing waterfront apartment with a real ‘wow’ factor, in the heart of Bristol City Centre. A stunning roof terrace and separate balcony provide panoramic views of Bristol Bridge, the River Avon and Castle Park. A large central foyer provides access to underground secure parking. EPC - F

Westbury on Trym £815,000 Five bedroom detached house

This impressive large 1930s, five bedroom detached family house which is full of character is situated very close to the highly sought after Elmlea primary school. It is also set within the catchment area for the Bristol Free School. The house is found in one of Westbury on Trym’s most desirable roads. EPC - D

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Beyond your expectations www.hamptons.co.uk

Clifton Guide Price £945,000

Longwell Green Guide Price £875,000

A superb, contemporary Clifton town house offering an abundance of light and space with loft style living. The well thought-out landscaped courtyards are finished with style and an array of features including a water wall. EPC: C

Occupying the largest plot within this fabulously designed gated community, this unique property with bespoke finish infuses contemporary design with Arts and Crafts inspired flair. EPC: B

Lower Failand

Redland Guide Price £325,000

Guide Price £1,150,000

A recently renovated and extended family house with tranquil views of open farmland, nestled in one of North Somerset’s more sought after addresses. EPC: E

Situated in a highly desirable area, the property boasts charm and character in abundance. Split across two floors, this period cottage is quaint, yet surprisingly practical.

Hamptons Bristol

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

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Fine & Country July.qxp_Layout 1 19/06/2017 10:00 Page 1

CITY COLLECTION UNDER OFFER

UNDER OFFER

SOLD

City Centre | Bristol OIEO: £370,000

Clifton | Bristol Guide Price: £430,000

Sneyd Park | Bristol Guide Price: £725,000

Stunning third floor apartment in the heart of Bristol's City Centre, this two bedroom apartment is a fine example of a recently converted building which has been lovingly restored. Unrivalled location with secure parking on site.

EPC: C.

Situated within the historic Clifton village, is this wonderful two bedroom hall floor apartment, set within minutes of The Mall with its abundance of shops, cafes & restaurants.

EPC: C.

A stunning period, maisonette on Ivywell Road, Sneyd Park looking onto the Downs and within a mile of Whiteladies Road in Clifton.

EPC: C.

This is a just a small selection of sales agreed by Fine & Country in 2017 so far UNDER OFFER

SOLD

SOLD

Southville | Bristol OIEO: £700,000

Harbourside | Bristol Guide Price: £799,950

Redland | Bristol Guide Price: £1,575,000

A stunning Victorian family home in Southville just minutes from Bristol City Centre in one direction and bustling North Street in the other. Arranged over four floors, this six bedroom house is a beautiful blend of period features and modern lifestyle. EPC: D.

A beautifully presented home in an iconic position in Bristol’s Harbourside on Nova Scotia Place.

Arranged over four floors the property provides flexible accommodation with what must be some of Bristol’s finest water views. A double garage and pretty garden to the rear of the property. EPC: D

An exceptional period detached family home in Redland; situated in an enviable plot with extensive gardens, converted coach house and a 41’ family games room.

EPC: E.

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COUNTRY COLLECTION SOLD

SOLD

UNDER OFFER

Bitton | Bristol Guide Price: £1,100,000

Wotton-Under-Edge | Gloucestershire Guide Price: £525,000

Abbots Leigh | Bristol OIEO: £650,000

An exciting opportunity to acquire a five bedroom house in the most beautiful of settings in Bitton. Sitting within circa 14 acres of land with a natural spring fed lake and stables, the lifestyle opportunity Little Normead Farm presents is truly special. EPC: E.

Located within a small Hamlet, this Grade II chocolate box cottage with stunning far reaching views from all windows overlooking parts of the Cotswolds is the perfect blend of old world charm and modern living. The property is complete with off road parking, garage and gardens. EPC: Exempt.

A beautiful cottage just a couple of miles from Clifton village situated off Beggar Bush Lane. This four bedroom house is a fine example of an attached farm cottage in a lovely setting.

EPC: E.

If you are curious about the value of your home, or want to take advantage of the current market please contact us UNDER OFFER

SOLD

SOLD

Dundry | Bristol Guide Price: £650,000

Wraxall | North Somerset Guide Price: £695,000

Stanton Drew | Bristol OIEO: £775,000

A charming family home in the middle of a sought after village, with delightful fully enclosed gardens, plenty of parking and scope for modernisation.

EPC: F.

A beautiful cottage just 6 miles from Bristol in Wraxall. This stunning three bedroom, semidetached house is a fine example of a period cottage in a lovely setting overlooking the Tyntesfield estate. EPC: F.

A charming family home with stunning views set in circa 1.5 acres; ideal for an equestrian family or those looking for peace, quiet and privacy yet only some 7 miles from central Bristol.

EPC: D.

Richard Harding July.qxp_Layout 6 19/06/2017 13:19 Page 1

Richard Harding Chartered Surveyors • Estate Agents • Auctioneers • Valuers

COLLINGWOOD ROAD, REDLAND guide £835,000

WOODLAND TERRACE, REDLAND guide £625,000

RAVENSWOOD ROAD, REDLAND guide £815,000

An elegant and well-proportioned, 5 double bedroom, 2 bath/shower room, bay fronted Victorian period townhouse situated on a much sought after road. Has an extensive basement with private entrance and 30ft fully enclosed rear garden. EPC: F

A grand and exceptionally large (circa 1714 sq.ft.) hall and first floor maisonette set in this attractive grade II listed late Georgian style town house with 4 bedrooms and 2/3 reception rooms. The property benefits from a private entrance and impressive hall and has the feel and proportions of a large house.

A bright & welcoming 4 double bedroom, 2 reception Victorian semi-detached family house situated in a highly convenient Redland location with a manageable south facing rear garden & off street parking. Well-presented throughout yet offering the opportunity to cosmetically update in areas to suit individual tastes. EPC: E

DOWNLEAZE, STOKE BISHOP guide £595,000

KENSINGTON PLACE, CLIFTON guide £525,000

CLIFTON DOWN ROAD, CLIFTON guide £645,000

Perched on the very edge of the Downs with a fantastic open outlook over 400 acres of recreational land is this very smart 3 double bedroom, 2 'bathroom' hall floor apartment with the benefit of allocated parking. Enjoys a perfect position overlooking the Durdham Downs with acres of green open space. EPC: D

A newly renovated 2 double bedroom hall floor garden apartment set within an impressive grade II listed Georgian style building, having private rear garden and conveniently situated for Clifton Village and Victoria Square. To be sold with no onward chain making a prompt move possible.

A delightful raised hall and first floor residence within an exquisitely renovated grade II listed property in the heart of Clifton Village. An exciting opportunity offering private front door entrance, sitting room, breakfast kitchen, 2 double bedrooms (both with en suites, one with dressing room), off street parking and sunny courtyard town garden.

BEAUFORT ROAD, CLIFTON guide £875,000

UPPER CHELTENHAM PLACE, MONTPELIER guide £435,000

REDLAND GREEN ROAD, REDLAND guide £595,000

A bright & very stylish modern semi-detached house with 4 double bedrooms, 2 bath/shower rooms, a spacious sitting room, large kitchen/dining room, front & rear gardens, garage & parking for 2 cars. Presented to the highest standard & combines style with practical modern living. EPC: D

A civilised and charming 2 bedroom, 2 reception Victorian period town house set over 3 storeys with a stunning 'garden room' opening out onto a circa 77ft south facing rear garden. No onward chain which allows for a straight forward and prompt move. Set in a popular location. EPC: E

A truly fine, unique and well configured, 2 double bedroom hall floor garden apartment with high ceilings, ornate cornicing and direct access out onto a beautiful landscaped 70ft south west facing garden with a large garage at the back of the garden. EPC: C

REDCLIFFE PARADE EAST, REDCLIFFE guide £775,000

GLOUCESTER ROW, CLIFTON guide £425,000

ROYAL ALBERT ROAD, WESTBURY PARK guide £625,000

Offered with no onward chain - an extended Georgian grade II listed period town house with spacious (circa 2283 sq.ft.) and flexible accommodation - 5 double bedrooms all with en suite, 2 reception rooms and a large kitchen/dining room opening out onto a south facing rear garden.

A generously proportioned 2 double bedroom second floor apartment of 796 sq. ft., conveniently situated in a well-regarded and prestigious grade II listed mid terrace on the doorstep of Clifton Village. Boasting fine views and within the residents permit parking zone. No onward chain making a prompt move possible.

Professional, Reliable, Successful

An attractive 3 bedroom Victorian family home situated on the highly prized Royal Albert Road within just 200 metres of Westbury Park School and Durdham Downs, further benefitting from a large semi open-plan kitchen/breakfast room with bi-folding doors onto a charming well-stocked south-west facing garden.

EPC: E

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

Richard Harding July.qxp_Layout 6 19/06/2017 13:19 Page 2

Richard Harding Chartered Surveyors • Estate Agents • Auctioneers • Valuers

An attractive and impressive 5 bedroom, 4 reception Edwardian period (circa 1905) detached family house set on a generous plot in just under 0.4 of an acre. Comfortable and balanced accommodation set over two floors affording a welcoming and civilised atmosphere. ‘In’ and ‘out’ sweeping paviored driveway (with parking for at least 5 or 6 cars) and a detached single garage with storage 'hay loft' above. Maintained to a high standard by the current owners. EPC: D

RAYLEIGH ROAD, STOKE BISHOP

guide £1,300,000

Set in a stunning central location near to Brandon Hill Park and Park Street; an elegant 5 double bedroom Georgian period grade II* listed town house, of circa 4,800 sq. ft., set within the Royal Colonnade which dates from 1826 and having a separate self-contained apartment, driveway parking and 76ft rear garden. The house has undergone an extensive and all-encompassing refurbishment in recent years and is now presented in exceptional order throughout.

A handsome large 6 double bedroom, 3 bath/shower room, Victorian semi-detached family residence in a highly prized location with a charming 61ft rear garden, off street parking and flexible lower ground floor accommodation. Retains period features with big light rooms and a lovely atmosphere providing very civilised and comfortable accommodation. EPC: D

WELLINGTON PARK, CLIFTON

guide £1,275,000

A striking, individual and large (over 3,000 sq. ft.) 4/5 bedroom detached family residence in a truly special location backing directly onto Durdham Downs. Further enjoying a beautifully landscaped 55ft x 50ft westerly facing rear garden, ample off street parking and a double garage. Landmark location backing onto Durdham Downs whilst offering the convenience of the local shops, restaurants, cinema and Waitrose supermarket all within a short level stroll. EPC: C

ROCKLEAZE AVENUE, SNEYD PARK

guide £1,275,000

Set in a beautiful and leafy backwater adjacent to picturesque Clyde Park; an impressive 4 double bedroom, 3 reception room, semi-detached Victorian period townhouse with 100ft rear garden and double garaging. The house is now to be sold for the first time in 47 years and requires complete modernisation throughout. EPC: D

A generously proportioned and well-presented Victorian semi-detached family house with off street parking space, pretty gardens and a potential 2 double bedroom self-contained lower ground floor flat. Provides character 4/5 bedroom, 2/3 reception family accommodation on two floors plus a lower ground floor now as a self contained floor but easily re-integrated to provide extra family rooms or space to work from home/independent relative etc. EPC: E

Professional, Reliable, Successful

GREAT GEORGE STREET guide range £1,750,000 - £1,850,000

DOWNS PARK WEST, WESTBURY PARK guide £1,195,000

CLYDE PARK, REDLAND guide range £1,050,000 - £1,150,000

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

LEESE

NAGLE

I N D E P E N D E N T E S TAT E A G E N T S

TEL: 0117 974 1741

COTHAM PARK £1,500,000 A unique opportunity to purchase a stunning family home positioned in one of the area’s most coveted roads. Set well back from the road with a 50ft. deep mature front garden the house has been extensively and sympathetically refurbished by the current owners over the past ten years and offers beautifully appointed accommodation throughout. Lovely entrance hall with character leaded and stained glass windows, two stunning principal reception rooms, study, cloakroom and large kitchen complete the elevated hall floor living space. Upstairs there are five principal bedrooms, two with dressing rooms off, three bathrooms including a master en suite. The lower floor provides a self-contained two bedroom flat and incorporated into the main house a large utility room and garden WC. The flat has been let at £825 a month however could easily revert back into the main accommodation if desired. The rear garden is large! 100ft in length and enclosed by traditional stone walls. At the far end is a 30ft. X 30ft. Garage with rear lane access. We feel this may have development potential subject to any necessary consents. EPC - TBC

TEL: 0117 962 2299

STOKE BISHOP £925,000 Attractive and unique 1920’s spacious (C. 2700 sq/ft) semi-detached house in prestigious location just off Durdham Downs. Set well back from the road up its own private drive, is this substantial and most unique 4 bedroom, 4 reception room family house with a lovely south-west facing rear garden, garage and off street parking. It has enormous scope for development including potential for creating a separate building plot, to develop the existing house or simply just enjoying it as it is. EPC-D

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REDLAND £775,000

WESTBURY PARK £550,000

Opportunity to improve! A lovely four storey Victorian townhouse positioned in central Redland with garden and off street parking offering flexible accommodation arranged over four floors. EPC-D.

A delightful 2 double bed, 2 reception room terraced house presented in a modern contemporary style but retaining period charm situated in a popular no through road close to Durdham Downs. EPC-E

CLIFTON £450,000

CLIFTON £365,000

A substantial and well-presented 2 or 3 double bedroom apartment on the top floor of an impressive Clifton period property with the added benefit of allocated parking to the rear.

EPC-E.

A superb, large 2 double bedroom top floor apartment (circa 1012 sq. feet) with views, garage and communal parking located in this sought after Clifton location, adjacent to Bristol Zoo and overlooking Durdham Downs. EPC-F.

WESTBURY PARK

£625,000

An attractive and substantial five bedroom Edwardian bay fronted terraced house situated in the extremely popular Westbury Park. Offering extensive and adaptable accommodation that could benefit from modernisation, Allows buyers to put their own stamp internally on this property, this house still retains numerous period features and the layout is ideally suited to growing families. EPC – E

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WESTBURY ON TRYM S.S.T.C

STOKE BISHOP £595,000

S.S.T.C. – SIMILAR PROPERTIES REQUIRED. This immaculately presented 3 bedroom semidetached home is offered to the market with No Onward Chain. The property has a generous garden and offers great scope and potential.

EPC-E.

An attractively presented 1930’s four bedroom semi-detached family home set in a desirable cul-de-sac with fantastic south facing rear garden.

Attractively presented throughout the house is ideally suited to couples, families and the active retired. EPC-D

STOKE BISHOP £525,000

WESTBURY ON TRYM £400,000

A traditional 1930’s three bedroom semidetached house that is attractively presented throughout and would suit families or couples. It is set in attractive rear gardens with garage and off street parking. EPC-D

We are pleased to offer this 2 double bedroom semi-detached 1930’s home in the heart of Westbury Village. The house is in a lovely elevated position and would be great for a young professional couple or perhaps someone looking to downsize. EPC-E.

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WESTBURY-ON-TRYM

£675,000

A superb and spacious 4/5 bed semi-detached home in the heart of Stoke Bishop. The house sits on an elevated plot with great views and benefits from local amenities and transport links. Offered with no onward chain. EPC-C.

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