The Bristol Magazine October 2023

ANNA MAZZOTTA

We chat to the Bristol-based artist ahead of her show at Studio 74 on Whiteladies Road

8 THE CITYIST

Meet Bristol-based author, Judy Darley

12 THE DIRECTOR’S CUT

Will The Old Oak be his final feature film? Simon Horsford interviews legendary director Ken Loach

14 THE GREATEST DANCERS

English National Ballet returns to Bristol Hippodrome with Akram Khan’s revolutionary production of Giselle

16 WHAT’S ON

Book your tickets! Discover all the great things to see and do

22 PSSST... IT’S A SECRET

Secret Postcard Auction is back for another year at the RWA

24 COVER STORY

Anna Mazzotta chats to us about her life and work

30 ARTS & EXHIBITIONS

A round up of great art on display at our local galleries

36 BACK ON TRACK

Historian Andrew Swift on the 150th anniversary of the first tram tracks being laid in Bristol.

40 FOOD & DRINK

Sampling the new menu at The Kenny

50 SLOPING OFF –SUSTAINABLY

Amanda Nicholls travels to the Jungfrau for a ski special but leaves a very small (carbon) footprint in the snow

56 TAKE FIVE BOOKS

The team at Gloucester Road Books choose their favourite children’s books

58 BEAUTY NOTEBOOK –THE EYES HAVE IT Harvey Nichols on show-stopping eye make up tips

62 INTERIOR DESIGNS

Transforming a pied-à-terre apartment with interior designers Woodhouse & Law and Gemma Wright on how to achieve sustainable chic

74 OUR A/W HOMES & INTERIORS GUIDE

Featuring all our favourite trades and services to help you spruce up your home and garden

76 GARDENING

It’s Halloween season–Elly West picks up a pumpkin

86 PROPERTY

In the market for a new property, or thinking of marketing your home? Time to consult our estate agency pages

ON THE COVER

Artist Anna Mazzotta in her studio. This month we chat to Anna ahead of her show at Studio 74 on Whiteladies Road. See page 24.

Photography by Nick Smith

things to do in October 5

Listen

Are you a Star Wars, Marvel, or DC fan? Then Symphonic Universe –The Music of The Avengers and Beyond is for you!

On 29 October at The Bristol Hippodrome you can experience the astoundingly epic music of cinema’s most spine-tingling moments performed live on stage by an orchestra and choir, presented by BBC Radio 1’s Ali Plumb.

From the producers of sell-out shows such as The Music of Lord of the Rings and Beyond, plus music from The Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, Iron Man, Black Panther, Captain America and many more, there are also favourites from Danny Elfman’s Batman, Hans Zimmer’s The Dark Knight Rises and John Williams’ iconic Star Wars, this is truly a galaxy of stellar sounds. Escape to another realm with a show full of songs for superheroes and the sounds of space brought to life – come dressed for the occasion and snap-worthy moments with props and pictures.

• Book your tickets at: atgtickets.com

Watch

Cary Grant returns to his hometown as Bristol’s Cary Comes Home festival marks the centenary of the Warner Bros film studios. See an expanded screening of the company’s 1946 Cole Porter biopic Night and Day – the first full colour film to star Bristol-born Cary Grant and the first to feature him in a singing role.

The screening will take place at St Mary Redcliffe Church on Friday 21 October (6pm doors open; 7pm film). Wraparound attractions will include local choirs performing Cole Porter hits and themed cocktails. Tickets are on sale using a sliding scale of prices. Visit the festival’s website for details.

• Book your tickets at: carycomeshome.co.uk

Celebrate age

Throughout October is a month-long programme of events organised by Age UK Bristol who are working with groups and organisations across the city. The festival kicks off with a spectacular Celebrating Age Concert on 2 October at City Hall on College Green. The concert features a fabulous line-up, including the Windrush Choir, Recovery Orchestra and Dhek Bhal Older Women’s Group. There will also be information stalls where you can find out more about the festival and the events and refreshments are provided. Everyone is welcome to this free concert, but booking is essential.

• To book your place or for more information, visit: ageuk.org.uk/bristol/

Indulge

At Taste on the Ground you can discover the world of everyday indulgence at Harvey Nichols for the ultimate food fest. Hosted on the store’s ground floor you can savour an evening of discovery and taste sensation peppered with expert foodie experiences and world-class wines. Enjoy live music while you eat your way around interactive demonstrations and tastings, mini masterclasses and drinks workshops.

Taste on the Ground takes place on Thursday 19 October, 6pm –9pm. Tickets are £15 per person, which is redeemable on foodmarket and wine shop products purchased during the evening.

• Book your place at harveynichols.com/news/2023/08/30/brist

Experience

Following the success of last year's sell out Luxmuralis: Space Voyager at Bristol Cathedral, a spectacular new light show is set to adorn the historic building in a stunning exploration of creation and the cultural significance of the four elements. The light show Force of Nature will take place from 30 October –4 November and will consider Fire, Air, Earth and Water’s relationship with religion, mythology and art history. Its show-stopping visuals will delight visitors to the Cathedral this Autumn.

• Book your tickets at: yuup.co

BRISTOL THE CITYist

My

Meet Bristol-based author, Judy Darley

At Clifton Literary Festival

Bristol author Moses McKenzie, born and raised in Easton, has won the prestigious Hawthornden Literature Prize for this debut novel An Olive Grove in Ends. Published by Wildfire, the novel has been described by Caroline Moore, one of the judging panel as “a dazzling debut, richly textured, gritty and profound. Moses McKenzie offers a thrillingly distinctive new voice, both street-wise and literary; lilting Jamaican patois mixed with Bristol slang is shot through with the language of the Bible and of the Koran. Set in the world of the disenfranchised and of drug-dealers, the novel is a moving tale of earthly love and spiritual redemption.”

The Hawthornden Prize, one of the two oldest literary prizes in the UK, is awarded to a British, Irish or British-based author for a work of “imaginative literature”, including poetry, novels, history, biography and creative non-fiction.

• McKenzie will be appearing at the Clifton Literary Festival which takes place on 10, 11 and 12 November. foccal.com

I grew up just north of Bristol in Thornbury. Bristol was our closest place for museums, art galleries and other essentials. I have early memories of visiting Brandon Hill and the Arnolfini – places I still love today. After moving away for a few years, I came back to this part of the UK and lived actually within Bristol for the first time. The more I got to know it, the more I adored it. Each neighbourhood has its own distinct personality, and the green spaces, rivers and harbour keep me grounded. The sight of Clifton Suspension Bridge always impresses me! Bristol is a place of big ideas, yet you can stroll from Totterdown to the Suspension Bridge in around an hour, which is something I love to do.

I’ve been writing short stories and longer works since childhood, and gained a BA in Journalism partly to develop my editing skills, then discovered a passion for interviewing people and writing for magazines. These days I supplement my freelance journalism and fiction with communications and community management, as well as teaching creative writing workshops, including Writing on Water, which I teach with poet Helen Sheppard aboard Bristol’s John Sebastian Lightship. It’s a portfolio career with a focus on words and writing, and I love it. Fiction writing remains my big passion. My third collection The Stairs Are a Snowcapped Mountain, came out in 2022 from Reflex Press. Writing it offered some vital escapism during the first and second lockdowns, so I include some vivid flights of fancy as well as explorations of the connections that help us through challenging times.

My dad died in 2022 after a long descent into Alzheimer’s Disease. I’m turning my journals of that time into a non-fiction collection that aims to provide an insight into loss and love, as well as glimmers of hope. I do my best thinking walking beside water and among trees, so I’ve taken the idea of my dad metamorphosing into a tree as my central motif and am interleaving musings on nature glimpsed in Bristol’s urban wildernesses, including Arnos Vale Cemetery.

Inspiration and ideas bubble into my mind whenever I walk alongside Bristol’s rivers and the

harbour. The latter is also great for peoplewatching, and on sunny days there’s nowhere better. All three of my collections draw from my love of the wilderness in Bristol’s urban spaces, such as Arnos Vale Cemetery, Victoria Park and Brandon Hill, as well as my fascination with how human emotions influence actions. To see how other creatives produce great work, I love going to Bristol Old Vic theatre exploring the art studios at Spike Island, BV Studios and Jamaica Street. The city’s art trails also offer fantastic inspiration-gathering opportunities.

I’m reading and loving Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro. Klara is an Artificial Friend in a recognisably near future. Her main goal is to keep her assigned teenager safe, but her own position in the family home has big challenges. I’m in awe of how Ishiguro crosses genres. You never know what to expect from his work.

TV-wise, I’ve come to Apple TV’s Ted Lasso a bit late, but I’m loving it. I thought it was going to focus on football, but it’s actually all about human relationships. Ted’s emotional intelligence never fails to impress me.

I used to love creating fantasy dinner parties in my head, populated by exceptional artists, writers and musicians. Most are quite flamboyant or eccentric: Salvador Dali, Frieda Kahlo, Angela Carter and David Bowie have appeared on the guest list. However, I’d also like to spend time with lost loved ones, especially from before the age I knew them in life. I’d love to meet my granny as a young woman, and my dad when he was a teenager. I have an ancestor, Edward Trelawney, who claimed to be a pirate and had lots of crazy stories to tell. I’d love to quiz him about his friendships with Byron and Shelley, and what prompted him to pluck Shelley’s heart from the funeral pyre. It’s a crazy gothic story!

Kindness begets kindness, and you shouldn’t take other people’s moods personally. When I encounter a grouchy person I make it a secret game to be extra nice to them and see if I can provoke a surprised smile.

• Find more of Judy’s work at: skylightrain.com

Moses Mckenzie image by Gee Photography

Art imitating life: Suffocating City

Don’t just stand by and watch, do something to stop your city from ‘suffocating’!

A new piece of interactive public art, set to be presented as part of Bristol Ideas’ Festival of the Future City in October, will challenge spectators to take action to tackle the impact of air pollution on our cities and their inhabitants.

South west artist Leo Jamelli has created the Suffocating City installation to raise public awareness of the worsening problem of urban air pollution and encourage people to adopt a greener approach to city living to help address the climate emergency. Air quality has been identified as the greatest environmental threat to public health globally.

Funded by Arts Council England, the animation represents the city as a living organism with a heart, lungs, and intestines; industrial pipes are attached to these human organs, symbolising the brutal impact of industrialisation and air pollution on our health.

Suffocating City will be projected onto the Arnolfini in Bristol from 18 –19 October as part of the festival. Members of the public will be encouraged to interact with the installation by using pedal power to keep the ‘organism’ alive.

• For more information on Bristol Ideas’ Festival of the Future City and the programme of events visit: bristolideas.co.uk/attend and for more on the work of Leo Jamelli go to: leojamelli.co.uk

Bristol Astrophotographer Josh Dury shortlisted for awards

Hosted by The Royal Observatory of Greenwich the ‘Astronomy Photographer of the Year’ competition is the biggest in the world of astrophotography with over 4,000 applications and just 140 shortlisted. Representing the South West was local astrophotographer Josh Dury with his image, The Enigma of the North, (shown) which was captured last year by Josh at the Callanish Stone Circle in The Isle of Lewis. The Enigma of the North was shortlisted in the Skyscapes category for the competition. The image is attracting a lot of media attention also being featured by the BBC and ITV. It has also put the iconic stone circle on the map for this year’s competition.

The image is to now on display as part of a year-long exhibition at The National Maritime Museum at Greenwich London, and more of Josh’s visually stunning work can also be seen at this year’s Chew Valley Arts Trail which runs from 14 –15 October.

• joshduryphoto-media.com

Smash the Stigma: Menopause in the Workplace

Menopause in the workplace is a misunderstood and up-and-coming topic, as a staggering three in five menopausal individuals face difficulties every day at work. This leads to almost one million people leaving their jobs due to menopause symptoms in the UK alone - a stat that nurses at The Independent Health and Wellbeing Group are fighting to change.

The ‘Smash The Stigma' event is dedicated to raising awareness of how businesses can better support their staff and allow all team members to flourish. The panel will discuss the importance of creating a menopausefriendly environment, understanding menopause discrimination in a group setting, the forgotten financial impact, work-life balance when struggling with daily symptoms, reasonable adjustments that can be made, supportive work initiatives, and appropriate leadership responsibilities. There will also be time for networking.

The Independent Health and Wellbeing Group’s menopause event, ‘Smash the Stigma’, will take place at Steinbeck and Shaw, The South Buildings, Bristol on 19 October at 6pm. Admission is free.

• For more information and to book a place go to eventbrite.com and search for ‘Smash the Stigma’

Image: Leo Jamelli

Image: Josh Dury

Publisher Steve Miklos

Email: steve@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

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Email: jane@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

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Tel: 0117 974 2800

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Email: production@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

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For advertising enquiries please contact us on: 0117 974 2800 Email: sales@thebristolmagazine.co.uk

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Ken Loach: the final drama

Film director Ken Loach has argued that working people's struggles are inherently dramatic. His filmmaking career has proved that again and again. His latest –and probably final –film, The Old Oak, focuses on two downtrodden communities, an ex-mining village in the north east and a group of Syrian refugees. Words by Simon Horsford

It’s surely appropriate that Ken Loach was born in the same year as the Jarrow March when 200 men walked from the north-east of England to London to protest against unemployment and poverty during the Great Depression. That crusade may have passed into history but the 87-year-old director is still fighting the fight with the release of his latest film, The Old Oak. His strong political convictions remain the driving force behind his continued work, a fact alluded to recently by his long-time collaborator Paul Laverty, who wrote the screenplay for the new film. “It might make him smile if I quote St Augustine from over 1,500 years ago, when he said that Hope had two beautiful daughters. One, Anger at the way things are and the other Courage to try and change them. This has been [Ken’s] working life.”

The Old Oak like Loach’s last two films, I, Daniel Blake (2016) and Sorry We Missed You (2018), is another powerful socio-political commentary with strong performances, again filmed in the northeast, and in many ways it can be seen to complete the trilogy. Loach has also indicated it will be his last film, “It will be difficult to go round the course again,” he suggests.

In I, Daniel Blake, the target was austerity, Sorry We Missed You honed in on the gig economy. This time the setting is a struggling former mining village and a run-down pub, The Old Oak, in County Durham, which is the only focal point of the community but becomes contested territory with the arrival of a coach load of frightened Syrian refugees, who are to be housed in the village. Trying to keep the peace between the regulars, who were already bitter and disillusioned with their lot, and the incomers is the pub’s long-

suffering landlord TJ Ballantyne (Dave Turner, a Geordie ex-fireman and union official and another Loach discovery), who is divorced, estranged from his grown-up son and barely hanging on. He’s been beaten down by life and that shows.

In particular, the locals’ anger centres around the collapse of house prices with whole streets being bought cheaply by foreign companies and then rented out exploitatively – for some, the Syrians are the last straw. Among the newcomers is Yara (played by Ebla Mari, an actress/theatre teacher from the Golan Heights), who is an aspiring photographer. Her father has been imprisoned by the Assad regime and she is being housed in the village with her brother and elderly mother. It is through her touching and unlikely friendship with TJ that Loach and Laverty try and unite the two disparate communities.

The story of these ‘abandoned’ mining villages is one that both Loach and Laverty were keen to develop. Talking to me via Zoom from the London offices of the distribution company StudioCanal, Loach says: “It was a subject Paul [Laverty] and I had been kicking around for a long time and in the end there was no choice, we just had to get on and do it. We had done two in the region and it cried out for a third. It turned into a trilogy but it wasn’t a grand design.

“People were left to rot with no investment when the pits shut after [Margaret] Thatcher’s attacks in the 1980s. These strong communities have been eroded, people have left and shops closed and they stand as a monument to the old industries and the refusal to plan anything to replace it. So that was one element [of the film] and then we thought how can draw out this story and Paul heard through friends what was happening when the first refugees were arriving from Syria [the film is set around 2016] and that seemed to be a catalyst to both see what was happening in those communities but also to see how the two communities would interact.” The focus is on two groups who have suffered loss: one through the removal of their livelihoods and the other via the trauma of war and relocation.

When the first Syrians arrived “there had been very little preparation,” says Loach, “the local authorities were caught on the hop so the surprise element was partly responsible for generating the hostility from some people (not all).” A scene captured at the start of the film, which is loosely based on an actual incident.

In parts of the country, the pub is seen as the hub of the community, but in this instance, it really is the only communal space left in the village. “All the public spaces have gone,” says Loach, “in many villages, the miners’ club, community centres, even churches have gone. Schools too, as population in these villages has decreased and pubs have gone too. The image of the pub as the last remaining public space and a place where people congregate is plain.” It’s somewhere people can forget about their troubles. Hence its importance to locals such as Charlie (Trevor Fox), who has a disabled wife, a daughter and a house worth a quarter of what he paid for it. For him and his mates, the pub is their sanctuary.

And yet, the values of the film are clear from the outset and despite TJ undergoing heartbreaking experiences and the occasionally spiteful treatment of the Syrians, The Old Oak purposely doesn’t

“Hope is political,” says Loach, “if you have hope, you can see a way forward and then you have the energy to make that work”

take sides. “Instead,” says Loach, the idea is to “try to understand people’s alienation, anger and feeling they are being ripped off.” He points to how a negative narrative can be “a seedbed for racism.” He cites the hostile environment [for illegal immigration] comments by Theresa May [in 2012], Home Secretary Suella Braverman’s ‘invasion by small boats’ statement [last year] and [this year] the Minister for Immigration Robert Jenrick making a point about removing Disney cartoons from a children’s reception centre because they it made it too welcoming.

Loach goes on to question why areas that have nothing are taking in refugees. “From their [the government’s] point of view property is cheap and out of sight, so it’s not a problem. But in terms of making life better for them, it’s not helpful because the infrastructure is already under pressure. There is an even longer queue at the doctor’s and school will be even more overcrowded.”

The north-east again provides fertile film-making ground for Loach. The area is “built on industrial struggle,” he says. “People have experienced hardship and unemployment going back to the Jarrow March. It has clearly defined characteristics, its own language and dialect and the landscape is extraordinary. There’s a lot of humour. It gives it a strong presence. Liverpool [also] has it, Glasgow has it and Manchester to a certain extent, South Yorkshire. Those are the areas it’s most easy to find coherent, militant elements among the working class.”

Unlike the other films in the ‘trilogy’, there are strands of hope to be found, even a touch of sentimentality. “Hope is political,” says Loach, “if you have hope, you can see a way forward and then you have the energy to make that work. But hope has to be realistic, it can’t be just a pipe dream. The hope you find [in these situations] is in solidarity and was implicit in the miners’ strike in ’84. When someone is in trouble people rally round.”

The black and white pictures of the miners’ marches on the walls of the unused – and contentious – backroom of the pub are a reminder, says Loach, “that if we have strength and stick together we can achieve things.” Hence a quote in the film: “If the working classes realised the power they had, they could change the world.”

Talk of change brings us to the current state of politics – or rather the Labour Party. Loach, who is no longer in the party, remains angered by the way the “Keir Starmer clique” have been attacking the Left and people known to have supported Jeremy Corbyn. “Starmer’s aim is to say whatever it takes to win the Labour leadership.

“He put his arm round Jeremy Corbyn in 2019 knowing he is going to stab him in the back. He has made [Labour] an intolerable party for hundreds of thousands of people who voted for him and who are seen to be of the Left in order to appease the establishment [to show] that he will be safe like Tony Blair and nothing will change. The rich won’t suffer, corporate power won’t be dented and things will stay as they are. He is the safe alternative, that’s his aim.”

How does he think politics has changed since he started making films in the mid-Sixties when the definition between Labour and Conservative was also far greater? Britain was still in the post-war

settlement era, Loach points out. “There was a National Health Service that didn’t have private contractors, a council housing programme, everything was still public ownership, we owned a huge amount of infrastructure. Thatcher changed all that, turned it from public good to private greed as a consciousness of the nation. That’s the change and politics has mirrored that. The Labour party of Blair would have been inconceivable before Thatcher and she said Blair is her greatest achievement. Starmer is a crude caricature of Blair even.”

At present, Loach has no party affiliations and admits that Labour seems to have “disappeared’ in Bath, “although they were visible during the pandemic.” He doesn’t follow the machinations of the Liberal Democrats in the city, but worries about “horrors” such as any proposed redevelopment of The Rec, which would “destroy the centre of Bath.” He’d also like Bath to have a decent public transport system.

His home town remains close to his heart and a place where he likes to lead a normal life. Bath City FC is his other passion and a couple of days after we spoke he was planning to watch them in a local derby against Larkhall Athletic in the second qualifying round of the FA Cup. At the time of writing, the team was top of National League South, “It’s early days, but Jerry Gill has a good team and they play some good football, not all the time but quite a lot. The gates have gone up and we are over a thousand now. We need to double that and then we’d really be on the road. It remains one of Bath’s best kept secrets.”

With such a terrific body of work behind him – and if The Old Oak is to be his swansong – I ask what he’d like his legacy to be? Modest, as ever, Loach, replies: “I can’t think in those terms; that would be far too grand. Maybe if someone said, ‘he put in a decent shift’.”

PREVIOUS PAGE: Syrian refugee Yara is an aspiring photographer. She and TJ Ballantyne (shown below in front of The Old Oak) unite to try and unite the two disparate communities

LEFT: Ken Loach on set with screenwriter Paul Laverty during filming of The Old Oak

BELOW: Ebla Mari as Yara and Dave Turner as TJ Ballantyne –the Syrian refugee and the pub landlord strike up a friendship

The Old Oak is on release now at local cinemas

Giselle: the classic reimagined

English

Akram Khan’s bold version of Giselle is back at the Bristol Hippodrome this autumn after its inaugural tour in 2016. Considered a 21st-century masterpiece (The Mail On Sunday), the critically acclaimed production continues to receive standing ovations across the globe and to mesmerise audience members with its contemporary approach to the iconic love story.

This reinterpretation of Giselle explores new frontiers in the art form, and remains relevant seven years after its creation, becoming a ballet for today’s world. When English National Ballet invited Khan to create a full-length ballet, he revisited the story of Giselle through a contemporary lens. Inspired by the haunting tale of love, betrayal, revenge and forgiveness, this new version adds another layer to the narrative: a tragic story of social inequality.

Retelling the classic

As in the 19th-century original, life and death intertwine in Khan’s reimagined Giselle. In Act I, Giselle, a former factory worker exiled with her community, seeks entrance to the area where the factory owners live in luxury protected by a giant wall. She is in love with Albrecht, a member of that inaccessible wealthy class. But she is also loved by fellow outcast, Hilarion, unveiling the iconic love triangle of this ballet.

When exposed by Hilarion as an impostor and confronted with the choice between his privileged life or the precarity of the outcasts’ existence, Albrecht betrays Giselle by returning to Bathilde, his fiancée. Giselle’s tragic fate is sealed amongst these two unequal worlds where Albrecht abandons her for a life of privilege and safety beyond the wall.

Act II takes place in an abandoned factory. Here, the female workers of Act I have laboured –and many have died. Their spirits (the Wilis) haunt this ghost factory, seeking revenge upon those who have harmed them. Giselle joins this world as a newcomer, yet is still attached to the loved ones she left behind. Her quest for reconciliation reconnects her with Albrecht, releasing him from the Wilis’ punishments.

Khan’s acclaimed storytelling creates a new dimension in Giselle: from the simple love story in the original production, English National Ballet stages a powerful tale about migration, injustice, and separation. For English National Ballet’s Lead Principal Erina Takahashi, who will perform the role of Giselle in Bristol, the captivating characters and their dynamic relationships is what keeps the work fresh in every performance: “I don’t ever feel like I’m repeating the same steps over and over again. The more we perform, the more I discover something different, emotionally, even when my partner is the same. I’m able to dance more in the moment” (Pointe Magazine).

A contemporary ballet

Following the creation and success of Dust, Khan’s first work for English National Ballet, the company invited the choreographer to create his first full-length ballet. Merging ballet with his own contemporary technique allowed Khan to create a unique movement language in Giselle.

Born in London into a Bangladeshi family, some of Khan’s first experiences of dance were through Bengali folk dance. At seven he started learning kathak – a traditional Indian dance style famous for its complex footwork, gestures and rhythmic patterns. Influenced by his dance roots, Khan further developed his distinctive style while training in contemporary dance.

Alongside the choreography, music is also a key element in Giselle. Italian composer Vicenzo Lamagna created a rich sound design packed with lyrical passages inspired by the original score, static white noise, drumming and humming. The atmosphere on stage is further amplified by the visual and costume design of Academy-Award Winner, Tim Yip.

A worldwide success

Since its premiere in 2016, English National Ballet’s Giselle has received standing ovations from thousands of audience members in ten countries and four continents globally. The innovative ballet with captivating movement and a timeless message strongly resonates with many audiences who regard this work as one of their best-ever theatre experiences.

Considered as one of the most acclaimed choreographers of our time, Khan has won mulitple awards, including the Robert Robson Best Dance Production prize at the Manchester Theatre Awards and the South Bank Sky Arts Award for Dance. In 2017, English National Ballet also received an Olivier Award for the production. n

Akram Khan’s Giselle is at Bristol Hippodrome from 26–28 October. Information and tickets: ballet.org.uk/production/akramkhan-giselle/

National Ballet returns to Bristol Hippodrome from 26–28 October with Akram Khan’s Giselle, the revolutionary production that reimagines one of the greatest ballets of all times

Opposite: Aitor Arrieta as Albrecht in Giselle.

Above, left and bottom: English National Ballet in Akram Khan’s Giselle. Photographs by Laurent Liotardo

Below: Erina Takahashi as Giselle.

Photograph by Laurent Liotardo

Photograph by Laurent Liotardo

What’s On

Quiz night at the Tobacco Factory

n Every Wednesday, 8pm to 10pm

Join ‘Hostess with the Mostess’ @bucksquizz for saxophone based shenanigans, laughs, and a cash money prize! Maximum six to a team. £1 to enter. tobaccofactory.com

Somerset International Festival of the Arts

n 6 –8 October September, St Andrew's Church, Backwell, North Somerset

Organised by violinists Simon and LivMarie Kodurand, The Somerset International Festival of the Arts is a celebration of classical music and the arts which brings together leading international chamber musicians and performers to North Somerset. This inaugural festival opens with the musical imagery of Vivaldi's Four Seasons by Candlelight on Friday 6 October, followed by Film Classics of the Silver Screen on 7 October and an exhilarating concert of Argentine Tango music by Candlelight on Sunday 8 October. With leading international musicians as well as workshops and talks, there’s something for everyone! For more information and tickets visit: somersetfestivalarts.co.uk

Antique Vintage Fair

n 8 October, 10am to 3.30pm

Ashton Court Mansion, Bristol

With 40 stalls indoors, find fine jewellery, gold and silver, homeware, furniture, paintings, prints, vintage clothing and accessories, militaria and much, much

more. Vintage cafe - serving tea/coffees cream teas. £2 entry – under 16s free.

Choir Boy

n 12October - 11November, Bristol Old Vic Choir Boy marks Nancy Medina’s directorial debut for Bristol Old Vic as Artistic Director. From Academy Awardwinning writer Tarell Alvin McCraney (Moonlight), comes the exhilarating story of Pharus, a young, black, queer student leading the legendary gospel choir at his elite, all-boys prep school in America. bristololdvic.org.uk

City of Bristol Choir

n 14 October, 7.30pm. All Saints’ Church, Pembroke Road, Clifton Balm for the soul – an evening of sumptuous choral music as the 100 voices of City of Bristol Choir perform two works rich in soaring lyricism and sumptuous harmonies – Fauré’s Requiem, and Rheinberger’s Cantus Missae in E flat. £15 for adults, £5 for students/under 18s includes a glass of wine or soft drink at the interval. Tickets are available from Opus 13 music shop on 0117 923 0164 and online at: cityofbristolchoir.org.uk

Festival of The Future City

n 17 - 19 October, Watershed

The biennial Festival of the Future City returns this year, with a range of experts and panellists discussing the challenges facing cities today, including the housing

crisis, rising inequality, conflict and war, climate change and the failings of democracy. They will pose radical ideas about how we can build better, fairer, happier cities for all. bristolideas.co.uk

Bristol Film Festival: Halloween

n 18 October –2 November

The Bristol Film Festival programme takes a darker turn this October with a full lineup of spine chilling classics, hair-raising horror and spooky indie gems that the festival team have personally selected. Screenings take place across the city at various atmospheric and eerie venues such Arnos Vale Cemetry, Redcliffe Caves and The Mount Without, to more intimate performances at Avery’s Wine Cellers and Bristol Improv Theatre.

The festival’s Halloween season starts on 18 October with Addams Family Values at Arnos Vale Cemetry and runs through to 2 November with the star-studded, grandfinale blockbuster, Interview with the Vampire.

A real treat will be at St. Mary Redcliffe with the screening of the 1920 German silent horror film, The Cabinet of Dr Caligary. This gothic masterpiece is often regarded as the first true horror film, the performance is will be enhanced by a live soundtrack courtesy of Bristol-based quartet ‘Minima’ who’s spellbinding contemporary accompaniment will certainly bring on the goose bumps. bristolfilmfestival.com

Our guide to some of the best things to see, do and experience in and around Bristol this month

Coming to the Bristol Old Vic this autumn, Choir Boy

Craft 4 Crafters & Stitching 4 All

n 12 –14 October, 10am – 5pm daily, The Bath & West Showground

The Craft4Crafters exhibition features a mass of crafting delights; packed full of crafting displays, demonstrations, lectures, workshops, make and takes, and a large selection of fantastic retailers. Stock up on craft and needlework supplies, including embroidery, card making, cross stitch and knitting. New this year, is the ‘Quilt Hall’ with over 100 quilts. There’s also a daily fashion show and sewing classrooms. Tickets: Adult /£10 Concession £9/ Under 16 go free. Save £2 when booking in advance. For more information and tickets visit: craft4crafters.co.uk

Women Make Horror

n 18 October, 8.30pm, Watershed

Bristol-based horror film writer-director Melanie Light hosts a night of short horror films directed by a selection of talented women from around the world. Join her and her cohort of fiends for a ghoulish night of feminist horror films ranging from revenge to possessions to mutations! Book your tickets at: watershed.co.uk

Chocolate Smash! –Luke Jerram's Edible Histories

n 21 October, 11am –12.30pm, St George's Bristol

Five objects that tell the story of Bristol were selected and replicas of these objects were created in fairly traded chocolate by the award-winning Bristol chocolatier Zara’s Chocolates. Artist Luke Jerram and Dr Richard Stone will talk about the project which culminates with all the chocolate replicas being broken up to a live musical accompaniment and everyone who attends will get to take part of the sculptures home with them to eat and enjoy! Chocolate Smash is free, get tickets at: eventbrite.com

Bristol Tango Weekender

n 20 –22 October, Ashton Court Mansion

Following the sell-out event last year, Connect Tango Bristol will be welcoming again, the U.K.'s favourite couple, the internationally renowned tango maestros Neri Piliu and Yanina Quiñones, who will be teaching and performing with one of the most exciting couples performing at the Buenos Aires milonga and show circuit, the maestros Ariel Leguizamon and Yesica Esquivel. There will be more milongas, more workshops, more tango, Argentinean folklore and other Argentinian culture related activities. Pricing for this event is variable: milongas from £15 and workshops from £25. Visit: bristoltangoweekender.com for further infomation.

An Evening with Doug Allan

n 25 October, 7.30pm, 1532 Performing Arts Centre, Bristol

Doug Allan is an award-winning natural history photographer, documentary filmmaker, diver, author, and public speaker. He is touring theatres this autumn with his latest show ‘It’s a Wrap’, sharing his extraordinary filming challenges, successes and setbacks during 35 years of natural history film making.

Visit: 1532bristol.co.uk for details.

Jesca Hoop plus support

n 22 October, 8pm, Bristol Folk House California-born and now Manchester, UK based artist Jesca Hoop is what you’d call a musician’s musician, her beautiful songs, rooted in the folk tradition are intricately detailed, acoustic-led pieces that teem with ideas. Discovered by Tom Waits, and brought on tour by Peter Gabriel to sing in his band, it was a phone call from Elbow’s Guy Garvey that saw her move to the UK. Tickets will be scarce but find out more at: bristolbeacon.org

COMING SOON

The Bristol Bach Choir’s Autumn Concert

n 4 November 7.30pm, St Albans Church, Westbury Park

To mark the 650th anniversary of the city’s Royal Charter, Bristol Bach Choir presents a double musical celebration, a performance of J.S Bach’s Magnificat in D major and Cantata 129 plus solo arias with stirring choruses, and the brief doublechoir Cantata 50 by Bristol-based composers. These will be accompanied by the Bristol Ensemble using period instruments to provide the authentic sounds of the era. For information and tickets, visit: bristolbach.org.uk

Clifton College Panto:

Rapunzel –A Tangled Tale

n 12 –31 December, Redgrave Theatre

Get ready for a hair-raising adventure about the girl with the magical golden hair as Polka Dot Pantomimes and the Redgrave Theatre proudly present Rapunzel –A Tangled Tale!

This festive extravaganza about the lonely princess with the super hair trapped in a tower but longing for a life of adventure in the outside world will keep audiences of all ages amused, entertained and enthralled. As always there will be plenty of audience participation, modern songs to sing along to, huge amounts of laughter and spectacular special effects including an incredible flying jet pack. So let your hair down this Christmas at Bristol's biggest and brightest pantomime. For tickets and information visit: redgravetheatre.com

It takes two. The Tango Weekender at Ashton Court

Singer Jesca Hoop at Bristol Folk House

FAMILY DIARY

GET SET FOR HALF TERM WITH OUR PICK OF BEST FAMILY THINGS TO SEE AND DO

scientist called Jakob discovers its amazing fossilised remains and tells its incredible, colourful story, revealing secrets we could never have imagined.

Join five musicians and palaeontologist Dr Jakob Vinther as they enter the multicoloured world of the dinosaurs with soaring music, catchy songs and mind-blowing science. bristololdvic.org.uk

Woeful Wounds

n 21 –29 October, SS Great Britain

Pick your Own Pumpkins

n Open from 30 September, Avon Valley Country Park

Grab a wheelbarrow and roam through the massive home grown pumpkin patch to pick your perfect pumpkin. Don’t want to get muddy? Choose a pumpkin from the event area, there’s a huge selection of gourd-geous gourds and super squashes for you to choose from.

Pumpkins are not included in the event entry ticket. Pumpkins are priced depending on size and variety. avonvalley.co.uk

Owl Prowl on The Downs

n Friday 6 October, 6pm – 8:15pm, The Downs, Clifton Down

It's the time of year to go on an Owl Prowl! Dissect an owl pellet to find out what the barn owls have been eating for dinner. Then explore the Downs with Ed Drewitt, wellknown naturalist and author, for an unforgettable owl prowl adventure as dusk falls.

This Discovery Walk starts at the Conservation Education Centre and on the Downs. Suitable for 1 child accompanied by 1 adult (aged over 18). Suitable for children aged 5 to 10. Not suitable for under 5s. avongorge.org.uk

Storytale Festival 2023

n Friday 20 to Monday 23 October, Various locations

Chapter 5 of Storytale Festival will take place over the first weekend of October half term, and is jam-packed with events for all the family from a myths and magic inspired creative writing workshop with local author Anna Hoghton, to a bat-tastic story time

and draw-along with author-illustrator Emma Reynolds. Plus there’s a special, multi award-winning show, The Extraordinary Time-Travelling Adventures of Baron Munchausen, to kick everything off a whole week before on Sunday 15th October at the 1532 Performing Arts Centre with Oh So Funny Comedy. Accessible and affordable with lots of free events including inspiring storytelling and interactive craft sessions, there’ll be something for everyone.

The full programme of events, more information and details about how to book can be found at: storytalefestival.com

The Colour of Dinosaurs

n 20 –28 October, Bristol old Vic – The Weston Studio

A rip-roaring, prehistoric science pop gig for curious humans of all ages.

Picture a dinosaur roaming through an ancient forest... millions of years later, a

This October half term, experience the magic of special effect make-up and receive your very own Woeful Wound.Teaming up with specialist make-up design students from SGS College, the make-up artists will create cuts and blisters that the galley crew would have suffered during their time working in the kitchen at sea (visitors aged 4-18). So, step aboard – if you dare! Free with admission. ssgreatbritain.org

Owl at Home

n 25 –28 October, Tobacco Factory

Owl lives alone in a cosy little home in a hollow tree in the woods. With no one to talk to, Owl sings to himself and looks for ways to pass the time. He wonders about things a lot. What will happen if he invites winter into his home? And can he be in two places at once?

As his imagination runs away with him, ordinary objects begin to take on a life of their own and Owl finds an unexpected friend who’s willing to follow him to the ends of the earth… whether he likes it or not!

An enchanting tale with music, Owl at Home shows us how friendship can be found in the most unlikely of places, visit: tobaccofactorytheatres.com

Kitchen work at sea comes with its risks; Woeful Wounds at SS Great Britain

Captivating tales of myths and magic come to life at The Storytale Festival 2023

Image: Adam Gasson

Secret Postcard Auction

The ever-popular Secret Postcard Auction is back for another year at the RWA Offering bidders the chance to purchase unique works of art by leading figures from the art and cultural world, this is truly an unmissable event...

Savvy art buyers will get the chance to snap up bargain artworks and join in the fun as the RWA’s Secret Postcard Auction returns. Following the huge success of the 2022 Secret Postcard Auction, the event will run online from 28 October –9 November, with a physical display of the artworks on show at the RWA from 4 –9 November.

An unmissable event in the RWA annual calendar, and a major fundraiser for the gallery as an independent charity, the Secret Postcard Auction offers visitors the opportunity to make the winning bid on original artworks by famous, or soon-to-befamous, artists.

As the name suggests, all the artworks are postcard size – albeit a large postcard, at approximately 14 x 19cm (5½” x 7½”). The postcards can be viewed, and bids can be placed online. It’s great fun and bidding can get fierce but there’s plenty of opportunity to grab a wonderful original work of art for as little as £40.

Last year’s postcards included works by Sir Frank Bowling RA, Eileen Cooper RA, Maggi Hambling, David Remfry RA to name just a few. This year’s entries have started to roll in and the RWA can already confirm contributions from Norman Ackroyd RA, Glen Baxter, Basil Beattie RA RWA (Hon), Eileen Cooper RA, Kaffe Fassett MBE, Gilbert & George, Maggi Hambling, Sir

All of the contributing artists are named, but the identity of who did which artwork is kept secret until the auction has closed as artworks are signed on the back, not the front. Bidding opens for the public on 28 October and will close at 10pm on 9 November.

Since its re-opening last year, the RWA has welcomed more visitors to its building than at any time in its history and brought life-enhancing creativity to people who’ve never had the opportunity before, but the gallery can only continue to do this with help from contributions. As an independent charity with less than 1% of costs covered from the public purse each year, the RWA relies on its fundraising efforts to keep the doors open and run its outreach programme, engaging people in some of Bristol’s most under-represented communities. The money raised by the Secret Postcard Auction is a vital contributor to the RWA’s finances. Last year, donations reached over £70,000, while bidders still walked away with incredible bargains. n

• Keep an eye on the RWA website for details, and good luck with your bidding; secretpostcard.org.uk

Richard Long CBE RA RWA (Hon), David Nash RA, Ana Maria Pacheco, Prof. Cathie Pilkington RA, Bob and Roberta Smith OBE RA, Terry Setch RA RWA, among others.

Portrait of the artist

Ahead of her new exhibition at Studio 74 Gallery we catch up with with Bristol-based artist Anna Mazzotta to discover more about her unique and daring style of art that captivates viewers and collectors across the globe

Aquirky, often risqué and humourous paintings take us to a world of long lost glamour and showcase an impressive variety of human emotions. Her highly collectable work, the characters and narrative she creates deliver unique and compelling pieces that will often reveal something new at each viewing.

What’s your connection to Bristol and what makes the city so special in your opinion?

Bristol is eclectic, I find it a special place to live, it's the ideal place for artists. I love the bohemian side of Bristol, we are surrounded by art and music. It's not just a nice place to live it's a cool place to live, without any pretence.

Tell us more about your latest exhibition at Studio 74 Gallery, opening in October?

I was happy to be asked to do a solo show at this special Art Gallery by Ellena Norman, who has made such an inspiring space for art and artists.

My exhibition will focus on 3 main areas: The People of Bristol, Movies throughout the decades and a tribute to Vivienne Westwood. 'Bristol' will focus on the People of Bristol, the people that have made Bristol a fabulous place to live, the dock workers, blue glass makers, graffiti artists, musicians, the workers of Bristol.

Film has always been my passion my work generally recreate scenes in an almost cinematographic fashion –I'll be showing a few pieces on the subject of film, movies from different decades. IMDB, founded in Bristol shall also play a part in this series.

Vivienne Westwood; anti establishment, a punk originator, countercultural figurehead. I honour her in this exhibition as she was one of the original anarchists from the punk movement. It's an honour celebrating Westwood here in Bristol, Rebel City'Against All Authority, because this graffiti never goes out of fashion.'

learning under some of the masters in the field influenced your work?

It was an honour to be tutored by these 3 great artists.

All purists, artists that draw on imagination and drawing skills, no instant gratification or obvious generic imagery. John Bellany with his vigorous expressionist style, what I love about his portraits in particular is the fact that they are not photorealistic, the essence is there, not perfection, there is nothing mechanical or photographic about his works, this quote from Oscar Wilde The Picture of Dorian Gray sums it up for me; “every portrait that is painted with feeling is a portrait of the artist, not of the sitter. The sitter is merely the accident, the occasion. It is not he who is revealed by the painter; it is rather the painter who, on the coloured canvas, reveals himself.” Again Paula Rego with her monumental figures all telling a story there's a narrative a piece of mystery the viewer unravels at their leisure. Ken Kiff was a hugely talented artist so painterly up close, his works magical and exquisite channelling a childlike quality in a sophisticated way.

All 3 artists greatly influenced me, their art was free of gimmicks and displayed pure talent with imagination and great draughtsmanship.

You are best known for your paintings and charcoal drawings based on observations of life underpinned by humour – how would you describe your style and how has it evolved over the years?

I would describe my style as pure, humourist and an observer of life –the opposite of generic. My works are genuine, unique, unconventional. I don't spoon feed the viewer with generic or obvious imagery, or insult intelligence which also makes my work risquè in a sense that I don't follow trends for instant gratification. The upside to that is no buyers remorse. I've had some clients contact me after 15-

MAIN IMAGE: Anna at Vivienne Westwood’s house. BELOW: left to right: Led Zeppelin Founder Jimmy Page and girlfriend poet Scarlett Sabet with Anna’s Knights at the Troubadour Anna presenting her portrait of Jane Fonda on The Graham Norton show and Anna with Sophia Loren

20 years to tell me that their painting holds a special place in their hearts and that their children grew up with my art hanging on their walls. For an artist that is the ultimate satisfaction... if my clients are happy that means I'm happy. I find preliminary sketches fascinating. You can see how the mind of the artist works throughout the artistic process, there's a sophistication that comes with that. My work has become bolder over the years.

Who are your biggest influences and where do you go to find inspiration?

I have a great love for the German artists who worked during the Weimar era... Georg Grosz, Jeanne Mammon, Karl Hubbuch are just a few. Their works leaned towards caricature as it's probably the best way to document the human condition. I find my inspiration in coffee shops I like to sit by the window and look at passers by. This is what inspires me –for many artists throughout history apart from Absinthe, the cafe served as a haven especially for those artists whose ideas were not welcome in the formal, established art community.

What is your own creative process from concept to completion?

I start with a vague sketch then a story unfolds from the marks on the canvas like I'm telling myself a story. It's pure incidental, all about feeling. I love this quote by LS Lowry..."You don't need brains to be a painter, just feelings." Art is all about feeling.

All my works are free hand there's no place for digital or tracing elements in my studio, hence my work can never be called mechanical, clinical or sterile.

Can you tell us more about your recently commissioned new collection for Vivienne Westwood?

I was asked to exhibit at Tramp London recently, shortly after Vivienne Westwoods death. I decided to dedicate a collection to

Westwood and Punk, some of my paintings are hanging in the Clock House at World's End, Kings Road, Chelsea so there is also that connection.

And what about your previous commissions for Fat Boy Slim and Jane Fonda?

I was commissioned to paint Jane Fonda and was very happy to present her with her painting on stage at the London Savoy where she had just been interviewed by Graham Norton.

It was an amazing experience to visit Norman Cook (aka Fatboy Slim) in Brighton and see my painting hanging in his home. A print of the original piece was made that he kindly signed and this was auctioned for charity.

What’s next in the pipeline for you? Are you currently working on any projects/commissions that you’re able to tell us about?

I'm currently working on a commission for a diamond jewellers for their new signature store in Hatton Garden, a series of 8 large charcoals all focusing on jewellery. One is based around Leap Year where several women holding out engagement rings are swooning and fawning over this one gentleman. Risqué in these highly sensitive times but I believe that if an artist is worried about offending people and constantly thinking of that, then that artist can never be truly creative. n

• Anna Mazzotta’s work will be on display from 19 October at: Studio 74 Gallery, 74 Whiteladies Rd, Bristol BS8 2QA. The show will be opened by former leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Lembit Öpik with celebrity guests Richard and Fred Fairbrass (Right Said Fred) who will sign a special charity auction piece at the show. studio74gallery.com

All images courtesy of Anna Mazzotta and Studio 74

Home Contents Valuation Report

Our Home Contents Valuation Report is frequently requested by solicitors and lay executors for the purposes of calculating inheritance tax (IHT), but can also be tailored for other valuation purposes. These include for insurance, matrimonial & family division as well as for attorneyship and deputyship purposes when an inventory of items in a home is particularly useful. Our valuations for IHT purposes are prepared in accordance with S.160 of the Inheritance Tax Act 1984 and HMRC recommend instructing a qualified valuer for this purpose. Our starting point is the HMRC IHT 407 form used to file the return of household and personal goods, including jewellery, antiques, collections and motor vehicles.

With more than twenty years’ experience as an RICS chartered arts & antiques surveyor, Toby has refined the format of the valuation report, designed with the input of experienced probate practitioners and insurance brokers; creating a report that physically tags each item with a corresponding image, description and value, eliminating confusion, particularly useful when dealing with a large volume of jewellery. Where appropriate, post-valuation, Toby offers a range of services to assist clients with the next steps including auction consignment, arranging specialist carriage and storage.

For more information visit: www.tobypinn.co.uk or give Toby a call: 0117 2517251

Professional

Toby Pinn Chartered Arts & Antiques Surveyors, Channel Court, 8 Hill Road, Clevedon, BS21 7NE

ART and the galleries

‘Ways of Seeing’, Nancy Pickard, Anna Boss, Clifton Contemporary Art, 7 –28 October

Artists respond to what they see and feel in profoundly different ways. Their creations are a unique synthesis of individuality, knowledge and experience – the inner world and the outer world. These endless differences – both subtle and dramatic – are perfectly captured in the contrasting work of Nancy Pickard and Anna Boss. Nancy’s mixed media works embrace a range of techniques and materials. Defying categorization, they explore human experience and culture, the restless, timeless drift of migration, and our changing relationship with other creatures. With hints of ancient ritual and enduring symbolism, her pieces are instinctive and personal, but imbued with collective spirit and a deep sense of shared identity.

The atmospheric landscape paintings of Anna Boss draw you into a world where light, texture, form and distance seem to shift, subtly and perpetually. You can almost hear the breeze animating grass, reeds and branches as the elements ebb and flow. Spending many hours walking and running through the places she paints, Anna’s engagement with them is compelling and palpable.

• Clifton Contemporary Art

25 Portland Street, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 4JB

Elias Sime:

‘Eregata እርጋታ’, Arnolfini, 21 October –18 February 2024

This is the first, major solo European museum exhibition of one of Ethiopia’s leading contemporary artists, Elias Sime.

Eregata እርጋታ will primarily focus on work from the past six years, including Sime’s monumental Venice Biennale commission Veiled Whispers (2022), alongside intricately woven abstract topographies from the landmark series Tightrope (2013 to present), key works from his early stitch, yarn and button series and the tactile fragility of Bareness, a large-scale ceramic installation from 2014.

• arnolfini.org.uk; 16 Narrow Quay, Bristol BS1 4QA

Image:

West Bristol Arts Trail, 14 –15 October

The West Bristol Arts Trail will be taking place over the weekend of 14 –15 October when over 50 homes, studios and large venues will be open to the public. It’s the biggest event the team have put together with over 175 artist and creatives living and working in Clifton, Clifton Wood, Redland and Hotwells area. Taking part in the trail are fine artists, photographers, ceramicists, print makers, textile artists, jewellers and sculptors. The trail offers you the chance to meet artists in their studios, talk to them about their work and buy directly from them.

• Pick up an Arts Trial map from venues around the city or visit: westbristolarts.com

Image: Golden Fields byBarbara Baber

Billy Hensley, Rainmaker Gallery, until 31 October

This exhibition showcases new works by Chickasaw artist Billy Hensley from Oklahoma. Hensley is a selftaught artist who draws his inspiration from the world around him to create richly textured, abstract paintings. The distinctive stripes of Hensley’s acrylic and beadwork canvases reference the appliqué embellishments of ‘ribbon shirts’ and ‘ribbon skirts’ widely worn by Native tribes today.

• rainmakerart.co.uk; 140 Whiteladies Road, BS8 2RS

Image: AwakeningBright by Billy Hensley, Chickasaw Nation

Image: Babylon is Burning by Nancy Pickard

Tightrope: It is Green 8, Elias Sime, 2023, electrical wires on panels, courtesy the Elias Sime and James Cohan Gallery. Photo Phoebe d’Heurle.

Design Icons: ‘Made in Bristol’, The Stradling Collection, until 4 November

Made in Bristol celebrates Bristol’s 650th year as a City and County by showcasing five iconic stories at Bristol’s home of design – the Ken Stradling Collection. Bristol has always been a pioneering place – from innovative 18th century Bristol porcelain through to Brunel’s integrated transport plan and 20th century modern with Crofton Gane’s furniture and Ken Stradling’s Bristol Guild. The spotlight is on five remarkable 21st century creative companies, how they have evolved and why Bristol is where they can grow and flourish, from animation to timber framing.

Open Wednesday 1pm –4pm, Friday 12pm –7pm, Saturday 11am –5pm. Entry £3

• 48 Park Row, Clifton, Bristol BS1 5LH; stradlingcollection.org

Image courtesy of Aardman Animation

Chew Valley Arts Trail, 14 –15 October

The 21st year for the Chew Valley Arts Trail features more than 40 exhibitors who will be showing their skills in almost 20 venues in villages near the lakes, just south of Bristol, between the A38 and the A37. Visitors will have a chance to enjoy the variety and high quality of work on show, talking to and getting to know the exhibitors, browsing or making purchases. Whether, driving, cycling or walking, it is a good opportunity for people to get to know the area, have a great day out, perhaps stopping off for lunch or tea and cake on the way. Open: 10am –6pm.

• Brochures with map are widely available and all details can be found on the website: chewvalleyartstrail.co.uk

170th Annual Open Exhibition, RWA, until 14 January

The RWA’s renowned Annual Open Exhibition is now in its 170th year, and –as always –offers a stunning variety of work from emerging and established artists.

This dynamic, varied and uplifting exhibition includes a stunning array of painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, sculpture, installation and mixed media artworks, and is a showcase of some of the most exciting artists from across the country and beyond.

All work is for sale, making the Annual Open a perfect opportunity to discover new artists or invest in wellknown names. You can browse –and buy –the artworks from your home online.

A selection panel assessed every entry and this year over 600 works made it into the final exhibition. The panel this year included Charmaine Watkiss and Meryl Ainslie together with RWA Academicians Fiona Robinson PRWA, Dallas Collins VPRWA, Lucy Austin RWA, Angela Lizon RWA and Karl Singporewala RWA. The RWA is delighted to announce that this year’s invited Artist is Charmaine Watkiss.

• Queens Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 1PX; rwa.org.uk

Image: The Warrior Focusses intent Adversity by Charmaine Watkiss

So What Collective, Bristol Guild Gallery, 7 –28 October

An exhibition of inspiring new work from So What Collective –a collaboration of talented southwest artists working in painting, weaving, photography, embroidery, mixed media, glass and ceramics. Pop in to meet the exhibitors, buy some original art, and visit Bristol Guild’s newly refurbished cafe. Open Tuesday –Saturday 10.30am –5.30pm

• Bristol Guild Gallery 68 Park Street Bristol BS1 5JY

Image: Stained glass polar bear by Sarah Davis

Image from Tom Moy

Expert opinion

Quarterly Sale Results

Strong bidding was firmly in evidence at Clevedon Autumn Quarterly Fine Art sale on September 14th. Amongst over 800 lots, some stellar results were seen but it was in the Silver section that day’s top price was achieved.

A handsome pair of sterling silver candelabra from the celebrated Danish silversmiths Georg Jensen had arrived at one of Clevedon’s ever popular Monday valuation events, somewhat inauspiciously in a shoebox, having spent most of the last 50 years hiding their light under a bushel in the owner’s sideboard. Finely cast with the craftsmanship one would expect from Jensen their quality shone through. The focus of much pre-sale interest, some very spirited bidding saw them leave their estimate well and truly in the shade, selling for £6,200.

As is traditional at Clevedon it was the Jewellery section which opened proceedings, where top price was the £5,500 paid for a singlestone diamond ring of some 2.1 carats. Also leaping over its estimate, a diamond, ruby and emerald set frog brooch, which sold for £3,800. Amongst watches, it was the golden name ‘Rolex’ that sent pulses

racing. A gentleman's Oyster Perpetual Daydate wristwatch, sold for £4,900, whilst a Gentleman's Oyster Perpetual Datejust Chronometer stainless steel wristwatch, also performed well, selling for £3,000. Amongst a characteristically eclectic selection of collectors’ items, it was a piece of motor racing memorabilia that stole the show: the silver plated trophy awarded to Damon Hill for second place position in the 1997 Formula One Hungarian Grand Prix. Purchased at auction in 2003, it was a trophy that fans of British motor sport would find hard to pass by and it easily raced passed its estimate, selling for £2,600.

A strong pictures section included an interesting collection of late Victorian and Edwardian watercolours consigned from an historic private collection in North Somerset. From this source came a very arresting monochrome study ‘The Arrow of the Lord’s Deliverance by Francis Bernard (Frank) Dicksee (1853-1928), which shot passed its estimate to sell for £3,400, and a very atmospheric study by Albert Goodwin ‘Westminster, Sunset Through The Smoke’, which sold for £2,800. Clevedon Salerooms next Specialist sale will be on December 7th for which entries are now invited. ■

• clevedonsalerooms.com; @chrisyeo_antiques (Instagram)

Our regular columnist Chris Yeo is away but Clevedon Salerooms report on yet another successful specialist sale.

Pair of Georg Jensen sterling silver two-branch candelabra sold for £6,200

Anniversary of the Silver rails

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the first tram tracks being laid in Bristol.

By the 1860s, Bristol was growing fast. New factories were springing up around the city, but, faced with a lack of adequate public transport, those who worked in them had to live within walking distance. This was a problem not only for the factory owners, who needed to recruit workers at short notice, but also for their employees, who often had to put up with hastily-built or inadequate accommodation. The obvious answer, as far as many Bristolians were concerned, was to do what several other cities had already done, and build a network of street tramways.

Eventually, in 1871, the corporation bowed to pressure and agreed to build a line from Perry Road, along Park Row and Queen’s Road and up Whiteladies Road as far as Apsley Road – a distance of a mile and a third. Track laying began in July 1873 and work was completed the following spring, at which point the corporation needed to find someone to operate the route.

Step forward the newly-formed Bristol Tramways Company, which was granted a 21-year lease in October 1874. Having acquired seven tramcars and 70 horses to pull them, the company commenced operations on 9 August 1875. In the first year almost

Trams lined up at the Tramways Centre

A tram for Brislington at Hotwells. Women conductresses were recruited in 1917 to replace the men who had gone off to war

1.4M journeys were made and new lines were soon planned. Before long, the network covered 16 miles, the fleet of tramcars had grown to 109, and the number of horses to 678.

Horsepower imposed severe restrictions, however. Tramcars had to be small and their top speed was around eight miles an hour. Generally they were pulled by two horses, but trace horses had to be added to climb even modest inclines. But how wonderful it must have been, sitting on the top deck of a tram climbing to College Green pulled by a team of four horses, the only sounds the rattling of the wheels and the clip-clopping of hooves.

The company was desperate to find a new source of motive power. Steam engines were tried for a time in the late 1870s, but they proved unpopular and were soon abandoned. The breakthrough came in 1895 when a new line opened to St George, powered by electricity. Within four years, the entire network had been converted to electricity, and the generating station at Finzel’s Reach which the company built to power its trams towered above the river like a portent of the century that was about to dawn.

The new trams climbed the hills with ease and swayed back down them at an invigorating lick. They opened up the suburbs and facilitated an extraordinary expansion of the city. People who worked in the city centre no longer had to put up with living in squalid back-to-backs and tenements nearby but could escape to the suburbs. Bristol’s electric trams epitomised the spirit of optimism with which the city greeted the new century.

By 1901, the network covered over 30 route miles. A vast new depot and maintenance complex was built at Brislington. The main interchange point between the various routes, at St Augustine’s Parade, became known as the Tramways Centre, and was one of the busiest places in the city.

Yet the heyday of the trams was all too brief. Once electrification was complete, many of the horses were redeployed to operate bus routes further out, but by 1906 petrol-driven buses started to be used instead. New tram lines continued to be laid – in 1908 an extension was opened from the Downs to Westbury on Trym – but after the First World War, as motor transport improved, the tramways were starved of investment. The trams were not updated and increasingly came to be seen as outmoded. The entire fleet was open-topped, and, while that wasn’t so much of a problem in the warmer months, sitting on the top deck in the teeth of a wintry blizzard would have been grim in the extreme.

Under the Tramways Act of 1870, Bristol Corporation had the option of purchasing the system in 1915 and at seven-year intervals thereafter. Faced with this uncertainty, the company had little incentive to invest or modernise, and, when the corporation did eventually exercise its option to take over the network in 1936, it was with a view to closing it down. In the event, the end came sooner than planned. In the 1941 Good Friday raid, a bomb destroyed St Philip’s Bridge, severing power lines from the generating station. It was a sad end to an enterprise that had promised – and achieved – so much.

Today, it seems inexplicable – and deeply to be lamented – that Bristol, like everywhere else in England, except Blackpool, got rid of its trams. Elsewhere, it was a different story. Scores of cities – such as Melbourne, Brussels, Vienna, Antwerp, Lisbon, Gothenburg, Dresden – hung onto them, not as museum pieces but as part of mass transit systems we can but envy. Many UK cities have recognised that consigning their tram networks to the scrapyard was a mistake and have built new ones. Bristol, though, despite several promising schemes having been proposed over the years, has yet to see trams return. Perhaps one day, though, Bristolians will once again be able to ride the silver rails through the city’s streets. n

Horse-drawn trams at the Hotwells landing stage

Bristol had seen nothing like the new electric trams

Braving a flood on the Cheltenham Road in July 1914

A busy scene at the Tramways Centre with a boisterous crowd on the top deck of a Filton tram

FOOD & DRINK

TASTY TIDBITS FROM THE CITY’S BEST RESTAURANTS, CHEFS AND PRODUCERS

Grape expectations

Autumnal tipples

Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

Château Saint-Ange

Dining in the Dark returns to The Lost and Found

Experience a dinner like no other in the intimate surrounds of Victorian hideaway, The Lost & Found Bristol, with the return of the blindfolded tasting experience, Dining in the Dark.

Priced at £41.95 per person, take a sensory ride through a three-course set menu of gastronomical delights from land to sea (vegan options available), all paired with delectable drinks. Served in complete darkness to enhance each flavour. Whether a dinner date or catching up with mates, get lost in the magical atmosphere of The Lost & Found Bristol with its Dining in the Dark experience, taking place on select dates from until December. the-lostandfound.co.uk

Bristol-born snack brand announces Gut-Tober™

Bristol-born Boundless Gut Happy Snacking has announced Gut-Tober™, their commitment to Gut Happy Habits for themselves and the nation. Boundless snacks, which began as a food stall in St Nick’s Market, have been crafted to contain genuine nutrition and health benefits. Boundless will be popping up throughout the city in schools, hospitals and workplaces this October!

BANK Bristol celebrates its 2nd birthday with Bottle Shop launch

BANK is celebrating its 2nd birthday with the launch of a new Bottle Shop, which will see the neighbourhood restaurant’s list of smallscale producer wines going on sale online as well as on site in Totterdown. From September onwards, everyone who dines at BANK will be entitled to 5% off in the Bottle Shop, applicable to any take-home purchases on the day.

weareboundless.co.uk

Autumn is the season where reds begin to shine again. Spiced notes and warm, deep undertones help to ease us into the cooler months. And the Saint-Émilion is a fail-safe option: ruby in colour, elegant and expressive, with a bouquet of red and black crystallized fruits. Notes of toast and vanilla with a touch of sweet spices bring this wine together | £29.50

Merlot Meinert

The Merlot truly takes centre stage in October. Sweet and spicy, Meinert’s Decanter World Wine winner has all the wonderful, velvet softness that you expect of Merlot, with ever so much more personality. On the nose, this South African red has rounded, supple fruit that gains complexity from a roasted pepper and herbal character | £16.60

Viognier Reserve

Santa Ana

If you prefer white wine, this Santa Ana Viognier Reserve is a great October option. It’s bright golden colour with green hues accompanies aromas of stone fruits with an alluring complexity of toasted bread and vanilla notes. The rich and full palate with a hint of sweetness is balanced by a racy acidity on the finish | £11.95

greatwine.co.uk

The Kensington Arms

From the outside, The Kensington Arms, known locally as ‘The Kenny', is a quaint, traditional pub nestled between houses and a railway in the heart of residential Redland. But a quick glance at their menu reveals all you need to know about this hidden gastronomic haven...

Since its opening in 2007, The Kenny has steadily built up a name for itself as a much-loved gem on the Bristol pub circuit, adored by local drinkers and food-lovers alike.The venue describes itself as a proper gastro pub serving modern British dishes, and in August its menu underwent a revamp, turning its focus to sustainable produce. Masterminded by Head Chef Oscar Davis, the new menu is a colourful and contemporary take on British cuisine, showcasing the very best of food from the South West.

The evening of our visit, we found that despite its culinary reputation The Kenny has managed to preserve the perfect balance between a fitting space for fine dining and a cosy and down-to-earth local. The main dining room sits slightly away from the bar, with an open kitchen that creates a more relaxed and inclusive atmosphere. The walls are decorated with an eclectic assortment of paintings and pictures, reminiscent of a French bistro (though the picture of the severed pigs head on the wall behind us was slightly perturbing).

Seated in a comfortable corner with full view of the kitchen, we were given a brief explanation of the menu and then left to our own devices to pore over the dishes on offer. The menu is select but considered, and each option exudes the passion of the chefs behind it.

Choosing what to eat was by far the hardest part of the evening. Their popular Wednesday steak night coincided with our visit, adding to the indecision, but we settled on the Scallops with Malt Glazed Pig Cheek and Marmande Tomato for starters, followed by the Fish of the Day and Courgette over Coals for the mains (my companion's vegi/peski/very flexi lifestyle made choices slightly easier).

When the starters arrived we were instantly sold. All beautifully presented, the sweet, meaty scallops melted in the mouth, impeccably paired with the tender pig cheek where the dripping sauce gave the dish a salty, charcoaled kick. The Marmande Tomato –essentially just tomato in tomato sauce with slices of nectarine on top, was perfectly simple but completely delicious.

Already loosening our trousers, we watched in awe as the mains arrived. The Fish of the Day, an on-the-bone cut of Brixham Brill, was sweet and juicy with a satisfyingly crispy skin, and its silky chicken butter sauce allowed the parsley to shine through without overpowering the delicacy of the fish. Adorned with mushrooms, radish and bacon and a plate of (somewhat unnecessary, given how full we were) crispy roast potatoes, the dish was faultless and the plate was, of course, polished clean.

The grilled courgette was my favourite and most surprising dish of the evening. Vegetarian dishes are limited at The Kenny, and our expectations for a main course that’s fundamental element is just 'Courgette over Coals’ were admittedly low. But how wrong we were; the ewes’ curd was smooth and delicate, and the embellishing sumac, hazelnut and chimichurri added a polyphony of textures and flavours that exploded in the mouth.

Sides were a delightful Chargrilled Hispi Cabbage and Burnt Leeks in Brown Butter that were sweet and rich.

It was a mission at this point to continue, but on we battled in a unstated agreement that no plate would go unfinished before the dessert menu arrived on the table. There was little discussion about what we would choose, and promptly a Sticky Ale Pudding and Vanilla Affogato were being devoured.

Sitting back, enjoying the last dregs of the wine, an extremely drinkable white Corte dei Mori Vermentino, The Kenny left us in a state of replete, slightly delirious bliss.

It’s clear why this boozer-cum-gastronomic haven in the heart of Redland's reputation precedes it. Original, carefully considered dishes that convey a love and passion for the craft, complemented by a relaxed-yet-charming dining room –we left, hearts and stomachs full, discussions only of how soon is too soon to plan our next visit. n

This meal for two, without drinks, totalled £96.50. The Kensington Arms kitchen is open Wed–Sun. Hours vary, check website for details.

Sumac, hazelnut and chimichurri added a polyphony of textures and flavours that exploded in the mouth...

35-37 Stanley Road, Redland, Bristol BS6 6NP; Tel: 0117 944 6444; thekensingtonarms.co.uk

Bristol UPDATES

Join the cast and crew at Bristol Playgoers Club

Bristol Playgoers need new members! The friendly drama group performs script-in-hand play readings every few weeks. Roles include acting, directing, front-of-house, technical/backstage, an audience member – there’s something for everyone. Play readings are great if you can’t commit to months of rehearsals and there’s no line-learning required. Despite holding scripts, the club use costume, props and set dressing to make their performances engaging. Experience a variety of plays, a sociable atmosphere, the excitement of preparing a performance in just two or three rehearsals and a well-earned drink in the bar afterwards. If you’ve never been on stage before but would like to have a go, play readings are an accessible first step to gaining confidence and learning stagecraft. There’s no pressure to perform, you’re welcome to join in as part of the audience. A membership of £50 (no matter what you choose to do) works out at £4.17 per night of entertainment – A bargain!

• For further information visit: bristolplaygoersclub.co.uk

University of Bristol to host UK’s most powerful supercomputer to advance AI discovery

The University of Bristol has been chosen to host a new national supercomputer research facility, focused on artificial intelligence (AI), the government announced. The new AI Research Resource (AIRR) will serve as a national resource for researchers and industry experts spearheading AI innovation and scientific discovery – and places Bristol at the centre of the AI revolution.

To be known as IsambardAI, it is expected to be the most powerful supercomputer in the UK and among the most powerful in Europe when it opens at the National Composites Centre (NCC) next year. Plans for the supercomputer were announced by the government in March, backed by a £900 million investment to transform the UK’s computing capacity and establish a dedicated AI Research Resource.

The new multi-million-pound Bristol facility will be used by a wide range of organisations from across the UK to harness the power of AI, which is already the main driver of emerging technologies like big data and robotics. The new supercomputing facility will also play a vital role in important areas such as accelerating automated drug discovery and climate research.

• Learn more at bristol.ac.uk

Tortworth Court features in new TV series

De Vere Tortworth Court features in a new series Ultimate Wedding Planner broadcast on BBC Two. The show sees Fred Sirieix, Sara Davies and Raj Somaiya judge eight aspiring wedding planners battling it out to see who’s got what it takes to be crowned the Ultimate Wedding Planner. In episode four, the wedding planners were tasked with planning a multithemed wedding, one of their toughest challenges yet. The engaged couple wanted an autumnal fantasy wedding, and the team set to work utilising Tortworth Court’s Victorian Orangery as the perfect backdrop for the ceremony.

• Find out more at: devere.co.uk/tortworth-court/weddings

New Clifton clinic for children with specific learning difficulties

Newly opened in Clifton, Bristol Independent Community Paediatrics (BICP) is a QCQ registered clinic, providing assessment and medical management of children and young people with ADHD, Autism and specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia. The clinic is run by local NHS doctors and therapists and completes assessments under national (NICE) guidelines, that will be accepted by schools, the NHS and can contribute towards a child's Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP)

• For more details visit: bicp.co.uk

Thinking of leaving a gift to charity in your Will?

By Richard Higgs. Chartered Independent Financial Planner

There are plenty of good reasons to think about leaving a gift to charity in your plans. Not only does it support a great cause, but it can also help ease the burden of inheritance tax.

When you decide to leave something to a charity in your Will, your gift can either:

•Be subtracted from the overall value of your estate before inheritance tax is calculated.

•Reduce your inheritance tax rate if at least 10% of your estate goes to charity.

You have choices when it comes to what you give — a set amount, specific items, or what's left after other gifts are taken care of.

When allocating 10% or more of your estate to one or more charities, the inheritance tax rate on the amount above certain thresholds reduces from 40% to 36%.

It's a good idea to check if a charity is registered with the Charity Commission to make sure it's a trustworthy organisation. However, even if they're not registered, you can still utilise inheritance tax benefits if they qualify as a charity under the Charities Act e.g. a local football club.

Keep in mind that if you specify donating a fixed amount to a charity, inflation might change its value significantly. Similarly, a percentage-based donation could end up being more or less than you intended if your estate's value goes up or down a lot.

If you're interested in learning more about legacy giving or other strategies to mitigate your inheritance tax burden, don't hesitate to get in touch with us. As experts in later life financial advice, we can help you gain clarity and confidence in your inheritance tax and estate planning.

Call 0117 3636 212 or email office@haroldstephens.co.uk to arrange a relaxed chat about your circumstances. For more financial planning tips, search “Harold Stephens IFA" on YouTube.

When alumni shine

As a child Maddy was surrounded by creativity, hard work and ambition. Bitten by the entrepreneurial bug from an early age, having been taken into work with her dad to sell snacks from a van and learning how to hand knit at just six years old, thanks to her grandma. Maddy relished those early knitting experiences: making special creations with her grandmother. Little did she know that her own brand, Edith, would one day be born.

Maddy thrived at Sidcot and really appreciated how she was encouraged to discover her own path, be who she wanted to be and find her own niche. She comments: “Sidcot has a great sense of community, it’s like being part of a family and there is a mutual respect and kindness among staff and students that you don’t see elsewhere.”

Textiles, Ceramics, Art and Fine Art lessons definitely took the top spot in terms of her favourite lessons at Sidcot. She was inspired to follow her passion by her Textiles and Art teachers Miss Ralph, Mrs Egan and Miss Pink. It was in these lessons that Maddy was able to take her knitting skills forward and to develop her own style and design concepts that would lead to her next steps.

Maddy graduated from Nottingham Trent University with a BA Honours in Fashion Knitwear and Knitted Textiles in 2021. After finishing her studies, she knew the city life wasn’t for her and that her hometown in Somerset was the perfect place to start pursuing her career in handcrafted knitwear.

Maddy launched her first collection Edith in 2021, which captures the comfort of being at home and the beauty of making something by hand. Her work includes timeless neutrals, cosy textures and comforting pieces that are designed to be treasured with every wear. Maddy’s final degree piece was featured at Graduate Fashion Week in December 2021 and her collection featured in the February edition of Vogue in January 2022, In Tatler in July 2023 and House of Interiors in August this year.

Maddy cites one of her greatest achievements as securing two A’s and a B at A level in Art, Fine Art and Textiles, and the joy of her grandma being there, to see her achieve those results.

Her pieces are knitted using sustainable yarns and all of the garments in her collection are carefully made using a hand-operated Dubied knitting machine by Maddy in her home studio. For more details on her collections see: edithknitwear.co.uk

Creative Director of his own business, Arcadia Spectacular, Pip Rush Jansen has taken his stages and instillations across the globe. After Sidcot, Pip studied Sustainable Design at university, taking on festival and event work following a period of travel. Pip worked his way from the bottom up – from recycling (litter picking), to running an arts café, to making an archway entrance sculpture to then building an avenue of sculptures. From here he built a small stage, then a bigger one, each time adding new performance elements and flame effects. The stages are so popular that Arcadia now take them across the UK and worldwide.

Pip joined Sidcot funded by a bursary, as a boarder in the Sixth Form. He flourished creatively during his time in school, really valuing being part of a network of friends living and working together from all walks of life. He remembers the freedom of exploring the broad expanses of the Mendips during his time at Sidcot.

At school Pip enjoyed Art, DT and Music in equal measure. He embarked on an Art project with a difference and took a motorcycle apart in the DT department. By the end of term, he had rebuilt it, creating a sculpture in Art! Pip was inspired by his teachers at Sidcot including his Art teacher Mr Wallis, Pip comments: “The teachers really did meet me on a level –the non-hierarchical Quaker way”.

One of Pip’s career highlights was taking the Arcadia stage to Perth, Australia, to work with an Aboriginal tribe, who resurrected an ancient ceremony with Arcadia that had been underground since the British colonised them in the 19th century.

The famous spider stage is regularly at Glastonbury and Pip and his team are the magicians behind the Alchemist’s Playground at Valley Fest. In the spirit of giving back, for the last few years Pip has invited Sidcot students and their partner Élan School’s Art and DT students to help behind the scenes with the set up for Glastonbury and teaching students welding skills. This year Arcadia also launched a new glamping retreat in the Chew Valley; naturesspectacular.com

• Sidcot School, Winscombe, North Somerset BS25 1PD. sidcot.org.uk

Let’s take some inspiration from two former pupils of Sidcot School

–meet Maddy Hann and Pip Rush Jansen whose careers are flying high... here’s their story so far.

From Sidcot to The World Stage –Pip Rush Jansen, Sidcot Alumnus 1999 – 2001

Maddy Hann – From Desk to Design –Sidcot Alumna 2009 –2018

(Lower-carbon) Footprints in the snow: the Swiss Alps by train

With the highest railway in Europe – powered by local hydroelectricity – and easy train routes taking travellers from home turf to Alpine terrain, plus historic landscapes and World Cup-calibre skiing, the self-sufficient, storied region of Jungfrau is a mix of charmingly old-school and encouragingly modern. Working to better eco-practices and keeping slopes sustainable, it’s a choice destination for locomotive lovers and carbon-conscious skiers. Words by Amanda Nicholls

Devouring hot rosti in a Swiss restaurant thousands of metres up the towering Eiger Glacier, after a bracing morning skiing the Bernese peaks, a rascal of old boys from Basel spontaneously breaks into traditional song.

Each ducks out of the thunderous choral performance occasionally for a bite of fresh apple pie from the glacier bakery, a pinch of spirit-boosting snuff, and a quick glance outside at the wild, wuthering, blinding white of the mid-blizzard weather. The scene seems humorously, delightfully old-fashioned, as if we’ve strayed into a 1930s gentlemen’s winter sports club.

Later, another living tableau – the peaceful green hollow at the foot of the Eiger’s formidable north face – conjures a feeling of bygone times and even imagined worlds. Sounding like something from an ancient fairytale, Jungfrau’s alpaca-dotted village of Grindelwald was once hiked, and traversed with horse and carriage, by artists and composers ranging from Byron and Mendelssohn to Goethe and Wagner. The adjacent valley of Lauterbrunnen’s 72 rumbling waterfalls captured hearts and influenced works, even inspiring Tolkien’s elvish kingdom of Rivendell. Steeped in the folklore surrounding a trio of giant icy summits (the Eiger, meaning ‘ogre’; Jungfrau, ‘virgin maiden’; and Mönch, ‘monk’) the area has been anthropomorphised through a tale of unrequited love – felt for the maiden by the ogre, whose designs were constantly thwarted by the monk.

Romanticism’s respect for nature seems to be shared by many residents – still central to their rituals and way of life. Each spring sees their revered dairy cows paraded down from steep ridges, festooned with bells and flowers and celebrated with yodellers and horn players. Waste water is collected and channelled with particular attention paid to water protection zones, and the skyline remains relatively undisturbed, with minimal pylons kept low.

Despite feeling like a melting pot of Swiss history, tradition, and fantasy, this storied ski region is at once modern, progressive, forwardthinking. Its mountain transport and ski lift networks are powered by their own hydroelectric station (and have been for over a century) and its people are conscious of contemporary realities. One of the world’s

most altitudinous international research stations, the solitary Sphinx Observatory, tests air quality and monitors glacial melt – although it could easily be mistaken for a Bond baddie HQ. There hasn’t been a winter this green in three decades and, as our relentlessly energetic 66year-old ski guide Sandra points out, the mountains make up 60% of Switzerland’s surface area so they need to find solutions, all while keeping local economies stable and avoiding mass displacement in years to come.

Travelling from England by train is a joy, especially for the fearful flyer used to forcing themselves – sweaty palms and all – on to a plane to get their snow fix, and being clued up on the carbon savings reduces the discomfort around muscling in on this beautiful corner of the globe for a while. It’s London to Paris first on the Eurostar, Paris to Basel with TGV Lyria, and Swiss Railways for the last leg from Basel to Interlaken where we find lodgings at Hotel Interlaken, a former monastery shelter where 15th-century pilgrims once rested. The ride is smooth, efficient, comfortable, and far from the faff that switching to train travel for such a trip might seem. Speeding through English, French and Swiss countryside takes in winning snapshots of medieval Dijon and Bern, and the grey-blue lakeside turrets of 12th-century Thun Castle, coming into view on the final approach, look nothing short of magical.

Locomotives can be the theme not only for the journey to Jungfrau but throughout. Stay in car-free village Wengen, accessible only by the Wengernalp Railway, and descend via cable car after the day’s pursuits to the sight of trains criss-crossing the woodland landscape below like tiny toys on a play mat. Climb aboard a 19th-century cogwheel railway carriage and ride to Schnynige Platte, the starting point of hikes passing marmot colonies and lined with Alpine flowers (cue Edelweiss). A new train station opening in the valley will soon encourage people to ‘park and ride’, and reduce traffic on the road up to Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen. Up on the Jungfraujoch – the icy saddle connecting the Jungfrau and the Mönch and known as the ‘top of Europe’ – a glacier train chugs along the continent’s highest railway

Fondue in the sun, chased down with Switzerland's waste-conscious soft drink of choice, Rivella

En route to Jungfraujoch ice palace

The Lauterbrunnen-Murren Rail & Cableway, one of Jungfrau's excellent rail links

station, through tunnels hand-carved by Italian workers in 1912. The pioneering technical achievement harnesses its own brake power to generate new electricity, creating enough energy from its downhill run to feed back into the grid and power its uphill climb.

To get there from the uber-modern Grindelwald Terminal – green-roofed to promote biodiversity and provide heat and sound insulation – we climb aboard the Eiger Express gondola cableway which ascends the north face and utilises tri-cable technology, meaning support masts are few, and no forest path had to be cut to accommodate them.

Up at the Eigergletscher station, having resisted the temptation to strap on skis and fly back down again, we change for the Jungfrau Railway and make our way to the Jungfraujoch. The self-restraint is worth it as we alight, some slightly giddy on account of the thinner air, to find more superlatives: Lindt’s loftiest chocolate shop and the Alps’ largest ice palace. Its karstic caves are full of ice sculptures, aged wine, and whisky barrels, with new heat exchanger cooling systems making use of waste heat to warm water, restaurants, and mountain dwellings. If Mother Nature sees fit not to dish you out 80mph winds of -12, there are also incredible panoramic views – including even the Black Forest, on clear days – to be had from the alfresco viewing deck.

As for the skiing, there’s a mix with plenty to challenge the beginner, intermediate and proficient skier: kilometre after kilometre of undulating piste plus sheer drops, racing circuits, a freestyle park and more. Among the options for those who don’t ski or board are idyllic

Travel information

HOWDOWEGETTHERE?

You can book the whole journey through Switzerland Travel Centre for no extra cost when booked as part of a holiday package, so you don’t need to buy each leg independently; switzerlandtravelcentre.com (for rail-only bookings, a booking fee of £35pp per return journey applies).

HOWMUCHDOESITCOST?

Standard return London to Paris from £78pp (Eurostar), standard one-way Paris to Basel from EUR 49pp (TGV Lyria EUR), standard one-way Basel to Interlaken from EUR 39pp (SBB).

winter trails, cliff-face walks, zip-wiring, gliding, nightsledging, and a large treasure hunt on the last weekend of the winter season.

We enthusiastically attempt World Cup downhill run the Lauberhorn – open to guests after the spectacular January contest. It’s 4.2km of fun (and falling over) until you whizz into Wengen. You get your photo taken in the starting house and have your speed measured to see how you compare with the greats, who tackle it at 160 km/h while navigating challenging jumps and a 42% incline.

Our efforts are celebrated at Snowpenair, Jungfrau’s long-running music festival, where the après is erupting. Having made it to a third decade of hosting international stars such as Bryan Adams plus Swiss institutions (Polo Hofer, Patent Ochsner), it proves there’s nothing quite like skiing past the snow pines and over rocky brows to discover a huge party unfolding before you. We cackle until our sides hurt while making our way, arm in arm, across a human obstacle course of revellers doing their best to stay standing on the slippery slopes, the camaraderie as warming as the gluhwein.

Permanent après hotspots include down-to-earth Holzerbar, named after the lumberjacks (or holzfäller) who frequent it, and the 1960s bus home to Grindelwald’s Bus Stop Bar, serving ‘motor oil’ coffee and hot ginger liqueur made with glacier water. Check out the music stage fashioned from an old caravan or join the pool party in the snow during Grindelwald Les Bains every February. With 200 mountains in its sights, revolving 360-degree restaurant Piz Gloria (as seen in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service) is worth a stop as well.

Due in part to the diversity of the residents, the food offering is fairly varied. Plenty of Portuguese folk live in the area and the spectrum of visitors includes Indian and Chinese internationals drawn by Jungfrau’s Bollywood film locations as well as its natural wonders. If schnitzel isn’t your thing, you can find everything from Italian to Mongolian dishes, vegan fondue to currywurst, Asian noodles to aloo gobi in the glacier’s Indian restaurant. At some point you’ll likely come across Switzerland’s fizzy soft drink of choice – a mild, refreshing, waste-conscious whey creation made from milk processing byproducts. Sounds gross; tastes surprisingly good.

Room for improvement here? Perhaps a direct London-to-Basel route would just have perfected the experience. Rumour has it that, as part of the great train travel revival, this could potentially be in the pipeline, and we are completely on board. n

Grindelwald-First snowboarding

Strolling the storied peaks is another breathtaking way to see these dramatic landscapes

Plenty of options for non-skiers

The Watersmeet Hotel in Woolacombe, a four star hotel on the water’s edge. Indoor and outdoor pool & spa. Two restaurants to include a bistro and a fine dining option, both with stunning sea views. ‘Ramblers Package - 3 nights’ Explore the coastal footpaths on our doorstep.

• Deluxe sea view room

• 3 course dinner

• Devon cream tea for 2

From £960 per couple inclusive

‘Luxury Suite Offer’

• Luxury Suite

• Bottle of champagne

From £325 per night

‘3 Night Break’ (Sun-Wed)

• Deluxe sea view room B/B

From £660 per couple inclusive

Selected dates apply.

Take a piste of my heart

Colmar Originals provides highly technical ski wear with great focus on functionality combined with immaculate styling. Move freely in the mountains with a collection that is adaptable to every level of performance. Includes some at sale prices. Shop at: colmar.com/gb

c

Women’s Stretch

Softshell Ski Suit, £759 c

Teflon EcoElite finish c technical ski gloves c with faux fur cuffs,

Women’s Plain-colouredc Padded Ski Trousers,c £216.30c

Women’s Stretch Ski Jacket c with hood-collar, £539 c

Women’s Ski Jacket inc printed rip-stop, £639c

Oversized Unisex c Stockinettestitch Hat, £55 c

Men’s Padded Ski Jacket c with hood, £5599

Men’s Ski Jacket with c double padding, £535 9

Padded Ski Pants c with belt, £2999

£99 c

Ski Gilet with large c cowl hood, £275c

Half term reads

This month, the brilliant team at Gloucester Road Books have picked five of their favourites from a wealth of exceptional writers of children’s books. Enjoy!

Anote from the team: “Our primary aim is that the shop be a fascinating place to explore. Some of the subject sections are a little broader than they might be elsewhere –for instance our ‘Time and Place’ section encompasses books on History, Travel Literature, Geography and Reportage. We also have a significant focus on titles published by small independent presses. There are lots of really brilliant small publishers putting out incredibly exciting books, and we want to help get these out into the world. The stock is carefully chosen and constantly changing, so even if you pop in every week there will always be new books to find.”

To sign up, visit Gloucester Road Books’ website: gloucesterroadbooks.com. Follow them on Instagram: gloucester_rd_books and browse the collection in store: 184 Gloucester Road, Bishopston, BS7 8NU. Open Monday –Tuesday 9.30am –5pm; Wednesday –Saturday 9.30am –6pm

Three Little Monkeys and The Grand Hotel

by Quentin Blake - Illustrated

by Emma Chichester Clark -

Published by

HarperCollins

Hilda Snibbs is off to the Grand Hotel and she’s bringing her three little monkeys with her. She’s looking to have a nice, relaxing break, so let’s hope those cheeky monkeys don't get up to any mischief! This tale is a fun and delightful colloboration between Quentin Blake and illustrator Emma Chicheser Clark.

Lost by Mariajo Ilustrajo

Published by Quarto

Publishing

Award-winning illustrator

Mariajo Ilustrajo’s new book is a beautiful and moral tale of a polar bear finding himself lost in a big city. Disoriented and bewildered by the busy city, the bear befriends a little girl who helps him find his way home.

Ilustrajo’s distinctive style of illustration lends this tale a tender and thoughtful tone.

Illustrated by Alessia Trunfio

Published by Little Tiger

The first in a wildly entertaining trilogy for middle grade readers. Set far in the future in year ‘something something’ on a planet called ‘Somewhere 513’, the last two humans discover the robots sent to prepare the environment for humanity’s arrival have decided to keep the planet for themselves. They set out to find the one known robot who remained loyal to the mission, only now robot K1-NG no longer wishes to help humans. Can they convince K1-NG (aka Scrap) to help them?

Have you seen Dinosaur?

by David Barrow -

Published by Gecko Press

From the author who brought us

Have you seen Elephant? comes another case of giant creatures who believe themselves to be truly excellent at hiding, this time it’s dinosaurs in the city! David Barrow’s beautiful illustrations make use of dusky light and soft colouring and provide plenty of dinosaur-spotting fun for your pre-schooler!

Here, and Only Here

by Christelle

Dabos

Translated by Hildegarde Serle

Published by Europa Editions

The new novel from bestselling author of The Mirror Visitor quartet The School of Here is both a familiar and otherworldly place full of codes, strict hierarchy, and unspoken rules for each new student to learn. Whilst dark and fantastical this novel explores the very relatable problem of fitting in at school for young adult readers.

Scrap - by Guy Bass

notebook beauty

Create the ultimate show-stopping look with the hand-picked eye makeup collection from Harvey Nichols Bristol. With a product range that boasts the biggest game-changers in beauty (Tom Ford, Hourglass, and Fenty Beauty to name a few), our eye makeup edit has everything needed for a transformation. Achieve natural-looking or bold, fluffy brows and steal the show with luxuriously thick lashes. Opt for a smoky or fox eye makeup look to complement your eye shape with a highly pigmented eyeshadow palette.

TOM FORD Sheer Highlighting Duo, £66

Play up eyes and cheeks in Tom Ford's Sheer Highlighting Duo, a pair of shimmering rose and yellow gold shades inspired by the sunrise and the sunset. Give a lightreflective finish to bronzed, glowing skin with this versatile, luminous cheek and face highlighter; the radiant colours can be applied wet for a soft veil or dry for a sweeping pop of vibrancy.

TOM FORD Runway Eye

Colour Quad, £74

Inspired by shocking Runway colour, this new collection from Tom Ford features silky powder textures that deliver a vivid shimmering effect. The Eye Color Quad palettes coat eyes with electric colour.

FENTY BEAUTY Flypencil Longwear

Pencil Eyeliner, £19

Flypencil Longwear Pencil Eyeliner delivers 20 of the most intense matte, metallic, shimmer, and glitter eyeliner colours you’ve ever seen for endless eye looks in any finish. Serving up hyperpigmented colour pops and neutrals, Flypencil’s convenient twistup tip effortlessly glides across lids for lightweight, smudge-resistant lines with a simple flick of the wrist – no dragging, pulling, or having to retrace your steps.

FENTY BEAUTY Precision

Blending Brush 230, £20

Like the LBD of your makeup kit, Fenty Beauty’s Precision Blending Brush 230 is the one staple that works for any look. This do-it-all eyeshadow brush was born for all-around precision and ease. The ultra-soft, synthetic bristles are custom cut into a tapered paddle that effortlessly builds and blends colour for any look, from a subtle wash to a fully contoured eye

Veil Eye Primer, £29

Hourglass’ Veil Eye Primer creates a smooth, even canvas and increases eyeshadow wear up to 24 hours while nourishing with vitamins C and E. The lightweight, vegan and cruelty free formula creates a smooth, even canvas for makeup and enhances vibrancy of eyeshadow colour while reducing creasing and fading for long-lasting and waterproof wear.

HOURGLASS Unlocked Instant Extensions Mascara, £30.00

The look of lash extensions in an instant. The Unlocked Mascara by Hourglass is the ultimate formula for when more is more: more definition, more lift and more length to transform lashes with impossibly real results. Using film-forming technology, it coats each lash in lightweight fibres that lock in place for a high-impact, fanned-out finish and smudge-proof wear. For effortless removal, the tube-like film slides off with warm water.

STARSKIN VIP The Gold Mask EyeRevitalizing Luxury Gold Foil Eye Mask, £6.50

Shavata Singh Brow Tamer, £22

The Shavata Brow Tamer comes in a sleek, easy to use pen with a long-lasting, 24-hour formula, drying with a matte finish.

SISLEY Sisleya L'Integral Anti-Ageing Eye and Lip Contour Cream

ICONIC LONDON Glaze

Crayon, £24

Turn heads and mesmer-eyes with Iconic London’s brand-new Glaze Crayon eye colour. Super speedy and easy to use, this double-ended eye duo is perfect for creating shimmering sultry eye looks with an ultra-glam payoff. One end houses a super silky eyeshadow crayon that can be blended over the eyelid for a captivating wash of metallic colour. With one-stroke intense colour, the creamy crayon blends like a dream before setting with a comforting finish.

The luxury gold foil-topped cellulose fabric of STARSKIN’s VIP The Gold Mask Eye traps heat and locks in the unique, concentrated serum for maximum absorption and dramatic results. Experience a no slip-and-slide eye mask that smooths puffy

YOUR HEALTH MATTERS

To keep the female body running as it should, it’s important to understand the basics of gynaecological health. Here, the Consultant Gynaecologists from Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital breakdown some of the issues you need to be aware of to keep your body in good working condition.

Menstrual health

Periods will generally last for between 3 to 5 days, and occur every 21 to 35 days. Just over a third of people will develop period problems during their lifetime. Although longer or heavier than usual periods are not a sign of a problem, it needs to be assessed further, and bleeding in between periods, with intercourse or after menopause, could be a sign of cancer and medical advice should be sought promptly.

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) occurs due to the hormonal changes prior to periods and can result in significant emotional imbalance, which may also require specialist input. Some mild discomfort is common, but if you are experiencing severe pain with your periods (dysmenorrhoea) you may want to speak to your doctor.

Hormonal contraception can affect periods in various ways, and if required could also be used as a method of treatment. Most period problems can be evaluated during a consultation with a gynaecologist by reviewing your past medical history, performing an examination, and potentially including an ultrasound scan and biopsies.

Gynaecological cancers

Up to two thirds of gynaecological cancers can be prevented by risk reduction, screening and vaccination programme, and it’s important to remember that the outcome of a cancer diagnosis can be improved by earlier detection.

Ovarian cancer can be silent, but symptoms such as weight loss, nausea, vomiting, persistent bloating, abdominal distension or difficulty in breathing could all

be a sign and should be taken seriously. Initial investigation requires an ultrasound scan and a CA125 blood test.

Womb cancer generally causes postmenopausal bleeding which should always be investigated. Outcomes of womb cancer are relatively good if detected and treated in the early stages. Ovarian and womb cancer can be hereditary, and if you have a strong family history of these types of cancers, as well as bowel or breast cancer, you should contact a specialist to discuss gene testing and prevention surgery.

Cervical cancer most commonly occurs between the ages of 30 and 40 years. Not taking part in a screening programme when invited is the biggest risk of developing cervical cancer. Screening is important, even for people who have received the HPV vaccine. Most cervical cancer presents with bleeding in-between periods or after sex. Vulval cancer is relatively uncommon. Any ulcer, lump or bleeding from vulval skin should be promptly assessed. Precancer changes can cause soreness and itching and should also be checked by a specialist.

Menopause

Menopause awareness is increasing, and 18 October is World Menopause Day. Menopause occurs when the ovaries stop producing eggs, reducing levels of oestrogen hormone. The average age is 51 with a quarter of people experiencing severe symptoms. It occurs naturally or resulting from treatment for other issues, such as cancer. Treatment is based on symptoms which can include hot flushes, insomnia, fatigue, joint ache, painful sex, anxiety, and forgetfulness.

There has been much publicity about the risks of HRT (oestrogen replacement). HRT can increase the risk of breast cancer if used for 5 years, but this risk is lower than being overweight or excess alcohol intake.

HRT has considerable benefits too. Heart disease accounts for more deaths than cancer and starting HRT before age 60 is protective. Oestrogen can reduce the risk of dementia and protects the bones, reducing the risk of fractures due to osteoporosis. Not everybody needs HRT, however, individualised help is available for those who do.

At Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital, our team of Consultant Gynaecologists – Dr Jo Bailey, Dr Suvarna Mahavarkar, Miss Naomi Crouch and Mr Amit Patel – work closely together to offer a comprehensive service for our patients. In addition to our Consultant team, one of our physiotherapists, Hayley Saunders, specialises in pelvic, obstetric and gynaecological physiotherapy, and Dr Sonia Mann from our private GP service includes gynaecology among her areas of special interest.

If you would like to book an appointment with a Consultant Gynaecologist at Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital, call 0117 911 5339, or visit our website.

Suffering from joint pain?

Are you looking for relief from pain and immobility caused by osteoarthritis, back conditions or a sports injury? We can help.

Cura: we use innovation to heal your condition

Here at CURA, we use the latest technologies: MBST Cell Regeneration Therapy and Deep Tissue Laser Therapy to heal and repair the damaged tissues. We combine these technologies with hands-on Chiropractic and Physiotherapy to ensure your body heals itself to its maximum potential.

Knee Arthritis

Steven and Margaret both came to me within the last 8 months with painful arthritic knees, decreased mobility and both were facing the prospect of total knee replacements. Fortunately their clinical presentation (joint mobility, quality of movement and appearance) met with the criteria for MBST to be a viable approach and both are now so much better. Margaret now has no pain at all and Steve’s pain and mobility are drastically improved from the poor state he was in at our consultation. Both are delighted with their outcomes.

An award-winning innovative treatment for: Osteoarthritis | Back & disc problems | Bone conditions & fractures | Cartilage damage | Ligament, tendon & muscle damage | Sports & accident injuries.

Talk to us today : 0117 959 6531

www.curaclinical.com

Here To Help You Through This

Providing everything you need for the perfect funeral

‘When we lost mum back in July, we were at a loss of what we needed to do. We contacted Brunel, spoke to Louise who talked us through the process. Following our appointment where we discussed mum’s wishes, within a blink of an eye the funeral was arranged. We met Chris and he put us at ease assuring us that Mum would be very well looked after in their care. We had arranged a bagpiper to pipe mum into the chapel, Louise and Chris spoke with him and on the day of the funeral, everything went as we wanted, but more importantly how mum wanted it. I have already recommended Brunel to people and will continue to do so. Thank you.’

Award Winning

Most Trusted Independent Funeral Directors 2023 – South West England South West Prestige Award 2023

3 Best Rated Funeral Director Bristol

Our carefully chosen staff have many years of knowledge, experience and dedication to our families, so you can rest assured that you are in safe hands

A family-owned independent funeral home, covering all of Bristol and surrounding areas

We offer an affordable funeral for £2430 inclusive of crematorium and minister/celebrant fee, to a fully bespoke service fulfilling your loved ones wishes and requests

We have a modern, light and welcoming funeral home for you to visit, or we will visit you in your own home. Whichever you are more comfortable with

by appointment

Duplex refresh

Interior designers Woodhouse & Law recently transformed the interior of a duplex apartment in Cheltenham. John Law outlines the commission, which included the maximisation of light and the zoning of areas in the open-plan living space.

We were recently commissioned by our client to re-design their second home –a duplex apartment in the centre of Cheltenham –into a stylish, luxurious, but calming pied-à-terre. Previously decorated in a traditional style, with heavy drapes at the windows and toile wallpapers, the property’s Georgian features had become lost in the adornment, with no space to breathe. Our clients asked us to refresh the bathrooms and kitchen with a light touch, but the rest of the apartment was to be entirely re-designed and to incorporate a new snug within the existing vaults.

In the entrance hall we introduced bespoke cabinetry for storage and an oversized mirror – bespoke-made and drilled to accommodate two decorative wall lights. This helped make a narrow space feel much larger, brighter, and more inviting. Discrete, low-level step lights not only helped introduce ambiance in the evening but also provided practical lighting to better navigate the property’s staircase.

We knew from the off that we could make better use of the open-plan living space, zoning it for dining and living. We introduced a bespoke, curved sofa to soften the room and to create a cosy area in which to relax and watch TV. A rug was added to anchor the furniture and dampen the acoustics – always a challenge given the high ceilings. For the dining area, a bespoke table was designed and commissioned for the dining area; one in solid oak, with a cylindrical, reeded timber base, accompanied by Gubi Beetle dining chairs in a rust velvet for a hint of opulence. We were keen throughout to create a scheme that was both elegant and simple in its approach. To accentuate and celebrate the property’s incredible architectural features, we removed those

swags. In their place, full-height sheer curtains were introduced to add privacy and to give the space a light, ethereal, relaxing feel. These were complemented by lined, linen curtains to add that more warmth during colder months. We selected linens for the sofa, against a rich teal velvet for the armchair. Soft furnishings in greens, ochre and rust helped add a depth of colour and texture, for interest and warmth year-round.

We styled the apartment with marble side tables, Porta Romana lighting and a new decorative chandelier featuring embossed antiqued glass leaves. A faux olive helped introduce some softer greenery and made for easy maintenance in a second home. Oversized handmade glassware was then introduced to create jewel-like features on top of the Gustavian chest. Then the walls –these were dressed in works by a variety of artists represented by Modern Art Buyer including Plum Neasmith, alongside pieces by local artist Jay Harper.

A real win for us however was the fireplace. When we arrived, it was painted. Our team spent days carefully stripping layers of this paint to reveal underneath a beautiful, original surround. We left it as a surprise and only revealed it to our clients when they arrived for the handover; they were thrilled! n

Full-height sheer curtains were introduced to add privacy and to give the space a light, ethereal feel

The elegant, open-plan living space plays to the property’s incredible architectural features

A relaxed seating area nestles within this Georgian property’s vaults

Woodhouse & Law, 4 Georges Place, Bathwick, Bath BA2 4EN; woodhouseandlaw.co.uk

Sustainable chic

With so many things to consider when renovating your home, sustainability doesn’t always factor high on people’s list of priorities. Construction and interiors still remain an overlooked area; 59% of the UK’s annual waste is generated by the construction industry, including interior fixtures and fittings. While some materials can be recycled or reused, much of the rest ends up in landfill.

However, as more people look to make better choices for both people and planet, these statistics are slowly being rectified and sustainable design is here to stay. Keeping it in mind can help you build the home you want –and draw in a more attractive price tag. It is possible to get a great design outcome by making greener choices –here are a few things to keep in mind...

Think long-term

On average, owner-occupiers in England live in their property for 17.6 years; a long time. Thinking long-term is inherently sustainable; if the look and feel of a room work for you and are truly based on your needs, you’ll continue to love it and won’t want to make changes.

Practicality is key. Thinking about how rooms will be used and how your needs might change helps. Ensure there is space to share time together and retreat if needed. Consider things like layout, flow,

Bristol-based interior designer Gemma Wright shares her top tips on making eco-friendly choices and creating a greener home...

Interior designer Gemma Wright

making sure furniture choices fit and allow movement, storage solutions and display space for your things.

Take your time

Take inspiration from the slow fashion movement; it's about making considered and thoughtful choices that will outlast trends. Do use trends as a source of inspiration, but think about how you can personalise them so you'll love them for years to come. Think about your favourite colour schemes and themes to create something that feels personal to you. Ask yourself questions like: what colours are in my wardrobe? Where do I like going on holiday? Is there a piece of art that I love?

Employing an interior designer can help enhance your ideas and get the practicalities right. Alternatively, you can borrow some trade tricks - use mood boards so you can see furniture and colours together to make sure they work, draw a scale model of your room and check measurements between items to make sure they fit. Mood boards also help visualise whether your chosen pieces will complement each other.

Buy better

If you’re going to buy brand new, invest in high-quality pieces that will last for years to come. A growing number of brands are focused on developing products with regenerative materials and a commitment to sustainability. Incorporating antique or retro furnishings alongside new purchases is a great way to achieve a layered and lived-in feeling in your home as well as being a sustainable choice. What’s more, a piece of well-made furniture can be reconditioned and upholstered to suit different rooms and future designs. It’s worth noting that re-upholstery can cost the same as a new chair, but you’ll get a bespoke piece for the same price as something new. Plus you’ll be keeping that chair serviceable: a win! Courses are a great way of learning to do this for yourself and you can also learn to recover lampshades or cushions.

In other areas of the house, like the kitchen, when replacing it’s worth thinking about whether you could sell it second-hand or give it away for reuse. Re-using is a great solution for renters who might move more frequently and be worried about their furnishings fitting into a new place. A bit of imagination and elbow grease can produce some amazing results; Facebook marketplace and local auction houses can provide some bargains to start you off.

Consider materials

Many suppliers now produce materials using reclaimed and recycled products, particularly tiles, worktops and flooring. It’s helpful to keep in mind the disposal of the product as well as its creation –buying a recycled product is great but, if it will end up in the landfill in future, using it is only delaying the inevitable. Remember that stone, glass, concrete and wood can all be recycled, so these are a great starting point.

Paints are moving forward too – lots of brands shout about Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) but their use has reduced to non-harmful levels across the board. Instead, look out for plasticfree, naturally occurring raw materials like linseed oils, recycled packaging, and ecological manufacturing credentials.

So there you have it; some simple ideas to make your renovation more sustainable that won’t break the bank. Start by making choices that are personal to you and that you’ll love for years to come. The rest will follow. n

• gemmawrightdesign.co.uk

Pleated lampshades by Joanna Heptinstall, founder of The Lampshade School and Traditional Upholstery School

Rooms for improvement

Our A/W guide features all our favourite trades and services to help spruce up your home and garden. Whether it’s a small decorating touch or an ambitious major project, this directory has a treasured range of expert services to make all those home, interior and garden ideas become reality

GARDINER HASKINS

Brunel Rooms, 1 Straight Street, Bristol BS2 0FQ 0117 9292288; gardinerhaskins.co.uk

Gardiner Haskins Interiors has luxury interior showrooms that allow you to create your dream home. Their knowledgeable and skilled team of design experts can help you design your own bespoke kitchen or bathroom with wrap around project management from start to finish and high-quality manufacturers such as Stoneham Kitchens, Roper Rhodes and Vanity Hall. You can also enhance your bedroom with beds on display from Harrison Spinks, Hypnos and Relyon alongside bedroom furniture from Ercol, Wiemann and Nolte Möbel. The latest addition to the showrooms is a stunning sofa & chair display featuring Parker Knoll and G Plan Upholstery. The team has over 40 years’ experience, so you can guarantee exceptional customer service. Open six days a week with a free customer car park and less than 10-minute walk from Cabot Circus.

BRACEY INTERIORS

15 Waterloo Street, Clifton, Bristol BS8 4BT 0117 9734664; braceyinteriors.co.uk

With over 50 years experience Bracey Interiors has earned an enviable reputation for its Design Services. Working throughout the UK and abroad the Design Team create unique and bespoke interiors. Within the showroom in the heart of Clifton Village, you’ll find fabrics and wallpapers from all the major design houses as well as a unique and eclectic mix of home accessories. Bracey Interiors are stockists of both Little Greene and Paint & Paper Library paints which are mixed in the showroom in a matter of minutes. Bracey are also a Luxaflex dealership. The brand is renowned for their blinds and shutters. No matter how big or small your requirements the friendly staff are keen to help. They also have their own in-house workrooms creating bespoke curtains and blinds along with a fitting service for clients with the aim of providing a complete service for all your interior requirements.

GARDEN AFFAIRS

Garden Centre, 288 Frome Road, Trowbridge BA14 0DT 01225 774566; gardenaffairs.co.uk

Create space for home working, hobbies, a growing family or even a new business venture with a cost-effective, versatile, fullyinsulated garden room. Garden Affairs offer a huge range of high quality, sustainable garden buildings and will help you get the design, the installation, the quality and the price spot on. Visit their extensive display centre at Trowbridge Garden Centre in Wiltshire to see garden offices, art and craft studios, teenage dens, granny annexes as well as a range of ‘posh sheds’ and summerhouses.

QUORN STONE

Quorn Stone Bristol, 92a Whiteladies Road, Bristol, BS8 2QN; 01174 622 822; mystonefloor.com

Quorn Stone’s journey began in 1995, importing artisan hand painted terracotta tiles from Manises, Spain. These small, yet charming tiles ignited a lifelong passion for natural materials in the home. Now a second-generation family business in its 28th year of service, Quorn Stone are known for sourcing some of the most beautiful natural stone and porcelain tiles in the world with care and expertise. With five UK showrooms, Quorn Stone’s fifth showroom is situated on Whiteladies Road. This boutique store houses their extensive collection of stone and porcelain tiles, from rustic flagstone floors and porcelain paving to glossy decorative wall tiles – there is a tile to suit every project and requirement.

TABITHA TARLING GARDEN DESIGN

34 Fairfield Road, Bristol BS6 5J 07811 169636; tabithatarling.co.uk

Tabitha is a highly experienced landscape designer with 20 years of designing and installing projects of all sizes, both in the UK and abroad. She offers a full garden design service, including design concept, construction management, planting and styling. She can also provide consultations, garden coaching and advice. Tabitha works collaboratively with clients, carefully listening to their needs, to ensure the end results are elegant as well as functional. She is keen to ensure her design solutions sit well within their surroundings, with beautiful, thoughtful planting schemes, and a sympathetic use of materials, whether it be it a tiny courtyard, a roof terrace or a large family garden. She works with a select group of landscape contractors and specialists so that the design process, from concept to completion, is smooth and seamless.

JUSTSHUTTERS

0117 3701594; justshutters.co.uk/bristol

Whatever your style –contemporary, modern, cosy or traditional –Just Shutters have the perfect fit for you. The shutters do not fade, warp or age and come with a lifetime guarantee. Rob and Linda Reeves are experts in the field, trained to the market-leading Just Shutters standard. They are passionate about shutters and transforming the homes of local people, with an understanding of outstanding quality, great value, and professional customer service. Work closely with Rob and Linda as they tailor Just Shutters to your tastes, giving you honest and impartial advice. The company has the largest range of material and finishes in the UK, granting you choice and options in terms of shutter style.

MARBLESUPREME

Unit 8, Bridge Road, Kingswood, Bristol BS15 4FW 0117 9563030; marblesupreme.com

Marble Supreme provides master craftsmanship in stone. Whether you’re looking for new stone worktops for your kitchen or bathroom, it offers a range of materials to suit your needs. With over 20 years of experience, the team produce a wide range of products from beautifully crafted granite kitchen worktops and flooring, right through to bespoke stone fireplaces, vanity tops, splashbacks and sink surrounds. Marble Supreme provides a complete service –from sourcing the perfect stone to crafting perfectly fitting, beautifully finished kitchen worktops. It also prides itself on delivering the very best in granite, marble and quartz stone, knowing its creations will play a part in family life for years to come. Whether you know what you want or are considering the options, the team is happy to discuss your plans so pop into the Kingswood showroom.

K INTERIORS

k-interiors.co.uk; kay@k-interiors.co.uk; 07906167710; Instagram: @kinteriorsuk; Facebook: K Interiors

K Interiors is an experienced interior design studio offering bespoke interior design, furniture and soft furnishings services across Bristol and the South West. Working closely with their clients, they help to demystify the interior design process, encouraging the exploration of styles and colours that may not have previously been considered. They then work to create beautiful and practical bespoke interior schemes, perfectly suited to their individual requirements. As part of their full design service, they are also able to offer furniture and soft furnishings designed bespoke and created to the highest standards by local artisans and craftspeople. Do you have a project you’d like help with? Be inspired at: k-interiors.co.uk

MANDARIN STONE

15 Regent Street, Clifton, Bristol BS8 4HW; 0117 9731552; mandarinstone.com

Renowned for its comprehensive natural stone collection, Mandarin Stone has gained quite a reputation for its on-trend and beautifully designed porcelain. Ranging from tiles that cleverly mimic materials such as wood, concrete and marble to striking glazed and patterned tiles, the collection has endless surface design possibilities. Established for over 25 years and with 14 inspirational UK showrooms, it offers dependable specialist knowledge as well as technical expertise. Almost the entire natural stone and porcelain collection is held in stock in the UK, so lead times are short.

HOPE NEON

enquiries@hopeneon.com

Original neon artwork for cool homes and businesses. HopeNeon artworks are designed and handmade in Bristol. After discussing your preferences, artist and founder Wendy will create a unique neon sculpture to bring a wow! factor to your hallway, staircase, office building or restaurant interior. Wendy uses glass sourced from Murano and genuine neon - not inferior LEDs or acrylic. The neon does not get hot, uses very little energy and is safe. Your HopeNeon artwork will be original, valuable and a good investment, as well as being a stunning piece of art that is much admired. Request a brochure to see current artworks for sale or make an appointment to visit Wendy’s gallery at Abbots Leigh and see the fabulous lights!

IVYWELL INTERIORS

Ivywell Interiors Ltd – Showroom by appointment, Sneyd Park, Bristol 07904040276 / 0117 984 5314; ivywellinteriors.com

Bridging the gap between architecture and interior design, Ivywell Interiors has established itself in Bristol as an independent interior design studio with a creative and flexible approach to suit every stage of a home transformation. Working hand in hand with residential clients, Ivywell Interiors provides full-room design and design implementation, product sourcing and supply, and many additional bespoke services required to bring interior design dreams to life. The Ivywell team puts value and collaboration at the heart of what they do to create beautifully designed rooms with a network of local trusted trade partners that take the hassle out of renovating to deliver a picture-perfect finish.

BONITI

Dunsdon Barn, West Littleton, Wiltshire SN14 8JA 01225 892200; boniti.com

Run by Giles and Simon Lunt, Boniti is a high-quality interiors (and exteriors) business. The showroom is a destination for all types of natural stone, porcelain and timber flooring as well as decorative tiles, stoneware, Kadai firebowls, and the highly desirable Everhot range cookers and stoves. For large and small projects, the Boniti team are masters of their profession and it shows in every detail. The showroom is easily reached from J18 of the M4.

GEMMA WRIGHT DESIGN

07887762561; gemmawrightdesign.co.uk;

Instagram: @gemmawrightdesign

Gemma Wright is an interior designer based in Bristol. Formally trained, she is happy to work on a whole building, or the layout for a single room. She draws on her passion for historic buildings, art and design to help clients create spaces they dream of.

Working in a friendly, collaborative way is key for Gemma and she can guide you towards sustainable choices, creating spaces that are functional and long lasting as well as beautiful. She works with clients at any stage of a project, offering design concepts, technical (CAD) drawings for construction, installation, and staging with accessories.

WOODHOUSE & LAW

4 George’s Place, Bathwick Hill, Bath BA2 4EN 01225 428072; woodhouseandlaw.co.uk

Woodhouse and Law are a full-service interior and garden design company, working from their showroom and studio on Bathwick Hill. Founded in 2009 by Nick Woodhouse and John Law, the team take pride in developing stylish, individual and creative schemes across the residential and commercial sectors. Alongside their current collaboration with the Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa, the Woodhouse and Law studio is currently working on a number of projects across the city of Bath, and further afield, including London, Somerset, Devon and Dorset.

The Bristol Magazine’s Homes, Interiors & Gardens Guide can also be found on our website: thebristolmag.co.uk

And, for regular updates and links to even more great content subscribe to receive our weekend edition newsletter

KUTCHENHAUSBRISTOL

Clifton Down Shopping Centre, Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2NN 0117 213 0680; uk.kutchenhaus.com

Kutchenhaus Bristol is part of the Kutchenhaus German Kitchen family. Located in the heart of Clifton, Kutchenhaus supply, design and fit German kitchens, which with it bring innovation and the latest technology. Whether you are looking for a modern or traditional kitchen, the friendly team at Kutchenhaus Bristol has over 60 years of combined experience, so can guarantee a professional and five-star service. All Kutchenhaus kitchens are manufactured and put together in Verle, Germany and gets shipped directly to customers fully assembled, which means no flat-pack. The kitchens are also manufactured by intelligent machines, which completely eliminates the risk of human error, guaranteeing your kitchen will be right first time. The team in Bristol also designs spaces for bathrooms, bedroom and living areas too. So whatever your query may be, pop into the showroom today and put your dream project plans in motion.

JOHN BOYCE PLASTERWORK

Unit 5, Channel View Farm, Clevedon, Bristol BS21 6US 07970 278028; john-boyce.co.uk

John Boyce Plasterwork Ltd is a locally based company with over 30 years of experience in the plastering trade, tackling any size of job from a simple repair to a complete restoration project. The team has a large range of moulds built up over the last three decades and is capable of matching and reproducing any type of plasterwork. The company also has a large range of stock cornices and ceiling roses to pick from, with something to suit most tastes and budgets. They carry out ceiling surveys and repairs, lime plastering and rendering and bespoke one-off pieces; offering free, no-obligation quotes and advice. Visit the website for a taste of what John Boyce Plasterwork can

HOUSE OF RADIATORS

22 Wellsway, Bear Flat, Bath BA2 2AA 01225 424199; houseofradiators.co.uk

SILK ROAD RUGS

1 Westway Farm, Bishop Sutton, Bristol BS39 5XP 01275 319950; silkroad-rugs.co.uk

Silk Road Rugs stock a beautiful and eclectic range of handmade rugs, kilims and furnishings from the Middle and Far East, accommodating for the traditional taste of period properties alongside contemporary design and modern living. Promoting centuries-old traditions and designs on display you’ll find Afghan tribal weavings, ornate Persian carpets and Chinese rugs alongside lots of beautiful gift items and furnishings. The showroom itself is nestled on a farm between Bath and Bristol and the very helpful team offer lots of guidance through the rug choosing process. Silk Road Rugs also offer a specialist cleaning, repair and valuation services and all stock can also be purchased online.

House of Radiators sells traditional and designer radiators that can be off-the-shelf sizes/finishes or bespoke sizes and colours. This popular, family-run business opened its Bear Flat showroom in 2011 and not only sells to Bath areas but throughout the UK and overseas. Following a major re-fit, there are over 100 radiators on display and due to increasing popularity the traditional cast iron and column radiator range has expanded. With over 50 years experience in the heating and radiator industry they offer a friendly and high level of customer service. This is key in helping customers choose the right radiator for their home that will not only look amazing but will heat their room and do its job. Because the team work with leading manufacturers and distributors in the radiator industry, there’s always something to suit all budgets and styles. Locally the company are able to offer an at-home consultation where they’ll measure up and work out the correct heat requirements and size up radiators accordingly.

THEKITCHENPARTNERS

102 Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2QY 0117 9466433; thekitchenpartners.co.uk

A provider of premium quality kitchens, designed and crafted with precision and care. Our passion for kitchen design, combined with our commitment to providing the best possible customer service, has helped us establish ourselves as one of the leading kitchen companies in the industry.

Our team of highly skilled and experienced kitchen designers work closely with each and every client to understand their requirements and bring their vision to life. Our designers are knowledgeable about the latest kitchen trends, and they can offer creative and practical solutions to any design challenges you may have.

The Kitchen Partners is proud to be a family run business that has been serving customers for many years. We take great pride in the quality of our work and the level of service that we provide to our customers. Our commitment to excellence extends from the initial consultation, through the design and installation process, and beyond. We are always here to provide ongoing support, ensuring that your kitchen remains functional and beautiful for years to come.

BENNETT BUILDERS

07586 459565; waynebemmett@hotmaill.com

Wayne Bennett of Bennett Builders is a trusted local tradesman who has been working locally, mainly in the Clifton and Redland areas for the last 40 years. Works undertaken include renovations, new-build and general maintenance for both commercial and domestic customers. Working with an established network of other local trades and contractors, your project will be completed on time and on budget to a high standard and you will be kept informed of progress from start to finish. Contact Wayne for a no obligation quotation or to discuss your plans.

MOCKRIDGE BESPOKE CARPENTRY

mockridgebespokecarpentry.co.uk; 07946 037326; hello@mockridgebespokecarpentry.co.uk

Cory Mockridge and team have been working with homeowners, designers and builders all around Bristol, Bath and further afield for many years and, to create exactly the right bespoke design and finish, will spend time understanding you and your lifestyle. The company aim to build not only furniture but relationships. Recent testimonials confirm this:

“Meticulous and paid lots of attention to detail.” – Barrs Court, Bristol. “Prompt, efficient, and with an excellent standard of workmanship.” – Trowbridge, Wiltshire.

“Professional, efficient, honest and reliable… Very impressed, from designing the furniture and choosing the materials to the finished goods.” – Keynsham, Bristol. For more details and to discuss your next project call or email Cory.

For the unique home you’ve always dreamed of, but never thought you could create.

Be inspired at: k-interiors.co.uk

Call: 0790 616 7710 Email: kay@k-interiors.co.uk

Award winning Interior Design

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craftsmanship means

FOCUSING ON FINE DETAILS AND TAKING THE TIME TO MAKE EVERY JOB OUTSTANDING

SEE CHECK A TRADER AND GOOGLE REVIEW FOR ★★★★★ RATINGS OPENING TIMES

Pick of the pumpkins

Amystery plant has sprung up among my tomato plants this year. I didn’t plant it, but it looks very cucurbitlike, that is the family of plants that includes pumpkins, gourds, melons, cucumbers and courgettes. At the time of writing this, at the end of August, it has a few yellow trumpet flowers and no fruits, but I suspect it might possibly have seeded from the pumpkin that I found kicked around the garden following my teenage son having a party last year. It’s in a sheltered spot, so there’s a chance a lucky seed may have managed to overwinter. I will wait and see what develops!

Pumpkins are the vegetable equivalent of giant sunflowers in my eyes, fun to grow and loved by all ages. October is prime pumpkin season and with Halloween approaching, they’ll be a common sight in garden centres, supermarkets and market stalls up and down the country. And at the end of the month, they will be seen on our doorsteps carved into grimacing faces, lit from within.

Pumpkins are native to Mexico and central America, but are now grown all around the world. Halloween is a massive festival in America, but the story of ‘Stingy Jack’ and the ‘Jack O’Lantern’ is actually from Irish folklore. Stingy Jack was said to have been a drunkard and a trickster, a story dating back to the early 1600s. While drinking with the Devil, he persuaded him to turn into a silver coin with which to pay his bar bill, then slipped him into his pocket along with a crucifix, so trapping him. In order to escape, the Devil promised never to take Jack’s soul. When Jack died, he was refused

admittance to Heaven, and could not enter Hell either, owing to the Devil’s promise, so was destined to wander the earth carrying a single coal for light, which he placed in a hollowed-out turnip, earning the name Jack of the Lantern, or Jack O’Lantern.

In Ireland and Scotland, people began to make their own versions of Jack’s lantern, carving scary faces into vegetables and placing them in doors and windows to frighten away evil spirits. However, when Irish emigrants moved to America they found pumpkins, which were much more suitable for carving.

There are more than 150 different varieties of pumpkin, in a variety of colours, shapes and sizes, many with interesting names such as Baby Boo, Cinderella, Goosebumps, Speckled Hound and Warty Goblin. Atlantic Giant is one of the largest, grown for competitions and breaking records. The record for the heaviest pumpkin currently stands at 1,226kg, grown in Italy in 2021, which is about the same weight as my Ford Fiesta. They are roughly 90 per cent water, so need lots of nutrients and gallons of water to grow, and can put on a whopping 22kg in a day.

We buy an estimated 40 million pumpkins in the UK each year, mostly imported from Spain, with the majority of these sadly going to waste after they’ve been hollowed out and carved into spooky faces, even ending up in landfill if they're not disposed of responsibly. So much waste!

However, there are lots of ways to use the pumpkin flesh, which is packed with potassium, fibre, vitamins, beta-carotine and

As Halloween season approaches, Elly West looks at the history of Jack O’Lanterns and the prominence of pumpkins...

antioxidants. There are plenty of recipes to be found online, from cakes to cocktails, and even face scrubs, but pumpkin soup is perhaps one of the easiest ways to use up the flesh. Simply peel and de-seed your pumpkin, chop it into chunks and fry with some onion until it starts to soften. Then add chicken or vegetable stock and simmer until the squash is very soft and can be blended with a hand blender. Add double cream or coconut milk, heat through, and serve with crusty bread.

Don’t let the seeds go to waste either. A pumpkin can have around 500 seeds, which make a tasty snack when roasted. Wash them to get rid of any stringy bits of pumpkin, dry them with kitchen paper, then toss them in olive oil and a little seasoning such as salt, pepper, paprika, Chinese five-spice or similar, and roast for 10 minutes on a baking tray. Pumpkin also freezes well, whether cooked or raw.

Any parts that do get thrown away can be composted. Cut them up into small pieces so they rot down more quickly and put them on your compost pile or in the food-only waste bin. Do not leave your pumpkins out in the countryside for wildlife, as although some animals will enjoy the snack, others such as hedgehogs, can become ill and even die from eating too much pumpkin.

If you want to see pumpkins en masse and pick your own to take home, then visit Avon Valley’s Pumpkin Patch this month. Situated at Avon Valley Adventure and Wildlife Park, Keynsham, there are wheelbarrows to borrow before you roam the fields to choose your perfect pumpkin. There are lots of other activities as well, including children’s entertainment and pumpkin paintball. For opening dates and to book tickets, visit avonvalley.co.uk. n

• ellyswellies.co.uk

How to grow pumpkins:

Pumpkins are easy and fun to grow from seed, but they do need lots of space as the vines tend to sprawl. Give them a head start and a longer growing season by planting the seeds indoors in April. Cover them with a clear plastic bag to keep in the moisture, and place them on a bright, sunny window sill. The young plants can then be planted out towards the end of May, after the last frosts. Find a warm and sunny site, with shelter from cold winds. These are hungry plants, so prepare a big planting hole and add well-rotted manure, compost and a general-purpose fertiliser. Alternatively, you can sow seeds directly outdoors in their growing position.

If the aim is to grow the maximum-sized fruit, then once one is established and growing, remove any other flowers and emerging fruits, so all the plant's energy is focussed on the one pumpkin. Give a high-potassium feed, such as tomato food, and water daily. Ideally, the fruits need lots of sun to fully ripen. Once the weather starts to turn chilly (below 10°C for a week), or there is a lot of rain, harvest your pumpkins by cutting them off with plenty of stem left at the top (to avoid neck rot) and keep somewhere dark and dry for up to three months.

The farm by thelake

From empty fields with no tracks and trees came a community agricultural enterprise that brought a host of volunteers and plentiful organic produce to the land. The result is a farm where crops are grown in rotation, with rich wildlife habitats, where biodiversity is valued and visitors are always welcome.

Once upon a time (not so very long ago) agriculture relied on countless small farms to produce the foods that sustained the population. However since the 1960s agriculture has become dominated by largescale corporations using industrial processes and fertilisers and pesticides that exploit animals, destroy natural habitats and generate pollution and climate-change emissions. The resulting food produce is lower cost, but doesn’t have local provenance and falls short on quality and goodness. Now small independent and family-run farms use only 8% of all agricultural land.

Thankfully The Community Farm in Chew Magna, overlooking Chew Valley Lake, has a local chunk of this percentage, and they are doing things very differently. The project grew from the initiative of organic farmer Luke Hasell who owns the land and Phil Haughton, founder of Better Food organic supermarkets in Bristol, who teamed up to create a Community Supported Agriculture project.

They started with empty fields in 2011. There were no tracks, no trees, no structures, no irrigation system, no crops. Just grass and a cold tap. They wanted to create a community owned farm that would convert the land to organic, allow nature to flourish, grow vegetables for sale locally, and most importantly welcome people onto the land. Chair of Trustees Angela Raffle, who was part of the initial group, says, “The reason we wanted to start the farm was because talking to people about what’s wrong with the food system is a waste of time, because all you do is make people feel gloomy. Whereas if you say ‘come and spend a day on the land’ everybody goes home feeling better.”

The first stages were funded by selling shares to establish enough working capital to put up polytunnels and buy a tractor.

“The early years were really very difficult”, Angela recollects. “We were literally just working in a muddy field. But gradually we established our identity. And we got the hang of growing. It was a slow process. We managed to start publicising that we sell boxes and we started to look after our volunteers properly. So in the early days, we had this hardy crew of volunteers who were completely impervious to stress and didn’t mind what weather it was –they were just determined to make the project a success.”

Funding from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation a couple of years later enabled the employment of a community farmer to look after the committed volunteers, who have continued to sustain the workings of the farm, especially the planting and harvesting.

Emma Clegg visits

The Community Farm in Chew Magna

Harvest fundraiser at The Community Farm

While the production and sale of organic fruit and vegetables has been the priority to ensure the farm’s survival, The Community Farm is so much more than a food delivery business. “When we ask our customers why they choose us, they tell us that it’s partly the organic produce, but also because it’s a local business with a short supply chain. And nobody can individually profit from what we’re doing, because everything goes back into the development of our resources and our communities programmes,” says Angela.

As well as having volunteers every week of the year, the farm invites diverse groups from the community: young children, refugees, teenagers, those suffering with their mental health and women’s groups. It also works with Earthwise (who specialise in outdoor fun for children) and Ecowild (who specialise in nature connection and wellbeing). Of Earthwise, Angela says, “The way the children’s day is organised is very earth-connected. They start by learning about the soil, the little microbes and mycorrhizas. Then they pick some crops and then cook pizzas in the cob oven. After that they will come with their little hi-vis jackets and see the vegetable boxes being packed.”

The farm also teams up with charities who bring refugees and asylum seekers to experience the farm and help out. “Some of the refugees are incredibly traumatised and still have an uncertain status. One of them said to us, “This is the first time I have felt joyful,” says Angela. Another young visitor to the farm’s Learning Area came with crippling stomach pains caused through anxiety, which disappeared throughout the day spent in the Learning Area gardens. Thanks to funders and supporters, many of these community experiences, along with various wellbeing groups and activities, are free.

Corporate groups also use the facilities, renting out one of the spaces for a team-building activity. “We supply them with lunch and they spend the afternoon on the farm. It’s fantastic for team building, because if you all go and harvest leeks together, the chat is just of a new quality.”

The growing land at The Community Farm covers about eight acres and crops are grown in fields, in the minimum-till market garden and in four polytunnels. Crops are grown in rotation over six years: cabbages, onions, squash, and a mix of chard, spinach, lettuce and beans before the soil is rested and restored for two years in

a fertility building ley. Market Garden crops include salad, beans, courgettes, squash, alliums, chard and herbs. The polytunnels produce tomatoes, cucumbers, beans and herbs, as well as chillies and peppers. No artificial fertilisers, pesticides or chemical weed control are used.

“The evidence that conventional farming is bad for the natural world is stark, but the evidence that it’s bad for human health is getting stronger and stronger”, says Angela. It’s very hard to choose organic in a supermarket because there is a ‘choice’ every time, whereas if you shop from us, you make that decision once –you say, ‘I’m going organic’.”

Wildlife and biodiversity are actively encouraged by the farm, which has regular visits from skylarks, woodpeckers, owls, lapwings, buzzards, kestrels, stoats, badgers and deer, and more recently there has been evidence of dormice (an endangered species) nesting in the hedges and tawny owls in the owl boxes. Groups of volunteers regularly do butterfly and bee counts, figures that are fed into the national database.

This does sometimes affect what crops are grown. “We don’t grow corn on the cob, because we’ve got badgers who just come and eat the whole lot,” says Angela. Despite the lack of corn on the cob, the badgers are thriving and The Somerset Badger group keeps a close eye on them.

During the pandemic the farm’s weekly deliveries went up to around 1000, as people – faced with the depletion of key produce in the supermarkets – sought local supplies of organic food. But in 2022 the orders fell back due to the cost of living crisis, resulting in critical decisions about how to keep the business thriving. With a massive effort from volunteers, staff who reduced their hours temporarily, and a grant from WECA (West of England Combined Authority) the future became more certain.

“Fast forward to now and we have a million-pound turnover and about 15 (full-time equivalent) staff. We do around 600 home-deliveries each week of delicious organic foods, but we desperately want to get back to 1000 customers a week to enable us to do more with the land for local people and wildlife.”

This is an achievement of community enterprise where many threads are woven into this productive and nourishing centre of activity that harks back to the small farms once peppered all around our countryside.

In the words of Wendy, a volunteer who was taking part in a butterfly count: “I love it here. It’s a sociable experience with like-minded people who are into good food and nature and you can just go at your own pace. And I think it’s the only job I’ve ever had where at the end of the day you are effusively thanked.” n

The Community Farm, Denny Lane, Chew Magna, Bristol BS40 8SZ. Organic home deliveries are available via the online shop at thecommunityfarm.co.uk

Bean Harvest

The Veg and Fruit Boxes start from under £10 and groceries, eggs, dairy and dairy alternatives are also sold

The squash harvest

PROPERTY NEWS

DISCOVER THE LATEST NEWS FROM BRISTOL’S PROPERTY EXPERTS

Breaking the House Chain – removing the weakest link

Historically it’s been ingrained in homeowners that once on the property ladder: do not step off! But as uncertainty continues to plague the property market, and recent reports of a greater number of sales falling through in England and Wales, buyers should be more open minded as to the possible benefits of breaking the chain.

A chain means that your home sale and purchase are dependent on each other. Following this traditional chain route in theory provides buyers with at least the expectation of certainty of their next home, only one set of moving costs, and avoids the costs and stresses associated with renting. Property sales collapsing before completion are however reported at a 5-year high be it due to buyers getting cold feet and changing their minds on a property, buyers pulling out over legal issues, a hiccup on the mortgage (with some buyer’s mortgage rates increasing mid-deal), or something unexpected on the survey report. Against this backdrop, the chain that was once there to provide comfort to buyers, now increasingly exposes buyers to the increased risk of their own sale and purchase falling through if part of a chain.

Furthermore, chain building that was once the model loved by selling agents who could sell numerous houses in the same transaction, are now plagued by the same challenges as buyers: in a market moving slowly it will be increasingly difficult to complete a property chain for the second time at the previously agreed price. As such, selling agents with their eyes on pipelines are also far more focussed on the comfort of ensuring at least one transaction in that chain is heading safely over the line to completion, versus risk losing the entire chain.

The Benefits of ‘Unchaining’ yourself as a Buyer

1 – Securing the sale of your current property

If your buyers are piling on the pressure, and it’s an offer on your own home that you do not want to risk losing, it’s a powerful tool to be able to exchange on your own sale without needing to exchange on the onward property. Breaking the chain can give you a much higher likelihood of your own sale going through. The fewer sales there are in a chain, the less that can go wrong.

2 – Removal of Stress

Aside from stress in getting to the position of simultaneous exchange, and thereafter completion, in a chain where you have no control over various elements of it, you also remove the stress of finding your onward property. In a market where there are reported shortages of stock, this is particularly key to avoid the expensive mistake of being rushed into the wrong decision.

Not being at the mercy of other parties in the chain all trying to pass on reductions on their own offers due to surveys etc, will also provide you with certainty on your budget when you are in a position to buy. You will know your budget for your sale price and, as best you can, removed the risk of overstretching due to elements of a transaction you had no control over.

3 – Far Stronger Buying Position

As a chain free buyer you are far more attractive to a seller, and also their selling agent. This will certainly put you in a prime position to get in the door of off-market properties, those popular ones that might still go to “best bids”, and thereafter to put forward a competitive offer on properties for sale both on and off-market.

By breaking the chain and guaranteeing your sale, your next offer on your onward property can be put forward without complications in a more precise and confident manner, giving your next vendor and their agents a greater peace of mind and stronger chance of success.

Where you have instructed a Buying Agent, being chain free also enables your agent to put forward a strong bespoke campaign targeting suitable homes that may not be on the market.

4 – Helps Avoid Wasted Costs

Traditionally some 25% to 35% of home movers incurred costs as a result of failed sales, with these figures likely to increase due to today’s more cautions and interest rate ridden market. By breaking the chain and thereby reducing the risk of a sale falling through, you are lessening the likelihood of being exposed to wasted costs of surveys, searches and legal fees etc.

Whatever stage you are at in the search for your home we welcome any questions that you might have and would love to chat.

• For more information about Oliver Roth, visit: oliverroth.co.uk

E: lili@oliverroth.co.uk. T: 0117 9877 828

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Keep up-to-date with our latest news, deals, testimonials and market comment at our website: www.burstoncook.co.uk

3 Portwall Lane, BS1 TO LET – Floors from 1,366 – 9,500 sq ft (126.9 – 882.5 sq m)

A Grade A office building which has been sympathetically refurbished to the highest standard, with strong ESG credentials.

53 Queen Square, BS1 TO LET 480 – 1,730 sq ft (44.5 – 160.7 sq m)

An impressive office to lease, due to be refurbished throughout to a high standard. Suitable for a wide range of uses (under use class E).

UNDEROFFER

Grosvenor House TO LET - £19 PSF

3,400 sq ft (315.8 sq m)

A purpose built 4-storey self-contained modern office building with the available space located on the 2nd floor providing an open plan office. There are also 2 car parking spaces, passenger lift, bike storage and shower. New lease available.

Mariner House, Prince St TO LET – £26 psf

1,242 sq ft (115.38 sq m)

Loft style office accommodation located in the heart of the city centre close to Queen Square and The Waterfront. There is a passenger lift, shower facilities, and excellent bike storage with end of journey heated lockers.

7 Hill Street OFFICE TO LET - POA

5,621 sq ft (522.20 sq m)

Fantastic example of 1970’s brutalist architecture. The suite provides a modern open plan floor plate of 5,621 sq ft (522 sq m) with 6 car parking spaces & bike storage.

Whiteladies Road, BS8 TO LET 798 sq ft (74.1 sq m)

An attractive office suite of two interconnecting rooms providing light and airy space and due to be refurbished throughout. 2 on site car parking spaces are also available.

Buckingham Court, BS32 TO LET - £15.50 psf pax 3,089 sq ft (287 sq m)

A self-contained office building offering modern accommodation within an established business park with good road connections. Excellent parking ratio being 1:257 sq ft.

The Stables at Leigh Court TO LET – POA 510 – 1,023 sq ft (47.38 – 95.04 sq m)

A Grade II Listed business centre offering luxury workspaces in a peaceful setting outside the city. The site benefits ample parking, cycle storage, EV charging and sustainable energy solutions.

North Street, BS3 FOR SALE £225,000+VAT 695 sq ft (64.57 sq m)

A prominently positioned, ground floor retail unit. The property has a large sales area which has been recently fitted out to a high standard and benefits from a fully glazed retail frontage.

Paintworks OFFICES TO LET POA

2 brand new commercial units fully refurbished of c 1,162 and 1,572 sq ft with 2 car parking spaces per unit. Never been occupied!

City & Country offers the perfect blend of conversion and new homes to buyers at Factory No.1

Situated in the vibrant Bedminster area of Bristol, City & Country’s award-winning development, Factory No.1, offers a range of stylish conversion and new build apartments in an affordable yet central location.

Once the site of the Imperial Tobacco Company’s headquarters, a total of 284 apartments are being meticulously crafted by converting the former factory’s historic buildings and constructing five new apartment buildings.

Jennfier Rhodes-Finch, Head of Marketing at City & Country says: “The allure of Factory No.1 lies not just in bricks and mortar, but in the living spaces created through the transformation of this fabulous landmark Bristol building. Buyers here have the unique opportunity to own a piece of history as well as enjoy the fantastic range of facilities available locally.”

City & Country has two show homes available at Factory No.1 for potential buyers to visit and discover what life at the development might look like.

Part of The Cutting Room collection within Factory No.1, a two-bedroom new build duplex show home combines an excellent specification with stylish interiors and a flexible layout.

In the former factory building itself, the conversion show home is a magnificent twobedroom, 1,615 sq. ft. apartment situated within The Director’s Suites on the first floor of Regent House. It boasts an abundance of restored heritage features including an ornate Jacobeanstyle ceiling, French polished oak panelling and two feature fireplaces.

The securely gated development also provides a concierge service, secure undercroft parking with

electric charging points and 400 cycle spaces. Many apartments also include balconies or terraces, as well as access to the tranquil landscaped gardens.

Prices start from £250,000* for a conversion apartment, or £300,000* for a new build home. Tailored incentives are available on selected properties, including Deposit Unlock, which allows buyers to purchase a new home with just a 5% deposit**.

The Factory No.1 Sales Suite and show homes are open daily from 10am – 5pm, located at East Street, Bedminster, Bristol, BS3 4HH. For more information, call 01174 535 135 or visit www.cityandcountry.co.uk.

City Centre, Bristol | Guide Price £1,650,000

A rare opportunity to acquire a Grade II* Listed townhouse on Bristol’s historic Queen Square, complete with a beautifully refurbished vaulted annex and allocated parking.

Grade II* Listed 5-storey townhouse | Historic square in the centre of Bristol | Income producing self-contained annex | Stunning modern kitchen and mezzanine dining room | Internal courtyard garden | First floor drawing room with covered balcony | Three further reception rooms | Four upper floor bedrooms and two bath / shower rooms | Close to Bristol’s historic floating harbour and numerous cultural attractions

In all circa 3614 sq. ft (335.7 sq. m) @rupertoliverproperty

Clifton Wood, Bristol | Guide Price £775,000

A beautiful three bedroom terraced house with spectacular views of the SS Great Britain, Harbourside and across to the rolling hills of Dundry. Situated in an enviable location only a short walk from both Clifton Village and Bristol’s floating harbour.

Charming Period Townhouse | Fabulous far reaching views of the waterfront and the SS Great Britain | Extensive south facing tiered garden | Three double bedrooms and two bath/shower rooms | Beautiful retained period features throughout | Quiet, no through-road | Catchment for both Hotwells and Christchurch primary schools | EPC: D

In all circa 1092 sq ft (101.4 sq. m) @rupertoliverproperty