Bath Life – Issue 411

Food/Arts/Entertainment/Shopping/Property @BathLifeMag

CELEBRATING THE BEST OF THE CITY

ISSUE 411 / 14 – 28 FEBRUARY 2020 / £3

FINGER-LICKIN’ STREET FOOD AT BANDOOK

ISSUE 411 / 14 – 28 FEBRUARY 2020 / RED-HOT HOTELS

LEARN FROM THEM!

COOL SCHOOLS FOR HAPPY KIDS

LITTLE WONDER

It’s at The Newt in Somerset, of course!

HOW TO THROW A LEGENDARY LIT FEST

THIS BRUTON STABLE STARS IN OUR

ULTIMATE HOTEL SLEEPOVER SPECIAL

EDITOR’S LETTER

ABOVE: Enjoy the luxe life at

Bath’s hotels (page 25) BELOW: We’re loving this eye-poppingly green watch from Jody Cory Goldsmiths (page 64)

O

f course, I know that I’m lucky in that it’s possible for me to walk to work. It’s 16 minutes if I peg it, maybe 20 if I saunter.

And plenty of that is through Royal Victoria Park, saying ‘hello pigeons, hello squirrels’ to everyone or thing I see, like some giddy Disney Princess.

But damn, it’s a good thing – and one I’d be loath to give up. I’ve commuted by train before, by bus and by car, and occasionally by bike, and none of it’s a patch on walking. Forget the speed and convenience we’re all addicted to, bypass the anger and resentment at your fellow travellers – save, perhaps, for the occasional moment when some school-bound 4x4 crashes through the biggest puddle and coats you in muddy waters – and walk. Enjoy moving a little more slowly, more thoughtfully; yes, even more aimlessly.

Walking isn’t just a nice, clutterfree, brain-clearing activity – though it’s certainly all that – but it makes you engage with your fellow citizens (human and squirrels) in a way that neither private nor communal transport does. With the one you’re in

your own, coldly detached in a little bubble; with the other, you’re doubtless staring in determined fashion at your shoes. But walking, you’re forced to interact with those you see and meet – or at least to acknowledge them.

Plus, I think you appreciate the destination more. In a fast car – and I love a fast car, don’t get me wrong – time collapses; it’s about the sense of movement, not so much where you’re going. But walking through the park, every step brings me that little bit closer to the great wall that is the back of Marlborough Buildings, and the city beyond. I’m like Frodo approaching Mordor, but in a good way.

There’s nothing about walking in this issue – it’s all the region’s top schools and swankiest hotels. But kids walk around all the time (they have to; we don’t allow them to drive), and the best hotels encourage a spot of perambulation too.

I walk a lot anyway, but one of my resolutions this year was to walk even more. Not just because it’s good for me (though it is), or because it’s cheap (free even!), but because life’s richer when you wander about, open up, engage with the world. Three things that Bath Life’s all about, after all.

MATT BIELBY Follow us on Twitter @BathLifeMag Instagram @bathlifemag

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Issue 411 / 14–28 February 2020 COVER Now that’s what we call a barn conversion: outbuildings take on new luxury life at The Newt in Somerset

LUXURY HOTELS

25 Switch off your phone, pack a good book and throw on your

fluffiest robe for a few days away at one of these local beauties

THE ARTS

37 ARTS INTRO Hyper-realism meets the wobbly cartoon

world (like in Mary Poppins!) in this knockout portrait

38 SENSE OF WONDER We get the lowdown on Bath’s brand-

new, year-round series of children’s book events

44 WHAT’S ON Theatre, music, art and some family stuff 51 BOOKS In the bleak midwinter...

53 THEATRE Love actually is all around

FOOD&DRINK

55 FOOD & DRINK NEWS Catch up with all Bath’s

latest foodie happenings

56 TRY 5 A few of the best Indian restaurants in town 58 RESTAURANT Inspired by the above, we went out for a

tonne of Indian street food (with a twist) at Bandook

SHOPPING

58

63 INTRO A map of the city in monuments (and giant animals) 64 EDITOR’S CHOICE Living green 66 COMING OF AGE We celebrate those rare few companies

that really stand the test of time

72 REPAIR CAFÉS Much more than make do and mend

EDUCATION

76 SCHOOL IN THE AGE OF GRETA Bath’s top schools on

climate activism, education in the technological age and what student-centered learning really looks like

BUSINESS

93 BATHWORKS The local businessess making the headlines

PROPERTY

101 SHOWCASE Modern Georgian life – it’s not an oxymoron

DEPARTMENTS 7 13 21 114

SPOTLIGHT SOCIETY A MAN’S WORLD LIVES Tessa Campbell

76

Editor Matt Bielby matt.bielby@mediaclash.co.uk Deputy Editor Lydia Tewkesbury lydia.tewkesbury@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 Damon Charles Contributors Nic Bottomley, David Flatman, Paul Marland, Charlotte Martyn, Anna O’Callaghan and Clarissa Picot Group Advertising Manager Pat White pat.white@mediaclash.co.uk Deputy Advertising Manager Justine Walker justine.walker@mediaclash.co.uk Deputy Advertising Manager Polly Jackson polly.jackson@mediaclash.co.uk Account Manager Annabel North annabel.north@mediaclash.co.uk Account Manager Louis Grey louis.grey@mediaclash.co.uk Sales Executive Callum Staines callum.staines@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 and Exeter. 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

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

SPOTLIGHT Exciting times ahead: Deborah Warner joins the Ustinov

You’re right, it’s just like the thing that traps Sapphire and Steel in the final episode…

BRLSI

DIGGING UP THE PAST The Bath oyal Literary and Scienti c Institution hopes to commemorate one of Bath’s most important – yet most forgotten – historical gures with a brand-new monument. A model of the proposed Bath Stellarum’ is on display in the B LSI at ueen S uare, and is intended to memorialise Adelard of Bath, one of the rst Western scholars to decamp to the Middle ast to study – where, at the time, people had years on the West’s understanding of the world. After spending seven years learning, Adelard returned to Bath where he rose to fame as the translator of uclid’s Elements of Geometry, the sum total of mathematical knowledge of ancient Greece, and al- hwari mi’s Zij, the rst modern understanding of the stars.

The proposed dodecahedron represents the ve platonic solids referenced in Elements of Geometry. ublic funding is needed, and you can donate at: www.localgiving.org appeal stellarum For more: www.brlsi.org

Embroider your own 18th century look

Ustinov Studio

Fashion Museum

THREAD THE NEEDLE

ver the next three months, the oyal School of Needlework will host three bespoke embroidery classes at the ashion Museum, each drawing inspiration from highlights of the collection here, including a th century gauntlet glove ( March), ictorian boots ( April) and th century shoes ( May). xperts from the SN, the international centre of excellence for the art of hand embroidery, will be on hand to teach techni ues like silk shading and goldwork, and – we’re intrigued but confused – stem, split, satin and trellis stitches.

The classes are suitable for sewers – people who sew, not the other thing – of all levels, and begin with a trip into the museum proper to see the item each class is inspired by.

For more: www.royal-needlework.org.uk

NEW BLOOD

eborah Warner’s the new artistic director of the stinov Studio, the internationally acclaimed – and multi-award-winning – theatre and opera director oining the Theatre oyal’s smaller offshoot this month, with her inaugural season to begin in the autumn.

I am delighted to be oining the team in Bath, and very excited to be working on a small and intimate scale once more, says eborah. The stinov Studio has become a ma or force in British theatre, and I look forward to the opportunity to present challenging and uestioning theatre in all its many forms as we enter this new decade. eborah’s previously worked with leading companies and talent worldwide, holding prestigious positions with the oyal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre and the Barbican notable productions include Titus Andronicus with Brian Cox at the SC, for which she earned an livier Award, and many productions with her long-standing creative partner, iona Shaw (the ama ing Carolyn off Killing Eve).

For more: www.theatreroyal.org

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SPOTLIGHT Bath Half Marathon

© BEN ROBINS

STAY GREEN

Le grande day out

The Bath Half Marathon has teamed up with Wessex Water to reduce their plastic waste. A new initiative, called e ll Not Land ll, will see Wessex Water set up Hydro ones, where runners will be able to ll up reusable bottles, with compostable cups also available for the forgetful few.

We’ve always been conscious of our environmental footprint, and last year announced we were embarking on a new challenge to eliminate single-use plastics from the race by , says Andrew Taylor, race director. That’s why this partnership with Wessex Water makes perfect sense, and we’re excited to launch the e ll Not Land ll partnership with them.

We want to make it as easy as possible for runners, with Hydro one re ll points along the route and biodegradable cups for those who prefer not to run with a bottle.

For more: www.wessexwater.co.uk Reducing waste: Colin Skellett, Zsofia Rafael and Andrew Taylor

Boules

LE BOULES FRENZY Team tickets for the Bath Boules big th anniversary event are set to be released at midday on March. In previous years places have sold out in ust a few minutes, so if you’re keen, please save the date – and be ready!

All proceeds are shared between local charities and, to date, a staggering , has been raised. ach year several thousand people come to watch, with more than companies competing in .

This summer’s Boules festivities take place on - une and are set to be even more France-tastic than ever, as the th anniversaire is celebrated.

Le Bunk- ff riday is the rst of three days of tournament, with the

legendary riday night party and a full programme of entertainment that evening. There’s also a Crumbs street food market running across the three days, plus plenty of activities to keep the little ones entertained.

“We’re aiming to raise record sums this year, says events director Steph odd. That’s powered by the support of wonderful companies who step up to sponsor us and, in turn, en oy the wonderful networking, branding, team building and do-gooding opportunities it brings. articular thanks must go to the our Headline sponsor, Brewin olphin.

For sponsorship, please contact Nell: nell.robins@mediaclash.co.uk www.bathboules.com

Westonbirt Arboretum

10 MORE YEARS

What do you want the future of Westonbirt to look like?

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Forestry England and the Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum have embraced the new decade with a fresh 10-year vision for the woods near Tetbury.

They mean to be ‘a world leader in trees’, inspiring people through education, participation and conservation.

“This vision outlines Westonbirt’s place in our changing world, and how we’ll respond to the growing number of environmental and social challenges we’re now presented with,” says Mike Coe, CEO of the Friends of Westonbirt. “By connecting people with trees we can improve understanding of the importance of trees and get more people benefitting from the positive impacts nature has on health and well-being.”

Mike wants ideas from the public, too, about what they want for the future of the arboretum as it approaches its 2029 bi-centenary. Email thoughts, ideas and comments to Westonbirt.marketing@forestryengland.uk For more: www.forestryengland.uk/westonbirt

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 Lucky guests heard Grayson give his take on the collection

Chris Stephens Alice Tollworthy, Caroline Howlett, Lyndsay Lunt, Nadia Hill and Francesca Baumann

Christa Hamilton, Mark Hake and Jonathan Davis Adrian Dannatt and Piers Feltham

THERAPY SESSION

Grayson Perry

After much fanfare (not a little of it from this very magazine), top potter Grayson Perry’s latest exhibition – Grayson Perry: The Pre-Therapy Years – made its debut at The Holburne at the end of January. A fair few VIPs (including, it seemed, half the London art scene) got to enjoy the exhibition early doors at a special preview evening attended by the man himself, where he give a speech about this unprecedented collection of his early works, and was on hand to sign a book – also called Grayson Perry: The Pre-Therapy Years – that came out alongside it. The exhibition will remain at The Holburne until 25 May; genuinely, it’s a must-see. www.holburne.org Continued over the page.

Photos by Betty Bhandari

Jill Westwood, Jennifer Binnie and Janet Slee

Tracy Chapman, Michael King, Sandy Forbes and Jacqui Edmiston

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 13

SOCIETY

Grayson Perry: The Pre-Therapy Years will be at The Holburne until 25 May

David Taylor, Howard Lee, Venetia Osboarne and Rosie Gouviet

Ann Thorsby Parker, Brenda Carter and Nicholas Falk

Bridgette Mayes, Jacqui Pruskin, Sally Harpley and Stella Harpley

Jo Haues and Peter Haues

Mark Smith, Ruth Ravenscroft, Lise Peterson, Jacob Bille, Izzy Parry-Lewis and Flemming Bille Michelle Sinnott and Paula Haughney

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

Daisy Montgomery, Timothy Prus, Erica Prus and Jane England

SOCIETY

Mairin Williams

Ian Weatherseed Jules Agate

Emily Penn and Debbie Luffman Vicki Chillcot

Plenty of inspiration was on hand for ways in which to fight for the planet

SEA CHANGE

Bath’s inaugural Ocean Plastic Day at Komedia saw school children and more fully grown locals alike ll the venue to learn more about the problems with plastic, and, crucially, the small steps we can all take to reduce our own waste.

Speakers included Emily Penn, leader of eXXpedition, an all-female research organisation that sails around the world investigating the causes of ocean plastic pollution, and rofessor Giovanna Laudiso, C of Bath-based start-up Naturbeads, who spoke about the plant-based alternatives to plastic microbeads that the company creates. www.3adapt.com Photos by Focus First Media

Guests met climate activists during the event

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Richard Milton

SOCIETY

Edith Lowe, Wendy Miller and Marion Gibbs

This piece is called ‘Edge9325’

Mary Evans and Jamie Eastman

ANCIENT AND MODERN

14 artists have created work in response to Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s The Rime of the Ancient Mariner in this new exhibition in The Andrew Brownsword Gallery at The Edge.

Co-curators hilip Hoare (writer, lmmaker) and Angela Cockayne (artist) were on hand to give introductory speeches about the works, and talk about assorted intriguing contemporary interpretations of the poem, with its apparent themes of marine pollution, migration, hidden histories and human vulnerability and isolation. www.edgearts.org Rob Fearns and Guy Bigland

Photos by Philip Phone

Emily Meads and Giada Damiani Angela Cockayne, Richard White and Lorna Brunstein

Philip Hoare, Grace Schwindt and Chris Greenwood Sian O’Keeffe and Nicki Websper

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

Steve Egan and Priscile Buschinelli

Susie Smith and Elisabeth Kenwrick-Piercy

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Crafting beautiful homes Bailbrook Lane, Bath

01225 791155 ashford-homes.co.uk

WINNER

A stunning development of two contemporary, luxury detached homes set in a beautifully mature setting with magnificent views

A MAN’S WORLD DAVID FLATMAN

Schoolin’ life

© TAKING PICTURES

As The Beach Boys once had it, be true to your school…

“I am someone who struggles not to give a view when I have one”

I

was watching an episode of The Stranger on Netflix last night (it’s good annoyingly, I do invariably notice flaws in continuity, and I can’t stop myself from groaning at any bits of acting that aren’t as good as De Niro in Goodfellas – and there are a few issues in this show – but otherwise I’m fun to relax with!) and one of the characters said something that made me go, hmm. He said: When it comes to our own kids, we’re all corrupt. To roughly contextualise, he meant that we all basically do whatever it takes to make sure our own kids have the best possible path through each day, whether or not what we’re doing is right.

This is probably a load of rubbish most parents, while of course wanting their children to fly, are lovely and normal and in no way corrupt. The thing is, though, that statements like these always re off a little pang in my mind. It’s not because I’ve done anything wrong, per se, but I did do something that many think is wrong. I’m comfortable with the decision, so I’m not terribly worried about anyone else’s view, except that I do nd myself justifying it at dinner parties here and there. Again, I care not if folks don’t like it, but I am someone who struggles not to give a view when I have one.

What I did was – a few years ago now – move my two daughters from a little village state school to a private one in Bath. They started at a primary school and now they go to prep school. or many reasons, this can be a contentious sub ect. f course, not all have the means to make such a move, which is where the argument surrounding fairness begins, but many are extremely vocal in their disdain for such an elitist system. I understand all that, and I don’t necessarily disagree too strongly with any of it.

The most aggressive conversation I ever had about it was with two good friends who had a baby at roughly the same time aughter ne arrived. The babies were months old and the sub ect of

schools came up: rivate schools are a disgrace. ou don’t need them.

They’re ust another way for the rich to feel superior. If you work hard enough you can do ust as well from state school. He was red in the face, despite my not even arguing back.

Incidentally, their two kids are now at a prep school in Bath... rivate school was never the plan, but the cute’ little village school left aughter ne floundering. She had one fabulous teacher, but that remains the sole positive memory, in honesty. Being the son and brother of educational psychologists, it was made clear to me that she needed so, so much more if she was going to flourish. She needed variety of voice, daily sport ( mins a week in the sports hall wasn’t cutting it), closer assistance in a smaller class, and longer, fuller days. aughter Two would have been ne anywhere, it seems, but aughter ne is in nitely more ful lled, challenged and happy where she is now. I am from a family of highly successful people, all proudly educated at state school, yet my state school didn’t work for me in any way. I know absolutely how lucky I was to be able to affect the switch – and I know that many who want to cannot – but I do not feel guilty.

The whole networks’ and contacts’ assumptions are tosh.

Good people are everywhere. The reason my little girl is unknowingly flying at prep school is because, for her in particular, it is better in every way.

It wasn’t part of the plan (we sold the house we loved), but it became the best thing for our child.

I’m glad we did it, and I ust don’t mind having less cash than I used to have. Given the choice, do the vast ma ority of us not do whatever we think is best for our children Is that a version of corruption I ust don’t think it is.

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

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LUXURY HOTELS SPECIAL

A LITTLE BIT FANCY Do hotel rooms make you horny?

They certainly do us! Please join us for a jam-packed celebration of the very best places for a cheeky sleepover this spring

By Matt Bielby

B Somehow, The Newt manages to be so posh they actually get better weather than the rest of us

ath’s hotel scene has rarely been so competitive – or so packed with world class contenders. From traditional country house piles to excitingly experimental city offerings, the top of the market now has truly world class contenders to suit every taste and style. Here are ten of our most brilliant boltholes, each with something special about them to make them stand out from the crowd. We’re getting room envy just thinking about them…

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Fancy Drawing Rooms give the Royal Crescent a real ‘casual Downton’ feel

The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa, Central Bath

ROYAL NIRVANA A BATH LANDMARK you can

sleep in, the Royal Crescent Hotel combines modern luxury with period charm in winning fashion: there’s a lovely hidden curated garden, one of the best local spas, AA osette ne dining, and – they say – what many people describe as the best service in Bath.” If the thing about Bath is that it offers elegant city facilities but a Cotswolds village feel, this place delivers in spades.

The experiential travel trend is still going strong,” says Mary Stringer here, so we not only have to provide high end

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experiences right here at the hotel, but also arrange outside activities on guests’ behalf.

Fortunately, this is something that our concierge team – two of whom are members of Les Clefs d’ rs – already do extremely well, booking everything from private paddle-boarding to climbing expeditions, or arranging luxury picnics and hot air balloon rides.”

Though they’re far too discreet to talk about it, this is a place that the rich and famous stay on the regular, though perhaps their most frequent guest is a house cat

called Al e, who lives ust a few doors down.

But he ust can’t get enough of the hotel’s cosy corners and resident squirrels,” Mary says.

He waits by the doors, meowing loudly to be let in by obliging staff and fellow guests.”

What’s the best room in the place? ne of the most

breathtaking rooms is our Duke of York Suite, a bright and airy room which features views over the Crescent lawns and original Georgian ceiling mouldings.” www.royalcrescent.co.uk

“Though they’re far too discreet to talk about it, this is a place that the rich and famous stay on the regular”

LUXURY HOTELS SPECIAL The Newt in Somerset, Bruton

THE NEWT’S WORLD ONE OF THE MOST exciting

hotel launches in recent memory is that of The Newt in Somerset, which opened some 30 miles south of Bath last summer. With beautifully cultivated gardens, a cyder press, restaurants and a farm shop (as well as others selling home and garden items), it would be hard to get bored of this hotel and spa. With a brand new immersive visitor attraction – The Story of Gardening – having opened here last month, The Newt is a celebration of all things West Country, offering

a varied programme of workshops and tours covering everything from organic gardening and apple tree pruning to beekeeping and baking.

The hotel itself is housed in the Grade-II listed Hadspen House, as well as its various quirky outbuildings – including The Stable Yard and Clock House.

“We took our name from the colony of great crested newts that live on the estate,” says Christabell Pidduck. “They’re a protected species, so we take great care to look after them. Newts possess the incredible ability to regenerate,

so seemed the perfect t to represent an estate that continually regenerates and sustains itself.”

What’s the best room in the place? “The Garden View

rooms in the main house look out over the manicured gardens, while those in The Stable Yard and The Granary are individually designed with playful, contemporary touches sitting alongside original features from their historic function.” (Indeed – and there’s one such on our cover this issue.) www.thenewtinsomerset.com

The Newt: the influencer’s choice of hotel, and it’s easy to see why

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LUXURY HOTELS SPECIAL A good place to roost

Homewood, Freshford

NO PLACE LIKE HOME A NEWLY-REFURBISHED

country house hotel and spa out in leafy Freshford – one of the very prettiest of many pretty villages in Bath’s immediate orbit – Homewood is lled with the creative, playful touches that new owners Ian and Christa Taylor are so well-known for. A creeperclad manor house set in 10-acres of newly-restored gardens, the recent transformation is currently entering a second phase, with a new terrace due to open in the spring, 11 new

bedrooms, and a private event space that includes a barn with incredible views out over the Limpley Stoke Valley.

What’s the best room in the place? erhaps room

, one of our new Deluxe Garden Suites,” says Ian. “It’s gorgeously Art Deco, with its own sitting room, stand-out bathroom, and an outside space with re pit and private hot tub. It’s more like a luxury apartment, really.” www.homewoodbath.co.uk

The Bird, Central Bath

HIGH FLYING BIRD AN IMPRESSIVE VICTORIAN

villa with 31 individuallydesigned bedrooms, plenty of car parking – a real rarity in Bath! – and some of the city’s best views (there’s plenty of grass around and you can see Bath Abbey), this is a place full of details to make you smile. There are nods to The Bird’s avian theme everywhere, and it’s already well known for such vibrant seasonal pop-ups as the summer ‘Nook Garden’ and Christmas Tavern.

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

Being different is one of The Bird’s great strengths, so – for instance – you get forty or so feathered friends dotted about the breakfast room, taxidermy nds from a aris museum.

What’s the best room in the place? “Hard to choose,”

says GM Tim O’Sullivan, “as we have many unique features, but there’s one spacious family room with its own outdoor hot tub.” www.thebirdbath.co.uk

Escape from the city, yet remain within striking distance: perfect!

LUXURY HOTELS SPECIAL

Indulge yourself at just the most impressive spa

Gainsborough Hotel, Central Bath

MAGIC IN THE WATER A RELATIVELY RECENT, highly impressive addition to the city’s hotel offer is The Gainsborough Bath Spa, which couldn’t be more “at the very heart of Bath if it tried. ni uely, the Spa Village here has access to Bath’s natural thermal waters, so guests can bathe in huge, pillared luxury ust like the omans did over 2,000 years ago.

Back when the hotel was being restored, before we opened in , we found a sack in the basement containing over , oman coins, says their eter

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ollins. They were sent to the British Museum in London, where they were cleaned and catalogued, and a selection of the Beau Street Hoard’ is now on display in eception.

What’s the best room in the place? erhaps the most

special is the Bath Spa Suite, which is not only a beautiful room but the bath itself has an extra tap which is fed by the naturally warm waters, containing over 42 minerals.” www.thegainsboroughbathspa.co.uk

Lucknam Park, Colerne

LUCKY DAYS WHEN WE THINK the words ‘country house hotel’, Lucknam Park is what we imagine: a long beech-lined drive, a Palladian mansion, and plenty of antique furniture combined with luxury contemporary touches. The spa here is particularly fancy, surrounded by walled gardens and manicured lawns, while there are 500 acres of glorious parkland to explore by foot, bike or horseback.

Speaking of horses, this year they’re taking wellbeing to a new level with the launch of new ‘Equine Connect’ sessions.

“Guests work in the round pen using the horse’s natural instincts and methods of communication,” says Beth Tremelling. “Horses

don’t learn through fear or pain, but rather from pressure and the release of pressure – you connect and communicate using your own body language, and can relate this to personal and interpersonal relationships of your own.”

What’s the best room in the place? “Our two Grand

Master Suites boast stunning décor and sweeping views of the mile-long driveway. Originally the master bedrooms of the house, they’re both elegantly decorated with a large sitting area, an open replace and a stately four-poster bed, while the bathrooms are nished using the nest marble. www.lucknampark.co.uk

The closest we’ll get to that ‘pulling up at Pemberly’ feeling

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Reach the best in the west Affluent, active and influential and just a call away

Bath Life team 01225 475800

LUXURY HOTELS SPECIAL

Unique touches everywhere take No.15 to the next level

No.15, Central Bath

FIFTEEN PLUS A COLLECTION OF three-Grade I

listed town houses on Bath’s grandest street gives No.15 serious curb appeal, but it’s what’s inside that makes it uni ue. Where else would you nd a giant doll’s house reception desk, a chandelier of lost earrings or a replica of Big Ben – and all that just in the foyer and bar? (Indeed, the bar here’s been described as “like being in the V&A, but with drinks.”) There are intriguing collections of art and curiosities on every stairwell and in each of the 40 individually-designed bedrooms, while the subterranean Spa 15 – no surprises here – has a personality all its own too.

“No.15 isn’t like any other hotel,” says managing director Jonathan Walker. “We pride ourselves on doing

things differently. There are more than 60 chandeliers here, plus 13 doll’s houses – 12 housing tea and coffee-making facilities in the suites!

– and 180 drawers to try opening in the old chemist’s shop we have in The Dispensary restaurant.”

What’s the best room in the place?

“The Hideout Suite has its own spa experience bathroom, with steam room and a hot tub adorned with life-si e copper sunflowers, as well as a dressing room, vibrant sitting room with a kaleidoscopic collection of bottles, remote control re, its own Sonos system and a luxurious bedroom, with a huge feature light hanging above the bed.” www.no15greatpulteney.co.uk

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

LUXURY HOTELS SPECIAL Roseate Villa, Central Bath

A little bit of country in the city at Bath Priory

MILD ROSE

Tasburgh House, Bathampton

THE SMALL RED ONE

THE GUYS AT THIS bijoux hotel on the

edge of the glorious and hidden away Henrietta Park make sure it feels like a true home-away-from-home, so there’s no reception desk and, instead, a string of unique features – like their own in-house night baker, who makes sure guests wake up to the aroma of fresh baked breads and muffins for breakfast.

A key member of the team here is general manager Caroline’s border terrier, Muttley. ne day, while Caroline was moving cars outside the hotel, a couple of just departed guests found the wayward hound in a lane nearby but on his way into the city – and were detaining him using newly purchased leggings as a temporary collar and lead. Caroline rushed over to help – just as a massive gust of wind took all the guests’ shopping bags, scattering new purchases across the road and up a tree.

Luckily, they had a magni cent sense of humour,” Caroline says, “and ever since have become regular guests at the illa.

YOU CAN WALK into the city from Bathampton on Bath’s eastern fringes, but you might feel little need when the place has such sprawling gardens leading down to the canal-side. This place was originally built by royal photographer John Berryman in 1891, and it was only because of his influential position that he was allowed to build in red brick instead of honey-coloured Bath stone; indeed, Tasburgh House was apparently the very rst red-brick building to be built in Bath.

What’s the best room in the place?

“They’re all named after famous English authors,” says GM Grant Atkinson, “and a personal favourite is the Jane Austen room, which looks out over our gardens. The bathroom has a sign on the door saying ‘a room with a view’, and you get to see town and country in one skyline. www.tasburghhouse.co.uk

What’s the best room in the place?

“Room 17 is one our guests request time and time again, with triple aspect windows overlooking Henrietta Park, seats in the window to watch the world go by, and a light and airy ambience. www.roseatehotels.com

Bath Priory Hotel, Weston Park

TOP PRIORY IT’S JUST A SHORT walk from the city centre, but The Bath riory offers so much country house hotel style you’d hardly know it: there are four acres of beautiful gardens, decent car parking, a lovely terrace for drinks or lunch, and one of the city’s few outdoor pools. The restaurant has long been one of Bath’s best respected, and this place is also home to the only L’ ccitane Spa in the .

“Then there’s our Library and Drawing Room, with wonderful original works of 20th century art on every wall,” says Bethan oung. They’re from owners Andrew and Christina Brownsword’s private art collection, and make a great backdrop as you relax by an open re, or en oy afternoon tea.

Ever had a famous guest here?

The perfect weekend bolt hole

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

“We’re far too discreet to divulge our funniest stories! But we do love being so close to Glastonbury, and attracting fabulous guests each year who opt to enjoy our bedrooms over a eld and tent. www.thebathpriory.co.uk

A cute bookish theme never hurts...

T H E C U R TA I N E X C H A N G E For the best dressed windows

IN BATH

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airready.co.uk Deborah: 07722 422 039 | Rebecca: 07906 507 228 | info@airready.co.uk

THE ARTS 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

PORTRAIT OF A GENTLEMAN We love a man in sensible shoes.

Ben Hughes’ striking and original portraits combine realistic and graphic elements to create colourful paintings that are as eye catching as they are indicative of the personalities of their subject; they hang in the private collections of Standard Chartered Bank and the University of Oxford (a piece featuring Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell, part of the Diversifying ortraiture initiative). This latest piece features Geoff Ward, principal of Homerton College and deputy vice-chancellor of the University of Cambridge – wine, books and a comfy chair; if that doesn’t sum up the life

of an academic, we don’t know what does. Bath Artist Studios-based Ben is always happy to discuss a portrait commission without obligation and, with prices starting at £350, they don’t have to be the preserve of banks or academic institutions either.

For further info, go to www.benhughesart.co.uk or call 07941 426071 to arrange a visit; Ben’s generally around on Thursdays and Fridays, but call in advance.

Ben Hughes Fine Art, Bath Artist Studios, The Old Malthouse.

Image reproduced by kind permission of the Principal, Fellows and Scholars of Homerton

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 37

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

THE BIG INTERVIEW

DAYS OF WONDER

Gill and John McLay love books – no, they really love books – and through Wonder, their brand-new, year-round literary event endeavour, they’re spreading that love to everyone Words by Lydia Tewkesbury Portraits by Betty Bhandri

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 39

M

y very rst visit to Bath was to the second Bath estival of Children’s Literature back in . I was , obsessed with The Princess Diaries series and completely overwhelmed that I was going to see its author, Meg Cabot, in person, in Bath, which she had come to visit all the way from America. ntil that day when my mum, brother, best friend and I packed into the car to drive up here from our home in evon, I suppose I had considered the authors I loved (whose blogs I read religiously – like I said, it was ) in the realm of magical creatures, worlds away from my own existence.

That is, until I was able to come face to face with them in the Guildhall. I’d repeat the experience a couple of years later with the late Louise ennison (Angus, Thongs and FullFrontal Snogging) excellent and hilarious, she told me she liked my dress and spent ages talking to me, even though I was bang at the back of an incredibly long signing line.

So, suffice to say, when I got the chance to meet the festival’s founders, Gill and ohn McLay, to talk about their brand new bookish not-for-pro t, Wonder, I leapt at the chance.

Gill and ohn left the Bath Children’s Literature estival in . And now they’re turning their talents to year-round children’s book events for Bath, Bristol and beyond. Wonder will bring some of the biggest selling children’s authors and most exciting emerging talent to Bath while also offering a range of workshops and regular clubs for children to get stuck into. So, why did they decide to establish their own brand ver the years, the interesting thing that happened is more and more doors opened for us to do other things, Gill explains. A perfect example is the phenomenally successful Here Be ragons exhibition at the ictoria Art Gallery back in . Gill and ohn curated a selection of artworks featuring dragons from the works of children’s illustrators like Chris iddell, Axel Sche er, uentin Blake and Cressida Cowell that proved spectacularly popular. But not everyone made the connection between them as the exhibition’s curators and them as the organisers of the children’s book events the city had been en oying for years. With Wonder, Gill and ohn aim to change that.

Back to Gill: It felt like the right time for us to bring all of the things we did together under one brand name, so that when people saw that name they would think, h, it’s those people’. We want people to become aware of the Wonder brand as one that stands for high uality events for children and families where en oyment and fun are absolutely centre stage.

The word fun came up a lot when I was speaking with Gill and ohn – and their delightful sausage dog Gatsby, who eyed me somewhat sceptically from his position in Gill’s lap throughout our conversation.

He licked me before I left, though, so I think I won him over.

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

Gill and John curated the fantastic Here Be Dragons exhibition back in 2017

“It felt like the right time for us to bring all of the things we did together under one brand”

Anyway, back to the fun. There’s an ethos in the children’s publishing world – in which Gill works as a literary agent and ohn an international children’s literary scout (he helps international publishers ac uire books for translation), author, anthologist, reviewer and publishing consultant – that books are basically magical entry points into the world of creativity. Both still very much in the trenches on their day obs, running Wonder is the pair’s side pro ect, a way of using their extensive experience in the industry – they reckon a combined years’ worth between the two of them – to give something back to the children (and their adults) in the local community. ohn and I, we don’t ust dip our toe in the swimming pool of children’s books for days a year, we are literally swimming in it for hours a day – sometimes it feels like more than that. It really is our world, Gill says.

As for what Wonder is actually doing, that’s separated out into a few different elements. There’ll be standalone author events (the next ones include suffragette descendent and picture book maker aty ankhurst, comedian and new children’s author Ben Miller and popular historian Lucy Worsley) and a ten-day Wonder festival in ctober, but also those workshops I mentioned earlier. ohn has more information about those:

© PHAROS PHOTOGR APHY

THE BIG INTERVIEW

ABOVE: The very first event of Wonder, with Levi Pinfold, illustrator of the Harry Potter ‘House editions’; BELOW: Gatsby the sausage dog: the most important member of the team

“Often a workshop is just 25 or 30 children, often for a longer period of time – sometimes up to an hour or 90 minutes, rather than 40-45 minutes of a regular author event – and they are getting something from the session,” he says. “It might be a creative writing session, it might be a drawing or dance class. It could be a circus skills class.

The main thing is they will all be related to books, with the children getting a real hands-on experience.”

One of the primary goals of Wonder is to reach as many children as possible, and Gill and John believe that workshops are an excellent way of achieving that.

It’s about meeting children where they are. Rather than shoving a particular book into their hands, with Wonder the aim is to stage events for every entry level into books, art and story, which – for some kids – is going to be much more a practical workshop on, say, creating a comic book, than sitting down and listening to an author talk.

With that in mind, Gill and John also have plans to set up regular clubs as another arm of Wonder’s work.

They’ve launched their rst, a weekly ungeons ragons club (the game that starts all the trouble at the beginning of Stranger Things) every Sunday at Beaufort Bookshop in Larkhall that is already so popular that it’s full, with a waiting list of kids hoping to join.

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

“It’s unleashing their imaginations,” Gill says. “Which I think, without sounding too political, in the current world where children have so much pressure on them, they’re assessed so much at school – and I understand that all that needs to happen – it is so wonderful to give them an opportunity to come and be involved in something for the sheer unadulterated joy of it.”

As for the author events themselves, they’re taking place with Bath’s various relevant retailers, including Mr B’s Emporium, Topping & Company and Waterstones.

This is another part of reaching a wide range of children – every shop has a different demographic, Gill and ohn say. They’ll be taking authors into schools too, with the hope of engaging a few more of the children who might not have access to such events otherwise.

“When we bring authors to the city – Bath or Bristol – we’re trying where possible to grab them for a second day, or a longer day so we can take them out to schools,” says ohn. That way the kids can get access to those authors and illustrators that the school might not otherwise have been able to afford. It’ll be a broad spectrum of schools – from the ones that haven’t had authors before, to the schools that maybe are more regularly supporting authors. I think it’s important not to exclude anyone on that spectrum.”

So, why do Gill and ohn think book events are so popular these days? It seems every town, large and small, has its own literary festival now, and part of publishing your novel comes with the expectation that an author will go on tour when it’s released.

“It’s all about the accessibility and the experience of authors now being able to reach their audience like never before, ohn says. nce upon a time you would write a letter to the publisher, it would get passed on three months later and you might get a reply – but now, you tweet authors, you acebook them and they reply.

Rowling replies to tweets. You can come within touching distance of your literary heroes and the literary festival is an extension of that. The premium experience now is not buying the CD any more, or buying the book – it’s actually going to see somebody, meeting them and seeing them on stage.”

There’s the magic element, too.

“I was lucky enough to meet Michael Bond and I grew up living, breathing, loving Paddington Bear,” says Gill.

As a grown up and de nitely out of the age span of his target audience, meeting him is still something that I’ll treasure forever because it was so magical. I think, gosh if that’s how I feel at my age, imagine how much more magical that must be for a young person?”

She also told me that she’s never been let down by one of her literary heroes – there is a quality to the children’s authors she’s met, she says, where they appreciate the signi cance of their meetings with their young readers.

They understand the magic of that moment, and in her experience, at least, they strive to meet it. Which is quite lovely, really. rom the start, Gill and ohn knew Wonder was a not-for-pro t. They have day obs that they love, placing them well in an industry they are obsessed with – Wonder, they decided, would be what they gave back.

This also means they’re making a point of partnering with other community-centric organisations, like The Forest of Imagination (they have plans to work together for 2020), and The Bath Hive (www.thebathhive.co.uk), which they fund. “The Bath Hive is a family events listing website, and it’s something we want to do for all of the

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

© PHAROS PHOTOGR APHY

THE BIG INTERVIEW

These days, you can come within touching distance of your literary heroes

“You should always encourage children and young people to dream as big as they can possibly dream”

organisations in Bath, ohn says. This being the case, in addition to having Wonder’s events listed, it promotes a range of other family fun going on in the city.

Best of all, it’s totally free for organisers to list their events. “It’s curated, so it’s not everything, but a selection of what we think are the best events for children and families in the area.”

Wonder is working to promote local talent too, giving emerging local authors a platform, often alongside international best sellers.

It’s a labour of love, basically, and it shows. ne of the things that’s really close to my heart is that as an organisation that does things for children and families, it’s really important for us to be a role model to the audience that we’re talking to,” Gill says. “I feel very strongly that you should always encourage children and young people to dream as big as they can possibly dream and aim as high as they possibly can – and I think, for me, it’s very important that we did just that.”

And they’re succeeding too, as far as we can tell.

Kate Pankhurst (Royal High School) is on 8 March, Ben Miller (Waterstones) is on 25 March. Tickets: www.thebathhive.co.uk.

Lucy Worsley (Assembly Rooms) is on 28 March. Tickets: www.bathvenues.co.uk/LucyWorsley www.eventsofwonder.com

WHAT’S N

© PAUL COLTAS

14 February – 15 March

Who will make it through the night in The Cat and The Canary? (One character already looks like a pretty bad bet, it would seem…)

EXHIBITIONS FIFTY BEES 4 There’s quite a buzz (sorry, had to) around artist Lydia Needle’s latest offering. She’s created life-si ed bees out of wool and stitch to represent of the bee species in the . ach is paired with a piece created by another artist in response, showing how connected bees are with our ecosystem.

Mon-Sat, 10am-4pm; Black Swan Arts, Frome; www.blackswanarts.org.uk

language and rich visual metaphor, Mariner connects the past with the present to retell an epic tale for the st century, says r Sarah Chapman, who is co-curator of the exhibition. ur exploration is informed by the latest research into marine science and pollution, the movement and migration of peoples across the seas, hidden postcolonial histories and human vulnerability and isolation.

Tues-Sat, 11am-5pm; The Andrew Brownsword Gallery, The Edge; www.edgearts.org

Until 21 March

Until 20 April

Until 14 March

MARINER Here, artists consider the continued resonance of Simon Taylor Coleridge’s The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. Inspired by

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

ART AT THE HEART: ALAN BROOK The latest exhibition to grace the walls of the H is the work of Alan Brook. The

travel photographer spent a year exploring Mexico, Beli e, Guatemala, l Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa ica, anama, Columbia, cuador and the Galapagos Islands – and this evocative and colourful collection of images is the result.

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

Until 25 May

GRAYSON PERRY: THE PRE-THERAPY YEARS An exhibition built from Grayson’s lost’ works, crowd-sourced from around the following a public appeal in to work out where they’d got to. This reintroduction of the explosive and creative pots and plates he made in the ’ s shines

an intriguing light on his use of the medium to address radical issues.

Mon-Sun, 10am-5pm; £12.50; The Holburne; www.holburne.org

15 February – 26 May

TOULOUSE LAUTREC AND THE MASTERS OF MONTMARTRE The team at the AG are bringing bohemian aris to life through over works by Toulouse Lautrec, Mucha, Steinlen and many more of the arisian street art’ era.

Mon-Sun, 10.30am-5pm; £6; Victoria Art Gallery; www.victoriagal.org.uk

13 March

LIFE IN BRONZE Catch a glimpse of Hamish Mackie’s evocative bron e wildlife structures before they appear at

WHAT’S ON the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May. This exclusive event offers the chance to meet the artist and enjoy a guided tour of the collection in the beautiful grounds of Lucknam Park’s 500-acre estate.

2pm; £40; Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa; www.lucknampark.co.uk

PLAYS/SHOWS 18 February

LILY AND THE ALBATROSS A small family sit in a shing boat far out in the ocean telling stories.

Their lives are dictated by the tide and the nightly storms. Lily stares dreamily up at the albatrosses that glide overhead and dreams of a better life…

2pm; £7.50 (£5.50 conc); Merlin Theatre, Frome; www.merlintheatre.co.uk

ABOVE: Harry Baker is turning 10,000 days old at Komedia (we think he’s short-changed himself on the candles) LEFT: An evocative dance piece about life in wartime

by South West Dance Theatre, Letters From the Homefront will visit The Mission Theatre in March BELOW: Experience the high life at the BANFF Mountain Film Festival

18–23 February

SIX The musical you never knew you needed, SIX sees the wives of Henry VIII take centre stage to tell their stories as you’ve never seen them before. Nominated for ve Olivier Awards including Best New Musical, this sounds outstanding.

(In fact, we can’t wait.)

Tues-Sat 8pm, matinee Wed and Fri 5.30pm, Sat and Sun 4pm; various prices; Theatre Royal; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

20 February

ALEX EDELMAN: JUST FOR US The comedian behind the show that became one of the Edinburgh Fringe’s most acclaimed in a decade is heading out on a tour across the for the rst time. The show covers Alex’s Olympian brother, AJ; ADHD; and the time he met Prince William at the BAFTAs – amongst other things.

7.30pm; £15 (£13 conc); Rondo Theatre; www.rondotheatre.co.uk

© SIMON MOORE

24–29 February

THE CAT AND THE CANARY The Classic Thriller Company returns with this truly creepy piece from 1922. The descendants of a rich eccentric gather on a dark and stormy night to discover who will inherit his massive fortune – after they prove to be of sound mind, of course. Easy, in theory – and it would be, if they weren’t stuck in a house terrifying enough to drive anyone insane…

Mon-Sat 7.30pm; matinee Wed and Sat 2.30pm; various prices; Theatre Royal; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

25 February

JANEY GODLEY’S SOUP POT TOUR No one is safe when Janey Godley takes the stage. Known for the YouTube videos in which she overdubs political speeches with her own commentary, as well as her appearances on panel shows like Have I Got News For You, expect plenty of sharp yet cathartic political comedy.

Doors 6pm, show starts 7.30pm; £15.50; Komedia; www.komedia.co.uk

Until 7 March

THE REALISTIC JONESES It’s a country evening; sun shines, birds sing and Bob and Jennifer Jones are spending it with their new neighbours, John and Pony Jones.

As the night draws on, the couples discover they have more in common than their identical houses, and a desperate attempt to connect ensues.

Playwright Will Eno’s acclaimed work was named Best American Play by The Guardian in 2014; this is its rst performance in the .

Mon-Sat 7.45pm, matinees Thurs and Sat 2.30pm; £23.50; Ustinov Studio; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

7 March

LETTERS FROM THE HOMEFRONT A series of letters between those at the front and those left behind, told through dance. This captivating piece commemorates those lost during the Second World War. Doors 7pm, show starts 7.30pm; £10 (£7 conc); The Mission Theatre; www.southwestdancetheatre.co.uk

9 March

I AM 10,000 Mathematician turned slam poet Harry Baker is on his rst ever solo tour. One half the famed comedyrap-jazz duo Harry & Chris, in his rst time out on his own, Harry celebrates turning 10,000 days old.

Doors 7.30pm, show starts 8pm; £12; Komedia; www.komedia.co.uk

MUSIC

21 February

ISOBEL HOLLY BAND This 19-year-old Bathonian knows how to put on a show. Her songs are comprised of a powerful blend of country rock and soul – Fleetwood Mac and Carrie Underwood are obvious influences.

Doors 7.30pm, show starts 8pm; £9; Chapel Arts; www.chapelarts.org

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

WHAT’S ON

BROOSE: A LAYMAN’S CHAMBER A veteran of the Deep Ellum Texas scene, Broose Dickinson has been a vital part of the music and visual arts world in Dallas for nearly 30 years. He’s in Bath to launch his latest album, Broose: A Layman’s Chamber, by performing a selection of new and remastered tracks.

6pm; 44AD artspace; www.44ad.net

13 March

FAELAND Enchanting and technically impressive folk-pop that’ll lift even the heaviest of hearts, Faeland’s live performances feature a litany of instruments including guitar, accordion, banjo, charango, violin, vocals and Celtic Harp.

Doors 7.30pm, show starts 8pm; £12; Chapel Arts; www.chapelarts.org

20–22 February

BATH BACHFEST Calling all classical music fans: have you booked your Bachfest tickets yet?

If not, get on with it – because they are fl in . Comprised of ve concerts over three days, this celebration of JS, JM and JC Bach features internationally acclaimed artists. im ati n and i va at

21 February

YE VAGABONDS Rich folk music with a side of Irish traditional music and the occasional bit of Appalachian singing makes brothers Brian and Diarmuid MacGloinn of Ye Vagabonds something to behold. Make sure to catch this important staple of the Irish music scene while they’re here. m n in nd t am nda t

2 March

Astronauts, werewolves, broken hearted science teachers and even the moon itself step forward to tell this story about the magic, history, science and music of the moon. am m va i i t t at a

19 February

YEAR OF THE RAT STORYTELLING AND CRAFTS 2020 is the Year of the Rat. The Museum of East Asian Art’s master storyteller, Jieun Lee, is on hand for celebrations making nger puppets and telling East Asian folktales about cunning rats. a i tim m at ian t m aa

20 February

INTERACTIVE STORYTELLING: A SEAFARING ADVENTURE Ever dreamed of being a pirate?

Or perhaps a mermaid? Even a charismatic talking sh In this playful workshop, join the ride for an epic seafaring adventure.

Explore distant lands and the world beneath the waves with theatre practitioner and creative learning specialist Lizzy Cummins. a i tim t t di d t www.edgearts.org

6–7 March

ADRIFT The story of two kids stuck living in a boat, dreaming of capturing a whale and making it drag them back to shore – and so back to safety. Developed by the acclaimed Action Transport Theatre, this is a piece about the resilience and imagination of children. a i tim and i t t at a

OTHER

THE CALLING After bursting onto the music scene with hit song ‘Wherever You Will Go’ back in 2001, The Calling have cemented their place in the hearts of many. Still touring all these years later, don’t miss this chance to see aptly named frontman Alex Band in the flesh. m ain m and ain m

20 February

FAMILY

21 February

18–19 February

LUNA: A PLAY ABOUT THE MOON

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

NT LIVE: CYRANO DE BERGERAC James McAvoy stars as the bignosed, lovelorn 17th century poet and playwright, desperate for the love of a woman who can’t see past his gigantic nostrils. See the play streamed live from the Playhouse Theatre in the West End. m itt at in ma it m AN EVENING WITH JAMES NAUGHTIE Catch James Naughtie in conversation with Rod Morgan.

© SIMON ANNAND

22 February

ABOVE: Experience an otherworldly performance from the mighty Faeland LEFT: Sharon Small stars in The Realistic Joneses at the Ustinov BELOW: See James McAvoy’s take on the forever unlucky-in-love (but, seemingly, no longer quite so big-nosed) Cyrano

14 & 15 Walcot Buildings, London Road, Bath BA1 6AD t: 01225 920 210 kelly@thebathframer.co.uk www.thebathframer.co.uk

WHAT’S ON The veteran broadcaster will here provide his personal take on a long and varied career in current affairs, music and literature.

7.30pm; £15; St Swithin’s Church, aa n at

world’s best adventure lm-makers and explorers, all pulling off some truly mind-bending (and body threatening) feats.

7.30pm; prices vary; Komedia; www.komedia.co.uk

23 February

5–8 March

BATH WEDDING EXPO Calling all brides and grooms to be: Whitewed’s curated wedding planning hub is in town for one day only. ou’ll nd of the nest wedding professionals under one roof along with a style and planning hub, live music, a caf and a wedding out t catwalk show to get you pumped for the big day.

10.30am-3pm; The Assembly Rooms; www.bathvenues.co.uk

BATH DECORATIVE ANTIQUES FAIR The leading regional decorative fair since , the Bath ecorative Antiques Fair is a high point on the antiquing calendar. There’s a wide range of exhibitors coming along, so you’ll nd an electric range of pieces from furniture to jewellery.

Various times; The Pavilion; www.bathdecorativeantiquesfair.co.uk ABOVE: Experience a little piece of Ireland with Ye Vagabonds LEFT: The six wives of Henry VIII finally get their say in this new musical at the Theatre Royal – you go, girls!

23 February

BOLSHOI BALLET: SWAN LAKE The tragic love story of Seigfried and Odette is brought to atmospheric life by the Moscow-based Bolshoi Ballet Company, and for one night will be sbown live on the Little’s screen. With music by Tchaikovsky, this technically challenging, breath-taking classic ballet just never gets old.

3pm; £22; The Little Theatre; www.picturehouses.com

25 February

MAT OSMAN OF SUEDE Bassist and founding member of Suede, Mat sman is coming to town to talk about his debut novel, The Ruins. It tells the story of twin brothers Adam and Brandon, brought back together with a bang when Brandon suddenly dies – and Adam nds himself hopelessly entangled in Brandon’s world of deception, violence and forgery.

Doors open 7.45pm, show starts 8pm; £10.99 (inc. book); Chris Church, Julian Road; www.toppingbooks.co.uk

26 February

4–5 March

BANFF MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL WORLD TOUR Embrace your daredevil side from the safety of a cinema seat.

The festival features a brand new selection of short lms from the

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

BATH BOULES

17 March: Reception 24 March: team tickets on sale 12-14 June: Bath Boules, Queen Square The much-loved Bath Boules returns for its 30th year, having raised well over £600,000 to date for local charities.

Attendance is free to anyone; teams and sponsorships are paid for. www.bathboules.com

© SOUL MEDIA

ROMAN BATHS WEDDING OPEN EVENING See the Baths all set up for a faux wedding think romantic lighting, bubbly, and a whole bunch of suppliers on hand to help you craft the perfect big day.

7-9pm; registration essential (call 01225 477786 or email bath_venues@bathnes. gov.uk to register); www.bathvenues.co.uk

Have you thought about volunteering? Do you find that you have some free time which you would be happy to devote to a worthwhile cause? Would you like to give something back to your community?

If you have a managerial or consultancy background that enables you to contribute strategically to the development and success of a project and you share a concern for older people and Grade 1 property, then you may be just the sort of person we are looking for to join our Board of Trustees. Experience in housing management and/or the care of historic buildings would be a particular asset.

The almshouses, known as Partis College, were founded in 1825 by Ann Partis, a local philanthropist, in order to provide affordable accommodation for single women over 50 years of age and in financial need. She built her almhouses in Newbridge on the outskirts of Bath. Today the charity consists of 31 Grade I Listed Georgian houses comprising 3 terraces set around a grass lawn and 3 apartments.

In the central terrace there is a classical portico behind which is the Chapel. The charity is governed by a Board of 12 volunteer trustees together with an Office Manager, who is a full time employee, and a part-time Chaplain.

The Board meets 4 times a year, and in addition, trustees may be appointed to a sub-committee and come into College as necessary to direct and oversee management of the charity and the welfare of residents.

To request an application form please contact the office on 01225 421532 (between 8.00 am - 4.00 pm) or email admin@partiscollege.org.uk. Closing date 26th February 2020.

BOOKS NIC BOTTOMLEY

Winter’s tales In which we too would love a talking dog, if not quite such a potentially bitey one

“We explore paranoia, memory and t t an i at d i

I

’m just back from a week at an international conference of booksellers in a very chilly Baltimore, which has three results immediately relevant to this column.

The rst is that I’ve read nothing for the last week because, as any bookseller will tell you, if you really want to stop a bookseller reading then put him or her in a room with a bunch of other booksellers – all they’ll do is talk about books and bookshops until far too late at night and reading will drop off the radar.

The second is that I do have a massive pile of books to read in the weeks ahead, grabbed from the colossal range of publisher freebies with which lucky conference-going booksellers are bombarded. And the third result is that, devoid of fresh material for this rst column back, I’ve turned once again to a conversation with the most proli c reader on the Mr B’s team, my colleague Tom, who fortuitously had read three cracking new books whilst I was away.

Even more fortuitously, those three books are all thematically linked to winter (if we stretch it a bit…which we’re about to).

Undoubtedly the oddest of Tom’s new discoveries is Snow, Dog, Foot by Claudio Morandini (Peirene, £12) which looks in on the life of an elderly hermit tucked away in an Italian alpine cabin. Each year Adelmo makes a single trip down the mountain to gather essential supplies in preparation for the rst big snowfall of the season, which will see him stranded for the whole winter. This year, as he walks back to the cabin, he is followed by a stray dog who then oins him there.

The winter tightens its grip and one evening, out of nowhere, the dog asks the hermit a question. And, more unexpectedly still, the hermit replies. The two strike up an antagonistic dialogue – most fre uently barbing one another about which will consume the other when the supplies run out. When the snow thaws and the pair nd a human foot right outside the cabin, the arguments start to centre on which of them might have been responsible.

Though tiny, the novel explores many themes and offers many laughs. The start point for the humour is the nonchalant way we’re introduced to a talking dog it’s a surreal

twist that is thankfully never explained. But away from the comedy, we explore paranoia, memory loss and the effects of an isolated life, as Adelmo’s grip on reality falters.

Snow, Dog, Foot is the 31st novel from a superb publisher of translated European literature, Peirene, a publisher so dedicated to nding new talents in the eld of translation that they held a competition to nd the translator of this book it was won by the apparently brilliant J Ockenden.

Berezina by Sylvain Tesson (Europa, . ) is also a translated work, though this time from the French rather than Italian.

In this mix of travel writing and history, eloquent overthinker Tesson leads us on a journey he took with two friends (and two acquired Russian acquaintances) in a Ural motorcycle sidecar, retracing the exact route of Napoleon’s retreat from frozen Russia.

Tesson, wearing a bicorn hat, drives for the most part whilst one of his friends sits in the sidecar drinking vodka and reading. As they traverse the Great Steppe and beyond, Tesson illuminates Napoleon’s character and the situation of his retreat, whilst simultaneously telling the tale of his increasingly oddball 2000+ mile contemporary trip.

Lastly, The Dakota Winters by Tom Barbash (Scribner, £8.99), which is where we stretch the wintery theme past breaking point. The novel centres on Anton Winter (yep, that’s it for the wintery-ness) as he returns home in the late s from serving in the peace corps in Africa. He brings with him the tail end of a bout of malaria which he recovers from at The akota building in Manhattan, famously the last home of John Lennon. And Lennon proves to be a player in the novel, along with various other real-life gures who Winter encounters whilst trying to help his chat-show host father resurrect his career after a disastrous on-air breakdown.

The higher echelons of Manhattan society are con ured up in a post- it gerald eitgeist novel that features some seriously troubled main players.

i m at

tt m i m

i t n a mana adin i t m m

n t t i m m

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 51

FROM FAR LEFT:

HMS Pinafore; Nigel Havers; Jane Eyre

© FR ANCIS LONEY

THEATRE ANNA O’CALLAGHAN

Stage kisses The Theatre Royal may not host weddings any more – for shame – but love still finds its way on stage somehow…

A

t New Year 1996, Theatre Royal Bath became the rst British theatre to be granted a license to hold civil wedding ceremonies from its stage. What could be a more romantic setting ! The auditorium, with its tiers of ornate plasterwork and sumptuous d cor, has been compared to a wedding cake, after all, with a ma estic trompe-l’oeil ceiling and chandelier twinkling overhead.

Conveniently, there was also seating for up to nine hundred guests, if re uired. es, the happy couple were obliged to make their vows in front of whatever backcloth was hanging for the week’s show – these ranged from a huge ship for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead to the stately home of Relative Values, and another which featured a public convenience.

(I’m racking my brain to remember what that show could have been!)

There was a Phantom of the Opera wedding, one with six bridesmaids dressed as fairies, and a couple from New ork brought guests from all over the world who led into their seats while the husband-to-be presented a stand-up routine on stage in front of the set for How the Other Half Loves. Some or so couples took the plunge before our license was revoked in .

From Romeo and Juliet to Beautiful Thing, the sub ect of falling in love is never far away in the theatre, and love is all around in the coming months at the Theatre oyal. ne of the most poignant of love stories from recent years plays Bath at the beginning

of March: the multi-award winning stage adaptation of the lm musical Once.

This is the story of a heartbroken ublin busker who is about to give up on music when a young C ech woman takes a sudden interest in his haunting love songs. motionally captivating, Once features a much-gonged score and includes the scarwinning song Falling Slowly. A ve-star review of the show by What’s On Stage describes it as, a beautiful love story full of buckets of charm and heart-fluttering moments.

Later, Blackeyed Theatre visits Bath for the rst time with its acclaimed version of Charlotte Bront ’s masterpiece, Jane Eyre.

The story of a governess who falls passionately in love with the mysterious and brooding lord of the manor, Mr ochester, is undoubtedly one of the most romantic stories in nglish literature (spoiler alert: it’s the novel which culminates in the line, eader, I married him ). Nick Lane, who has adapted the book for the stage describes Jane Eyre as a beautiful ache of a love story.

If you can’t uite imagine a production of one of Gilbert and Sullivan’s operettas by Sasha egan’s all male company, I urge you to give them a try. Hilarious and inventive and sometimes surprisingly poignant, they will spoil you for ever seeing a more traditional version in the future. The company returns to Bath with HMS Pinafore or The Lass That Loved a Sailor, a story about a lowly tar, alph ackstraw, who falls in love with osephine, the captain’s daughter. ledged by her father to marry the irst Lord of the Admiralty,

“The subject of falling in love is never far away”

2-7 March: Once 14-18 April: Jane Eyre 12-16 May: HMS Pinafore 1-10 October: Private Lives 10 December-10 January: Cinderella Sir oseph orter, osephine’s bacon is saved thanks to a remarkable twist of fate. With a second love story simmering away between osephine’s former nanny, Little Buttercup, and Captain Corcoran himself, expect happy unions all round come the nale.

There’s love on the hori on with Private Lives, in which previously married lyot and Amanda nd themselves on honeymoon with their new spouses, admiring the view from ad oining hotel balconies (awks!). Nigel Havers, who has played romantic leads from Maxim de Winter in Rebecca to a seducing conman in The Charmer is caddish lyot in No l Coward’s hilarious whirlwind of love, not to mention lust, between protagonists who can’t stand being together, but can’t bear to be apart. This will be the inaugural production in a three-year partnership with the newlyformed Nigel Havers Theatre Company.

It’s way too early to mention the C’ word, but will end with the greatest love story of them all, Cinderella. If you want to see Cinders nding true love with her rince Charming, tickets are now on sale. Before then, we would love to welcome you to the theatre and hope you love everything you see.

Anna O’Callaghan, marketing manager, Theatre Royal Bath, Sawclose; 01225 448844; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

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

Now open in Bath (walk-ins only) Sun–Thurs: 12–11pm Fri–Sat: 12–11.45pm

Edgar Mews, Bartlett St, Bath BA1 2QZ

FOOD & DRINK S N A P S H O T S O F B AT H ’ S F O O D S C E N E Bath Racecourse’s executive chef, Jonathan Williams, has exciting plans for 2020

CHIN CHIN The Henrietta Bar, a new cocktail bar at The Roseate Villa on Henrietta Road, has opened with a menu designed by their new mixologist, Christiana Kiose, who’s moved down from sister hotel Roseate House in London. The Villa Zest (made with gin, grapefruit and lemon juices) and the Henrietta Spice, with winter spiced pear, star anise, cinnamon and egg, are particular crowd pleasers, we’re told, but as the bar is open all day you can also pop in for a coffee, or one of the Villa’s famous afternoon teas.

For more: www.roseatehotels.com

NEW YEAR, NEW ME(NU)

The Royal Crescent Restaurant at Bath Racecourse has a fresh menu for 2020. “This coming season I’m really keen for people to come and try something new, something different, something they haven’t had before, says executive chef Jonathan Williams. “For mains, we’ve got some delicious Slow-Braised Ox Cheek, Persian Lamb and Pavé of Pink Salmon on Crab Risotto. For vegetarians, I’ve tried to move away from the traditional risotto or mushroom dishes that you’d normally see and instead have a really interesting Savory Parsnip Crème Brûlée to start and Red and Yellow Tartine as the main course option. Also new for the 2020 season is that the menus will be updated during the year to reflect the seasons.

Sounds delicious!

For more: www.bath-racecourse.co.uk Persian Spiced Rump of Lamb: just one of the tempting new options

Tasty and camera-ready

PREPARE FOR BATTLE

Who will come out top chef?

The award-winning chefs from two different Andrew Brownsword Hotels are preparing for the Battle of the Chefs at Bath Priory next month. Bath Priory’s executive chef, Michael Nizzero, will take on head chef Nik Chappell of The Slaughters Manor House as they create a six-course tasting menu together (they’ll make three courses each), showcasing their favourite dishes and techniques.

Guests will be the judges for the night, casting their votes for which course is best. Whoever wins, guests surely will – as long as they remember to wear elasticated trousers, obvs.

For more: 26 March; £130; www.thebathpriory.co.uk

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

TRY FIVE 2

3 1

INDIAN STA ANTS

4

Always the best option for bright colours and fullbodied flavours, Indian cuisine is on a roll in Bath right now. Here are some of our favourites…

1

BANDOOK For the past couple of years a favourite at Bristol’s Whapping Wharf, Bandook has just opened a larger second site here in Bath. From the team behind The Mint oom, the new Milsom lace gaff has a modern, casual, street food vibe in the style of the dhabas or roadside restaurants of the subcontinent. Alongside the curries – large plates, small plates and street food offerings – you can en oy a properly laid back evening here thanks to Bandook’s stellar cocktail offering, which features a wide range of highly Instagrammable drinks like the Café Chai Martini with vodka, Tia Maria, chai syrup and coffee. or more on this exciting new opening, just turn the page… www.bandookkitchen.com

2

MANTRA Pitched as the most progressive Indian restaurant in town, Mantra on Bladud Buildings offers an interesting mix of traditional dishes and more creative fare; you’ll nd a healthy number of shy, veggie and vegan dishes to satisfy every dietary requirement. Its interiors are refreshingly modern, too, with an airy conservatory-type space downstairs looking out over a cute little courtyard garden – perfect for gazing out of while dreaming of warmer times ahead. www.mantraofbath.co.uk

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3

BIKANOS A relative newcomer to Widcombe, Bikanos on Claverton Buildings serves a mix of north and south Indian cuisine. Though it only opened late last year, it’s already gained a following for its authentic Rajasthan dishes.

The Butter Chicken, comprised of classic tandoori chicken in a tomato and cream gravy with fenugreek leaves, is a big hit with the carnivores, while veggies might prefer the Hari Bhari Bhindi, which is made of fresh okra tossed with pearl onion, tomato and ginger with green chillies and fresh coriander. www.bikanos.co.uk

5

4

GOA LOUNGE Serving a mix of Indian, Bangladeshi and Pakistani dishes, Goa Lounge on Charles Street opened back in November. Expect a ginormous menu packed with favourites like the Mangalorean Gosh (lamb cooked with roasted coconut and spices and tempered with chopped onion), the Goa Platter made up of the chef ’s selection of dishes, and a llet steak, cooked however you like it. www.goalounge.uk

5

INDIAN TEMPTATION Hovering above the High Street opposite the Guildhall, Indian Temptation is a local stalwart. With lush views over the Abbey, there

aren’t many better places to share dinner as you watch the sun slowly sink for another day.

It’s a vegetarian spot that’s popular amongst the city’s vegans, too, with an impressive array of options including the Varli Baingan (baby aubergine cooked with sesame seeds and homemade masala), Aloo Gobhi Masala (potato and cauliflower in Temptation masala sauce) and Bombay Aloo (spiced spuds). www.indiantemptation.com

BANDOOK

There’s nothing uite like Bandook, an Indian street food restaurant that’s actually full of proper sit-down dishes. Colour us intrigued

By Matt Bielby

T

he movie world is full of famous box office disasters – The Fall of the Roman Empire in the ’60s, Heaven’s Gate in the early ’80s, the likes of Jupiter Ascending and John Carter more recently – and over in Bollywood the occasional lm suffers the same fate, not least crime drama Bandook, a Scarfacelike rise-and-fall tale with a few twists, a few songs, some funny dialogue ( to become a man, you have to learn two things – how to shoot a gun and how to use a condom ), and plenty of ‘bandooks’.

The word means ‘guns’, and Moe Rahman and his team – the guys behind Bath’s much-liked Indian ne dining restaurant The Mint Room and its sister restaurant over in Bristol’s Clifton – have already used it once, for their more accessible street food eatery at Wapping Wharf. That’s been around for a couple of years now, and ust before Christmas was oined by a larger, slightly posher Bath version in the impressive old Milsom lace site vacated a while back by Italian chain Carluccio’s. It’s a potentially impressive space this, ust off the main Broad Street and Milsom Street drags but in its own uiet little courtyard, but it’s looked

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

a little sorry for itself – windswept and empty – these last months. With Bandook having moved in, though, and Bosco i eria due to open in the old Cau site opposite, things are looking up. This summer, Milsom lace might well become the place to see and be seen again.

Inside are white walls, exposed stone and brick, marble surfaces, dark green ban uets and plenty of rich, deep wood some interesting copper light ttings and intriguing old photos from Indian history too. The kitchen is a large stainless steel space you can see right into at one end of the room, and there’s plenty of seating outside for when life warms up a bit. Bristol’s Bandook is nothing like this, being much smaller, more informal and canteen like.

The food offering in Bath is more sophisticated too, an all day restaurant that begins with breakfast, then runs through brunch, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner, alongside an extensive drinks and cocktail menu. ou could live in here, pretty much, being fed everything from light snacks called chaats – street food, basically – to small plates and large ones, plus unexpected treats like an Indian twist on the taco. ven the chips sounds intriguing: described as gunpowder’, they’ve had a spice rub.

RESTAURANT

Unlike most Indian restaurants, with their endless options, Bandook squeezes everything onto a large piece of card like you might get at a Pizza Express; this does not, however, mean you’ll be short changed for choice. (And it’s the same for vegans, vegetarians and the gluten intolerant; clearly marked, about half the dishes should t your remit.)

We started with ani uri ( ), those crispy little puffed semolina balls you theatrically pour a delicately spicy gravy into then pop into your mouth entire; there’s a version of these at The Mint Room too, and they’re the best ice breaker. Also from the chaats menu we tried the Bengal halmuri ( . ), like a metal pint pot of puffed rice, pomegranate and potpourri – not actually, but that’s what it looked like – with a subtle flavour that doesn’t knock your socks off but immediately becomes hugely moreish anyway, before moving onto a selection of the small plates: Amritsari ish ( . ), osemary Tulsi Murgh ( . ), Bombay rawns ( . ) and Beetroot Galouti ( . ). f these, the murgh (chicken thighs in a strikingly green garlic tomato chutney) and the king prawns (marinated in caraway, peanuts and the like, with a tomato sauce) were the big hits for us, but none were misses flavours are intriguing and sometimes hard to place, the heat factor well-judged, and if I generally prefer a little more crispiness to my battered sh, say, I enjoyed its pairing with a sweet chilli pepper sauce. rom the mains we had the Awash aan ( )–a pulled lamb shank with red onion and a little side pot of dal makhani – and the ukkar Makhani ( ), a un abi-style chicken curry, the colour of tomato soup and with honey in there somewhere; to go with, we had the bread basket (roti, naan, garlic naan, . ) to share. Then, from the short puds menu, we took those dense, sweet milky dough balls called Gulab aman ( ) and ul on a Stick ( . ), like a suggestive, oversized Mini Milk that comes in a variety of flavours. All were good choices and fun the drinks we had with, from a well-chosen Merlot and Innis Gunn beers to the Bandook Special mocktail ( . ), in which blueberries and ginger beer feature heavily, worked perfectly alongside.

All in all, then, I think this place works very well. There are eccentricities to Bandook – very peculiar loo seats (you’ll know when you see them), rather more references to rifles than I generally nd comfortable on a menu, and a vintage motorcycle (of provenance that seems to change each time I ask about it) in the entrance ust begging to be sat upon and ridden – but I enjoy that in a place. There’s nothing quite like it in Bath, and I hope (and expect it) to en oy a long and successful run.

“Flavours were intriguing and sometimes hard to place” DINING DETAILS Bandook, 3-7 Milsom Place, Bath, BA1 1BZ; 01225 300600; www.bandookkitchen.com We ate A couple of the chaats, a selection of the small plates, and a couple of the large – plus two puddings. Clearly ambitious (and your mileage may vary), but I’d have thought one small plate and one large plate each would probably do for most people.

Vegetarian options Plenty, with many vegan and gluten free too: many of the chaats (originally roadside snacks, designed to be eaten with your fingers) qualify, plus a half dozen of the small plates and a similar number of the large, and almost all the sides. The one that jumped out at us? The Beetroot Galouti (£7.50), little patties with rosemary, basil, shahi cumin and nigella seeds.

Prices Chaats run £4-£6.50, small plates £4-£12 (but most hover around the £7 mark), and

biriyanis, large plates and ‘Grandma’s Curry’ – home cooking-style, and the house speciality – between £10-£15. Most of the puds are a fiver.

Drinks There’s a range of coffees and teas (Karak chai very much included, of course) for the daytime, plus well chosen beers, wines and spirits, and a short range of unusual cocktails and mocktails (£8.50/£5.50).

Service / atmosphere It’s a fairly big space, this, with various distinct rooms and areas, and asks to be buzzing with people; the folk in the night we went, of which there were a fair few, seemed either to be too spread out or too tightly packed together, but that’s an easy fix.

What else? With an accessible menu full of dishes you’ve never tried before, and intriguing decor that seems to celebrate an ambiguous but essentially warm relationship with the British Raj, this is a restaurant of contradictions – and all the better for it.

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 59

PLEASE DON’T THROW AWAY DONATE OUR WAY Beautiful clothes needed from generous men and women of Bath.

Give a little more with gift aid.

7 Walcot Street, Bath BA1 5BN 01225 447236

savethechildren.org.uk @savethechildrenbath

SHOPPING LIVE WELL, BUY BETTER

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

Artist and graphic designer Sally Meddings is Bath born and bred, these days Devon-based, and specialises in birds, beasts and maps like this one of her original hometown. Sal’s version of the city majors on the architectural highlights, from Pulteney Bridge to the Assembly Rooms, but is awash with oversized creatures too – some of them momentarily incongruous. Why’s there a polar bear at the bottom there? (Because of pub and hotel The Bear on Bear Flat, of course.) And that lion not far from The Circus? (He’s one of those guys who guard the entrance to the park.) To the north stands a headless woman – either a stray fashion museum dummy, or some poor unfortunate who’s fallen foul of the monstrous squirrel that lurks betwixt Circus and Crescent. Naturally, our heroine at the centre is Jane Austen, happily bumbling through the majesty of it all, purple of bonnet and herself in some danger of being menaced by a giant pigeon. If this was the city she’d written about, how different Persuasion might have been…

Sally’s Bath maps cost £18 for a high quality A3 digital print, but she’ll do you custom versions for weddings et al too; www.salmeddings.work

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 63

BERING TRUE AURORA WATCH, £99 Silver, white gold and platinum specialist Jody Cory also sells elegant but in-yourface Danish designed quartz watches inspired by the colours of the Northern Lights.

Jody Cory Goldsmiths, 9 Abbey Churchyard; www.jodycoy.co.uk

IT’S NOT EASY BEING GREEN Or so Kermit had it. What is easy, however, is looking excellent in and around nature’s favourite hue…

STATESIDE THERMAL JOGGERS, £120 Super-soft Americanmade separates for luxe relaxation on weekends; cosy ‘working-from home’ days; or chilled brunches a hop and a skip from home.

Anthropologie, 1-4 New Bond Street; www.anthropologie.com

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

MARIMEKKO DARK GREEN PAL BAG, £100 Going abroad? Or just running around town?

Whichever, this zip-up, pocket-covered crossbody bag is a sturdy but stylish everyday companion.

From Found, 17 Argyle Street; www.foundbath.co.uk

ARTICHOKE BUNCH, £56 Neptune’s artichokes are part of a decorative foliage range that looks just like the real thing, but are actually entirely arti cial, so will never wilt or look old: the petals are hand painted, the wire inside lets you shape them as you will, and each of the three is subtly different to better aid the illusion.

Neptune, One Tram Yard, Walcot Street; www.neptune.com

NOVAK GREEN CHAIR, £155 Like a mid-century stackable school chair in pro le, but made of padded and plush faux leather with contrasting yellow stitching.

Graham & Green, 92 Walcot Street; www.grahamandgreen.co.uk

ED’S CHOICE MOSS SHEEPSKIN, £60 In New Zealand, apparently, the sheep come in the colour. Who knew?

Graham & Green, 92 Walcot Street; www.grahamandgreen.co.uk

STAR PRINT SHIRT, £195 Luxurious (it’s 100 per cent silk), cool (it’s got a ’70s retro vibe), and fun (it’s covered in stars), there’s nothing not to love about this flattering long-sleeved shirt.

Brora, 6 Bridge Street; www.brora.co.uk

RUPERT SANDERSON BROCADE POINTY FLATS, £125 G&T is a pre-owned designer clobber specialist, so the stock is changing all the time, but these new-in unworn Rupert Sanderson party shoes in UK size 6.5 caught our eye; they’re less than half price.

Grace & Ted, 10 Kingsmead Square; www.graceandted.co.uk

BEE GREEN BAG STRAP, £13.50 One of the coolest ways to upgrade an old watch is to radically change the strap, but who knew you could do the same with shoulder bags? Well, now you can!

Vinegar Hill, 16 Milsom Street; vinegarhill.co.uk

HACKNEY SOFA, FROM £2,325 Part modern and part classic, part squidgy and part structured, the Hackney sofa is particularly handsome in Lola dark green; if this three-seater version’s a little large for your space they do a two-seater too.

Hay, 36-37 Milsom Street; www.hay.dk

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

ENDURING LOVE

New launches and fresh initiatives tend to reap the plaudits and column inches here at Bath Life, but there’s much to be learned from those companies that have stood the test of time too. Here we take a look behind-the-scenes at some of Bath’s most venerated institutions, each at least 100 years old. How do they continue to stay ahead of the game?

By Paul Marland

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: John Moore himself; a 1930s purchase order from TR Hayes; Edward King, who joined the company that

became Stone King in 1832; celebrating Pearson May’s 175th anniversary at the Roman Baths; a truck from Stothert and Pitt at the Hawker Yard getting ready to load, this picture taken from the kitchen door of FW Hawker’s Northend house

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BATH BUSINESSES

FROM LEFT: FW Hawker’s home, Northend Gardens, with (to the right) the first of the

workshop buildings now connected to his home; the treadmill in John Moore Sports today; Thomas Hayes and son, photographed around 1917

101 HAWKER JOINERY

FW Hawker and Sons was founded 101 years ago by Y E A R S Frederick William Hawker, who’d been working as the in-house carpenter for Stothert and Pitt, a giant Bath-based engineering out t on the Western iverside. (He’d make, for instance, the boxes crane drivers sit in.) But S were expanding so fast they needed his space in the yard for other things, so made him redundant – with the promise he could keep working for them as a subcontractor if he found his own premises. W went home to Northend, told his wife that the garden at the back of the cottage was now a workshop, and Hawker oinery was born.

By the 1960s, FW’s son – also called FW, confusingly – was presiding over a rapid expansion of the business, including the establishment of much larger, 23,000 square foot workshops in Northend Stothert and itt remained a core customer, but the younger FW now had a large in-house tting team to look after Georgian Bath for private clients too.

Hawker oinery gave up its spiritual home of Northend in , says their Gemma Chat eld, and now operates from a head office in Bath and purpose built premises in Frome, complete with integrated full nish paint and glass workshops. While both Ws would marvel at the use of software technology in the business, they’d still recognise much of what we do, not least that the success of the work relies heavily on the keen eye of a skilled oiner.

In fact, the guys are currently working on a business plan for the next years. We all feel con dent that in years time, Hawker oinery will still be hanging off scaffolding whilst making sure the likes of ueen S uare, The Circus and The oyal Crescent are preserved for future generations, Gemma says. www.hawker-joinery.co.uk

onto the pavement, for this was his old shopfront, and Thomas was unconstrained by modern planning re uirements.

In the Hayes moved to London Street, formerly The Three Crowns pub, expanding from furniture making and retail into house removals too for this they bought a Model T’ ord van, which cost and had a top speed of miles per hour. (They still have an old receipt from the s, when a kitchen chair was apparently shillings and pence.) erek Hayes took over the business on the death of his father in , says their Sarah Howells, and gradually ac uired the surrounding buildings, as well as the colonnaded building opposite, creating the large premises we have today. The business is still very much in the family, which is something they are very proud of.

For many years, Hayes sold electrical appliances and even kitchens, but these days it’s a little more focused, concentrating on furniture, carpets and flooring and blinds and curtains. etail is challenging at the moment, says ichard Hayes, and as a retailer we used to compete ust with the local shops, while today we have to compete with the whole country.

Increasingly we’re looking for more uni ue and exclusive products, to enhance our ranges and offer something a bit different. Hayes has always adapted to change, and at the moment we are investing in improvements to our website, though having said that, people still want to be able to see and sit on the furniture before buying – when you’re intending to spend potentially a few thousand pounds on a new mattress, for example, it makes sense to try it rst. A willingness to change, a focus on quality products and an emphasis on good customer service has helped us survive over years, as has a good reputation for looking after our staff too – some recent retirees have been with the company for years. www.trhayes.co.uk

“The business is still very much in the family”

105 TR HAYES

T Hayes is named after Thomas ichard Hayes, a chair maker from Bethnal Green in London. ne of his clients was Bath Cabinet Makers, and when the ast nd was badly damaged during eppelin raids in The Great War, Thomas re-located to Bath. This was in , and T Hayes soon started retailing furniture in Widcombe, using part of what is now The am pub you can still see his influence in the way the pub extends YEARS

108 JOHN MOORE SPORTS

ohn Moore Sports was actually born out of a yet older company, The Sports epot, owned by ngland cricketer Len Braun when current managing director ob Moore’s great-grandfather, ohn Moore, bought it in , it was renamed accordingly.

YEARS

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BATH BUSINESSES

FROM LEFT: TR Hayes, shot using the sort of technology

Thomas Hayes would have been astounded by; Stone King staff and partners in their bicentennial year, 1985

“One hundred years ago, a typical customer would have browsed the shelves for butterfly ars, ferret mu les, shotguns, shing tackle and perhaps a wooden tennis rac uet or a cricket bat, ob says, very different to now. But I suspect the biggest shock to our founders would be that we relocated across the road to larger premises ve years ago.

Though the products and location may have changed, however, the ethos remains the same. We’re still very much a family business catering for all kinds of sportsmen and women, from the more serious to the casual, on says. We’ve kept the business going by evolving and responding to changing needs, diversifying from a pure sports offering to selling printed and embroidered club and team wear, and school uniforms. More recently, we’ve also added themed events and in-store exercise classes, as well as our popular free running club.

“Customers love coming in to touch and feel sports equipment – they can try a new pair of trainers on our treadmill, and we can analyse how they’re running and let them know if the chosen shoes are suited to their gait. They can have a tennis bat restrung or a hockey stick re-gripped too we want to remind customers of these experiences, and make them as pleasurable as possible. www.johnmooresports.co.uk

179

PEARSON MAY

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

234 STONE KING

Stone King has been around for such a long time now that this prominent rm of solicitors has actually been representing some Bath charity clients for over 200 years.

It all started with one obert Clarke, who in set up business as an Attorney at Law in the Cross Baths some considerable time later, in , the rst member of the ing family – dward ing – oined the partnership, and they upped sticks to new offices at ueen S uare. nce occupied by none other than ane Austen, this has been their head uarters ever since. or most of its rst two centuries, the rm’s story was one of four families – the Clarkes, the ings, the Stones and the Wardles – linked in an unbroken line of partnership, though the partners rarely numbered more than four, says current managing partner Steven Greenwood. But it was only with the rm’s bicentenary in that we saw the beginnings of real growth, with successful mergers with three other Bath-based rms – Meade ing, Macfarlane Guy and WT Chesterman Sons – taking place in a single decade. Another sea-change was brought about by the establishment of a London office in to expand our work amongst charities, and since then we’ve taken additional premises in Bath, relocated in London, and opened offices in Cambridge, Leeds and Birmingham, making Stone ing a truly national rm.

All this has seen the rm grow from to people since the ’ s, with an almost -fold increase in turnover to over million. espite all this, though, it’s the ongoing commitment to Bath that’s so striking, though nothing stays the same forever As recently as ecember – yes, ust a couple of months ago – our established rivate Client team oined forces with another well-known Bath rm, Mowbray Woodwards, at ueen S uare, says Steven, “and the new combined practice builds on the success of Mowbray’s last years in the city, forming one of the largest and most experienced rivate Client teams in the South West. It’s an exciting time, and reinforces the idea that our heart is still in Bath. In fact, it’s hard to imagine not having an office in Bath, and at and ueen S uare, in other hundred years. www.stoneking.co.uk YEARS

“This ethos has served us well for the last 179 years”

Bath’s most famous accountancy rm – now based on Great Pulteney Street, and with further offices in Trowbridge and Chippenham – was founded by HB Mundy in the company’s rst base was at Trim Street, with a uarterly rent of – and they still have a bill for . s d for coal, needed to keep the ink wells from free ing. The guys here remain in possession of one of their earliest text books, entitled lements of Book-keeping’, too – although, even from the start, they offered a diverse range of professional services.

Mr Mundy himself described the rm’s core activity as uniting knowledge of business with that of book-keeping’, says partner ac ui Bowden, and if he was around now, he would probably be astonished at the effect that technology has had on the way we work. Today we support clients with business accounting, payroll services and tax planning, and most recently added a probate service, meaning that we can literally look after our clients from cradle to grave.

The fact that they currently act for people worldwide, and are now looking after the third generation of some Bath families, suggests that they must be doing something right. earson May always strives to combine the best of the old with the best of the new, ac ui says, and whatever developments might take place in such areas as technology YEARS

and taxation, above all else the client will always remain number one.

This ethos has served us well for the last years, and will continue to be our priority for the next . www.pearsonmay.co.uk

Interiors & Homewares Work from local artists and makers Prints, Cards & Gifts 10 Margaret’s Buildings, Bath BA1 2LP homefrontinteriors.co.uk T: 01225 571711 E: info@homefrontinteriors.co.uk

Handmade, Reclaimed, Sustainable & Vintage

Successful, well-established year-round language school in the centre of Bath requires

HOMESTAY HOSTS IN BATH to host both short-term and long-term students.

We teach adults and teenagers, and need both single and twin-room accommodation.

For further details, including rates of payment, please contact our Accommodation Manager: Sarah Wringer, Kaplan International Languages Bath, 5 Trim Street, Bath, BA1 1HB Direct Line (01225) 473502, Email: sarah.wringer@kaplan.com

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Meet the jeweller The local experts in all things sparkly

NICHOLAS WYLDE

GOLDSMITH AND JEWELLER, WYLDE JEWELLERS 01225 462826; www.nicholaswylde.com When did you first realise you wanted to pursue a career as a jeweller?

Finding sparkly gems and jewellery in a building site in Birmingham’s jewellery quarter at the age of eight!

What are upcoming trends in the jewellery industry?

People are moving away from the designer brands and simply looking for things that express their own individuality. Bespoke personalised pieces are very popular now, something we ourselves have always encouraged.

LEE ORTON

ORTON JEWELLERY 01225 309039; 6-7 Market St, Bradford on Avon;

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 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!

What do you like most about working in Bath?

It’s wonderful being part of a fabulous group of jewellers all with their different styles. We could easily have our own jewellery quarter in Bath. Clients travel from all across the UK and abroad to visit us here and explore our many independents.

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

We are very approachable, with incredibly knowledgeable staff on all floors, all willing to help our clients no matter how big or small the request is.

Our passion is making people smile when we create jewellery that makes them feel like themselves.

JODY CORY

JODY CORY GOLDSMITHS 01225 460072; www.jodycory.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.

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

GOLD & PLATINUM STUDIO 01225 462300; goldandplatinumstudio.co.uk What are upcoming trends in the jewellery industry?

In design we are seeing more organic, naturalistic forms, but the biggest focus has been on sustainability. Clients want to know more about where the materials are sourced.

Most precious materials can be re-used and I encourage clients to remodel unworn or broken pieces where possible.

What advice would you give to someone interested in getting into the jewellery business?

Be prepared for the long haul if you want to be a maker. It takes many years but the end result is well worth it.

Describe the customer experience you offer…

I offer a one-to-one, tailor-made service, where you speak directly to the maker and work is carried out on site, making each piece personal.

What’s the most extravagant piece you have made?

Recently, an art deco style diamond ring – a two carat emerald cut flanked by two half carat tapered baguette cuts, set in 18ct gold and platinum. It was a joy to have had the privilege of making it. Look at our Instagram if you would like to see the finished piece. www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 71

FIND YOUR FIX

Whether you’re looking to save the environment or just save some cash, a visit to one of Bath’s bustling Repair Cafés will breathe new life into your old possessions…

By Charlotte Martyn 72 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

O

It’s all about the ‘make do and mend’ lifestyle

n a bright, frosty Saturday morning in Larkhall, a small crowd has gathered outside New Oriel Hall clutching a range of broken toys and household appliances.

Rather than venturing to the tip, these residents are hoping to give their possessions a new lease of life – saving themselves the cost of buying a replacement and, more importantly, stopping the items going to land ll.

They’ve come to one of Bath’s regular Repair Cafés, where skilled volunteers try to x anything and everything: clothes, electrical goods, toys, bikes rom pepper mills to lawnmowers, the xers will get most items working again on the spot. Where a mend is beyond them, they’ll identify the problem and recommend which spare parts or specialists are needed in order to get it xed.

During the morning a steady stream of people arrive to see whether repairers can work their magic. Cups of tea and an array of homemade cakes are on offer too, and there’s plenty of bu in the room as the repairers chat with their visitors. There’s no charge for using the Repair Café – donations are encouraged, but this is a labour of love. By the end of the session, 45 items have been seen, with over 70 per cent of them successfully mended.

THE FIRST REPAIR CAFÉ IN BATH was held nearly three years ago,

organised by local resident Lorna Montgomery, who co-ordinates them today under the ‘Share & Repair’ banner. Frustrated by being unable to nd someone to x a broken kettle, she wanted a practical solution to our ‘throwaway’ culture. Inspired by the Repair Café Foundation, founded in Amsterdam over a decade ago, she set up Bath Repair Café to bring together skilled repairers with the items that need xing.

“I’ve got a background in volunteering, and my family motto is ‘waste not, want not’, so starting a Repair Café seemed the obvious

REPAIR CAFÉS

BORROW, DON’T BUY!

As well as helping the environment by repairing items, Bath Share & Repair also reduces demand for resource-guzzling new goods by running a ‘Library of Things’. The Library is stocked with the sort of items that are expensive to buy but which tend to sit unused most of the time, such as power tools, carpet cleaners, pressure washers. For a small fee, you can borrow these things for a week or so, not only saving you the expense of buying something you’ll rarely use, but also preventing the clutter of unused tools in your garage.

Currently operating out of Weston Hub on Penn Hill Road, the Library is open four mornings a week. The organisers are hoping to find new premises, though, so they can increase the amount of items on offer. They’re also keen to receive donations of equipment. “We’re looking for the sort of things you’re storing but only use once or twice a year – and you can have them back at any time,” explains Share & Repair’s Lorna. “We’d love things like a digital projector, a smoke machine, a PA system – we’re trying to create packs of equipment for things like parties, weddings and camping trips.”

Find out more at www.shareandrepair.org.uk/library-of-things Expert repairers are on hand with a solution – or, if not, an idea of where to go next

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The Repair Café has an expert for pretty much anything

VISIT OR VOLUNTEER

For dates and opening times of your local Repair Café and the Library of Things, or to contact the team, visit www.shareandrepair.org.uk.

You can also follow them on www.facebook.com/ShareRepairBath www.instagram.com/sharerepairbath www.twitter.com/sharerepairbath

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

REPAIR CAFÉS DO IT YOURSELF

Lots of us would like to be able to mend our clothes or appliances but lack the skills or confidence to wield a sewing machine or tinker inside anything mechanical. As an offshoot of the Repair Cafés, Bath Share & Repair will be running a series of ‘How To’ workshops over the coming months, where skilled repairers will pass on their knowledge so you can learn to fix things at home. Visit www.shareandrepair.org.uk to book a place on any of the following workshops: • How to use power tools (14 March, Weston Hub) • How to use your sewing machine (4 April, Southdown Methodist Church) • Bicycle maintenance (18 April, New Oriel Hall, Larkhall)

thing to do,” explains Lorna. “I set it up in memory of my father – he mended everything and hated waste, and would love to be here to see it.”

Since , epair Caf s have become a regular xture in and around Bath, with monthly sessions in Larkhall, Southdown, Weston and Peasedown St John, with more locations planned soon (including Bear Flat and High Littleton).

But there’s more to epair Caf s than ust xing things. A key aim of the Repair Café Foundation is to help people feel part of a community.

All visitors are invited to sit and chat with the repairers while they work, and for the repairers the social side of the work is just as important as the xing.

Retired seamstress Jacky brings her trusty sewing machine to the Southdown and Larkhall cafés once a month, where she carries out repairs. “It’s a good way to socialise and gives me a reason to get up and out of the house, she says. It keeps you mentally t. or electronics engineer Graham, the environmental bene ts of volunteering attracted him. “The Repair Café is a last-chance saloon for items that people would otherwise throw away, which is so wasteful,” he says. “I’m always willing to have a go at repairing the items visitors bring in, and nd it interesting because everything is a bit different.

DONATIONS FROM REPAIR CAFÉ visitors cover the cost of hall hire

and other regular outgoings, while grants from St John’s Foundation, Bath & West Community Energy Fund and Bath Boules pay for essential equipment. But it’s the support of enthusiastic volunteers that’s the backbone of the Repair Café, and more are always welcome.

“We need people with a bit of time, repair skills, people skills, admin and computer skills and a desire to be involved in something great,” explains Lorna. ( etails of how to nd your nearest epair Caf , or contact the Share & Repair group, are in the ‘Visit or Volunteer’ box.)

As the organisation branches out with its Library of Things, where you can borrow items rather than buy them, more help is always needed, as well as donations of things’ to go into the library. And Share epair’s x it’ ethos will be extended this month with the start of a series of ‘How To’ workshops where you can learn how to carry out your own repairs.

ABOVE: The nation has embraced upcycling; BELOW: Have a chat while you wait

FROM THE ‘MAKE DO AND MEND’ slogan of WWII to the runaway success of BBC One’s The Repair Shop, as a nation we’ve long embraced the idea of breathing new life into old things. (In fact, 15 February is The Big Fix 2020, which will see over 70 community repair events take place around the UK, including in Larkhall and High Littleton.) And with Share epair it’s now easy to put that into practice in Bath.

“Repair Cafés are wonderful places,” says Lorna. “They teach people to see their possessions in a new light and appreciate their value.

But most of all Repair Cafés have a lovely community atmosphere and show just how much fun repairing things can be.”

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IT’S GRETA THUNBERG’S WORLD, WE JUST LIVE IN IT The planet may seem in a bit of a tizzy at the moment, but don’t worry – you’re about to go to one of its very best schools. And the stuff you’re going to learn there, well, it might just help you to fix things afterwards.

Here’s how…

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2020 EDUCATION GUIDE

C

hoosing the right school for your child has never been easy, and not least here in Bath, where you have an advantage: there are plenty of good ones about. We caught up with five of the best – some right in the centre of the city, others in the towns and villages that orbit it – to get the lie of the educational land, and particularly to get expert views on three key topics.

Firstly, everyone’s going on about ‘student-centred’ learning these days, but what does it actually mean? Secondly, how is technology – such a whirlwind of trends and innovations in the outside world, of course – impacting on teaching?

And, lastly – and potentially most exciting and explosive – this is Generation Greta, with kids of all ages engaging with the hottest of topics (climate change most obviously, but many others too) with a vigour unseen for years. Is this a good thing? A bad thing? And how is it impacting the teaching environment?

Let’s find out…

Downside school: from the air, it’s not unlike the local answer to Hogwarts

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2020 EDUCATION GUIDE

ST MARGARET’S PREPARATORY SCHOOL Calne, Wiltshire

This co-ed prep school some 20 miles west of Bath offers exceptional sporting facilities, and shares its leafy campus with St Mary’s Calne. “Our small class sizes allow pupils to truly flourish,” says headmaster Luke Bromwich. “Having recently joined St Margaret’s, something which immediately struck me was its welcoming and nurturing ethos. It may be known for academic excellence, but – for me – it’s the school’s big heart which makes it such a special place.”

For more, www.stmargaretsprep.org.uk; there’s an open morning on 12 March

THIS PAGE: Healthy minds in healthy bodies: seemingly, a lot of running takes place at St Margaret’s, but there’s plenty of academic work too

‘STUDENT-CENTRED’, AND ALL THIS MIGHT MEAN “For us, ‘student-centred’ is about pupils taking ownership of their learning,” says Emily Hughes at The Paragon, where the arts and individual development have always been strong strands running through everything they do. “Teachers become facilitators, and enable pupils rather than dictate to them. We surround children with metaphorical scaffolding, then gradually take it away as they become more con dent, while our ‘Paragon Wheel’ encourages them to become accountable for their own learning outcomes. It lists 10 qualities we ask pupils to apply to all areas of their school life: initiative, curiosity, risk taking, originality, resilience, flexibility, collaboration, persistence, independence and reflection.

And for headmaster Andrew Hobbs

at Downside, the Catholic independent school at Shepton Mallet, it’s all about learning from each other. “Central to this is giving pupils a voice,” he says. “It’s often remarked upon by the student body; they feel that the freedom to express themselves is key to their en oyment of learning and living at Downside.”

For many of our schools, establishing a set of core values is key, and at St Margaret’s – the well-known prep school at Calne – there are six of them.

“They include kindness and respect,” says headmaster Luke Bromwich, “and our robust

pastoral care system helps pupils to thrive, while providing what we term a ‘hidden curriculum’ – our work to develop the whole child, not ust academic achievement.

Then there’s King Edward’s School, a Bath institution at Claverton Down. “Teaching at KES has been ‘student-centred’ for many years,” says headmaster Martin Boden, and the best of it blends the right mix of methodologies, old and new, at the right time to enthuse and inspire. Pupils really embrace the sense of independence they gain from ownership of their own learning, but also appreciate being in the safe hands of expert teachers who know and love their sub ect, and who are always keen to impart knowledge – in whatever form that takes.”

Want some speci cs ayne Gilbert, head of King Edward’s Pre-Prep and Nursery, explains: At the start of a

“Teachers become facilitators, and enable pupils rather than dictate to them”

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DOWNSIDE SCHOOL

Stratton-on-the-Fosse, Radstock A leading Catholic independent school for girls and boys, some 14 miles outside Bath. “Our speciality is the strength of our community and our unwavering moral compass,” says headmaster Andrew Hobbs. “Rather than saying our school suits a certain child, we’re committed to working in partnerships with families and providing an environment which nurtures young people of integrity – wherever their interests lie – who can think for themselves, stand up for their beliefs, and act to make a positive difference in the world.”

For more, www.downside.co.uk

TOP RIGHT: Come on, who doesn’t love the electric trick where someone’s hair stands on end?

class topic, we gather the children’s ideas and suggestions, which helps direct their learning and the content of each lesson. A recent example from our Year 1 topic on Knights and Castles was one suggestion from a pupil that we nd out how castles were built. As a result, we spent two weeks learning to make them in different materials this was linked to their science topic, so helped create a holistic and balanced curriculum.

HOW TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING TEACHING, PUPILS – AND THE WORLD It’s rarely possible – heck, it’s mostly straight up impossible – to avoid technology in any aspect of life these days, and it’s certainly changed education beyond recognition in recent years.

With the development of more user-friendly and intuitive productivity

applications, we’ve been able to move away from pure ICT – Information and Communications Technology – towards a more Computer Science-centred approach, says Gareth Edgell, head of Computer Science at Kingswood. “Yes, ICT skills are still taught, but they’re now packed within Computer Science concepts, the core elements of decomposition, abstraction and algorithmic thinking assisting pupils in all areas of the curriculum – and helping prepare them for successful futures in careers which may not even exist yet.

xamples Well, take Arti cial Intelligence – currently a ma or area of interest at Kingswood. “Students study key algorithms, such as Na ve Bayes and k-means clustering, initially using the Snap! block programming environment, before implementing the concepts in ython, says Gareth.

You may not know what any of that means, but the results are startling: students have been able to use these skills to create their own chat bots, sound recognition and image recognition systems. ne key challenge is to even up the gender balance opting to take the sub ect at GCS and A Level, Gareth says, and we’ve found that allowing students to learn to code using Minecraft ducation and the Micro:bit has been instrumental in this. In fact, it’s become extremely popular across our whole school community.

“We’re preparing children for a society which is going to change and evolve”

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CLOCKWISE: ‘Perseverance’ illustrated at St Margaret’s; smart red v-necks at

Downside; Kingswood students on the climate change barricades; engaging with nature at Paragon; and the science rooms at KES

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2020 EDUCATION GUIDE

KING EDWARD’S SCHOOL Claverton Down, Bath

KES is Bath’s oldest school, founded in 1552. “We aim to attract very personable, interesting, bright, wellmotivated children with a range of talents in and out of the classroom, and encourage them to work and play hard, broaden their horizons and be ambitious and have high expectations in all that they do,” says headmaster Martin Boden. “We also remind them that they are very lucky to have the incredible array of opportunities that come their way and to make the most of these, aiming to challenge and develop themselves, but also always looking outwards to their communities and wider society, as any good citizen should do. We hope to inspire them to aim high, whilst keeping their feet on the ground.”

For more, www.kesbath.com

RIGHT: We think they’ve caught some tadpoles, or possibly a newt

And technology makes its impact felt with younger students too.

“We’re preparing children for a society which is going to change and evolve,” says Luke Bromwich at St Margaret’s, “and it’s our responsibility to keep on top of technological advancement. Arti cial Intelligence is interesting in terms of education – if used correctly, it can collect really meaningful data to inform our teaching – and Virtual Reality brings experience to life without leaving the physical walls of a classroom, too. So it’s an exciting time – but we must also teach the pitfalls of technology, the importance of switching off from screens, online safety, and the ways social media can move us away from human connectivity too.”

At The Paragon, they’re well aware of the ways in which technology permeates every corner of our lives, and ensure that its use is embedded across their curriculum. “Where

opportunities arise for IT to enhance teaching and learning, we capitalise on it,” says Emily Hughes. “We’re keen for pupils to see technology as a tool which enables them to perform traditional tasks more effectively, but also as a means through which they can work in exciting new ways; they get to program robots, make music and videos, and create digital art. We’re always open to embracing new technology, whilst taking care not to be blinded by buzzwords and fads. The key to success is teaching transferable skills, which they’ll take into their future careers.”

Downside engages with all this so much that the school recently represented the UK at a Tokyo conference about the use of AI in

the classroom. mbracing AI in teaching is vital for our increasingly digitised world,” says Andrew Hobbs, “adding a new layer of value to learning and empowering young people to possibly go on to create ‘smarter tools’, helping educate the pupils of tomorrow.”

FINALLY, THE BIG ONE: HOW MUCH HAVE STUDENTS REALLY BECOME ‘CHANGE AGENTS’? (AND HOW MUCH SHOULD THAT BE ENCOURAGED?) “As a Methodist School, we’re delighted that our pupils are actively trying to deliver change,” says Kingswood physics teacher Will Musgrove, who also happens to be the school’s Sustainability Lead. After all, Methodism has always been a particularly vigorous Protestant denomination, emphasising charity work and inter-faith dialogue, and historically responsible for the

“The key to success is teaching transferable skills”

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2020 EDUCATION GUIDE

KINGSWOOD SCHOOL Lansdown Road, Bath

One of Bath’s best known co-ed private schools, committed to providing the best possible allround education. “Intellectual achievement is highly valued, as is the pursuit of excellence in other fields,” says headmaster Simon Morris.

“At the core of a Kingswood education is our belief that every individual has talents to be discovered and nurtured, and that our challenge is to develop these while preparing our students for their future beyond school.”

For more, www.kingswood.bath.sch.uk

CLOCKWISE: Protests, programming and Virtual Reality: Kingswood has got all bases covered

establishment of many hospitals, orphanages and schools worldwide.

“In our founding father’s words, we should ‘do all the good we can’, and the school is passionate about enabling and supporting pupils in developing a sense of service to others,” says Will. “Whether it is the pupils’ involvement in the Youth Strikes 4 Climate movement, or their various charity and awareness raising initiatives, they give us hope for the future, and inspire in us a need to act to do good.”

At St Margaret’s, meanwhile, an active Eco Committee champions initiatives to support sustainability in the community. “Prior to the December General Election, we held our own mock election where the Green Party took the win,” says Luke Bromwich.

“Young people have a voice, and are eager to have it heard – particularly

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

regarding this issue. They are thinking ahead to their own futures, as I am for my own son.

Ultimately it is our responsibility as a school to support that, encourage debate and consider different viewpoints.

At other schools, philosophy lessons seem like the perfect environment in which to give children a voice on these subjects. “Climate Change is a very real and current topic,” says Emily at The Paragon, “and we do everything we can to help pupils feel that they’re being supported in their education around the crisis.

We have a lot of open discussion and healthy

“It’s important that our pupils feel empowered to action change”

debate, with no right or wrong answers. We also run an Eco-Club, and children recently contributed a sculpture to a Bath-based Climate Change exhibition at the 44AD Gallery on Abbey Street. We invite speakers in to talk to the children about little differences that they can make, and our assemblies often have a climate focus. Art lessons have taken an environmental angle this year too, and we’re encouraging a costume swap for World Book Day, rather than asking parents to buy new plastic based out ts. It’s important that our pupils feel empowered to action change.”

Downside pupils, meanwhile, have become ‘global ambassadors’ – “we work as a community to enable them, as UNSECO puts it, to ‘become proactive contributors to creating a more just, peaceful, tolerant, inclusive, secure and sustainable world,’” says Andrew – with the idea being that it

2020 EDUCATION GUIDE

THE PARAGON SCHOOL, Lyncombe Vale, Bath

An independent, co-educational day school for children aged 3-11, based in Lyncombe House, just a mile from the centre of Bath. “We have eight acres of gardens and woodland and – at our senior school, Prior Park College – access to superb science and sport facilities,” says Emily Hughes. “The Paragon is renowned for its incredibly high standard of art, and many of our pupils are awarded art scholarships to local senior schools. Inquisitive, curious children who are willing to give everything a go thrive, but we hope to be able to find every child’s forte during their time here.”

For more, paragonschool.co.uk; there’s an open morning on 27 February

ABOVE: We’d say balancing is one seriously important core life skill – see how far you get without it!

would be remiss of them not to engage with their student body about surely “the most important issue that has faced the world’s population for centuries.”

So can Bath schoolchildren really make a difference ohn Tidball, assistant head in charge of the Senior School Co-Curricular rogramme at S, certainly thinks so.

Greta Thunberg has shown us that no one is too small to make a difference, he says, and leading debate and being active citizens are common characteristics among our pupils, as they explore issues and nd their voice. It’s no surprise that many of the school’s clubs or activities are led by – or have been established by – pupils, including the School’s Aloud Gender Equality Group, nvironmental Action Group and pupil newspaper, where

recent articles have considered the role of the ope in in tackling climate change, and the demonstrations in Hong Kong.” or ohn, the S committee members are Change Agents personi ed and – alongside those from Norton Hill School in Midsomer Norton – are actually organising the th B&NES Youth Climate Summit to be held at S on ebruary. ( es, that’s now: the very Friday this issue of Bath Life comes out.)

Around students from local schools – also including Hayes eld, ingswood, rior

ark College, alph Allen, St Laurence and St Mark’s – will get together to listen to speakers from the Green arty, Marine Conservation Society, Sustrans (the walking and cycling charity) and Grow Bristol.

The idea is to inspire students to think about the changes they can make in their schools to become more sustainable, ohn says, and to display the wide variety of environmentally-oriented careers that are available, as well as encourage thinking and solutions around some of the most pressing issues relating to climate change. After all, as one student committee member notes, It is more important than ever for younger generations to step up and take responsibility for the way we interact with the world around us.’”

“Leading debate and being active citizens are common characteristics among our pupils”

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

Foreign Languages Centre

Enrolling now!

Daytime, lunchtime and evening foreign language classes for members of the public.

Arabic French German Italian Japanese Mandarin Chinese Portuguese Spanish We offer a wide range of foreign languages at beginner through to advanced level.

To find out more about the courses available, or to enrol, visit our website www.bath.ac.uk/flc and apply online or call 01225 383991.

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Developing pupil well-being through the science of Positive Psychology Luke Bromwich, headmaster of ST MARGARET’S PREPARATORY SCHOOL, CALNE shares his ethos for transforming pupil experiences in school…

I

Above: Luke Bromwich and his family moved to Wiltshire from Hong Kong last summer

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

n the summer, I moved to Wiltshire from Hong Kong to take up my new post as headmaster of St Margaret’s Preparatory School in Calne. As I prepared for the start of term in September, I obviously took some time to consider some of the ideas and thinking I would like to bring to the school. For me, educational excellence and robust pastoral care go hand in hand. Pupil wellbeing is at the forefront of any quality school agenda. It is the framework which provides the emotional, spiritual and social support network to pupils in order to ensure that they flourish during their school years and beyond. Pupils today are exposed to a range of pressures both at school and at home – from exam stress to social media, friendship and relationship woes to potential family turmoil. Schools need to actively help pupils acquire suitable techniques to manage these external stressors so they can thrive in their learning.

Recently there has been a growing interest in education surrounding the science of Positive Psychology and how it can positively impact pupil well-being. Dr M Seligman of the University of Pennsylvania has pioneered this work.

Ultimately, he wanted to shift from traditional

psychology, which prioritised what can go wrong with our mental health, to focussing on what can go right. He wanted to help people adopt a range of well-being practices, underpinned by the science of Positive Psychology so that they could lead a happier and healthier life.

Geelong Grammar School, located in Melbourne Australia, was early to see the benefits of Dr Seligman’s work and how it could transform pupil experiences in school and allow them to flourish. They teamed up with Seligman and have since developed a range of well-being practices and a curriculum framework known as ‘Positive Education’.

Having recently lived and worked in South East Asia, where many leading international schools have begun to adopt this new transformative framework, I have been lucky enough to learn about Positive Education and see its benefits first-hand. This time last year, I attended Geelong Grammar’s Positive Education seminar in Singapore and was struck by the ideas presented both in terms of how they can impact pupil experience in schools, but also on a personal level, how they could improve my own life. Surely as educators, we need to practice what we preach – I firmly believe the theories

ADVERTISING FEATURE

“PUPIL FOCUS AND ENGAGEMENT ARE ALSO HUGELY INFLUENTIAL WHEN CONSIDERING HOW TO IMPACT WELL-BEING” surrounding Positive Education can enhance the lives of teachers, as well as pupils. Indeed, I have adopted some of the practices in my own life with varying degrees of success. Relocating country with a two-year-old has certainly put these new skills to test – resilience, gratitude and engagement have all cropped up for me. The resilience in taking on the sheer mammoth task of relocating our family from one corner of the world to another, gratitude for the possessions we have to build our new life, and engagement, well... anyone who has built IKEA furniture will know a certain level of engagement (and resilience!) is required.

When we consider resilience in the school setting, pupils are often asked to take calculated risks in their learning. Resilience is their ability to grow and thrive in this state of challenge and ultimately leads to self-development. In the world of Positive Education, resilience is closely linked to optimism. If an individual believes and has faith that things will turn out for the best, as long as they are suitably equipped to solve a range of problems, often they will have greater resilience when faced with challenge.

Educationalists have long known that when we expose pupils to suitable challenge, deep learning takes place. By developing the individual’s resilience, we can purposefully expose them to greater challenge, ultimately

resulting in deeper learning. How, therefore, do we develop resilience in children and young adults? By reverting to the idea that optimism is linked to resilience, we can begin to unpick the ways that our pupils think and feel. Do they think in a helpful way? Is their thinking problemfocussed, accepting and forward thinking, or does it tend to look to blame, refuse or avoid dealing with the situation and ultimately the consequences? One way to change the way we think is to focus on coaching as a model to turn our thinking around. Through careful reflection about their work or choices, we are increasing pupil resilience and self-reflection and encouraging them to think about learning from a helpful, positive perspective.

Gratitude is also an aspect of Positive Education which is intrinsically linked to our mindset and thoughts. By actively encouraging a child to reflect on what they are grateful for, we can switch the way that they think. Gratitude links nicely to the idea of being mindful and taking a moment for ourselves and if we can frame a moment in our day that was truly magical, we begin again to encourage helpful thinking that consequently results in positive emotions and well-being.

Having said that, from my own personal experience, gratitude practice has been be a long-term commitment. Rather than occasionally

stopping and thinking about things that you are grateful for, begin to build this into your daily routine in the form of a discussion or a journal.

When gratitude becomes a daily practice, it is then when its true power is realised. In the school setting, this may be in the form of reflecting on the day, stating what pupils are grateful for at the beginning of lunch or taking it further and encouraging daily journaling.

Pupil focus and engagement are also hugely influential when considering how to impact well-being. If schools can develop the length pupils can actively engage in a specific task, then we are onto something! When considering engagement in school, skill and challenge come hand in hand. Ultimately if we can match a suitably challenging task to a child’s skill set then we can create a state of ‘Flow’. Some of the characteristics of this state include absorption and loss of self-consciousness. Most people will have experienced Flow, but probably do not understand that we are witnessing our optimal learning state. I often see it in my son, when he is totally absorbed in his play. In schools we can encourage Flow by ensuring that tasks are correctly pitched, but by also encouraging enhanced concentration by minimising distractions and teaching pupils how to organise their time to reduce the need to multi-task so they can fully immerse themselves within one particular task.

Of course, there are many other strands of Positive Psychology and indeed Positive Education that are fascinating and make huge contributions to pupil well-being. By openly teaching children some of these ideas and the theory that underpins them, we as educators can help our pupils develop a set of skills that help them to become not only robust, successful learners, but also individuals equipped with self-awareness and some techniques to help cope with the pressures and stains life will throw at them.

If you are interested in visiting St Margaret’s, they are holding an Open Morning on Thursday 12th March from 9.30am until midday. Register online at www.stmargaretsprep.org.uk or contact Mrs Simone Hughes on 01249 857379

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 89

ADVERTISING FEATURE

A SPECIAL PLACE Mark Brearey, Head of KINGSWOOD PREP SCHOOL talks about settling in to their new development, and the desire to make a difference

W

hat makes a school? I am sure that every headteacher in Bath would say that the best times of the day are those spent with the children, whether in the classroom, around the school or in Wellbeing meetings. Although each school is different, our common aim is to develop positive, problem-solving, inquisitive, resilient children, who are equipped to deal with a rapidly-changing world. The key to this is to nurture our pupils’ selfconfidence, to encourage them to believe in what they can do and to feel that they can make a real difference in society.

At KPS there is an almost palpable atmosphere of energy and vibrancy.

Our children are surrounded by engaging and dynamic staff who, through their passion and positivity, embody the values and expectations that we extol. The norm is to go the extra mile for the children, nurturing passions outside the classroom, sincerely believing in the children’s potential and not putting a ceiling on their learning. At the heart of all that we do is quality teaching. We are not perfect, but each day we work tirelessly to instil in the children a ‘can-do’ culture.

As you can see from these pictures, we are lucky enough to benefit from state-of-the-art facilities and a forward-thinking curriculum, designed to equip our young learners with skills that will be lifelong.

Four terms in, our new build and The Garden at Kingswood, with its stunning Baby, Toddler and Pre-School Room, is full and vibrant. Having younger children on the campus has enriched our school, as well as supporting our parents’ busy working lives. Our new Hall and Music Hub, with practice rooms, serves over 250 children playing musical instruments, as well as our choirs and orchestras. Our spacious new Year 5 and Year 6

classrooms, filled with natural light, provide a wonderful environment for our 9 to 11-year-olds.

What will the classroom and the curriculum look like in 10 years’ time?

This is a question we constantly ask ourselves. Unrestricted by the ties of the National Curriculum and SATS, we are in the privileged position of being able to be innovative and creative with our new Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) area. We believe in our children’s creative abilities: 7 to 10-year-olds can program a robot, plan an earthquake-proof building, design and make an igloo, and create their own chocolate bar, package it, build a website and present it for investment – this is the future. As a preparatory school, it is our function to provide the Senior School with adaptable, creative, problem-solvers, with a passion for learning. Our new facilities have enabled us to reinforce our belief in the primacy of the ‘all-rounder’; at their most receptive stage, our children love learning, music, sport, drama and STEAM. We are settling into our new facilities and having great fun at school. Ultimately, however, all that we do is underpinned by hard work, because nothing great is achieved without working hard. The world does not owe us a living, but our energy, skills and desire to make a difference can enable us to live full and satisfying lives.

A warm welcome awaits you here at Kingswood, come and see for yourself what makes it such a special place.

“THE NORM IS TO GO THE EXTRA MILE FOR THE CHILDREN”

Mark Brearey, Headmaster Kingswood Preparatory School, College Road, Bath BA1 5SD 01225 734462; rsharp@kingswood.bath.sch.uk www.kingswood.bath.sch.uk www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 91

It’s the city’s business

BATHWORKS THIS ISSUE >>BATH WOMEN’S FUND (93) >>CREATIVE BATH AWARDS NOMS OPEN (95) >>NICK HUSSEY OF FRAHM (96)

IN IT TO WIN IT

Steven Day: very pleased, we think it’s fair to say

Applications are now open for a , grant to support organisations working to improve the lives of disadvantaged women and girls living in Bath and North East Somerset.

Known as the Bath Women’s Fund, the initiative exists thanks to the collective donations of a group of women who joined the giving circle’ in its rst year.

“Bath Women’s Fund is a unique way to give back to our community. As a founding member I care deeply about the work it does, which is so enriching both to the members of the fund, and the organisations they choose to work with,” says Wera Hobhouse, MP. “Bath is a special place and so it is no surprise that we are leading the way in innovative approaches to giving back. I urge all eligible organisations to apply.”

Expression of interest applications are open until 28 February, when shortlisted organisations will be asked to submit a full application and a nal three will be selected to present their projects at a special event in June.

For more: www.bathwomensfund.org.uk Wera Hobhouse MP: “I urge all eligible organisations to apply”

Pure country Bath-based renewable energy supplier Pure Planet has become the only alldigital supplier to be recommended by Which?, the Consumer’s Association’s brand name and magazine. This provider of 100 per cent renewable energy beat all the ‘Big Six’ companies for value and service in their poll.

“It’s great to be named a Which? recommended energy supplier for 2020. It’s a major endorsement of our unique digital-only mode, which delivers great service and low-cost

renewable energy,” says Steven Day, co-founder of Pure Planet.

“Our team puts their hearts and souls into giving our members the best possible service every day. The latest Which? rankings show that the Big Six just don’t have what it takes any longer.

Our 100 per cent renewable energy and carbon offset gas is cheaper than standard variable tariffs with the Big Six, and is completely carbon neutral too.”

For more: www.purepla.net

MEDIACLASH.CO.UK 115

BATHWORKS

NEW to Bath Meet the new characters on the Bath business scene

THE GIVING SPIRIT

SPONSORED BY

Bath Stone Property Bath Stone Property are pledging one per has pledged to give a cent of sale fees to local primary schools cut of its fees to Bath’s primary schools.

Company directors Anna Moore and Sarah Bryant gave a joint statement about the move: “We are very excited to have launched our new year’s resolution for 2020 to pledge one per cent of our sale fee for any property sold to the vendor’s local primary school. As give back to our community in such a both myself and Sarah are mums of positive and bene cial way. young children, we are very aware of Anna is encouraging local schools the challenges primary schools are to contact her for more information facing due to local government cuts. about the initiative: anna@ As owners of a local independent bathstoneproperty.com business, we are proud to be able to For more: www.bathstoneproperty.com

www.mooreswit.co.uk 01225 486100 Learn about all things floristry with Bath Flower School

BATH FLOWER SCHOOL erity and Saffy started the Bath lower School last November when their previous employer relocated to Cumbria. What could have been a disaster turned into the perfect opportunity for them to start the business they’d always wanted.

HOT COMPETITION

© SOUL MEDIA

Last year’s Bath Life Awards: what a night!

The Bath Life Awards are only a matter of weeks away. After all of the build-up, nominations, and social media chatter, who will be crowned 2020 winners?

Look out for a special bumper issue full of Awards coverage on 27 March, featuring the fficial Awards eview.

The tickets are long since sold out – with a waiting list, naturally – and out ts already planned for the black-tie ceremony at the Assembly ooms on February. Those in the running attended a packed, celebratory Sponsors’ and inalists’ eception, with delicious drinks and canapés, at The Botanist recently. It was a special occasion to recognise the success of being

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

Hey guys, tell us about Bath Flower School…

We’re an exciting new flower school in the centre of Bath offering classes and workshops in all levels of floristry, from beginners to professionals and the just curious. We have an infectious passion for flowers that we strive to pass on to everyone that comes to Bath Flower School.

What have some of the challenges been in launching the business?

Our biggest challenge was seeking the correct venue to hold our courses. After weeks of searching for the right building, we came across the Museum of Bath at Work. It’s an old Georgian real tennis court. It’s an amazing, lightlled space with high ceilings and interesting Bath artefacts that provide the most fantastic backdrop to our school.

Other than that, it’s been pretty challenge-free. We’re incredibly happy with the response to our flower school and really uplifted by how successful everything has been so far.

shortlisted amidst a sky-high number of nominations. All there also met the sponsors – themselves at a record level, including the headliners, the oyal Crescent Hotel & Spa, along with their brand partner Taittinger.

It was wonderful to have our nalists and sponsors all together to celebrate the Awards, says Steph odd, event director at MediaClash, Bath Life’s publisher. “We’re now getting very excited for the big night, and can’t wait to see Bath’s business community celebrating together. Good luck to all!

How are you doing things differently?

With over 40 years’ experience between us in weddings, events and all things flowery, we aim to inspire rather than dictate. We believe that everyone is creative; they just need to be given that opportunity. We teach our students that flowers don’t need to look a set way and that there are no set rules to floristry. We help them to discover their own style whilst supporting them in unleashing their creativity.

The Bath Flower School is completely foam-free and we strive to minimise our negative impact on the environment at every opportunity. We also love, support and advocate for the use of British flowers and British growers, ethical and sustainable floristry, togetherness and inclusivity, individuality and creativity, in all our business.

For more: www.bathlifeawards.co.uk @BathLifeAwards

For more:

t

at fl

m

BUSINESS MATTERS DIARY From networking breakfasts to invaluable evening events, make a note of the courses and classes that will help your business flourish

Time to celebrate Bath’s creative types

YOU MUST CREATE

The Creative Bath Awards are go!

The Creative Bath Awards have properly kicked off, with nominations now open on the website. It’s free to enter.

Bath’s creative network is gearing up for its biggest event yet, with hundreds of guests expected to ll ueen S uare on the big night, 11 June.

Everyone is welcome, from freelancer to CEO, student to serial entrepreneur.

This year has seen a recordnumber of sponsorships, which are led by Headline sponsor Bath Spa University, Platinum

sponsor Future Publishing and category sponsors Anthem Publishing, Bath Digital Festival, Edit, Enlightened, FPOV, The Guild, Half Moon Bay, Kaleidoscope Collection, MediaClash, Minuteman Press, OJO Solutions, Richardson Swift, Royds Withy King and Rocketmakers. n i n i i and t n t from the Creative Bath Awards, please contact Vicki Cheadle at vcheadle@creativebath.org creativebathawards.org @creativebath

© NICK COLE

19 FEBRUARY BUSINESS PLANNING AND FINANCE This in-depth workshop will teach you how to craft a robust, investment-ready business plan. You’ll even be provided with templates that tick all the boxes investors look for in a proposal.

10.45am-4pm; Digital Mansion Corsham; www.growthhub. swlep.co.uk 25 FEBRUARY NETWALKING IN BRADFORD ON AVON Because sometimes you’ve just got to get out of the office! Make some like-minded business connections while enjoying the beautiful local scenery. Each walk comes with a dedicated theme (to be revealed on the day) and a series of questions to get the conversation started.

11am-1pm; £6.95; meet in front of the Tithe Barn, Bradford on Avon www.rfmcoaching.com 26 FEBRUARY GET AHEAD OF… The first of three sessions, held by Royds Withy King Employment & HR Team, Get Ahead Of… Improving Productivity and Well-Being is an interactive seminar for HR practitioners and those with HR responsibilities. You’ll learn all about managing employee well-being in the workplace.

8.30am-1pm; £99; Royds Withy King’s Midland Bridge Office; www.roydswithyking.com

MOVERS AND SHAKERS ETC Kate Reynolds

HEAD AND SHOULDERS ABOVE

Kate Reynolds is the new head of school at Royal High School Bath. She was previously head of Leweston and taught at Sherborne and Gillingham schools before that. Earlier still, Kate had a career in law, so brings a range of experience to the table in her new role at the Bath day and boarding school.

“There is so much to celebrate at Royal High School Bath,” Kate says.

“Friendly, engaged and curious girls, supportive staff who go the extra mile because they care hugely about the school, and an exciting and challenging learning environment. The girls’ energy and determination, yet down-to-earth groundedness, makes for a very special school of which we should all be proud.

I’m humbled to be part of it.” www.royalhighbath.gdst.net

JOCKEY FOR POSITION Bath Racecourse has announced its new director, Liam Johnson. Prior to his move to the Arena Racing Company (ARC), Bath Racecourse’s owners, Liam spent six years with Jockey Club Racecourses.

“I am hugely grateful for my time at ockey Club, where as the rst employee to go through the Group Trainee General Manager Scheme, I was able to learn a tremendous amount and gain an excellent understanding of the racing industry. I am equally excited to get underway at Bath, with some big events planned for the summer and beyond,” Liam says. www.bath-racecourse.co.uk

“I’VE BEEN OBSESSED BY JACKETS SINCE I WAS A KID”

You’ve made a decision not to use professional models in your marketing. Why’s that?

I never have used them. I’m obsessed with realness. For me, I identify with a ‘real’ imperfect bloke over a ‘perfect’ (nobody is) man. All our models are local small business owners like Pravin Nayar of Castle arm Midford – so, admittedly, a fairly attractive bunch!

ONE TO WATCH

Nick Hussey FRAHM, the men’s jackets specialist, has a cool motto: ‘life is as tough as it is beautiful’. Co-founder Nick Hussey tells us more about a men’s fashion brand that’s all about subverting the norm So, Nick, tell us about how you’re doing things differently…

There’s the subtle innovation, attention to detail and toughness of our designs, plus we give £10 to Mind, the mental health charity, for every jacket sold. I wanted to create a more thoughtful, down-to-earth but beautiful men’s brand. The market for men’s clothing is all so alpha male and perfect, but life isn’t like that. It can be amazing, but also very difficult. I think it’s time to combine both those elements in how we market.

So why jackets?

I’ve been obsessed by jackets since I was a kid. They require the most thought, the most detail to create, and they provide the most protection to the wearer. They make an out t and they do a ob. That’s

important to me. I’ve made entire wardrobes for men and women, but I created FRAHM to be simple. Just men’s jackets. Do one thing the best you can.

mate. And I don’t make it easy on myself – with things like being available on live chat on the website 15 hours a day for any customers with questions!

And who are the team behind it?

Um, it’s pretty much just me! I design the jackets, I do the website, I send out the ackets, hoover the floor. My wife, Emmalou, helps when she can and my best friend Jason, who I grew up with, is my co-founder. He keeps me on the right nancial and operations path – he’s someone I can run stuff past! I do need help now, though, as we grow. It’s like most small business owners say – ust the sheer weight of things to do is the hardest part. But it’s fun. I have a very clear simple strategy, which helps. As does the support of my wife and my best

Why did you decide to donate a portion of your profits to Mind?

I’m open about having a mental breakdown in 2017. I learnt a huge amount from that experience, through the pain. I realised that I wanted to start a company that was far simpler, kinder and that supported a movement and charity. Because of my own experiences, I saw men’s brands as often creating toxic marketing, creating this idea that life is perfect. It isn’t. So, we are officially in aid of Mind and I talk openly about life’s ups and downs. We don’t bang on too much, but we don’t present a veneer either.

You talk about how ethics and sustainability are an important aspects of your business – how does that work in practice?

Sustainability and ethics should be important for any business. We’re not perfect, but we’re always trying to be better. I know everyone in our supply chain, we use renewable, biodegradable materials where possible, and I won’t compromise on quality. This is the most important facet: a garment that lasts the longest has the least damaging effect.

And you’ve got a FRAHM Jacket Podcast too, right?

I wanted to talk to charismatic, outwardly successful people with seemingly perfect lives, who’ve also struggled, like all of us. I wanted to tell interesting stories that show that real life is much more complicated than the veneer we mostly see. It’s inspiring – and hopefully fun. As long as I try my best, that’s all I can do.

For more: www.frahmjacket.com

Proud finalists of the Bath Life Awards (Property category) for the second year running 1 Hayes Place, Bath, Somerset BA2 4QW | 01225 422224 | www.bathstoneproperty.com

SERVICES GUIDE HOME CARE

GUIDE to SERVICES in the

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PROPERTY A PL ACE TO C ALL HOME

EDGE OF PARKNESS

If you regularly come in and out of Bath through its western side, you may have noticed a couple of impressive Georgian-style houses springing up over the last year. Now’s your chance to peek inside…

By Clarissa Picot www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 101

PROPERTY

W

e love Weston Park, so handy for the hospital and Vicky ark, such a pleasant flat-ish saunter into the middle of town – minutes, max – and so perfect for dog walking. That you’ve got Weston illage and Chelsea oad right on your doorstep, and that the drive north to the motorway is a relatively stress-free (and traffic-free) one, ust adds to its pleasures.

Living here would be a dream, right And now two new options are conspiring to make it more tempting – and effortless – than ever.

What we have here are a pair of big, handsome villas on a prominent plot, built in a convincing modern Georgian style (give ’em ten years and they’ll blend in with the period properties around them a treat), but still box-fresh, where everything works exactly as it’s meant

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

to and is designed from the start for modern living, rather than having it retro- tted afterwards.

The pair sit on a large corner plot that used to be home to a huge garden, a row of garages, and in one corner the ugliest of ’ s houses, an almost heroically s uat near-windowless affair like some military pillbox made of Bath stone. Now, though, all that’s been ra ed to the ground – it’s rapidly becoming hard to picture it properly, like some fading dream – to be replaced by what you see here. Much more handsome.

In one corner of this space there’s a newly-built s uare, detached, relatively low Georgian-style home roughly where the garages used to be – not one of the properties we’re looking at here, but worth checking out nonetheless – and at the opposite edge are our pair, forming a near-seamless continuation of the handsome row of huge semis and miniature chateaus that march down Weston ark (the road), along the bottom of Weston ark (the, er, park), and into the middle of Weston illage.

Since there’s so much greenery all around – right opposite, in fact – it matters little that neither of these houses has much garden, though what’s here is beautifully presented and perfectly ade uate for small kids to play in and summer evenings alfresco more important, perhaps, is that there’s off-road parking for at least a couple of cars per house.

Built by Crossman Homes, each offers the best of all possible worlds: a great, handy, relatively quiet and very Bath location; good looks; and all the conveniences of modern living. There are period-influenced details everywhere, from solid wood floors to matte black radiators; the solid wood kitchens are awash with stone worktops, Neff appliances and the old arrow and Ball and there’s so much in the way of brass ironmongery and brushed bron e taps that it’s almost like the two of them are wearing subtle interior ewellery.

Mirror images of each other, both layouts are over ve floors, with some open plan spaces and other floors divided into usefully-si ed rooms, the default si e of these being roughly a m x m s uare. ach has ve bedrooms, four bathrooms, a study and – get this – a whopping great cinema-cum-games space in the basement. Most of each ground floor is a giant L-shaped space, with the living area taking up the long end, the dining room the short end, and a kitchen – complete with the prere uisite island unit – where they meet. ou’ve also got a loo here, and stairs leading up or down. escend into the basement and you get a good-si ed utility room and two almost equally sized rooms, one designated a home cinema – fancy! – and the other perhaps a games or play area; alternatively, it could become a home gym.

Go up to the rst floor and you’ll nd two bedrooms, a family bathroom with bath and shower, and a narrower but usefully si ed study this could double up as an emergency extra bedroom, of course.

Then, on the second floor, you get the master suite, comprising a 5m x 4m master bedroom, a dressing room that’s not much smaller and an ensuite bathroom, plus a usefully si ed store cupboard. eep going and there are two more bedrooms on the top floor, plus another shared bathroom.

Tempting, right And so easy ust to move right in and start living, no fuss re uired. We’ve en oyed seeing these two spring up, and we’re going to love seeing them come alive with people even more – albeit, of course, with a little twinge of envy at the effortless existence of their lucky new owners.

HOUSE NUMBERS Cromwell House and Primrose House, Weston Park Bedrooms

5

Bathrooms

4

Games rooms/ cinema rooms

2

Outside Bijoux gardens, parking for two cars each Price Cromwell House £1.85m Primrose House £1.75m Savills, Edgar Buildings, 17 George Street, Bath, BA1 2EN; 01225 474500; www.savills.co.uk

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

ADVERTISING FEATURE

HOW TO

MOVE HOUSE

From home staging to removals and conveyancing, we’ve gathered some of Bath’s leading property experts to help take the stress out of moving

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ADVERTISING FEATURE MARIA MOXHAM

EVERDENE & LLOYD PERFECT PROPERTY STAGING 07309 023833; www.everdeneandlloyd.com What is home staging?

Long established as an essential service in the USA, Canada and Australia and growing rapidly in the UK, staging prepares your property for sale (or rent) through furniture, décor, soft furnishings, lighting, artwork and decluttering. We aim to make it impersonal, stylish and clearly show the proportions of the property to appeal to the target market and maximum number of buyers, therefore selling more quickly and for more money.

Why should I stage my home?

You have 7–10 seconds to make a positive first

ANNA CHRISTIE

SOLICITOR, RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY, THRINGS SOLICITORS 01225 340100; achristie@thrings.com thrings.com What is the biggest mistake made in property transactions?

Inflexibility. A property purchase can be a stressful time, but everyone in the chain is likely to be feeling the same. Ultimately, compromises have to be made, and setting unrealistic deadlines can cause a purchase to fall through.

It’s better to pick your battles and focus on the genuine deal breakers.

What advice would you give to someone looking for a property solicitor?

Get recommendations from your agent, friends and family. Calling rather than emailing for quotes can give you a better sense of the person. While fees will vary slightly, the quality of service can be worlds apart. Will you be dealing with a qualified solicitor? Will they personally see your transaction through from start to finish?

Can they meet you face-to-face?

What happens if a buyer fails to complete?

This really is the unthinkable, and it’s (thankfully) very rare! The seller can take the buyer’s 10 per cent deposit and recuperate additional losses from them too – including if the property sells for less. This is why it’s vital that everything is checked and funding is in place before a buyer commits to the transaction.

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impression with your buyers. Competition is incredibly strong. You can stand out in the market with a well-staged home that ensures the buyer’s aspirations are met and they choose you rather than your competition.

What’s the value of home staging?

The best return on investment, research from Property Professionals & Estate Agents and The Home Staging Association shows: • Staged properties sell up to 3 times faster • Staged properties sell for 10–17 per cent more than homes that haven’t been staged Don’t reduce the asking price for a sale, staging always makes a difference. Repay the outlay many times over in the return achieved and command that higher asking price.

PAUL BRADDOCK

AREA MANAGER, THOMAS FIRBANK REMOVALS 01225 314433; www.firbankremovals.co.uk What makes you different to your competitors?

Removals as an industry tends to be driven by companies using casual labour and agency staff. We pride ourselves on only utilizing our own fully trained, fully employed staff. This allows us to use the same team on a one bedroom flat as we do on a 10 bedroom mansion, fully confident that our strict quality procedures will be met on every move.

Do you carry out moves outside of Bath?

While the majority of our moves do start and end within the Bath area, we also regularly run up to Scotland and down to Cornwall. In addition we offer full overseas shipping, and recent moves have gone as far as South Africa and the USA. Can you offer storage?

We boast two large storage facilities including our Self Storage site within Bath where our rates start at just £15 per week plus vat. We also collect free of charge for long term customers. For high value antiques and complete homes we can offer traditional containerised indoor storage where we load containers at your property.

ANNE MARIE BRENNAN THE HOME SERVICE 07899 966588 www.thehome-service.co.uk

How can your services make moving easy?

We work with you to create a wonderful new home and make moving seamless. Whether you are relocating, refurbishing or simply reorganising, we plan and oversee every stage, work quickly to understand how you like to live, find the very best people to help, take care of every detail and save you time and worry. We can even move you without you being there.

What do you do differently?

We can assist with organising your new home, unpacking, source and manage regular tasks and services. Imagine having your own Home PA for sole projects, ongoing support (wardrobe, entertainment, oversee works) or take care of your home, when you travel.

What changes are happening to business?

People are increasingly busy, they move more often and want their home perfect quickly.

Clients often juggle several homes. They need help, value privacy and know what they want.

Working with Bath’s many local specialists, suppliers and craftspeople, we are able to support home improvement in a timely and creative manner and love to clear those ‘to-do lists’ whatever the challenge. We regularly oversee works when clients are away.

ADVERTISING FEATURE or purchase. By doing this, our main aim is to take the stress out of all our clients’ journies, whether selling or buying.

What can a vendor do to help their property sell?

Present the property to the best of your ability, especially on days when photos are being taken for marketing. First impressions are everything, so if you can have the property clean and tidy, with the surfaces as clear as possible, it really helps the buyers be creative with their own ideas on how they might live in the property. If there is too much going on, buyers can sometimes find it difficult to look past lots of personal belongings that could be temporarily stored.

What advice can you give when putting in an offer to buy?

Our best advice would be to have all your financial documents prepared. If the buyer can put an offer forward with all financial proof, such as your mortgage in principle, proof of deposit and the solicitors you will be using, you’re demonstrating to the vendor that you are serious and in a position to move forward.

STUART RIDDELL

SENIOR VALUER, BATH STONE PROPERTY 01225 422224 www.bathstoneproperty.com How does your service make moving house easier?

Here at Bath Stone Property we aim to guide and support all our vendors and buyers throughout the process. From start to finish, we make sure all our clients are updated in detail – we want to make sure everyone involved in the journey is doing everything they can to ensure a smooth sale

What marketing activity do you do?

We currently use all the major property portals in the UK, Rightmove, Zoopla, On the Market, Prime location just to name a few. A monthly magazine is distributed to anyone on our database and into the surround areas such as cafes, vets and doctors and many other local businesses.

We also have our very own website, a new one is being created at the moment with some fantastic features that no other agents are using. Very exciting times!

What is the best day to move house?

Fridays are popular for obvious reasons but any working day is fine. A good solicitor will do as much as they can to ensure that your monies and your mortgage monies are ready to be sent as early as possible on the agreed date.

ALISON TREBLE

PARTNER AND HEAD OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY TEAM, MOGERS DREWETT 01225 750000 www.mogersdrewett.com

Is a solicitor necessary when selling/buying a property?

Yes, but then I would say that! Your property is your biggest asset, so it is important that you work with someone who is on your side and will help protect it with expert local knowledge.

What is the biggest misconception surrounding property law?

That it is out of date and that it is all ticking forms and colouring in plans. As with any procedure

TRACEY PARKINSON HOMESORT

07792 480721; www.homesort.org.uk What is home staging?

Home staging is the preparation of a home for sale to make the property as welcoming and attractive as possible. In order to stand out in today’s competitive property market, houses must be presented in the best way possible to maximise the selling price and secure a speedy completion.

Why should you use a home staging company?

If you want to sell or rent your property, professional home staging can get results fast.

It helps bring out the property’s advantages and make the most of its selling points. For developers, dressing a show home demonstrates to potential buyers how the space might be used.

What are the finishing touches?

The right accessories give your home that ‘wow’ factor, presenting an aspirational lifestyle to potential buyers.

How much does home staging cost?

It varies depending on the property and the existing furniture. Many improvements are quick and affordable. There are rental options too, so it’s not necessary to buy new furnishings. To help keep costs down further, action plans can be drawn up for clients to complete themselves.

there is an order in which things are done but in the same way that properties are different we have to apply our expertise to each individual property and client to get the best for them.

What advice would you give to anybody when looking for a property solicitor?

Ask for personal recommendations, often a personal introduction is a way to ensure that you are in good hands.

Can one pull out of a house sale after signing contracts?

After signing yes, but not once contracts are exchanged. You will often be asked to sign your contract in advance but this is just preparatory. You will not be legally committed until Exchange.

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BSc MRICS Chartered Surveyor Mark Vincent Surveying provides surveying and valuation advice on residential properties primarily across North Somerset, Bath and North-East Somerset and West Wiltshire. As a Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and with experience of properties ranging from modest studio apartments through to multi-million pound country estates, Mark’s advice is impartial and provides peace of mind to his clients.

Operating in Bath, Bradford-on-Avon, Bristol, Frome, Midsomer Norton, Shepton Mallet, Trowbridge, Warminster, Wells & Westbury – Mark provides a wide range of services related to the value and condition of residential property, including: • Homebuyers reports • Building Surveys • Valuations Mark is independent of estate agents and financial institutions which means he gives unbiased advice and can offer complete peace of mind with Professional Indemnity Insurance cover up to £250,000 per claim.

mark@mvsurveying.co.uk 07922 557100 | 01225 581591 www.mvsurveying.co.uk

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

Meet the property lawyer Anton Osborne, partner and head of property at MCMILLAN WILLIAMS SOLICITORS tells us about the complexities of working within property law…

What area do you specialise in?

Property law – advising buyers and sellers in respect of all aspects of Commercial and Residential Property. I also act for a number of property developers in respect of the acquisition of development sites and the subdivision and sale of the individual properties.

What are the challenges?

We are competing against other organisations whose only goal is to sell their legal services as cheaply as possible, which leads to a compromise on service levels. I am passionate about providing a combination of the communication and accessibility of a first class local solicitor combined with industry-leading technology to give the best service possible at a competitive price. When someone is buying the most expensive asset they are likely to ever buy, why should cost be the only factor when choosing a property lawyer?

What is your favourite part of your job?

Speaking with our clients when matters have concluded and sharing in their absolute delight that their transaction has completed and they own their new home.

What sort of misconceptions to you encounter?

That Property Law is uncomplicated and straightforward. In reality no two transactions are ever the same and there are complex technical aspects to each transaction. We have to carefully manage the expectations of emotional clients; appreciating that selling and buying property is an extremely stressful time for them.

What has been your biggest achievement?

Overseeing the growth of our Property Department over the last 10 years from five offices and about 15 members of staff to over 20 offices and over 120 members of staff. We are now one of the largest providers of property services in the country. ■

28 Southgate Street, Bath, BA1 1TP 0203 551 8500; anton.osborne@mwsolicitors.co.uk www.mwsolicitors.co.uk

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

FOR THE HOME Our local businesses are poised and ready to help with all your home needs for winter

BATH KITCHEN COMPANY

Based in the heart of Bath and specialising in bespoke, handmade kitchens, Bath Kitchen Company become personally invested in every kitchen they design and build. It’s about attention to detail at every stage – creating a beautiful space that enhances the way you live. 7-9 North Parade Buildings, Bath BA1 1NS; Tel: 01225 312003 www.bathkitchencompany.co.uk

ETONS OF BATH

CLAIR STRONG INTERIOR DESIGN

Clair Strong Interior Design is a small, creative company based in Bath, providing a wide range of services for both residential and commercial clients. Her portfolio of projects includes the design, project coordination and sourcing for some of Bath’s most beautiful residences, as well as sports clubs, offices and other commercial venues.

Contact Clair on 01225 426906 or 07855 79731 www.clairstrong.co.uk

Hapticity Architects Ltd provide a bespoke service tailored to each client’s individual needs for all stages of residential construction projects, from feasibility studies to interior packages. Their designs counterbalance contemporary interventions with historic properties, creating exciting spaces for modern living.

Tel: 01225 443679/07494 901999; www.hapticity.co.uk

MENDIP FIREPLACES

SHUTTERCRAFT SOMERSET

Founded in 2006, Etons of Bath is the UK’s only specialist interior design practice focussed 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.

Tel: 01225 639002; www.etonsofbath.com

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, Monkton Combe, Bath BA2 7HD. info@mendipfireplacesbath.co.uk, Tel: 01225 722706; www.mendipfireplacesbath.co.uk

WESTSIDE DESIGN

CHEVERELL

www.westsidedesign.co.uk

www.cheverell.co.uk

Westside Design is a family-run Bath based company offering a tailored design, manufacturing and installation service for all aspects of cabinet making and joinery. Specialising in contemporary bespoke kitchens and interiors.

Contact Michael on 01225 330843 or 07976 268458 or email info@westsidedesign.co.uk

HAPTICITY ARCHITECTS & INTERIORS LTD

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; Tel: 01380 722722;

Shuttercraft Somerset provide premium madeto-measure shutters and blinds for your home.

Shuttercraft give you the best privacy whilst retaining style with a huge variety of colours and materials to choose from. Price matching available on like for like products from your local expert.

Contact your local expert, Simon today.

Tel: 01225 459 389; www.shutttercraft.co.uk

BONITI

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 www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 113

BATH LIVES

“I’ve etched my life onto this city” Toppings and Mr B’s mporium.

To my mind we need fewer shoe shops and more decent clothes shops – I know it’s a chain, but it blows my mind that we still don’t have a Zara!

I’m so glad that Dos Dedos has opened; my favourite cocktail is

TESSA CAMPBELL The FLY Fitness co-founder on lengthy dog walks, the joy of protein pancakes, and why clothes are so much more important than shoes…

I moved to Bath in 2016, and now live just outside Widcombe. Since arriving here

I got married at the Guildhall, had my baby at the H, and opened a business in the centre of town. I’ve etched my life onto this city, and it now holds a big place in my heart.

Exercise has such an uplifting effect on the mind. If you’re

having a bad day, ust stepping outside for a walk can change your mood and put your worries into perspective. It’s ama ing, really, that such an effective tool is so freely accessible.

Beautifully sunny but crisp and cold winter days seem, unfortunately, to be few and far between this year. I’m

really affected by SA , so it’s days like these that make winter bearable. This year, though, my New ear’s esolution was to nd more time for myself, since there’d been very little opportunity for self-care in , what with opening L and having a baby under a year old.

In contrast, is feeling good so far!

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I’m in the city centre every day, because L is on Bath

Street, between rimark and the Thermae Bath Spa. The coffee culture here is great, with so many lovely places: Mokoko, Boston Tea arty, Green Bird Cafe To add to that, we’ve ust created our own caf here at the gym. It’s open to everyone, member or not (though members get a discount), and well worth coming to, as we serve ound Hill coffee – so delicious, and local too their roastery is actually between Midsomer Norton and adstock.

One of my favourite places to sit is the caf outside the

Holbourne Museum, with my daughter toddling around the garden. I’d love to see more places where little children can safely play around Bath while you en oy a coffee.

My favourite shop in Widcombe must be B Hairdressing, a cruelty free

salon owned by Harriet Barber. veryone there’s uirky, cool and talented, and trained in colour to a really high standard. But I love all Bath’s little independents, like

a Margarita, which they do there really well. I also love The ark Horse, Corkage, Hudson and Beckford Bottle Shop, but Bath still needs more funky, rowdy little bars. The Marlborough Tavern is great for a roast, not least because they serve into the evening – I hate it when pubs stop doing Sunday roasts at pm!

If I was to move away from here, I’d miss the beauty.

Sometimes, when you’re rushing from here to there, you forget where you live – then you look up and go wow’. I also love the way Bath offers city life, yet you’re always so close to nature: I’d miss walking my dog along the Skyline, wandering along the river to ulteney Bridge, the parks, the canal runs, the cycle paths.

When I first got to Bath, I was amazed at the lack of gym choice – especially with the

scene so booming in London, and everyone so aware of the importance of moving now that we’ve become so sedentary in our daily lives. I used to play county football as a teenager, and trained as a T because I’ve always loved being active. I ust thought that – surely – there must be more people like me out there, who wanted a gym that makes them feel uplifted and fresh. We choose to spend our free time in gyms, so they need to be places you’d actually want to go to.

Not everyone goes to the gym to get shredded and become

ultra- t. Instead, it should be a space for people to move in a way that makes them feel good, so this is what we specialise in. We

work in accordance with a health triangle: re (high intensity HIIT training), force (weight training), and flow (barre, yoga, pilates, dance and so on). ou can choose to do whatever exercise works with your goals and your body.

That said, we also have two floors of ‘open gym’, because

people also like to train alone and lift heavy weights. We have Watson weights and a Wattbike indoor bike trainer. We’d originally planned to have a spin room as part of our immersive basement, but there are a few places around Bath already offering this, so we instead took inspiration from the ama ing bouti ue spaces in London and decided to have an immersive HIIT studio, with a focus on the Skillmill treadmills, instead. I’m so pleased we did this it’s really working well.

Bath has a great gym offering now, with so many independents

focussing on different things.

Are we almost at saturation point Not uite, but there’s a really nice tness community in the city at the moment, and if many more gyms were to open I think the scene would become a lot harsher.

As independents, we simply couldn’t afford to slash prices to compete with the big chains, so many wouldn’t survive, which would be a great shame.

Now that we’ve launched The Café by FLY, you can preorder

shakes and smoothies so they’re ready for when you leave – great for morning sessions, or those taking our minute lunchtime HIIT classes. We also sell an all-day brunch, and the best protein pancakes in town. Nobody ever leaves L in a bad mood – they’re always bu ing and happy and full of endorphins.

You can try a FLY class from £10 a session, or join from £65 a month; fl tn

Luxury B&B in the historic city of Bath

143 Wells Road, Bath BA2 3AL | 01225 421238 | hello@tyndallvilla.co.uk | www.tyndallvilla.co.uk | Instagram: tyndallvillabath