Bath Life – Issue 387

Food/Arts/Entertainment/Shopping/Property @BathLifeMag

CELEBRATING THE BEST OF THE CITY

ISSUE 387 / 15 – 29 MARCH 2019 / £3

ISSUE 387 / 15 – 29 MARCH 2019 / WINNER WINNER

K I S S +T E L L A SPOTLIGHT ON THE CITY’S BIGGEST NIGHT OF THE YEAR: THE BATH LIFE AWARDS

© SOUL MEDIA

EDITOR’S LETTER

ABOVE: Relive the Bath Life awards (page 15) BELOW: Take a look at our Mother’s Day gift

guide (page 96)

W

elcome to a bumper, special collectors’ issue of Bath Life. If you hadn’t already noticed from our front cover, the spotlight this week is on a little something called the Bath Life Awards – our annual glamorous celebration of the most incredible businesses and people in the city. Five hundred people attended the event at the Assembly Rooms last month; it was the largest ever business awards in Bath and the biggest ever Bath Life Awards. It was so great to see so many of you there!

Relive the party from page 15.

In this issue, we’ve also turned our attention to Mother’s Day; on page 42 we’ve been chatting with 10 local mums and their grown-up kids about what it’s like to be in business together – risk-taking, hairbrained ideas, guilt trips and all. And on page 96, we bring you our edit of gifts to treat your mum to (and yourself, if you wish).

Elsewhere, we’ve spent a day absorbing the delights of Walcot Street (page 98); we’ve had a one-to-one with Hilary King, the owner of the Little Theatre, which is currently celebrating 80 years since it started screening feature films (page 76); and we’ve asked the experts for their ultimate guide on the art of buying art (page 65).

Enjoy!

LISA EVANS Follow us on Twitter @BathLifeMag Instagram @bathlifemag

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 3

© PENCIL TREE

Issue 387 / 15 – 29 March 2019 COVER Helen Rich, of Taste of Bath, with her Bath Life Award.

Photo by Soul Media, cover art by Jason Dorley-Brown

BATH LIFE AWARDS

15 The winners, the speeches, the tear-jerking moments

– all you need to know about the big night

THE ARTS

55 ARTS INTRO The USA through the lens of

a photographer

56 WHAT’S ON Theatre, music, family stuff – and a lot

of comedy

65 ART The ultimate guide to buying art 76 THE BIG INTERVIEW the Little Theatre has a big

history – meet the owner

81 BOOKS A trio of reads you must delve into 83 THEATRE The stars from Albert Square descend

65

FOOD&DRINK

84 RESTAURANT Editor Lisa Evans drops in on

Widbrook Grange

87 TAKE 5 Meet the craft beer connoisseur 88 FOOD & DRINK NEWS Hoorah! There are three

new cafés in town

© NICK COLE

6 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

15

© SOUL MEDIA

84

83

© MANUEL HARL AN

76

© FAYDIT PHOTOGR APHY

90 WINE The perfect vino choices for Mother’s Day

Issue 387 / 15 – 29 March 2019

SHOPPING

95 INTRO Go for gold with these dazzlers 96 EDITOR’S CHOICE Our edit of what to treat your

mum to this March

98 WALCOT STREET What treasures troves lie in

Bath’s artisan quarter?

LIFESTYLE

42 INSIDE STORY Keeping it in the family – the

BUSINESS

108 BUSINESS INSIDER The local businessess making

the headlines

98

DEPARTMENTS 11 SPOTLIGHT 41 A MAN’S WORLD

42

© @MAT TSLINN

© BET T Y BHANDARI

mother-kid teams doing business together

122 LIVES The renowned magician reveals all

© K ARL A GOWLET T

122

Editor Lisa Evans lisa.evans@mediaclash.co.uk Deputy Editor Harriet Noble harriet.noble@mediaclash.co.uk Managing Editor Deri Robins deri.robins@mediaclash.co.uk Senior Art Editor Andrew Richmond Graphic Design Megan Allison Cover Design Trevor Gilham Editor’s Photo Bonnie Rose Contributors Nic Bottomley, Angela Mount, David Flatman and Anna O’Callaghan Group Advertising Manager Pat White pat.white@mediaclash.co.uk Deputy Advertising Manager Justine Walker justine.walker@mediaclash. co.uk Account Manager Annabel North annabel.north@mediaclash.co.uk Account Manager Polly Jackson polly.jackson@mediaclash.co.uk Sales Executive Bradley Lye bradley. lye@mediaclash.co.uk Production/Distribution Manager Sarah Kingston sarah.kingston@mediaclash.co.uk Deputy Production Manager Kirstie Howe kirstie.howe@mediaclash. co.uk Production Designer Matt Gynn matt.gynn@mediaclash.co.uk Chief Executive Jane Ingham jane.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk Chief Executive Greg Ingham greg.ingham@ mediaclash.co.uk Bath Life MediaClash, Circus Mews House, Circus Mews, Bath BA1 2PW 01225 475800 www.mediaclash.co.uk @The MediaClash © All rights reserved. May not be reproduced without written permission of MediaClash.

We’re a Bath-based publisher, creative agency and event organiser Magazines Our portfolio of regional magazines celebrates the best of local living: Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter and Salisbury. We also publish foodie mag Crumbs (www.crumbsmag.com, @CrumbsMag). Agency From the design and build of websites to digital marketing and creating company magazines, we can help. Events We create, market, promote and operate a wide variety of events both for MediaClash and our clients Contact: info@mediaclash.co.uk

8 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

SPOTLIGHT Creativity

FLOWER POWER Education

GOLD STAR University of Bath has been named one of world’s top 100 universities in five different subjects.

The QS world university rankings revealed: architecture and built environment, business and management, and development studies were ranked in the world’s top 100 subjects, while social policy and administration, and sportsrelated subjects were recognised as being within the top 50 subjects in the world.

It is the third year in a row that sports-related subjects have retained their place in the top 50, positioned an impressive 10th globally in this year’s ranking.

“The university’s global reputation is very important as we continue our ambition to be an international leader in graduate education,” says acting vice-chancellor, professor Bernie Morley.

“We pride ourselves on conducting impactful, world-leading research and providing outstanding learning and teaching, and these latest rankings are further evidence of the excellence and hard work of our staff and student community.”

For more: www.bath.ac.uk

Sara Cox

Orange is the new black

Bath festival

FESTIVAL FEVER

The line-up for this year’s Bath Festival, which runs over 10 days in May (17-26), has been announced. Among those coming to the annual music and literature festival are Strictly Come Dancing judge Dame Darcey Bussell, Radio Two’s Sara Cox, film critic Mark Kermode, TV chatshow host Michael Parkinson, the original people’s poet Pam Ayres, and comedian Jo Brand.

Van Morrison Headlining the festival finale on Bath Recreation Ground over the weekend of 1 – 2 June will be Grammy awardwinning British band Clean Bandit (Saturday night) and singer-songwriter Van Morrison (Sunday night).

“The festival continues to go from strength to strength as we collaborate with many individuals, venues and businesses who support The Bath Festival to make it an event with local, national and international appeal,” says chief executive Ian Stockley. “Having the legendary singer songwriter Van Morrison on the Rec is the perfect way to close this year’s festival.”

For more: www.bathfestivals.org.uk

© TOM BARNES

Clean Bandit

leaning towards the beautifully weird.

“We have really enjoyed working on this project and we want to encourage people to get involved, collaborate more, create more and network more.”

For more: @e.giottiphotography © E.GIOT TIPHOTGRAPHY

The University is sitting pretty in the rankings systems

With spring on its way and blossoming flowers in sight, it’s fitting that a recent shoot in Bath had nature at its core. A team of female creatives, including photographer Emilie Giotti, hair and makeup artist Harriet Gallon, model Jess White, florist Steph Constantine, and seamstress Lisa Thrower, recently came together through social media and local Bath networking to collaborate on a series of images.

“I’ve always been fascinated

by Frida Kahlo; such an independent woman who didn’t play by the rules and did whatever she wanted to do,” says photographer Emilie.

“I love the idea of combining the beauty of a woman with the wildness of flowers. It fits with how it feels when I get concepts for my shoots.

They never quite fit the norm, always

ONE FOR THE DIARY Fun Lovin’ Criminals’ frontman Huey Morgan will be bringing his mix of hip hop, funk, disco and stone cold classics to a one off night at the New Oriel Hall in Larkhall on 27 April.

8pm; £10 in advance; www.eventbrite.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 11

SPOTLIGHT

David plans for the town hall to be a central part of the community

Theatre

© MAT T AUSTIN

CURTAIN UP

Trowbridge town hall has announced that its new director will be David Lockwood. The former actor/director was the co-founder of The Bike Shed Theatre in Exeter, which he led from 2010 – 2018.

“It’s the most incredible opportunity to work with the people of Trowbridge,

to realise the potential of this remarkable building,” says David.

“To do that, I think we need to be open, collaborative and cooperative; we need to be creative, innovative and imaginative. If we are all of those things, then Trowbridge Town Hall can once again become an essential part of the social and civic lives of the residents of Trowbridge.”

For more: www.trowbridgearts.com

David may not be putting his feet up for some time

Royal visit

SOPHIE’S WORLD

HRH The Countess of Wessex visited the Fashion Museum, Bath, recently, where she viewed one of her own outfits that was on display.

The ensemble in question was one that she wore to the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton in April 2011, which was personally selected by The Countess for the Royal Women exhibition.

“It was a great honour to welcome HRH The Countess of Wessex to the Fashion Museum,” says councillor Karen Walker, chairwoman of Bath & North East Somerset Council, The Countess of Wessex came which runs the to view her old wedding outfit Fashion Museum.

“The museum’s collection is one of the best of its kind in the world, and our staff enjoyed showing HRH around the exhibitions and showcasing the care and preparation work that goes on behind the scenes ahead of a display or exhibition at the museum.”

For more: www. fashionmuseum.co.uk

12 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Festival

PARKLIFE Music and food festival Pub in the Park returns to Bath this summer, with chef Tom Kerridge leading the way with foodie delights from his Michelin-starred pubs The Hand & Flowers and The Coach.

The outdoor event on 21 – 23 June sees pop-up pubs and restaurants in Bath’s Royal Victoria Park, alongside a selection of live music.

Other culinary highlights this year include Heston Blumenthal’s The Hinds Head in Bray, The Beehive in Maidenhead, Claude Bosi’s Oyster Bar at Bibendum, The Blackbird in West Berkshire, The Cross at Kenilworth, Jodie Kidd’s Half Moon Kirdford and Tim Allen’s Flitch of Bacon.

Confirmed music acts so far are Texas, Basement Jaxx, Will Young, Gabrielle, Dodgy, and The Bluetones.

For more: www.pubintheparkuk.com

Sharleen Spiteri, of Texas, will be performing at this year’s Pub in the Park festival

Brad Abrahams are proud to announce we now recycle all contact lenses and packaging

BATH LIFE awards

Bath is the winner – always…

The biggest ever Bath Life Awards were held last month. More nominations, more finalists, and yet more emotions on a very special night…

All photos by Soul Media www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 15

BATH LIFE AWARDS

W

hat is this life if we have no time to stand and stare…”

Awards give opportunity for pause. Pause to think how well a business has done in the year.

Pause to consider a city and how it is changing.

And pause to ponder on just what remarkable individuals there are in Bath, developing companies, employing more people, finding new routes to market, increasing the amounts of goods and services bought locally, risking start-ups, volunteering for charities, acting civically, seeking to improve this city…

And so it was at the Bath Life Awards, the most emotional yet. It was a night to be proud of Bath.

We came to celebrate and stayed to cheer – resoundingly.

The warmth in the room was palpable, particularly at four points: Freshford Church School won the Bath BID-sponsored Environmental category and used the opportunity to make a widely-supported political point about having its solar panel proposal rejected by B&NES. “What’s the point of protecting our past if we can’t protect our future..?”

Taste of Bath’s Helen Rich gave the most Olivia Colmantastic acceptance speech, some of which is even repeatable (you had to be there): “I’m absolutely [redacted] amazed. I’m [redacted] so honoured. I’d dreamt of simply being in Bath Life but to win this award is absolutely incredible!”

Reader, there were tears. And not just from Helen.

For the first time ever, there were joint winners of the charity category, sponsored by Stone King. Bath City Farm and Southside Family Project were deserved winners individually, and the judges also wanted to highlight how superbly they work together. In a city of such success, highlighting the vital work they do to help combat the effects of poverty in the city was recognised with a standing ovation.

And for many, the highlight of the evening was the spontaneous outpouring of emotion for a remarkable man Eddie Ilic, who works at hairdressers BA1 and founded Eddie’s Street Cuts. He gives free haircuts to the homeless to help their self-esteem and is inspiring other salons in the city to contribute – all prompted by his own story of turning his life around.

Eddie was overwhelmed by the room cheering and cheering and cheering as he accepted the inaugural Civic Award, which Bath Life’s publisher MediaClash was honoured to sponsor.

Reading the nominations and attending the Awards makes us feel yet better about Bath – and we hope that the same is true of Bath Life as, issue in issue out, we celebrate the very best of Bath.

On this uberglamtastic evening, of shimmering beauty, of whooping and surging emotion, of celebration and coming together, ultimately there was one winner: Bath – always.

To all who entered, judged, sponsored, partnered, entertained, gushed, filmed, aftershowed, photographed, supported, organised, hosted, fed and dined us all, just one word: thanks. These were the very best yet.

And next year?

It’s started already. Tick tock.

Jane, Steph, Greg and the Bath Life and MediaClash Events teams

16 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

HEADLINE SPONSOR

PLATINUM

It’s a cliché for a good reason to say that we couldn’t have organised the Bath Life Awards without our wonderful sponsors – but, we’ll, we couldn’t’ve.

But beyond that, it’s also superb that so many leading companies are part of this singular celebration.

To each: thank you.

Headline Sponsor: The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa, with its Brand Partner Taittinger

Property Group, Apex City of Bath Hotel, Kersfield, Novia, Tile & Flooring, Bryers, Bath Audi, Bath VW and Bath Rugby

Platinum Sponsor:

Silver Sponsors: Dialect, L&C Mortgages, Pearson May, Royds Withy King, Thai Barn

Bristol Airport

Main Sponsors: Jelf, Stone King, Savills, Spaces, Bath BID, Curo, First West of England, Hawker Joinery, Sub 13, Acorn

Feature Sponsors: Juice

Recruitment, Freestyle Designs, Circo

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 17

CATEGORY WINNERS

ARTS

WINNER:

BATH INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL IN PARTNERSHIP WITH VISIT BATH

BUSINESS SERVICES

WINNER:

TASTE OF BATH

Sponsored by

CHARITY

Sponsored by

JOINT WINNERS:

BATH CITY FARM & SOUTHSIDE FAMILY PROJECT

18 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

BAR

WINNER:

Sponsored by

CAFÉ

CIVIC

CIRCO BAR

WINNER:

CASTLE FARM CAFÉ

Sponsored by

WINNER:

EDDIES STREET CUTS

BATH LIFE AWARDS

CREATIVE Sponsored by

WINNER:

MYTTON WILLIAMS

ENVIRONMENTAL Sponsored by

GASTROPUB Sponsored by

WINNER:

FRESHFORD CHURCH SCHOOL

WINNER:

MARLBOROUGH TAVERN

EDUCATION Sponsored by

WINNER:

FUN SCIENCE

EVENT

WINNER:

BATH FESTIVALS

Sponsored by

HAIR & BEAUTY

WINNER:

BROAD STREET STUDIO

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 19

BATH LIFE AWARDS

HEALTH & WELLBEING

WINNER:

LEGAL & FINANCIAL

WINNER:

TEAM BATH

Sponsored by

ROYDS WITHY KING

Sponsored by

NEW BUSINESS Sponsored by

WINNER:

MH TYRE SERVICES

20 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

HOMES & INTERIORS Sponsored by

WINNER:

SIMS HILDITCH

LEISURE & TOURISM

WINNER:

Sponsored by

AVON VALLEY ADVENTURE & WILDLIFE PARK

PROPERTY

WINNER:

Sponsored by

AARON EVANS ARCHITECTS

BATH LIFE AWARDS

RESTAURANT

Sponsored by

RISING STAR

WINNER:

THE SCALLOP SHELL

WINNER:

JADE WHALE, BATH RUGBY FOUNDATION

RETAILER Sponsored by

WINNER:

THE ITALIAN FOOD HALL

TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION Sponsored by

PLATINUM AWARD Sponsored by

WINNER:

TEAM BATH

24 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

WINNER:

TRUESPEED

FINALISTS ARTS

• 44AD artspace • Bath Art Fair • Bath International Comedy Festival in partnership with Visit Bath • The Edge • Kilter • New Old Friends BAR

• Bar 15 at No.15 Great Pulteney • Circo Cocktail and Rum Bar • Framptons Café Bar & Kitchen • Le Vignoble • Mandalyns Bar • The Mint Room • The Star Inn • Sub 13 BUSINESS SERVICES

• Apex City of Bath Hotel • Catering Services International • HGEM • HUB XV • Keystone HR • SearchStar • SerialTrainer7 • Spaces • Taste of Bath

CAFÉ/COFFEE SHOP

• 3 Café Kitchen • Castle Farm Café • Good Day Café • Hartley Farm Shop • No.10 Tea Gardens

Dementia Action Alliance • Bath Area Play Project • Bath City Farm • Bath Mind • Bath Rugby Foundation • Southside Family Project • St John’s Foundation • We Hear You • YMCA Bath Group CIVIC

• Bath Business Improvement District • Bath Carnival • Bath City Football Club • Bath Rugby Foundation • Eddies Street Cuts • Minerva’s Owls of Bath • Minuteman Press • Nationwide Building Society • The Packhorse Community Pub • Stride Treglown

CREATIVE

• Absolute Press • Dialect • Fitzroy Hawk • Mytton Williams • Really Decent Books • Wild & Wolf

• Bath & North East Somerset Carers’ Centre • Bath & North East Somerset

ENVIRONMENTAL

• Freshford Church School • Harvest Natural Foods • Huskup® • Iford Manor Estate • The Natural Cleaning Company South West • Natural History Consortium • Pure Planet EVENT

• Bath Carnival • Bath Digital Festival • Bath Festivals • Bath Mencap and Komedia • Genesis Trust Bath • Minerva’s Owls of Bath • SearchStar GASTROPUB

• The Chequers • King William • The Hare & Hounds • The Locksbrook Inn • The Marlborough Tavern • The Methuen Arms • Timbrell’s Yard HAIR & BEAUTY

EDUCATION CHARITY

• Broadlands Academy • Dorothy Coleburn School of Dancing • Fun Science • Mayden Academy

• Bath Business School, Bath Spa University • Bath College • Bath Theatre School

• Beauty @ No32 • Broad Street Studio • David Maxwell Hairdressing • The Duchess Beauty Heaven • Glow Beauty

ALL HAIL THE JUDGES!

Amanda Brown Founder, Flamingo

Amy Williams Olympian

Charlie Taylor Partner, Knight Frank

Ian Sandham Branch Director, Jelf

• Number 3

LEISURE & TOURISM

• The Apartment, Bath HEALTH & • Apex City of Bath WELLBEING Hotel • Art at the Heart of • Avon Valley the RUH Adventure & • The Hand to Elbow Wildlife Park Clinic • The Bath Priory • Harvest Natural Hotel, Restaurant Foods and Spa • Lansdown Tennis Squash & Croquet • Bath Racecourse • Century Casino Club Ltd • Kaleidoscope • Nova Sports and Collection Coaching • Lucknam Park • Spa 15 at No.15 Great Pulteney • Team Bath NEW BUSINESS • TONIQ • Aesop • Bath Country Pets HOMES & INTERIORS • The Beckford Bottle Shop • Dible & Roy • Boudavida • Elmore Kitchens • Hartbeeps Bath, • Etons of Bath • Joel Bugg Furniture Keynsham and West Wiltshire & Spaces • Kelly Marie Kitchen • Koffmann & Mr. White’s Interiors • MH Tyre Services • Sims Hilditch • Walcot House • Stonewood Builders Ltd • Valley Of Bath PROPERTY Limited • Aaron Evans Architects • Acorn Property LEGAL & FINANCIAL Group • Epoch Wealth • Bath Stone Management Property • inFund • Berkeley Place • L&C Mortgages • Linden Homes • Lesson Moore (Western) • Milsted Langdon • Savills • Mowbray • Stonewood Woodwards Builders • One pm Finance • Stride Treglown • Royds Withy King • Tynings • South West Business Finance (SWBF) RESTAURANT • Unividual • The Bath Priory Hotel, Restaurant

and Spa • Corkage Chapel Row • The Dower House Restaurant • Green Park Brasserie • The Ivy Bath Brasserie • Lucknam Park • Noya’s Kitchen • The Scallop Shell • Thai Barn RETAILER

• Abbott Lyon • Dible & Roy • Fudge Kitchen • The Italian Food Hall • Moss of Bath • Portman • The Perfume Shop • V V Rouleaux RISING STAR

• Fabia SelwoodMiller, The Marlborough Tavern • Jade Whale, Bath Rugby Foundation • Jessica Saumarez, LUX Rewards • Nicola Davis, Nicola Davis Crafts • Stephanie Jeffery, Good Day Café TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION

• Bluefuse Systems • BrownHen Solutions • Claritum • OJO Solutions • Rocketmakers • Storm Consultancy • TrueSpeed • Zahara Systems

All decisions about these awards are made by a panel of utterly impeccably independent judges, chosen afresh each year from all areas of Bath business life.

All different businesses types and sizes.

With a record number of yet stronger nominations, the decisions this year were harder than ever for our judges.

Our sincere thanks to all.

Ian Taylor Owner, Kaleidoscope Collection

John Ryder IWG PLC (Regus and Spaces)

Laurel Penrose CEO, Bath College

Mel Taylor Co-director and owner, Running High Events

Zara Perry Owner, Zara Perry Hairdressing

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 25

SCENE T H E L AT E S T A DV E N T U R E S I N PA R T Y- GO I N G AC ROSS BAT H Cal Davies-Phillips, Kerry-Ann Markham and Tierney Cocoran

Elliot Mellen and Katja Kammerer

PHOTOS BY SOUL MEDIA

Sam Thomas and Simon Wainewright

Is it a film set? No, just the mesmeric Assembly Rooms

Since the Bath Life Awards celebrate excellence in the city, it was fitting that our host was Amy Williams, who has excelled both here and internationally as a gold medal-winning Olympian.

Educated at Hayesfield, Beechen Cliff and then the University of Bath, Amy was a complete and utter star on the night‌ Amy Williams

Amanda Brown, David Maxwell and Zara Perry David Ghent and Angela Ghent, Tim Moss and Annie Moss

26 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

BATH LIFE AWARDS

Standing tall were these gorgeous guests

Joe Stas and William Noad

Nickie Portman, Jon Rolfe, James Portman and Lauren Prince

Nicola McHale and Gavin McHale

The awards kicked off with a champagne reception, sponsored by Juice Recruitment. The Assembly Rooms were positively buzzing as the glitterati of Bath arrived in their finery, audible clinks of glasses featured heavily and friends and colleagues chatted away.

Emilio Mudrak and Mark Hawkins

Annette Hind and Annabel Hall

Greg Ingham wowing the crowds

Tom Annear and Jonny Wheeler Rachael Risdale and Becky Pocock

Stephanie Pritchard and Robert Burrows

Evan Wienburg and Claire Wienburg

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 27

Declan Gray and Kalvin Simmons

Eddie Ilic and Aurore Coatantiec

Tom Bright, Holly Rose and Adrian Millard

Adam Powell and Claire Powell Alice Stevens and Fiona Gilbert

Kevin Murphy and Penny Murphy

28 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Beth Denny and David Maxwell

Emma Rome and Abi Pocock

Katie Cofferon and Abi Constanza

BATH LIFE AWARDS

Guests gamely threw themselves into the spirit of the evening, posing in our life-size perspex Bath Life magazine cover, sponsored by Freestyle Designs. xxxx

30 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

• Domestic and commercial roofing specialists • Covering Bath, Bristol and the South West • Trading since 1985 Tel: 01225 421499 Email: mail@youngsroofing.co.uk www.youngsroofingbath.co.uk Braysdown Lodge, Woodborough, Peasedown St John, Bath BA2 8LN

David Boddington, Elaine Roberts, Lucy Allen and Stephen Pierce

Louise Harvey selfie-styles it out An awards ceremony is nothing without a multitude of gigantic feathers

There were hugs aplenty on the night

MP Wera Hobhouse

DINNER Guests tucked into a three-course meal of salt-baked beetroot, English goats’ cheese, organic watercress, toasted pecans, lavender honey and mustard dressing, followed by slow-braised beef, sweet potato mash, buttered greens and caramelised shallots.

To finish, a trio of colourful delights arrived: a mini choux bun, raspberry tart and a chocolate opera. De-lish.

Me?! Fabia Selwood-Miller delighted with the win for Malborough Tavern

32 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Hoorah! Whoop! Whoop!

Sarah Moon, Laura Brewster and Kambiz Shayegan

BATH LIFE AWARDS

Happy winners Georgina Tomlinson and Emma Heatley-Adams

Forget the Oscars, it’s all about the mighty Bath Life columns Rafi White, Mary Stringer, Anthony Rizzo and Isobel Heather

Jody Roblin and Samantha Fanthorpe

The moment everyone had been waiting for arrived as MediaClash co-owner Greg Ingham and Olympian Amy Williams took to the stage to present the awards. Whoops of joy, gasps of delight and hearty claps were felt around the room as the deserved winners were announced.

Helen Rich can’t believe it xxx Jonathan Stapleton

Chin chin!

Winners Marcus Harris and Sophie Rodger in a state of jubilation

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 33

Many, many beverages were consumed, and sore heads were had

Sarah Moon, Guy Mercer and Laura Brewster

Scott Gurd, Cherie-Anne Baxter, guest and Greg Harris

Katja Kammerer

THE PARTY CONTINUED...

The hardcore party-goers keen to keep the celebrations going moved on to the official aftershow party at Circo Bar. Cocktails were drunk, shapes were thrown and everyone had a jolly old time.

Gemma Chatfield and Mitchell Thomas

Kartini Sutoto and Zara Perry

Circo’s DJ wizard mixing the tunes

34 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

BATH LIFE AWARDS

Marie Richardson, Katie Cofferon and Francesca Randese

Cocktail time at the bar Amanda Jones and Tom Weaver

Laura Kearns and Stuart Brazington Emilio Mudrak, Sam Thomas, Simon Wainewright and William Noad

Julian Burrage and guest

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 35

Attention Bath Area Business Owners

Do you need more than just accounts and tax returns from your accountant?

Preparing your accounts and tax returns is easy. Six reasons why hundreds return to PG Owen each year.

But can your accountant help you make more money? Does your accountant have experience working in your specialist field?

4 Clear fixed and guaranteed fees. When we say fixed we mean it

Does your accountant give you answers or just more questions?

4 We take away the worries of the penalty driven compliance issues

With a unique range of services, we are more than just your accountants; we are your complete one stop business partners.

4 Proactive advice for both personal and corporate tax mitigation

4 Plain English advice from experienced professionals

4 Inheritance tax planning supported by Wills, Trusts and Probate support 4 Making Tax Digital Difficult solutions to suit you.

CALL US NOW FOR A FREE INITIAL MEETING The Terrace Suite Kelston Park Bath BA1 9AE T: 01225 422183

21A Market Place, Warminster BA12 9AY T: 01985 213130

124 High Street, Midsomer Norton, Bath BA3 2DA T: 01761 410444

www.pgtax.co.uk

A MAN’S WORLD DAVID FLATMAN

Keep mum To Flats, Mother’s Day is an odd little commercial event. But he’s come to realise that it doesn’t matter what he thinks...

© TAKING PICTURES

O

“It’s not up to you what annoys anybody else”

ne of the myriad platinum nuggets of advice I remember receiving from my dad was: “It’s not up to you what annoys anybody else”. This may sound like nothing, or even a stating of the obvious, but it is a notion that can be applied across so many events and dynamics and conversations. Taken literally, I suppose its meaning is reasonably obvious, and behavioural flexibility is encouraged.

Considered more widely, though, it works everywhere.

I expect we all dismiss the desires and anxieties of others a bit. I mean, of course we do.

Actually, it’s probably important to do so to a point, otherwise we would all be either sycophants or pampered narcissists. Beyond that point, though, it can be – through a simple lack of awareness and inability to zoom out and see a situation as another sees it, not as you think they ought to see it – somewhat damaging.

For instance, I have never really been bothered about Valentine’s Day. I mean, who is, right? Well, quite a lot of people, actually.

So for years, I barely bothered, grabbing last-minute cards and panic-ordering from Interflora online, and I totally got away with it. Luckily, none of those on the receiving end over the years really bought into the whole thing either. Father’s Day is another occasion that I could very easily and contentedly ignore entirely. I mean, it’s nice when the kids make an effort and produce their little cards and promise to wait on me all day (a movement that has never yet lasted beyond breakfast). But no, it’s no big deal. This viewpoint

led me ultimately to disregard Mother’s Day as something that could possibly mean something real and significant to either my mother or the mother of said kids, and it turned out it I’d been both wrong and blinkered. It was only after a good number of silent tellings off and disappointed looks that I cottoned on.

It works both ways, too. Some things – however seemingly trivial – will be important to you, and others refusing to acknowledge and adapt at all to them will grate. You might hate being late, or hate being woken by kerfuffle in the mornings, or hate never being given a go as DJ on the house Spotify. Whatever. It is vital that we at least try to achieve some sort of social perspective where those close to us are concerned.

“That’s a load of rubbish, all that,” doesn’t cut it I’m afraid. “No, you’re wrong” doesn’t often work when it comes to feelings and desires, either.

And Mother’s Day is one of those times. To me, it’s an odd little commercial event for which a petrol station card written in the car will do. But – and this took me way too long to realise – what I think literally doesn’t matter. It’s what the mother thinks and wants, and the two mothers in my life deserve for their day to be taken seriously. I’ll do my best and, while I probably won’t get it all right, hope that my efforts please them, as I now know that a lack of effort in the past has annoyed them both. I think my dad might have created an old Chinese proverb, the old genius. It’s a good one though.

David Flatman is an ex-Bath and England rugby star turned TV pundit and rent-o-mic. Follow him on Twitter @davidflatman

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 41

© BETT Y BHANDARI

significant mother

Chloe – who works with her mum, Suzanne, at Blue Woman & Home – says the worst bit about being in business together is being guilt-tripped for sick days

MOTHER’S DAY

Risk-taking, hair-brained ideas and guilt trips: 10 local mums and their grown-up kids reflect on what it’s like to be in business together

By Lisa Evans

H

owever much we love them, for some people, the thought of working with their mother would be a step too far. But, here, as Mother’s Day is on its way, we’ve spoken to 10 mum-and-child duos about the ups and downs of keeping business in the family.

SUZANNE & CHLOE

Suzanne Temple owns Blue Woman & Home – based at The Loft on Bartlett Street – where her daughter, Chloe HarrisonTemple, is the director. Here they chat about their turbulentbut-worth-it work relationship C: Us working together started when...

we decided to launch a new concept store off the back of my mum’s successful clothing store in Cheltenham; that was around nine years ago.

S: Chloe runs the Bath shop, and I run the Cheltenham shop, but I help at the Bath shop twice a week.

C: I would describe our work relationship as turbulent...

but worth it! We are totally in sync at work; we rarely disagree with each other on buying trips, but we have been known to fall out while dressing the windows.

S: I’m cautious, whereas Chloe blows the budget...

Chloe is more at ease with authority (not bossy of course…) whereas I don’t find that an easy thing to do.

C: It’s about the balance. You must be optimistic through hard times; for example, Mum gets anxious when the shop is going through a rare quiet spell, but I am positive and am keen to raise her spirits.

S: There are plenty of benefits to working together...

Let’s just say that Chloe has a very well furnished house and a rather large wardrobe.

C: The downsides are...

Being guilt-tripped for time off or ‘sick’ days.

C: Outside work, you’ll find us...

Going on holidays together, shopping, indulging in spa days, and going on dog walks.

“We have been known to fall out while dressing the windows”

C: I have learned pretty much everything from my mum...

including how to run a successful business.

She started her career as a graphic designer, working for some of the top design firms in London; I grew up in her and Dad’s blues and jazz club.

S: I have learned, from Chloe, how to say sorry.

C: What amazes me about my mum is...

Her approach to life and her ability to take risks.

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 43

FIONA & NATALIE

Fiona and Natalie Bonnici are the mum-and-daughter managing directors of Sweet Little Things café on Lower Borough Walls. Natalie owns Café au Lait on Dorchester Street, too F: Bath is popular for afternoon teas...

But we wanted to offer a new concept, bringing the old in with the new.

We saw an opportunity, a gap in the market, when the shop popped up.

N: We’re together in the café most days...

We work late all the time, but we haven’t annoyed each other yet.

F: Natalie’s the go-getter...

She’s definitely ‘the boss’ and throws herself into everything; she also brings the modern, trendy vibes. Whereas I am more relaxed and traditional.

F: Planning for us both to go away can be tricky...

Natalie is getting married this year, so we’re trying to plan how we can go away on the hen do and the week of the wedding while making sure the tea rooms are working 100 per cent.

Fiona and Natalie of Sweet Little Things are surprised they don’t annoy each other when working side by side

MOTHER’S DAY

“Sometimes a family get-together is hijacked as a business meeting”

Emma, who co-owns Grace & Ted with her mother, Sharon, says her mum inspires her more than anyone else

SHARON & EMMA

Sharon Savage co-owns Kingsmead Square’s Grace & Ted – where you’ll find a curated collection of pre-owned designer clothing and accessories for men and women – with her daughter Emma E: It all started when...

Mum rang me one day and asked if I wanted to take over a shop in Kingsmead Square, and I said, “Yeah why not?”. It wasn’t what we’d planned to do, nor did we really think it through, but here we are six years later.

E: It’s a bit of a mad house at the shop...

We’re here together three days a week with our two dogs, Charlie and Fred.

S: Our relationship is pretty similar in and out of work...

We’re lucky to have a strong relationship, and we try our best to support each other in all ways.

E: We’re on a pretty level playing field, but Mum is the mum when she needs to be.

E: We definitely balance each other out...

We don’t take ourselves too seriously; we try to make time to enjoy the little things in life that make us happy – like eating cake, every day.

E: We literally can’t fall out...

That’s why the dynamic works well, because we know that any problems we face have to be worked out.

S: It also helps that we’re both ‘doers’, so we don’t have to tell each other what to do, because, more often than not, it’s already been done.

S: There are downsides, though...

If we ever go anywhere together – to the seaside for the weekend, on holiday, or out for tea and cake – inevitably we spend the entire time talking about work; but some of our best ideas have come from these moments.

© BET T Y BHANDARI

E: Mum has given me a huge amount of confidence...

She’s always positive and encouraging, which means I find it easier to deal with stressful situations. She’s always learning and striving for bigger things; she inspires me more than anyone else.

S: Emma has taught me to make cheese. We both love cooking, and, one day, we hope to have a bigger shop so that we can have a café in there too.

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 45

© BET T Y BHANDARI

MOTHER’S DAY

Michelle and Emily are directors at The Salcombe Trading Company, where Emily started as a Saturday girl

MICHELLE & EMILY

Mum and daughter Michelle Sames and Emily Fletcher are both directors at interiors store The Salcombe Trading Company, on Broad Street E: I’ve always worked for the family business...

I started as a Saturday girl, but, in 2009, Mum offered me a full-time job in the company, and I haven’t looked back.

M: Working together every day for over 10 years, you start to morph into one another...

We’re not afraid of showing our personalities – both on the shop floor and outside of work.

M: Depending on our moods, we might have a day off from one another...

We both work in the Bath store mainly, but also on projects for ourselves and clients in and around Bath.

E: Mum is on the go from 4am with hair-brained ideas...

She is extremely driven. I am a little bit more realistic; I also have a bad habit of doing impressions of her all day long.

E: We are really similar...

We are both from a drama background, and that certainly comes across. We also have exactly the same sense of humour, and we both work hard and play much harder.

46 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

“I have a bad habit of doing impressions of Mum all day long” E: Mum knows my every move...

It has always been the way with us; I don’t mind as much now, but hated it when I was 16. We’re very close. We’ve always said holidays and family are what life’s about, so one big fat juicy holiday together in the summer is what we live for. We are both extremely hard working, we like to make the most of everything we do, and we are extremely grateful for our lot.

E: I’m not favourited because I am her daughter...

everyone in our company is like family. We’re all part of the Salcombe Trading crew and we are protective of one another in every sense.

E: Mum’s taught me how to work hard and reap the benefits....

She amazes me; she juggles more balls than I’ve ever seen anyone person capable of.

M: Emily’s taught me a lot about tech; she’s the one with the answer to all the warning beeps.

Š BET T Y BHANDARI

Niraj has taught his mum, Mita, to take more risks; and she’s taught him how to rein in his chaotic traits. An ideal balance to running Chai Walla, he says

MOTHER’S DAY MITA & NIRAJ

Without the help of his mum, Mita, Niraj Gadher says he wouldn’t have been able to set up his business: an Indian streetfood café, on Monmouth Street. Here, he tells us more From day one, Mum has helped me at Chai Walla

“Mum’s the most resilient person I’ve met”

She’s taught me how to make all the foods, and, most importantly, how to run a business and be organised; I am a truly chaotic person. She not only helps me with my business, but also my dad with his business, and she looks after my grandad and the house.

Our relationship is the same at work as it is outside of work...

There is no line separating the two; we’re truthful and honest, always.

We’re quite different...

She’s organised and always sees the issues quickly; whereas I like jumping into things head first. However, a trait we share is that we are both very blunt.

We do everything together...

I live at home still. We’re a typical Indian family, and we always eat breakfast and dinner together as a family. I think our relationship works so well because we have the same goal in mind.

I think I’ve taught Mum how to take risks...

Risks are great fun and a good challenge. Mum’s definitely the most resilient person I’ve met; whoever said mothers are the strongest is completely right.

Family businesses have been in Unividual’s Angela and Cherie-Anne’s blood for over a century

ANGELA & CHERIE-ANNE

Angela Baxter and her daughter Cherie-Anne both work at financial planning company Unividual on Upper Bristol Road.

They say family businesses have been in their blood for over a century C: My father, John Baxter, established Unividual in 2000...

In 2004, the business moved to Bath, and, at that point, my mum joined. I joined in 2014, and, now, my mum supports the operational and finance side of the business in my team.

C: Family business has been in our blood for over 100 years...

Richard of T.R. Hayes says working with his mum, Margaret, every day means they can sometimes take each other for granted

MARGARET & RICHARD

Margaret and Richard Hayes are both directors at Bath’s T.R. Hayes furniture store on London Street. Richard tells us more We’re both pretty serious...

People often say I take after my mother; we are both fairly quiet and like to keep busy. Our relationship is excellent, with hardly ever a cross word; it’s the same inside and outside of work, although we try not to talk about the shop when we’re not in it.

Working together does mean we take each other for granted a bit...

It’s lovely to see each other every day, but if we saw each other less it might mean we spent more quality time together.

Something that amazes me about my mum is...

Her work ethics. And it’s incredible that she still has the energy and drive to come to work every day.

My father ran a business alongside my grandfather and greatgrandfather. You get used to adapting your relationship to suit a professional environment; you slightly adjust your tone of voice and language, for example. At home, it’s different, obviously.

C: We’re quite different in some ways...

Mum is realistic, and has a balanced approach to things...

A: Cherie-Anne is a forward-thinker with entrepreneurial ideas.

C: But in other ways, we’re similar...

We look identical, that’s the first thing; people always think we are sisters – that’s probably more of a compliment to my mum. In terms of personality, we are both patient and caring and we don’t take ourselves too seriously.

C: We’re close outside of the office, too...

We take trips down to London, go for spa days, go to the rugby and walk my dog, and you can often find us in The Porter, eating scallops.

C: The biggest skill I’ve learned from mum is...

how to problem solve; she always thinks so laterally to come up with ideas. On top of that, I’ve learnt how to organise things; there’s a storage pot for every occasion.

A: Cherie-Anne’s thirst for knowledge is very admirable; she never stops learning.

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 49

MOTHER’S DAY NICKIE, JESS & KIANA

Nickie Portman owns fashion and accessories shop Portman, on Milsom Street; her two daughters, Jess and Kiana, help with the online offering and the marketing side. Nickie tells us more Jess runs the online side of Portman

I was delighted when she decided to do this. The online side is called Portman London; it’s been a great asset to our shop in Bath. Jess has a degree in international fashion and business management, so this role is well suited to her.

My other daughter, Kiana, is also on board...

She is working on her own plans but she helps with marketing the business. We have a lot of fun together, I love being with them and I’m thrilled that I can now focus more on designing the jewellery and leather jackets for the shop.

Different generations are always great in business...

I learnt from my dad, and I still work with him and my brother at our other shops in Devon. The girls are part of the new generation.

Working together means I see more of her...

© ANDREW WELLS

We now have a shared passion: buying and sourcing collections. I love travelling with her, and getting a different perspective is fantastic.

Nickie, who’s dad taught her how to run a business, now receives help from her own two daughters at Portman

50 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

When she opened B Hairdressing, Harriet says it was a no-brainer to get her mum, Sam, on board

MOTHER’S DAY

SAMANTHA & HARRIET

Harriet Barber, who runs B Hairdressing, in Widcombe, says working with her mum, Samantha, the salon director, is a double-edged sword H: When I opened B, it was a no-brainer to get my mum on board...

We’ve worked together on and off for the last eight years anyway, so we knew we’d work well together. We work alongside each other three days a week – Mum’s part time – but you could say us ‘working’ together started over 21 years ago, when Mum was a dinner lady at my school.

S: We have very different personalities...

Harriet can be very reserved, incredibly organised and has a photographic memory; she’s definitely the boss at the salon.

I, on the other hand, prefer organised chaos, and I love to chat.

H: It’s a double-edged sword working with a family member...

As the business is always at the forefront of any conversation, there’s hardly any downtime. The whole family has helped out at some point in the salon, even my two-year-old niece, Edie, who entertains the clients.

But we are very lucky that we’ve always had a very good relationship; we always try to see one another’s points of view, not always agreeing but always being supportive. Our working lives are very different to our family lives, though.

Spot the difference. Beatrice, of The Duchess Beauty Heaven, often gets mistaken for her daughter Emily

S: We care about the same things...

BEATRICE & EMILY

H: We probably spend more time than is healthy together...

B: I asked my daughter to join me in business

We’re both passionate about recycling, and will only use products – from colour to cleaning – that are cruelty free and vegan.

We both love to travel, so we holiday together, and, up until recently, we lived together.

S: I’m amazed at how much my daughter has achieved...

And at such a young age, too.

H: I’ve realised just how thoughtful Mum is, and also that she’s not such a dinosaur with her laptop as I thought.

S: A quirky fact about Harriet is...

she collects snow globes and has an ever-growing collection.

H: My mum used to live in Paris, and her French is still pretty good.

Beatrice Pounder owns The Duchess Beauty Heaven salon, on Walcot Street, and her daughter, Emily Pounder, manages their second salon: The Little Duchess, in Combe Down as I had to relocate the salon. Emily helped me rebrand and expand it.

E: It was perfect timing. I was struggling to juggle the school run and a daily commute to Bristol, so it was the ideal next step. I jumped at the chance to manage staff and to open a second site: The Little Duchess.

B: Until this January, we worked together every day for over two years...

We are now based in separate locations, but speak throughout the day.

We also only live three doors away from each other.

E: Our personal relationship can be a bit fiery at times...

B: But working together has brought us a bit closer. As colleagues, we

have learned to respect each other’s viewpoints.

B: We balance each other out...

Emily’s a real people person; I’m a bit more analytical in style.

E: She means she’s a geek and a perfectionist.

E: I used to think I was the opposite of my mother...

“You could say us ‘working’ together started over 21 years ago, when Mum was a dinner lady at my school”

so it was weird to discover how alike we are. We get mistaken for each other all the time.

B: We can’t always see it, but we are mirror images of each other – in looks and personality.

E: The negative to being in business together is...

It’s harder to have boundaries. Sometimes mother-daughter chat intrudes at work, and sometimes a family get-together is hijacked as a business meeting.

E: Something amazing about my mum is...

she was a captain in the army reserves; she was the first female officer to lead Gurkha soldiers in the field.

B: Emily used to be a model; she featured in Vogue Italia while pregnant with her daughter.

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 53

THE ARTS

© THOMAS KELLNER

S N A P S H O T S O F B AT H ’ S C U LT U R A L L I F E

SHAKE IT OFF

Famous landmarks dance before our eyes as Thomas Kellner’s photography shows a somewhat distorted relationship with America. The process, where he takes a series of shots to create a picture, plays with notions of construction and deconstruction, movement and disharmony, and has often been referred to as a form of cubism.

For this exhibition, Thomas has selected some of his favourite pieces that capture wellknown architectural sights in the USA, such as the Grand Canyon, the Golden Gate Bridge and, as featured above, the United States Capitol building in Washington.

The All Shook up exhibition runs from 16 March to 3 November at the American Museum & Gardens, Claverton Manor, Bath; www.americanmuseum.org

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 55

WHAT’S ON 16 March – 13 April

Romeo and Juliet is on at the egg theatre

EXHIBITIONS Until 17 March

CORINNA BUTTON Painter-printmaker Corinna Button explores themes of feminine identity, her distinct practice being defined through her application of texture and patterning.

Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm; Axle Arts; www.axlearts.com

Until 22 April

WHY MUSEUMS MATTER This exhibition examines the connection between museums, creativity, mental health and wellbeing. Each piece will reveal a personal connection, exploring how individual objects and opportunities to learn new art skills can inspire creative journeys.

Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm, 11am5pm Sunday; general admission £12.50; The Holburne Museum; www.holburne.org

Until 27 April

EMMA HART: BANGER Emma Hart’s work has been described as ‘badly-behaved’, challenging assumptions and

56 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

stereotypes in her quest to make art to which everyone can relate.

Tuesday –Saturday 1pm-5pm (late night Wednesday open until 7pm); The Edge; www.edgearts.org

Until 28 April

JASON DORLEY-BROWN Jason’s work has been influenced by his years in the photo industry; he has a passion for colour, symmetry, abstract and pop art along with using and mixing ‘old school’ and modern techniques to create striking imagery.

Monday-Sunday 8am-8pm Art at the Heart of the RUH, Central Gallery; www.artatruh.org

Until 6 May

GEORGE SHAW: A CORNER OF A FOREIGN FIELD Shaw’s paintings, made with enamel model paint, focus on the Tile Hill estate – a post-war development on the outskirts of Coventry, where he grew up. Steeped in modern and historic traditions, Shaw’s work alludes to 20th-century painting and photography, and the legacy of such European masters as Titian.

Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday

11am-5pm; general admission £12.50; The Holburne Museum; www.holburne.org

Until 7 May

of Edinburgh’s carriage-driving gloves. The exhibition also touches on outer space with a Soviet cosmonaut’s glove and a costume glove from the Star Wars film The Empire Strikes Back.

10.30am-4pm; included in Fashion Museum ticket; Fashion Museum Bath; www.fashionmuseum.co.uk

ENDANGERED AND EXTINCT (CREATIVE RECYCLING BY VAL HUNT) Animals, exotic birds, fish, dinosaurs and species of flora, all on the edge of extinction, or now extinct, have been made from a selection of throwaway material.

This exhibition presents a subtle message about recycling and preservation, raising awareness of why the creatures on show are endangered or extinct.

10.30am-5pm; Victoria Art Gallery; www.victoriagal.org.uk

ALL SHOOK UP: THOMAS KELLNER’S AMERICA Photography showing landmark sights in the USA, in Kellner’s signature distorted style. For more, see page 55.

Tuesday-Sunday 11am-5pm; American Museum & Gardens; www.americanmuseum.org

Until 1 March 2020

17 – 31 March

GLOVE STORIES An eclectic display of historical gloves from the past 400 years, many of which have never been displayed to the public before.

Highlights include embroidered gauntlet gloves from the 1600s, a curious pair of gloves in a walnut shell from the 1830s, and the Duke

16 March – 3 November

MODERN ARTBUYER SPRING POP-UP A pop-up gallery showcasing contemporary paintings and prints by artists including Maria Rivans, Bonnie and Clyde, Victoria Topping, Paul Minott, Paul Bennett, Caroline Hall, Plum Neasmith and Chuck Elliott.

WHAT’S ON Monday-Saturday 10am-6pm, Sunday 11am-4pm; Unit 23 Milsom Place; Milsom Street and Broad Street; www.modernartbuyer.com

22 – 24 March

© GERRARD GETHINGS

BEWITCHINGLY BEAUTIFUL – THE HALL Melissa Wishart is showing new oil paintings, drawings and encaustic wax pieces inspired by her artist in residency this winter at the Jacobean Hall.

11am-6pm; West Barn, next to Tithe Barn, Bradford on Avon; www.melissawishart.com

ABOVE: Kate Spicer will be at chatting about Lost Dog at Topping & Company Booksellers of Bath LEFT: Sir Ian McKellen will be at the Theatre Royal; BELOW: Funny man Ardal O’Hanlon is performing at Komedia

PLAYS/SHOWS 18 – 23 March

GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS An office of cut-throat Chicago salesmen are pitched in a highstakes competition against each other. Four increasingly desperate employees will do anything to sell the most real estate. This modern classic won every major dramatic award on Broadway and in the West End and was later adapted by David Mamet for the 1992 film starring Jack Lemmon and Al Pacino.

Various times and prices; Theatre Royal Bath; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

© OLIVER ROSSER

24 March

IAN MCKELLEN ON STAGE To celebrate his 80th birthday, Sir Ian McKellen will be taking to the stage to perform some of his most memorable roles, plus indulge in his thespian anecdotes from his glittering career.

Various times and prices; Theatre Royal Bath; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

27 – 30 March

PLAYHOUSE CREATURES The Rondo Theatre Company performs a story about the first professional actresses to appear on the English stage, at the command of a monarch with an eye for a pretty girl. Described as both comic and moving.

Various times and prices; The Ustinov Studio; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

© MARK NIXON

28 March – 27 April

THE OMISSION OF THE FAMILY COLEMAN This absurdist comedy follows three generations of the dysfunctional Coleman family living under one roof on the verge of chaos, held in check by their matriarchal grandmother.

Various times and prices; The Ustinov Studio; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

2 – 6 April

EQUUS When teenager Alan Strang’s pathological fascination with horses leads him to commit a devastating act of violence, psychiatrist Dr. Martin Dysart reluctantly accepts the task of uncovering what actually happened the night the crime was committed. Peter Shaffer’s play exploded onto the scene in 1973 and went on to become a huge worldwide hit.

Various times and prices; Theatre Royal Bath; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

MUSIC 23 March

THE SCRIPT The Irish pop rock band spawned a plethora of hits, including We Cry, Breakeven and The Man Who Can’t be Moved. The trio will be performing all their hits plus new material.

Doors 7pm, show: 7.30pm; from £39.50 (+ booking fees); Bath Forum; www.bathforum.co.uk

29 March

ANITA HARRIS The singer’s career spans over 50 years: treading the boards in Las Vegas, starring in two Carry On films, gracing the Top of the Pops charts with hits such as Just Loving You, Anniversary Waltz and Dream A Little Dream Of Me, and starring in Cats in the West End. 8pm-10.30 pm; £18; Chapel Arts Centre; www.chapelarts.org

1 April

GABRIELLE The soul singer will be performing songs from her new album and showcasing her signature hits, such as her number one single Dreams.

7pm; various prices; Komedia www.komedia.co.uk

6 April

UB40 Birmingham’s world-famous reggae stars UB40 celebrating their 40th anniversary with a huge tour. Fans can expect to hear their greatest hits, including, Kingston Town and Red, Red Wine.

Doors 7.30pm, show 8pm; various prices; Bath Forum; www.bathforum.co.uk

6 April

BLOXX The female-fronted four-piece band specialise in contagious indie pop with an underbelly of grunge.

7pm; Moles; www.moles.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 57

WHAT’S ON FAMILY

16 – 24 March

HOW TO CATCH A STAR Based on the book by awardwinning Irish author Oliver Jeffers, this non-verbal adaptation combines puppetry and a magical original score by Colm Mac Con Iomaire. All performances of this show are suitable for children with various sensory and communication disorders or learning difficulties.

Various times and prices; the egg; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

23 March

BATH COMIC CON Cast members from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Only Fools and Horses will be there, alongside other starts, artists and authors from the TV, film and comic world. Fancy dress optional.

10am-4.30pm; various prices; The Assembly Rooms; www.creedconventions.com

28 – 31 March

KALEIDOSCOPE Using a unique blend of gentle, playful performance, sound and lighting, babies and their grown ups are invited to discover the magic of a multicoloured world.

Various times and prices; the egg; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

2 – 7 April

ROMEO AND JULIET The tragedy about two starcrossed lovers will be performed by theatre company Box Clever, which specialises in producing contemporary theatre for young people.

Various times and prices; the egg; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

6 – 21 April

QUIRKY QUIZ TRAIL FOR FAMILIES Beckford Tower is a special place where William Beckford displayed his unusual and precious art objects.

This is a drop-in activity taking in some of the surprising treasures.

Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays: 10.30am – 5pm (last entry 4.30pm); various prices; Beckford’s Tower & Museum; www.beckfordstower.org.uk

OTHER 17 March

ARDAL O’HANLON: THE SHOWING OFF MUST GO ON

58 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

The comic and star of Father Ted will be giving his thoughts on everything from the MeToo movement, to £15 gin and tonics 8pm, various prices; Komedia www.komedia.co.uk

24 March

THE GREAT ESCAPE WITH DAN SNOW On the 75th anniversary of the real-life POW escape from the Stalag Luft III prison in Germanoccupied Poland, Dan Snow hosts a commemorative evening at the Eventim Apollo in London, which will be broadcast live as a pre-show to the Little Theatre, followed by a screening of The Great Escape. 6pm; the Little theatre; www.picturehouses.com

27 March

THE WINTER OF THE WITCH WITH KATHERINE ARDEN The writer will be chatting about her last book in the popular Winternight trilogy, taking in fairy tale fiction, Russian myths and magical trilogies.

7pm; £6; Mr B’s Emporium; www. mrbsemporium.com

30 March

SELVEDGE TEXTILES FAIR The team behind the cult magazine Selvedge brings a curated collection of 50 merchants and makers to Bath. Exhibitors sell a range of rare vintage fabrics, covetable haberdashery and skilfully handmade textile treasures.

11am-5pm; various entry prices; The Assembly Rooms; www.selvedge.org

9 April

THINGS IN JARS WITH JESS KIDD Costa Award-winning writer Jess Kidd will be chatting about her new book, which sees Bridie Divine, the finest female detective in all of Victorian London, with her reputation in tatters.

7pm; £6; Mr B’s Emporium; www. mrbsemporium.com

10 April

KATE SPICER’S LOST DOG IN BATH The journalist will be chatting about her tragicomic memoir, Lost Dog, a love story, a myth of modern womanhood, and the enduring mystery of the relationship between human and canine.

7pm; £6; Mr B’s Emporium; www.mrbsemporium.com

ABOVE: Gabrielle will be singing her hits at Komedia LEFT: Bloxx will be peforming at Moles BELOW: The Great Escape will screen at the Little Theatre

WHAT’S ON

LEFT:

Julian Clary will be on stage at Komedia; Walcot House will be host to Rory Bremner; RIGHT: Jonty Stephens and Ian Ashpitel will be Morecambe and Wise at Bath Forum MIDDLE:

BATH COMEDY FESTIVAL: 26 MARCH – 14 APRIL A selection of comedy events going on in various locations across the city 26 March

29 March

1 April

Rory will be doing all the voices, while support comes from Rob Rouse – seen recently as Bottom in BBC2’s Shakespeare sitcom Upstart Crow. After the show, stay and dance the night away.

7.45pm; various prices; Walcot House

Join fellow fans for a very special screening of the most quoted cult classic film, Withnail and I, and get to shout along with all the sweariest moments.

Special guest introduction, and prize for the best dressed character from the film.

8.30pm for 9pm show; £8; Widcombe Social Club

Expect non-stop laughs from the likes of Del Boy, Rodney, Cassandra, Trigger, Marlene, Uncle Albert and more.

7pm for 7.30pm show; £57.50 includes three-course meal and cocktail; Abbey Hotel

OPENING NIGHT SHOW AND PARTY – STARRING IMPRESSIONIST RORY BREMNER

27 March

SAM WYATT – I PREDICT A WYATT Two contestants, four games and only one host, expect a well-polished cheesy gameshow.

8.45pm; St James Wine Vaults

28 March

THE SMOKING DUCK COMEDY PLAYGROUP

With everything from satirical songs and filthy poetry to weird character comedy, veterans include local acts Ben Thurston, Matt Alford, Sam Cottle, Mattoid, Steve Hughes, Alan Francis and Mishka Shubaly.

8pm; The Bell Inn

29 March

JULIAN CLARY

In this outrageously camp new show, funny man Julian Clary will bare his soul as never before in the interests of light entertainment.

6pm for 7.30pm show; £25 / £23 concs; Komedia

60 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

SWEAR ALONG WITH WITHNAIL AND I

30 March

FESTIVAL OPENING WEEKEND GALA SHOW – STAND-UP AND MUSICAL COMEDY SHOWCASE

A glittering array of fantastic comedic talent in celebration of the festival, featuring a mixture of delightful musical comedy and stand-up.

7pm for 8pm show; £22 / £18 concs; Walcot House

31 March

RARE SPECIES FROME – THE FECUND COMING

What lies beneath Frome’s cobbled streets and why has it become such a popular location for hipsters and artisans to settle?

Peppered with humorous observations, cultural references, stories, poetry and song, this 50-minute tour reaches the parts other tours cannot reach.

3pm; £10; Frome town centre

ONLY FOOLS THE (CUSHTY DINING EXPERIENCE)

4 April

AN EVENING OF ERIC & ERN

It’s a show full of Morecambe and Wise’s most loved routines, songs and sketches and, of course, a musical guest.

6.30pm for 7.30pm show; £20 – £25; Bath Forum

7 April

BIZARRE BATH

Join the celebrated stroll which takes an irreverent look at the city of Bath.

8pm show; £8 / £5 concs; Meet outside The Huntsman

13 April

FESTIVAL CLOSING WEEKEND GALA SHOW – STARRING FRED MACAULAY & JOHN MOLONEY 7pm for 8pm show; £22 / £18 concs; Apex Hotel Conference Centre For full details on all events: www.bathcomedy.com

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Meet the jeweller

Our local businesses are poised and ready to help with all your jewellery needs this spring DAISY COPPIN

GUY DOUGLAS

COPPINS OF CORSHAM

OWNER, THE SILVER SHOP

01249 715404; www.coppinsofcorsham.co.uk

01225 464781; www.thesilvershopofbath.co.uk info@thesilvershopofbath.co.uk

When did you realise you wanted to be a jeweller?

When I was four my family opened our shop in Corsham where I grew up, so perhaps it was inevitable I would follow my parents along the path to become a jeweller.

From a young age I was helping in the shop. I went to London College of Fashion and studied theatrical makeup, but returning to the shop at weekends I knew my heart was in jewellery.

What do you love most about your job?

Like the little girl helping out in the shop, I’m still fascinated by different gem stones and the characteristics that define them. Travelling around the world meeting the people that collect these ethically sourced gems, bringing them home, designing and making them into pieces of jewellery is very fulfilling.

What makes Coppins different?

We have been making and repairing jewellery in the same building in Corsham for 36 years, where Peacocks roam the high street and parking is free! Retail nowadays is all about the experience and at our shop you can see our craftsmen making your jewellery in our workshop, discuss your bespoke ideas and take advantage of our combined 150 years of knowledge.

Your shop is still busy after 67 years in business, what’s the secret to that success?

I think it’s all about how people feel when they come in.

It’s a relaxed shop, so there’s no pressure and we have fun with customers. We try to think long-term, treat people well, offer good value and have beautiful things.

You have silver jewellery, but also sell gifts – is there a conflict for space?

They work well together. Despite having a shop-front only 10 feet wide, we have the widest range of silver jewellery in Bath and the shop goes back a long way!

The gifts in our shop are crucial to our business – from bears to bronzes and clocks to coffee cups – we try to have something for everyone and all occasions.

Daisy Coppin

Guy Douglas

CHRISTOPHER MILTON STEVENS

LEE ORTON

BESPOKE JEWELLERY DESIGNER 01225 840976; www.cmsjewellers.com

ORTON JEWELLERY; 6-7 Market St, Bradford on Avon 01225 309039; www.ortonjewellery.co.uk

What kind of a person wears your jewellery?

We make such a wide range of jewellery it’s difficult to pin this down. Our clients tend to be curious people, interested in jewellery, and from all walks of life.

What’s changed since you left New Bond Street?

Customers using the internet to research their ideas and the introduction of technology to the bespoke design process.

Have traditional methods of designing and making gone forever?

Not at all, technology just enhances the process and makes it more rewarding. I can now show customer’s what their ideas look like in real life – using computer renders, and I can print 3D models for them to try on before I start making the final version. The design process is more flexible, creative and risk-free - you get exactly what you want.

What advice do you give your customers looking for an engagement ring?

Collect as many ideas as possible, then let’s discuss.

I’ll explain about all the components required i.e. metals, diamonds, and gemstones, then you can take control of the decisions. Enjoy reviewing my initial designs, and try on as many 3D printed models, to make sure it’s perfect before I start their real ring. It’s a great shared experience.

62 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

It’s tough on the high street, how do you feel about the future?

After nearly 70 years, we’re very lucky that we have so many loyal customers who keep coming in and we’re most grateful for that. People always need presents and still love shopping, especially in independents... Bath’s a special city for visitors too, so we’re very optimistic.

Christopher Milton Stevens

Lee Orton

What is the most extravagant piece of jewellery you have sold/made?

Imagine anything in precious metal, we’ve either made it or we can make it. Classic diamond rings, to objet d’art, ecclesiastical pieces, to commemorative commissions and large scale items like scale replicas of buildings and cars. Not forgetting literally hundreds of bespoke pieces of fine jewellery.

What sets you apart from other jewellers on the high street?

Our ethos is the antithesis of the high street model. We offer the opportunity to actually meet the person that will design and make your jewellery, to see the workshop in action and to support local skilled people. There is no comparison really.

Describe your average day...

Some days are spent at the bench, in creative flow. Others simply business strategy meetings and tax returns. Most enjoyable are busy days with clients. I love a good conversation, so it’s more of a social occasion than work really!

ADVERTISING FEATURE

MICHAEL PARSONS

JODY CORY

OWNER / GOLDSMITH, GOLD & PLATINUM STUDIO LTD

JODY CORY GOLDSMITHS 01225 460072; www.jodycory.co.uk

01225 462300; www.goldandplatinumstudio.co.uk How did you start out in retailing?

I started creating jewellery at the age of 15 at Bath Technical College. I loved it so much that I went on to study goldsmithing and jewellery design in Manchester, returning to Bath in 1998. I gained invaluable skills working along side Terry Davies at Bath Goldsmith company. Then an opportunity came along for me to start a shop of my own in 2001, and I haven’t looked back since, as I am still so passionate about designing and creating jewellery.

What are your major plans for 2019?

We will be continuing to promote our new designer shop in Northumberland Place, and celebrating handmade ranges

by British designers including Alex Monroe, Dower and Hall to name a few. We will, of course, still be offering the same great service here in our Abbey Churchyard store, where we created many bespoke pieces in-store.

When did you first realize you wanted to pursue a career as a jeweller?

As a child I was interested in gemstones, I even had a collection of crystals. Also fascinated by entomology I spent hours sketching butterflies. Studying jewellery seemed right, a creative path that tied in my interests.

I have now been designing and making for over 30 years. I think it was the right choice!

What sets you apart from other jewellers on the high street?

We hand make our own designs in the workshop on site. We also create bespoke pieces and remodel client’s jewellery. The whole process happens in one place, so it’s very personal.

Jody Cory

Which accomplishment has made you proudest?

Being recognized for our quality and service when we were nominated for two national awards Retailer of the Year by the National Association of Jewellers, and Designer Maker Boutique of the Year by Professional Jeweller.

What is your favourite part of the job?

Seeing somebody’s face light up when collecting a piece of jewellery I have designed and handmade especially for them.

Michael Parsons

NICHOLAS WYLDE

JAKE NASH-WILSON

NICHOLAS WYLDE GOLDSMITH & JEWELLER

S.P. GREEN & CO LTD

01225 462826; www.nicholaswylde.com

01225 442 495 info@spgreen.com www.spgreen.com What sets you apart from other jewellers on the high street?

We offer quality jewellery at manufacturing prices, with a friendly and welcoming attitude. Customers can expect a huge stock of diamond and coloured stoned jewellery as well as loose diamonds, bespoke and remodelling services.

Give us your advice on how to best look after our jewellery…

I would ignore the myth of dipping jewellery in gin!

Consider durability, precious metals are soft, even platinum can be damaged if not treated with care.

Recently, I have seen an increase in damage to jewellery due to gym equipment recently. Diamonds and sapphires are tough whereas emeralds can be brittle and opals can crack relatively easily. Porous materials like opals should be kept away from chemicals and perfume.

What is your signature style?

Right from starting the business in 1987 I set out to be one of the best independent creative jewellers in the country, something I can delightedly say I have now achieved – with an industry award to prove it! I wanted to be ahead of the curve – I didn’t want to necessarily follow trends. The style I have best become known for is an array of simple curves and straight lines surrounding carefully selected and beautiful stones.

Jake Nash-Wilson

What are upcoming trends in the jewellery industry?

More and more people are looking for a personal bespoke service where they can select a loose diamond and have it mounted to a bespoke design. We are also finding our extensive range of coloured stone rings and jewellery to be incredibly popular in Bath.

Give us your advice on how to best look after our jewellery.

Come and see us. We offer free jewellery cleaning to all of our customers, including polishing and servicing your jewellery free of charge.

Nicholas Wylde

Do you have a memorable client?

We have a huge number of memorable clients because we actually sit down and spend time with them. We can get quite attached to the journeys behind their jewellery – it is one of the most meaningful kinds of items a person can own after all. A recent and particularly moving commission was for a client who’s been coming to me since 1987. Sadly, some journeys come to an end, and to do her late husband’s memory justice I designed an intricate engraved locket with interlinking photo windows and doors that would hold his ashes. This was one piece that moved many members of the team.

Over the years we have also made bespoke pieces for famous people including TV stars, actors, sportsmen and even royalty – but whoever walks through the door, everyone, and their jewellery journey, is treated with equal importance. www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 63

BATH LIFE DEPUTY EDITOR Bath Life, the premier magazine for Bath, is looking for an energetic deputy editor to join its editorial team, on a maternitycover basis for nine months. You’ll need to be a highly literate, supremely organised self-starter with a great visual eye and enthusiasm for all things Bath. Reporting directly to the editor, your duties will include: • Finding and writing up the hottest new stories in the arts, business, retail, food and drink sectors • Feature writing • Attending regular Bath Life events and parties across the city • Proof reading • Organising photography

You will need to be: • Proactive in finding timesensitive, exciting stories, news and events • Organised and efficient • A skilled networker • Someone with their finger on the pulse of what's happening in Bath

If you’re interested, please email your CV to: lisa.evans@mediaclash.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk

ARTS

THE ART OF BUYING ART Should you buy on impulse? Can you haggle? How do you educate yourself? Here, local artists and gallerists give us the dos and don’ts of purchasing art

By Lisa Evans

Cosmic Elements IV, £300, by Victoria Topping, available at Modern ArtBuyer

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 65

A

rt can be an intimidating world. It seems that everyone understands what’s going on except you, which can make it difficult to buy your first piece. But it’s not that difficult, say the art experts and collectors of Bath; here, they give us their ultimate guide...

Ink and gouache on paper, £2,500, by René Gruau, available at Gray M.C.A

66 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

“The first step is to be brave”

ARTS WHERE TO BEGIN?

When it comes to deciding what pieces to buy, how to educate yourself, and how to set a budget, here are four tips to get you started...

1FIND A CONNECTION

Buying art for your home and your enjoyment is more about having the confidence in your own taste and style, according to Katie O’Brien, project director at 44AD artspace on Abbey Street. She says to go for something that you love; see the art that you surround yourself with as an extension of your individuality.

Kirstie Jackson, the director of Pencil Tree on Cleveland Terrace, agrees that the first step is to be brave; buy a first piece – whether it’s a print, an original painting, or poster – and the rest will follow.

Bridget Sterling, the director of Axle Arts on Leighton Road, suggests that many people are drawn to art because, within it, they recognise a place or subject that means something to them. But as you develop your relationship with collecting fine art, she says, this can grow into a recognition of emotion from the artist.

2CONSIDER YOUR SPACE

The space you have available at home in which to showcase art is an important factor to consider, says Katie at 44AD, and, also, will the art work cohesively (or clash beautifully, if that’s your style) with the rest of your décor? If you have something in mind but are just not finding the right piece for your space, Katie advises that you think about commissioning an artist to create something new, allowing you to have an input over the dimensions and the palette.

3EDUCATE YOURSELF

Will Cooper – whose curator role is shared between The Holburne Museum on Great Pulteney Street, and the Edge at the University of Bath – recommends that you see as much art as you can. “View things

ABOVE: Painter on the Road, Summer, £350, by George Shaw,

available at The Holburne Museum

BELOW: Helix 6666, £480, by Keith Varney, available at David

Simon Contemporary

you’re not sure you’ll like, and be okay with not liking something; disliking artworks, is as valuable a response as liking something. You can learn a lot from both.”

To do this, you could swing by local galleries, museums, and art fairs, or flick through specialist magazines or art books – at Gray M.C.A, on Margaret’s Buildings, for example, you’ll find a huge selection of books referencing fashion and textiles. Or maybe you could browse online sites, like Saatchi Art or Pinterest, or just go back to basics and talk to friends about their artwork, suggests Emma Rose of Emma Rose Artworks on Walcot Street. If you still find yourself at a loss for inspiration, Jessica Lloyd-Smith, gallery director at Modern ArtBuyer in Limpley Stoke, says dealers and artists are always happy to answer questions, so don’t be afraid to pick their brains.

Many museums and galleries also offer talks and guided tours to help you hone your eye, says Jeni Weinberger, the director of Art Salon on Broad Street, who personally always likes to speak with a dealer and check out that dealer on LinkedIn or similar. Most importantly, never allow yourself to be intimidated, says Kirstie at Pencil Tree.

4SET A BUDGET

Obviously, try to keep your choices within your budget, cautions Connie Gray, fashion illustration specialist and curator at Gray M.C.A, and, as everyone’s reaction to art is different, she says to not allow yourself to be led by others; trust your own judgement.

Will at The Holburne says to remember that you get what you pay for; it’s also important to remember the hidden costs that are associated with buying art – like framing, transport and insurance.

Jessica at Modern ArtBuyer recommends starting small and buying the best quality piece you can with that budget – perhaps an original print in a limited edition, or a drawing – so that you can begin to develop your taste and collection. “It can be a little like selecting wine in an exclusive restaurant,” she says, “tell the dealer how much you’d like to spend and give them a brief, then let them use their expertise to make the best possible choice for you.”

Dr Nicole Chiang, curator at the Museum of East Asian Art (MEAA), on Bennett Street, recommends finding out the prices of comparable works at recent sales; not forgetting to include commissions in your budget; and to think about future maintenance costs.

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 67

ARTS TO HAGGLE, OR NOT TO HAGGLE...

If you were buying a home, you’d probably negotiate a price; is that the same with art?

Or is it offensive to try to haggle?

YES

YOU SHOULD HAGGLE

“There is no real benchmark for valuing art – like there is with gold, for example – so prices are largely set based on the reputation and quality of the artist, and the demand and rarity of their artwork,” says Jessica at Modern ArtBuyer. “As such, it’s acceptable to ask for a discount, particularly if you are a repeat customer.”

• Negotiation is part of life, and fine art is no different, says Bridget at Axle Arts, but the general rule of thumb is up to 10 per cent. “Both artist and gallerist need to earn a living,” she says. “So asking for more than 10 per cent off is generally offensive.”

• Katie at 44AD thinks it’s always fair to negotiate, especially if you’re buying directly from the artist.

• “You can always negotiate,” says Will at The Holburne. “But it’s often worth building a relationship with the gallerist, dealer or artist first. So, maybe don’t negotiate hard for the first piece that you’re buying.”

• “It’s OK to consider haggling,” says artist Emma Rose.

“However, the buyer should be sensitive to whether they are negotiating with a gallery or an artist. A gallery will probably have built in some leeway into the price, but I sell my work direct to the public and I occasionally find it difficult to take aggressive haggling, as we’re talking about something I have created, after years of experience.”

NO

YOU SHOULDN’T HAGGLE

“Don’t be offended if the answer is no,” says Emma Birts, the owner of Rostra Gallery which established its name in Bath before developing online and pop-up venues early this year.

• “Artists often set the price of the artwork, and, despite the common perception, the mark-up on art is not big, so there isn’t much wiggle room for galleries. Artists tend to work long hours for the love of it and don’t often earn much per hour. If the gallery is reputable, then the price will usually be fair to start with.”

• David Simon, of David Simon Contemporary on Bartlett Street, says many artists have irregular income, therefore, when purchasing works, buyers should respect the advertised price; haggling is more accepted on the secondary market.

• “Most people don’t haggle,” says Jeni at the Art Salon. “They understand the piece is unique and handcrafted over many weeks or months. The average hourly rate in the art world is well below the national minimum; the margins are very tight, which is why you see so many galleries closing down.”

“It’s like selecting wine in a restaurant; give the dealer a brief, then let them make the best choice for you” Contemporary ceramics, from £150, by Fay Hadfield, available at 44AD artspace

68 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

HONG KONG 1st dibs on the collection going to Hong Kong Affordable Art Fair.

Preview this weekend 15 – 16 March Tickets to the fair available: 17 - 19 May

21 Broad Street, Bath, BA1 5LN 01225 422 220 www.artsalon.co.uk

BRITISH ARTS Celebrating the best of British Art, from 20 March

ARTS INVEST IS BEST?

How should you go about finding investment pieces that have the potential to increase in value in the future?

LOOK...

for art with a famous or well-known artist’s signature; sceptics argue that it is this you are buying, not the work, says Bridget at Axle Arts.

TALK...

to a gallery you trust, research the artist and try to buy only limitededition, handmade prints or originals, says Emma at Rostra Gallery.

VISIT...

university degree shows. It’s at these you’ll make direct contact with the artists and creatives, and, you never know, the graduate at the beginning of their career that you have just supported could turn out to make the big time, says Katie at 44AD.

GET...

to know the dealer of the art gallery you’re most drawn to. The dealer will know how the artist is performing, if the prices have gone up recently, and if the prices are about to increase. You need to understand the artist and those representing them to make an informed purchase investment, says Jeni at the Art Salon.

CREATE...

an investment portfolio by choosing a range of works from a selection of artists – from someone well known (e.g. Sir Peter Blake’s work regularly goes up in price) to an artist just starting out that has all the elements in place to become successful (e.g. training, a range of galleries showing their work, or awards) – says Emma at Rostra Gallery.

IF...

it is unique, there is a much higher chance of a return on your investment, says Jeni at the Art Salon.

KEEP...

the invoice or receipt, as this is proof of the artwork’s provenance, and is vital if you ever want to resell it, says Bridget at Axle Arts. Also, David of David Simon Contemporary says to ask the gallery for copies of the receipt (in case you mislay one) alongside the artist’s biographical notes, exhibition catalogues and anything to support its validity.

NOTE...

a gallery’s address and contact details. Bridget at Axle Arts says they are especially valuable to have on your receipt to prove that the artwork is what it is. It should also contain: the name of the work, the artists name, the media, the dimensions and the full purchase price.

BUY... from a reputable art gallery which is a member of internationally recognised trade organisations such as BADA and LAPADA; these dealers work to a strict international code and therefore you are assured that what you are purchasing is the real thing, says Connie at Gray M.C.A. APPRECIATE...

the work you are buying. As with all investments, it can differ greatly how well your art purchase will perform in terms of value, but if you can look at it every day and get pleasure from it anyway, what a bonus, says Emma at Rostra.

CARE...

for it. Ensure it’s conservation framed or stored safely, flat, in acid-free materials, says Emma at Rostra.

REMEMBER...

buying art for investment goes against the integrity and beauty of a work of art somewhat. The motives for buying art should be greater than profit, says Jessica at Modern ArtBuyer.

Arabesque, £2,250, by Edward Willis, available at David Simon Contemporary

70 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

“Most importantly, never allow yourself to be intimidated”

AFFORDABLE ART

The Shadows Took Shape, £500, by Victoria Topping, available at Modern ArtBuyer

A few penny-saving tips from those in the know...

Kirstie at Pencil Tree points out that we’re lucky to have so many local art trails in Bath, so you may well find an affordable piece by attending.

“I love Bear Flat Artists,” she says. “It’s been running for many years and has a wide range of artworks of high quality; my favourites are by Wendy Batt – who produces lino prints of Bath’s domestic architecture – and by Charlotte Farmer, whose witty and modern screen prints grab your attention.”

When it comes to how to buy the pieces, some galleries offer schemes which allow you to pay off an artwork over time, after which you can take the artwork home. “It’s amazing how quickly the time passes, and seeing a client walk off with the piece triumphantly is rewarding in itself,” says Bridget at Axle Arts. “Other galleries offer Own Art, which is an interest-free loan; or you can use a credit card.”

If you can’t afford an original painting you’ve fallen in love with, ask if you can buy a print of the work instead, recommends Katie at 44AD. She also advises to follow artists and galleries on social media and never feel apprehensive about making contact.

Emma at Rostra says limited-edition screen prints or etchings and lino prints are a great way of buying affordable, hand-produced artworks which have been individually made and signed by the artist. Other than that, keeping an eye on auction houses can be a really fun way to grow your collection, says Will at The Holburne. “I’ve seen work come up at auction by big, big names for prices far lower than you might expect,” he says. “This can all be quite time consuming and won’t yield instant results, but, if you’re patient, you can find real gems.”

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 71

ARTS HOME AT LAST

Once you’ve chosen your perfect piece, it’s time for you to bring it home; but how do you showcase it? Here are three things to think about...

LIGHTING

Nicole at the MEAA says many works are light-sensitive, and their colours and conditions could deteriorate if you expose them to direct sunlight. Heat, she says, can also cause great damage, so displaying a painting above a fireplace is often not ideal. Similarly, Jessica at Modern ArtBuyer warns against putting works on paper in humid rooms, like bathrooms, as their quality can be affected over time.

Emma at Rostra adds that there have been huge developments in speciality glass; and non-reflective and UV glass can make a huge difference to your artwork. You can also, says Will at The Holburne, buy something known as a ‘lux meter’ online that will help you identify the intensity of light and the areas that are better or worse for displaying work.

DISPLAY

A suitable frame or stand can provide the right protection for your art, says Nicole at the MEAA, “When chosen properly, they can also help enhance the beauty of your art. It’s also important to understand the nature and framing and mounting traditions of your chosen art. For example, in the 19th and 20th centuries, many old East Asian paintings were glazed and framed in the manner of easel paintings, and scroll paintings were applied to panels. Although the intention was to provide

“Don’t allow yourself to be led by others; trust your own judgement” protection, these treatments actually damaged the paintings. Paper and silk are softer than canvases and require more flexibility to expand and contract when temperature and humidity levels fluctuate; it’s not always appropriate to frame East Asian paintings.”

A frame (or, sometimes, no frame), in artist Emma Rose’s eyes, can make or break a piece of art, “The print or painting needs to be able to breath, but also remember that many contemporary works don’t need a frame, and are created as such. Personally, I only frame my limitededition giclée prints, not my originals.”

“We have found that picking the right frame can be a tricky process,” says Emma at Rostra. “To help with this, we’ve introduced a new service where we can come to you with frame samples to try with the artwork in place at home; once you’ve found the right match, we can then frame it and deliver it back to you.”

“With 3D works, such as sculpture, a plinth or stand may be a necessity,” says Katie at 44AD. “Note how the piece was displayed when you bought it; and you don’t want any knocks – there is a nondamaging transparent putty on the market called museum gel, which can be placed underneath cherished ceramic and glass pieces to give added stability.”

LOCATION

Artworks look best with a bit of room to breathe, suggests Will at The Holburne, so it’s best not to cram a big painting into a small space, “One really well-placed, high-quality work on a wall will generally look better, in my opinion, than five works filling the entire space.”

Kirstie at Pencil Tree agrees, “Keep some walls clear, it gives more impact to the surfaces with paintings. A large painting often needs distance to be appreciated, but smaller ‘gallery’ walls are to be enjoyed and discovered up close.”

Some gallerists are happy to match colour swatches – say, of your living room sofa – to artworks, and others will advise you to buy the artwork and then build the room around it, explains Bridget at Axle Arts. “Personally I find most art will fit into any room, especially if the art buyer and the homeowner are the same person; your style will flow through both.”

Emma at Rostra proposes that you try before you buy, “Our customers have found it really helps, as it is very difficult to imagine how a piece of art will look in a certain room without seeing it. We can bring the art to you and leave it with you for a couple of days, then we can either come and collect it, or you can keep it.”

If trying out the artwork first is not an option, though, Emma says you can also get apps on to which you can upload a photo of your space and then add in the artwork to see how it will look.

Valley of the Phoenix, £480, by Emma Rose, available at Emma Rose Artworks

72 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Everybody Loves the Sunshine, £800, by Bonnie and Clyde for Modern ArtBuyer

ORIGINAL ARTWORK LIMITED EDITION GICLÉE PRINTS PRIVATE COMMISSIONS, COMMERCIAL PROJECTS

BULL POINT, NORTH DEVON - ACRYLIC ON CANVAS

BY PAUL JACKSON 97cm x 97cm

Pencil Tree, 5 Cleveland Terrace, Bath, BA1 5DF penciltree.co.uk | 01225 427008

nick cudworth gallery

Walcot Street Dawn Oil on canvas also giclee prints An exhibition of paintings and prints by Nick featuring images of Bath.

5 London Street (top end of Walcot Street), Bath BA1 5BU tel 01225 445221 / 07968 047639 gallery@nickcudworth.com www.nickcudworth.com

76 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

THE BIG INTERVIEW

Comfy, plush seating is an absolute must at the flicks

The Little Theatre is a treasure for many locals – the cosy, quirky art deco cinema being the ideal place to escape the real world for an hour or two. This year, the familyowned cinema is celebrating 80 years since it started screening feature films. We caught up with owner Hilary King to find out more‌ Words by Harriet Noble Portraits by Nick Cole www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 77

THE BIG INTERVIEW

W ith the comings and goings on the high street, it’s reassuring to have a thriving business – an art deco cinema with bucketloads of charm no less – on our doorstep.

The Little Theatre cinema, tucked away on St Michael’s Place, has always been a family business and is currently owned by Hilary King. It was built in 1935 by her mother – Consuelo de Reyes, a community theatre pioneer – and her husband. It initially functioned as a news theatre, showing hourly programmes of documentaries and newsreels until feature films were first shown in 1939. These days, it screens a range of art house and mainstream films; thankfully, its roots remain firmly community focussed.

The Little Theatre has been in your family since 1935. Tell us more…

The title says it all. The Little was designed primarily as a community theatre, that was the focus of my parents’ work. Projection equipment was included almost as an afterthought. Stage productions were interspersed with film programmes up to the time of my mother’s death in 1948.

Over the decades, four generations of the family have worked at the Little in various capacities and at different times of their lives. My sister Helen ran the Little for several years, and after her sudden death I took over while concurrently working in London as a psychiatric social worker. And while the family no longer runs the Little, we remain the owners and guardians of the building.

What are some of the highlights of the cinema’s history?

As far as I know, our first major success was a film of the coronation of George VI in 1937 – a sell-out over many weeks. Other stand-out moments came when we became the only cinema in Bath to secure a print of Ghostbusters and The Silence of the Lambs. Queues went around the block for these films; the queues were so long that they were in sight of a rival cinema! Nevertheless, like any independent, there have been times when it’s been a struggle to keep the cinema going in the face of competition.

What have been the biggest changes to the cinema in your lifetime?

The conversion of the theatre’s old scene store into a second screen in the late seventies; the introduction of a

78 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

The silver screen magic happens behind the red door

“We are the longestrunning cinema in the UK to be owned by the same family”

wider range of films, including subtitled films; some four refurbishments, leading to fewer seats and more comfort; and, undoubtedly, technical innovation and automation in the way films are distributed and projected.

Finally, biggest of all, going into partnership with City Screen (Picturehouse) in 2003.

What are your greatest memories of going to the cinema?

My most memorable moment came with the visit in 1937 of Haile Selassie, Emperor of Ethiopia, who came to watch newsreels of his country’s invasion by the Italian forces. It made a great impression on me and I was terrified (I was seven at the time).

There is a lot of affection towards the cinema...

For many Bathonians, it’s a place they have known all their lives through all its changes. But perhaps also because it’s a bit quirky, and small enough to make the whole experience feel personal, and it’s staffed by people who really love, and are knowledgeable about, film. True to our community roots, we aim to provide something for everyone – so we have a series of special showings: Kids’

Club, Toddler Time, The Big Scream (for parents and infants) as well as Silver Screen for older audiences, and dementia-friendly showings.

What are the challenges and rewards of owning a cinema?

The basic challenge for any cinema owner is attracting and keeping your audience. The reward for me, at least when I was running the cinema, was being able to use the profits from successful films to show small gems like Pathfinder, the first film in the Lapp language.

What do you think makes the Little Theatre so special?

© @POSTCARDSTOAFRIEND

We’re different from multiplexes in that we show a wider range of films, including documentaries, live relays of opera, ballet and theatre productions, Q&As, and, of course, foreign-language films. We also believe that we are the longest running cinema in the UK to be owned by the same family.

Apparently the cinema is one of the only remaining picture houses to operate the projection equipment by hand?

I suppose you could say that we are part manual, part automatic. While films are on a schedule, lighting, music and the curtain are still operated by hand at the Little.

Fancy getting hitched here? The Little Theatre cinema conducts marriages on site

Any intriguing behind-the-scenes info about the cinema?

A duck once chose the cinema’s flat roof as a nesting place, and the ducklings hatched during our showing of The Shooting Party.

The architect clearly had never designed a cinema before; if you exit from the balcony while the credits are still running, your head will be projected onto the screen.

Have any notable big stars visited the cinema?

Big stars often prefer to be incognito, but we’ve spotted Sheila Hancock, Rupert Everett, Julia Sawalha and Stephanie Cole. Others may have slipped in unobserved.

With the popularity of Netflix and Amazon do you fear for the future of cinemas?

If you’ve lived through as many ups and downs as we have, you become resilient. Fear for the future of cinema has been around since TV was invented, and yet it still survives and is currently thriving.

People can now tie the knot at the cinema as well...

Marrying at the cinema has become very popular; we host 20 to 30 weddings a year and because we’ve kept our stage, that’s where the weddings take place.

Lastly… favourite movie and favourite movie star?

My favourite film is always gong to be Carol Reed’s The Third Man for its authentic setting, its lighting, its camera work and for the unsettling atmosphere it creates, and it ends in exactly the same way as it begins. Brilliant.

I fell for Charles Boyer in Mayerling aged around 13 and then ditched him for Leslie Howard in Intermezzo.

Nothing came of it – still looking! n For more: www.picturehouses.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 79

Visit our showroom for a range of carefully selected wood burners from:

JETMASTER • ACR • PARKRAY • DI LUSSO SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION OF STOVES, SURROUNDS AND HEARTHS

Fire Engine Shed, Unit 6 Colliers Yard, Radstock BA3 3PT Tel: 01761 437366 • www.ignisstoves.co.uk

oak flooring – carpets – luxury vinyl

Showroom in Chelsea Road, Bath 5 Chelsea Road, Bath BA1 3DU www.interiorharmony.co.uk

01225 483818 info@interiorharmony.co.uk

NIC BOTTOMLEY BOOKS

Terrific trio Three captivating books that Nic can’t get enough of this month...

“The publishing floodgates are drawing back and new titles are flowing through apace”

A

s we head into March, the publishing floodgates are drawing back and new titles are flowing through apace.

As usual, here at Mr B’s we find ourselves reaching not only for the new but also playing catch-up a little and mixing new gems with ones that have been around a year or two.

So here, with little true theme, are three novels we’ve just started to rave about ,and which, in one way or another, pack quite the punch.

THE FAMILIARS

By Stacey Halls, this is a tense, atmospheric, historical novel set in 17th-century Lancashire.

The story eventually revolves around the Pendle witch trials which, in 1612, saw a dozen men and women from the Pendle Hill area accused and tried of causing multiple murders by witchcraft.

Halls’ fictionalisation of these events features a young woman by the name of Fleetwood Shuttleworth. She may be only 17 when we meet her, but she’s well into her fourth pregnancy. The others have all ended in failure, though, which has not pleased her overbearing and distracted husband – a wealthy landowner named Richard who is set on an heir. And when Fleetwood discovers a hidden doctor’s letter to Richard that claims a further pregnancy will kill her off altogether, she becomes more determined than ever both to survive and succeed.

Fleetwood is a fiery protagonist keen on hunting and riding, and while in the wild Lancashire woods she encounters Alice, a midwife who claims to have the skills to get her successfully to term with no adverse consequences. Predictably, though, while Fleetwood’s health improves immediately upon taking Alice’s advice, Richard is less impressed, and when he becomes involved with the new witch-hunting efforts, Alice – and so Fleetwood and her unborn child – is placed in grave danger.

Zaffre, £12.99 SHOVEL READY Our best-selling crime novel of 2018 was Adam Sternbergh’s The Blinds (Faber, £7.99).

For some reason, though, none of us had gone back and read his debut, the dauntingly named Shovel Ready.

If the title wasn’t enough of a clue about

this novel’s pulp credentials, then a few words about the plot should leave you in no doubt.

The setting is New York, but not as we know it. This is the medium-term aftermath of a dirty bomb that hit mid-town and left the city a burnt-out relic of its former self. Where hipster neighbourhoods and tourist sites once prevailed, now buildings lie abandoned or occupied by squatters, and armed guards secure the residences of the wealthy.

Through this world, our hero roams, clearing garbage. That job description used to be literal – he worked as a garbageman for the city before the bomb hit – but the trash he erases from the streets nowadays is all human.

To assimilate into his new splintered world, the man we know only as Spade Man has become a hitman.

Sternbergh’s style is unflinching – it’s as if Spade Man is talking directly at us, as he heads into his most devastating mission yet.

Headline, £8.99 VENGEANCE IS MINE, ALL OTHERS PAY CASH Another squeeze of pulp comes from Vengeance is Mine, All Others Pay Cash by Eka Kurniawan.

First published here in the UK in 2017, this novel is translated from Indonesian, and the author is one of his home country’s most celebrated writers.

When we meet Ajo Kawir, he’s a tough street-fighting adolescent hiding in the city’s back alleys and scoping out its dive bars with his right-hand man Gecko. Aside from fighting, their favourite pastime is lusting through gaps in walls at the adult activities inside. But none of those peeping Tom escapades have the desired effect on Ajo Kawir’s devastating secret – no matter the wondrous sights that pass before Ajo Kawir’s gaze, his all-defining impotence remains.

It’s tough to be a tough man who can’t perform in the bedroom, and Ajo’s efforts to overcome his problem are often hilarious, occasionally eye-watering and increasingly surprising as the novel’s real poignancy kicks in.

Pushkin, £8.99.

Nic Bottomley is the general manager of Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights, 14/15 John Street, Bath; 01225 331155; www.mrbsemporium.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 81

THEATRE Samantha Womack stars alongside Oliver Farnworth in The Girl on the Train; see Nigel Harman in Glengarry Glen Ross; Caroline’s Kitchen features Jasmyn Banks and Caroline Langrishe © SAM TAYLOR

© MANUEL HARL AN

FROM FAR LEFT:

Eastenders come west

These are the soap stars hitting the stage in Bath this month and next...

W

ith so many programmes a week (albeit usually filmed months in advance), and a relentless workload, there are similarities between being a soap opera cast member and being part of a resident company in the old theatre repertory system. Soap actors certainly seem to be able to turn their considerable talents to a vast array of roles.

So as far as the soaps go, I’m an unabashed EastEnders fan. I’ve watched avidly since the 1980s, and always get a buzz from seeing a former EastEnder on the Theatre Royal’s stage.

Recently we’ve welcomed Paul Nicholas (Gavin Sullivan) playing a villainous Captain Hook in Peter Pan; Lorna Fitzgerald (Abi Branning) playing posh girl Iris Henderson in The Lady Vanishes; and John Partridge (Christian Clarke) starring as musical playwright Sandor Turai in Tom Stoppard’s Rough Crossing.

Returning to Bath in March will be Nigel Harman, who played Dennis Rickman (son of Dirty Den, husband of Den’s adopted daughter Sharon, and father to Dennis Jnr). His numerous awards for the role include both Best Actor and Sexiest Male categories at the British Soap Awards, and he also won an Olivier Award for playing Lord Farquaad in the West End production of Shrek the Musical.

He was last in Bath in restoration romp The School for Scandal in 2012’s summer season.

Nigel now plays Ricky Roma in David

Mamet’s dazzling classic Glengarry Glen Ross. This Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy follows four unethical Chicago real estate salesmen who are prepared to go to any lengths (legal or otherwise) to unload undesirable property onto prospective buyers. Savage and savvy, with razor-sharp dialogue, the cast of this West End smash hit also includes Mark Benton (Waterloo Road, Shakespeare & Hathaway).

Coming to Bath the last week of March will be Jasmyn Banks, who played Alice Branning (daughter of Derek, niece of Max and Jack, and killer of Michael Moon). Last in Bath in the National Theatre’s One Man, Two Guvnors, Jasmyn now appears in Caroline’s Kitchen, a dark comedy by Torben Betts about a famous television chef (played by Caroline Langrishe from Lovejoy and Judge John Deed), who is trying to keep up the pretext that everything is fine while her life behind the scenes falls apart.

Jasmyn plays Amanda, Caroline’s hopeless new PA who has been brought in by TV bosses to help smooth things out. The show will be heading for an Off-Broadway run following its UK tour.

In April, one of EastEnders’ most mesmerising stars of recent years will be back at the Theatre Royal: Samantha Womack, AKA Ronnie Mitchell (sister of Roxy, niece of Peggy, and twice married to Jack Branning). Samantha’s list of credits ranges from BBC sitcom Game On, to the stage musicals Guys and Dolls, South Pacific and The Addams Family, which brought her to Bath last in 2017. She also represented

“Soap actors certainly seem to be able to turn their considerable talents to a vast array of roles”

the UK in the 1991 Eurovision Song Contest.

Now she stars as Rachel Watson in a stage adaptation of The Girl on the Train, Paula Hawkins’ gripping thriller. Rachel is obsessed by watching a man and a woman, who she thinks of as the perfect couple, from the train window every day as she travels to work. When one day she witnesses something shocking, she finds herself entangled in a murder investigation. Oliver Farnworth (Hollyoaks, Coronation Street) also stars.

For some, the chance to appear in a soap opera has been the ambition of a lifetime. In 2005, Sir Ian McKellen – whose sold-out 80th birthday solo show comes to the Theatre Royal shortly – played dodgy novelist Mel Hutchwright, in 10 episodes of Coronation Street, and even Prince Charles appeared briefly in Corrie’s 40th anniversary live broadcast in 2000.

Back in Walford, special guests have included Robbie Williams, who once played ‘man using the Queen Vic telephone’; David Walliams, who starred in the 2003 Christmas Day episode as Ray Collins, a fake registrar who presided over Kat Slater and Alfie Moon’s wedding; and Boris Johnson (playing himself) who – unsurprisingly – surprised Peggy Mitchell with a visit to the Queen Vic in 2009.

Glengarry Glen Ross 18 – 23 March Caroline’s Kitchen 25 – 30 March The Girl on the Train 8 – 13 April Anna O’Callaghan, Marketing Manager, Theatre Royal Bath, Sawclose; 01225 448844; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 83

© FAYDIT PHOTOGR APHY

WIDBROOK GRANGE

Expect a few surprises at this 18th-century, gin-centric Georgian country house, says Lisa Evans

G

o on, one won’t hurt”, “it’s oldfashioned, patriarchal mumbo jumbo”, “the French do it” – the peer pressure, and temptation, to have a tipple over the past few months has been excruciating. I should mention at this point that I’m expecting, so heading to a gin bar only to watch my husband inconsiderately enjoy a preprandial libation while I sip, stony-faced, on my 50th Diet Coke of the year isn’t exactly my idea of a good time.

The mixologist at Widbrook Grange’s gin bar, though, dismisses my dead-behind-the-eyes autopilot order and suggests, instead, something that will, as miss Kondo might put it, spark joy. He gets busy concocting something intriguing, and I’m served what’s possibly the most alcoholic-tasting mocktail I’ve tried thus far.

There’s a gin for every occasion, he tells me; in my

84 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

case, it’s Seedlip gin with raspberry and orange, and the handful of other bar guests – who all offer themselves up as guinea pigs to the botanical master – slurp on their respective seaweed, lavender and mint creations during their giggly girls’ night out.

But we’re not here for the bevvies; we’re here for world-champion head chef Sandor Szucs’ food. From his native Hungary, he joined the kitchen team here in 2015, having over 20 years’ experience working for renowned establishments across Europe, such as Hilton Hotels and Grandhotel Galya Hotels.

The first course is ‘soup in a soup’ for me; it sounds a bit gimmicky, but it’s gorgeous. It’s a carrot and orange flavour, and a separate beetroot flavour; the two soups are in one bowl, but, like one of those bottles filled with colourful sand that you pick up in souvenir shops, the pretty layers remain perfectly intact and don’t merge with each other.

Confession time: I didn’t order the soup, hubs did; but as soon as I tasted it, I made him swap. Payback for all the carefree boozing he’s been doing in front of my eyes of late. He fully enjoys my avocado and orange crostini nonetheless.

Next for me is butternut squash ravioli with basil and gorgonzola sauce; only, I’m not allowed the sauce – two-nil, baby – so Sandor whips up a pesto drizzle for me instead. It could be dense and relentless, but the dish somehow manages to be light and finishable. Boozy boy goes for rosemary- and honey-cured lamp rump, cooked long and slow, with glazed red onion concasse, black garlic polenta, cavolo nero and cassis jus.

We carb-load with a hefty side of roasties, and we make ourselves feel a bit healthier by agreeing to the root veg recommendation, too. They’re on a mission to feed, here. Nobody gets to leave Widbrook complaining about the portion size. They force sticky toffee pudding, in a lake of caramel, on us too; we take one for the team.

It’s not noisy, muscular food; it’s simple and quietly confident, with unexpected elements. It’s the foodie equivalent to the classic girl-removes-her-glassesand-is-suddenly-beautiful moment in a rom com. In other words, it’s traditional farmhouse cuisine which embraces twist-on-the-usual cooking techniques. Hidden underneath the ravioli, for example, are parsnips which have been marinated in green tea and white wine, and the presentation is properly artistic.

And the hip venue – a 19-bedroom, 18th-century Georgian country house – echoes this fresh, inviting style, with interiors that revel in humour and attention to detail – from their lights made from watering cans, and their shelves made from troughs, to the bicycle sink in the bathroom, and the outdoor gin bar on a milk float.

So whether you’re a gin fan or not, the distinct flair, cuisine and service at Widbrook Grange will most definitely be enough to raise your spirits. n

“It’s the foodie equivalent to the classic girlremoves-herglasses-andis-suddenlybeautiful moment in a rom com”

© FAYDIT PHOTOGR APHY

© FAYDIT PHOTOGRAPHY

© MAT TFOXPHOTOGRAPHY

RESTAURANT

DINING DETAILS Widbrook Grange, Trowbridge Road, Bradford on Avon, BA15 1UH; 01225 864750; www.widbrookgrange.co.uk We ate Soup in a soup; avocado and orange crostini; butternut squash ravioli; rosemary and honey-cured lamb rump; sticky toffee pudding Prices Starters £7 – £9.50; mains £15.50 – £26.50; desserts £5.75 – £12.50 Drinks There’s a high level of drinks expertise, with the bar offering over 170 gins and a surprisingly large wine list Service / atmosphere Jolly, hospitable and witty What else? You can stay overnight; there’s a pool and gym; it’s dog friendly; it’s set in 11 acres of beautiful gardens; and beauty treatments are offered in the comfort of your own room

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 85

Welcome to Mantra, an Indian Restaurant in the heart of Bath, that specialises in serving progressive Indian food. Mantra is a family run authentic Indian restaurant. Our dishes are healthily packed with flavour, crunch, punch and zing offering plenty of choice to vegetarians and vegans.Inspired by seasonal ingredients, our food contains only the freshest produce prepared in a way that captures the amazing diversity of India’s regional cuisines and childhood street food memories.

5, Bladud Buildings, The Paragon, Bath BA1 5LS Tel: 01225 446 332 Email: info@mantraofbath.co.uk | www.mantraofbath.co.uk

FOOD & DRINK getting into the beer revolution right now and so it’s been less risky to give this a go.

© PIXIE

What drinks are popular with Bath residents?

They’re obsessed with sour beers, which is amazing.

Did you always know you wanted to work with beer?

Yes, from my late teenage years I fell in love with the craft beer culture – from the bar side to the brewing industry.

TAKE 5

© PIXIE

George White owns and runs Brewed Boy, a craft beer shop and taphouse on Walcot Street. Here he talks building the business, shifting drinking trends, and what beer Bath folk go nuts for...

What was your journey into this business?

It started with trips to Scandinavia and the United States, which opened my eyes to how good craft beer could be. I came back and knew I wanted to create a project here in the UK. As well as the Bath shop, you have other sites too…

Yes, we have our original outlet in Frome, and last year we opened a brewpub outlet in Sherborne, which houses our brewery, Imaginary Friends Brewing, as well as our third Brewed Boy outlet.

What are the difficulties of managing a brewery?

The challenges have been varied, from configuration of the space to finding a brewing rhythm. This is so important because it allows you to push yourself to the limit and produce incredible beers for customers to enjoy.

Starting up a new business when the high street is suffering could be seen as a dicey move...

I have a risky attitude I suppose, and everyone needs a pint, right?

I believe it’s because the craft beer and brewing industry are so well supported; people are really

Tell us about the current alcohol trends in the UK...

Drinking culture has changed hugely in the last five years. People now want a couple of amazing carefully produced beers rather than loads of rubbish ones. In my opinion, it’s the way drinking should be done – especially with beer.

Craft beers have been very popular in recent years – do you think this is a fad?

I don’t think craft beer is going anywhere soon. It hasn’t hit its peak yet at all in the UK, which is amazing for everyone in the industry – from breweries to bar owners to the customer as well.

“People are really getting into the beer revolution right now” Do you have any personal favourites?

Yes, absolutely. I started this because of a brewery in Miami called J Wakefield. I fell in love with their fruit sours ales and imperial pastry stouts, and I wanted to create something like that myself here in the South West.

Anything exciting in the pipeline?

Yes, we are planning an expansion in the brewery this year and hope to have more outlets opening in 2020. In the bars this year, we are planning to release more insane beers from Imaginary Friends Brewing plus a few tap takeovers with some European-based breweries – keep an eye out. www.instagram.com/brewed_boy

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 87

FOOD & DRINK NEWS Owner and baker Andrew taking a much-kneaded break

© NICK COLE

Bath welcomes three cafés to the foodie scene

RISING UP Fancy some seasoning?

The salt is on the ceiling in this new café

SALT OF THE EARTH A new, and rather unusual, café has opened on James

Also new to the city is Landrace Bakery on Walcot Street, owned by Andrew Lowkes. Andrew and his team make freshly baked bread everyday, and serve up a range of breakfast and lunchtime snacks and meals. Favourites on the menu?

“I’m very proud of our Landrace grilled cheese sandwich – made with a mix of Westcombe curds and aged cheddar,” says Andrew.

“We grill it between two slices of our own country white and serve with some locally grown salad leaves. It’s everything we’re working towards, on a plate.” For more see, page 99.

For more: www.instagram.com/landracebakery

Street West. The walls of Salt Cave Café are made of real salt, with stalactites on the ceiling no less.

Along with a selection of teas, coffees, cakes and quiche, customers can expect fairy tale décor, soothing music, twittering of birds, and the sound of water running down stones.

“A stay in a salt cave is a pleasure for the senses,” says owner Artur Prohas.

For more: www.instagram.com/saltcavecafe

Enjoy a buddha bowl after a sweaty session at CLASS

LADIES WHO LUNCH Michelin-starred restaurant the Olive

Tree Bath is putting on a special Mother’s Day menu for 31 March. The three-course menu will include Wiltshire lamb rump, celeriac, hispi cabbage, hazelnut, cabbage, and desserts such as egg custard tart with rhubarb and blood orange ice cream.

For more: www. olivetreebath.co.uk

CLASS ACT

The only problem is, it’s too pretty to eat 88 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

A health food café has arrived in Bath; it’s part of CLASS, a boutique fitness studio on the ground floor of Sovereign Point at Bath Riverside.

Vital Café is open to the general public but will serve food mainly aimed at gym members, such as post-workout smoothies, fresh juices and nutritious meals and snacks to eat in or take away.

Those doing a workout can even pre-order their drink so that it’s ready and waiting as soon as they’ve finished a class.

For more: www.class-bath.co.uk

WINE

THE TASTE OF SPRING

With a warmer season and Mother’s Day on the horizon, here are a few recommended vinous choices to suit...

By Angela Mount

W

riting this on a balmy day, having seen the tremulous shoots of early daffs, it seems that spring is arriving, and thoughts of warmth, longer days and evenings are flooding in. March is a pivotal time in the food calendar as different produce comes into season, and it’s only logical that wine styles will also. Mother’s Day impacts on our vinous choices, too. Here are some of our favourites...

Lighter, fresher wines, with a dollop of rich, comforting reds are definitely the order of the day, together with little indulgences to please your mum on her special day.

Mums may like a glass of something prettily pink, so indulge over lunch with a few bottles of the excellent value J-M Gobillard Brut Rose (£29.50), a cracking little handcrafted gem from a small family grower, full of bright, summer pudding scented fruit, and a dreamy, creamy, delicate style. Or earn brownie points by presenting her with a gorgeous rose pink, hologrammed gift box of top-notch Taittinger Prestige Rose (£45).

Sticking with the pink theme, it’s never too early to delve into the sunshine depths of the ever-popular Côtes de Provence. In this case, Domaine Gassier, Le Pas du Moine (£15.95); its pale colour belying

90 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

“Thoughts of warmth, longer days and evenings are flooding in”

the intensity of its flavours, with strawberries and peach tripping across the tongue. It’s also the perfect wine to welcome early thoughts of holiday drinking; so bring out the tuna niçoise and brave early al fresco lunches.

I’ve frequently written about the fabulous value offered by the elegant Chateau Sainte Marie, a family estate in Bordeaux, with their balanced reds and whites at a snip of the price of many classics. But venture further north, and you will find a plethora of lighter styles. Throw away any prejudices about former hasbeen muscadet; modern styles, especially the higher quality ‘sur lie’, can be bracing and tongue-tingling, perfect with seafood. For a bright take from the same region, try Sauvignon de Touraine, Domaine de Pierre (£11.95), bursting with the tang of mint, sweet fresh peas and crunchy granny smiths.

It’s a similar story in Beaujolais, where all reds are made from the Gamay grape, and produce some of the most joyous, fruity wines when done properly. Light and lively, many are packed with lashings of bright, juicy red berry fruit, entrancing with their vivacity, especially when served slightly chilled with charcuterie, roast chicken and mild Asian dishes.

Domaine de Vissoux Beaujolais Vieilles Vignes (£13.50) is a classic, concentrated example.

For a lighter take on the Gamay grape, head back to the Loire and try the raspberry leaf-scented freshness of Chinon or Bourgueil – mesmeric and charming.

March isn’t always balmy, so we still need a couple of warmer styles for chilly evenings. Richer, but not overtly oaky whites work well with winter fish or chicken pies and spicy stews. Viognier is a rich, nectarine-scented beauty of a grape, originating from the Rhone. I have long loved the sensuous delights of the Cuilleron Condrieu, but now you can enjoy the hedonistic delights of this grape in the form of Cuilleron Viognier, les Vignes A Cote (£19.95) at a fraction of the price; heady, beguiling, rich and opulent.

Finally a warming red; Southern France offers a multitude of these, but a sublime one, which sashays perfectly into spring, is Domaine de la Janasse Cotes du Rhone (£12.95), packed with rich, spiced plum and black pepper fruit, with a natural warmth, and a lick of oak, yet subtle and balanced; perfect by an early spring fire, or with juicy lamb chops and roasts. ■ All drinks featured are available at Great Western Wine, Wells Road, Bath. Angela Mount is a Bath-based wine writer, presenter and international judge who had her taste buds insured for £10million during her tenure as one of the country’s leading supermarket wine buyers. She works with wine producers, chefs and distributors. For more, visit www.greatwesternwine.co.uk

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Relaxing country pubs The surrounding areas of Bath boast some fantastic places to drop in for a drink THE SALUTATION INN

Castle Combe, Wiltshire SN14 7LH 01249 782083; www.thesalutationinn.com Found on the outskirts of Castle Combe, this 17th Century coach-house retains its character with oak beams and fireplaces throughout. The owners, Ben Morse and Phil Cotton have a simple recipe; quality local ingredients served with pride and genuine hospitality. On the bar, expect to find beers and ciders from small and local producers as well as a handpicked selection of artisan wine and spirits. The kitchen team is passionate about serving the finest seasonal goods from award-winning producers. Expect to find pub classics served with care and attention to detail – as well as skillfully created specials. Look out for the 7-course supper club showcasing a theme at the end of every month. More details on the website.

THE QUARRYMANS ARMS

Box Hill, Corsham, Wiltshire SN13 8HN 01225 743569; www.butcombe.com/quarrymansarms Set in the rolling hills of rural Wiltshire, The Quarrymans Arms is a pub full of character and quite possibly the best pub view you will ever find.

The breath-taking surroundings make it the ideal location for a welldeserved pint after a stroll in the country or as a destination in itself for some traditional home-cooked food (highly recommended are the pies, a speciality of head chef Amber). Time your visit to coincide with one of the most spectacular sunsets and sit in the garden to while away the hours.

With pump clips adorning the timber joists, real ale, pies and beautiful countryside – this really is a quintessentially British pub.

THE LONGS ARMS

High Street, Steeple Ashton, Wiltshire BA14 6EU 01380 870245 www.longsarms.co.uk Enjoy a warm welcome at The Longs Arms. Situated in the heart of the picturesque village of Steeple Ashton, The Longs Arms is the perfect place for the discerning drinker to enjoy a glass of ale, or for the entire family to sit down and have a meal together.

There’s something on the menu to suit everyone, and the atmosphere is welcoming to couples wanting to sit by the open fire or families wanting to enjoy the huge garden with their dog, while the play equipment at the far end keeps the children occupied. Landlady, Caroline Quartley, has been at The Longs Arms since May 2005, and with the support of her great team the pub is the hub of the Steeple Ashton community.

92 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

ADVERTISING FEATURE

THE SWAN

Cheddar Road, Wedmore, Somerset, BS28 4EQ Tel: 01934 710337; www.theswanwedmore.com The Swan is a bustling pub at the heart of the pretty village of Wedmore in the beguiling Somerset Levels. It’s perfect for a relaxed rural break with bracing walks and a warm fireside atmosphere. There are cosy corners, stone-flagged floors, leather sofas and wood burners. Tom Blake, formerly head chef at River Cottage, oversees the kitchen which consistently produces outstanding food that is served all day. Tom is a champion of local produce and the meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, eggs, cheeses and yoghurts, all come from named local suppliers. There’s a great range of local ciders and real ales, a carefully considered wine list and a very comprehensive selection of local gins. Upstairs the seven rooms are decorated with vintage flair. The Loft Suite is airy, light filled and romantic with an in-room pink-claw footed bath.

THE PELICAN INN

10 South Parade, Chew Magna, Bristol BS40 8SL 01275 331777; www.butcombe.com/pelican Named after Sir Francis Drake’s flagship, The Pelican Inn sits in the heart of the picturesque village of Chew Magna. With its sun-trap garden and cosy log fires, you are guaranteed a warm welcome at ‘The Pelly’ whatever the time of year.

Rustic exposed brickwork and local art bring a charm to this bustling village pub that’s popular with both locals and visitors alike… especially the four-legged kind! With so much countryside on its doorstep, The Pelican is the ideal place to relax and refuel, enjoy a dish or two from their regularlychanging menu inspired by local produce, and maybe even a pint of Butcombe too!

THE FOX AND HOUNDS 9 High Street, Colerne SN14 8DB 01225 744847 www.foxandhoundscolerne.co.uk

Come and join Mr Fox at The Fox and Hounds in the heart of the picturesque village of Colerne, eight miles from Bath, where you will be guaranteed a warm welcome.

A family friendly pub with substantial parking and a regular events list, The Fox and Hounds offers a locally sourced menu available seven days a week, washed down with an extensive range of ales.

There is a fantastic and large beer garden for families to enjoy this Spring. There’s also regular live music.

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 93

BATH LONDON DEVON Independent boutique on Milsom Street specialising in Italian leather jackets, handbags, exciting fashion collections & jewellery.

www.portmanlondon.uk

SHOPPING LIVE WELL, BUY BETTER

THIS GOLD THING Objets d’art, an extensive library of fabrics spanning the world’s leading design houses, and statement pieces of furniture and lighting details but a snapshot of what you’ll find at home and garden design partnership Woodhouse & Law. Discover unique-to-Bath items and brand names at the showroom, as well as creative design solutions that help make the most of your space – be it a work environment or your home.

Set of three polished brass objet meteors, by Eichholtz, £350, available at Woodhouse & Law, 4 George’s Place, Bathwick Hill, Bath; www.woodhouseandlaw.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 95

JO MALONE FRAGRANCE PALETTE, FROM £24 Ten of the most popular Jo Malone scents now come in solid form, ready to be popped into this palette for handy, on-the-go use From Jo Malone, 6 – 7 Old Bond Street, Bath; www.jomalone.co.uk

PORCELAIN VOTIVES, FROM £22 From ceramic artist Leonora Richardson come these votives imprinted with delicate vintage lace From Verve Living, 15 Walcot Buildings, London Road, Bath; www.verveliving.uk

MUMSTRUCK Put it in your diary now, Mother’s Day is on 31 March. Here’s our edit of gift ideas to get you started...

TOTE BAG, £135 Treat Mum (or yourself) to one of these lightweight and spacious Longchamp Le Pliage bags From Mallory, 1-5 Bridge Street, Bath; www.mallory-jewellers.com

SKAGEN WATCH, £69 Simplicity and capturing only what’s essential in an uncomplicated, greatlooking way is Skagen’s ethos From Quadri of Bath,16 Milsom Place, Milsom Street, Bath; www.quadri.co.uk

COTSWOLDS GINGER GIN, £37.95 Candied ginger and fresh orange peel create a spirited gin with exceptional depth of flavour. Sip over ice with a twist of orange peel, or hot with fresh-pressed apple juice From Independent Spirit of Bath, 7 Terrace Walk, Bath; www.independentspiritofbath.co.uk

96 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

ED’S CHOICE THERE’S GIN IN MY TEAPOT SET, £20 This novelty solid chocolate set puts the (G and) T into tea party From Choc on Choc, based in Rode; www.choconchoc.co.uk

PINK SAPPHIRE NECKLACE, £1,275 If you’re thinking of fully splashing out, then this 18ct white gold, pink sapphire and diamond cluster pendant should do the trick From Nicholas Wylde, 12 Northumberland Place, Bath; www.nicholaswylde.com

SCARF, FROM £45 Artist Carole Waller’s one-of-akind painted fabrics now include silk crêpe de Chine scarves From Waller & Wood, 4 Abbey Green, Bath; www.wallerandwood.co.uk

CUSHTY BAG, £40 For the gym-loving mum comes this stylish gym bag, complete with front straps designed for a yoga mat, and internal compartments for wet kit, trainers and valuables From Boudavida 17 Milsom Place, Milsom Street, Bath; www.boudavida.com

SILK DRESSING GOWN, £70 Introduce luxurious textures to her sleepwear collection with this lightweight, flowing silk robe From Rossiters of Bath, 38-41 Broad Street, Bath; www.rossitersofbath.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 97

Wild about Walcot

@mat tslinn

A stroll along Walcot Street reveals an area bursting with creativity and entrepreneurial ambition

Walcot Street is a higgledy-piggledy mixture of the old and new

98 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

STREET LIFE

The trio of happy bakers at Landrace Bakery

“My barista Daf has already remembered the names of many of our regulars’ dogs” LOCALS LOVE...

“Walcot Street has always been the hub of Bath for me, with great cafés, a brilliant pub in The Bell, and loads of independent shops which you struggle to find in the centre of town now.”

Chris Barclay, The Yellowshop “We’re surrounded by like-minded folk who are experts and specialists in other craft industries. It’s a street of independents headed by people who really really care. There’s visibly a strong food community here also. It’s a natural fit for a new business like ours.”

Andrew Lowkes, Landrace Bakery “ Within days of opening, many of the local traders, artists and residents popped in to say hi and welcome us to the area. I’ve had two shop spaces previously, and I can assure you that I’ve never experienced such a welcoming community.”

Cathy Wilkin, Sumptuous Designerwear

W

alcot Street – alo known as Bath’s artisan quarter – has a rich and ever-changing mix of independents, selling everything from vintage clothes to art deco mirrors.

It’s also far enough away from the city centre to lose the crowds, but close enough to attract a healthy flow of locals; you could say it boasts just the right kind of buzzy vibe. We chatted to a handful of businesses on the street to find out more about what they do and what they love about this thriving spot.

LANDRACE BAKERY

Landrace Bakery is new to the street and offers freshly baked, naturally leavened bread, exclusively from stoneground grains grown in the UK. Customers can even sit and watch their bread being baked in the openplan kitchen and café.

“We’ve opened the bakery with a tight team of three,” says owner Andrew Lowkes.

“We’re all full-time, work crazy long hours and are totally committed to the same goals. We’ve got a long way to go, but I believe in the journey we’re on and I’m really hopeful that that commitment comes through in the food and the environment. We just want to share that with our customers and make them feel welcome in a space that we’re proud to work in.

“We’ve had the warmest reception and already benefit from some very supportive regulars. It’s a blessing and truly the best aspect of running a small independent business. My barista Daf has already remembered the names of many of our regulars’ dogs who come in.”

61 Walcot Street; www.instagram.com/landracebakery

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 99

STREET LIFE SUMPTUOUS DESIGNERWEAR

The dress agency boutique sells brand-new and pre-loved items to men and women, as well as colourful and vintage-inspired hats, made by local designer Nancy Rose.

“Luxury handbags from the likes of Fendi, Mulberry and Chanel always sell well since they are considered investment pieces,” says owner Cathy Wilkin.

“Our clients are excited to see our gown room (which we hire out); gowns are really coming in to season now, with ladies wanting to wear them to a wide variety of occasions – from proms and weddings, to Viennese balls.”

Anything exciting in the diary? “Recently we had our first ‘fizz, frocks and hats’ evening in our new boutique space, which was a great success, and we’ll be doing more of those going forward. They are a great opportunity for customers to pop along and have a cold glass of prosecco with us while previewing new season stock and enjoying a good discount.”

68 Walcot Street; www.sumptuousdesignerwear.co.uk

AQUA

The family-run Italian restaurant has been on the street since 2007, serving dishes such as slow-braised pork cheeks, farcito (stuffed chicken with mozzarella and pesto) and Venetian fish stew.

“Being family-run and having fresh food prepared on a daily basis is our passion,” says operations director Ben Smithson.

What else? “A lot of our seafood is very popular at the moment, such as our scallops with our fresh gremolata, roast cod fillet or our pork cheeks. Our burratina dish with roasted Romano pepper is also a great little appetiser, and we’ve just launched our bottomless brunches on Saturdays.”

88 Walcot Street; www.aqua-restaurant.com

THE YELLOW SHOP

The Yellow shop has been a staple of Walcot Street for over 25 years.

Selling retro, vintage and new items that are sourced primarily from the USA and Europe, the store stocks a variety of clothing, including brand names such as Ralph Lauren and Carhartt, vintage dresses and tops for all occasions as well as traditional items such as tweed and velvet jackets.

“Our most popular lines are high-waist jeans and USA-print sweatshirts,” says manager Chris Barclay. “Retro sportswear is always a big favourite. Everything retro is a one-off and, coming from the States,

ABOVE: assistant manager at Aqua, Cecily Attrill, blending into the ocean colour scheme; BELOW: Nancy Rose and Cathy Wilkin of Sumptuous Designerwear have smiles as vibrant as their clothing offering

“The front of the shop has appeared as a front cover for a Van Morrison album” DAYS GONE BY…

“The shop itself is in quite a typical Bath building (nothing’s straight). It has previously housed a café, a second-hand vinyl shop run by Bath legend Nasher, which featured briefly in a bank advert, and the front of the shop has appeared as a front cover for a Van Morrison album.”

Chris Barclay, The Yellow Shop “Our showroom and seconds department was originally a stable and coachhouse for one of the Paragon houses” Anthony Reed, Looking Glass of Bath “The building itself is magical, sitting within a former church house from 1901. You walk into the restaurant and think wow.

It is stunning and a great setting.” Ben Smithson, Aqua “In the Georgian times, Avenida Home used to be a Silversmith, they hold their own essay mark. We once had a visitor who was related to the then family.”

Isabel Saiz, Avenida “The building was part of Walcot Reclamation from the 1970s until the early 2000s.”

Sarah Latham, Etons of Bath

100 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

We are Bath’s new dress agency boutique selling luxury and premium brand items alongside local designer, Nancy Rose’s, millinery.

• Unusual & quirky daywear • High end leatherwear including designer bags • Beautiful party & occasionwear • Sumptuous gowns to hire or buy • Bespoke handmade headwear by Nancy Rose Hats

SPRING STOCK NOW IN STORE!

68 Walcot Street, Bath BA1 5BD | Tel: 01225 533092 @sumptuousdesign | @nancyrosehats

STREET LIFE there is always something unusual or quirky that you don’t find in the UK-sourced retro shops – from 80s sequin tops, to a pair of size 18 Converse.

“With new stock in almost every week that is picked, washed, and steamed, we endeavour to keep the shop fresh with new items and always interesting for our customers to browse and shop.”

72 Walcot Street; www.yellowshop.co.uk

AVENIDA HOME

At Avenida Home, you’ll find kitchen and dining pieces such as table mats, placemats and toasters. The pieces are particularly exuberant, with original designs inspired by flora, wildlife and animals.

“I have always been passionate about the arts, craftmanship and quality goods,” says director Isabel Saiz.

“I set up Avenida Home because I wanted to be in Bath and not travel so much. I choose Walcot Street because of the heritage and location within the town.”

27 Walcot Street; www.avenidahome.com

Walcot Cafe offers a spacious and quirky warehouse-style space

ETONS OF BATH

The team of interior designers specialise in creating interiors for living spaces, particularly for Georgian properties, private residences, and boutique hotels.

“Our offering is not just an aesthetic design service,” says founder and creative director Sarah Latham.

“We go back to the bones of a building and design the functional too. We detail lighting and electrical plans around furniture playouts throughout a house, and we draw up all elements of a room in plan and elevational form so that contractors have all the technical information they need when they commence works.”

So, what’s hot at the moment? “Colour palettes in dusky pinks or corals combined with more classic hues of deep blue or sage greens are working their way into our schemes with great success.”

108 Walcot Street; www.etonsofbath.com

WILD ABOUT WALCOT STREET

“We all work together on community projects such as Wild Walcot and Walcot Winterfest. I love that it’s only two doors down to excellent coffee and cake at Didi Cakes, too.”

Carmen Schmidt, A Yarn Story

Isabel Saiz, of Avenida Home, used to work at The National Gallery and Farrow & Ball before she set up her own business

102 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

“We take inspiration from the eclectic mix of independent businesses on Walcot Street – particularly the creative businesses like Meticulous Ink, Katharine Fraser and Didi Cakes. We also frequent Walcot Cafe; it offers a great informal place to meet a client, supplier or member of staff off site.”

Sarah Latham, Etons of Bath

© AVENIDA

© AVENIDA

“The best thing about working on Walcot Street is having the brilliant Corkage just around the corner. Also Ghetto Funk (Shindig Festival) have opened their headquarters here recently, so you never know which music legend you’ll bump into (Soup from Jurassic 5 was spotted in the phone box!)”

Kirstie Jackson, Pencil Tree

© VISIT BATH

DID YOU KNOW...

The eyecatching mural, featured above, was designed and painted

by Stanley Dunwood, the man behind all of the Radiohead cover albums. In fact, Stanley used to have a studio at The Bell Inn and designed the OK Computer album artwork here. This mural is his third piece of artwork on Walcot Street.

LOOKING GLASS OF BATH

Looking Glass of Bath has been going since the mid-’80s, making and restoring bespoke mirrors and frames. “My father was a picture restorer and I so I grew up in an artistic family and learnt from him the skills needed to follow his profession,” says owner Anthony Reed.

So, what kind of requests do they get? “Most are our brass and bronze circular mirrors. We are also reproducing a lot of the designs of the art deco period as well as the more traditional gilded mirrors of the 18th and 19th centuries.”

“Our showroom is a working area where we restore picture frames and lay gold leaf as well as lay our latest designs.”

93-95 Walcot Street; www.lookinglassofbath.co.uk

A YARN STORY

Owned by Carmen Schmidt, the knitting and crochet shop has been open for four years this May and specialises in hand-dyed yarns and luxury fibres from around the world. They even specialise in their own line of yarn – aptly named Walcot yarn – which is a firm favourite with regulars and is used for making sweaters.

“All of us are just huge fans of yarn and and I think that really comes through in everything we do,” says Carmen. “The shop is bursting with colour and it’s so inspiring.”

What’s in store for 2019? “We’re very excited about an event we’re hosting in May called ‘Sip. Stitch. Shop’. where we are collaborating with a knitwear designer and some fantastic yarn producers for a very special day of knitting, tea-drinking and shopping.”

128 Walcot Street; www.ayarnstory.co.uk

CAFE WALCOT

TOP: Looking Glass of Bath has been a staple on Walcot Street for decades; BOTTOM: Carmen Schmidt, of A Yarn Story, loves working in such a

colourful environment

Cafe Walcot, part of Walcot House, arrived in Bath last year and serves breakfast, lunch, and tea in their hip warehouse-style location. Among the choices on the menu are classic dishes which have been given a twist – like their brioche and date croque monsieur which comes with labneh, blood orange and pistachios.

Walcot House used to be a bakery but and has undergone a huge renovation, says events and sales manager Georgie Boffey, “We have exposed some of the original brick work and have tried to fit the interiors with an industrial space feel.”

What next? “We are in the process of securing shop frontage and we are also fingers crossed developing a roof terrace, making Walcot House a hub for fitness, food, events space and fun!”

90B Walcot Street, Bath BA1 5BG

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 103

T

he Framing Workshop, 80 Walcot Street, is a long established bespoke framers, specialising in art and object framing. Quality materials, specialist craftsmanship and an individual service are at the forefront of every job undertaken.

We stock an extensive range of frame, mount and glass options and will talk through the process with you to ensure you find a framing solution to suit your requirements, be it simple or more specialised.

80 WALCOT STREET, BATH BA1 5BD TEL : 01225 482748 www.theframingworkshop.com framing@theframingworkshop.com

Looking Glass of Bath Bespoke Mirror Makers

picture cleaning & restoration Look after your treasured artworks

'Tiled Panel Mirror' which can be made to any size.

Offering traditional and contemporary collections in a range of designs and finishes All our mirrors are made and finished in our own workshops in the centre of Bath See our website for more information on what we offer 93-95 Walcot Street, Bath BA1 5BW 01225 461969 info@lookinglassofbath.co.uk www.lookinglassofbath.co.uk

Professional restorer with 35 years experience offers advice on all aspects of display, framing and conservation of watercolours, oils and prints etc Free no obligation home visits can be arranged Please call into: LOOKING GLASS OF BATH 93-95 Walcot Street, Bath BA1 5BW Or call 07831323878 • info@lookinglassofbath.co.uk www.lookinglassofbath.co.uk

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Fleas – not just a summer issue!

You’ll find useful advice, tips and support at BATH VET SURGERIES

W

e know that flea control for your dogs and cats can be a confusing topic, with a plethora of products available and differing routes of administration and dosing intervals, so here is a refresher on why it is important to protect your pet against fleas and why consistent, regular treatment is important.

Why are fleas a problem?

Adult fleas bite pets to feed off their blood.

Bites cause skin itchiness and subsequent scratching but also pass on internal parasites, including tapeworms, and a rare bacterium called Mycoplasma that infects red blood cells.

If lots of fleas are present, they can cause bloodloss anaemia. Some individuals can become extremely itchy after a single bite due to a condition called Flea Allergic Dermatitis.

How do I know if my pet has fleas?

Fleas are only very small, typically 1.5 to 3mm long, and finding them on a fluffy animal can be challenging. Cats in particular are very good at grooming them out themselves. A good way to check for fleas is to do the ‘wet paper test’: comb the coat with a very fine-tooth comb in several areas and put the hair onto wet kitchen paper. Red streaks that appear are the flea dirt (digested blood) dissolving onto the paper.

Why should I protect my pet against fleas if I can’t see any?

Much of a flea’s lifecycle is in the environment.

Flea eggs fall off your pet onto your floors, carpets, beds and sofa’s and then under warm and humid conditions (centrally heated homes or warm weather) they hatch, develop a cocoon and turn into pupae which can survive in the environment for many months. Even if you don’t find flea dirt, fleas are likely present in the environment and on other people’s pets outside and are waiting to find a new host. A single flea can lay 40 eggs per day so a fast kill is required to prevent the population multiplying rapidly.

How can I get rid of fleas?

Fleas are not easy to eradicate. It is necessary to treat all pets in the household regularly over several months and treat the environment.

Veterinary prescription products are the most effective and most efficient treatments and these are available as topical spot-on formulations, oral tablets or impregnated collars. The household environment is treated with an aerosol spray.

“FLEAS ARE NOT EASY TO ERADICATE. IT IS NECESSARY TO TREAT ALL PETS IN THE HOUSEHOLD REGULARLY OVER SEVERAL MONTHS AND TREAT THE ENVIRONMENT” For advice on which product will best suit your cat or dog, Bath Vet Group offer free health checks for any newly registered pets. We also have a Pet Health Club which is a monthly payment scheme that covers all your pet’s preventative health care needs including annual vaccinations as well as flea and worming products. ■

Rosemary Lodge, Wellsway, Bath, BA2 5RL, 01225 832521 www.bathvetgroup.co.uk f Bath.Vet.Group

OUR CLINICS: • Rosemary Lodge Hospital Wellsway, Bath, BA2 5RL; 01225 832521 • Bath Cat Clinic 4 Beaufort East, London Road, BA1 6QD; 01225 312061 • Chapel Veterinary Surgery Forest Road, Melksham, SN12 7AA 01225 702427 • Marshfield Veterinary Surgery 57 High Street, Marshfield, SN14 8LR 01225 891171 • Oldfield Park Veterinary Surgery 4 Third Avenue, Oldfield Park, BA2 3NY 01225 423652 • Peasedown Veterinary Surgery 46 Bath Road, Peasedown St John, BA2 8DL 01761 435673 • Saltford Veterinary Surgery 478B Bath Road, Saltford, BS31 3DJ 01225 872002 • Station Road Veterinary Surgery Lower Weston, BA1 3DY; 01225 428921 • Park Road Vets, 11 Park Road, Keynsham, Bristol, BS31 1BX; 0117 9339 933

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 107

BUSINESSINSIDER B AT H G E T S S E R I O U S George Street is the new home for Ma San Auction Too cool for stool

GRIN AND BEAR IT Bath-based design studio Kidd & Bear – experts in interiors for children – are launching a new gifting range and customised furniture range this May. Kid-friendly products will include plant-based candles, cotton clothing, and commissioned art prints.

“Taking the hard work out of choosing what to buy, we have curated beautifully crafted items that bring both moments of indulgence and a sense of practicality to family life,” says owner Andrew Chambers.

“Our customisable furniture range is unique, and has been created ready to personalise, with designs to suit different tastes and personalities – we want to give children and their spaces a real sense of individuality, just like them.”

For more: www.kiddandbear.com

MOVING FURNITURE Ma San Auction, specialists in Asian art and antique furniture, have recently moved premises – from offices on Upper Bristol Road to a new showroom on George Street. The auction house buys, sells and offers evaluations on art and furnishings including porcelain and jade antiques, paintings and photos.

They are hosting an Asian art sale in May. For more: www.masanauction.com

108 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

© ANDY LLOYD

At the time of writing. team tickets for this year’s mighty Bath Boules are set to sell out once more, following exceptional demand for the much-loved charity event.

Once again, Bath businesses are primed and ready for ticket sales and will be part the usual frenzy of ticket sales for the France-tastic extravaganza. Bath Boules takes place on 14 – 16 June and will see 192 companies competing in Queen Square.

Companies who missed out on tickets can guarantee themselves a team by jumping on board as a Little Boules Sponsor. There are now only limited sponsorship options available, all of which are backed by an extensive marketing campaign.

The weekend festivities are a massive, convivial party in the Square and are free to all. Uniquely, Queen Square is closed to traffic on two sides, and the roads will be filled with delicious street food and drink offerings.

For more: www.bathboules.com

A tense moment from last year’s Bath Boules competition

© ANDY LLOYD

BOULESED OVER!

MEDIACLASH.CO.UK 115

SPONSORED BY:

The new boutique gym is bang on the riverside

You’ve not got long to enter – and you could be a winner!

BEST IN CLASS A new fitness studio on Bath Riverside has opened up with two studios in their boutique gym offering up to eight classes a day.

CLASS managing director Rob Suchet says classes will be geared to the age and fitness of the members. He is anticipating Bath Riverside residents will make up 60 per cent of the membership. Around 40

per cent of the classes will be geared for the over 60s.

“Many professionals and couples enjoy significantly different lifestyles than they did 10 or 20 years ago,” says Rob. “Launching the new CLASS gym ticks all the boxes for our residents, as well as attracting new members in the city.

For more: www.crestnicholson.com/bathriverside

WAVING GOODBYE Combe Down councillor Cherry Beath has announced she will not be standing in the 2019 May local elections.

Cherry has served in various roles within the council, including mayor in 2014, and chairwoman of council in 2017/18, and initiated council partnership and funding for projects such as The Guild coworking hub.

“I shall no doubt miss the work, and certainly the people, but know how it can be good to hand over to fresh faces and ideas, and think it is time to hang up my boots!” says Cherry.

For more: www.democracy.bathnes.gov.uk

It’s a competition of the hats at the mayor-making ceremony

HURRY, HURRY! Nominations for the 2019 Creative Bath Awards close on 17 April as excitement builds towards the June event.

The brand new ‘Inspiration’ Award is attracting great interest. Created in memory of much-loved headteacher at St Andrew’s primary, Sue East, this category allows creatives to nominate anyone who has inspired them – be that a teacher, mentor, manager or peer.

Now in its third year, the awards are a public celebration of creativity and the perfect opportunity to shout about the burgeoning creative, tech and cultural sector in Bath.

“Entering the Creative Bath Awards is a chance to show everyone how creative and successful your business is – and the part you play in this thriving scene,” says Lucy Plummer, community manager at Creative Bath.

Finalists will be announced on 23 April.

To get involved with the awards through sponsorship, please email Lucy: lucy@ creativebath.org www.creativebathawards.org @CreativeBath

AJ Removals Removals - Storage - Shipping - Packing

Tel: 01225 404060

enquiries@ajremovalsbath.co.uk

www.ajremovalsbath.co.uk

Unit 12 Stable Yard Industrial Estate, Windsor Bridge Road, Bath BA2 3AY

SPONSORED BY:

unlimited holiday allowance which the staff love! In a nutshell, we are interested in our output as individuals and collectively as a team, not how long our bums are stuck to the seat.

The company has been in Bath since 2009 – what are the pros and cons of working in Bath?

ONE TO WATCH

ANDY EWINGS is managing director of Bluefuse systems, a digital agency that builds websites and mobile apps for businesses. We caught up with him to chat proud moments, working with a Dragons’ Den investor, and racket sports What’s the secret to making a brilliant website?

Always try to put yourself in the users shoes. Think about what it is they want to achieve from their visit to your site.

Understanding that is a critical precursor to any design or build that takes place and helps to ensure what’s built will deliver on the users needs.

What are the things that bother you about websites?

When people just focus on making it look attractive and not thinking about how usable it is and how well it works. There is a brilliant book called Don’t Make Me Think, by Steve Krug, about human-computer interaction.

Its premise is that all good computer programs and websites allow their users to accomplish their tasks as simply and efficiently as possible.

Everyone building a website should read this.

What was your journey into becoming MD at Bluefuse Systems?

I left university with a degree in maths and statistics and drifted into a stats job that had an element of computer programming attached to it. I started as a junior and worked my way up to senior and then eventually decided to spend a few years freelancing where I ended up working for Peter Jones (from Dragons’ Den) developing the Vodafone online shop. It was from this that Bluefuse was born.

How do you inspire your team?

Primarily I try to lead by example.

If your team see you having fun and being passionate about what you do, they will follow suit. I also try to empower my staff to manage their own time. We don’t have fixed office hours where people have to be in, and we also operate a policy of an

Bath is a beautiful city that can’t fail to inspire creative people. It’s big enough to have plenty to do and entertain you but small enough not to get lost in the mass of people and places.

The only con is the traffic and lack of affordable parking.

Some of your clients are Bath-based…

Yes that’s right. We work with Doodlemaths, which is a growing startup in the ed-tech field, based in Cambridge House. We also develop and support the website and ticket office system that is used by Bath on Ice for booking skating sessions.

Where we can, we love to support local businesses and take pride in watching them grow.

What is the thing you are most proud of professionally?

Integrating the iPhone on the Vodafone network (it was originally exclusive to O2). We worked into the early hours on Christmas Eve so that Blackberry users waking up on Christmas morning with an iPhone in their stocking could plug their sim into their new iPhone and seamlessly port across. I am also proud that I am able to offer placement students from Bath University an opportunity to work on some enterprise projects.

I undertook a placement year in my third year at University and it was an invaluable experience.

And personally?

Well this might sound like a cliché, but it would have to be my kids.

Watching them grow day by day into the well-rounded mini-adults they are

becoming is something that fills me with pride.

Outside of work, what do you like to get up to?

I love racket sports, particularly squash and tennis. When I’m not at work or at home with family I can usually be found on a squash court, or, if the sun is out, on a tennis court.

“BATH IS A BEAUTIFUL CITY THAT CAN’T FAIL TO INSPIRE CREATIVE PEOPLE” What is the most surprising thing about you?

I’ve just asked the office for their thoughts on this and one response was, “You once paid for a round of drinks”. Personally I think this is somewhat unfair.

Describe your perfect meal...

This is a tough one, as I love food.

I’m very lucky in that my wife is a brilliant cook, although this means I’m regularly spoilt – on this front it does mean it plays havoc with my waistline.

What are your hopes and fears for 2019?

Well, like everyone else, I hope that family, friends and loved ones all have good health. I hope as a company we can continue to build on the success of the last couple of years and continue to be passionate about and enjoy what we do.

www.bluefusesystems.com

BATH SPORTS NEWS Bringing you the latest in sporting news

SPONSORED BY:

BUSINESS INSIDER

BUSINESS MATTERS DIARY From networking breakfasts to invaluable evening courses, make a note of the courses and classes that will help your business flourish 19 MARCH NETWORKING AND NIBBLES WITH KALEIDOSCOPE COLLECTION’S HOMEWOOD As well as networking and foodie treats, attendees can have a tour of Homewood Park, taking in its transformation since Ian and Christa Taylor purchased it in August of last year. Ian will also provide a short presentation about the inspiration behind his projects.

6pm-8pm; Homewood Park; www.businesswest.co.uk

Double the trouble? The cyclists have a gruelling challenge ahead of them

DYNAMIC DUO Two cyclists will be scaling one of the Tour de France’s toughest peaks four times in 24 hours – on a tandem – for Bath Rugby Foundation.

Dave Bowler and Will Trick take on the challenge of cycling up the four different routes on Mont Ventoux – known as ‘the beast of Provence’ – on 1 August.

“In total, we will be cycling around 183km with over 6,000m of climbing which, to put it into perspective, is like cycling the height of Mount Kilimanjaro,” says Dave.

Will adds, “When discussing the challenge with other cyclists, there has been a lot of scepticism about whether what we are attempting to do is possible, and a lot of questions were raised about our sanity. I think that in itself makes up one of the reasons we have chosen this challenge.”

Dave and Will are taking on the challenge to raise money for Bath Rugby Foundation, whose ambition is to change the lives of vulnerable children and young people who have not been given an equal chance of success.

To sponsor the Mandem on a Tandem, visit www.bathrugbyfoundation.com

XX II BATH 112 BATHLIFE LIFE II www.mediaclash.co.uk www.mediaclash.co.uk

MOVERS AND SHAKERS ETC

20 MARCH SOUTH WEST (BATH) - CDM 2015: YOUR ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO DESIGNER DUTIES This seminar, for architects, will demystify the regulations and help you understand how to apply health and safety design risk management on your projects. 2.30pm-5pm; Bath Royal Scientific & Literary Institute; www.architecture.com 21 MARCH THE BATH BUSINESS EXPO REGIONAL EVENT A full day of networking and seminars for local for a range of business sectors. Exhibition stands are available to help to get businesses noticed and there will be a business seminar programme plus advice from local support organisations, speed networking and a networking café. 10am-3pm; The Assembly Rooms; www. getconnectedexpos.co.uk 3 APRIL WIN MORE CUSTOMERS WORKSHOP This workshop covers: how to identify potential customers and understanding their needs, managing the sales process, and how to to reach your potential customers through traditional and social media platforms.

10am-1pm; Bath and County Club; www.coolventures.co.uk

A warm welcome: University of Bath has two new members of staff

POWER WOMAN

Ann Phillips, the chairperson of Bath law firm Stone King, has been named Outstanding Individual of the Year at the Citywealth Powerwomen Awards.

The awards recognises individuals and companies who maximise the potential of women in wealth, as well as celebrating female leadership and diversity.

Ann was also shortlisted in the Woman of the Year – Leadership (professional services) category.

“Ann is an inspirational figure to all at Stone King, combining fine leadership with exceptional knowledge,” says managing partner Steven Greenwood. “This award could not have gone to a better person and no doubt will inspire all at Stone King.”

TOP SCORE

Pamela Chesters CBE has been appointed the new chairperson of University of Bath council and professor Ian White the new vice-chancellor.

“Working alongside my fellow members of council, our new vice-chancellor – professor Ian White – and the wider university community, I am confident that Bath’s reputation as a centre of excellence for research, teaching and the wider student experience will continue to grow,” says Pamela.

Pamela and Ian will start their posts this April. www.bath.ac.uk

SERVICES GUIDE HOME CARE

GUIDE to SERVICES in the

JEWELLERY

To advertise here call

CITY

✆ 01225 475800

TO ADVERTISE HERE CALL THE BATH LIFE TEAM ON 01225 475800

Nigel Dando WE BUY Gold, Silver & Platinum in any form or condition.

Nigel Dando 11 Pulteney Bridge, Bath BA2 4AY Tel/Fax: 01225 464013 www.nigeldando.co.uk

STONE SPECIALISTS

NORTON MASONRY LTD Repairs, Restoration Alteration of Stone Buildings New Build Stone Cleaning Stone Carving Fireplaces

Tel: 01225 462688 / 07968 697091 Email: Julian@bathstonemasons.co.uk

www.bathstonemasons.co.uk

Luxury & local The most sophisticated audience is just a call away

Stonework Specialists & General Builders 38 LONG BARNABY, MIDSOMER NORTON, RADSTOCK BA3 2TZ

Tel/Fax: 01761 419422 Fax: 01761 232480 Mobile: 07901 712232 / 07899 927276

Email: nortonmasonryltd@hotmail.co.uk

www.nortonmasonryltd.co.uk Over 30 Years Experience

PONDS AND AQUATICS

Richard Brook POND & AQUATIC SYSTEMS

DESIGN • CONSTRUCTION • CLEANING • MAINTENANCE BLANKET WEED SOLUTIONS AND MORE

✆ 01225 475800

T: 07834 973945 E: richard.brook9@btinternet.com

WWW.PONDANDAQUATICSYSTEMS.CO.UK

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Inheritance tax – the residence nil rate band Jacqui Bowden from Bath-based chartered accountants and tax advisers PEARSON MAY looks at the impact for individuals…

T

he Residence Nil Rate Band first came in to effect on 6 April 2017 and is being phased in gradually so that, by April 2020, certain individuals could potentially see a reduction in their Inheritance Tax bill of up to £140,000.

NIL RATE BAND Each individual is entitled to an Inheritance Tax ‘Nil Rate Band’ (NRB) on their death of £325,000 (the NRB will be frozen at this level until April 2021, after which date it is expected to increase in line with the Consumer Prices Index). If the value of an individual’s estate on their death is less than that sum, no IHT is payable. If married couples or civil partners have their wills written so that all their assets on death are passed to the surviving spouse then on the death of the second spouse they can benefit from their widow/widower’s NRB as well, meaning that the value of their estate would have to be more than £650,000 before any IHT is payable.

RESIDENCE NIL RATE BAND (RNRB) The RNRB gives an additional nil rate band on death but differs from the basic NRB in that it can only be applied to the value of residential property inherited by direct descendants on an individual’s death.

The RNRB will eventually be set at a level of £175,000 per individual but has been ‘phased in’ since April 2017 when it was first introduced at a level of £100,000 for deaths on or after 6 April 2017. The RNRB will increase again on 6 April 2019 to £150,000 and then to a level of £175,000 for deaths between 6 April 2020 and 5 April 2021. As with the NRB, the RNRB will

“DOWNSIZING PROVISIONS HAVE BEEN PUT IN PLACE, RECOGNISING THE FACT THAT MANY PEOPLE MOVE TO A SMALLER HOME OR INTO RESIDENTIAL CARE”

then increase from 5 April 2021 in line with the Consumer Prices Index.

By way of a straightforward example, where a death occurs in the current tax year 2018/19, the combination of the NRB and the RNRB should enable an individual to claim relief of up to £425,000. By 2020/21 it will be £500,000.

Like the NRB, the RNRB can be transferred between spouses and civil partners if it is not used in whole or in part when the first spouse dies, even if the first death occurred before the introduction of the RNRB on 6 April 2017.

CONDITIONS TO BE MET The RNRB is set against the value of a residence passing to qualifying beneficiaries. The residence does not necessarily have to be the property in which the individual lives when they die but it must have been occupied by them as their ‘residence’ at some point and included in their estate at death. If more than one property meets these criteria, the personal representatives of the deceased will be able to choose to which property the RNRB should be applied. The RNRB will not be available for buy-to-let properties or holiday homes etc. if the individual had never lived in these as his/her residence.

Qualifying beneficiaries are one or more direct descendants e.g. children (including stepchildren, adopted children or foster children), grandchildren etc.

It should also be noted that, for properties which exceed the value of the RNRB, any unused NRB will still be available to cover the excess.

DOWNSIZING The original family home doesn’t need to be owned at death to qualify for the RNRB. Downsizing provisions have been put in place recognising the fact that many people move to a smaller home or into residential care.

CAN THE RNRB BE LOST? For estates valued at over £2m (after deducting any liabilities but before reliefs and exemptions), the RNRB will be gradually reduced by £1 for every £2 that the value of the estate exceeds £2m. Careful tax planning can help to mitigate the effect of this.

Existing ownership arrangements including joint tenancy and the use of discretionary trusts can potentially jeopardise the entitlement to the RNRB. It may be possible, with careful planning, to avoid losing out on this potentially valuable relief. It makes sense to keep Wills under review to cater for changing circumstances. Tax planning exercises should also be carried out to ensure that based on current circumstances, reliefs are being preserved. Each individual’s circumstances are different and specific advice is essential. Please contact us if you would like to discuss anything further.

The above is for general guidance only and no action should be taken without obtaining specific advice. ■

Jacqui Bowden Bsc (Hons) ACA Pearson May Chartered Accountants & Chartered Tax Advisers Bath, Chippenham and Trowbridge Jacqui Bowden, a partner at Pearson May

37 Great Pulteney Street, Bath BA2 4DA 01225 460491; mail@pearsonmay.co.uk www.pearsonmay.co.uk www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 115

ADVERTISING FEATURE

FOR THE HOME Our local businesses are poised and ready to help with all your home needs for spring

ASPECT WINDOW STYLING

BEAR INTERIORS

www.aspectwindowstyling.co.uk

Inspiration for windows. Based in the heart of Bath, Aspect Window Styling are suppliers of top quality shutters, blinds of all types, curtains, poles, and awnings. Visit their showroom for inspiration and advice from expert staff on how to transform your windows into something gorgeous. Full design, measuring and fitting service. Tel: 01225 469559

MENDIP FIREPLACES

Bear Interiors are a small, approachable company delivering quality interior solutions at affordable prices. From advice on colour schemes to renovation, from initial planning to project completion, they can help you. To arrange a free consultation please call Lynette Labuschagne on 07977548340 or email lynette@bear-interiors.co.uk www.bear-interiors.co.uk

Bath’s leading fireplace, wood burner, gas fire, chimney and flue specialist. From classic to contemporary, concept to completion, their team of experts can work with you to achieve your perfect interior. Brands include Chesney’s, Barbas Belfires, Hwam, Stuv and Jetmaster. Get in touch or visit the showroom. Mendip Fireplaces (Bath) Monkton Combe, Bath BA2 7HD. info@mendipfireplacesbath.co.uk, Tel: 01225 722706; www.mendipfireplacesbath.co.uk

JOEL BUGG FURNITURE & SPACES

CHEVERELL

CLAIRE RENDALL DESIGN

www.joelbugg.co.uk

www.cheverell.co.uk

www.clairerendall.com

BONITI

THE MARMALADE HOUSE

Joel Bugg design and create elegant, bespoke fitted furniture and interiors which are architecturally thought-through to seamlessly fit and suit your property.

Working with private clients and architects, they offer a fully managed service from initial concept designs through to final installation, sourcing and providing all elements of the finished interior. Call: 07779 236242

ETONS OF BATH

Founded in 2006, Etons of Bath is the UK’s only specialist interior design practice focused on refurbishing, renovating and reinvigorating Georgian and Regency homes and hotels. Their team of 12 interior designers, planners and project managers can help you design and deliver classically inspired interiors that add value, turn heads and improve the use of space. 108 Walcot Street, BA1 5BG; Tel: 01225 639002; www.etonsofbath.com 120 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Cheverell is set in the heart of Wiltshire with a stunning showroom and workshop, offering a full bespoke design, manufacturing and installation service in kitchens, bedrooms, and interiors. Established in 1989 it has over 30 years of experience to guide you through the whole process. Cheverell, Waller Road, Hopton Park, Devizes, Wiltshire SN10 2GH. Call: 01380 722722

Boniti is based on the outskirts of Bath and offers a wide range of quality interior and exterior products: natural stone and timber flooring, Everhot range cookers, garden furniture and Kadai firebowls. As well as the vast selection of products on offer, a friendly and personal service is at the heart of all that they do.

Dunsdon Barn, West Littleton,Wiltshire SN14 8JA Tel:01225 892 200; www.boniti.com

From gently textured traditional interiors to gorgeous glitz, Claire Rendall Design creates quality interiors as varied as their clients. On time and to budget, both locally and internationally.

Please contact info@clairerendall.com; Tel: 07778 240223 for further information.

The Marmalade House specialises in French and Gustavian-style furniture painting and interior styling. They work from studios in Kelston, or onsite if requested. They offer colour consultations for your home, a full interior design service and styling for locations and home sales.

They also run award-winning courses on painting furniture to professional standards, colour and mood boarding.

Tel: 01225 445855; www.themarmaladehouse.co.uk

Taking steps for rescue pets!

Sunday 12th May. Join us for a 2 or 5 mile walk

raising funds for animals in need. ÂŁ15 for dogs*, owners go free

Sign up at www.bcdh.org.uk/wagwalk Call 01225 787334 Share on social #wagwalk

Registered Charity Number: 205594

*discounts on multiple dogs

With thanks to our sponsor

JUST VISITING

© K ARL A GOWLET T

“I remember coming to Bath to do one of my first stand-up gigs”

PETE FIRMAN

took me hours to drive there, but I was excited all the way.

Ah, the enthusiasm of youth!

A hundred years ago, magicians were rock ’n’ roll stars... but there’s not a lot that’s

left undiscovered in the world now. Maybe that’s one of the reasons why the magic show is a popular form of entertainment, because it’s a rarity for an audience to be bamboozled.

Ahead of his local show, one of the UK’s most celebrated magicians talks comics, Bath basement gigs, and forgetting people’s names

I wouldn’t say that Google has ruined magic but... if

In the packed modern field of magic acts, Pete Firman stands out. He’s recently appeared on the legendary stage of The London Palladium, handled some props that belonged to his comedy-magic hero in ITV documentary Tommy Cooper Forever, and exercised his vocal cords during a song and dance routine for Comic Relief.

He’s been entertaining audiences for the best part of two decades – writing and performing on magic shows such as Derren Brown’s 3D Magic Spectacular (Channel 4) and The Secret World of Magic (Sky One) – and he’s also published a bestselling book, Tricks to Freak Out Your Friends.

I still like seeing a good magic trick... and I do get

122 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

With his current UK tour, Marvels, he’s aiming to amaze and enthral crowds across the country – including those in Bath – with his engaging brand of magic-comedy fusion.

Bath is... one of the prettiest

places to spend a few days visiting. I often go to the city for short breaks when I get a bit of time off.

Sadly it’s a flying visit this time... but I do love a walk

around the Roman Baths and having a bite in The Pump Room Restaurant.

I remember coming to Bath to do one of my first stand-up gigs in the early 00s... It was

in the basement of a pub and it

someone is persistent enough, they could probably find out how a trick works. These are the kind of things that a 21st-century magician has to deal with.

fooled now and then. It’s nice to have that feeling of being deceived because it doesn’t happen so much, especially the longer you’re in the game.

But it’s that sensation that got me hooked in the first place.

I’m trying to do good tricks and make it as funny as I can...

I’m not doing a trick and then doing five minutes of stand-up about aeroplane food; the jokes are interwoven and integrated into whatever it is that I’m doing. You can get a lot of mileage out of that trope of borrowing a gentleman’s watch and smashing it up.

I have a terrible memory...

My biggest faux pas in

performing is forgetting people’s names, and it’s really the worst thing that you can forget because people do take umbrage when you call a ‘Barry’ ‘Garry’. Doing magic is a little bit like patting your head and rubbing your belly: you’re doing different things at different times, and I just have a problem with remembering names.

You want a certain level of nervousness... That’s what

gets you up and gets you going.

If you didn’t have that, it would mean you’re not bothered and you should probably stop doing it. I did something at The London Palladium last year which was a big deal for me because of that venue and because you think ‘Wow, The Beatles and Judy Garland and anyone who’s been anyone has been on that stage’ and you can just feel it in the room.

There was actually a conversation had about whether some comics fans might come along to my tour by accident... But we thought

it would probably be all right, and if we sold a few extra tickets because of the Marvel universe, then is that a bad thing? n

Marvels will be at The Rondo Theatre, Bath, on 20 March, and then at the Redgrave Theatre, Bristol, on 27 March; www.petefirman.co.uk / www.rondotheatre.co.uk