The Bristol Magazine May 2018

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THE

Issue 167

I

may 2018

MAGAZINE

THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

£3.95 where sold

GET STUFFED! From fresh filled ravioli at the hottest new opening in town, to vegan treats and award-winning mixology, the city is at the top of its foodie game

PLUS SENSATIONAL SHAPESHIFTER Rock royalty Robert Plant

PROUD MARY Portas, queen of shops, opens a boutique in Clifton

THE PRODUCER A chat with Sir Cameron Mackintosh

NO MAN’S LAND THE BORROWERS WW1 images taken A look at the fast-growing by the women who sharing economy were there

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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Move.

Faster. Sell with Knight Frank.

Our understanding of the ever-changing market enables us to price your property accurately so you can rely on Knight Frank to get you moving. call 0117 295 0425 to arrange your free market appraisal. knightfrank.co.uk/bristol bristol@knightfrank.com

Guide price £1,400,000

New INstructIoN

clifton A beautiful Grade II Listed house (3,218 sq ft) retaining many original features. 5 bedrooms, 4 bathroom/shower rooms, WC. 3 reception rooms, 2 kitchens. Garden and terrace, garage with storage above.

Guide price £1,500,000

offers over £600,000

KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

nTheMarket.com

PrIce reductIoN

clifton

sneyd Park

A charming Victorian house (3,855 sq ft) close to Whiteladies Road.

7 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 4 reception rooms, cellar. Garden, off street parking. EPC: F.

An exceptional 4 bedroom family home (1,449 sq ft) enjoying sunny gardens, parking and garage. Master suite and 3 bedrooms, family bathroom, drawing room, kitchen. Gardens, allocated parking and garage. EPC: C.

Guide price £525,000

Guide price £650,000

New INstructIoN

clifton

Long Ashton

An immaculate garden flat (940 sq ft) in the heart of Clifton Village.

2 bedrooms, bathroom, 1 reception room. Private garden, storage.

EPC: C.

A well presented house (1,504 sq ft) within a desirable location and views over Bristol to Dundry. 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 reception rooms.

Large sun terrace, garden, workshop, potential to extend. EPC: D.

Knight Frank May.qxp_full page 20/04/2018 11:21 Page 2

Move.

Faster. Sell with Knight Frank.

Our understanding of the ever-changing market enables us to price your property accurately so you can rely on Knight Frank to get you moving. call 0117 295 0425 to arrange your free market appraisal. knightfrank.co.uk/bristol bristol@knightfrank.com

Guide price £1,495,000

New INstructIoN

clifton A Grade II* listed Clifton townhouse (5,020 sq ft) with the use of large communal gardens. 5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 4 reception rooms. 1 bedroom self-contained apartment. Garden.

Guide price £1,250,000

New INstructIoN

KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

nTheMarket.com

Guide price £1,250,000

clifton

clifton

One of Clifton's most impressive maisonettes (2,540 sq ft) found at the heart of Clifton Village. 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, WC, 2 reception rooms, study/sun room, kitchen. Sun terrace, courtyard garden and private balcony.

A fine example of a Regency townhouse (2,454 sq ft) with views of Clifton Suspension Bridge. 4 bedrooms, 3 bath/shower rooms, WC, 2 reception rooms, kitchen, study, garden room. Separate accommodation if required.

Guide price £795,000

New INstructIoN

Guide price £950,000

New INstructIoN

Mangotsfield

chew Magna

A substantial Grade II* listed house (4,566 sq ft) within striking distance of Bristol and Bath. 6 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 4 reception rooms. Walled garden. Garage and parking.

A well-presented family house (3,016 sq ft) in the village of Chew Magna.

4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 3 reception rooms. Double garage, summer house, south facing garden. EPC: C.

Knight Frank May.qxp_full page 20/04/2018 11:22 Page 3

Move.

Faster. Sell with Knight Frank.

Our understanding of the ever-changing market enables us to price your property accurately so you can rely on Knight Frank to get you moving. call 0117 295 0425 to arrange your free market appraisal. knightfrank.co.uk/bristol bristol@knightfrank.com

Guide price £975,000

New INstructIoN

shipham A handsome house (3,570 sq ft) in about 5.74 acres of grounds. 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 4 reception rooms. Stables, landscaped garden, paddock, woodland. EPC: C.

Guide price £895,000

New INstructIoN

Guide price £895,000

KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

nTheMarket.com

New INstructIoN

stowey

Norton Hawkfield

A converted Coach House (2,550 sq ft) situated in a stunning park-like setting. 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, WC, 3 reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast, utility. Garage.

An attractive country house with pretty rural views. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, WC, 3 reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast room, attic. Gardens, double garage, outbuilding, summer house, paddock. About 1.32 acres.

Guide price £695,000

New INstructIoN

Guide price £550,000

New INstructIoN

shipham

Banwell

A detached home (1,803 sq ft) in a spectacular position with open-plan living space. 4 bedrooms, 3 bath/shower rooms, WC, 1 reception room, study, kitchen/dining/living room. Garage and stores. EPC: D.

Two contemporary semi-detached conversions on the edge of the Mendip Hills, demonstrating beautifully all the features expected of a high quality new home with attractive views over the surrounding countryside. EPC TBC.

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62

36

38

Image by Mads Perch

Contents May 2018 REGULARS ZEITGEIST

PHOTOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

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14

21ST-CENTURY BRISTOL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Top activities for the month to come

CITYIST

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16

Meet local filmmaker Niall Johnson and catch up on Bristol goings-on

BARTLEBY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 ...Is still bemused by the beard and the unfamiliar young

BOOKS

The Bristol Cathedral exhibition charting the First World War from the rare viewpoint of women who experienced it first-hand

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40

A look at the sharing economy and online peer-to-peer platforms

HISTORIC BRISTOL

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68

Learn about the bygone medieval beginnings of Bristol Bridge

HEALTH, BEAUTY & WELLBEING EXPRESS YOURSELF

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80

Quick beauty treatments for the lunch hour

Charlotte Pope recommends books for Mental Health Awareness Week; as Lucy Mangan shares new work celebrating the reading experience

MENTAL FITNESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

BRISTOL UPDATES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

The health benefits of walking are manifold; start today!

Bite-sized business and community news from across the city

FOOD & DRINK SPECIAL

THE CULTURE

LOCAL PRODUCER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

WHAT’S ON & HAPPENINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

We check in with Somerset heavyweight producer Thatchers

A mere cross-section of the city’s wide and varied events scene

VEGAN BRISTOL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

MUSIC

Sarah Merson on the city’s fast-growing veg-based offering

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24 & 38

RESTAURANT REVIEW

Syd Bird celebrates the vinyl revival and how the format has fought back to influence the very fabric of our city; while Emma Clegg interviews legend of rock and ‘golden god’ Robert Plant

THEATRE

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COMEDY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 What not to miss at the city’s festival of funny next month ..................................................................

44

What’s on at our local galleries this month?

FAMILY

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76

City fun for younger persons in tow

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22

Mary Portas is opening one of her chic charity boutiques in Clifton – we catch up with the queen of shops to find out more

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What’s making waves, according to The Milk Thistle

DELICIOUS GUIDE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Our current to-dine list for your next foodie outing

HABITAT THE GREAT OUTDOORS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Bristol Walkfest highlights – this city was made for wandering

GARDENING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Vertical challenge: Elly West is in another dimension

ON THE COVER

FEATURES SHOPPING

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MIXOLOGY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 26

Sir Cameron Mackintosh speaks to us ahead of Miss Saigon’s big return to Bristol Hippodrome

EXHIBITIONS

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Quite possibly the most anticipated opening of the year; Pasta Ripiena

The gorgeous, habit-forming salt cod and squid ink ravioli with crab, cream, River Exe mussels and agretti – on the menu at Pasta Ripiena, which has been the talk of the local indie food scene since it opened recently. See p62 for our review.

(Image © Gareth Aldridge; downandoutmedia.com)

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Thou shalt have a fishy on a little dishy – if you visit Pasta Ripiena on day when it’s on the menu...

(Image by Gareth Aldridge; downandoutmedia.com)

THIS MONTH WE’VE BEEN...

Admiring...

...‘Jackrabbit & Cottontail’ by Cara Romero, taken in the Chemehuevi Indian Valley Reservation on the California shoreline of the Colorado River. We love the vintage colouring, which Cara fondly describes as “70s bad film” – a purposeful reminiscence of family photographs from her childhood. See more of her work throughout May at Rainmaker Gallery.

from the

EDITOR

Dunking...

“...You don’t need a silver fork to eat good food...”

– Paul Prudhomme

C

ase in point being Bristol’s box-fresh, bijou restaurant Pasta Ripiena, whose creative culinary minds are behind our salt cod and squid-ink ravioli cover dish. Honestly, we had to move faster than we do in the Glastonbury ticket queue to secure a table at this already seriously sought-after eatery. What we like about the place is how down-to-earth it is considering the calibre of the food; just like its big sister on Cotham Hill. Expect proper repartee from front-of-house don Dominic and fresh, silky, stuffed pasta from chef Joe Harvey, whose kitchen output seems to be as consistently cracking as his brother Ben’s at Pasta Loco. See our review on p62.

No matter how many eateries open here, the city’s chefs always seem capable of exciting us somehow. We’re ruddy lucky that gold-standard grub is so easily accessible, and with an option round almost every corner to suit each pocket and preference, plus inspiring pop-up markets and experiences, we need never settle. Find vegan chat in our foodie special; along with The Milk Thistle’s take on what’s making waves in the world of mixology; and we’re also checking in with that little Somerset cidermaker turned gert global heavyweight Thatchers, before suggesting spots for your next foodie outing in our Delicious Guide.

We’ve a whole lotta love for rock royalty Robert Plant who’s making his way back to the West Country this month – we just about managed to keep it together during our interview which you can read on p38. Jessica Hope has also been talking with her hero, theatre maestro Sir Cameron Mackintosh, as Miss Saigon makes its big return to Bristol Hippodrome (p26); and ‘queen of shops’ Mary Portas tells us about her new boutique in Clifton (famous faces are like buses, I tell you) on p22.

Are you one of those revelling in the vinyl renaissance? The format has fought back to the point of influencing the fabric of our city says Syd Bird on p24. And have you been to Bristol Cathedral recently? It’s currently portraying the First World War through a largely unseen female perspective with photos from the frontline (p48).

Next, we’re looking forward to Walkfest and Bristol Comedy Garden – which should both prove beneficial in equal measure. A stroll is just as good a medicine as laughter, according to research (p86) – and you can do them at the same time...

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

@thebristolmag

10 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

thebristolmag.co.uk

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MAY 2018

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@thebristolmag

...Chocolate digestives into creamy Yorkshire tea-inspired cocktails at new Queens Road cocktail bar The Lost & Found – an experience which divided opinions right down the middle! Luckily the menu has libations for every inclination – and a taste map to help you choose. The decor is lovely too; themed around fictional Bristol astronomy professor Elizabeth Lightfoot.

Excited for... ...Festival season! Black Grape – featuring Happy Mondays’ Shaun Ryder – and New York’s Fun Lovin’ Criminals – featuring Huey Morgan – have been announced for Grillstock, while The Downs has added to its banging line-up with local acts Harvey Causon, Sœur and Swimming Girls.

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OPENING MAY 2018 SAW CLOSE Grand Opening – Friday 25TH May Open from 9.00pm

Saw Close Bath BA1 1EY

18+

Know your limits! For more information go to: BeGambleAware.org - DrinkAware.co.uk

www.cnty.com/bath

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5 things, Bristol, May 18.qxp_Layout 1 20/04/2018 12:21 Page 1

5

ZEITGEIST

things to do in MAY

TAKE AN EPIC JOURNEY

Enjoy an evening at Bristol Museum and Art Gallery with performances by Lea Anderson MBE, one of the UK’s leading choreographers. With stunning costumes by award-winning designers, this Museums at Night event will be held on 16 May, 7.30 – 10pm. Based on notions of identity, class and gender, the evening will feature outstanding performances, surprises and the opportunity to explore the whole museum. In addition to this, you can pay a visit to the Grayson Perry exhibition, which features six large tapestries exploring the British fascination with taste and class.

• museumsatnight.org.uk; bristolmuseums.org.uk

Image: Johan Persson

HAVE A NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM

Turn back time and be immersed in a tale beginning in the last days of the Vietnam War. Produced by Cameron Mackintosh (read our interview with the man himself on page 26), the show sees 17 year-old Kim meet and fall in love with an American GI, Chris, only to be torn from him by the fall of Saigon. Follow her three-year journey of survival to find her way back to her man. Miss Saigon will be at the Bristol Hippodrome from 16 May – 23 June.

• miss-saigon.com

ESCAPE FROM A LOCKED ROOM As the escape room phenomenon has become massively popular for groups of friends, family and colleagues, the demand for testing and intriguing rooms increases.

We recently tried out the Fourth Samurai game at the recently opened, very professional outfit Escape Hunt in Cabot Circus and absolutely loved it. We may or may not have shot to the top of the leaderboard (we’re not normally ones to brag) and have to say, escaping in recordbreaking time left us feeling triumphant to say the least! Highly recommended.

The largest escape venue in the city has also recently opened in Millennium Square. The latest location from Locked In A Room has a maximum capacity of up to 72 simultaneous players and 12 Locked In A Room has opened different rooms over five different themes, a location in central Bristol promising the highest level of professional escapism for any party size. Through a series of tests, puzzles and clues you’ll be tested to unlock the door and escape before the time is up. See page 70 for more information.

• escapehunt.com; lockedinaroom.co.uk

ENJOY A PINT OF SCIENCE Pop on your lab coat and head down to your local pub from 14 – 16 May for Pint of Science 2018. The world’s largest festival of public science talks arrives in Bristol this month and with nearly 300 other cities taking part this is an occasion for all.

Scientists will be speaking about their research in this unique festival which offers talks, demonstrations and live experiments in some of Bristol’s favourite locals.

Costing £4 each, tickets are available through the website, where you can also find a list of the pubs taking part across the city.

We’ll have a pint or two of science and a packet of crisps, please.

The highly anticipated return of The Bath Festival is finally here. The 17-day arts shindig takes place from 11 – 27 May and for its 70th anniversary, Bath Festivals is celebrating everything music and literature (see our Robert Plant interview on p38). Be sure not to miss the Party In The City on 18 May – our neighbouring city’s biggest night of free music and theatre. Enjoy an almighty, night-long jam.

• bathfestivals.org.uk

• pintofscience.co.uk

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PARTY IN THE CITY OF BATH

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Pink Hotel performing at the Party In The City

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THE CITY THE BUZZ

My

BRISTOL Meet Clevedon filmmaker Niall Johnson

Plastic Mermaids will perform at Rough Trade

Bestival in Bristol Boutique music festival Bestival is celebrating its 15th birthday this year, and heading to Bristol on Mayday bank holiday Saturday to condense a decade and a half of in-the-field innovation and professional partying into 15 hours of feasting, performance, imagination and music. There’s a deliciously lurid drag brunch taking place at Jamaica St. Stores, with games, prizes, expert lip syncs and service-stopping numbers; and a tongue-incheek extravaganza at The Love Inn with The Grand Palace; while Bestival’s sister label Sunday Best takes over Rough Trade Bristol with screen printing, radio broadcasts and live performances from Plastic Mermaids, Laucan and Graceland. The Christmas Steps, meanwhile, will be hosting a ‘99p Knees Up’ with a Northern soul set from High Contrast, Bestival founder Rob da Bank, girl about town Tasty Lopez and Hold Tight Records (proceeds to Caring in Bristol).

• bestival.net/bristol

Niall Johnson’s latest movie is a western adventure that freshens up the genre by focusing on the female characters

I studied drama at Bristol University, concentrating as much as I could on film.

I travelled 15 miles in all directions and came across my future home in Clevedon, falling in love with the seafront. It was a very different town back then, 1988. It’s definitely having a growth spurt right now, in terms of being the kind of town people love to visit or think about moving to.

I wrote White Noise (Michael Keaton thriller) and have written and directed The Big Swap, The Ghost of Greville Lodge, Keeping Mum (comedy with Rowan Atkinson, Kristin Scott Thomas, Maggie Smith and the late Patrick Swayze) and most recently, Mum’s List (shot in Clevedon and based on St John Greene’s local memoir) and The Stolen.

The Stolen is a western, except it’s not. It’s an adventure set in the gold rush of 1870s New Zealand, when Europeans were settling in search of fortune. Alice Eve plays an English gentrified woman whose husband is killed and her newborn baby kidnapped. When she begins receiving ransom notes she traces them to a new gold mining town, meeting all sorts of perils which ready her to fight when the time comes. Most westerns dealing with journeys are about the men: the gruff leader, the psycho it’s best to avoid, the baddie with a heart of gold, and the women in the wagon – the hookers and dance-girls. We have all those types but what’s fresh and current is that this film is about the women in the wagon.

I’m proud to have been involved in Another Day of Life – a combination of animation and documentary based on Polish reporter Ryszard Kapuscinski’s memoir of his time covering the horrific Angolan Civil War in the mid-1970s.

I’m a big fan of the late British author Graham Joyce – very grounded, literary, supernatural works that ride the line between real and imagined.

I’m an avid cinemagoer; favourites this

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year have been Hostiles and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri. I chuckled all the way through Game Night, which I hadn’t expected to! And I can’t wait to see Isle Of Dogs.

Bristol’s an exciting place for film and TV production. It’s probably in as good a state as it’s ever been, with The Bottle Yard studios doing so well. Feature film producers and filmmakers are thinner on the ground than those working in TV, so I tend to find myself in London or abroad when it comes to the actual workload (though I’ll always keep post-production here in the West if I can).

It’s a city of diversity, Niall working behind the range and talent; scenes on his new movie filmmakers with voices that deserve to be heard.

Beyond the known entities like Aardman, smaller companies are carving a name for themselves in their niche: Happy Hour Productions, for example, with its success in advertising and lowbudget movies.

I sorely regret missing Portico Quartet at the Lantern; and Jaws with a live orchestra. They really need to do that with The Good, The Bad and The Ugly – all of Sergio Leone’s films, actually! I was excited by the Curzon showing A Fistful of Dollars in 4k: its the movie that, when I was 10, made me want to make movies.

I had a puppet made of me as a trial for a potential Gerry Anderson-styled TV show.

The project never came to anything, and I don’t think he was ever even put together in one piece. It’s a strange thought, though, to know there’s a puppet Niall pootling around. I just hope he’s being treated well.

I’d like to pedestrianise Clevedon’s town centre roads to create more of a high street, stretching from the only greengrocer’s in town (indie, The Veg Box) and a new paleo food shop (Sew & Arrow), through a variety of craft boutiques and restaurants to the grand old cinema. I’d make the Theatre Shop a permanent fixture; it’s amazing Clevedon has a space like that with all it offers.

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THE CITY

Career goals Bristol teacher Stacey Pearson is aiming for the top in the world of football refereeing – rising rapidly through the ranks of the women’s and men’s game, she could yet become the first female ref in the Premier League.

Stacey, a full-time PE teacher at Merchants' Academy, is one of only three English women chosen to attend an intensive course at the UEFA Centre of Refereeing Excellence in Switzerland this month.

“I just want to be the best that I can be and to continue to develop as a referee,” she said. “That might be getting as far as I can in the men’s pyramid or refereeing a women’s tournament – maybe even the World Cup. That would be really cool.”

Stacey was a central midfielder for Yeovil Ladies for 10 years before turning to refereeing and progressing rapidly. She is currently the only female ref at her level in the South West; nationally, there are 323, of whom 10 are women.

Moving to the next level requires referees to choose the referee or assistant referee route; Stacey has already decided she wants to become a referee and last year went to an under-19 international tournament in Switzerland as assistant referee. “Stacey’s drive and enthusiasm both on and off the pitch and her championing of both sport and diversity add so much to our Academy,” said Merchants’ Academy principal Sam Williamson. “She is one of a number of very high performing sport team members and we are currently in discussions to expand our provision with a possible football academy on site using our outstanding facilities. More on that as discussions progress!”

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

The team @ never get broken_dock_ bo these view red of s

ng dge in spri Castle Bri hy) _photograp re no ea el (@

Have your say in the future of the city The University of the West of England and Bristol City Council have launched a new game all about Bristol, enabling locals to shape how they want their city to look in the future while providing data that can help authorities solve real world problems, such as air pollution, in the city.

ClairCity Skylines is a free app, available for Android and iOS, that involves visiting famous sights in the city and making decisions about how Bristol should look in the next 50 years. Players are asked to choose whether more roads should be built, if wood and coal heating in homes should be allowed, and whether more green spaces should be created. The decisions are scored for their impact on the economy and its air pollution, as well as residents’ health and happiness.

Parent project ClairCity is an EU-funded scheme looking at ways to improve wellbeing and limit carbon emissions in six regions across Europe. The game launch coincides with a six-month engagement period by Bristol City Council, which will involve speaking to local people, businesses and organisations to inform the upcoming Clean Air Plan.

UWE Bristol academics developed ClairCity Skylines at PlayWest, a games studio based at the university. “We know that computer games by themselves won’t save the world, but they offer an exciting, engaging way to get lots of people involved in finding solutions for some of the problems we face,” said Andy King, leading the game design. Bristol is the first region to be gamified within ClairCity, with five other areas around Europe to get their own bespoke game.

• claircity.eu

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Bonkers vega n freakshake @thebeehive bristol

eat engineer in Loaf of our gr unel (pic by Br g in Be at situ ) in ita br at re @ssg

We’re always amazed by the talent @ahhtoots

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B R I S TOL MAGAZINE

The unfamiliar young

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W

hatever happened to peak beard? There was a time maybe five years ago when the curious fad of unshavenness was supposed to be ending. It was a generational thing, the experts assured us. It would pass. Well I have to say that the beard is alive and well, at least in my neighbourhood. Walking home from the shops last Saturday I passed, within metres of my house, three men who were thus equipped. Two were in earnest discussion about the relative merits of different regions of India, while the other was working on his camper van, a vehicle of indeterminate age and make that may once have been red. I wouldn’t be surprised to discover that it enjoyed its heyday during the Dave Lee Travis era of beard-wearing, all those years ago.

Now there are men not a million miles from Bartleby Towers who are bearded for the simple, wholesome reasons of laziness and…okay, laziness. For such men this state of beardedness is part of a more general relaxation, the happy condition of mild slovenliness that comes with advancing age. When young, such men plied their razors keenly. Back in the 1980s you did not cultivate facial hair unless you were a radio ham or played in a jazz outfit. If you did decide to down razors you would be known from then on as Andy/Steve/Chris the Beard by your peers and by older people as a Weirdy Beardy. Give up shaving and you made yourself pretty much unemployable, except as a lab technician or a naval officer.

The same was true of course of ‘funny’ haircuts – anything not short and parted – and tattoos. To my parents’ generation having a tattoo done was akin to, I don’t know, becoming a vegetarian. Worse, even. All were gestures of rebellion against the status quo, guaranteed to get a reaction from one’s elders. Beards likewise.

But the beard of today is a different beast. At some stage in the past 10, 15, 20 years (how long has this been going on?) there was surely a tipping point. All those youthful beards could have been allowed to mature along with their owners, and we might have seen a return of the proper Victorian beaver. Imagine! Today, had those beards been allowed to take their natural course, we would be surrounded by 40year-old men sporting decades of growth. Men heading for a magnificently hirsute old age in the style of Darwin or Tolstoy.

It didn’t happen. The beard of today is well-kept, controlled. It is not allowed full self-expression. It is also – or seems to me to be – a youthful phenomenon. Like the slamming of taxi doors late at night and the appearance of bicycles with funny tyres, the proliferation of beards on my street reflects the fact that the population round here is getting younger. But what sort of people are they? Judging by the spiralling house prices and rents they must be relatively well-to-do, which suggests they have decent employment. But are they in any sense unconventional? Do the young men discussing their Indian adventures consider their beards rebellious? I’m not sure this is the sort of question you can ask a stranger, but thinking about it makes me realise how trapped we each are in the experiences and attitudes of our own generation. When we moved into the street I remember the wary expressions on the faces of older residents, most of whom have now departed in one sense or another. Now it’s my turn to find myself surrounded by the unfamiliar young, but I don’t mind. I like to see people moving with purpose and ambition around the place, whether they’re striving to get a rust bucket back on the road, or planning their next bearded adventure.

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Editor Tel: Email:

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BRISTOL MAGAZINE Bristol and Exeter House, Lower Approach, Temple Meads, Bristol BS1 6QS Telephone: 0117 974 2800 www.thebristolmagazine.co.uk © MC Publishing Ltd 2018 Disclaimer: Whilst every reasonable care is taken with all material submitted to The Bristol Magazine, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to such material. Opinions expressed in articles are strictly those of the authors. This publication is copyright and may not be reproduced in any form either in part or whole without written permission from the publishers.

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PROUD MARY ...And so she should be, with another of her chic charity boutiques opening in Clifton. With thoughts of her chosen cause, we raided the rainy day fund and stopped by for a browse and a chat

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SHOPPING

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etail expert and broadcaster Mary Portas’ Living & Giving stores are charity shops with a difference – filled with designer donations all sold for Save The Children. The young people’s organisation has just updated its Bristol community store to one of these special boutiques with Mary’s help – we took five with the ‘queen of shops’ to find out more...

TBM: How did the idea to redefine the charity shop come about?

Mary: I began working with Save the Children back in 2008, when I overhauled their worst performing charity shop and turned it into one of their best performers, as part of the BBC television series Mary Queen of Charity Shops. Off the back of this I then became Save the Children’s retail ambassador and worked with them to create Mary’s Living & Giving shops. Unlike most other charity shops we use the local community as inspiration and sell beautiful, high quality preloved designer and high street clothes in a boutique environment. They are a collaboration of people’s ideas, beliefs and values – local people doing what they can to make a difference to children around the world.

What do you like about Bristol?

What’s not to like? I remember coming here when I was doing my high street report and the energy and upbeat outlook of the people made me feel at home. It’s a really inspiring mix of historical architecture, modern art, eclectic music and independent food and fashion outlets.

I couldn’t think of a more perfect place to open our next shop!

Tell us a bit about the new store...

It seemed a no-brainer to open it in the heart of Clifton, one of the UK’s most famously beautiful shopping destinations. The area has the perfect combination of independent and boutique shops, cosy cafes and scenery. Every one of our 23 Mary’s Living & Giving shops takes inspiration from its surroundings and the Bristol shop will be no different. The shop itself is designed to celebrate the traditional Georgian architecture of the area with more of a contemporary interior once people get inside. The juxtaposition of original features like the stained glass windows against more abstract fixtures inside the shop, is a nod toward Bristol’s progressive art scene while still respecting its history. And to keep some local flair we’re collaborating with local signage artist James Cooper which will certainly bring a unique vibrancy to the shop. We’re waiting on details of stock donations but we always have a brilliant array of donated designer and vintage items for people to get their hands on at shop openings. We are so excited to be among the shopkeepers of Clifton and look forward to meeting more of the community.

What’s the best aspect of the venture for you?

Mary’s Living & Giving is like a perfect shopping equation: community inspired and run destination + ethical shopping + incredible bargains = happy customers. But I think for me it’s that all money raised from the shops goes to Save the Children, helping the world’s most vulnerable children. It’s a total win-win situation.

What are your observations on Bristolian style?

Much like the aesthetic of the city centre I’d say it is diverse, colourful yet classic at the same time. As Bristol has a big student population I’ve noticed a lot of great vintage outfits on the streets and there is definitely a locally sourced aesthetic that makes Bristolian style so individual. This works well for Mary’s Living & Giving as not one item is the same so everyone will come away with something unique!

Where would we most likely bump into you shopping at the moment?

I’m a big markets girl. Most Saturday mornings I’m there. There’s a brilliant one in Stroud, near where I have a house, and it’s full of fresh produce, food and independent craft makers.

What do you think of Bristol’s independent shopping scene?

Obviously I am extremely passionate about Britain’s high streets as I believe they are the heart of every community. I’ve been banging the drum for small, independent retailers for some time now as I truly believe when these businesses thrive, so does the entire local economy and community. So many town centres are struggling at the moment

Image by Tom Dymond

which is why Gloucester Road, for example, is so completely wonderful – it’s one of the best examples of how shops selling locally sourced and produced items can really thrive.

What has been your best find at a charity shop or car boot?

I love china or glass rummages if it’s not one of my shops. I bought a beautiful Spode china plate with two exotic birds on – my daughter’s fave plate to eat off.

Most treasured possession from a charity shop?

My Celine mac from one of the Living & Giving shops. You don’t get many of those in any second-hand shop! ■ • savethechildren.org.uk THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

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THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 23

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Illustration by Lily Louise Scott You can meet Emmeline for a mini consultation at Bristol Fashion Week this month

LONG LIVE VINYL Syd Bird on how the format, once heralded as obsolete and outdated in our digital age, has fought back to the point of influencing the very fabric of our city

P

hysical sales of music are once more outselling digital, and while the slump in digital sales is largely credited to the staggering growth and popularity of streaming platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music, there is an increased appetite and market for physical products. The BPI, which represents the UK’s recorded music industry, indicates that vinyl is up 26.8% with LPs constituting one in 10 physical purchases. Vinyl’s increasing popularity has led to a resurgence of record stores here in Bristol; their numbers are on the up and so is their cultural clout.

Adrian Dutt, the assistant store manager and events manager of the city’s shiny new Rough Trade, has worked in record stores for the last 15 years and is pleased that vinyl “has gone from nearly nonexistent to massive again.” As he explains, with the boom of digital technology, major labels who owned the pressing plants “abandoned them and they were destroyed. They didn’t want to touch it.”

However their rejection of older formats was arguably misjudged.

After vinyl ‘died’ a dedicated group of independent and small boutique labels refused to give up and continued to press it. “It was the network of those labels that kept vinyl going,” Adrian continues.

There always remained a somewhat underground record store presence that weathered the long digital years, such as Rough Trade which originated in 1976 in London, and Bristol’s very own Plastic Wax, circa 1978. However in recent years the market has been 24 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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expanding rapidly with events such as Record Store Day testament to the popularity of vinyl. What was once underground is now very much basking in the sun.

Not only have the sales of vinyl grown and evolved – so too has the customer base. “The generalised myth that record stores were for middle-aged men in big coats was more fitting, say 10 years ago, but now it’s everyone who’s buying it,” says Adrian. A wide demographic of people are once more drawn to vinyl and CD. Despite the ease and accessibility of digital music and streaming services, there is something about vinyl that we can’t quite seem to quit. Something about the aesthetics of physicality, of holding the record in our hands, that appeals to us in an inexplicable way. Does it provide a closer connection perhaps? One where you feel like you own the music and it demands you give your time to the record in a way that it’s impossible to with endless playlists and shuffling. There’s also a ceremonial feel to engaging with vinyl; in flicking through your collection, in setting it up, in hearing that warm, low, background crackle and a richness of sound some argue is missing digitally.

Perhaps it’s just that we listen more when we’ve committed our time to it. Who knows. Either way, we seem to be increasingly besotted by it in our digitally saturated lives.

So, love letter to vinyl aside, how is all this affecting our city?

Vinyl’s independent background matches Bristol’s creative and DIY

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MUSIC

ethos. This, coupled with our rich musical legacy and vibrant music scene, makes us the perfect city to embrace vinyl’s revival. Just as store numbers are on the up, so are home-grown vinyl products from local independent labels and acts such as The Bristol Recorder.

The Recorder is part of Bristol’s heritage; founded in 1979 it’s a unique combination of vinyl record and topical magazine. The gatefold sleeve of the LP doubles up as the front and back cover of the magazine, exploring, celebrating and challenging all things Bristol. After more than a 30-year hiatus, during which many of the original instigators co-founded Womad music festival, The Bristol Recorder Volume 4 aims to restore a vinyl voice for Bristol and its music through the relaunch of its original incarnation. The record is a compilation of some of the best of Bristol-based artists, providing a holistic snapshot of our eclectic music scene with a range of artists and genres, from reggae stalwarts Laid Blak to satirical post-punk rabble Lice.

Another important addition to the scene is Rough Trade which has recently settled in Bristol. Ours is the fifth and newest venture for the prestigious store which has a mighty reputation of championing and promoting independent and exciting new music. Rise, formerly on the Triangle, transitioned into Rough Trade thus inheriting a team of people engrained in Bristol’s music scene. Various staff members run their own labels, such as Adrian’s Howling Owl Records, as well as having phenomenal artists such as Oliver Wilde on their illustrious work rota. Rough Trade also has an in-store music venue and, as Adrian reveals, is “constantly in conversation with Bristol promoters.

They’ll use our space and we’ll stock their releases and if we can’t fit someone in we’ll put them in contact with someone else who can.”

As well as the support for local artists, acts “who are too big to play here will because of the Rough Trade name,” which enables “people to come and see gigs for free or cheap.” Bristol’s record stores are once more becoming cultural hubs where people congregate to discover and celebrate new music, both from across the world and on their very own doorstep. Vinyl’s revival is aiding Bristol’s music scene by creating new spaces and platforms that champion our extraordinary local talent.

We’re positively spoilt here with our extensive and varied collection of record stores from specialists such as Idle Hands (purveyors of dance and electro), Payback Records (reggae specialists) to collectable treasure troves Plastic Wax, Wanted Records, Prime Cuts and North Street indie Friendly Records. So go on, venture forth and peruse their precious plastic. ■

CLASSICAL RECORDS WANTED Top prices paid for clean Classical Music vinyl LPs (Beethoven, Mozart etc.) from the 1950s onwards.

Labels include Columbia SAX, HMV ASD and Decca SXL. CD collections and vintage hi-fi equipment also of interest.

Call Tim: 07502 331438 or Adam: 07738 772381 or email: adam@viva-tonal.com

• Just released on Record Store Day, The Bristol Recorder Vol. 4 is out now – catch the relaunch night at Rough Trade on 27 April featuring special live guests Firewoodisland and Dr. Meaker.

Instagram: @thebristolrecorder; Twitter @bristolrecorder

Photo by Annabel Fitzsimons

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Credit: Chicago Tribune

THEATRE

WELCOME TO DREAMLAND Jessica Hope talks to theatre producer extraordinaire Sir Cameron Mackintosh as his epic production of Miss Saigon heads for Bristol Hippodrome

L

ess than 24 hours after sweeping the board with seven gongs at the Olivier Awards for critically acclaimed hip-hop musical Hamilton, Sir Cameron Mackintosh is enthusing to me about the UK and Ireland tour of another of his worldrenowned productions, Miss Saigon. For someone who has just equalled Matilda’s record from 2012 for a musical winning the most Oliviers, I am surprised to find that Mackintosh doesn’t have any signs of a sore head from too much celebrating the night before.

Prior to our interview, I decide that, out of anyone, he certainly deserves to be feeling a little worse for wear after the incredible success he has had in co-producing this ground-breaking musical about US founding father Alexander Hamilton, which only opened in the UK 26 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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late last year and has quickly taken audiences and critics by storm.

But Mackintosh, 71, tells me he just had a few drinks after the awards ceremony before heading home. And listening to him reel off the sheer number of productions he has opened in the last five weeks – including Les Misérables and Mary Poppins – as well as overseeing the 30-40 shows he has on or that are in preparation, it sounds as though he probably can’t risk having a day in bed, nursing a hangover.

When he isn’t scooping up awards or opening productions of his legendary musicals in the West End or on Broadway, he is ardently promoting his shows on tour around the world. One such production is the critically-acclaimed Miss Saigon, which opens at Bristol Hippodrome this month for a six-week run.

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THE MUSICAL MAN: Opposite, Sir Cameron Mackintosh This page, top left, Jamael Westman as Alexander Hamilton with West End cast of Hamilton (image by Matthew Murphy); and right, Sooha Kim as Kim and Gerald Santos as Thuy in the UK and Ireland tour of Miss Saigon (image by Johan Persson)

Coming straight to the UK from an extraordinarily successful run on Broadway, this production is more soupedup than any musical revival Mackintosh has done before.

“This is the biggest scaled show I’ve ever done – it’s even bigger than Les Mis,” he says.

Miss Saigon follows the life of 17-year-old Kim during the last days of the Vietnam War. She is forced to work in a seedy bar in Saigon, run by a man with a notorious reputation, known as the Engineer. Kim falls in love with an American GI, Chris, but they are torn apart following the fall of Saigon and evacuation of US troops in 1975. Kim then embarks on an epic three-year search for Chris, who has no idea that he has fathered a son.

As with any large-scale production, Mackintosh and his team began the planning for this revival years ago. “You have to plan these things very far in advance. We have an incredible multi-race cast, which isn’t easy to put together as a lot of them are based internationally,” he says.

“We went back to the Philippines around 15 months ago to find a completely new cast. Red Concepción is terrific – he’s unlike any Engineer we’ve ever had before.

“This production has had phenomenal reviews across the UK already, and we’re really looking forward to bringing it to Bristol.”

Based on Puccini’s opera Madame Butterfly, Mackintosh’s Miss Saigon first premiered in the West End in 1989 and ran for 10 years, while the Broadway version – opened in 1991 – broke records for what were the largest advance ticket sales for a theatrical production at the time.

Since then, it has had unprecedented success with multiple revivals and several openings around the world. Why does Miss Saigon continue to draw in audiences by the thousands, across countries and generations?

“There is such a sweeping and epic grasp to the story. It’s all about two cultures coming together and understanding one another,” explains Mackintosh.

“Sadly because of the way the world is these days, the story is more relevant now than ever before. As it is based during the Vietnam War, we are looking at the story from a historic perspective. But it could be based in Afghanistan, Iraq or Syria today. It is about the tragedy of people in wartorn countries, being separated. And it is about a mother’s sacrifice. It has a universal theme.

“It is based on historic events such as migrants travelling across seas and storming the walls to the American embassy, which are unfortunately things we read about everyday now; it is terribly poignant.”

Having worked in theatre for more than 50 years, and with a list of productions longer than anyone else in the business, Mackintosh certainly knows what is needed for a musical to take off.

“The root to a successful musical is the story,” he says.

“With any production I take on, the story has to grab me first. Just like with Hamilton, it is the story that draws you in. It holds your interest, and has such a brilliant cast in London. It is a testament to all of them; how they are able to use storytelling and grasp the lyrics to tell their stories.

“What playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda is doing is what myself and Andrew Lloyd Webber were once doing many years ago with our first big musicals. We were making something for the modern-day audience. And in Hamilton so much understanding of what the characters are like and their life events comes from the use of rap, which is a unique and contemporary element of the story.”

...Miss Saigon is about the tragedy of people in war-torn countries, being separated. And it is about a mother’s sacrifice. It has a universal theme...

Born in Enfield, London, in 1946, Mackintosh recalls the exact moment he knew he wanted to produce musicals. “It all started with a writer from Bristol,” he remembers.

“Julian Slade from the Bristol Old Vic wrote a musical as an end-of-year romp in the 1950s called Salad Days. I saw it when I was just seven years old. I loved it so much that when my aunt asked me what I wanted to do to celebrate my eighth birthday, I asked to go see Salad Days again.

“So she took me to go see it in London and I was invited backstage by Julian, who showed me how the incredible piano prop worked and how the UFO could swoop in on stage. From then I knew I wanted to produce theatre.”

While attending Prior Park College in Bath during his teens, Mackintosh spent his free time going to new shows at Bristol Hippodrome and Theatre Royal Bath. After finishing school, he landed his first job as a stagehand at the Theatre ➲ Royal in Drury Lane.

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THEATRE

Les Misérables in the West End Image: Johan Persson

He then got his next few jobs by running around the capital, persuading theatre productions to take him on.

“I told myself that I wanted to be a producer by 25, but somehow I made it by 20 by making myself indispensable to others,” he says.

But it hasn’t always been plain sailing. After going on stage tours with the likes of Camelot and Oliver! he launched his first show, Anything Goes, as a producer in 1969. It turned out to be a flop and closed after just two weeks.

But this didn’t hamper his ambition. Having been inspired by his work when he was a boy, Mackintosh teamed up with Julian Slade in 1972 for an adaption of Trelawny, which premiered at Bristol Old Vic before transferring to the West End for a year – it was this that helped put Mackintosh on the theatrical map.

...In Hamilton so much understanding of what the characters are like and their life events comes from the use of rap, which is a unique and contemporary element of the story...

After successful productions of Side by Side by Sondheim, My Fair Lady and Oklahoma! in the 1970s, Mackintosh joined forces with Andrew Lloyd Webber, who was already a big name in the theatre business by this time, to produce Cats in 1981, which would go on to be one of the longest-running musicals in the UK and US. His reputation catapulted in the 1980s and ’90s, making musicals such as Miss Saigon, Phantom of the Opera and Les Misérables into international brands, racking up countless awards and records for ticket sales in the process.

Nonetheless, as Mackintosh experienced early on in his career, putting a new production out there is like stepping into the unknown.

“When I first produced Les Mis, I thought it was only going to make it on the stage for two or three years. But it has had phenomenal success and we’re going to be launching a new UK tour of it at the end of this year.”

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for 33 consecutive years. Mackintosh also helped produce the Oscar, Golden Globe and BAFTA-winning film version in 2012, starring Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway and Eddie Redmayne.

With a net worth of £1.18billion according to the 2017 Sunday Times Rich List, Mackintosh has come a long way since his stagehand days. In 1996 he was knighted for his services to British theatre, and two years later a gala concert was held in his honour, celebrating 30 years of his career in entertainment, which was attended by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. Mackintosh was also bestowed with the honour of being the first British producer to be installed into the Broadway Theatre Hall of Fame in 2014.

As well as creating the biggest musicals in the business, Mackintosh also owns eight theatres in the West End and has overseen the extensive refurbishment of each one. He tells me that his fascination with architecture and refurbishment of old buildings stems from his time at school. “Prior Park College is the most impressive Palladian example of architecture that you could wish for,” he declares.

“The Victoria Palace Theatre in London [the latest addition to Mackintosh’s theatre portfolio] where Hamilton is based is the most beautiful theatre you will ever see, and the inspiration behind the refurbishment of it comes from my experiences of living in Bath.”

And his love for architecture continues at home. While not in London or launching productions around the world, Mackintosh lives at the medieval Grade-I listed Stavordale Priory in Charlton Musgrove, Somerset, with his partner Michael Le Poer Trench, a theatre photographer. A world away from the glitz of the stage, the couple run a dairy farm with around 600 cows, and also own 14,000 acres in the Scottish Highlands.

As well as juggling all these productions while running theatre licensing agency Music Theatre International and keeping an eye on his farm’s cattle, Mackintosh coyly tells me that he’s currently working on something special, but that we’ll have to wait a while to find out more.

“This is something quite in advance,” he says. Whatever it may be, you can expect it to have the best creative minds in the business behind it.

From the fall of Saigon to revolutionary Paris; the American founding fathers to dancing alley cats, there doesn’t seem to be a topic that Mackintosh can’t take on. His musical empire continues to dominate the theatre scene, and it doesn’t look like our fascination with his productions is going away anytime soon. n

• Miss Saigon is on at Bristol Hippodrome from 16 May – 23 June; atgtickets.com/venues/bristol-hippodrome

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LOCAL | EVENTS

Image: Lars Borges

WHAT’S ON The Shires at Colston Hall

Sheku Kanneh-Mason at St George’s Bristol

Professor Green at The Bath Festival

BalletBoyz: Fourteen Days Monday 30 April, 7.30pm, Bristol Old Vic Celebrated across the world for their impressive performances, BalletBoyz are back with Fourteen Days – uniting choreographers Javier de Frutos, Craig Revel Horwood, Iván Pérez and Christopher Wheeldon with composers Scott Walker, Joby Talbot, Charlotte Harding and Keaton Henson for an exciting and varied programme of dance and music. £24 – £16; bristololdvic.org.uk Planetarium Nights Thursday 3, 10 and 17 May, 7pm and 8.15pm, We The Curious When was the last time you looked up at the stars? Wander into the giant silver ball for your very own night-time tour of the known universe in the UK’s most advanced planetarium. Whether you are an amateur astronomer or completely new to stargazing, you’ll be able to escape the everyday and leave inspired to discover the night sky for yourself.

16+, £8.50/£7.50; wethecurious.org Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra: Into the Light Thursday 3 May, 7.30pm, Colston Hall BSO will perform Haydn’s Military Symphony and Beethoven’s popular Fifth Symphony, with guest soloist Sunwook Kim, performing Beethoven’s Second Piano Concerto. £30 – £8.50; colstonhall.org Meet the Consultants – Bath’s Tech Success: Altus Thursday 3 May, 5 – 7pm, Riverstation, The Grove, Bristol Tucked away behind Bath Spa station lies one of Bath’s best-kept business secrets – Altus. It might be a small firm, but it features many of the UK’s most prestigious financial institutions as clients, as well as plenty of international ones too. There is fierce demand for Altus consultants and their expertise is held in such 30 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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high regard that there are plans to grow the team significantly. Join consultancy director Kevin Okell and his team for an informal chat and a drink. Sign up via recruitment partner Skilling Gate: info@skillinggate.co.uk Exultate Singers: Immortal Fire Saturday 5 May, 7.30pm, St James Priory Exultate Singers gives the premiere of the Bristol-based composer Raymond Warren’s Cello Requiem alongside Tippett’s Five Spirituals from A Child of Our Time and Britten’s Hymn to St Cecilia. Tickets £15/£10, from Opus 13 music shop, tel: 0117 923 0164; exultatesingers.org Pata Negra’s Bank Holiday Fiesta Brunch Sunday 6 and Sunday 27 May, 12 – 4pm, Pata Negra, Corn Street, Bristol Bank holidays are the perfect excuse for a boozy brunch, and wine and tapas bar Pata Negra will be celebrating the extra time off with bottomless Cava, delicious tapas and tropical-inspired beats from Club Djembe.

Tickets £25. To book, tel: 0117 9276762; patanegrabristol.com Bowie Experience – The Golden Years Tour Monday 7 May, 7.30pm, Bristol Hippodrome A breathtaking concert celebrating the music of one of the world’s greatest pop icons. A must see for all Bowie fans, the latest production promises an unforgettable journey of sound and vision, featuring all the hits by tribute act A to Ziggy including Life on Mars, Space Oddity, China Girl, Heroes and many more. £27.50; atgtickets.com/bristol English Symphony Orchestra and Sheku Kanneh-Mason Wednesday 9 May, 7.30pm, St George’s Bristol English Symphony Orchestra performs two beloved works by Elgar including a new

orchestral rendering of the Piano Quintet.

Acclaimed soloist and 2016 BBC Young Musician of the Year Sheku Kanneh-Mason will feature in a rendition of Cello Concerto.

Complementing these quintessentially English works is the world premiere of a new symphony by David Matthews. Tickets: £40 – £5; stgeorgesbristol.co.uk The Women Who Built Bristol Thursday 10 May, 8pm, St George’s Bristol Spanning 900 years from Princess Eleanor of Brittany (1184 – 1241), who was imprisoned in Bristol Castle, to modern author Helen Dunmore, Rosemary Caldicott, Jane Duffus and Helen Wilde discuss the women who helped to shape Bristol into the vibrant city it is today. From pin makers to police chiefs; workhouse inmates to lord mayors, celebrate the less well-known females of Bristol’s past. £8/£6; stgeorgesbristol.co.uk Too Many Zooz Thursday 10 May, doors 7.30pm, last entry 9pm, The Marble Factory, Bristol New York-based YouTube sensations and Beyoncé collaborators Too Many Zooz are coming to Bristol as part of their UK tour.

With their ‘brass house’ fusing jazz, AfroCuban rhythms, funk and EDM, they became famous as footage of their NYC Subway busking performances went viral – prompting an invite to record from Beyoncé herself. 14+. £18.50; marblefactorybristol.com The Bath Festival Friday 11 – Sunday 27 May, various locations around Bath Celebrating its 70th anniversary, The Bath Festival is a 17-day multi-arts festival celebrating all things music and literature.

Some of the big names on the programme include Robert Webb, Diana Henry, Professor Green, Tracy Borman, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Lucy Mangan. For the big

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finale weekend (26-27 May) the Bath Recreation Ground will host live music from Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters, Paloma Faith, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Alison Moyet, Midge Ure, among others.

To see the full programme and for tickets, visit thebathfestival.org.uk

Premier Boot Camp is holding a luxury residential boot camp programme that includes your accommodation, all meals and activities, such as circuits and boxercise. Prices from £750. To find out more, visit premierbootcamp.com or email info@premierbootcamp.com

Jason Manford: Muddle Class Saturday 12 May, 7.30pm, Colston Hall Muddle Class promises to feature a wealth of new material about Jason Manford (8 Out of 10 Cats, Odd One In) growing up ‘working class’ then finding, over the years, that part of him has become ‘middle class’ – causing much confusion! Delivered with Jason’s amiable charm and captivating wit, this is a show not to be missed. 13+. £29.56; colstonhall.org

The Shires Wednesday 16 May, 7pm, Colston Hall As UK country music makes waves across the world, award-winning country pop duo The Shires are leading the charge. Singersongwriters Ben Earle and Crissie Rhodes pay homage to the Nashville greats, with a distinctly British twist, and their second release was the fastest-selling UK country album in history. £25.26 to £36.01; colstonhall.org

Bristol Ensemble and Viv McLean Saturday 12 May, 7.30pm, Trinity-Henleaze URC, Bristol Viv McLean returns to the Henleaze Concert Society for a third successive year to perform an intimate chamber version of a Beethoven Piano Concerto. It is paired with Mozart’s Piano Concerto No 12, packed full of exquisitely crafted thematic material. Tickets £16, under 25s £5, available from: henleazeconcertsociety.org.uk and from Opus 13 music shop, tel: 0117 923 0164.

Learn to Stitch Sunday 13 May, 10am – 4pm, Royal School of Needlework, Britannia Road, Kingswood, Bristol The Royal School of Needlework is holding an open day at its Bristol school where visitors can explore the beautiful hand embroideries on display created by RSN students and find out more about the courses on offer. There will also be demonstrations and the RSN Bristol tutors will be on hand to answer questions. Entrance is free; royal-needlework.org.uk Premier Boot Camp Fitness Weekend Wednesday 16 – Sunday 20 May, Blackdown Hills, near Taunton Ladies, do you want to boost your fitness and kick-start your weight loss in just four days?

Miss Saigon Wednesday 16 May – Saturday 23 June, times vary, Bristol Hippodrome Cameron Mackintosh’s multi award-winning musical comes to Bristol. In the last days of the Vietnam War, 17 year-old Kim is forced to work in a Saigon bar. There she meets and falls in love with an American GI named Chris but they are torn apart by the fall of Saigon.

Kim goes on an epic journey of survival to find her way back to Chris, who has no idea he’s fathered a son; atgtickets.com/bristol WNO 40th Birthday Concert Wednesday 16 May, 7.15pm, The Performing Arts Centre, Redmaids’ High School To mark the Welsh National Opera Chorus Members society’s 40th birthday, the group will be celebrating with a special concert. £15, includes wine. Tickets available in advance by email: borkmail@googlemail.com, or buy them on the door.

Secret Postcards Auction Thursday 17 May, 7pm, The Royal West of England Academy The ever-popular Secret Postcard Auction is back at RWA for another year. This hotly anticipated event offers the chance to purchase unique works of art by leading figures from

the art and cultural world including the likes of Grayson Perry, David Bailey and Gilbert & George. Tickets £10; rwa.org.uk Wish You Were Here: Fulldome Experience Friday 18 May, 7pm, We The Curious The Planetarium plays host to the 1975 Pink Floyd album, Wish You Were Here. Lose yourself in mind-melting visuals under a dome of colour and sound. With full surround sound and brilliant visuals, there is no better place in Bristol than the giant silver ball to fulfill all of your psychedelic musical dreams.

16+. £9.95/£8.95; wethecurious.org Interior Design Masterclass Saturday 19 May, 10am – 4.30pm, Harvey Nichols, Quaker Friars Struggling to find ideas for your interior project, or overwhelmed by choice? Join Zoe from Stylemongers of Bristol for this workshop to learn about interior design and styling. Materials provided, no experience necessary. Tickets £125, including a threecourse lunch; zoehewettinteriors.co.uk City of Bristol Choir: English Choral Masterpieces Saturday 19 May, 7.30pm, St George’s Bristol To coincide with the royal wedding, David Ogden conducts City of Bristol Choir, the Lochrian Ensemble and virtuoso violinist Julia Hwang in a feast of English music including Vaughan Williams’ iconic, soaring work for solo violin and orchestra The Lark Ascending, together with his Toward the Unknown Region and rarely-performed Benedicite.

Tickets from £11; stgeorgesbristol.co.uk Supper Club Thursday 24 May, 6.30–10.30pm, Riverstation, The Grove, Bristol Enjoy a short cruise along the river with Bristol Ferry Company, dock on Riverstation’s pontoon and then relax in the bar with a specially created spring-inspired cocktail.

Then head upstairs for a set three-course menu with unrivalled views of the river. £35 per person, book in advance; riverstation.co.uk Continued on page 32

Ú

EDITOR’S PICK...

THURSDAY 10 MAY, 6.30PM, ST GEORGE’S BRISTOL

Image: Virginie Naudillon

HELEN PANKHURST: Deeds not Words Despite huge progress since the suffragette campaigns and wave after wave of feminism, women are still fighting for equality. Why, at the present rate, will we have to wait in Britain until 2069 for the gender pay gap to disappear? Why, in 2015, did 11% of women lose their jobs due to pregnancy discrimination? Why, globally, has one in three women experienced physical or sexual violence? Helen Pankhurst – great-granddaughter of suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst and a women’s rights campaigner – charts how women’s lives have changed over the last century. She reveals how far we still have to go and explores how we might get there. Presented in association with Bristol Festival of Ideas. £8/£6.

• stgeorgesbristol.co.uk

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Jason Manford at Colston Hall

Love Saves The Day at Eastville Park

Reef, The Wildhearts and Terrorvision Friday 25 May, 5 – 11pm, Motion The return of the Glastonbury-based rockers Reef, fronted by Gary Stringer, who first found fame in the mid ’90s. The Wildhearts, from Newcastle, mix hard rock and melodic pop, while Terrorvision are a rock band based in Bradford. Suitable for ages 14 and up, tickets £33.93; motionbristol.com VegfestUK Bristol Saturday 26 – Sunday 27 May, Ashton Gate Stadium Celebrate all things vegan as VegfestUK returns to Bristol. Enjoy stalls, food, music, talks, comedy and cookery demos throughout the weekend. The Art of Compassion Project will bring its popular vegan art exhibition to the festival, displaying and selling a pieces from vegan artists to raise funds for the League Against Cruel Sports. Advance tickets: £11/£5.50, tickets on the gate £12/£6; bristol.vegfest.co.uk Love Saves The Day Saturday 26 – Sunday 27 May, Eastville Park Bristol’s biggest music festival returns with more than 300 acts appearing across 12 stages including Fatboy Slim, Mercury Prize winner Sampha and David Rodigan MBE performing with the 25-piece Outlook Orchestra. Now in its seventh year, Love Saves The Day is one of the UK’s leading urban music festivals, combining the best of Bristol’s thriving underground with pioneering artists from across the globe; lovesavestheday.org Out of the Deep: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Tuesday 29 May, 7.30pm, Colston Hall Mirga Gražinyte-Tyla brings a gust of fresh air when she makes her highly-anticipated appearance with the CBSO. Featuring Boulanger D’un Matin de Printemps, Debussy La Mer and Mahler Symphony No 1.

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A Monster Calls Thursday 31 May – Saturday 16 June, times vary, Bristol Old Vic 13-year-old Conor and his mum have managed just fine since his dad moved to America. But now his mum’s very sick and she’s not getting any better. His grandmother can’t stop interfering and the kids at school won’t look him in the eye. Then, one night, Conor is woken by something at his window.

A monster, ancient and wild, has come walking. It’s come to tell Conor tales from when it walked before. And when it’s finished, Conor must tell his own story and face his deepest fears. Suitable for ages 10+. £39 – £7.50; bristololdvic.org.uk

NEXT MONTH Wychwood Festival 2018 Friday 1 – Sunday 3 June, Cheltenham Racecourse The UK’s favourite award-winning family festival features more than 100 acts performing across four stages, plus there’s music, dance and arts workshops, a circus school and a programme of talks, debates and comedy for all ages. The Gipsy Kings headline the programme, plus legendary kids performers Dick and Dom will be taking to the main stage for plenty of family entertainment. There’s also the option to camp overnight. Day tickets and weekend tickets available; wychwoodfestival.com BS9 Arts Trail Saturday 9 – Sunday 10 June, 11am – 5pm, locations around Stoke Bishop, Westbury-on-Trym and Henleaze Celebrating its fifth birthday! 14 venues will be open throughout the weekend for visitors to browse a high range of work by 76 artists from painting to textiles; jewellery to ceramics, and much more. Many venues will offer refreshments so you can enjoy a summer walk around BS9 exploring art and beautiful scenery with opportunities to sample delicious

food and drinks along the way. Entry to all venues is free, all ages welcome. A trail map and information on disabled access can be found at bs9arts.co.uk Pony Prom Saturday 9 June, 7pm, Bristol BAWA Club, Filton The Avon Riding Centre for the Disabled gives almost 200 people a week therapeutic riding lessons. This pony prom will help raise muchneeded funds. Featuring a three-course meal, live band, comedy, a raffle and an auction.

Tickets £35 per person. Tel: 0117 959 0266 to reserve a table.

Forest Live Thursday 14 – Sunday 17 June, Westonbirt Arboretum, Gloucestershire The popular outdoor concert season is back with a programme of artists that will surely get your toes tapping. Selling more than 29 million records worldwide and with four UK number one albums, Irish three-piece The Script will be kicking off the event on Thursday. Paul Heaton, one of the UK’s most successful songwriters, and Jacqui Abbott will take to the stage on Friday as a duo. BRITnominated and top-selling soloist Paloma Faith will be performing on Saturday, and George Ezra is scheduled for the Sunday. For tickets, tel: 03000 680400; forestry.gov.uk Skyline Series Various dates from Friday 22 June – Sunday 9 September, St Philip’s Gate, Bristol The open air concert Skyline Series features a programme of great musical acts throughout the summer including UB40 in June, 1980s girl group Bananarama in July, platinum record-selling James Arthur and Texas with Imelda May in August, and Garbage in September. Post-punk band The The will be concluding the series on 9 September.

For the full programme and tickets: seetickets.com/tour/skyline-series n

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FUNNY TURN: TAKE FIVE WITH COMEDIAN STUART GOLDSMITH • I call myself a DIY comedian because I’m building a tour without having much of a TV or radio profile. I’ve done the odd bit of telly, but I perform on the free fringe at Edinburgh, and am interested in creating the small but loyal fan base my podcast has accrued. Rather than having loads of audience members who saw me on telly once, I’ve got a smaller following who know me well, and that’s how I like it.

• I’ve had some amazing guests on my podcast show The Comedian’s Comedian recently, talking about their craft: Russell Brand, Arabella Weir, Jo Brand, Stewart Lee... I had anxiety dreams for a week before the Stewart Lee episode, mostly about ending up in his act! I put it to him that I was nervous that “the character of Stewart Lee” might look upon a comic turned interviewer with disdain, and end up doing scathing material about me, and he replied: “Yeah he might do...”

• People often ask me who I’d get to interview me for the podcast; you’d be amazed how many open mic acts offer me their services as an unbiased interviewer. The nature of the show is that I pick apart my guests answers and try to get in the cracks between them, so it would be very hard to replicate that with myself as the guest. I’ve always said if I make it to 500 episodes I’d guest on the show myself – and we’re almost halfway there.

• I’ve learnt a lot from the podcast both emotionally and technically.

A good joke has to be both surprising yet satisfying. That’s incredibly difficult to achieve; it needs to be a shock that somehow makes sense.

There’s also another layer that only the very best jokes have, where it absolutely reflects the truth of the teller’s personality, so there’s a simultaneous effect where you ‘learn’ something about their humanity that is also surprising yet satisfying at the same time. I tried to use that understanding in the writing of my new tour show – it’s ‘about’ desperation and compromise in the face of parenthood, but it’s simultaneously a load of daft jokes about blueberries, frogs, insomnia and that thing where people in movies calmly pass their hands over a dead person’s eyes and magically close them.

• Podcasting is awesome, but you can’t smell the audience from your bedroom. Comedy is a sensual art, you have to be right there in front of them to really be doing it properly – that’s why I still tour even though I can reach millions of people through a podcast… n Stuart’s stand-up tour show Like I Mean It is at the Hen & Chicken on Friday 11 May. Twitter: @ComComPod 34 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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WHAT’S ON

COMEDY VALUE We still haven’t found our socks after last year’s Bristol Comedy Garden, and 2018’s blistering line-up looks set to be just as brilliant. With a cavalcade of comics coming to Queen Square for the event’s seventh year from 6 – 10 June – plus delicious bites and beverages from local street-food heroes – you can laugh until your belly hurts then head outside the tent for a feast. Sounds like a plan to us! Here’s what we’ve earmarked for the diary...

Milton Jones

Yuriko Kotani Wednesday 6 June, 7.30pm BBC Comedy Award winner Yuriko Kotani, noted as a ‘rising star’ and ‘one to watch’ by Time Out, has so much to give.

The UK-based Japanese comedian has natural charm and could just be your next big thing.

Alan Davies Thursday 7 June, 7.30pm The resident QI genius and crime-solver Creek will be heading to the Big Top. Known as one of the best comics out there and not forgetting his virtuosic story-telling and deft silliness, there’s no telling what Alan Davies will pull out of the bag.

Alan Davies

Also look out for...

Fan of Jen Brister? She’s in town too

Milton Jones Saturday 9 June, 4.45pm The one-liner slinging, Mock The Week panellist and Live At The Apollo comedian Milton Jones will take to the stage wearing one of his finest loud shirts. Known for being truly pun-derful, Jones is sure to leave his audience gagging for more and wondering where his wardrobe came from.

Reginald D Hunter

Reginald D Hunter

Saturday 9 June, 7.45pm The multi-award winning US comic, Have I Got News For You panellist and star of BBC Two series Reginald D Hunter’s Songs of the South is heading to Bristol with his silky tones – hurray! With searingly honest and hilarious material, which has garnered ol’ Reg a fan base that spans the generations, this is a comedian renowned for being brilliantly unpredictable and spellbinding.

Yuriko Kotani Jayde Adams

Jayde Adams Sunday 10 June, 7.30pm Award-winning comedian and proud Bristolian Jayde Adams will be making an appearance in her hometown this year. One of the funniest women in the world, if you ask her hero Dawn French, Jayde’s outrageous humour is sure to be one that we’re on a level with. You can take the girl out of Bristol but we’ll want her to come straight back again.

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The fab Henning Wehn is also making an appearance

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FROM A WHISPER TO A SCREAM Robert Plant is heading for the West Country, performing with The Sensational Space Shifters during the finale weekend of The Bath Festival.

“It’s almost like a homecoming,” he tells Emma Clegg

MATURE STUDENT: He’s had many years in the sun but Robert Plant’s still learning constantly with the Sensational Shape Shifters (Image by Mads Perch)

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MUSIC

H

e christened himself a ‘golden god’ in the ’70s and has been hailed as the greatest voice in rock by many.

Robert Plant will always be etched in the collective memory as the lead singer of Led Zeppelin. But this was just an epic start to a musical journey that has seen him exploring and reinventing his oeuvre for 50 years. You can see him in his current musical milieu, performing as Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters at the Bath Festival on 27 May. Playing here is meaningful for Plant: “I’ve always thought that the Bath and Bristol area has thrown out so many amazing musicians – and three of them just happen to be in our band. There’s enough dynamism between Bristol and Bath to make it an exciting environment for us. So it’s a celebration, almost like a homecoming.”

Led Zeppelin performed at the Bath Festival of Blues and Progressive Music in Shepton Mallet in 1970. A young Michael Eavis came to the festival and later that year put on the first of what would become the Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts. “Who would have known that playing at the Bath Festival of Blues in Shepton Mallet would have had so much resonance that one sprightly farmer decided it would bring him in a bit more revenue than his Fresian herd?” marvels Plant. “In those spectacular days before there was anything like promotion, there was just a huge surge and the West Country was a great place to land – we [Led Zeppelin] played with Jefferson Airplane and went on until four in the morning back then.

There was just a kind of resonance.”

The landscape of on-stage performing has changed somewhat since then, Plant reflects. “In the late ’60s when Led Zeppelin was formed it was still a game without frontiers, as we didn’t know too much about anything. I suppose really we were one of the first bands to play in massive places like big baseball stadiums in America – it was pretty gross to be honest. But now it’s turned into this amazing collage of light show and the whole deal is now like Star Wars versus Jason and the Argonauts.”

Where does Plant most like to perform? “It’s great to be in the middle of a festival because there’s a type of hypnotism that takes place within the crowd,” he explains. “But at the same time I like the intimacy of the theatre gigs that we do. So I’m happy anywhere really. I don’t feel I have to live up or down to anything. As long as it’s working beautifully and intensely on stage, then I’m fine wherever we go.”

His current tour features his second studio album with the Sensational Space Shifters, Carry Fire. The musical influences within it are far-reaching – there’s blues, there’s folk, there are Eastern rhythms, there’s American Appalachian music and instruments such as E-bow, t’bal, and djembe. Plant explains that he has always been enriched by different genres of music: “I was drawn to the lure and the seduction of different musical scales, the scales that came from North Africa, the stuff that was not quite so much a cheery English folk song as a beautiful piece of music that was dramatic, whether it came from a beautiful Egyptian orchestra base from Cairo in 1955 or the top of the Atlas Mountains where there is a kind of country feel and the rhythm of the music is just so seductive. It’s insane.”

But how does a song harness these musical themes? “I think we’re in a particularly prolific patch as writers and players and we’d had a pretty long tour prior to the beginning of work on Carry Fire,” says Plant. “And when you are working together four or five times a week, travelling incessantly, you become more and more tuned in to the little nuances that you’ve developed during sound checks and conversations.

“If we hear a musical link that we are pleased with as we play, we mention it to the sound engineer and we get a copy of it. We stockpile pieces like that, so it was like piecing ideas together,” he continues.

“And when they suited they were in different keys and we could modulate and continue to change the keys. And in that way we created that trance-like groove that we deal as a band.”

Plant warmly recognises the contribution of the other band members: “I owe so much of what I am now to the guys I’m working with. We’ve played together in one way or another for about 15 or 16 years, so we read each other really well. Justin Adams (guitarist) is a Bath citizen and John Baggott (keyboards) and Billy Fuller (bassist) are Bristol guys and the whole deal is about this groove that we’ve got. There is no boss, really, just that kind of work and joy. I think it’s a great place for me to land in my time as a singer and writer. The effort was finding

what we all had in common – then we could just develop it without being too intense and without reaching for the stars.”

In recent years Plant has developed successful vocal collaborations with other singers such as bluegrass country singer Alison Krauss in their Grammy-award winning 2007 album Raising Sand. “I admired her work, but I had never imagined that I could sing with her, or she with me,” Plant reflects. “So when I went to Nashville I took a bunch of more rock-and-roll type things with me. I went to her house and sat on the table singing. And none of these things I could ever imagine doing in a rock band. Sitting at the table singing delicate songs.

“I think the idea of having a naked vocal with hardly any clamour around it at all was really a challenge and it was an inspiring result.”

He also worked with folk singer Patty Griffin, with whom he formed Band of Joy, and they produced a studio album of the same name in 2010. They were also romantically involved for a period and Plant credits Griffin as: “One of the most spectacular singers on the planet. She is a gospel singer, a white girl from the Canadian border and she just sings like she is bringing something down from the heavens. It’s spectacular.

“I like the idea of changing my voice to fit who I am singing with,” Plant continues. “And right now I’m singing with myself and with Billy Fuller singing behind me. And that’s different again, but it can go from a whisper to a scream – Esther Phillips once sang a song called this and that’s basically what our world is like right now.

“Topically, my gig is – apart from pushing my weight about with the other guys a bit too much – creating theme and melody. And always writing. Sometimes innuendo, sometimes irony, sometimes about the errors of my ways. And I try and use advanced topics that are in empathy with the music that we create. It’s a way away from rock, but at the same time it’s passion with a kind of muted, even more powerful explosion. It’s a night of arduous wrangling with volume. So it’s a pretty intense thing that we do and it’s loaded with power and energy so it gives me a great place to go when I want to make points from experiences in my life.”

Now 69, Plant has no plans to change his musical lifestyle, to cut back on his tours, to be less engaged in what he loves: “What is staying put but waiting for the next thing to do, you know? I live my life and if I took my foot off the gas maybe I wouldn’t be able to sing the way I am now. And if I ever thought I hadn’t got the chops the way I want them and I had to go out and fake it then it would be over. So I keep singing.”

“I’ve had many years in the sun being feted for the stuff in the past.

But I’m in fantastic company to make something special for the present and the future. I’m a mature student. That’s how I feel, I’m learning constantly, having my eyes opened all the time to more nuances in what we do. So it’s good to come back to Bath to bring it round.” ■ • bathfestivals.org.uk

THE SENSATIONAL SPACE SHIFTERS: Clockwise from top left: Dave Smith, John Baggott, Seth Lakeman, Billy Fuller, Liam Tyson, Robert Plant and Justin Adams

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BOOKS

MENTAL WEALTH From 14 – 20 May, awareness of psychological and emotional wellbeing is officially at the fore. We’re reading up on the subject with these informative literary tonics recommended to us by Charlotte Pope at Foyles

THE JOY OF DOING NOTHING,

BY RACHEL JONAT

This beautiful little book is about the importance of finding the time to simply stop being so busy. Whether it’s 10 minutes in the morning to enjoy a coffee in peace, or choosing to disconnect from your phone at mealtimes, finding a moment to step back and take time just for you is a welcome balm for your mental health.

The Joy of Doing Nothing is full of handy tips to make it possible to fit in time to do just that in a hectic day-to-day existence. Leave the workplace on your breaks and get a breath of fresh air; or choose to actually telephone someone and hear their voice rather than getting buried in texts. Rachel Jonat has produced a lovely volume that is a real wake-up call about the importance of caring for your mental health in ways that are both easy and manageable in our chaotic modern world.

REASONS TO STAY ALIVE, BY MATT HAIG

At 24 years old, Matt Haig felt like his life was spiralling. Close to ending his life, he instead asked for help.

This is the story of Matt’s arduous journey to overcome his mental illness and start living again. Through his incredibly personal story, Matt also explores how depressive illness has become almost epidemic in society, especially affecting young men like himself. Short chapters make this highly readable as well as being insightful and thought-provoking. Though at times venturing into dark territory, Reasons To Stay Alive is shot through with humour: included is a list of things that have provoked more sympathy for Matt than his depression (eating a poisoned prawn, eczema, living in Hull in January). This is a book of hope, of courage and of finding your place in the world again. A valuable read whether you have experience of depressive illness or not.

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BECAUSE WE ARE BAD,

BY LILY BAILEY

From a young age, Lily Bailey had an imaginary friend. It wasn’t the kind of friend that most children had: she couldn't imagine it away. It was only as an adult, that Lily learned the friend was called OCD. Keeping her condition a secret, Lily was convinced that she was “bad” and that her terrible actions had caused all sorts of horrible things to happen. By the age of 13, she was certain she had killed someone with a thought. Only a sequence of bizarre secret routines could correct her wrongdoing, but they never seemed to be enough. Because We Are Bad is an honest, brutal account of what it is like to live with obsessive compulsive disorder. If you or a loved one has the condition and would like to know more about it, this book is a good place to start.

HOW TO BE HUMAN: THE MANUAL, BY RUBY WAX

We are no longer cave dwellers, and we can happily amble along on two legs: we are the product of four billion years of evolution. We won the “evolutionary Hunger Games”, as Ruby puts it, so surely we should be the happiest species around? Yet most of us aren’t. Comedian Ruby Wax, who also holds a master’s degree in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy from Oxford, is well-versed in the world of our dwindling mental health. She has always been very open about her own struggles with depression, and is a proud advocate for mental health awareness. Written with a monk and a neuroscientist, How To Be Human explains that our fast-paced modern culture could be the culprit for our problems. This book is a clever instruction manual on how to upgrade your mind to keep up with the rest of the planet.

DEPRESSION,

BY WILLIAM STYRON

Documenting William Styron’s battles with severe depression, this slim little volume is a relatively quick read that holds a powerful story. An accomplished and skilled writer, Styron went from writing novels to composing his own suicide note. The book, originally published as Darkness Visible, is part memoir, part reportage as Styron examines his own mental anguish, while theorising and investigating why the condition often affects other writers and creatives. Styron’s description of the darkness that lurked in his brain is vivid and, at times, painful to read. For anyone who has experience of the illness, this book is a reminder that they are not alone in their experiences. Styron was eventually hospitalised and overcame his depression: the book is not only a memoir of melancholy, but a message of hope.

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LITERATURE

NATURAL BORN BOOKWORM When Lucy Mangan was little, stories were everything – opening up new worlds and casting light on all the complexities she encountered in this one. Here she shares her thoughts on her new book and the reading experiences it celebrates

A “

few years ago,” says Lucy Mangan, “I wrote a weekly column reminiscing about individual books that were my childhood favourites.

“The column was inspired by a good friend of mine – a wonderful parent, confident, highly educated and so on – who said she was terrified of choosing books for her children.

She hadn’t been much of a reader and didn’t know where to begin. That was quite a revelation, and made me think that I might have some useful information to impart to people.”

Lucy’s latest work, Bookworm, sees her revisiting her childhood reading, reliving bestloved books, their creators, and the endless subtle ways they shape our lives. The book is aimed at reminiscing adults rather than younger readers, but – knowing that she would have loved to have read about the books she was reading from quite early on – Lucy thinks it could also appeal to teenagers, although they might, she admits, need to be “hardcore bookworms”…

There is a quote included in the book from philosopher and psychologist Riccardo Manzotti: “The more you read, the more locks and keys you have”. Lucy explains: “This describes the process of reading and rereading as creating both the locks and the keys with which to open them; it shows you an area of life you didn’t know was there and starts to give you the tools with which to decipher it. I think it works at a linguistic and emotional level.

“So, for example, when I first read in one of my Beverly Cleary books that ‘Ramona chewed a hangnail as painful as her thoughts,’ I was introduced to a new language construction and shown how to use it. And when I read End of

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Term by Antonia Forest, and Lawrie begins an internal monologue delving down into the various layers of motivation she has in agreeing to swap with her twin sister for an upcoming netball match, that opened up a whole new hinterland and showed me how to pursue it too.”

The emotional impact of Lucy’s reading journey is clear throughout: “Any kind of book has the potential to change you in some way.

That’s one of the most wonderful things about reading – you never know what someone is going to get out of a book. The bit that blew

my mind when reading Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH wasn’t the idea of superintelligent rats being bred in a secret laboratory – it was Nicodemus talking to Mrs Frisby about how they live compared to humans. Nicodemus says: ‘A rat civilisation would probably never have built skyscrapers, since rats prefer to live underground. But think of the endless subwaysbelow-subways-below-subways they would have had.’

“And a veil was lifted. The world I lived in wasn’t preordained, or immutable or, indeed,

even anything special. Just human. Built and organised for us, by us, developed to serve our needs. I was just about catatonic with shock.”

Asked to choose a stand-out book from her childhood selection, Lucy is categorical: “I just can’t. I have nightmares about being forced to flee my burning house with only one book.

Don’t make me do this. I could probably get it down to a top 30 but I’d hate to try.

“Bookworms and readers are born, not made,” she maintains. “I do say in my book that to be a bookworm is an extreme state, and as with almost all extreme states, there are downsides. I feel very much that I’ve done my duty by my son, who shows no bookworm tendencies, because he has every opportunity to become as much of one as he can and wants to be, and that’s the very best I can do for him in any field of endeavour. And he does read. It just doesn’t utterly consume him as it did me. My heart feels this is deeply wrong, but my head knows it’s not.

“I would like to write for children, but it is a great and specific talent to write well for young readers and I am too frightened to try.

They find you out very quickly, as they should.”

Finally, what advice would Lucy give to her five-year-old self on reading? The answer is simple: “Carry on. It’s all you’re going to be good at.” n • Lucy Mangan talks about her new book at the Assembly Rooms in Bath on 19 May at 5pm. £10/£9 concessions. To book tel: 01225 463362; bathfestivals.org.uk Below, left to right: Three of the books that featured large in Lucy Mangan’s childhood, and her recently published book Bookworm: A Memoir of Childhood Reading (Square Peg, £14.99)

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EXHIBITIONS

STATE OF THE ART Bristol Savages Exhibition, Red Lodge, until 12 May

See the work of Tim Wilmot among many other members

Spring exhibition, Coldharbour Gallery until 31 May Fresh spring colour fills the gallery as it continues its seasonal wildflower theme. Local artist Lorna Rankin is a welcome new addition to the group of gallery regulars, with her colourful, contemporary prints and paintings of Bristol and beyond – many of which are inspired by local gardens and countryside walks. Also new in is jewellery by Sue Rees, featuring cow parsley and seed head motifs in a range of bright colours.

Sculptor Christine Baxter also makes a timely return with her latest pieces for the garden, including a pair of new iron resin hares.

Bristol Aspect by Lorna Rankin

• coldharbourgallery.co.uk

Ian Humphreys, Lime Tree Gallery, 3 – 26 May Since 1979, Ian Humphreys has exhibited widely both nationally and internationally, including the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition and the Hunting Prize, winning second prize in 1998.

He has also been represented at art fairs throughout the world.

This month Lime Tree Gallery is hosting a solo exhibition of his new paintings. “My current work is a direct response to living on the coastline of West Cork, Ireland,” he says of it. “Sea, sky, tide, the changeable and vibrant weather and light, space and paint are the timeless elements that are the essence of my paintings.”

• limetreegallery.com

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After Picking Periwinkles

by Ian Humphreys

There is a wigwam on Park Row – an extension to the Elizabethan Red Lodge that was built in the garden in 1919 – but not many people know about it because for most of the year it’s closed to the public.

In the spring, it becomes an art gallery, and from 28 April all are welcome to view original paintings and drawings – all of which are for sale – by the artist members of Bristol Savages club.

The wigwam was created in the style of a medieval tithe barn to be a meeting place where Bristol artists could meet and work together. This creative fellowship still thrives to this day, and the Bristol Savages society now includes creative performers – singers, musicians, magicians and poets – who entertain their fellow members in the wigwam every Wednesday night. The artist members come together at the same time and are given a subject for the night, chosen by the chairman, to draw or paint in just two hours.

These ‘sketches’ are then displayed and sold to fellow members. The ability to create a finished sketch in a short time is a strict discipline which artists who aspire to join the Savages must demonstrate before their election. Head to the wigwam to see their stuff!

• info@bristol-savages.org

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IAN HUMPREYS 3 - 26 May 2018

A solo exhibition of new paintings

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

Tel 0117 929 2527 • www.limetreegallery.com

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EXHIBITIONS

Tribe, Fox Talbot Museum at Lacock, until 20 May

Silence © Emma Powell/Kristen Hoving

With 2018 being the centenary of women’s suffrage, the National Trust is celebrating this with events revolving around the theme of women and power.

Lori Vrba, a North Carolina-based photographer and curator, has created an exhibition in a range of styles and techniques that reflect photography as it is being practiced today. “Our work is feminine without apology,” she explains. “We are drawn to that romantic notion of storytelling, memory, nostalgia, the natural world and family. As artists, we come together within our medium for inspiration, collaboration, postulation, and celebration.

“This connection provides a deep well of power that we as makers are strengthened and sustained by. It is our commitment to Tribe that not only elevates the work itself but keeps us moving to the lunar rhythms of a passionate and sensitive creative life.”

• nationaltrust.org.uk/lacock

Sawdust and Sequins, RWA, until 3 June Bristol once had six permanent circuses and today is home to more companies than any other UK city – a hub for ground-breaking, contemporary performance. To celebrate 250 years of circus, this exhibition pays homage to ‘the greatest show on Earth’. See historic and contemporary art inspired by the magic, thrills and spills of the Big Top. Since it began, circus has become a worldwide phenomenon and rich source of inspiration for artists. From historical depictions of familiar circus scenes to contemporary works exploring the glamour and grit, ‘Sequins and Sawdust’ surveys the complex, compelling nature of circus and why it still captures imaginations. Enjoy works by Peter Blake, PJ Crook and Simon Quadrat as well as new commissions by Sadie Tierney and Susie Hamilton. The show will include historic works by Dame Laura Knight, Edward Seago, Walter Sickert and Thérèse Lessore plus Peter Lavery’s intimate, tell-all portraits.

Clowns’ Dressing Room by Henry Hoyland © Royal Academy of Arts

• rwa.org.uk

● Cara Romero, Rainmaker Gallery, until 31 May; Native American art symposium, University of Bristol, 6 June Raised on the Chemehuevi Valley Indian reservation in the heart of the Mojave Desert, Cara Romero is a born visual storyteller with a unique ability to illuminate and communicate subtle and complex perspectives on contemporary Indigenous life. She invites us all to marvel at the beauty, colours and textures of her worldview and understand some of the challenges that face Indigenous communities across the continent. Through a variety of intimate portraits and playful images, her exhibition offers an authentic view of Indigenous identities, cultures and landscapes.

Members of the public who are interested in Native American art are also invited to attend a one-day symposium on the subject on 6 June at Bristol University’s Department of Anthropology and Archaeology. The keynote speaker will be Native American artist Marla Allison (Laguna Pueblo) and the symposium will end with the official opening of her exhibition ‘Painter from the Desert’ at the Rainmaker Gallery.

• rainmakerart.co.uk; research.kent.ac.uk/beyondthespectacle/events

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Jackrabbit Cottontail

by Cara Romero

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Free Jewellery Valuation Day at Clevedon Salerooms

Diamond Ring

Cartier Brooch

Rolex Ref: 8171

Sapphire Ring

£30,000

£23,500

£69,000

£6,600

Clevedon Salerooms will be holding a FREE no-obligation Specialist Jewellery, Watch, Silver & Gold Valuation Day at the Salerooms on Thursday 10th May between 10am – 4pm. Clevedon Salerooms Specialist Valuers, Gemmologist John Kelly FGA, watch specialist Marc Burridge ASFAV and Toby Pinn MRICS will be providing free no-obligation verbal estimates with the 7th June Specialist Sale in mind. These Specialist Sales attract international interest.

For more information contact the salerooms on 01934 830111 or visit www.clevedon-salerooms.com

Thursday 10th May 10am-4pm --------------------------------------------------

Held at Clevedon Salerooms, Kenn Road, Kenn, Clevedon, BS21 6TT Every lot, in every auction, illustrated and sold with live internet bidding

Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers The Auction Centre Kenn Road, Kenn Clevedon, BS21 6TT

Tel: 01934 830111 www.clevedon-salerooms.com

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PHOTOGRAPHY

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PHOTOGRAPHY

NO MAN’S LAND A new exhibition at Bristol Cathedral charts the First World War from the rare viewpoint of women who experienced the conflict first hand

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n the final year of commemorations to mark the centenary of the First World War, Bristol Cathedral has opened its largest ever exhibition as part of its remembrance events. No Man’s Land offers a rarely-seen female perspective on what took place, featuring images taken by women who worked as nurses, ambulance drivers and official photographers, as well as modern-day artists and soldiers directly inspired by the historic conflict.

Despite being unable to fight in the armed forces, many women volunteered to help the war effort by travelling overseas between 1914 and 1918, some working directly in war zones while coming under regular fire. Many would assume that the majority of the photographic evidence we have from the First World War was captured by male soldiers or photojournalists, however this exhibition demonstrates how women also recorded their wartime experiences – much of the time harrowing, but also capturing moments of hilarity in a time of sheer desperation and terror.

Main image, opposite: Photograph by Alison Baskerville Contemporary photographer Alison Baskerville is a former soldier and military photographer who served for 12 years with the RAF in various conflict zones such as Iraq.

Her collection of imagery demonstrates an insider’s perspective on women’s experiences in the armed forces. In a new commission made specially for No Man’s Land, Baskerville has been directly inspired by war photographer Olive Edis to make a series of portraits of present-day women in the British Army. The roles of the subjects range from logistics to frontline combat medics to artillery gunners. Many of the images were made while Baskerville was based with the army in Afghanistan, sponsored by the Royal British Legion. She has produced a series of illuminated digital autochromes – a contemporary version of the early 20th-century colour process pioneered by Olive Edis – which make a striking counterpoint in the exhibition to Bristol Cathedral’s stained glass windows featuring war workers.

Opposite page: Alex from Soldier, 2011–16 © Alison Baskerville This page, right: Mairi Chisholm, Irene ‘Winkie’ Gartside-Spaight in No Man’s Land, c1916 © National Library of Scotland

No Man’s Land’s highlights include some never-before-exhibited frontline images by nurses Mairi Chisholm and Florence Farmborough; photographs by Olive Edis, the UK’s first female official photographer sent to a war zone; and new work by contemporary photographer and former soldier Alison Baskerville.

Having been initially exhibited at Impressions Gallery in Bradford, Bristol Cathedral will be the only host in the South West for this travelling exhibition, open until 1 July 2018, before it moves to The Turnpike in Leigh and Bishop Auckland Town Hall. To coincide with this, the cathedral is offering people the chance to create their own picture postcards to send to their loved ones, inspired by those sent by people during the First World War. ‘From Bristol, With Love’ photo booths will be on College Green on 19 May, 10am – 2pm, and 31 May, 10am – noon, for people to make these personal postcards.

Here we take a closer look at some of the women behind the cameras and the photographs featured in the exhibition…

Above: Photograph by Mairi Chisholm Unconventional motorcyclist-turned-ambulance driver Mairi Chisholm (1896–1981) was just 18 when she volunteered as a driver for The Flying Ambulance Corps with her friend Elsie Knocker.

The two women set up their own independent first-aid post in the cellar of a bombed-out house in Pervyse, a village in West Flanders. Over the course of the war they ran several first-aid posts in abandoned buildings in the area. Using a snapshot camera, they recorded their intense life under fire, just yards from the trenches until 1918, when they returned home after being poisoned in a gas attack. Chisholm and Knocker became known as ‘The Madonnas of Pervyse’ for their work, and were photographed by official photographers for national newspapers in Britain, France and Belgium.

The images on display in the exhibition, drawn from Chisholm’s personal photo albums, record her exuberance and humour in the midst of great suffering. The image above shows Irene ‘Winkie’ Gartside-Spaight, who was a volunteer in The Flying Ambulance Corps, standing on top of a tank in no man’s land in 1916. The corps was established in August 1914 by Dr Hector Munro who advertised for ‘adventurous young women to equip an ambulance unit for service in Belgium’. ➲ THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

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PHOTOGRAPHY

Left: Photograph by Olive Edis A pioneer of her day, Olive Edis (1876-1955) is thought to be one of the first female photographers to be sent into an area of conflict in the world. A successful businesswoman, inventor, and high-profile portraitist, Edis photographed all types of people from prime ministers to suffragettes. In 1918 she was commissioned by the Women’s Work Subcommittee of the Imperial War Museum to photograph the British Army’s auxiliary services in France and Flanders. Edis took her large studio camera on the road, often developing her photographic plates in makeshift darkrooms in hospital x-ray units. Her skilfully-composed images show the invaluable contributions of female engineers, telegraphists, commanders and surgeons at the time. Reflecting on her war photography, Edis said: “I felt very pleased that a woman should get that chance [to photograph] – it was hardly to be expected that they would allow a woman on the fighting line, but I had come in as soon as possible.”

Miss Minns, Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service, matron of a hospital on the quay at Le Havre, France, 1919 © IWM (Q8051), by Olive Edis

Below: Photograph by Chloe Dewe Mathews Shot at Dawn is a photography collection by contemporary artist Chloe Dewe Mathews focusing on the British, French and Belgian troops who were executed for cowardice and desertion between 1914 and 1918, many of whom were suffering from mental illnesses caused by the horrors of trench warfare. Her large-scale colour photographs depict the sites where soldiers were shot or held in the period leading up to their execution. All are seasonally accurate and were taken as close as possible to the precise time of day at which the executions occurred, showing places forever altered by traumatic events. The image featured below shows the spot where Private Henry Hughes was shot dead in Belgiumin April 1918.

Russian Cossack troops in winter uniforms outside their accommodation huts © IWM (Q98429), by Florence Farmborough

Above: Photograph by Florence Farmborough Nurse and amateur photographer Florence Farmborough (18871978) documented her incredible experiences with the Russian Red Cross on the border of Galicia (present-day Ukraine and Poland). Florence was a governess to a Russian family before the conflict, but when war was declared she became a surgical nurse, working very close to the fighting on the Eastern Front. At a time when the British press avoided publishing explicit images, Farmborough photographed the horrific consequences of war, including corpses lying in battlefields. Her images of Cossack soldiers, makeshift field tents, and Christmas in an old dug-out, offer rarely-seen views of the Eastern Front before she fled the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917 and returned to the UK. Commandant Johnson and two other women of the General Service Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) Motor Convoy outside Nissen Huts, Abbeville, France, 1919 © IWM (Q8036), by Olive Edis

No Man’s Land is curated by Dr Pippa Oldfield and is a co-production by Impressions Gallery, The Turnpike, Bristol Cathedral and Bishop Auckland Town Hall. Supported using public money from National Lottery Arts Council England Strategic Touring. Admission is free, all welcome. n

Private Henry Hughes 05.50 / 10.4.1918, Klijtebeek stream, Dikkebus, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen

• bristol-cathedral.co.uk 50 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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21ST-CENTURY BRISTOL

SHARE & SHARE ALIKE At one time, the most you’d borrow from a neighbour would probably be the classic cup of sugar, but now making use of everything from under-utilised local parking spaces and cute camper vans to property, practical skills and surplus foodie produce is becoming the norm, thanks to the modern economic model that is the private asset sharing system

P

eer-to-peer platforms – part of the sharing economy phenomenon – are popping up left, right and centre; creating seemingly win-win situations that offer decent value.

It involves using internet technologies to connect groups of people and organisations to make better use of goods, skills, services, capital and spaces.

There are still creases to be ironed out here and there – the system is, of course, based on trusting other human beings which can always prove problematic, especially when dealing with prized possessions such as your own home. Still it’s a fastgrowing trend and plenty of people in plenty of places have plenty of faith in its economically, socially and environmentally beneficial potential and continued place in society.

It seems there’s a sharing angle or opportunity to almost every aspect of our lives, and whether its idle items and places in question; skills exchanges or keeping fit while helping the community; more regulations and codes of conduct are being put in place to protect consumers traversing this relatively unknown territory, as well as hosts and suppliers.

Here’s a look at a few of the many platforms out there – some you may well know about and some you may be keen to try for the first time.

1

FOR: THE PARKING PROBLEM

We reckon most Bristolians would agree that traffic and parking make up one of the biggest bugbears when it comes to living in this covetable, top-of-thepolls city.

To combat the parking part – one of the most difficult and dysfunctional aspects of modern city life, with lack of availability, high prices and increasing restrictions adding to daily frustration – the likes of Park On My Drive, Just Park and Your Parking Space have provided places to seek out spare private spots to borrow when in need. Uber-like Bristol business Slide is also helping those who’d rather not negotiate parking in any way whatsoever, with a very affordable shared ride-to-work service that we, personally, use a heck of a lot!

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Rather than sitting idle on the driveway, toocute-to-keep-to-yourself campers are now being rented out by owners who want to share the love and make some extra income

Combating the city’s parking problem are services such as Slide and sites like Park On My Drive

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2

FOR: PUPLESS INDIVIDUALS

It’s the introduction of ideas like Borrow My Doggy to the mainstream that, to us, demonstrate the very best side of the internet. It’s a trusted online community where Bristol dog owners can find volunteer dog sitters who are local, flexible and want to walk and help take care of dogs just because they love them, rather than for payment. Affordable and safe, it vets (pun intended) and verifies before connecting but essentially the only qualification volunteers need is a love of man’s best friend. If you have a dog, you create an owner profile; if you want to borrow one, you create a borrower profile.

Simples. Based on your location and preferences (e.g. availability) the site will throw up furry friends and humans near you to get in touch with. All that’s left to do is connect, meet up and make doggy-related dreams come true…

Rupert the cockapoo is one of many happy canine customers at Borrow My Doggy

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FOR: A CHANGE OF SCENE

While Airbnb has transformed the way people holiday and become a worldwide go-to for home-sharing (though there are plenty of similar sites including Homestay, backpacker fave Couchsurfing and Culture Go Go – which connects those who want to travel with those who want to practise English.

We’ve loved the idea of an actual home swap since Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet’s characters exchanged lives in The Holiday – which you can do via the like of Love Home Swap, for example, and The Guardian even has its own platform for it.

Alternatively, if you want a change of scene professionally – need a place to host a meeting, interview or exhibition for example? – workspaces are even being shared now via the likes of Headbox and Vrumi.

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Airbnb has changed the way we holiday, and plenty of similar sites have sprung up since – you can even hire a workspace now if you fancy a change of scene professionally

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FOR: ROADTRIPPING ASPIRATIONS

Bristol-born Quirky Campers hooks up those who fancy a road trip with van owners who aren’t using their mobile accommodation

On average, the purchase of a motorhome costs £50,000 – a big investment that not everyone can afford. To enable van owners to benefit from the boom in camping tourism, camper hire sites such as Yescapa and Bristol-born outfit Quirky Campers have popped up to offer van owners – whose vehicle may end up sitting on the driveway or in the garage for a fair bit of the year – a simple and trusted opportunity to make the most of their motorhome when it would otherwise be standing idle. It’s also a way for those considering a campervan to try out the lifestyle and roadtrip holiday format and see whether it’s for them before taking the plunge and buying one outright.

Helpfulpeeps’ Saf and Simon

5

FOR: SKILL-SHARING

San Franciscan service sharing platform and on-demand workforce company TaskRabbit has launched in Bristol, connecting consumers with skilled ‘Taskers’ to handle services including assembling furniture, moving and delivering items, home improvements and deep cleaning – backed up by a ‘happiness guarantee’. In return, the Taskers – independent contractors who task when they want, where they want and at rates they set – find meaningful economic opportunities for income. “When I have free time I can accept jobs I feel I’m suitable for, earning extra money on top of my existing work which is great,” says Darren Keene, Tasker since July 2015. “I have a wide skill set so can upsell my services to the lovely clients and often end up completing additional jobs that are outside of the original task.”

Helpfulpeeps – on a mission to bring back community spirit in the digital age – is slightly different in that there’s no transaction required, it’s just good old-fashioned community help in exchange for, well, good karma basically. A community of over 10,000 people – helping each other, as well as local charities, on a daily basis – has been built up in Bristol. Then there’s GoodGym, which offers Bristol a philanthropy-meets-fitness channel, allocating members a running route that includes an errand along the way. From hanging curtains for Mr H because he can’t manage it on his own, to visiting isolated individuals or shovelling compost for the food growers group so they can grow vegetables, every GoodGym run is different, except for the continued thread of positive impact.

‘Taskers’ assemble furniture, deliver items, deep clean...

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FOR: THE FOODWASTE CONSCIOUS

Bristol-born Olio is a free app connecting neighbours with each other and with local shops and cafés to share surplus food instead of throwing it away. It can be food nearing its sell-by date in local stores, spare home-grown vegetables or eggs from those with a brood of chickens out back, bread from the baker, or the groceries left in your fridge when you go away – and the app can be used for non-food household items too.

While it launched in London’s Crouch End, where co-founder Saasha Celestial-One already had a strong network, the app was developed here by Simpleweb. “As Olio was made in Bristol, we were incredibly excited to launch here,” said Olio’s other cofounder, Tessa Cook. “We’ve been overwhelmed by the positive support we’ve had from Bristolians. Using Olio is fun, easy and for everyone, and together we can solve the terrible problem of good food being thrown away. Collectively – one rescued cupcake, carrot or bottle of lotion at a time – we can build a more sustainable future where our most precious resources are shared.”

To make an item available, you open the app, add a photo, description and when and where the item is available for pick-up; while to access items, browse listings available near you, request what takes your fancy and arrange a pick-up via private messaging.

Freshly laid ‘imperfect’ eggs surely trump uniform supermarket ones

7

FOR: THE FASHIONISTAS

The sharing economy is theatening fast fashion in favour of the idea of garments that live a little longer – meaning, basically, some folk are forgoing ownership in the interest of the more environmentally friendly lending and borrowing of threads. It’s also an affordable way to refesh their ‘look’ on a regular basis.

Some sites such as Fashion Bloodhound, born in nearby Bath, specialise in selling preloved designer items (a bit like Mary Portas – see p22 – but online), while the likes of fashion rental sites Girl Meets Dress, Chic by Choice, Dream Wardrobe and Hire the Catwalk take on the role of the owner in the basic sharing economy model and offer shoppers the chance to wear attire they might normally struggle to afford or justify financially, with their post-out

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hire services. Peer-to-peer platform RentezVous links fashionistas so they can borrow from each other – and now also takes a security deposit and offers a free dry cleaning option in reponse to initial feedback and teething problems after it launched.

Closer to home, Bristol Textile Recyclers has ‘salvage’ events which see visitors rummage through its tonnes of discarded textiles; and venues like The Greenbank and Hamilton House have hosted clothes swap evenings in the past. We hear of private groups that run them regularly too – everyone brings wine! – so have a hunt on social media for ‘sharewear’ opportunities.

As New York’s Rent the Runway says; “access is the new ownership”... ■

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ADVERTORIAL FEATURE

www.taskrabbit.co.uk

Use code WELCOME to receive £10 o ff your first task

Tackle your to-do list with a few simple clicks

P

eople of Bristol, we have some exciting news to share! To-do lists will soon be a thing of the past thanks to TaskRabbit! What’s TaskRabbit you ask? It’s the answer to those tasks you’ve been putting off; a platform where people in the community can fulfil tasks for you, big or small. Neighbours helping neighbours, all done at a price you can afford and at a time that’s convenient for you.

Through the app, Taskers connect with Clients to handle everyday needs such as furniture assembly, moving and packing, general handyman work, and other home improvement services. Now there’s no excuse to not to do away with those to-do’s -- leaving you to dust off your shorts and make the most of those few warm days we call the British summertime with the people you love.

Taskers are independent contractors who task when they want, where they want, and at rates they set. Trust and safety is TaskRabbit’s top priority. Therefore, all Taskers undergo an extensive vetting and registration process before joining the Community. So what are you waiting for? We know what we’ll be doing this weekend!

How it works...

1 : DESCRIBE THE TASK Choose from a variety of services and select the day and time you'd like a skilled Tasker to show up. Fill in the details and they'll find you the help!

2 : GET MATCHED Select from a list of skilled and fully vetted Taskers for the job. Choose Taskers by their profile, reviews, and hourly rate, and start chatting with them right in the app.

3 : GET IT DONE Just like that, your Tasker arrives and gets the job done!

When your task is complete, payment will happen seamlessly and securely through the app.

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THEM APPLES Somerset cidermaker Thatchers is now a huge, multimillion pound business that has done the region proud internationally. Here, the team tells us a little about how the process has changed while retaining its age-old values. Words by Penny Adair

Last year they planted 25,000 new trees and this year they have added a further seven acre’s worth says orchard manager Chris Muntz-Torres

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FOOD & DRINK

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andering round the pretty orchards at Myrtle Farm in Sandford, you really get a sense of the peace and tranquillity in this quiet corner of Somerset, tucked away at the foot of the Mendip Hills. The trees within the 500 acres of orchard that bear fruit for Thatchers’ ciders are currently preparing to bloom, and once the beautiful spectacle of blossom appears, it won’t be long before those red, rosy apples begin to take shape.

Growing apples for cider is a long-term business – a tree doesn’t crop fully until it’s around six or seven years old – so within the Thatchers orchards you see a mix of more mature trees, and those that have recently been planted, something that the family cidermaker does every year.

Chris Muntz-Torres is the orchard manager. “To keep up with demand for our ciders,” he says, “it’s important that we plant trees every year, and that happens in the early spring. Last year we planted around 25,000 new trees, this year we’ve put in about another seven acres in and around Myrtle Farm. It’s always a great time of year for us – we ask staff to come and join us with the planting and it’s a real opportunity for them to experience the orchards first hand.”

Once July and August come around, the orchards look a very different place with the apples in full growth. By September, harvest has started. As the apples leave the orchards and make their way to the Myrtle Farm mill, so the air is filled with the beautiful apple aroma, so evocative of harvest season. Each year around 500 tonnes of apples are pressed every day at Myrtle Farm, apples arriving not just from Thatchers’ own orchards in trailer loads, but also from other expert apple growers throughout the region.

“Growing apples is a bit like growing grapes for wine – different varieties grow well in different soil conditions,” adds Chris. “As a cidermaker, we have preferred apple varieties that we choose and with the West Country such a hot spot for cidermaking, we favour many traditional local apples – Somerset Redstreak being just one.

“One thing we insist on with our growers is that the apples are of the absolute highest quality. We work with them throughout the year and when the apples arrive at Myrtle Farm each batch is tested. The growers are rewarded for quality, so we know we’re getting the best.”

Thatchers has been making cider in Sandford since 1904, when William Thatcher started to make cider for his farm workers from the apples he grew in his own orchards. Then of course, the apples were picked by hand, and over the years, as in almost all walks of life, technology has taken over, with mechanical apple harvesters now the order of the day.

While there are some elements of the cidermaking that have stayed exactly the same – maturing it in oak vats, serving it straight from the barrel in Thatchers’ Cider Shop, and the essential personal expertise of the cidermakers, especially when it comes to the weekly Friday tasting – now highly tech-led elements are part and parcel of the making and packaging process. From the temperature controlled stainless steel fermenting tanks to the brand new, intelligent canning line that even has cameras to check the cans are all facing the right way in their packs, the latest tech now plays an important role.

“Nothing can replace the expertise of our cidermakers developing new ciders, new tastes and styles,” says Martin Thatcher, who’s the fourth generation of the cidermaking family to be at the helm. “We work with the technology to help us create the best tasting ciders that are available all year round, at a consistent quality, that we’re able to supply to customers not just throughout the UK, but increasingly all over the world. It’s so important to embrace what’s new while retaining all those amazing benefits of being a cidermaker with well over a hundred years of heritage.”

Creating new and exciting ciders is a huge part of the ethos. In 2017 Thatchers was awarded two international prizes for its single variety Redstreak Cider, a specialist cider within its Cider Barn range – named ‘supreme champion’ in the International Cider Challenge, and the ‘world’s best sparkling cider’. “We have to keep looking ahead and creating new and innovative ciders that people will want to keep buying,” Martin adds. “So to have been recognised by our cidermaking peers for Redstreak has, indeed, been a huge accolade.”

• Redstreak and the rest of Thatchers’ ciders are available from the cider shop at Myrtle Farm – book a guided tour to find out more at thatcherscider.co.uk

A favourite of ours: Thatchers Katy

Fourth-gen cidermaker Martin taste testing

Apple tree blossom at Myrtle Farm

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THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 59

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FOOD & DRINK

At the moment, 1847’s most popular dish is the courgette and quinoa fritter with spinach puree, cashew cheese and tenderstem broccoli – vibrant!

SO FRESH & SO GREEN One of Britain’s fastest growing lifestyle movements is the talk of the town, says Sarah Merson

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ncreasingly, and as a general rule, society is becoming more discerning about following a healthy and even ethically sound diet. It’s no wonder then that the number of vegans in the UK has risen in recent years. In fact, in a poll by the Vegan Society in 2016, it was estimated that the number of people adopting a plant-based diet in Britain had increased by 350% in 10 years, taking the total to 542,000.

And Bristol, with a growing number of plant-powered eateries, is fast evolving to become one of the most vegan-friendly cities in the country. It doesn’t stop at restaurants either – from producers of dairy-free cheese to specialist pies, Bristol has a lot of options for the herbivores among us.

Cafés, restaurants, pop-ups • Just outside of Clifton Down Shopping Centre sits the inconspicuous Spotless Leopard van, which serves quick, artisan food for workers and locals looking to grab a quick bite to eat. “I started the business in 2012 when I’d just finished my degree and had been vegan for about three years,” explains founder Louise Abel. “I wanted to create a job for myself which aligned with my ethics and for me, to be an ethical business there was no way I could have animal products on the menu. Most of our customers aren’t vegan though, they are regulars who just enjoy the food and work nearby.

But when someone’s really excited or has travelled far, it’s always obvious that they’re vegan. Our most popular dishes are probably the lentil, bean and mixed seed burger in a wrap or the ‘chilli noncarne’ which is served with brown rice, avocado and tortilla chips. I personally think the best dishes are the macaroni cheese or the tempeh Reuben sandwich, but I can’t seem to convince people to give up their regular orders!”

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• With a life-long dream of sharing healthy food, the owners of Fi Real, on West Street in Old Market, were among the first in Bristol to offer a largely vegan menu when they opened their doors in May 2014. The restaurant holds up to 25 diners but caters for takeaway as well. Based on Caribbean food, the ethos here is that whether vegetarian or vegan, you need not sacrifice taste or variety.

• It was the co-owners of East Bristol Bakery in Easton who first had the inspiration for Flow Bristol in 2015. Acting as head chef since early 2016, Jen Williams recently took over the restaurant, which serves a selection of small tapas-like plates, around a third of which are vegan. “The current favourite is our buttermilk twiglets – marmite glazed and served with a set smoked cheddar custard – which are truly delicious” she says. “Customers are also loving our vegan mushroom dish; locally grown mushrooms with lentils, tempura samphire, sea herbs and a mushroom broth foam.” At this inclusive, city-centre eatery, found on Haymarket Walk, an estimated 15% of customers are vegan, with around 40% vegetarian and the rest omnivore.

• Over on St Stephens Street, 1847 takes things a step further with 85% of their menu now vegan. “With the entire kitchen staff being vegan, we really put heart and soul into every dish we create and with so many ideas, we change the menu quarterly to keep it fresh and interesting for all,” says head chef, Jilisa Barnaby. At the moment the most popular dish is the courgette and quinoa fritter with spinach puree, cashew cheese and tenderstem broccoli.

Although approximately half of their customers are vegan, they appeal to plenty of ominvores too.

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• Matter Fast Foods, opened just over a year ago on Fishponds Road, is dedicated to serving fish and chips with a twist – no animal products are used. The vegan ‘fish’ is made using fried tofu, and a popular pudding choice is the deep-fried jackfruit balls. “We opened a vegan restaurant because we wanted to help develop the infrastructure in an under-served plant based community,” says owner Jon Luke. “We appeal to all types of eaters with popular dishes like tofish and chips and Chinese stir fry, as well as the Bristol version of Temple of Hackney’s vegan fried chicken and our sweet-and-sour jack fruit balls which are a play on sweet-andsour pork balls). We don’t just do junk food though, we also serve salads and vegetables. Everything is made from scratch and we use organic ingredients sourced from our mother shop, Matter Wholefoods.

With any success we hope to branch out into other areas of the country, and set up new ventures working with nature and people to increase vegan awareness and help improve environmental issues.”

• Perhaps the latest opening (end of February) on the vegan scene is independent, grassroots grown, 100% vegan café-bar, Roots Lounge Bristol on St Nicholas Street, serving coffee, tea, soft drinks and some lunches. But such is the rise in veganism that restaurant chains including Pizza Express, Zizzi and Pizza Hut are offering vegan cheese and places like Wagamama provide a separate vegan menu. The Real Greek is perhaps among the latest to jump on the plant-powered bandwagon, with their 30-dish dedicated vegan menu that launched at the end of March.

We can’t believe it’s not Camembert! Nutgrove Kitchen’s dairy-free Calvaire cheese

Plant-based producers • Vegan since 2010, Jonathan Chenoweth founded Nutgrove Kitchen in 2017, specialising in Somerset-made, dairy-free cheeses and operating out of Southville. “We started making our own vegan cheese as we couldn’t find any on the market that we liked the taste of, so we thought we could do better!” he says. “I’d been developing cheese-making recipes for about two years before I really perfected it. Our cheese is cultured, fermented and matured, using a similar process to how dairy cheese is traditionally made, and that gives it a delicious cheesy taste.

We start with whole, organic plant ingredients – almond milk or soy milk. Our Calvaire dairy-free cheese has a white rind on it like a Camembert and looks great on a cheeseboard. We mature it for weeks, turning it by hand every few days to grow the rind. It looks and tastes amazing, and lots of non-vegans say they can’t believe it’s dairy-free.

Our Edale dairy-free cheese is crumbly with a sharp bite to it, like feta.

It’s great on its own, in a salad, or to cook with. We now sell our cheeses at local delis and health food shops across Bristol, at festivals, and online via Farmdrop. We also deliver by bike to our stockists all over the city.”

• Long-time vegetarians Lara Fair and husband Finn took the step to become vegan and, thus, their vegan pie company Pie Baby was born in 2015. “We were desperate to recreate the home comforts of a New Zealand potato-topped pie and just couldn’t find a substitute on the UK market at the time so we decided to create our own,” they recall.

Currently Pie Baby creations are available at The Golden Lion pub on Gloucester Road, The Grain Barge in Hotwells and Roots Lounge on St Nicholas Street – as well as on Deliveroo. “We have plans to be involved with markets and do a number of pop-ups over summer, so do look out for us,” says Lara. “Starting with absolutely nothing, we crowdfunded to get off the ground and now have plans to open Pie Shack as soon as we see it as a viable option. This will be a one-stop shop for all things pie and vegan junk food. Think shakes, filthy fries, slices of sweet pie surrounded by great tunes and great people. Watch this space!”

85% of the menu at 1847 is now vegan – it helps that the entire kitchen staff is too

Get connected Bristol Vegans is a large Facebook group with more than 4,000 members who regularly seek out new places to eat and share tips, recipes and knowledge about where to source the best food. The group also maintains a listings website (veganbristol.com) offering a directory of all things vegan in the city. VegFestUK (bristol.vegfest.co.uk) also arrives at Ashton Gate Stadium this month – 26 & 27 May – including events, exhibitors, educators and a threecourse vegan meal offered by the Heineken Lounge Restaurant. ■

Pie Baby’s Cheesy Rider pie – vegan mac 'n' cheese topped with garlicky mashed potato, side of herby fries, slaw and homemade vegan mayo (Image courtesy of Wriggle Bristol)

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RESTAURANT | REVIEW

PASTA RIPIENA Amanda Nicholls engages the whipcrack reflexes usually reserved for procuring Glastonbury tickets to get a table at the hottest new opening in town for some lunchtime carb-loading

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utternut and sage, basil pesto, beef and red wine, pumpkin and amaretti; we’ve tried every kind of fresh filled ravioli, girasole, tortelloni and mezzelune going in the supermarkets’ posh ranges as our addiction to the stuff – which we’ve been quietly harbouring over the past year or so and failing to keep in check – has intensified. We ordered a pasta machine to attempt our own rudimentary parcels at home when it was Sunday past 4pm and the shops were shut but the need for a fix was strong.

We now know we’re not alone in our obsession, since the most popular pasta restaurant in town – Pasta Loco – announced its second, city-centre venture would be the UK’s first fresh stuffed pasta restaurant, dedicated to ravioli and all its close relatives. It prompted a level of excitement pretty much unprecedented on Bristol’s indie food scene, with hundreds of calls and booking attempts made before the paint on the place had even dried – the phone may or may not have been unplugged for a short while in favour of drawing breath, we’re told.

There’s still a ‘wet paint’ sign on the door when we arrive at what was once Mr Wolf’s bar and noodle house – where Pasta Ripiena’s owners once partied on the regular – to take advantage of the weekday lunch deal (two courses for £13.50 or three for £16 – boom).

Simple yet vibrant is the modern Italianate decor; the charcoal windowsill populated with potted plants and posies of wheat. They put us in mind not only of golden 62 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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Tuscan hills but also old Mrs May, we realise, feeling almost as naughty – indulging like this on a Tuesday lunchtime – as the PM must have on that fateful girlhood day, skipping through those fields of grain. Beside little red espresso cups stacked in a line and looking out to St Stephen’s Street, bright tangerine bottles of Aperol are poised to tempt.

...Could be that reading minds is part of the job spec: we know one of the aims is to elevate hospitality to an art form...

Forgoing the latter in favour of some lighter lunchtime fizz, we feast our eyes on chef Joe Harvey’s succinct menu and single out the Argentine red prawns. Cooked on the plancha with aioli and Amalfi lemon – a taste and aroma indelibly imprinted in my olfactory memory after visiting Ravello as a teenager – the fat, juicy shrimps pique our appetites perfectly. Still they’re overshadowed by a second choice of Sicilian spring tomatoes – flown in weekly from “the motherland” by small Clevedon importer Nanona –

This page: The restaurant is dedicated to fresh stuffed ravioli and all its close relatives; this is the dryaged beef shin ragu with crispy pancetta, red kale and pecorino Opposite page, from top: Co-owner and front-of-house don Dominic; chef Joe Harvey has certainly earned his stripes; the open kitchen, within reaching distance of diners; fresh pasta making in action – what a well-oiled machine...

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RESTAURANT | REVIEW

with smoothest goat’s curd, crispy pasta fritti and garden-fresh basil salad, which has my mouth humming with intense flavour. As far as foreplay goes, it’s pretty sensual.

My heart, thudding slightly in my throat as the ripiena arrive (possibly I should get out more), is glad when we see the pretty platefuls looking just as dreamy as promised by appetising previews circulating on Instagram. First up is the dry-aged beef shin ragu variety with crispy pancetta, red kale and pecorino – the meat cooked to perfection within its pasta packaging, the pancetta adding crunch and contrast, the red kale contributing all the sweetness missing from its trendy green sibling’s flavour profile, in our experience at least.

We’ll be growing that on the allotment this year, decides dining partner R. Alighting upon the table seconds after is salt cod and squid ink ravioli with a sumptuous moat of crab, cream, River Exe mussels and agretti, or monk’s beard – the rounded needles of the veg, similar to samphire in shape and saltiness, threading in and around the black cushions of inky pasta and their habit-forming seafood stuffing.

Just as dinner-table discussion turns to whether it’s acceptable to raise our plates and tip them towards our open jaws in the noble name of avoiding food waste – we reckon the guys would be cool with it – our smiling server appears with chunks of soft, airy foccaccia for our sauce-mopping convenience.

Image by Gareth Aldridge; downandoutmedia.com

...We watch a couple rebook on the way out, just as if they were at the dentist, and realise a return is a foregone conclusion...

Could be that reading minds is part of the job spec here: we know one of their aims is to elevate hospitality to an art form and it’s something co-owner and front-of-house don Dominic Borel has been honing since day one at Pasta Loco – his job made easier by the consistently cracking culinary output of cousin Ben Harvey’s kitchen.

Now Ben’s brother Joe, who earned his stripes at the likes of Bellita and Bell’s Diner, is doing him the same courtesy with his exceptionally tasty take on Italian cuisine. He’s just as down to earth as Ben and Dom – they’re the kind of lads you quite fancy having a lock-in with – explaining that the menu won’t be as ‘loco’ as his brother Ben’s daily changing bill of fare.

“I like a bit of stability,” he smiles, making the valid point that the longer the dishes are on the menu, the better they will become. I for one am glad the salt cod could be sticking around a while longer.

With reminders of their Bristol family history dotted about the place – in the bathroom is a framed image of ‘Nonna, Anna, Vittoria and Claudina’ at the Llandoger Trow where they worked in the ’70s – we realise we’re rooting for them because of how homegrown the outfit feels, as well as their gosh-darn good grub. And we’re thankful they’ve upgraded the Mr Wolf’s toilets too...

Sinking spoons into a light and dainty dessert of pistachio and extra virgin olive oil panna cotta, more than adequate in its wobbliness and with just a hint of neutral, nutty sweetness, we watch the couple from the next table rebook on the way out, just as if they were at the dentist, and realise that for many, a return is a foregone conclusion.

Given the widespread attention they’ve received and the buzz surrounding the new opening, it would be easy for the team to take the mick but the lunch menu especially feels like great value for money for such high quality – it helps that they’re already booked up weeks in advance, we suppose.

With their small but perfectly formed restaurants – both Loco and baby sister Ripiena – the boys have breathed such life into this style of food; taking Italian from its regular realm and respinning it into imaginative, innovative cuisine while keeping family cooking at the core. We’ll never kick our waist-widening stuffed pasta habit now – but we’re at peace with that.

Good luck getting a table... ■

Image by Gareth Aldridge

Image by Gareth Aldridge

• pastaripiena.co.uk THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

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THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 63

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FOOD & DRINK

We get the lowdown on the local liquor landscape from one of the city’s top drinking destinations. These guys are really...

MIXING IT UP

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ne of Bristol’s best-loved ‘secret’ cocktail bars, The Milk Thistle has been on the scene for almost eight years now, and the old girl still gets people talking thanks to her talented mixologists – recently, bartender Daniel Winters even made it through to the UK final in Courvoisier’s third annual global cocktail competition. After the launch of a brand new menu, running until September and inspired by the bar’s grand old building, colourful history and newly refurbished cocktail lounge, we talked to The Milk Thistle’s GM, affable Aussie Alex Godfrey, to get his take on what’s making waves in the mixology world...

So, what’s trending?

Drinks-wise it’s all about simplicity at the moment, but the hot topic on everyone’s lips is being more environmentally friendly. Obviously the use of biodegradable and reusable straws has been talked about a lot, but from a drinks perspective we’re trying to be more sustainable in what can be a really wasteful industry. We try to do all we can – using the juices from fruits we peel for garnishes, being mindful of not throwing anything away and trying to do our bit.

There has been speculation about rum taking over from gin as the next ‘big spirit’ – what’s your take?

Rum always has been and always will be cool. The history and backbone of rum over a 400-year period can’t ever be taken away from it and every type of rum has a different story to tell. Personally I prefer rum to gin, but the gin craze still seems to be going strong. Also gin is a British institution – you try to tell a British person they can’t have gin and it might not go down so well!

Is vodka being overlooked?

People are becoming more aware of what they’re drinking nowadays so I think vodka is possibly being overlooked as an ingredient in cocktails, yes – that’s partly because the flavours of rum, gin and tequila can be played with more, but vodka definitely still has a place.

We’re seeing more local soft drinks producers; are you making much use of these?

If we didn’t, our friends would kill us! In all seriousness, we choose to use local producers such as The Bristol Syrup Co because, having worked with the team behind the bar and as customers, we know how good they are at doing it. It makes our lives simpler and we know the product is just as good as we could make ourselves – plus it saves us time and money.

Inspired by the parlour and warmer weather, The Sundowner: Appleton Signature rum, apricot liqueur, Quiquiriqui mezcal, hibiscus syrup and lime juice

Above: Now, tell us you don’t want to Instagram this little beauty...

Is anyone (and are you) using English sparkling wine rather than champagne in fizzy cocktails?

We don’t at the moment but we’d certainly like to. The climate over the years has changed so England now has a much better environment for making sparkling wines, just like places like Cognac which have been traditionally making it for centuries. All of the English sparkling wines we’ve tried so far have been delicious though, so if our suppliers start stocking it we’ll be having some!

Has Aperol had its moment? (Note: we don’t care if it has; we won’t be giving up on it just yet…)

I don’t think it’s done yet! An Aperol spritz in the sunshine is super nommy...

New takes on retro cocktails seem to be a thing?

A classic is a classic for a reason. If it’s a good base for a cocktail and you can twist it to suit the style of your bar then go for it but we always like to reference the origins of classics. ■ • milkthistlebristol.com

The Winchester: Gin, grapefruit vodka, elderflower liqueur, lime juice, grapefruit sherbet, Bristol Syrup Co grenadine and Angostura bitters

Inspired by the attic, the Beg, Borrow & Steal: Belvedere vodka, lemongrass and ginger-infused vermouth, grapefruit sherbet, honey and tonic

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THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 65

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FOOD & Drink

TASTY TITBITS FROM THE CITY’S RESTAURANTS, CHEFS AND PRODUCERS Limeburn Hill Vineyard will be holding tours over Bristol Wine Weekend

NOWT TO WINE ABOUT! We’re gearing up for a grape-oriented few weeks, having heard with great interest about the inaugural Bristol Wine Weekend – taking place from 4 – 6 May and offering the opportunity to taste, share and explore wine in Bristol over a weekend of events, talks, tours and tastings at various local venues.

We’re particularly excited about Limeburn Hill Vineyard – the South West’s only biodynamic vineyard, and one of about six in the UK – which has now produced its very first vintage. Set up by Robin Snowdon and Georgina Harvey in 2015, the vineyard is hosting tours as part of Bristol Wine Weekend and showcasing its new natural wine – an unfiltered Pétillant Naturel Rosé using wild yeast, no sulphites, no added sugar and no additives, so a rarity in the UK – at a later event at The Forge, on 3 June.

This tasting event, hosted by Stephanie Boote and Max Pasetti of A Tavola, will also feature wines from Bristol-based importers Billings & Briggs and and Carte Blanche – not to be missed!

• @crushweekend; @sbcatering_atavola

COCKTAIL NOIR Hyde & Co has launched a new drinks menu to follow 2017’s awardwinning The Last Carnival.

Midnight in Paris is a concept menu beautifully designed by Bristol artist Gareth Aldridge, continuing the tale of private detective Kinsey Moran as he unravels the mystery of a jewel heist in the French capital. “We wanted to create a menu which reflected the 1920s Paris style of drinking,” said manager Dan Bovey, “so we’ve used timeless French ingredients such as calvados, cognac, and vermouths, while taking inspiration from the French classics like the French 75, Sidecar and Kir Royale.” Our tip? Order the Maison Derrière – it tastes like liquid marmalade!

• hydeand.co

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BACK TO THE WHARF Following a brief winter hiatus, Pizzarova has brought its muchloved crate back to Wapping Wharf, where it built a strong fan base after being the first retailer to open at Cargo back in 2016. “ We’re incredibly proud to be part of Wapping Wharf’s amazing community, so we’re really excited to bring the crate back for the summer,” said owner Alex Corbett. “It’s great to be able to bring our sourdough pizzas to the other side of town in a slimmeddown street food style, and we’ve loved getting to know our southside customers and neighbours.”

• pizzarova.com

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the delicious guide top spots in Bristol to eat, drink and enjoy

With the much-publicised rise and rise of Bristol’s food scene, if you’re anything like us you’re cultivating quite the to-dine list – and trust us when we say it is impossible to tick them all off when new and exciting establishments are opening left, right and centre, on what must now be at least a weekly basis when you average it out.

‘Spoilt for choice’ is a bit of a cliché, but it couldn’t be more appropriate when looking for places to eat in and around our great city – whether we’re grabbing some street food on the go, embellishing a mate date with coffee and cake, maybe satisfying an impromptu supper urge, or wining and dining a beloved by candlelight. Here we share with you the places we’re desperate to try out or return to right now – so you can add, to your list, anywhere not yet on your radar.

Find some great Bristol classics within these pages – the venues residents head back to time and again with affection, knowing they can be relied upon to deliver superb dishes.

For a quick, tasty bite, make your selection from a café, deli or foodie emporium, or relax in a local watering hole that manages to combine an informal, fun setting with some top quality dining. You might opt for a hotel with an elegant restaurant, or perhaps join colleagues after work in a chic bar or brasserie, where you can quaff a craft ale or have a glass of fizz and enjoy a plate of seasonal, local produce.

All served and prepped for your delectation, we hope you’ll enjoy our foodie celebration.

Dig into The Delicious Guide on our website: thebristolmag.co.uk

spring

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HATTUSA AT BERWICK LODGE Berwick Drive, Bristol BS10 7TD Tel: 0117 958 1590 Web: berwicklodge.co.uk Located inside the idyllic Berwick Lodge, Hattusa combines the luxurious atmosphere of the historic manor house with a perfectly prepared and artistically presented menu. Talented chefs channel their vision of highquality modern British cuisine into each dish, while consistently aiming to source produce from local sellers. The restaurant’s modern yet classic style offers a refreshing, contemporary twist on traditional recipes, resulting in the likes of harissa lamb rump and honey-glazed duck breast. Hattusa also takes pride in the talents of its sommelier, who has created an international wine list with recommendations to complement each dish on offer.

TARE

RIVERSTATION

14 Museum Street, Bristol BS1 6ZA Tel: 0117 929 4328 Web: tarerestaurant.co.uk

The Grove, Bristol BS1 4RB Tel: 0117 914 4434 Web: riverstation.co.uk

Within Cargo II, the collection of converted shipping containers that houses a large group of independent businesses, find Tare restaurant – which was one of seven new Bristol restaurants to feature in the prestigious 2018 Good Food Guide.

This 20-cover restaurant has settled in well to Bristol’s Wapping Wharf zone, with its aim to cook tasty food using the best produce the team can find.

Co-owners Jai Ash and Matt Hampshire have worked together for many years and have also curated a drinks menu in a relaxed and informal setting.

Located on Bristol Harbourside, this restaurant is the perfect place to enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner all year round. With its terrace, balcony and unrivalled views of the river, it can only be described as one of the best alfresco dining restaurants the city has to offer. Riverstation not only provides the ideal venue for a special occasion, event or party, but also holds regular events to educate and entertain. The seasonally changing restaurant menu offers fresh and inspiring dishes, while the bar and kitchen create exceptional brunches and English classics alongside a great selection of local beers, ciders, wines from around the globe and an expertly crafted cocktail menu. This Bristol institution has everything going for it and should not be missed.

CASAMIA The General, Lower Guinea Street, Bristol BS1 6SY Tel: 0117 959 2884 Web: casamiarestaurant.co.uk We’d be very surprised if this little jewel wasn’t already on your radar. Peter Sanchez-Iglesias’ Michelin-starred restaurant serves a multi-course tasting menu that is driven by the seasons. With only nine tables, it’s an intimate setting in which to be served multicultural and locally influenced cuisine by Pete’s top team – who put on a wonderfully theatrical display for diners, with dishes that are a delight to the eye as well as the palate. Evocative sensory elements are added to take you to the next level. Only one tasting menu is on offer and a time of three and half hours is recommended to allow you to enjoy the experience in utmost comfort.

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THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE III

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CLIFTON VILLAGE FISH BAR 4 Princess Victoria Street, Clifton Village, Bristol BS8 4BP Tel: 0117 974 1894 Web: cliftonvillagefishbar.co.uk Perfect for that Friday night fish supper, the award-winning Clifton Village Fish Bar is renowned for being one of the top fish and chip shops in Bristol, and is proudly MSC certified. For the past seven years the team have been the proud owners of the five-star quality award from the National Federation of Fish Fryers for their outstanding fish and chips. What’s more, they were also awarded the Good Food Award for Fish & Chips – Gold Seal for 2018 for consistently maintaining high standards. They provide customers with exceptional quality, offering a selection of sustainably sourced fish, from Icelandic cod to fresh landings from Cornwall, alongside fresh British potatoes peeled daily.

Image by Martin Bennett

THE MILK THISTLE

PASTA LOCO

Quay Head House, Colston Ave, Bristol BS1 1EB Tel: 0117 929 4429 Web: milkthistlebristol.com

37A Cotham Hill, Bristol BS6 6JY Tel: 0117 973 3000 Web: pastaloco.co.uk

A venue for the discerning drinker, The Milk Thistle is the sister of Bristol’s original prohibition bar, Hyde & Co. Spread across four floors and hidden in plain view right on the city centre, it’s a haven of stunning architecture, eclectic decor and exceptional cocktails. The venue includes a clandestine hidden vault, a decadent lounge bar and The Attic; a gorgeous dining room and bar ideal for private parties, all in addition to The Parlour bar, which serves up some of the Image by Kirstie Young Photography best cocktails in the city.

Situated in Cotham, just off Whiteladies Road, Pasta Loco can be most definitely described as a family affair. Run by cousins Ben Harvey and Dom Borel, its emphasis is clearly on, you guessed it, pasta; freshly homemade and paired with delicious, seasonal ingredients. The cosy dining room and relaxed front-of-house service is warm and inviting; the perfect atmosphere in which to enjoy the daily changing menu. With options to cater for the meateaters, pescatarians and vegetarians among us, as well as gluten-free pasta available, there is something for everyone to enjoy. The drinks menu complements well; a succinct list of pleasing wines and moreish cocktails that are reasonably priced.

BOX-E Unit 10, Cargo 1, Wapping Wharf, Bristol BS1 6WP Web: boxebristol.com One of the first restaurants to have opened in the first Cargo development, Box-E has its home within two of the former shipping containers. The vision of lovely husband-and-wife team Elliott and Tess who relocated from London to Bristol to pursue their ambitions, Box-E has become a veritable success, already making into the Top 100 at the National Restaurant Awards and being described a “small, but perfectly formed” by the inimitable Jay Rayner.

With room for only 14 covers, eating at Box-E is intimate and inclusive, with diners able to sit right beside the action and see the seasonable, modern food being carefully crafted in the kitchen for them to feast on.

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THE ETHICUREAN Barley Wood Walled Garden, Long Lane, Wrington, Bristol BS40 5SA Tel: 01934 863713 Web: theethicurean.com

I & M Pennington Photography

Set within a gorgeously picturesque walled garden with breath-taking views of the North Somerset countryside, The Ethicurean can only be described as a joy for all of the senses. Taking a walk through the extensive and carefully maintained kitchen garden is a feast for the eyes in itself, but sitting down to eat in the rustic former orangery is where the love affair really begins.

Offering fantastic gastronomic delights and, somehow, value for money all at the same time, the menu changes twice daily – depending on the produce from the garden – and offers the utmost in local and seasonal produce. Highly recommended are the Sunday lunches, which have achieved almost legendary status so those wishing to try them would be advised to book far in advance to avoid disappointment.

HART’S BAKERY

BOCABAR

Arch 35, Lower Approach Road, Temple Meads, Bristol BS1 6QS Tel: 0117 992 4488 Web: hartsbakery.co.uk

Paintworks, Bath Road, Arnos Vale, Bristol BS4 3EH Tel: 0117 972 8838 Web: bristol.bocabar.co.uk

Hart’s Bakery originally began as a local worker and commuter favourite, however recent years have seen it grow to become one of Bristol’s best-loved independents. Specialising in slowproved sourdough and pastries, Hart’s opens at 7am when the aroma of freshly ground coffee and croissants, fresh out of the oven, wafts up to Temple Meads station. With everything on show, it’s great to grab a drink and watch the bakers at work.

The display changes throughout the day, from the early morning treats to lunchtime savouries and afternoon cakes.

There is a different hot lunch special every day from noon – it might be delicious soup, a hearty bread bake or similar – but be prompt, this is one of Bristol’s most popular lunchtime haunts.

Now in its 13th year, Bocabar continues to employ its original style and ethos to great effect: providing a diverse selection of food served in a cosy and pleasant environment. Its once-plain industrial interior has been refined to include an eclectic supply of vintage artefacts, a wide selection of local art, plenty of cheering fairy lights that brighten the whole room, and show off the building’s original framework. The food served is both satisfying and wide in variety, ranging from stonebaked pizzas to platters from the salad and deli counter and lunch specials, all offering the modern-day must of locally sourced ingredients.

On top of this, Bocabar also extends invitations to its regular art exhibitions, and its free entry for the DJs on Saturdays. Its complimentary reviews and myriad awards speak for themselves.

Image by Jess Connett

SOMER DINING Brookmead, The Chocolate Quarter, Trajectus Way, Keynsham, BS31 2GJ Tel: 0117 363 7120 Web: somerdining.co.uk Bringing the type of cuisine found in the country’s best gastropubs to Keynsham’s Chocolate Quarter, Somer Dining offers classic, seasonal British food across lunch, afternoon tea and Sunday lunch. Customers can enjoy a very modern British dining experience, courtesy of a menu developed with the assistance of Josh Eggleton, one of the South West’s finest chefs.

Local produce features heavily, and Somer Dining is open for lunch Monday to Saturday, with afternoon tea also on offer. On Sunday, the venue becomes the perfect place for family occasions with a range of delicious roasts served up. With an ever-changing, affordable menu that reflects the seasons, and traditional favourites given a new twist, Somer Dining is a welcome new choice for not just Keynsham residents but diners from Bristol and Bath as well.

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BUTTERMILK & MAPLE 5-7 Welsh Back, Bristol BS1 4ES Tel: 0117 301 8801 Web: buttermilkandmaple.com If your appetite has slipped out of sync with conventional meal times because of jet lag, working through the night or partying until dawn, brunch served until 4pm at Buttermilk & Maple is the answer. Think American-style buttermilk pancakes with maple and bacon, lobster and eggs benedict, chia fruit bowls, shakshuka baked eggs or a hearty cooked breakfast – just a few of the dishes on the menu that are available until late afternoon. A trendy, professional crowd and even the occasional celeb love this cool space with its quirky décor, unusual artwork and Banksy-inspired wording on the walls.

Next to the Hotel Mercure Brigstow, it’s a neighbourhood favourite serving up wholesome food in a contemporary environment with great service.

PACO TAPAS The General, Lower Guinea Street, Bristol Tel: 0117 925 7021 Web: pacotapas.co.uk

OTIRA 5-7 Chandos Road, Bristol BS6 6PG Tel: 0117 973 3669 Web: otira.co.uk Meaning ‘food for your journey’ in Maori folklore, ‘Otira’ is a small town in New Zealand and now a delightful eatery in Redland. Chefowner Stephen’s love for this town and country is reflected in the menu, which might feature mussel escabeche or braised short rib of beef as part of your two, three or four-course dining experience.

Bristolian chef Peter Sanchez-Iglesias was recently named UK chef of the year by the Good Food Guide. This impressively talented young chef presides over his three family restaurants in the old General Hospital near the harbourside – latest venture Paco Tapas is dedicated to his father’s native Seville and its authentic Spanish tapas. As you might expect from such a high-calibre kitchen, this traditional peasant food made from classic ingredients – potatoes, fresh fish, eggs, pork, seasonal vegetables – is given the royal treatment. Diners at the tapas and sherry bar are transported to Andalusia with such delights as padron peppers, five-year Iberian ham and the classic patatas bravas, all accompanied by fine Spanish sherry.

THATCHERS CIDER SHOP Myrtle Farm, Sandford, Somerset BS25 5RA Tel: 01934 822862 Web: thatcherscider.co.uk The Thatchers Cider Shop, right at the heart of Myrtle Farm, has its rustic shelves brimming with every single one of the ciders from its range. From the Cider Barn special vintages, to sparkling apple wine Thatchers Family Reserve; from a new five-litre keg of Thatchers Gold, to bottles of Old Rascal and Green Goblin – they’re all in pride of place. Of course the Cider Shop wouldn’t be the same without the team’s traditional ciders in their barrels – try before you buy straight from the tap. And if you’d like a gift for a special occasion, choose from a range of baskets and gift boxes.

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HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE Whiteladies Road, Bristol BS8 2PH Tel: 0117 973 3926 Web: hmssbristol.com Her Majesty’s Secret Service (HMSS) began its mission in 2015 with the simple objective of uniting two reasons people go to bars – to have drinks they enjoy in an atmosphere they love too. It set its sights on providing constantly evolving, creative and fun cocktails, in a setting without pretence and always siding with humour. Menus draw inspiration from iconic British cultural elements and wit, beginning with espionage and moving onto the current offering, which focuses on landmarks from around the country, with a beautifully creative beverage inspired by each. Service is nice and casual yet intimate Monday-Thursday, with the party kicking off on weekends...

BURGER THEORY 37-38 St Stephen’s Street, Bristol BS1 1JX Tel: 0117 929 7818 Web: burgertheory.co.uk Think hot Korean fried chicken burgers with salted peanuts and a chilli glaze; deep-fried mushroom burgers with halloumi, dripping in hot sauce and blue cheese dressing; think dirty fries with homemade kimchi and pulled spicy beef; deep-fried halloumi chips with tzatziki and pomegranate glaze... Are your taste buds tingling yet? After five years on the road, Burger Theory opened its restaurant in August 2017 and has used the space to further cultivate its worldinspired recipes, develop its homemade patties, pickles and relishes and host events including the famous Bottomless Burger Club and the festival-inspired ‘Beats & Burgers’ evening. If all that isn’t enough, check out the creative cocktail menu or quality range of craft beers, ciders and wines.

THE REAL GREEK 84A Glass House, Cabot Circus, Bristol BS1 3BX Tel: 0117 990 2170 Web: therealgreek.com The Real Greek Bristol, situated in the heart of Cabot Circus, next door to the cinema, brings a taste of Greece to the city. The restaurant is designed to recreate the relaxed Mediterranean experience of eating in Greece, offering an authentic space for locals, families and visitors to enjoy great Greek cuisine. Cold and hot meze, grilled skewers, marinated meats and souvlaki wraps all feature on the menu.

With live Greek music from 7.30pm on Thursday and Friday evenings, it’ll feel like holidays in the Greek islands are just around the corner. The Real Greek is a great place to have any kind of get together, with a fantastic atmosphere and delicious food.

Eat. Together!

THE CAULDRON 98 Mina Road, Bristol BS2 9XW Tel: 0117 914 1321 Web: thecauldron.restaurant With an emphasis on providing ethically and locally sourced food, The Cauldron uses a variety of heirloom cookery methods from many different cultures around the world. No gas supply necessary, the chefs work with fire pits, grills, a wood-fired oven and two huge cast-iron cauldrons.

Everything is handmade and ethically sourced, with many of the ingredients coming from within walking distance of the restaurant. The Cauldron’s menus – equally appealing to vegan or committed carnivores – range from a charcoal-cooked full English breakfast to a short but impressive dinner menu. Creative plates include exciting, colourful salads, charcoal grilled jerk aubergine and, for pudding, how about lemon jelly and lime curd with cookie dough and pink sherbert meringue? All at prices that won’t make your wallet wince.

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BAMBALAN

Image by ShotAway

Podium Level, Colston Tower, Colston Street, Bristol, BS1 4XE Tel: 0117 922 1880 Web: bambalan.co.uk After bursting onto the Bristol food scene, Bambalan soon became the place to be, thanks in part to its fabulous location, allowing diners to enjoy sunset drinks and music on a spacious terrace overlooking the city. It’s not just about summery alfresco dining, however, as regular events throughout the year, including Foozie pop-ups, (think bottomless brunches and silent discos) mean Bambalan always has something on the horizon to look forward to. The menu – a medley of Mediterranean fare – includes their much-loved babs, flatbread pizzas, salads and wood-fired meats.

As if that isn’t enough to tempt you, the cocktail menu is full of fun-loving mixes including the Bristol-themed ‘Cheers, Drive!’ and tropical Bam White Sangria.

THE APPLE CIDER BOAT Welsh Back, Bristol BS1 4SB Tel: 0117 925 3500 Web: applecider.co.uk The Apple is a bit of Bristol drinkers’ institution, serving up the finest range of ciders and perries – many from local farms – as well as beers, wines and spirits, on a beautifully converted Dutch barge in the heart of Bristol’s Old City. With a large quayside terrace and deck bar with views of the Floating Harbour, The Apple is the perfect setting to enjoy a proper West Country inspired ploughman’s lunch alongside a chilled pomme-based beverage in the sunshine with friends. We also recommend a mug of mulled cider to warm the cockles when the weather turns a little chilly.

THE ARTS HOUSE CAFE

24 Chandos Road, Bristol BS6 6PF Tel: 0117 973 4157 Web: wilsonsrestaurant.co.uk

108A Stokes Croft, Bristol BS1 3RU Tel: 0117 923 2858 Web: theartshousecafe.co.uk On the corner of Ashley Road and Stokes Croft you’ll find The Arts House Café, which is now under new ownership and has recently been fully refurbished. Giles and Craig, who met while working at Wallfish Bistro in Clifton, have created a bright and inviting space, offering a contemporary brunch menu throughout the day, and serving small plate-style dining six days a week. The menu follows the seasons and showcases some of the best locally sourced ingredients.

The Arts House Cafe is fully licensed, presents a carefully selected wine and beer list, and serves up delicious, locally roasted coffee. With local artists displaying work on the walls, live music and comedy downstairs, it’s a great addition to Stokes Croft.

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Wilsons has cemented a reputation as one of the finest eateries in Bristol.

The simple and elegant aesthetic is satisfyingly effective in forming a relaxed environment for a delightful lunch or dinner. Every week the talented chefs make modifications to their menu to ensure that they can fully exploit the ingredients to hand, which quite often they have grown or collected themselves. Their food is presented beautifully and artistically, and clearly utilises the delicious contents of the kitchen larder. You’re sure tp feel immediately relaxed while sitting back among their strippedback, white walled interior, and impressed by their excellently prepared food. Don’t forget to try the restaurant’s very own Vin Du Patron wine, too.

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HYDE & CO 2 Upper Byron Place, Bristol BS8 1JY Tel: 0117 929 7007 Web: hydeand.co Hidden in plain sight on Clifton Triangle is Hyde & Co, Bristol’s original prohibition bar. Find the bowler hat, knock on the door and if you’re lucky you’ll get a seat. With low lighting, a gentlemen’s club feel and eclectic decor, Hyde & Co is widely regarded as one of the city’s top cocktail joints. The new Midnight in Paris line-up, continuing on from the last award-winning menu, combines classics with ambitious creations, all crafted by some of the best bartenders around. We recommend the Maison Derrière!

You’ll feel like you’ve stepped back in time as soon as you set foot in the door – perfect for a date or evening with friends.

FLOW

PINKMANS BAKERY

Haymarket Walk, Bristol BS1 3LN Tel: 0117 336 3105 Web: flowbristol.co.uk

85 Park Street, Bristol BS1 5PJ Tel: 0117 403 2040 Web: pinkmans.co.uk

Tucked away at the bottom of Stokes Croft, Flow is a real hidden gem. Serving plant-based sharing plates, this tapas-style restaurant offers unique and contemporary examples of just how interesting vegetarian and vegan food can be.

Utilising local micro producers and Bristolbased suppliers, the menu changes regularly and includes foraged and homegrown ingredients. They also have an interesting take on libations, stocking organic, sustainable and biodynamic wines, local craft beers, handmade soft drinks and seasonally curated cocktails. The cosy, candlelit space provides guests with an intimate, buzzing atmosphere and a great spot for dinner with friends – booking advised.

Pinkmans is an independently owned café specialising in sourdough baking and situated at the top of historic Park Street. The beautifully displayed bakery counter and shop add to Pinkmans’ buzzy feel, with the option to sit in the stylish café and watch the bakers hard at work in the open kitchen. Named as one of the top 25 bakeries in the UK by the Sunday Times, it offers a tempting selection of freshly baked pastries and cakes, sourdough breads, sandwiches, soups and salads. It also serves fantastic pizza from its wood oven and is fully licensed – it does a pizza and beer for £10 deal every day from 5pm.

Pinkmans is most renowned for its nearlegendary doughnuts, which have quite the following and sell by the tray load. Pinkmans is open every day from early morning until late evening – weekend brunch is especially popular.

THE IVY CLIFTON BRASSERIE 42-44 Caledonia Place, Bristol BS8 4DN Tel: 0117 203 4555 Web: theivycliftonbrasserie.com The Ivy Clifton Brasserie is in the heart of Clifton Village, located on the corner of Caledonia Place and The Mall, overlooking The Mall Gardens. Open seven days a week, it offers accessible, all-day dining for local residents, businesses, shoppers and visitors to the area, and brings some of the familiarity of The Ivy brand to endlessly chic Clifton Village. Tables are held back for walk-ins, allowing locals to drop in throughout the day at their leisure, and the menus are all encompassing, serving breakfast, brunch, lunch, afternoon tea, light snacks and dinner; not to mention a specially created cocktail menu featuring a variety of classic and contemporary selections. The Ivy Clifton Brasserie has been designed to deliver the memorable experience that is synonymous with The Ivy’s unique style, in a more relaxed and accessible environment.

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THE OLD CROWN KELSTON Kelston, Bath BA1 9AQ Tel: 01225 423 032 Web: oldcrownkelston.com The Old Crown Inn is a traditional 15th-century country inn nestled in the Cotswolds countryside a few miles from the centre of Bath. This cosy, friendly, welcoming pub is full of historic charm and character, with old beams, polished flagstones and open fires and it has been updated with a contemporary craft flavour. Open seven days a week, great food is served every day and seasonal menus use quality ingredients and support local suppliers where possible. There is a separate children’s menu and roasts are served on Sundays along with real ales and fine wines. The large pub garden with covered deck and outside bar is a popular destination on warm, sunny days and is available for exclusive hire throughout the year. Surrounded by beautiful scenery, this is the perfect location for walks with easy access to Kelston Roundhill, the Cotswold Way and the river. Dogs welcome!

SHOLAY Unit 17, Cargo 2, Wapping Wharf, Bristol, BS1 6ZA Tel: 0117 3362 845 Web: sholayindiankitchen.com Wapping Wharf’s thrilling Indian street food restaurant is already an immense success story among the range of quality, independent restaurants and cafes that are a firm fixture of the exciting Cargo development. Sholay has been garnering plenty of praise with its authentic signature Indian street-food dishes, executed with aplomb. With everything from kale and onion bhaji to the likes of peshwari lamb cutlets, tawa poussin, kathi roll and a host of vegetarian and even vegan specials along with house cocktails, Sholay is a must-try for lovers of Indian food.

B BLOCK Brookmead, The Chocolate Quarter, Trajectus Way, Keynsham BS31 2GJ. Tel: 0117 363 7119 Web: b-blockpizza.co.uk A modern all-day restaurant that specialises in authentic wood-fired pizzas, quality coffee, home-made cakes and sandwiches all made with local produce, B Block is part of Keynsham’s Chocolate Quarter.

Housed within one of the original Fry’s chocolate factory buildings, the restaurant is blessed with plenty of natural light and styled with reclaimed light fittings and decorative items to create a stripped-back industrial feel. Open seven days a week for customers to enjoy superb coffee from Wogan, delicious breakfast dishes and any of the innovative, ever-changing pizza menu. A wide selection of quality wines, gins, local ciders and craft beers is also available.

HEARTH DINING Twitter: @hearthdining Hearth Dining is a unique, exciting and modern way to enjoy a restaurant experience in your home around Bristol and Bath. Whether an evening with family and friends is on the cards, or it’s a special occasion or corporate lunch meeting, Hearth has a variety of choices that can be brought right to you. Share a côte du boeuf with delicious sides or savour the taste of spring on your plate with delicate smoked mackerel. All Hearth’s menus can be found on the website, incorporating ingredients from local suppliers, farmers and growers.

Once you’ve booked, they’ll prepare the menu so that on the night, not only do the chefs cook and introduce each course around your dinner table, but provide all of the equipment and tableware, leaving you free to simply entertain.

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THE WILDE KITCHEN Tel: 07912 484 861 Web: thewildekitchen.co.uk Email: hello@thewildekitchen.co.uk The Wilde Kitchen is a healthy food delivery service providing nutritious, locally sourced food for individuals and companies. It has its own nutritionist and personal trainer and is 100% plastic free in all its packaging. Exclusive for lunchtime delivery, Wilde provides hearty, nutrition-based lunchtime meals, designed to help people achieve their goals, whether it’s to lose some weight, reach a fitness target or just to eat more healthily. All food is prepared daily from the freshest ingredients and delivered straight to your office – and it’s addictive, believe us. There’s also a subscription service allowing you to create diet plans and pre-order from the menu – you can order once, focus on your work and a delicious healthy meal will arrive each day in time for lunch. Got a team meeting or event coming up? Wilde’s healthy corporate lunches are a world away from the usual stale ‘blandwiches’. The Bristol Magazine readers get an exclusive 20% off their first order, valid until the end of June. Just enter the discount code HealthyBristolMag when you order.

ROOT

PATA NEGRA

Unit 9 Cargo 1, Gaol Ferry Steps, Bristol BS1 6WP Tel: 0117 930 0260 Web: eatdrinkbristolfashion.co.uk/root

30 Clare Street, Bristol BS1 1YH Tel: 0117 927 6762 Web: patanegrabristol.com

This small-plate restaurant has sustainability at its heart and prides itself on giving vegetables the attention that they deserve. Serving meat and fish on the side while veg takes centre stage, it aims to allow people to enjoy simple but super-interesting food. Head to the heart of Wapping Wharf, to the top of the stack of renovated cargo containers, settle in and enjoy a view of Bristol’s harbour as well as great, conscientious food.

A super-chic Spanish tapas and wine bar in the heart of Bristol’s Old City, Pata Negra serves a regularly changing menu of seasonal small plates including fresh seafood, vegetarian dishes, and desserts – the churros are to-die-for. Popular with the lunch crowd, ideal for afterwork drinks, and great for relaxed evening dining, it has daily deals very much worth an eyeball; the lunch menu offers three tapas for £10 (Monday – Saturday) and, between 3pm and 6pm, three pintxos and a glass of sherry for £7.

Plus bottomless cava brunch is back on the menu every month. The bar serves premium wines from the diverse regions of the Iberian Peninsula and the Enomatic wine cabinet enables self-service and a choice of eight top wines with self-service – just purchase a charge Image by ShotAway card from the bar.

HUBBOX 113 Whiteladies Road, Bristol BS8 2PB Tel: 0117 973 1090 Web: hubbox.co.uk

Image by Lizzie Churchill

The Hubbox journey of foodie enlightenment started in St Ives at the skinny end of Cornwall, and the good food, good beer and good times have steadily worked their way up the peninsula, landing with Bristolians last summer on Whiteladies Road.

An essential stop-off for American-inspired street food and drinks, Hubbox has an extensive menu of award-winning burgers made using 21-day dry-aged Cornish rare-breed beef, New York-style hot dogs that are produced in the UK using 100% free-range, oak-smoked pork, and fries that are hand cut and double fried. They also stock a great range of draught and bottled craft beers as well as a choice of Origin coffee, special recipe malt-shakes and soft drinks. At Hubbox HQ, food and the provenance of suppliers is something they’re hugely proud of.

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THE OX

Image by ShotAway

43 Corn Street, Bristol BS1 1HT Web: theoxbristol.com Tel: 0117 922 1001 Since its original eatery opened, tucked away in a basement beneath The Commercial Rooms on Corn Street, The Ox has extended its offering with its Clifton location and become known Bristol-wide for the excellent food and drink up for grabs, including some of the best steak in the city. It’s certainly up there at the top of our list when people ask for a recommendation. The menu comprises prime meaty cuts, beautiful small plates, delectable desserts and an ace Sunday roast, as well as several great-value deals including the early-bird steak offer. As a cousin to Hyde and The Milk Thistle, there’s always an impressive array of expertly crafted cocktails, plus wine, local beer and excellent ales.

SHOP 3 BISTRO

PI SHOP

3a Regent Street, Clifton BS8 4HW Tel: 0117 382 2235 Web: shop3bistro.co.uk

The General, Lower Guinea Street, Bristol BS1 6FU Tel: 0117 925 6872 Web: thepishop.co.uk

Inspired by West Country produce and foraged ingredients, the Shop 3 Bistro menus change with nature’s rhythm. This Clifton neighbourhood eatery serves moderately priced, rustic cuisine alongside seasonal cocktails that reflect the ever-changing hedgerows and forest floors, a small collection of English and natural wines, boutique South West spirits and Bristol craft beers.

For a classic sourdough pizza topped with authentic, tasty toppings and a pint of Bristol-brewed Left Handed Giant on tap, Pi Shop has fast become the place to go. Napoli meets Bristol in this top pizzeria whose dough is expertly cooked in a giant wood-fired oven, at around 420ºC to give its characteristic char. It’s a twostage process to ensure they get the most out of the ingredients – only after the first cook do they then add the toppings. Down by the water’s edge, it’s handy for mates, dates and family outings with its pared-back, cool interior. As you’d expect from chef Peter SanchezIglesias, the menu is carefully thought out; he’s always tweaking the making process and has just introduced a pizza tasting menu too!

THE THALI CAFE Clifton, Montpelier, Easton, Southville and Totterdown Instagram and Twitter: @thalisocial Web: thethalirestaurant.co.uk A bit of a household name in Bristol, The Thali Cafe and its flavoursome curries have won awards from The Observer and BBC Radio 4. Unconventional, makeshift and unexpected, this is an original dining experience where the surroundings reflect the colourful flavours of the food. Thali Cafe is inspired by the heart and soul of India, showcasing the hero dishes of the subcontinent from the back streets of Bombay to the beach shacks of Goa. It follows the Indian mantra ‘jugaad’ (do more with less) – that’s why you’ll find the menu to be simple and select in its offering, using local produce and ingredients where possible. It also offers vegan, gluten-free and vegetarian options catering for all diets.

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PRIMROSE CAFÉ 1 Boyce’s Avenue, Bristol BS8 4AA Tel: 0117 946 6577 Web: primrosecafe.co.uk

MINT ROOM The Primrose Café has been beloved by Bristol for almost 25 years. Nestled in the heart of Clifton Village, the café provides ideally located seating on the private roof garden, inside the cosiness of the building, or outside by the street, making it the perfect spot for a lazy summer afternoon. You can stop by for afternoon tea and cakes, or for Sunday brunch – the menu has a large variety of choices depending on how hungry you feel, and they will even do private catering for events. The owners of the café also take the time to make sure that all their produce is ethically and locally sourced. You will be charmed from the moment you arrive – that much, we think, is undeniable.

BRAVAS 7 Cotham Hill, Bristol BS6 6LD Tel: 0117 329 6887 Web: bravas.co.uk What’s the deal here? Freshly prepared, high quality Spanishinspired tapas dishes, that’s what. A perfect combination of the welcoming atmosphere of a local pub and the quality of food expected in a great restaurant.

Bravas got its inspiration by way of frequent visits to Spain and enjoying the unpretentious and inexpensive food available there in the local tapas bars. It has a daily changing menu to ensure the best fresh and seasonal products are available. Complementing the mouthwatering tapas on offer is a fantastic range of Spanish wines and beers. Needless to say, booking is advised, although there are 16 stools in the window area for unreserved dining when spontaneous tapas are needed. Spanish sandwiches and a takeaway menu of tapas are also available.

12-16 Clifton Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 1AF Tel: 01173 291 300 Web: themintroom.co.uk Modern Indian cooking in Bristol’s picturesque Clifton. Regarded as Bristol’s finest modern Indian restaurant, Mint Room is certainly a cut above. With highly refined cooking, bolstered by an executive chef with a Michelin-starred background, dishes here have the wow-factor.

Expect quality British ingredients, subtle spicing and stunning presentation, as well as fabulous cocktails, a relaxing bar-lounge area and spacious dining environs along with friendly service – all of which make for a captivating mix.

BELLITA 34 Cotham Hill, Bristol BS6 6LA Tel: 0117 923 8755 Web: bellita.co.uk As the boisterous little sister of Bell’s Diner and Bar Rooms, Bellita is all about jollity. Literally translating into ‘little beauty’, this bar has a relaxed approach to eating and drinking. But that doesn’t mean the food isn’t top-notch: the likes of smoked Iberico pancetta, new-season peas, wild garlic, morcilla and radicchio; and pan-roasted Chalk Stream trout, spinach and preserved lemon have earned it attention in the national press. We love the Wye Valley asparagus with pine nut mayo. Whether you’re looking to perch at the bar for a quick bite or settle in at a table to work through the menu, Bellita accommodates all.

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BAR BUVETTE 31 Baldwin Street, BS1 1RG Tel: 0117 370 9667 Email: salut@bar-buvette.co.uk Neatly tucked away on Baldwin Street with a delightfully French-looking frontage, Bar Buvette may seem quietly unassuming from the outside but – let us assure you – myriad delights lie inside and they have made it a firm favourite with Bristol’s foodies. With a great offering of French wines and small plates of charcuterie and cheese, as well as hot plates and seasonal specials, it combines charming interiors with a chic, relaxed vibe. For lunch from Thursday to Saturday, we reckon the cheese toastie is a must, or head over from 6pm from Tuesday to Saturday for a full evening of wine and grazing. À votre santé!

NO MAN’S GRACE

BROKEN DOCK

6 Chandos Road, Bristol BS6 6PE Tel: 0117 974 4077 Web: nomansgrace.com

Millennium Promenade, Bristol BS1 5AD Tel: 0117 325 0898 Web: brokendock.co.uk

Opened in 2014 by John Watson – owner and head chef, counting Casamia and The Gallimaufry among his former culinary milieu – No Man’s Grace is a modern British eatery in the heart of Redland. Right at home among the Chandos Road restaurant elite, it offers relaxed, fine dining and uses seasonal and locally sourced ingredients to create elegant, contemporary dishes. We just love the sound of the parmesan gnocchi, sage butter, caramelised shallot and hazelnut – a chance to visit this place is not to be passed up.

The team behind independently run Broken Dock care about quality. They’re known for cooking their entire menu ready to order and sourcing ingredients locally around Bristol. Thanks to the city’s ever-changing and competitive standard of dining, the team has learned, along the way, how to really stand out among the restaurant crowd. Lounge beside the water on a sunny evening, overlooking the SS Great Britain and Ashton Court and see for yourself why this is the ideal space to relax while enjoying high quality dishes.

Whether you’re brunching with friends in the day, dining with your loved-one at night or trying the award-winning Sunday roasts with the family, Broken Dock has absolutely got you covered – so get a wiggle on and get down there!

ALP MAC Web: alpmac.co.uk Twitter: @alpmac Heads up; there’s a beautiful breed of macaroni and cheese on the street food scene. Working in the Alps made the Alp Mac team realise that there is no such thing as too much cheese, and as a result came their four-cheese blend to make the grilled macaroni for what is widely regarded as one of the best street food stands in the city. Alp Mac works closely with a number of local producers including Bruton Dairy, Somerset Charcuterie, Longmans Dairy, Rare Butchers, Marks Bread and Shipton Mill. They pop up around Bristol and the West Country, so check their social media feeds for up-to-date news of where you can get your fix, or even get in touch with Chris and the team about hiring them for a private event.

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WE THE CURIOUS CAFÉ Anchor Road, Harbourside, Bristol BS1 5DB Tel: 0117 915 1000 Web: wethecurious.org Expect great views of Bristol’s Harbourside and Millennium Square while you enjoy freshly prepared, sustainably-sourced dishes and drinks in the award-winning We The Curious café. Committed to serving fresh, sustainable, local and organic produce, the foodie team, led by head chef Amy, prepares its offering each day and this includes delicious artisan bread, cakes, salads and pizza. The café has been credited with a two gold star award by The Sustainable Restaurant Association and – extra bonus – you won’t find any single-use plastic bottles in the café! Open from 10am – 5pm weekdays, 10am – 6pm weekends and Bristol school holidays, this little spot also serves up its brunch menu from 10am – 12pm every day. Pop in before a stint in the planetarium perhaps or a sunbathe on the square outside.

Image by Daniel Watkiss

HARVEY NICHOLS 2ND FLOOR RESTAURANT & BAR 27 Philadelphia Street, Quakers Friars, Cabot Circus, Bristol BS1 3BZ Tel: 0117 916 8888 Web: harveynichols.com/restaurant/bristol-dining/ As well as all the lovely shopping one can enjoy at Harvey Nichols, the Bristol store also has one of the best gourmet food markets, a quality wine shop, and a top-notch, all-day dining restaurant. With its chic setting – think gorgeous golden seating, luxurious finishes and soft lighting – it's the perfect place to enjoy a light lunch, an indulgent afternoon tea or a sumptuous dinner. It has also hosted some high-end collaborations of late, with the likes of Duck & Waffle’s Dan Doherty and Bristol’s own Box-E. For special occasions, be sure to bag the private dining room for 12 if you can.

Additionally there is, of course, every shopper’s oasis – the second-floor bar which offers a seasonally changing drinks list including great cocktails as well as wines and champagnes available by the glass. Open day and night, the restaurant and bar are independently accessible after the store itself closes, via an express lift from the Penn Street entrance.

THE LOCK UP 182 Church Road, Bristol BS5 9HX Tel: 0117 329 0707 Web: thelockupbristol.co.uk Church Road is really thriving and developing right now, and it’s beautiful to see. It’s thanks in part to the opening of gorgeous little establishments such as The Lock Up. This family-run restaurant and bar in Redfield offers brunch, dinner, Sunday roast and drinks, with its local and seasonal ingredients sourced by chef Aidan and his team to ensure menus reflect the changing seasons and support local businesses. The lemon and garlic arancini with beetroot tart, squash and kohlrabi salad is a winner – why not chase it down with orange panna cotta with praline crumb and burnt orange puree? Delicious.

GRILLSTOCK 41 Triangle West, Bristol BS8 1ER Tel: 0117 929 7690 Web: grillstock.co.uk Ribs, brisket, chicken, huge plates of mixed BBQ and outrageous sides: diners at Grillstock can expect all of this and more. Tucked away on the Clifton Triangle, Grillstock is the Godfather of Bristol’s barbecue scene, serving up authentic Stateside-style smoked meats in buns, stacks of crunchy slaw, pickles and that oh-so sweet homemade barbecue sauce of theirs. If it’s true Deep South-style low and slow grilled goodness that you’re searching for then look no further than Grillstock!

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HISTORIC | BRISTOL

Txx

WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE Ray Newman remembers the bygone medieval beginnings of a local landmark

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t’s a defining image of our capital city: Old London Bridge spanning the Thames with tottering buildings weighing it down into the water. But few people realise that Bristol Bridge was much the same, if smaller – a dense chaos of dwellings and shops where people were born, brought up, worked, worshipped and died.

The first Bristol Bridge was probably built of wood in the 12th century but was replaced by a four-arched stone structure in the middle of the 13th, when England was ruled by Plantagenet kings and Bristol was just becoming a busy port city.

Quite elegant at first, buildings soon began to appear, gradually growing in number and size. Because the way was narrow (only about six metres, or 19 feet) they hung out over the river, supported by beams and buttresses. By the 17th century, most had four stories plus lofts and stretched back 10 metres, or 30 feet, with shops opening onto the thoroughfare and homes above. In her 2005 book Death and the Bridge, local historian Barb Drummond observes that, as at London Bridge, these were among the best houses in town – the yuppie flats of their day – “where fresh sea air could regularly blow away the stench of the city” and running water below carried waste clear. Tobias Matthew, Archbishop of York from 1606 to 1628, was born above his father’s linen shop on Bristol Bridge.

Perhaps the most impressive building on the bridge was the chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary, completed in 1360. It sat at the very

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centre “with a wide and lofty crypt”, “huge buttresses” and a bell tower, according to notes made by amateur surveyor William Worcester in 1480. There were stained glass windows, too, including one depicting merchants and their wives. It was destroyed by a fire that started in an apothecary’s shop in 1647, along with more than 20 other properties.

In its later years Bristol Bridge seems to have become especially seedy and crowded. The thoroughfare itself, with no sight of the water, would have felt much like any other narrow medieval street – think the Shambles in York, or Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley, only less cute. As road traffic increased it became jammed and dangerous too, with pedestrians forced to dive for cover as carriages rushed by. In 1723, rioting broke out over the installation of new tollbooths – road rage indeed.

For these reasons, but perhaps also because so obviously medieval a structure didn’t fit the image of prosperous Georgian Bristol, an act of parliament was passed in 1760, permitting a new bridge to be built. It opened in 1768 as the old bridge, after 500 years’ service, was demolished.

That Georgian bridge is the one you can walk across today, enjoying views of the city over shimmering water. Next time, take a moment to imagine towering timbered houses overhanging the road, the glory of that lost chapel, and the thrilling complexity of a medieval city that wasn’t planned but grew. ■

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BRISTOL UPDATES

BITE-SIZED BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY NEWS FROM ACROSS THE CITY

Photography: fayditphotography.co.uk

TOP CHEFS PROVIDE A FEAST FOR THE SENSES AT BRISTOL AUDI

PALOMA FAITH REPLACES TEARS FOR FEARS AT THE BATH FESTIVAL

LEADING FURNITURE BRAND BOCONCEPT OPENS NEW STORE IN BRISTOL

BRIT Award winner Paloma Faith will headline the Saturday night of the nearby Bath Festival finale weekend (26 – 27 May), replacing Tears for Fears who have had to postpone their sold-out UK tour due to health concerns. The remainder of the line-up over the weekend is unaffected. Paloma Faith’s acclaimed number one gold album The Architect was released in November, and includes the singles Crybaby, Guilty and ‘Til I’m Done. Regarded as one of the greatest singers in the history of rock and roll, Robert Plant will headline the Sunday night of the finale weekend (see also p38), with other music from Imelda May, Midge Ure, Seth Lakeman and Jade Bird.

Offering a high quality yet affordable ranges of furniture and home accessories, furniture brand BoConcept has opened a new store on Merchant Street in Bristol.

It provides contemporary designs for living, dining, sleeping and working areas of the home. Many of the company’s ranges are able to be tailored to suit customers’ evolving lifestyle needs, and it believes that good design and functionality go hand in hand. Originally founded in 1952, BoConcept’s unique furniture customisation is what the team believe sets it apart from other interiors brands. Last year it celebrated 65 years of classic Danish design heritage with a modern Scandinavian twist; go Bo!

• thebathfestival.org.uk

• boconcept.com

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The Bristol Audi Showroom at Cribbs Causeway held a spectacular launch event for the new A7 and A8 last month. The launch had a special Bollywood theme and guests were entertained by brilliant bhangra dance routines and impressive dhol drumming displays at the Audi ‘Senses’ evening.

Guests were treated to delicious Indian cookery demonstrations and canapés, and the Audi dealership was filled with aromas of exotic culinary excellence. The canapés were made by executive chef Saravan Nambirajan (Mint Room, Clifton) and awardwinning TV chef, author and blogger Hari Ghotra with help from student chefs from City of Bristol College.

Bristol Audi supports the local community by sponsoring The Chefs’ Forum, a networking organisation for top local chefs, which bridges the gap between education and industry.

Inviting hospitality and catering local students to help cater the prestigious event gave the young people valuable work experience and forged links with top local employers.

Cliff Simmonds of Audi UK showcased the new models at the event, highlighting Audi artificial intelligence and talking guests through a whole range of safety systems designed to protect both the driver and other road users.

“Excellence in customer service and product are the Audi brand values and indeed our values at Bristol Audi,” said Steve Smith, head of business at Bristol Audi. “These are resonated through working with top chefs and front of house professionals via The Chefs Forum in staging regular customer events at our Bristol dealership.”

Other highlights of the night included a butchery demonstration by Jack Cook of Walter Rose & Son, and a ‘Santa Maria spice grind-off’ between Bristol Rovers and Bristol Rugby players.

• audi.co.uk

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Areas of Expertise: 

Serious Crime and White Collar Crime 

Environmental Law









Regulatory Work

Road Transport



Sports Law

Health and Safety Law

Company Act Offences

Tel: 02920 329 645/07753 116 615 Philip.williams@blackfords.com www.blackfords.com 8 St Andrews Place, Cardiff, CF10 3BE London Office: 15 Old Bailey, London, EC4M 7EF

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BRISTOL UPDATES

BITE-SIZED BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY NEWS FROM ACROSS THE CITY

GAME CHANGER

Locked In A Room has upped the escape-room ante with its new, capacious Bristol location

SPREADING ITS ROOTS

MIND THE GAP

Bristol charity The Matthew Tree Project is seeking a new host partner organisation with which to carry out its life rebuilding work. Currently operating four days a week, the charity is now able to run for a fifth day on Thursdays but needs a venue to host.

The charity provides a full wraparound support programme for over a thousand of the city’s most vulnerable residents annually and is now able to help more individuals with a high risk of becoming homeless. “The Rebuilding Lives programme works to address poverty and crisis, to catch vulnerable people who are falling through the cracks and help them holistically,” says founder Mark Goodway, “tackling their problems and empowering them to move them from crisis to independence in a very effective and sustainable way.”

The venue will become a focal point with weekly support including mentoring, budgeting, nutrition, ICT and employment; and every client receives seven days’ worth of fresh food for their family, for as long as they need it.

Have you noticed how Bristol is a boiling pot of creative people, with such a variety of art that we are spoiled for choice, yet sometimes it’s still tricky to find that piece you’ve been looking for – and how, if you’ve a limited budget, it’s harder?

Fill That Space launched this year with an exhibition that saw the likes of Jenny Urquart, Anna Duckworth, Lloyd Lewis and Maggie Cousins sharing their work – and it could help, promoting local artists and local art. “Bristol has such an impressive landscape with so many iconic features that it’s easy to see how artists are inspired,” says owner Maria Newman.

“Our communities are overflowing with artists creating an eclectic mix of artworks, from painters and photographers to ceramicists and sculptors.

“Fill That Space is about marrying up art lovers with art makers; making truly affordable art accessible to all. However, it is also about the experience; making buying art a social event and breaking down the barriers that typically get in the way.”

So if you’ve a space to fill, why not head to one of Maria’s exhibitions or fairs?

• the-matthew-tree-project.org

• fillthatspace.uk

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Bristol escape room company Locked In A Room has opened the South West’s largest escape venue in Millennium Square. With a maximum capacity of up to 72 simultaneous players and 12 different rooms with five different themes, it promises the highest level of professional escapism to date for any sized party.

Participants are locked in with a series of tests, puzzles and clues that, when solved with a little teamwork, results in the unlocking of the room's mystery and hopefully successful escape.

Escape rooms have flown to the top of the team building activities list in recent years – and Locked In A Room produces identical rooms to allow for the ultimate head-to-head race for larger teams. Individual heavily themed rooms are also available for the smaller parties of families and friends looking to immerse themselves in a new scenario.

With a top rating for fun and games on TripAdvisor, Locked In A Room wanted to be in an ultra-accessible location and made the decision to open in the heart of Bristol’s harbourside, nestled between some of the city’s most buzzing restaurants and bars.

“We are really thrilled to be launching our new venue in Millennium Square and we wholeheartedly thank all our customers and staff who have supported us this far,” commented company director Oliver Pfaff.

“With Locked In A Room having been founded and developed in Bristol, the huge creativity resources that our city offers have been invaluable and we couldn’t have produced what we have today without the community,” he added.

“We very much hope that our upgraded venue showcases the level of professionalism we work with and our new location also offers the opportunity to drink and dine at some great locations within seconds of our premises, before of after the escape experience.”

• lockedinaroom.co.uk

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Protect your Property from Fraud Sophie Haskins of AMD Solicitors outlines some ways you can protect yourself from property fraud.

Skilling Gate – A guide to finding your new job We are all familiar with the game snakes and ladders – it makes for a good analogy when considering your career. Often there isn’t just one straight ladder to the top, but rather lots of ladders that require a degree of negotiation, some longer than others. Equally you’re never too far away from a snake and when those setbacks do come, and they almost certainly will, they don’t necessarily mean you won’t win the game.

Property owners should be alert to the fact that property fraud is on the rise. Indeed the Land Registry’s property fraud line has received nearly 3,000 calls and emails since its launch in February 2013. The news contains reports of fraudsters trying to impersonate registered owners of property in order to sell or mortgage it without the owner’s knowledge.

The properties most at risk of property fraud include:-

those without a mortgage empty property buy to lets unregistered property

Therefore, if you or a family member are a buy-to-let landlord, have an empty property or are in long term care, then it is advisable that steps are taken to reduce the risk of being a victim to property fraud.

UNREGISTERED PROPERTY If you are unsure whether your property is registered or would like to discuss making a voluntary application for first registration then one of our experienced Property team will be able to assist you.

RENTED PROPERTIES If you have a property which you rent out or have a second home, you should consider registering a restriction against the title deeds. The restriction will make it more difficult for a fraudster to sell or mortgage the property without your knowledge.

Using a member of our Property team means that you will have the benefit of our specialist knowledge and experience to ensure that the restriction is registered with ease.

PROPERTY ALERT SERVICE The Land Registry provides a free property alert service, which enables home owners to get property alerts.

If you would like any advice or assistance with protecting your property or any other conveyancing matter please call us on 0117 973 5647 or 0117 974 4100, e-mail info@amdsolicitors.com or call into any one of our 4 Bristol based offices. © AMD Solicitors

Our Top 10 Tips 1. Don’t expect to fall into your dream job but be prepared to work towards it. The career ladder is often a tricky one to negotiate and gaining valuable experience, developing core skills and building up contacts will allow you to pursue your dream.

2. Taking a less than perfect position within an organisation that reflects your personal values can be a great way to build up those skills and experience.

3. Rule things in, instead of out – there are some jobs we just know we don’t want to do, but there are other things perhaps we hadn’t even considered. Don’t make assumptions, find out more, talk to people and be prepared to try new things.

4. Be organised and keep records of your job applications.

5. It can take a while to find a new job – the application process, selection process, any notice period that needs to be worked.

Remain committed, even if you’ve been knocked back.

6. Where do you want to work? Are you sure you want to move?

Make sure you know where the position will be based and if that’s likely to change. If you’re prepared to relocate, say so up front.

7. Make sure your CV and accompanying covering letter are tailored to the job and company you are applying for. Firing out a generic CV for multiple positions will not yield the best response, and worse, forgetting to remove details specific to one company when applying to another is hugely unprofessional. We’ll share our guide to writing your CV next month.

8. Remember your online footprint – prospective employers might well google you, so you should do the same. You need to feel comfortable with what the search generates. First impressions happen long before a recruiter has even met you.

9. Social media has changed the way we job hunt. You can research a company and its employees online giving you a real feel as to whether it’s somewhere that might match your values. You can also contact people directly, making speculative applications even easier.

10. Make yourself available and be prepared for assessment days, faceto-face interviews, online video interviews, telephone interviews and so on. Flexibility is key.

Skilling Gate is a Bristol based professional services recruitment firm, specialising in roles within financial services. www.skillinggate.co.uk 0117 428 6388

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Across our five retirement houses in the Bristol area

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EVENTS | FOR KIDS

FAMILY DIARY Image: Dan Tsantilis

Ideas for things to do with the little ones in Bristol this month

Peppa Pig’s Adventure Wednesday 9 – Thursday 10 May, times vary, Bristol Hippodrome Peppa Pig and friends are back in Bristol with a brand new live show. Join Peppa as she gets ready to go on an exciting camping trip to the woods with her school friends, including Pedro Pony, Suzy Sheep and Gerald Giraffe. With lunchboxes packed and Daddy Pig driving the bus, Peppa and friends are excited about their outdoor adventure, full of games, laughter and live music.

The happy campers soon settle down to sleep and listen to the gentle pitter patter of rain. Safe and warm inside their tents, the excited group can look forward to morning time, when their will be lots of muddy puddles to play in. Tickets: £18.15 – £23.15.

Top pick...

• atgtickets.com/bristol-hippodrome

DON’T MISS...

Flash, Bang, Wallop!

Daily, Dockyard Museum, SS Great Britain Travel back in time, and around the world, and pose for a portrait in the Melbourne photographic studio. With stovepipe hats, bonnets and crinolines, these Victorian-style pictures are a great souvenir of your visit.

Included in the admission price.

Nature and Wildlife Month Throughout May, Avon Valley Adventure & Wildlife Park, Keynsham Explore the banks of the River Avon and discover the nature and wildlife that lives alongside it. Learn about creepy crawlies, wildlife and nature from the Avon Valley team. There will be bark and leaf rubbing and pond dipping, plus bug hunts and even a poo trail; avonvalley.co.uk Awful Auntie Tuesday 1 – Sunday 6 May, times vary, Bristol Hippodrome When Stella sets off to visit London with her parents, she has no idea her life is in danger.

Waking up three months later, only her Aunt Alberta can tell Stella what has happened. But not everything Alberta tells her turns out to be true… From the awardwinning West End producers of Gangsta Granny comes the world premiere of David Walliams’ amazing tale of frights, fights and friendship, featuring a very large owl, a very small ghost and a very awful auntie; atgtickets.com/bristol-hippodrome Scribble and Sketch Saturday 5 May, 10.30am – 12.30pm, Royal West of England Academy, Queen’s Road Ideal for all ages, Scribble and Sketch offers 76 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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free, informal art and drawing activities, often inspired by the gallery’s current exhibitions.

These sessions are designed for children and grown-ups to take part in together. Go and get creative in this friendly and relaxed environment, where everyone is welcome. Free admission. No pre-booking needed; rwa.org.uk Nutty Noah Sunday 6 May, 11am and 2pm, The Wardrobe Theatre, Old Market Bringing his own brand of side-splitting nuttiness, Nutty Noah’s award-winning show includes cheeky original songs, crazy juggling and amazing magic for children three – eight and their families. £8, ages two and under go free; thewardrobetheatre.com Kids Takeover Racing Monday 7 May, gates open 12pm, Bath Racecourse An action-packed day of family fun is set to make for a thrilling bank holiday. And it won’t just be horses and jockeys that experience the thrill of running down the final furlong, as children will get the chance to take part in the racecourse’s biggest ever race. They will all look the part in their silks as they race for the finish line in a sprint down the track and there will be a designated family picnic enclosure featuring an inflatable fun park, bouncy slides, soft play, face painting and other family entertainment. Under 18s go free; bath-racecourse.co.uk Toddler Takeover: Come Rain, Come Shine Friday 11 May, 10am – 5pm, We The Curious Little ones can get hands-on in this day of colourful activities, exploring the wonderful world of weather. Experiment with feathers and flags in the wind machine, experience real

clouds and make your own from wool in Cloud Lab and join Ursa and Leo for The Missing Puddle during storytime. Pre-booking essential. Suitable for families with children aged one – five. Likely to sell out, so get your tickets quick; wethecurious.org Snigel and Friends Friday 11 May, 12pm, We The Curious Join Snigel (leading UK disabled dancer Caroline Bowditch), the inquisitive snail, in their cosy home underneath the leafy canopy where Snigel’s insect friends – brought to life by dancer Welly O’Brien and performer and musician Zac Scott – come to visit. They dance, play, sing and make music in the undergrowth while uncovering secret treasures. An inviting new work for children aged 0 – 12 months and their guardian. £7; wethecurious.org Drag Queen Story Time Sunday 13 May, 2pm, Colston Hall The sparkly and fun Drag Queen Story Time has delighted young audiences in libraries, schools and hospitals in the South West and beyond, in a world where fairytales come to life and dress up is real. International drag star Alyssa Van Delle reads stories with quick wit and brilliant vocal talents, leaving children with big smiles and providing them with a glamorous, positive, and unabashedly queer role model. Suitable for three – 11 year-olds.

Pay what you think. Part of Mayfest, Bristol’s international festival of contemporary theatre; colstonhall.org Rock The Party Saturday 19 May, 2pm, Komedia, Bath Rocktopus, the ultimate rock band for kids and families, is ready to rock out with you.

Join the band, learn the moves, and get involved in this truly interactive experience for

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Nutty Noah at The Wardrobe Theatre

kids and adults alike. Expect favourites from the hugely popular debut album and brand new songs. Plus there will be epic party games, face painting, ocean craft, album signing and more. Suitable for ages 0 – 100! Advance tickets: £5, family of four £18; komedia.co.uk TYNTEtots: Peter Rabbit Wednesday 23 – Thursday 24 May, 10am and 1pm, Tyntesfield Explore Tyntesfield’s kitchen garden through the eyes of Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit. Can you spot Mr McGregor’s watering can and Peter’s little blue jacket? Two – five year-olds can enjoy storytelling, crafts and games. £3 adults, £7 children. Tel: 0344 2491895; nationaltrust.org.uk/tyntesfield

Family fun at the Kids Takeover Racing at Bath Racecourse

Knight School Sunday 27 – Wednesday 30 May, times vary, Berkeley Castle Grab your swords and head to Berkeley Castle during the half term for knight school where you can learn new tactical defence swordfighting skills. There will be two sessions each day for ages five – nine and then 10 – adults.

Stick around for the dramatic and actionpacked Warrior Show at 3.30pm. Book tickets to secure your place; berkeley-castle.com Glorious Greeks Monday 28 May, shows at 12pm and 3pm, The Wardrobe Theatre, Old Market Outwit greedy monsters, escape the savage cyclops and survive the sweet-singing sirens in

this awesome Odyssean adventure. Wild Words presents a magical storytelling and music show for ages three – 10, preceded by a puppet making workshop. £8, ages two and under go free; thewardrobetheatre.com Wonderful Women Wednesday 30 May, 10am – 12pm, Bristol Cathedral This free family craft morning offers a fun and creative workshop for children of all ages where they can stick, glue, colour and create something to take home. This session focuses on the theme of ‘wonderful women’ to coincide with the cathedral’s ongoing events marking the centenary of some women gaining the vote in Britain. n

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Make the Connection to the Isles of Scilly in 2018

To enter the competition, simply email your name and address to competitions@thebristolmagazine.co.uk before the closing date of 31/5/2018 By entering you automatically agree to receive occasional emails with news, offers and events from Isles of Scilly Travel.

Fly or sail to the UK’s most exotic escape; lying just 28 miles off the coast of Land’s End, Cornwall, are a collection of truly un-spoilt islands that are a welcome sanctuary from stress.

WIN an escape to the stunning Isles of Scilly with Isles of Scilly Travel, one lucky reader will win a return Fly + Sail trip! Flying from Land’s End Airport, the short flight takes you over Cornwall’s dramatic coastline before views of the magical islands appear in view. Then on your return, you can enjoy a leisurely sail home to Penzance harbour aboard Scillonian III, looking out for dolphins that often join the ship as well as views of some of Cornwall’s most iconic landmarks.

For more information about Isles of Scilly Travel and to discover how you can #ConnectScilly in 2018, visit www.islesofscilly-travel.co.uk or call 01736 334220.

Terms and Conditions Not to be used in conjunctions with any current bookings or discounts • Excludes travel on Bank Holiday weekends and school holidays • Bookings are subject to availability on requested dates • Competition ends on 31st May 2018 • Winners will be selected at random after that date and no cash alternative will be offered.

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THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 79

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HEALTH & BEAUTY

EXPRESS YOURSELF Beautiful braids, quick facial fixes and brows for days: Crystal Rose rounds up a few places around the city to get pampered on your lunchbreak

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e often struggle to fit our beauty maintenance in over the weekend – after a long week of work, sometimes all you want to do is flop.

And, hey, you’ve earned that. With this in mind, we’ve scoured the city for places that offer express hair and beauty treatments that should still leave you with time to eat your lunch and gather your thoughts after a busy morning. We’re talking nail re-shaping, fast facials and Insta-worthy braids. Bristol’s beauty scene is full of quality treatments and we’ve picked out a few of the best. Why compromise? Eat, relax and feel amazing before heading back to the office. It’s all in a day’s work...

30-MINUTE SHAPE AND PAINT AT THE NAILHOUSE 48 The Mall, Clifton, Bristol BS8 4JG 0117 973 7068; thenailhouse.co.uk Started in 2015 by local brother-and-sister professionals, The Nailhouse only works on natural nails. With a straight-shooting simplistic list of treatments, it offers a halfhour shape and paint treatment for hands or feet. This classic service includes nail shaping and cuticle tidying and finishes with OPI lacquer or gel, a nourishing cuticle oil and skin serum. The express treatment includes removal of gel that may be applied. £24 (lacquer) / £26 (gel).

30-MINUTE TREATMENT AT PAMPER ME BEAUTY Embassy House, 5 Queens Avenue, Bristol BS8 1SB 0117 934 9533; pampermebeauty.co.uk This simple and quick but effective back, neck and shoulder treatment combines the use of essential oils and therapeutic massage.

The aromatherapy treatment is very effective for various health conditions and is a relaxing session that is less intense than a Swedish maasage. Priced at £30 for 30 minutes – a pound a minute sounds like a deal to us – it’ll have you heading back to work feeling relaxed and calm.

BRAIDING AT SEAN HANNA 13 Quaker's Friars, Bristol BS1 3BU 0117 934 9393; seanhanna.com With a menu dedicated solely to braiding, Sean Hanna offers not only in-store styling but an online step-by-step guide for you to re-create the look at home. Showcasing six popular braids, including the fishtail and waterfall braid, the team has got you

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30-minute shape and paint at The Nailhouse covered. Appointments are available on a walk-in basis only. Braid treatments are £15.

QUICK BROW THREADING AT BLINK BROW BAR Harvey Nichols, Cabot Circus BS1 3BZ 0117 9168862; blinkbrowbar.com Head over to Harvey Nichols to give your brows the TLC they deserve. Priced at £19 for eyebrow shaping, this threading treatment allows for precision and perfectly sculpted brows. Leave with wonderfully neat and symmetrical brows (but remember, they’re sisters not twins). Threading is known for teasing out every single hair by the root, leaving you with brows that will stay on fleek for longer.

30-MINUTE EXPRESS MAKEUP AT MAC COSMETICS Debenhams, 1-5 St James Barton Roundabout, Bristol BS1 3LT 0117 945 3612; maccosmetics.co.uk Book your slot online and be ready for a bespoke makeup application. Applied by a MAC artist in just 30 minutes this limited makeup application is great for those on the move. The express makeup application is £20 for 30 minutes.

25-MINUTE EXPRESS FACIAL AT VICTORIA’S HEALTH AND BEAUTY 2 Cleeve Wood Road, Downend, Bristol BS16 2SF 0117 957 5080; victoriasbeauty.co.uk For those working near the Downend area, Victoria’s Health and Beauty offers a quick

facial for when there’s not much time to spare. Using plant and marine extracts with essential oils to help revitalise the skin, it’ll leave you feeling radiant and refreshed. This treatment is for all skin types and can be used in between regular appointments or when you need that quick facial fix. This facial is priced at £25 for 25 minutes.

30-MINUTE EXPRESS MIST OF ST TROPEZ AT URBAN BRONZE 2 Victoria Square, Bristol BS8 4EU 07980 266570; urbanbronze.com This luxury home-based salon in Clifton offers two coats of St Tropez over the entire body. In just 30 minutes, the Express Mist is priced at £30 and comes with the option for a half body tan. ‘Glow’ back to the office and you’ll be more bronzed with every developing hour. n The side braid available at Sean Hanna

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Welcome to... the new you Conveniently located on the stylish Whiteladies Road, EF MEDISPA Bristol combines cutting edge aesthetic treatments alongside wellness services and fitness classes. The clinic offers a lifestyle centre for the vibrant city of Bristol & its surrounding areas.

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THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 81

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ADVERTORIAL FEATURE

Acupuncture for Fertility Acupuncturist Amanda Hair, who lectures at CNM (College of Naturopathic Medicine), looks at how Acupuncture can increase the chances of conceiving naturally, and of having a healthy pregnancy.

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ore and more women are turning to Acupuncture to increase their chances of conceiving their longed for baby.

Modern life seems to put so many demands on women in their twenties that making a decision to have a child is postponed. Career progression, affording a home, not meeting ‘the one’ until later in life, seem to be the main reasons why many women decide to have their first child over the age of 35, a time when our fertility, supposedly declines.

Of course, there is the inaccurate media message that as soon as we hit 35, all of our eggs are defunct! Interestingly, this message has had such an effect that some women of over 35 years are now stopping their contraception because they think they might no longer be fertile.

So how can Acupuncture and diet help boost your fertility? A healthy, regular menstrual cycle is optimum to helping you conceive, being no less than 19 days and no more than 35 days in length. Acupuncture seems to regulate the menstrual cycle and is particularly beneficial for women who may have been diagnosed with PCOS (poly cystic ovarian syndrome). This is a condition of the endocrine system where cysts develop in the ovaries and cause the body to miss ovulation.

PCOS also raises high levels of the male hormone called androgens into the body which reduce the size of the follicles. Follicles

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produce the hormones oestrogen and progesterone and release an egg when you ovulate.

Having Acupuncture around pertinent times of the menstrual cycle such as at ovulation and then at the highest point of progesterone, usually day 21, can encourage the body to work more effectively and contribute to a natural pregnancy without needing to resort to hormone therapy. A diagnosis from a Chinese Medicine perspective would identify the best time in your cycle for you to have Acupuncture.

For many women, undertaking a course of Acupuncture to help conception could simply be because it is going to help de-stress the mind and body. Trying to conceive can be extremely stressful, particularly once all the tests have been undertaken and there are no identifiable issues for not falling pregnant.

Stress causes cortisol, a steroid hormone to rise, which in turn can stop our bodies ovulating so using Acupuncture can keep the body receptive and open. Cortisol also affects the part of the immune system responsible for preventing miscarriage in early pregnancy, so having a course of Acupuncture once you are pregnant can also be beneficial.

For women who choose medically assisted fertility cycles, Acupuncture is often used to maximise the health of the developing follicles and to encourage the blood supply to the uterine lining, to aid with implantation of the egg. Acupuncture is also used to help minimise the side-effects of the drugs.

CNM’s naturopathic training additionally equips Acupuncturists to give nutrition and lifestyle advice. Eating nutrient-boosting foods which suit you, and omitting foods and products from your life which can disrupt the functioning of the endocrine and digestive systems, helps to address both toxicity and any vitamin or mineral deficiencies. These

powerful natural tools used together can support the body in returning to hormonal balance, and can greatly enhance your chances of a having a naturally conceived healthy pregnancy, and a healthy baby.

Acupuncturist and CNM lecturer Amanda Hair.

Attend a FREE CNM Open Evening in Bristol Wednesday 9th May 6.30pm-8.30pm to find out about training with CNM Bristol for a career in Naturopathic Nutrition or Naturopathic Acupuncture.

Please reserve your free place on line at:

www.naturopathy-uk.com 01342 410 505

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Bristolian patient James Caley getting back to his beloved gym workouts

Spine Centre Bristol sorts Sciatica B ased at the Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital, The Chesterfield, in Clifton, the newly launched Spine Centre Bristol provides comprehensive assessment and treatment for a range of spinal conditions affecting the neck and back, avoiding surgery wherever possible.

In addition to a multi-disciplinary team of consultant pain specialists, spinal orthopaedic and neurosurgeons, radiologists, spinal physiotherapy and specialist nursing, the Nuffield Health Recovery Plus programme uniquely provides extended post-operative physiotherapy support. Provided at the two Bristol Nuffield Health Fitness & Wellbeing Centres, this aspect of the Spine Centre Bristol ensures a smooth recovery and promotes longterm health.

Dr Gareth Greenslade, consultant in pain medicine, treats problems ranging from simple back pain to the aftermath of major trauma and pain which may persist after surgery.

Dr Greenslade Dr Gareth Greenslade, comments, “After consultant in pain assessment, the medicine patient may have image guided

injections, medication, acupuncture or TENS, specialised physiotherapy and clinical psychology. I am fortunate to be working with a group of expert surgeons who avoid surgery whenever they can. Their approach is up to date and based on the best evidence.”

Mr Nitin Patel, consultant spinal neurosurgeon, explains, “The majority of patients with spinal conditions improve with nonsurgical treatment through specialist physiotherapy, pain management or Mr Nitin Patel, steroid injection consultant spinal treatment, combined neurosurgeon with patient education about exercise and injury prevention. Patients who fail to improve with non-surgical treatment, suffering with symptoms that interfere with their work and leisure activities, may require surgical treatment. Wherever possible, we select less invasive microsurgical techniques to aid postoperative recovery and improve clinical outcomes.”

Available for consultation at the Spine Centre Bristol, are consultant orthopaedic spine surgeons Mr Stephen Morris, Mr Ian Harding, and Mr Priyan Landham, consultant

spinal neurosurgeon, Mr Nitin Patel and consultant in pain medicine Dr Gareth Greenslade.

Patient James Caley, 34, is a very active supply chain manager from Clifton. With hobbies such as playing football and golf and exercising most days in the gym, he was devastated when he developed painful sciatica, where a prolapsed lumbar intervertebral disc was causing nerve root pain to radiate into his lower back and down into his leg. Thankfully he was able to access prompt private treatment at Nuffield Health.

James says, “Whilst having a largely desk based job, it is pretty busy and demanding, so feeling fit and healthy plays a big part in me having a clear and efficient mind at work and at home. Following steroid injection treatment at Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital, after three days’ recuperation, I woke up pain free and it was just amazing to be sitting down and being able to stand up without pain.”

More information: 0117 906 4870 or nuffieldhealth.com/hospitals/bristol

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

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Blossom time in Arnos Vale

GO FORTH AND RAMBLE! Andrew Swift’s pick of things to see and do on foot as part of the city’s walking festival

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he Bristol Walk Fest celebrates its sixth anniversary this month, and with over 150 walks on offer, along with exhibitions and other events, there is a fantastic range and variety to choose from. Most of the walks are free, and range from short strolls round six local parks to all-day hikes, with everything in between. Whether you want to find out more about the history of your local area, celebrate Bristol’s street art, explore the natural world or just enjoy some fresh air in convivial company, there is sure to be a walk for you.

One particularly intriguing destination in this year’s line-up is the Forest of Horwood. No less than four walks – starting in Clifton Wood, Shirehampton, Almondsbury and Horfield – explore corners of this long-forgotten royal forest which extended from Bristol to Wottonunder-Edge, and from the Severn to Old Sodbury. Most of it was disafforested in 1228, when Henry III gave it up to raise revenue, retaining only a small area known as Kingswood Chase.

One wood that is far from forgotten is the small but perfectly formed Badock’s Wood in the Trym valley. This features in five walks, looking at bugs and butterflies, birds, hidden treasures, and at how walking in peaceful surroundings can aid mindful meditation.

Two other walks in north Bristol recall the long-defunct custom of beating the bounds of Bishopston, while ‘Westbury on Trym – Ancient and Modern’ explores the fascinating history of a village that is older than Bristol. Nor are the glorious woods and open spaces of Blaise Castle and Kingsweston forgotten, and there is also a chance to discover the lesser-known delights of Bishop’s Knoll and Lamplighters Marsh.

One event likely to catch the eye of anyone with even a passing interest in Bristol’s industrial history is a walk along what remains of the Downs Tramway. Having gone in search of this long-forgotten line a couple of years ago, I know how difficult it is to find, so visiting in the company of someone who knows where they’re going is definitely recommended.

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The same goes for a walk in search of two ‘Ghost Roads’ across the Downs – the Roman Via Appia and a turnpike road abandoned in 1750. Precious little evidence of either survives, so a knowledgeable guide is essential.

The Downs feature in several other walks, including one designed for dogs (and their owners) and another on which you can try Nordic walking. There is also a delightful-sounding walk around the byways of Redland and Westbury Park, which includes a visit to Easter Garden, a gem of a community garden tucked away in a back street near the top of Whiteladies Road.

In South Bristol, there is the chance to discover how Bedminster evolved from a rural Somerset town to a bustling industrial suburb.

Another event combines a visit to Hengrove Nature Reserve with a look at what remains of Whitchurch airfield, Bristol’s airport until 1957.

There is also a ramble around less-frequented parts of Arnos Vale Cemetery, as well as several walks exploring the Malago Greenway.

A very different sort of urban walk comes in the form of a ‘guided audio tour through the sites, sounds, smells and stories of Bedminster’.

Created by choreographer Joanna Young, musician Jamie McCarthy and dancer Kip Johnson, the soundtrack to the walk is composed of ‘local men’s food stories and reflections on the future of the planet’.

Certainly not your average guided walk – and you may never look at Bedminster in quite the same way again.

East of the city, you can walk to Purdown and Stoke Park, or explore St Agnes and St Werburgh’s Parks. There is also a Sunday ramble past Troopers Hill along the Avon Valley to Beese’s Tea Gardens.

Out-of-town events feature as well, taking in such distant spots as the Brendon Hills, Sedgemoor, Castell Coch and the Usk Valley, as well as places closer to home such as Abbot’s Pool, Leigh Woods, Pensford, Backwell and Bradford on Avon.

And then there are the walks around the city centre. Sure to be

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THE GREAT OUTDOORS

popular is the chance to climb the towers of two of Bristol’s medieval churches. Other walks look at the Bristol Riots, Bristol in books, Bristol through maps, Bristol statues, and the legacy of the slave trade.

Alternately, you can trace the course of the city’s medieval walls, assess the impact of the Temple Quarter redevelopment, or follow an urban food trail visiting 14 gardens to see how food can be grown successfully in the city centre.

Not surprisingly, the floating harbour is a star attraction. From a family-friendly stroll across six of the city’s bridges to a fascinating look at the dry docks that lined the harbourside, and from a tour of Cumberland Basin to a near-obligatory survey of Brunel’s involvement with the docks, the Walk Fest is an ideal time to find out more about this aspect of the city’s heritage.

Bristol is one of the finest cities in the world to explore on foot, and its annual walking festival is not only a showcase for the some of the best it has to offer, but an opportunity to discover hidden corners and unexpected treasures. ■

Explore the changing face of the harbourside

• bristolwalkfest.com Choose whether you explore a newer of more historic aspect of the city

Looking towards the city from St Werburgh’s

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HEALTH & FITNESS

WALK BRIS WAY It seems more of us than ever before are missing out on the health benefits of walking.

Here’s why you should start today…

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s a nation, our lifestyles are becoming increasingly sedentary. People in the UK are around 20% less physically active now than they were in the 1960s and on average walk 15 miles less a year than two decades ago. The severity of the current physical inactivity epidemic costs the NHS an estimated £0.9 billion per year.

The good news is that we don’t have to do much to turn that around. Getting enough physical activity (professionals recommend at least 150 minutes a week, in bouts of 10 minutes or more) can have dramatic benefits, including a lowered risk of type two diabetes, cardiovascular disease, dementia and some cancers. And the easiest way to start is to simply go out for a walk.

Life-changing stuff Hengrove resident Michael Hancock, 71, has been living with dementia for the last 14 years and is also receiving treatment for Crohn’s disease. He and his wife Lynn, who is also his carer, joined a local walking group after he was discharged from hospital six years ago. “Walking has been a real life-changer for me,” he says.

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movement. I needed to remind my body how to do exercise again.

When I walk, I always feel so much better for having done it – the fresh air does me good. It’s also really good for my memory. I sometimes have a job to remember people’s names, but I’ve met so many people doing this (there are about 35 people in our group), so the more people I see, the more I get to practice keeping names in my head. It’s a really nice and sociable activity.”

And it’s not just on the outside that the change is noticeable, according to Lynn. “When you are unwell, it’s easy to see how life could close in on you, so you’ve to get out there and meet people, and keep doing new things. Doing this has improved things for both of us no end. We do a lot of walks just the two of us now as well, and sometimes our 11-year-old grandson joins us, too. It’s awakened an interest in being out and about, and it’s something we can share, which is lovely,” she says.

Brain benefits As well as improving your physical fitness, there is growing evidence that walking can positively impact mental health, too.

A recent study at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology &

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Neuroscience, King’s College London, discovered that the mental health benefits of going for a walk can last for several hours afterwards. Researchers developed a smartphone-based app, Urban Mind, to examine how exposure to natural features when walking in cities affects a person’s mental wellbeing. The results showed significant immediate and time lagged associations with mental wellbeing for several natural features: trees, the sky and birdsong.

“These findings suggest that short-term exposure to nature has a measurable beneficial impact on mental wellbeing,” said Dr Andrea Mechelli at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College. “It suggests that nature could be especially beneficial to those at risk of poor mental health. From a clinical perspective, we hope this line of research will lead to the development of low-cost scalable interventions aimed at promoting mental health in urban populations.”

Anecdotal evidence from those facing mental health issues appears to corroborate this. Sam Espensen, co-owner and cofounder of Espensen Spirit – a range of naturally infused gins and vodkas – and Redfield bar Bristol Spirit, began walking as part of her recovery from CPTSD (complex post-traumatic stress disorder).

“In my early 30s I went through a really bad time – my father died, I got made redundant and I split up with an abusive partner, all within the space of a few months. I became depressed, very reclusive and shut off. One of the things I did to stop the negative thought patterns and to feel less lonely was to listen to podcasts, which were a new thing then. And the thing about podcasts is that they’re not usually a passive experience – people tend to listen to them while doing something else – so at weekends I started walking while listening,” she says. “From a mental health perspective, walking is brilliant, because it takes minimal effort (when you’re depressed you often have zero energy), and is something you can do on your own if you want to be by yourself.

Professionally it really helps me too – if I am stuck on a problem it helps jog my brain. I come up with most of my creative ideas while out walking.”

Train in Clinical Hypnotherapy • Certificate in Hypnosis • • Practitioner Diploma in Hypnotherapy •

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Growing confidence Brian McCann began his walking journey after leaving the Barrow Hospital some years ago, where he received support for mental health issues. He has since become a walk leader for a local healthy walking group.

“Walking has had a really positive impact on my life,” he says.

“I started by going along to the groups as a member, but as my confidence grew I began to take a more active part in it. Now, I am a walk leader, which means I organise where to meet, the routes we take, and I look out for funding opportunities – all the things that go with being a walk leader. I’ve been to so many places I would never have gone to had it not been for the group.”

Being a part of walking groups like this can be a lifeline for those recovering from mental health issues, who can sometimes feel isolated during or after their treatment. “The great thing about being part of a group is that it’s sociable,” explains Brian. “We usually stop at a café or a pub afterwards and you can chat as you walk. You realise you’re not alone when you join a group like this – it cheers you up.”

“Walking is a great way to be active and by getting out, even if it’s just once a day for a stroll, it can make such a difference to your health and wellbeing,” adds Karen Lloyd, manager for Active Ageing Bristol, a local project that offers opportunities to encourage people aged 55 or over to become and stay active.

If you’re thinking of getting into walking, now’s your chance!

This month’s Bristol Walk Fest, the UK’s largest urban celebration of walking, takes place from 1 – 31 May, and includes over 150 community walks and events, many of which are free – see p84 for more information. ■

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HOMES | THE GARDEN OFFICE

ROOM TO BE CREATIVE A growing number of artists and artisans are opting for ‘shedworking’, setting up light, warm and airy studios conveniently sited in their gardens. Georgette McCready visits local garden buildings specialists Garden Affairs to find out how some are achieving a better work/life balance.

W

ould you like an elegant summerhouse where you can sit with a cup of tea to enjoy the sight of your garden in full bloom? Or perhaps you hanker after a log cabin with plenty of space and natural light where you can fully develop your career, away from the clutter and bustle of family life? Imagine if the only commute to work were a few strides across the lawn, or you could easily pop back to your desk in the evening to complete a project.

West country-based family-run business Garden Affairs helps people achieve their homeworking dreams by consulting with them to design bespoke studios. Each cabin is as unique as its owner and people are free to create their own world inside, adding shelves, desks and blinds, as they choose. A home office is a more economic option than moving house or adding an extension and there’s the guarantee of somewhere peaceful to work.

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Thomas and sculptor Barbara Hepworth. Roald Dahl famously retreated to his writing shed to dream up the amazingly vivid characters of his much-loved children’s books. Contemporary high-profile garden room enthusiasts include artist Damien Hirst and property guru Kirstie Allsopp, who has said that her wooden garden room reminded her fondly of the tree houses her father built for her as a child. But canny Kirstie also points out that having an extra room at your property will also enhance its value.

The Garden Affairs team, based just outside Bath in Trowbridge, has been able to help all kinds of creative people set up their own space in their gardens. The design team can advise on everything from the position and size of the garden room to supplying electricity and lighting, as well as whether your home project will need planning permission. The latest generation of wooden cabins is eco-friendly, well insulated and designed to retain warmth in winter and stay cool on hot summer days. There is an option to plant a sedum roof to encourage wildlife and to add a water butt to collect rainwater from the guttering.

CREATIVE WORKING: Above: a contemporary flat roof cabin is one of Garden Affairs’ larger Shedworking options and its inside offers a versatile space Opposite, from top to bottom: a log cabin makes a perfect place to inspire writers or painters – a florist’s workspace, a photographers studio is filled with light, and a garden roof option will encourage wildlfe and harmonise your environment

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Roald Dahl famously retreated to his writing shed to dream up the amazingly vivid characters of his much-loved children’s books.

You can also choose as many power sockets as you like for your cabin, as Garden Affairs managing director Richard Squire says: “Nobody ever thinks they have too many sockets, you can always find a use for them.”

CASE STUDIES An artist’s studio Max Ryan wanted a studio where she could run art classes and operate her picture framing and photography business. She didn’t want the expense and hassle of having to rent a studio, which she would have to commute to, so talked to Garden Affairs about installing a large log cabin in her garden in Frome. Max chose a substantial cabin, nine metres wide and four metres deep, with windows and three additional skylights. Inside, along with the main studio space, two smaller rooms were created for a cloakroom and a private office.

Max’s business Studio 61 is now well established and she says she relishes the short commute and the fact that she can take Howard her dog to work with her. The studio is so warm and comfortable that she has even been able to run life-drawing classes for her students.

A world for woolly creatures Craftswoman Karin Celestine had dreamed about working in a little red Swedish house, where she could make the charming needle-felted woollen creatures who feature in her children’s books. Now her Shed of Glory, as she has dubbed it, has pride of place in her Monmouthshire garden and, true to her vision, she has painted the exterior Swedish red. Inside her Shed of Glory the creatures of the fictional world she has created, Celestine and the Hare, get up to all sorts of adventures in the warm and dry.

The ceramicist Lizzie wanted a space she could devote to her passion for pottery.

Garden Affairs helped her design a 3.5 metre by 2.5 metre workshop, into which Lizzie has introduced her home kiln, which is run by electricity. She also arranged for a plumber to supply water to the workshop, for a handy sink, and opted for a bee-friendly living sedum roof.

The writer Freelance journalist Maggie wanted a room of her own away from the washing machine, the front doorbell and all the other intrusions of domestic life. She says: “I got fed up sitting in the spare bedroom trying to work and having to clear everything away when family came to stay.” Maggie chose a Linea garden room, three and a half metres by three metres, for her town garden. The design is ultra modern and has very little roof overhang so it can be placed very near to a boundary. She’s very happy with her home office and has installed a sofa alongside her desk where she can indulge in what she claims are power naps to boost her creativity. n

Contact Garden Affairs on tel: 01225 774566; gardenaffairs.co.uk Or visit the display centre at Trowbridge Garden Centre, 288 Frome Road, Trowbridge, Wiltshire, BA14 0DT THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

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There’s bound to be something for your home in our enormous collection of handsome, hand-selected, hand-made rugs, kilims, furniture and accessories, reasonably priced from £50 to £5000.

Cleaning • Restoration Valuation

Tel: 01761451764 Email: katya@orientalrugsofbath.com www.orientalrugsofbath.com at Bookbarn International, 1 Hallatrow Business Park, Wells Road, Hallatrow, Bristol BS39 6EX

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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

THE

B R I S T OL MAGAZINE

THEBESTOFBRISTOL PERFECTLYCOVERED TOADVERTISETEL: 0117 974 2800 THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

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THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 93

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VERTICAL CHALLENGE Any garden, large or small, can accommodate climbers: this month Elly West is all about that other dimension

A

n established wisteria, its long racemes of pale purple, scented flowers dripping from a house wall, is one of my favourite sights when I’m out and about at this time of year. I moved into my current house in early April four years ago, just as the deep-purple magnolia in the front garden was coming into bloom. This was then closely followed by a wisteria over the front door and along the walls, and I couldn’t believe my luck. Every year it has gone from strength to strength, and it remains one of my all-time favourite climbing plants.

When we think about our garden spaces, we all too often focus on the single dimension, but there are, of course, the planting opportunities provided by the vertical planes to consider as well. All gardens have boundaries, whether they be fences, walls or hedges, and when I visit clients’ gardens I invariably find they are underused.

Every garden can find room for climbers and it’s surprising how many can fit into a small space. Boundaries and house walls are the obvious places for climbers in a domestic garden, but it’s also relatively easy to create height with wigwams and obelisks, or more permanent structures such as pergolas, arches or free-standing trellis. These are great in gardens where more height is needed and will all provide more surface areas that you can then cloak with colour.

Climbers themselves are richly varied and can be found to suit just about any situation. There are evergreen and deciduous varieties, those that love shade, sun-loving tropical and exotic delights, with flowers and leaves in every shape, colour and size, plus everything in between. Some are grown as annuals, such as morning glory, black-eyed Susan and sweet peas, and can be used to very quickly camouflage an eyesore, create seclusion, and add vertical colour. More permanent climbers, such as wisteria, or evergreen clematis armandii (another of my favourites, with sweet-smelling white flowers in very early spring and large, strappy, glossy leaves) will need a strong framework over which they can scramble and twine.

Wire attached to vine eyes, or a strong trellis panel are both good options.

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When you’re planting a climber, dig a large hole and incorporate some organic matter. If you’re planting against a fence or wall, position the plant at least 30cm away and train it back against its support so the roots get plenty of water.

Clematis generally like to be able to scramble into the sun with their roots in shade. Tie in new stems with soft string as they grow, making a figure-of-eight loop to prevent rubbing.

Many climbers also grow well in large pots with a simple wigwam of canes for support. Sweet peas and other annuals can easily be grown this way, and moved into prominence as they come into flower.

Not far from Bristol lies Tynings Climbers in Tickenham (tyningsclimbers.co.uk) where literally tens of thousands of climbers are grown on a 10-acre site. Set back from the road, to the passer-by there are no immediate clues to the hard work and dedication of Jane Lindsay and Toni O’Connor, who run the long-established business. But follow the long driveway uphill to the house, and fields open out with land extending to the woodland beyond, and far to the left and right, with incredible views across to the Mendip Hills.

Alongside goats, chickens and dogs, there are four polytunnels and five greenhouses packed with climbers, both hardy varieties and more tender exotics.

Just about everything is propagated on site from cuttings, and they hold no less than four National Collections, of jasmine, passion flower, thunbergia and mandevilla. The nursery was set up around 15 years ago, but Jane’s love of growing is in her blood. She grew up on the site, where her parents grew vegetables, cut flowers and soft fruit for their greengrocery in nearby Clevedon. However, her passion for climbers stems back to a work experience placement with John Vanderplank in Kingston Seymour, who also holds a National Collection of passiflora (passion flower), and at whose nursery she ended up working for 17 years.

And passion flowers remain a firm favourite; Jane estimates they have around 300 different kinds. “They’re just so variable and interesting, with different shapes, sizes and colours,” she explains.

Above: The only way is up when it comes to wisteria – one of Elly’s all-time fave climbers...

Look at those luscious racemes of pale purple, scented blooms Right: Passion flowers have distinctive flowers and while they’ll survive our winters, benefit from a sheltered spot such as a southfacing wall

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GARDENING

TOP FIVE CLIMBING PLANTS • Clematis ‘Nelly Moser’: This large-flowered, candy-striped variety is a show stopper and, unlike many clematis, tolerant of shade, which actually makes for a more intense colour. Flowers appear early summer, often followed by a second late-summer flush.

• Passiflora caerulea: Passion flowers have distinctive blooms that look almost like they’re made of plastic – in a good way! Semievergreen and slightly tender, they will survive our winters but benefit from a sheltered spot such as a south-facing wall.

• Wisteria sinensis: These vigorous climbers are long lived, so choosing the right site is important. They also need a strong framework for the woody twining stems. Regular pruning will produce the best flowers and keep plants under control. Cut back the long, whippy shoots of the current year’s growth to shorter spurs in late summer and again in January or February.

Wandering the site and peering into the glasshouses at the end of March, after a month of cold and snow, Jane’s main concern is that the weather has halted spring growth. “Everything is four weeks behind,” she says. With show season looming, it’s hard to envisage the awardwinning stands filled with colour that the duo will invariably create. But these are the challenges growers face and I am on-board in thinking it will all come right when it needs to. “Everyone will be in the same boat.

We have to work with nature,” she says.

Despite Jane’s laid-back attitude, this is a serious business, and Tynings has won a multitude of RHS medals at the many shows they attend each year. “We usually get a gold,” Jane states in a matter-of-fact tone. It’s not all about the medals and the glory though; Jane’s favourite thing about the business is “taking cuttings and growing plants”. To me, the plants certainly look healthy but the greenhouses are stuffed full and with no obvious sense of order. However, Jane says she knows every single plant, and somehow I believe her.

• ellyswellies.co.uk

• Trachelospermum jasminoides: This twining climber has glossy evergreen leaves and fragrant starry flowers in summer. The leaves often turn an attractive deep-red in winter.

• Ipomoea ‘Heavenly Blue’: Also known as ‘morning glory’, this beautiful annual climber is actually a cultivated form of the dreaded bindweed. Like it’s less-favoured cousin, it will quickly cover an obelisk or arch in just a season, and produces spectacular, true-blue trumpet flowers.

01275 562042 www.greenbirdgardening.co.uk THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

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BRISTOL PROPERTY | IN FOCUS

T

his charming home is a superb example of a Grade II listed Regency townhouse, filled with period features including sash windows with working shutters, fireplaces and high ceilings with original cornice work.

Accommodation is arranged over three floors. On the hall floor a generous and welcoming entrance hall leads to two beautiful reception rooms with the drawing room to the front having large sash windows and a wood burning stove. At the rear is an open plan family living space incorporating kitchen, family room and dining room with a lovely south facing bay window and doors leading out to a decked balcony and stairs to the garden below.

Upstairs the master bedroom includes a dressing room and large en suite bathroom with separate shower and there are two further bedrooms and a family bathroom. A store at mezzanine level could serve as a small home office.

The lower ground floor has a sitting room and second kitchen/utility room both with access to the garden, two further bedrooms (one with en suite shower room) another bathroom and rear hall with storage. There is separate access to the front of the house which means that this floor could form a separate apartment if required. The pretty walled rear garden is paved and interspersed with flowerbeds and trees and enjoys sun throughout much of the day. There is a single garage with useful loft space a short distance from the house.Number eleven is a very attractive property in a superb location and viewing is recommended. Agents are Knight Frank Clifton.

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

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RICHMOND HILL CLIFTON • Splendid Grade II Listed Regency house in superb location • 5 Bedrooms • 3 Bathrooms • Possible separate lower ground floor apartment • South facing rear garden • Garage parking

Guide price: £1,400,000

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11 Zetland Road, Redland, Bristol BS6 7AG Tel: +44 (0)117 942 4949 www.disney-flooring.com

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Bristol & Clifton’s premier Commercial Property Agents Keep up-to-date with our latest news, deals, testimonials and market comment at our website: www.burstoncook.co.uk

(0117) 934 9977 WEST STREET, BEDMINSTER

THE MALL, CLIFTON • Due to relocation to freehold close by

• Large showroom (might suit office stp)

• Prime retail / office unit

• 2,246 sq ft

• All enquiries

• £28,000 pax

• (Hyde business unaffected)

• New flexible lease LARGE BS1 SHOP

FOR SALE – BROAD STREET – BS1

• Close to the BRI, the University and city centre

• Ground floor office • Only £160,000

• Prominent corner site

• 620 sq ft

• New lease

• Rare opportunity to buy

• Rent on application

OFFICE FOR SALE IN BRISTOL CITY CENTRE

ECONOMICAL OFFICES • 1,720 sq ft + 420 sq ft stores + 6 car spaces

• Only £165,000 • Suit 5 people + meeting room + kitchen

• Avon Valley Park, St Annes, BS4

• 1 car space

• New lease

• Rare opportunity

• Only £8.90 per sq ft

INVESTMENT FOR SALE

BS1 OFFICES

• GF shop + 2 x 1 bed flats

• High quality refurb • 2,500 – 3,600 sq ft

• High Street Kingswood

• 4 car spaces

• Only £325,000 ONO

• New lease • Rent O/A

FOR SALE ARMSTRONG COURT, YATE

STRODE ROAD, CLEVEDON

• Business unit

• To let (may sell) • 2 storey offices

• 3,600 sq ft + 11 cars

Julian Cook FRICS

Burston Cook May.indd 1

Jayne Rixon MRICS

Charlie Kershaw MRICS

• Fully fitted as offices

• C 2,000 sq ft + 6 cars

• Price on application

• Price / rent o/a

Finola Ingham MRICS

Tom Coyte MRICS

Holly Boulton BSc(Hons)

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

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

16/04/2018 11:11

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Keynsham Andrewsonline.co.uk

Tucked away in a corner plot at Brookside drive is this modern 3 bedroom detached home with driveway parking Brookside Drive Farmborough BA2 and garage, situated just 0.4 miles from the OFSTED outstanding Farmborough church primary school. Off the entrance hall is a handy downstairs cloakroom and spacious lounge. To the rear is a generous kitchen/diner £339,950 opening onto a fantastic rear garden with far reaching views over Farmborough.

Energy Efficiency Rating: B

0117 986 9000 keynsham@andrewsonline.co.uk

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

Southville Andrewsonline.co.uk

Sylvia Avenue, Lower Knowle, Bristol, BS3 5DA OIEO £385,000

0117 963 3000

Andrews May.indd 1

A beautifully presented, well proportioned 3 bedroom 1930’s terrace boasting a double bay, basement and rear garden. This lovely family home still contains some of its period features along with a modern aspect throughout which has been well maintained by the current owners.

Energy Efficiency Rating: D

southville@andrewsonline.co.uk

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

20/04/2018 14:00

Harbourside Andrewsonline.co.uk

Georges Square, Redcliffe BS1 6LB £600,000

0117 927 3338

‘A truly one of a kind property that offers not only the WOW factor but luxurious 5-star living at its best’.

This beautiful two bedroom apartment, arranged over two levels, blends contemporary style in one of Bristol’s most historic buildings. Located within walking distance to Bristol Temple Meads and the city centre. Spacious 1,450 Sq ft. original features including imposing high ceilings, exposed brickwork, studded industrial beams and magnificent floor-to-ceiling period factory windows. Energy Efficiency Rating: C

harbourside@andrewsonline.co.uk

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

Longwell Green Andrewsonline.co.uk

The Croft, Bath Road, Wick, BS30 5RL £900,000

The Croft is a stunning and unique four bedroom detached family residence. Accessed via a shared driveway leading to your own electric gates into a substantial driveway and enclosed garden. Providing a tremendous sense of space, the property is conveniently situated on the edge of Wick and bordering Tracey Park Country Club, in addition to offering easy access to both Bath and Bristol.

Energy Efficiency Rating: D

0117 932 8335 longwellgreen@andrewsonline.co.uk

Andrews May.indd 2

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

20/04/2018 14:01

Beyond your expectations www.hamptons.co.uk

Frampton on Severn, Gloucestershire

Prices start from £515,000

An exclusive development of only six houses located in the historic village of Frampton, famous for it’s extensive green and canal. These contemporary homes have been carefully designed to capture the charm of the local surrounding area. There are only four detached properties available: 2 x 4 bedroom & 2 x 5 bedroom.

• Easy access to M5 Junction 13 and A38

EPC: B

• 30 miles from Bristol centre

• Village amenities: primary school, post office & shop and 2 public houses

Hamptons Stroud

Sales. 01453 568 148 | stroud@hamptons-int.com

Hamptons Sales May.indd 1

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Rupert Oliver FP May.qxp_Layout 1 16/04/2018 12:34 Page 1

Coombe Dingle, Bristol | Guide Price £1,100,000 An exceptional family house; sensitively extended and refurbished by the current owners to create a stylish and well-proportioned four-bedroom home with off-street parking and an integrated garage.

A handsome and well-proportioned four-bedroom family home | Bespoke “Morley Grove” kitchen overlooking the garden | Sitting room with feature fireplace | Dining room open-plan to the kitchen | Family room with underfloor heating and French doors to the garden | Exquisite master bedroom with dressing area and en-suite bath and shower room | Guest bedroom with en-suite bathroom | Two further bedrooms and a separate family shower room | Generous integrated garage / workshop | Landscaped south facing garden with a level lawn and paved dining terrace | Drive with off-street parking | EPC: TBC Circa 2119 sq. ft (196 sq. m)

clear and effective property sales Fixed commission of £5,000 + VAT that you pay only on successful Completion Professional photography, floor plans and marketing included Transparent on-line tracking of your sale from valuation through to completion Our fee is fixed. Everything else is about moving To discuss your property sale or purchase requirements, please call or email Rupert, or visit us in our central Clifton office.

NORTH ROAD, ST. ANDREWS Occupying an enviable elevated position close to St. Andrews Park, this imposing three bedroom semidetached home boasts a stunning extension which provides a superb open plan kitchen/diner/family room with tri-folding doors opening onto the rear garden. EPC E 1

2

3

GUIDE PRICE £625,000

KINGS AVENUE, BISHOPSTON A wonderful four bedroom family home located in a quiet residential street within the APR of Redland Green Secondary School; sat in an enviable plot boasting parking and stunning landscaped gardens to the rear, which measure in excess of 200 feet. EPC C 2

3

4

GUIDE PRICE £775,000

CJ Hole May.indd 1

16/04/2018 11:12

LAWRENCE GROVE, HENLEAZE A substantial detached property offering three receptions; front and rear with bays and access to garden, five bedrooms; master with ensuite plus two additional family bathrooms.

Spacious garage with office/workshop to rear and within close proximity to Henleaze Infant and Junior School.

3

3

5

ÂŁ895,000

HOLMWOOD GARDENS, WESTBURY-ON-TRYM Marketed with no onward chain and positioned on the highly desirable development of Holmwood Gardens is this four double bedroom detached family home. Further benefits include a generous private rear garden, double garage and off-street parking for at least two vehicles.

3

2

4

ÂŁ815,000

CJ Hole May.indd 1

16/04/2018 11:13

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

www.cjhole.com That’s when good neighbours become good friends…

This glorious, warm time of year is when you really get to experience shared city dwelling. Those people lucky enough to have Bristol gardens will see their neighbours over the fence. Those living in apartments are more likely to meet people on the stairs as everyone heads outside with their hoods down. Interestingly your neighbours can have an impact, not only on your quality of life, but also on how you sell and let your property. A common buyer/tenant question is ‘What are the neighbours like?’ And it’s an important question. Inconsiderate neighbours can be

a stressful and unpleasant thing. Great neighbours can be a pleasure and a support. Serious neighbour disputes have to be declared in a property transaction, and a good agent will ensure that. Also do your own research, and think about how you might be using your outside space no matter what time of year. But perhaps most importantly of all, be a GOOD neighbour yourself. It’s not just good property advice-it is the best way to live.

Enjoy the weather…..

Howard Davis MD Clifton

CLIFTON Guide Price £420,000 A superior apartment located on the first floor of a stunning Grade 2* Listed Georgian building. The property offers: A grand living room offering an abundance of charm and character with access to a private balcony, bespoke kitchen, two double bedrooms and bathroom, plus allocated off street parking. EPC E

KINGSDOWN Guide Price £385,000 A Victorian terraced house situated in a central city location and offering an attractive interior and an enclosed rear garden. The interior offers; two reception rooms, kitchen, three bedrooms and bathroom. Currently let the house will be available from June 2018 with no onward chain. EPC D

Download our dedicated iPhone App today

CJ Hole Clifton May.indd 1

16/04/2018 11:13

CLIFTON Guide Price £575,000 - SSTC

REDLAND Guide Price £375,000

MORE LIKE THIS REQUIRED - An exceptional garden flat with an extensive, well presented interior offering: Living room with french doors leading out to the rear garden, hall with space for dining table and chairs, three bedrooms and bathroom.

EPC D

This fabulous garden flat offers: Private entrance, central hallway with all rooms leading off, lounge/diner with French doors leading out to the rear garden, kitchen/breakfast room, two double bedrooms and bathroom. The rear garden is south west facing and is landscaped with several terraced areas. EPC D

REDLAND Guide Price £1,200,000

HARBOURSIDE - SSTC

A substantial meticulously refurbished Victorian family house built in 1868.

A versatile interior arranged over four floors offering a spacious family home plus rear garden, with the potential on the lower ground floor to convert to a self-contained flat with separate entrance. EPC D

BUYERS WAITING FOR SIMILAR PROPERTIES - An immaculate four double bedroom house with direct views over the harbour. The stylish, well presented interior offers: Kitchen/dining and reception area with access to the southerly facing rear garden, living room with harbour views, four double bedrooms and three bathrooms. EPC C

CLIFTON - SSTC

HOTWELLS Guide Price £650,000

A grand and beautifully presented hall floor apartment located in Clifton with Whiteladies Road just a short walk away. An exceptional apartment which consists of: central entrance hall, stunning lounge, kitchen/diner, two double bedrooms, bathroom plus a separate shower room. EPC E

A charming house situated on Dowry Parade which is believed to date back to Circa 1776. The accommodation boasts a great deal of original character throughout offering a versatile interior set over four floors, plus a southerly facing walled garden to the rear of the house. EPC D

Download our dedicated iPhone App today

CJ Hole Clifton May.indd 2

16/04/2018 11:13

Kingsdown ÂŁ750,000

Clifton Office 0117 946 6007

Six bedroom house

Highly sought after Victorian house tucked away in a cul de sac.

Versatile accommodation currently arranged as 5 bedrooms, 2 reception rooms, kitchen/diner, ground floor w.c. and 2 shower rooms.

Currently the house is let as a HMO until the end of June. EPC - D

oceanhome.co.uk

Ocean May.indd 1

Westbury-on-Trym Office 0117 962 1973

Cribbs Causeway ÂŁ290,000

Three bedroom semi-detached house A wonderful opportunity to purchase this immaculate 3 bedroom semi-detached family home which offers modern, contemporary living throughout. The ground floor comprises; entrance hall with downstairs w/c, spacious lounge and kitchen/diner with doors leading into the rear garden. EPC - B

18/04/2018 10:27

Redland ÂŁ375,000

Two bedroom garden flat Entered through a private entrance is this superbly presented 2 bedroom garden flat located on a popular residential street, a stones throw from Whiteladies Road and within walking distance of the city centre, the BRI and Durdham Downs. EPC - D

Stoke Bishop ÂŁ550,000

Four bedroom semi-detached house Located in a prestigious Stoke Bishop street, this property has been lovingly cared for and offered to the market for the first time in many years. Tastefully decorated throughout, one of the main focal points of the home is the newly decorated kitchen and dining room, with doors leading to the garden. EPC - TBC

Ocean May.indd 2

18/04/2018 10:27

Beyond your expectations www.hamptons.co.uk

Rudgeway, Bristol

Guide Price £470,000

Steeped in history, this charming former coach house exudes character and charm in abundance. Its elegant Georgian frontage exhibits exposed stonework, an attractive bay window, mullion windows and a classic oak front door. EPC:D

SS

TC

Queen Charlton

SS

Guide Price £950,000

Believed to be one of the earliest houses in this sought after conservation area, this house achieved in excess of the guide price. Similar required for disappointed buyers.

TC

Almondsbury Guide Price £500,000

Again achieving in excess of the guide price, similar required. Perfectly positioned within the heart of the village, this immaculate four bedroom, semi-detached family home benefits from a stylish and contemporary finish with natural light in abundance. EPC:D

Hamptons Bristol

Sales. 0117 369 1004 | bristol@hamptons-int.com

Hamptons May.indd 1

16/04/2018 11:14

Beyond your expectations www.hamptons.co.uk

Tickenham Guide Price ÂŁ1,495,000 This is a striking and sumptuous modern house which has been the subject of a meticulous renovation and extension since its original construction in 2009. It is presented in impeccable order and has been thoughtfully designed to offer flexible accommodation for family use as well as first class entertaining. The original architectural brief was to create a bespoke residence making full use of the phenomenal views which the property has in abundance. EPC:D

Hamptons Bristol

Sales. 0117 369 1004 | bristol@hamptons-int.com

Hamptons May.indd 2

16/04/2018 11:15

RichardH arding Chartered Surveyors • Estate Agents • Auctioneers • Valuers

ST ANDREWS

guide price range £895,000 - £925,000

ST ANDREWS

guide price range £875,000 - £935,000

A truly exquisite 4 double bedroom (1 with en suite) Victorian period semi-detached family house retaining a large number of period features and enjoying an outstanding large Ô LÕ shaped 50ft x 55ft max landscaped rear garden. Enjoyed and much improved by the current owners over the last 23 years, this engaging and well-kept family home has a pleasing blend of high quality fittings coupled with an impressive number of original architectural features. Has an ideal location for St Andrews Park (circa 300m) and Gloucester Road with easy access to the city centre/Whiteladies Road/the Downs & is circa 500m from Fairlawns Primary School & The Dolphin School. EPC: F

A striking grade II listed Georgian residence dating from circa 1827 with exceptionally generous lateral accommodation of circa 3,500 sq. ft. including a very impressive thro’ drawing room & formal dining room (approx. 42ft x 17ft), further kitchen/dining room & 4/5 spacious bedrooms together with a rear garden, driveway parking & garaging. The house is set on the border of St Andrews and Ashley Down, which alongside the surrounding areas of Montpelier & St Werburghs offer so much within a short distance - Gloucester Road is a very popular destination with a variety of independent and interesting traders from cafes, bars and restaurants to essential services such as banks, supermarkets and hardware stores.

Professional, Reliable, Successful

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

Richard Harding May.indd 1

16/04/2018 16:02

RichardH arding Chartered Surveyors • Estate Agents • Auctioneers • Valuers

SNEYD PARK

guide price range £1,250,000 - £1,300,000

REDLAND

guide price range £1,200,000 - £1,300,000

An impressive, generously proportioned and versatile Victorian semi-detached family house with off street parking space, pretty gardens and a potential 2 double bedroom self-contained lower ground floor flat. Elegant and characterful 4 bedroom, 3 reception family accommodation on two floors plus a lower ground floor currently presented as a 2 bedroom self contained flat but easily re-integrated to provide additional 4 family rooms or as space to work from home or for independent teenagers/dependent relatives etc. No onward chain. An exceptional and adaptable residence with a great deal to offer. EPC: E

A A handsome and large (2829 sq.ft.), 5/6 bedroom, 3 reception room semi-detached period family house situated on a leafy and highly regarded road in Redland, within must 500 metres of Redland Green School. Further benefiting from a 42ft x 22ft south westerly facing rear garden and off street parking for at least 2 cars. In an ideal location for families, situated on a peaceful and neighbourly road, handy for Gloucester Road, Cotham Gardens Park and Redland train station. A beautiful and well-proportioned family home with extensive accommodation of a lovely scale in a coveted location. EPC: F

Professional, Reliable, Successful

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

Richard Harding May.indd 2

16/04/2018 16:03

Bristol’s Independent Estate Agents

Clifton £440,000

Clifton Village £385,000

A particularly fine example of a 3 bedroom period garden flat located a hundred yards from Whiteladies Road. Properties of this type seldom come to the market and therefore we strongly recommend a prompt viewing.

EPC - E

A wonderful, newly refurbished second floor apartment located in this sought after crescent moments from Clifton Village. Buyers can move in and put their feet up with this stylish and very smart period apartment, boasting large sash windows to all rooms which flood it with natural light.

Clifton £325,000

High Kingsdown £310,000

An absolutely beautifully presented and updated 2 double bedroom purpose built flat located in this quiet, tucked away Clifton location. EPC - D

A spacious and well-presented 2 double bedroom, 2 reception room first floor apartment with garage situated in a modern block in a highly convenient location. EPC - E

TEL: 0117 974 1741 61 Apsley Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2SW

Leese & Nagle May.indd 1

sales@leeseandnagle.co.uk

16/04/2018 11:01

www.leeseandnagle.co.uk

Westbury on Trym

NEW INSTRUCTION

Guide Price £875,000

This individual and prominent 4-bedroom 1930s detached house is presented to the market for the first time in over 25 years. Having been cherished by its current owners the house lends itself to a wide range of buyers be it a growing family or a downsizer looking for level access to the shops, parks and great transport links that BS9 has to offer. EPC - E

Westbury on Trym Guide Price £765,000

Westbury on Trym Guide Price £599,950

Westbury on Trym Guide Price £349,950

A large, beautifully appointed, 1900 sq. ft. 1930’s 5-bedroom semidetached family home retaining much of its original charm. Set in a generous corner plot and offering ample downstairs living this fabulous home is perfect for growing families. We recommend viewing at the earliest opportunity.

EPC - D

A very attractive 4 bedroom terraced Victorian family home offered to the market with no onward chain. This stunning home could lend itself to a wide range of buyers including families for its local schooling and open green areas or a downsizer looking for a character property with a manageable Westerly facing garden. EPC - E

Saddler’s Cottage is a fine example of a character cottage based in the heart of Westbury On Trym Village. This 2 bedroom house has such wonderful charm with its beautiful exposed beams and sash windows. Perfectly suited to a young professional couple or potentially a local downsizer looking to maintain a prime BS9 location. EPC - E

TEL: 0117 962 2299

125 Stoke Lane, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol BS9 3RW

Leese & Nagle May.indd 2

wot@leeseandnagle.co.uk

16/04/2018 12:50

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