Bath Life – Issue 441

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ISSUE 441 / 9 – 22 APRIL 2021 / £3

BATH PROPERTY AWARDS WINNERS REVEALED

ISSUE 441 / 9 – 22 APRIL 2021 / MOTHER PEARL

BOHO MARCHÉ BATH’S NEW AND QUIRKY RESTAURANT

HOME & GARDEN

ADORABLE ALL-WEATHER ACCESSORIES

WHAT’S IN STORE?

REUNITING WITH OUR ENTERPRISING INDIE SHOPS

FROM COUCH TO OUT

IT’S TIME TO GET DRESSED!

PERIOD DRAMA

HOW TO RESTORE YOUR HOME’S ORIGINAL FEATURES

PEARL LOWE ON LOCKDOWN, FAMILY LIFE, AND HER GORGEOUS FROME HOME

Excellent - 4.9* out of 5

SUPPLYING APPLIANCES TO HOUSEHOLDS FOR OVER 70 YEARS

H O M E A P P L I A N C E S AT A F F O R D A B L E P R I C E S W I T H E XC E L L E N T S E RV I C E

We look forward to welcoming customers back in to the store. If you’re looking for advice or have any queries, you can also reach us by phone, email or via the website: 01225 311811 | enquiries@coopers-stores.com | coopers-stores.com Coopers Stores, 13/15 Walcot Street, Bath, BA1 5BN

EDITOR’S LETTER

ABOVE: Designer Pearl Lowe pictured

with daughters, Betty and Daisy (page 28) BELOW: Spring interior shopping inspiration (page 40)

T

here’s been a lot of talk about people not really missing shopping, about shoppers staying away from the high streets as restrictions continue to lift – all I can say to that is these people have never been to Bath.

A place where our high street looks like Milsom Street, Margaret’s Buildings, and Burton Street. Where our ‘out of town’ shopping precincts are friendly supportive enclaves like Widcombe, Larkhall, and Oldfield Park. Where retail meets community meets innovation meets indie gorgeousness – of course we’ve missed it. It makes me so happy to see so many familiar faces over on page 12 but also lots of new ones. They share with us what’s been happening and what we can look forward to in their stores, when we are able once again to peruse, chat, be inspired, and support our local talented traders.

First chance I get to shop for interiors, I’m taking a copy of this mag, flicking to page 28 and telling them I want to steal this look for my house. Cover star Pearl Lowe’s home and style is so amazingly super cool (as are her dress designs, see page 36), you might think she was going to be one of those arch, achingly dull style queens but she comes across so warm, sweet and genuine, and it shines through that her priority in life will always be those she loves.

There’s more vintage style over on page 74 when local professionals talk us through looking out for, and caring for, property period features, and it turns out even the more modern homes have attributes worth preserving. I am seriously regretting the loss of that kitchen serving hatch now...

SARAH MOOLLA

Follow us on Twitter @BathLifeMag Instagram @bathlifemag

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Issue 441 / 9–22 April 2021 COVER Pearl Lowe with her daughters, Daisy and Betty, pictured by the garden caravan at their Frome home (page 28)

COVER STORY

28 PEARL LOWE The fashion and interior designer on

‘faded glamour’, and creating her dream Frome home

THE ARTS

23 ARTS INTRO Unsettling fairy tales by Jaco Putker 24 WHAT’S ON Enjoy Bath culture from home 35 BOOKS Mr B’s favourite dark thrillers

SHOPPING

12 RETAIL RETURNS Bath’s indies share what’s new and

exciting as they reopen after lockdown

36 FASHION Garden glam 39 INTRO Do alfresco right with a cute table and chair set

from Neptune

40 EDITOR’S CHOICE Accessorise your home for spring

FOOD&DRINK

44 RESTAURANT REVIEW Eclectic dining at Boho

Marché

47 FOOD & DRINK NEWS What’s new on Bath’s foodie

scene

74

48 TAKE 5 Babington House executive chef Neil Smith and

his enduring love of pie

BUSINESS

51 BATHWORKS News, views and interviews from the best

of our local businesses and companies

54 BIZ SURGERY Datasharp Integrated Communications

discuss the future of the modern workplace

57 BIZ Q&A Anna Sabine’s vision for Cassia, the new café

and co-working space on Bath Riverside

PROPERTY

59 PROPERTY INTRO New investment in creative spaces 60 PROPERTY NEWS Updates from the market 65 BATH PROPERTY AWARDS In review 70 SHOWCASE A classic example of Georgian grandeur on

Sydney Place

74 PERIOD FEATURES How to care for a period home,

according to the experts

DEPARTMENTS

6 SPOTLIGHT Gabrielle to headline to Bath Festival Finale Weekend 9 FLATLINE Flats reassesses his diet 82 LIVES Local author Lorna Almonds-Windmill shares

her father’s remarkable history with the SAS

12

Editor Sarah Moolla sarah.moolla@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 Contributors Nic Bottomley, David Flatman, Elsie Chadwick, John Mather, Matilda Walton and Nick Woodhouse Group advertising manager Pat White pat.white@mediaclash.co.uk Deputy advertising manager Justine Walker justine.walker@mediaclash. co.uk Account manager Annabel North annabel.north@mediaclash.co.uk Account manager Dan Nichols dan.nichols@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. 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

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SPOTLIGHT Roman Baths

BATH TIME The Roman Baths will reopen to the public on 17 May – restrictions permitting.

“We know from feedback on social media that people have missed the Roman Baths, so we’re delighted to be able to welcome visitors back. There will be well-established safety measures in place to protect our residents, visitors and staff,” says councillor Paul Crossley, cabinet member for Community Services.

The venue hopes to offer their usual summer late opening from the end of July – complete with pop-up Prosecco bar.

For more: www.romanbaths.co.uk

Gabrielle will play the Main Stage on Saturday 7 August

The Bath Festival

DREAMY LINE-UP Gabrielle is the latest star the join the line-up for The Bath Festival Finale Weekend. The singer-songwriter, currently enjoying charts success following her latest album, Do It Again and a turn on ITV’s The Masked Singer, will bring her distinctive style to the Main Stage in August.

Gabrielle exploded onto the British music scene back in 1999 with her four times platinum number one debut album, Rise. She has since released six studio albums, picked up two BRITS, two MOBOs and an Ivor Novello Award.

Tickets are on sale now.

For more: www.thebathfestival.org

Restrictions permitting, the Baths will be open in time for the summer months

Together Project

PET PATROL

Volunteers like vet Jenny Lambert keep Bath’s vulnerable pets in good health

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A group of vets and vet nurses in Bath have joined forces to care for the pets of the homeless. Known as The Together Project, with the help of homelessness charities Julian House and The Genesis Trust, they run regular clinics, and also take medical kits out to the streets to provide treatment on the spot. The project is run with support from the Bath Boules Trust.

“The aim of the project is to provide free veterinary care to the pets of Bath’s homeless and vulnerably housed. Funded by Bath Cats and Dogs Home, with vets and nurses from Bath Vets volunteering their time, we have been able to offer support and peace of mind to over 50 vulnerable owners by improving their animals’ quality of life,” says Heidi Richards, a vet with The Together Project. “The Project’s work has ranged from keeping the animals’ health general good with regular vaccinations, worming and flea treatment, to providing medication for long-term health conditions such as arthritis or skin allergies. We have performed dental work, neutering and life-changing surgeries.

Clinics are often as much about having a chat, as treating the animal. I love being part of something that makes a real difference to the homeless in Bath and getting to know and help the dogs and owners.”

For more: www.bathcatsanddogshome.org.uk

Spring Just a few of our favourites from Bath’s happy snappers

@annalisemaybath

GORILLAS IN THE DAFFS

The team at Longleat have proved without a doubt that nothing raises the spirits quite like a bunch of freshly cut flowers. Even their gorillas enjoy them.

Keeping the bachelor group of lowland gorillas entertained while the park is closed to the public is of vital importance, and the spring bouquets are their latest treat.

“Every year the area around the lake is carpeted with daffodils and it’s a sure sign spring is here,” says keeper Ian Turner. “We decided to pick some bunches of flowers and place them around the enclosure to see how Alf, Evindi, Yuba, Suwedi and Kesho would react.

“People are sometimes surprised at how dexterous and gentle these hugely powerful creatures can be and it was fascinating to see them carefully pick up individual stems and smell the flowers.

“Yuba was definitely the most interested and spent quite a lot of time closely inspecting his bouquet, while Evindi was a little more playful and ended up throwing his daffodils around.”

For more: www.longleat.co.uk

Mini-break like a Bridgerton

@abigailrosewest

Longleat’s Evindi was the most playful with his blooms

Suwedi gave the flowers a good, long sniff

Bridgerton

GEORGIAN HOLIDAY

The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa is set to reopen on 17 May, when they will welcome guests to enjoy their brand-new Live Like a Bridgerton package, inspired by the Netflix TV show. The luxurious new package invites guests to immerse themselves in all things Georgian. On arrival, the concierge will whisk away the guest’s ‘carriage’ – from there, they step into the grandeur of the Grade 1 listed historic hotel.

As part of a two-night stay, the package includes a decadent Taittinger Champagne Afternoon Tea (Daphne would if she could) in the idyllic surrounds of the hotel garden, followed by a private evening tour of No. 1 Royal Crescent Museum, which featured prominently in the series, to get a taste of what life really would have been like in the Bridgerton era. For the ultimate experience, the Duke of York Suite is recommended – once a drawing room (the sort of space one might meet one’s suitors), as it is filled with architectural features of the period.

For more: www.royalcrescent.co.uk The package includes afternoon tea

Get a taste of Bridgerton IRL with a tour of No 1.

Royal Crescent

@jakebuftonfilms © NETFLIX

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FLATLINE DAVID FLATMAN

Food for thought

© TAKING PICTURES

For Flats, calorie counting is a new way of thinking about his diet, and it’s working…

“I was effectively paid to be very large”

A

s a founding member of the Church of the Pantophagist [someone who eats all kinds of food], it has been very hard for me finally to concede that my relationship with food isn’t terribly healthy. Of course, there are plenty of folks who suffer far more seriously than I do but, nonetheless, I’ve never quite been in control of what goes into my mouth. There I go again, you see, ‘never quite’. I have never been in control of what I eat.

In my former life as a professional sportsman (I won’t say ‘athlete’ as this bugs me for some reason.

Linford Christie was an athlete; I played rugby), this didn’t matter so much as I was effectively paid to be very large. This is where the ‘athlete’ comparison gets me, because had Linford Christie arrived a stone heavier after three weeks off at the end of a season, jaws would have dropped. My fitness coaches giggled and sent me to Fat Club – a group of those declared too well-furnished by those with clipboards who had to sit on a spin bike for an hour every day before training began, until their calliper tests proved them sufficiently lean to again enjoy a 7am lie in before gym.

I would wake up, roll downstairs and make a pre-session breakfast not so heavy that I might feel sick under exertion. A typical weekday would see me prepare two espressos, a pint of water with some gross ‘supergreens’ power mixed in, six eggs knocked into a messy omelette with baked beans and maybe some bacon. As this cooked I’d eat a couple of slices of toast and mix up my smoothie for the road containing nuts, whole milk, two bananas, peanut butter, spinach leaves, honey and anything else I could find. Oh, and I’d get to the club and grab a coffee before beginning to train. This was all before 8am.

After a heavy weights session we’d be given protein shakes and we’d chug yet more coffee, as well as various supplements that supposedly helped up retain muscle

mass and burn fat (I now know these things to be tosh, but it was a different time...). Lunch would be enormous. Whatever Jerry the chef (still a great mate, unsurprisingly) had knocked up, I’d take at least two extra large portions. Oh, and coffee.

Often, after an afternoon session I’d pop by a supermarket to buy a rotisserie chicken to eat between – between – training and dinner time. A whole bird. Then dinner.

So much meat and vegetables and puddings that I could barely move. And repeat, six days a week (matchdays made me too nervous to eat as much, so only about 4,000 calories...), for 15 years.

In January this year, for the first time in my life I began to record what I was eating. It was – and is – a little dull, but my goodness has it been both terrifying and educational. As a 40-year-old man I was eating more in my average day than Sir Steve Redgrave ate as an Olympic champion. I was walking my dog round the block. Not quite the same.

It took a particularly blunt mate – and former teammate – to point me in the direction of calorie tracking.

I was so bored by his explanation that I almost lost consciousness as he rambled on about apps and barcodes and weekly averages.

But he forced me and it has been a revelation. I won’t ever be a lithe man; nobody will ever call me wiry.

Having lost a lot of weight and still clocking in at 19 stones, that much is clear. But that’s fine. I don’t care about all that. What I care about is that I now feel in control of food; it’s no longer in control of me.

Ollie Hayes of So Fit Bath didn’t sugarcoat it, and he didn’t promise me a six-pack. I love my barbecues just as much, I just don’t arrive at the grill having already eaten half a pig. Still can’t control the caffeine, mind...

David Flatman is an ex-Bath and England rugby star turned TV pundit and rent-omic. Find him on Twitter @davidflatman and Instagram @ dflatman

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 9

INDIE SHOPS

WHAT’S IN

STORE Bath’s indies on what’s new and exciting as they open their doors for the post-lockdown spring season Compiled by Lydia Tewkesbury

W

e can all breathe a heavy sigh of relief – as of 12 April the high street is back. Bath’s shop keepers are throwing open the doors and once again welcoming us inside to gather all that we need for our postlockdown, shaking off the cobwebs, total life update. One thing’s for sure – they are just as excited as we are.

Julia Davey, 20 Wellsway Bath; tel: 01225 738551; www.juliadavey.com Julia Davey says, “We are looking forward to welcoming our customers back into the shop and introducing them to beautiful new products and fabulous new brands including the wonderful Fleur D’Hiver. These handmade, stunning discs of Provençal honey are infused with beautiful herbs and flowers. Simply leave to dissolve in a mug of hot water and watch them reawaken. Perfect for a garden gathering with wow factor.”

City Tailors, 1st floor, 25 Milsom Street Bath; tel: 01225 920263; www.citytailors.co.uk Ben Aydin says, “We kept ourselves busy during lockdown, refurbishing the studio to celebrate our 10th anniversary at the current premises. We’ve done a complete re-decoration ready for reopening, installed new floors, new garment hanging units and bigger changing rooms. Our new made-to-measure and fabric display cabinet is one of the best additions to the new layout – clients can use it to pick up and have a look at fabric swatches, go through the design book and to see the quality of our made-to-measure suits.”

“Spring is such a super time of year and never more so than now”

Leak Gifts, 3 Larkhall Square Bath; tel: 07595 325977; www.leakgifts.co.uk Lucinda Niel says, “Here at Leak, we are super excited to be opening again in our wonderful neighbourhood of Larkhall. We will have lots of fresh, new products in store and also have a fresh new website. We are particularly excited to be stocking local company Aery. They specialise in pure soy candles and diffusers, both of which are vegan-friendly and 100 per cent plastic-free.”

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

Bath Aqua Glass, 105-107 Walcot Street Bath, tel: 01225 428146; www.bathaquaglass.com Annette Dolan says, “I am looking forward to opening our shop on the 12 April to meet customers face to face and show off the new designs I have been working on with Ian, my master glass blower.”

The Dressing Room, 7 Quiet Street Bath; tel: 01225 330563; www.dressingroombath.com Tessa Brand says, “Spring is such a super time of year and never more so than now, with everything the new season hopes to bring. At The Dressing Room, this is a special time of year for us when all our

opposite clockwise: Julia Davey at the shop in Bear Flat; Annette Dolan at Bath Aqua Glass has spent lockdown creating new pieces; Lucinda and Kirstie at Leak Gifts with Socks the dog; Ben Aydin gave City Tailors a refurb during lockdown

INDIE SHOPS collections start to be lighter, brighter and more colourful than winter’s darker shades – we are always excited to open the new deliveries.

Normally round about now we would be selling mostly beachwear, and so with this in mind, when we re-open, we will be offering 40 per cent off all of our current beachwear collection as a welcome back to our lovely customers. For more information about this, please email info@dressingroombath.com.”

Graham & Green, 92 Walcot Street Bath; tel: 01225 418300; www.grahamandgreen.co.uk The summer collection is all about laid-back living in Graham & Green’s signature ’70s style. The new season collection is filled with small touches that help you live well.

Homefront Interiors, 10 Margaret’s Buildings Bath; tel: 01225 571711; www.homefrontinteriors.co.uk Vanessa Clark says, “We have spent the last few months focused on sending out orders through our online boutique using Trouva, whilst at the same time busy in the background building our own ecommerce site. I am pleased to say after many hours spent uploading our product range, that this is now up and running and we are starting to see orders including local click and collect orders filtering through to it. It has been particularly heartening to be able to offer this service and enable local customers to purchase gifts and things for their homes directly from us. Everyone has been so supportive and I cannot wait to welcome them back in store. It has been really fun to keep the window display fresh during lockdown and see all the passers-by stop and take in all the beautiful products we stock.”

The Art Cohort, 13 Chelsea Road Bath; tel: 01225 635017; www.theartcohort.co.uk Kat Dawe Schmeisser says, “We are so excited to open the artspace to the public again. We’ve used the time our doors have been closed to extend our range of work from artists and makers – just a few

“Everyone has been so supportive” new arrivals include some very stylish concrete candlestick holders handmade for us in a gorgeous palette of spring colours. We also welcome prints by illustrator Melissa Donne showing the serene joy of houseplants. Over the last year we have had so much wonderful feedback about the value of being creative at home, so we have an extensive new range of weaving kits, crochet kits and jewellery making kits to keep the creativity going too.”

London Camera Exchange, 13 Cheap Street Bath; tel: 01225 462234; www.lcegroup.co.uk Mark Wallis says, “Bath is one of the world’s most photogenic cities.

Central to it, just by the Abbey is Bath’s camera and optical store, London Camera Exchange.

“The staff’s broad knowledge means they are always happy to give help or advice – some of the team, including myself, used to be professional photographers. As the name suggests, LCE will buy or part-exchange equipment. It’s almost a form of recycling!”

Portman, 28 Milsom Street Bath; tel: 07444 474947; www.nickieportman.co.uk Nickie Portman says, “At Portman we are very excited to reopen, and we have lots of beautiful new collections and accessories. We have top: Vanessa at Homefont interiors; left: Spring updates from Graham & Green;

opposite clockwise: Mark Wallis welcomes Bath’s happy snappers; Kat has lots of new work to see at The Art Cohort; Tessa at The Dressing Room can’t wait to show off her light, bright spring collection; Nickie Portman kept her window display fresh

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INDIE SHOPS enjoyed staying in contact with our customers during lockdowns online via our website, along with daily posts on Instagram and Facebook.

“We’ve refurbished the boutique ready to open and even through lockdown we’ve remerchandised the window weekly! This has had a huge amount of positive feedback with people saying it made them feel happy seeing a lovely fresh window as they passed by.

We now cannot wait to open our doors to our lovely customers and let them enjoy shopping again!”

Suave Owl, 33 Milsom Street; tel: 01225 302871; www.suaveowl.co.uk Jessica Harvey says, “Suave Owl has arrived in Bath! We’re an award-winning independent, young company run by husband-andwife team – myself, Jessica and my husband Anthony. We have built a five-star reputation during our start-up years in Keynsham and have now relocated to Milsom Street. The new premises boasts stylish décor filled with a wide range of formal and casual men’s clothing. As well as stocking a carefully curated collection of products for the modern gentleman, we have also been designing our own brand pieces. The Suave Owl shirts and t-shirts are amongst the shop’s best-sellers and we’re excited to be adding new colour options, as well as polo shirts, this summer. With the easing of lockdown, will come new opportunities to assist gents with looking and feeling their best, from every day to wedding day!”

Spirit Fashion, 3 High Street Devizes; tel: 01380 729933; www.spiritfashion.co.uk Rose Webster says, “We are so excited to be reopening. This lockdown has felt like the hardest yet, but we were determined to left: Bath newbie’s Suave Owl are upping the city’s men’s fashion stakes; below: Rose at Spirit is all about supporting local

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Verve Living; upstairs @ Maison Georges Larnicol, 5 Burton Street Bath; tel: 07785 332536; @verve.living on Instagram Michelle Aitkin says, “Verve Living is excited to be opening its spring/summer pop up shop upstairs @ Maison Georges Larnicol in central Bath this April.

With its striking new décor, the pop up is a light, bright, welcoming retail space that makes for a relaxed shopping experience – not to mention fantastic views down Union Street!

As ever the focus is on slow, sustainable living: vintage finds alongside artisan-led contemporary accessories, with an emphasis on local creative talent.

Fresh in, we’ll have vintage curiosities as well as furniture; new paintings from Agnes Pollock; Nala bamboo and cane lighting; Tao of Cinderella silk velvet cushions; oak towel ladders by Roundhouse; Leaf lights by Copperstuff; handmade oak serving boards and soy candles – and so much more. The pop up will run from 19 April until 18 July.”

Michelle’s Verve pop-up will be open until July

“An exciting new chapter is happening on the high street”

INDIE SHOPS use it to our advantage. Being freed up from the shop floor allowed us to put our energies towards launching our shiny new online store.

Getting online has been a great way to keep in touch with our lovely existing customers, but it’s also been incredible to see so many new customers around the UK discovering us too! As a small business, we’re huge advocates for shopping local (as you can see from our latest shop windows!), so with the restart of retail we’re most looking forward to welcoming our amazing Wiltshire and surrounds customers back to the Spirit community for a catch up and a natter!”

Flamingo, 7 Widcombe Parade Bath; tel: 01225 333619; www.flamingobath.co.uk Amanda Brown says, “We have designed and had made a blue, black and white fabric for our face mask and dog bandana range, which is unique to us.”

Tilian Kids and Gifts, 142 Walcot Street Bath; www.tiliankids.com Nuray Morris says, “An exciting new chapter is happening on the high street as we start to open our doors again, and I am thrilled to be a part of that in Bath’s very own artisan centre on Walcot Street. Here you will find a wonderful community of shops and services and I am so looking forward to reconnecting with existing customers again and meeting new ones. I have spent much of lockdown researching and sourcing a new and exciting spring/summer collection, with the focus on bringing happiness and cheer to my customers, after what has been a very challenging and difficult year. I have developed two main lines; tutu skirts and fun dresses for the girls and colourful dungarees for the left: Flamingo in Widcombe is the go-to for gifts; below: Nuray Morris of Tilian Kids

© MARINA FELDMAN PHOTOGR APHY

© MARINA FELDMAN PHOTOGR APHY

can’t wait to show off her spring/summer collection

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INDIE SHOPS right: James Hughes of Loake; below: Luci opened Luca &

Fig just three days before the first lockdown

boys. I also want to bring a sense of enjoyment and cheer to the nursery and have a range of handmade and ethically sourced mobiles, wooden toys and rainbows to brighten any room.”

Luca & Fig, 6 Widcombe Parade Bath; tel: 01225 571827; www.lucaandfig.com Luci Smolarek says, “Having been in catering for 25 years and wanting a new challenge, at the beginning of last year, I launched a new gift, home, lifestyle shop in Widcombe in March. Three days later I had to close due to the pandemic. It has been a really frustrating year having been closed for more time than open. However, I am still really excited about the shop and am hoping that I will be able to open the door on the 12th and remain open!

Having been unable to open the shop has made me think of other ways to sell, and I am really pleased with the website that I have created – a job I couldn’t have done without the help of my wonderful friend Emma, also building her own business in web design, Digital Journeys.

It has been a huge job, with over 600 products to upload.”

Loake, 15 Green Street Bath; tel: 0330 1592345; www.loake.com James Hughes says, “We’re really excited about our new spring summer range, as I write this we’re just taking delivery so we’ll be ready to reopen to our customers with some fantastic new styles.

“One that has really caught my is the Rivington, from the 1880 range, a three-eyelet boot, made in England with a crepe sole and fully welted. Available in three colourways of suede, I think the tan suede is going to be a huge hit for summer.

“We’re really looking forward to reopening our doors again!” n Restrictions permitting, retail reopens 12 April. Remember to wear your mask and socially distance and adhere to all Covid-19 restrictions to keep infection rates down

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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

STRANGER THINGS Jaco Putker’s works toe the line between playful and sinister – and the result is hard to look away from. He uses a combination of digital and traditional techniques to create the pieces, though his preferred medium is photopolymer, or solar plate etching. This mix of the modern and historical mediums only serves to add to the out-of-time atmosphere of these magical works.

What’s happening here? Titling the work simply Interior No.46, Putker gives the viewer no clue, instead inviting us to immerse ourselves in the story of the image and invent our own answers.

Interior No.46, etching in a limited edition of 25, £220, www.modernartbuyer.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 23

David Brayne’s works illustrate the joys of the new season in The Pursuit of Spring at Black Swan Arts

WHAT’S ON April 2021

Ongoing

STORIES FROM DREAM SPACE Stories from Dream Space is now live. The online exhibition from The Dream Space is a collection of stories told by local people that offer unique insight into how their lives are impacted by the pandemic, racism and the climate and ecological crisis. The project hopes to inspire social change. www.thedreamspace.co.uk

Ongoing

THE ART BRIDGE EMERGENTS EXHIBITION Since last May, the Art Bridge Emergent artists have been working with Westonbirt Arboretum artist in residence Deb Hoy to create works that respond to the connection between humans and trees. The project is funded by Arts Council England, who teamed up with Forestry England and charity Art Scape to provide this opportunity for up-and-coming artists who face disabling barriers. While the

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in-person exhibition has been postponed, from this month Art Shape are launching it online, so you can now peruse the diverse collection of works inspired by the project, which include paintings, mixed media, drawings and installations, from the safety of your own home by going online. www.artshape.co.uk

Until 24 April

NATHAN FORD: NEW PAINTINGS The selection of Nathan's new work includes his lockdown portraits – 90 days worth of intricate painted works of the wild flowers he and his family collected during their daily walks. The pieces are as a result of an intensive period of work during the first lockdown of 2020. www.beauxartsbath.co.uk

Until 8 May

IN PURSUIT OF SPRING Black Swan Arts is returning with its first new exhibition in a year.

In Pursuit of Spring is curated in partnership with Somerset Art

Always check COVID-19 restrictions and instructions with venues before your visit

Works and inspired by the poet Edward Thomas’ account of his journey between London and Somerset by bicycle, taking in Wells and Glastonbury, in the spring of 1913. Around 50 artists have created work responding to the themes in the text, and drawing on the consolation so many of us have found in the natural world during these trying times. The exhibition will be online, with works also available to buy through the Black Swan Arts website. www.blackswanarts.org.uk

Until 30 June

KURT JACKSON: BIODIVERSITY Biodiversity refers to the variety and range of the plant and animal life found in a place, and is generally a marker for how well or poorly nature is faring. In this series of paintings, sculptures and mixed media works, Jackson aims to celebrate the planet’s biodiversity, but also highlight where it is being lost. The works encourage the viewer to take account of even the most minute details of the world

around them – and, hopefully, inspire them to work to conserve them. The exhibition launches online, but restrictions permitting will be open IRL from 18 May. www.victoriagal.org.uk

Until 31 October

OUCH! This virtual exhibition from 44AD draws on themes explored by research undertaken by the Bath Centre for Pain Research. Based at the University of Bath, the Centre is made up of an interdisciplinary team of researchers exploring how pain affects how people live – from everyday aches to long-term, chronic pain. The hope is the physical exhibition will take place from September of this year, but for now a selection of the featured works are available to view online. www.44ad.net

13 April

IS COVID-19 CHANGING HOW WE INNOVATE? Dr Anna Walker, reader of Creative Enterprise and Innovation at

WHAT’S ON

treasure hunting at the sale run

by Worth the Weight Vintage, where you’ll find nine tonnes of handpicked vintage stock ready for a good rummage through.

Early bird 10am & 11am admission £3, general admission 12pm £1.50; Green Park Station; www.buytickets.at/worththeweight

19 April

above: Author Maggie O’Farrell together with Toppings is hosting an event in 16 April right: Perceptions of Pain

by Jo Barber is part of Ouch! at 44AD left: Take the 20-mile Circuit of Bath challenge below: Kurt Jackson’s nature-inspired works are available to see online now and, restrictions permitting, in-person at the Victoria Art Gallery from 18 May

bodyguard gig, he starts to suspect that his one-time mentor MI6 legend Robert Harland might be behind the attack. The catch?

Harland is supposed to be dead…

7pm; ticket with book purchase, £16.99; www.toppingsbooks.co.uk

16 April

MAGGIE O’FARRELL Hamnet, Maggie O’Farrell’s 2020 Women’s Prize for Fiction winning novel is coming out in paperback – and she’s hosting an event with Toppings to celebrate. Based around the death of Shakespeare’s son, Hamnet is a profound exploration of the healing power of creativity that chronicles the boy’s short life. 7pm; ticket with book purchase, £8.99; www.toppingsbooks.co.uk

18 April

Bath Spa University interviewed 26 business leaders about their predictions for how the pandemic would change our approach to innovation in the UK. In this lecture, she’ll detail the seven key themes that emerged from those interviews. 7.30pm; £5; www.brlsi.org

14 April

HENRY PORTER The former editor of Vanity Fair is joining Toppings online for a conversation about his latest international spy thriller, The Old Enemy. When Paul Samson, ex-MI6 agent finds himself the target of violence during a routine

MY SCIENCE FAIR GOES VIRTUAL Fun Science and Chemical Cress explore the stunning world of sound in her supersonic demonstration, Jon Chase teaches us about all things great and small via the medium of rap, at-home science challenges with the help of University of Bath – and so much more to develop the young scientist in your life. 10am-1.15pm; www.wiltshiremusic.org.uk

18 April

WORTH THE WEIGHT KILO SALE Finally – a much-missed real-life vintage shopping experience. Go

CRUMBS TAKEAWAY Crumbs Takeaway is a new, online conference for the hospitality trade, covering businesses in the Cardiff, Bath, Bristol and Exeter areas.

Restaurants, cafés, bars; food and drink producers and suppliers; and the business services supporting the sector are all invited to join for free.

The virtual event will give practical advice for hospitality businesses on trading and inspiration for new business models. 10am-1pm; www.crumbsmag.com

18 April

INNOX MARKET The popular Trowbridge market and its mix of artisan goods, street food, local produce and vintage clothing is making a welcome return in April. A collaboration between the Innox Mills site owners and The Anonymous Travelling Market, the atmospheric shopping experience will offer live music against the rustic backdrop of the buildings’ historic surrounds. www.innoxmills.co.uk

22 April

THE GENIUS OF IMMANUEL KANT AND HIS ETHICS Immanuel Kant is considered one of the most profound and important thinkers in the history of Western Philosophy – he’s also the guy Chidi is always referencing on Netflix’s The Good Place. In this lecture, the BRLSI’s Andreas Wasmuht will dive into Kant, his cultural context and the lasting influence his work has today. 7.30pm; £5; www.brlsi.org

25 April

THE CIRCUIT OF BATH WALK Join the sponsored walk in aid of Bath homelessness charity Julian House for it’s 20th year. The 20-mile route – which you can do as much or as little of as you like – takes you around Bath’s most beautiful countryside, surrounding villages and the historic city itself. £12 adult, £6 child, £25 family; www.circuitofbathwalk.co.uk

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

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

BIG INTERVIEW

PEARL OF WISDOM Interiors and clothes designer Pearl Lowe on finding her dream home in Frome and her love of faded glamour Photography by Amy Neunsinger Art direction by Rachel Ashwell

H

ow to define Faded Glamour? Well, to sum it up, I’d say it’s a gloriously decadent yet well-lived-in decorating style. I think of rooms that are elegant yet whimsical at the same time. Precious pieces of antique furniture that have become slightly battered over decades while holding their allure become all the more charming when playfully juxtaposed with a more contemporary, colourful piece from a flea market.

It’s the point where eighteenth-century mahogany wood meets 1950s plastic retro; where chintz sits alongside animal print and sultry velvets; rococo suddenly goes a little rock ’n’ roll; and a freestanding 1970s Anglepoise lamp sets it all alight. Rooms that are opulent and grand, yet loved-and lived-in; houses with a story to tell beneath their patina. That, to me, is very much the essence of faded glamour – it’s a style I absolutely adore and have adopted over the years in my own houses and when decorating those of my clients.

ECLECTIC STYLE

When I first set eyes on the Georgian property we live in today, my heart sang, as I knew I had found the house of my dreams. Built in the 1820s of warm yellow Bath stone – which takes on a dreamy golden hue at sunset – it has curved walls and arched windows and its walled garden is simply magical. Classic in design yet manifold with architectural quirks. It spoke to my sense of style, and that was even before I walked through the door – the search for my perfect home was finally over.

I stress the word ‘finally’ here because, from the moment my husband Danny Goffey and I decided to uproot from London and move our family to the country fifteen years ago, our quest to find the perfect house had been epic, to say the least, and in the intervening years we moved at least six times.

You see, as determined as we were to make the leap from the city to the country – primarily to give our children a rural upbringing – when we put our lovely stucco house in the heart of London’s Camden on the market, I don’t think either of us had ever really considered what our bucolic dream would look like in real life. Suffice it to say, we had a naïve fantasy of what it would be – all rose-covered porches, woods filled with bluebells, babbling brooks and log fires – but we hadn’t really considered the practicalities.

“Just as we’d given up hope, we found…the perfect house for all of us”

I suppose many people might regard my style as quite ‘eclectic’, and even if they don’t mean that as a wholehearted compliment, that’s fine by me because I don’t believe there should be any rules – unless you want your house to look like a hotel. It’s about the mix, the alchemy you create when you play around with styles. Yes, I want to live in an environment that is aesthetically beautiful and artistic, but where I live is also my home and I want it to look and feel like that. I don’t want to have rooms that are unused; a dining room that only sees the light of day at Christmas or a drawing room that’s out of bounds to children and pets.

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UPROOTING

right: Pearl pictured in her Frome garden wearing one of her own designer dresses, which are handmade by local seamstresses

A FEW HOME TRUTHS

Pearl on her lockdown experiences

By Sarah Moolla Were you at your Frome home for all three lockdowns?

For the first two I was, but not this last one as we have just purchased a beach house in East Sussex, so I have been busy renovating it and staying there.

Who was with you?

For the first two lockdowns, I had all my four children and my husband Danny. But for this last lockdown it’s just been myself, Danny, and youngest kids Frankie and Betty.

How did you personally find it?

The first two lockdowns I didn’t have time to think as I was so busy making silk face masks out of Liberty fabric.

I hadn’t realised how popular they’d be, I wasn’t prepared at all! I also had all my kids home, so it was a bit of a novelty.

I missed my mum and friends, but it was a really special time. We played games, did lots of Zoom quizzes and of course cooked and baked a lot. This lockdown I have been working so hard on our new place, I have been in a bit of a bubble. But despite that, I’ve found it much harder than the first one – it’s really dragged on.

Do you think being in Somerset has any advantages over other places?

Somerset is a magical place to live.

With all the wonderful people, beautiful walks, artisan restaurants, flea markets and antique shops. I think people are starting to realise that you do not need to live in big cities anymore, that’s why there are no houses to buy in Somerset anymore.

Did you revaluate your home space at all?

I actually never stop reevaluating the space in our house. I’m driving my husband mad!

What work did you do in that time?

I’ve wallpapered, painted, sold furniture on my vintage Instagram, bought new furniture on Instagram.

I think I’ve managed to redecorate the whole house since March!

Do you plan to keep on going?

I think I might leave the house alone for a while now. I would love to build a log cabin and a swimming pool, but we need to save up.

You have Romany-style caravan in your garden, as seen on our cover – tell us a little about that…

I purchased the caravan eight years ago locally. I asked an artist friend to paint flowers and butterflies all over it and I bought a red canvas for the roof.

Inside it just has a bed, fairy lights and Cole & Son Star wallpaper on the walls, and Kate Forman fabric on the roof. It’s a lovely place for our friends to sleep in the summer.

BIG INTERVIEW ISOLATED FAIRYTALE

Our first house, for example, was in easy reach of London. That seemed ideal on paper, but what we hadn’t factored in was that living in a commuter town meant we were surrounded by weekenders – great on a Saturday night, but in the week we might as well have been living in a ghost town. In moving west to Somerset, with its beauty and a community of like-minded friends, we seemed to have found our spiritual home, but still, mistakes were made.

We first lived in the middle of a town that I adore, but there simply wasn’t enough outdoor space for the children; we then perched ourselves on top of a hill surrounded by woodland – fairytale, but isolated. We upsized to a truly beautiful old rectory, only to realise that we were spending too many hours of each day in our cars ferrying the children around the county to their various schools and extracurricular activities. Yes, we were spending quality time here in the country as a family, but only on the road, not at home.

THE PERFECT HOUSE PROVIDES THE PERFECT BACKDROP

And then, just as we’d given up hope, we found this – a house of generous proportions; an abundance of character; with just enough garden to run wild in; one that was in the right location; the perfect house for all of us: me, Danny, our youngest Betty, sons Alfie and Frank and daughter Daisy.

I’ve mentioned our moves here because despite all of those houses being so different, in each my style hasn’t really changed. You could have walked into any of those properties and you’d have seen my signature pieces and touches – 1920s fringed lamps; rococo furniture; velvet; animal prints; piano shawls; lace tablecloths and curtains; and the colours intrinsic to my sense of decorative style, one that is described as bohemian, eclectic and rock ’n’ roll romantic. But here, I’ve found the perfect backdrop where this can all be showcased fully.

It’s a house where my vision of faded glamour really works.

Sometimes when I see something that really makes me smile, I simply just have to have it and that was the case with this pink flamingo I found on Golborne Road. It wasn’t expensive, but I couldn’t resist it and carried it home on the train, which was met with a few raised eyebrows from some of my fellow passengers – but it was worth it!

It took many attempts to get our bathroom right, but I think we’ve finally got there with this copper bath and Bert & May zigzag tiles.

The mirror above the bath is from Lorraine Kirk

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“It’s a house where my vision of faded glamour really works”

Zebra and rococo sofas give the family a place to sit while Danny’s cooking.

On the kitchen wall is our collection of art, which includes the ‘I’m Not Sorry’ artwork from my best friend Zoe Grace, the lips print from the Swedish artist Bxxlght and a wonderful balloon print from our friend Sam TaylorJohnson, which hangs over the AGA on the opposite side of the room

When I first decorated the dining room with a pale grey wallpaper I realised instantly I’d made a mistake – it was austere and not ‘us’, so I redecorated it with Midnight Garden wallpaper from House of Hackney that I had been lusting after for years and what was once an uninviting room has been brought to life

“Xxxxxxxxxx”

“I want to live in an environment that is aesthetically beautiful and artistic, but...is also my home”

BIG INTERVIEW

I approached deVOL to design a kitchen with me after Danny, the primary cook in the household, finally put his foot down and said we needed a proper ‘working’ one. The main part of the kitchen is made up of Shaker cupboards with a long marble worktop that gives Danny the space he needs

LABOUR OF LOVE

Maybe that has something to do with the layout of the house – its generous hallway, passageways, rambling staircases and interconnecting rooms and Georgian windows that allow the light in – made all the more beautiful with billowing curtains of silk, panels of lace, or dressed in swathes of velvet or sequins. On the ground and first floors, ceilings are high enough to allow for tall armoires, my collection of vintage chandeliers and for four-poster beds. There are also voluptuously rounded reception rooms, the perfect stage set in which to create a salon.

Beautiful as the house is, when we first took it on three years ago, Danny and I knew that this was going to be a project. Before I could even begin to think of decorating, structural work had to be done, from the stonework to the floors – where boards didn’t just creak underfoot, they nearly collapsed. The kitchen not only had to be replaced, but moved to another room and bathrooms dealt with. All of these essentials had to be completed before we even thought about how to tackle the house’s eleven bedrooms.

ROOM FOR ALL

It is a large house, yes, but that’s what we needed. Both Danny and I work from home, and I needed a workroom for my dress designs and my collection of children’s clothes, as well as my interiors projects. And Danny, a musician and drummer with the band Supergrass, needed

space to make music. As for the eleven bedrooms: with a large family they are a must, as even though the eldest children have essentially flown the nest, I always want them to have a room of their own when they are home, and on high days and holidays the house is usually full to the brim with our nearest and dearest.

With the structural work complete, the next step was to put my stamp on the house, which, while celebrating the heritage of this period property, paid homage to my own, more playful style. n

For more: Extracted from Faded Glamour: Inspirational Interiors and Beautiful Homes by Pearl Lowe, £25.

A limited number of signed copies are available to order directly from www.pearllowe.co.uk

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

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 www.homefrontinteriors.co.uk Ethical, Sustainable & Handmade Homewares and Gifts

BOOKS NIC BOTTOMLEY

Dark materials

West country witches and gangland violence – sometimes a nefarious read is just the ticket

“Pursglove’s descent into a city and its gunk-filled cellars, all rife with crime and superstition, is unpredictable, grimy and conspiratorial”

S

ome of us adjust our reading to our mood or the times we’re living through – giving ourselves a morale boost with something a little gentler or happier perhaps. Not so my colleague Ed. Come pandemic or plague, come hell or high water, there always seems to be a dark and criminal vein running through his reading pile. It couldn’t be in greater contrast to his endlessly affable real-world demeanour, but for whatever reason Ed’s reading persona never strays too far from nefarious activities, and more recently has deviated into the past.

First he told me about a fascinating mystery set in and around a devastating episode of local history. In 1607 a terrible storm surge or tsunami funnelling in from the Bristol Channel drowned thousands of people and their livestock. Emma Carroll recently wrote about this incident for younger readers in her brilliant The Somerset Tsunami (Faber, £7.99). Now in The Drowned City (Headline, £16.99) K.J. Maitland throws her hero Daniel Pursglove into the aftermath of this catastrophic natural disaster, as he is plucked from his Newgate jail cell and tasked with finding the illusive Spero Pettinger amongst the silty detritus of Bristol.

The orders to trace Pettinger derive directly from King James, as Pettinger is one remaining conspirator from the gunpowder plot that had aimed to assassinate the King in late 1605, who has yet to be captured, tried and executed.

The clues as to Pettinger’s whereabouts all point to Bristol – a city reputed to be home to Catholic spy cells who could secrete the wanted man and perhaps smuggle him abroad amidst the waterlogged chaos. And then there’s the King’s working theory that the arrival of this great wave itself, exactly one year from the execution of the other plotters, can hardly be a coincidence, and is more likely the work of witches riled up by the Catholics still out to undermine his monarchy.

Pursglove’s descent into a city and its gunkfilled cellars, all rife with crime and superstition, is unpredictable, grimy and conspiratorial, and the first of what promises to be a powerful new historical crime series.

If you don’t want to drift a full 400 years back, then perhaps one of a pair of new 1930s set thrillers might be worth reaching for instead.

Edge of the Grave by Robbie Morrison (Macmillan, £14.99) is set in Glasgow and has

publisher taglines that compare its atmosphere to Peaky Blinders. Sometimes those comparisons are loosely given, but this time it’s apparently an accurate starting point for describing this police-eye-view look at trying to stamp out sectarian violence in a troubled city.

The crime at the novel’s heart is what briefly appears to be an unremarkable drowning down near the docks. Something isn’t right though – the victim’s injuries don’t look much like an innocent drowning and then there’s the fact that he’s married to the daughter of a wealthy shipbuilder.

The man to investigate is Jimmy Dreghorn, an instantly engaging main protagonist who is smart and strong but who still bears the emotional scars of World War 1 and who has encountered the victim’s wife before. His extremely useful side-kick, the brilliantly named Bonnie Archie McDaid, is a colossus who has previously represented his country at the Olympics as a wrestler. Together they navigate the Glasgow ganglands and dockyards which are vividly brought to often petrifying life by a plot full of twists right to the bitter end.

Finally, Ed’s other 1930s recommendation is set in London and features misdeeds taking place amidst a portion of society that is poles apart from the Glaswegian streets. Rachel Savernake is the unlikely heroine of Gallows Court by Martin Edwards (Head of Zeus, £8.99) – a wealthy socialite and amateur sleuth with no financial need, or intention, of being married off and who takes great joy in confounding the police by solving crimes more speedily than they do.

From her modernist house, complete with ahead-of-its time accoutrements such as a gym and an indoor pool, she sets about solving a series of violent street-crimes that are baffling Scotland Yard. Just like (and yet also nothing like) Dreghorn and McDaid in Edge of the Grave, it’s the compelling devil-may-care character of Savernake that carries this one along. While she figures out the crime, we try to figure out what exactly is driving this haunted engaging parttime detective.

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

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

SUGAR COATED Are you worn out by the thought of what to wear out?

We’re here to help...

By Elsie Chadwick

A

s much as our hearts are filled with joy as we head out of lockdown, our wardrobe has been giving us palpitations.

Not only has been it been neglected for a year, it now has to suddenly deliver up a flattering all-weather ensemble suitable for both chilly late night garden drinks or a pub bench ploughmans in a stiff breeze – AND we have to look and feel the bomb. We’ve not stayed in for 12 months to be wasting our valuable outdoor freedom on shoes that hurt and a coat so padded it takes both hands and a dipping head to get to that celebratory G&T. MULTI-PLAYER Want to stay warm, stylish and comfortable outdoors? It’s the oldest festival trick in the book – you multi-layer. From soft thermal vests to fleece lined tights, from shawl over poncho over coat over jumper over dress. But you don’t have to arrive looking like an overheated mattress, select carefully, and much of this can be rolled up and stored in your practical but elegant bag, ready for the up as the temperature drops.

HAT’S MY GIRL As we’re choosing trends over togs, we need a hat to hand. It seals in the heat, can stop light-rain hair-frizz frights, plus instantly conceals any lamentable lockdown locks. Don’t go for a big where’s Wally bobble hat – you’ve done that look on your countless walks, keep it chic and light and conversation friendly. A soft beret that you can roll up, adjust the style, and buy in multiple colours is perfect. What if it’s properly chucking it down? I hear you cry. Then it’s time to go home.

We all want normalcy back, but enduring soggy socials is not normal.

FACE TIME Wrist watches. Remember them? The delight of putting on a beautiful watch is a thrill we didn’t know we missed until now. We’ll need to discreetly keep an eye on the time to make sure we don’t outstay our welcome and adhere to any stricter licensing times because our phones are staying firmly in our soft, bucket style bag, packed with the aforementioned layers. No screen time, scrolling, or posting on draining social media – it’s a new era, and we’re all about the invigorating face to face, in real life socials.

Safflower merino coat, hand woven in Bath by Katherine Fraser, £475, www.katherinefraser.co.uk

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SHOE SHINE High thin heels maybe? Ha ha ha! We’re just kidding. For so long our feet have been enjoying the comfort of trainers, slippers, and wellies, they’ve splayed beyond recognition. The coaxing of our tootsies back into some sort of rigid structure is going to be a gradual process, so instead we’re embracing the sport-chic look – without any sport, obviously. You can’t go wrong with Stan Smith Classics, Vega Campo trainers, Converse low tops, or Superga hightops – white if you’re sure of a mud-free environment, or opt for the fail-safe black.

Wear with a summer dress, folded over chunky socks, and a whacking great smile because you’ve got this.

FASHION

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SHOPPING LIST

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1. The Metallic Mabel dress

by Pearl Lowe, £245; www.pearllowe.co.uk 2. Panthère De Cartier sunglasses, £715, stockists Ellis & Killpartrick, 18 New Bond Street, Bath; www.ellisandkillpartrick.com 3. Kopka woollen roll up beret, £35, Blue Women & Home at The Loft, 1-2 Bartlett Street, Bath; www. bluewomensclothing.co.uk 4. Reversible Bellerose Loud jacket, £189, Maze, 19 Green Street, Bath; www.mazeclothing.co.uk 5. Light grey poncho, £20, Flock Bath, 12 - 13 The Corridor, Bath; www.flockbath.co.uk 6. Oversized cotton shirt in Oxford blue by Winser London, £179, stockists www.rossitersofbath.com 7. J Brand pleat front peg jeans, £275; Grace & Mabel, 3 George Street, Bath; www.graceandmabel.co.uk 8. Cotu Alpina high tops, £65, Superga, 11 New Bond Street, Bath; www.superga.co.uk 9. Montblanc Bohème watch, £2,505, stockists Mallory 1-5 Bridge Street, Bath; www.mallory-jewellers.com 10. Baby blue foldover Italian leather rucksack, £65, Portman, 28 Milsom Street, Bath; www.nickieportman.co.uk

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

Charles Hart JEWELLERS SINCE 1820

Visit our store in Frome to view a wonderful selection of pre-owned and vintage diamond rings ********************************* Re-opening on April 12th – Appointment system available

Also huge selection online www.vintagetom.co.uk Free Delivery – Free returns – No quibble refunds CHEAP STREET – FROME – SOMERSET Tel 01373 462089/462090 contact@charleshart.co.uk

SHOPPING LIVE WELL, BUY BETTER

COME DINE OUTSIDE WITH ME The rule of six means supper with pals is allowed in your outdoor space so make it as gorgeous and cosy and stylish as possible. Think inside out and, like this wicker Harrington set from Neptune, think comfort and warmth – substantial chairs, plump cushions, a solid dining table, proper linen, and your best crockery. Drape a couple of cashmere throws and you’re good to go, well, good to stay.

For more: Neptune, One Tram Yard, Walcot Street, Bath. tel: 01225 465301; www.neptune.com

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

HOU HOU OWL MINI TRAY, £8 From the Nathalie Lété and Avenida Home collaboration, Garden of my Dreams, this mini birch wood tray features a beautifully painted owl surrounded by colourful plants, on a vibrant pink background.

From Avenida Home, 27 Walcot Street, Bath; www.avenidahome.com

HIT REFRESH

Small style details bringing new energy to your springtime indoor/outdoor décor

CORAL & PINK LINEN NAPKINS – GIFT BOX OF 4, £41.60 A set of four machine-washable linen napkins in a coral and pink colour, hand printed with a herb design created by the textile designer Clare Walsh who developed her interest and skill in screen printing whilst attending a Love to Learn course at Bath College.

From Clare Walsh Design; www.clarewalshdesign.co.uk

HANNAH TURNER SALT AND PEPPER SHAKERS, £23.25 Vibrant handmade ceramic peacock salt and pepper shakers are guaranteed to spice up your life. You’ll want to keep these lovebirds and best 'cellars' out on show.

From Rossiters of Bath, 38-41 Broad Street, Bath; www.rossitersofbath.com

HIBISCUS CUSHION, £28 Designed by the Bath-artist Emma Rose featuring her distinct vibrant art, these British-manufactured cushion covers are made from velvety vegan-suede. For each order placed a tree will be planted through Trees for the Future.

From Emma Rose, The Art Studio, Knight's Barn, Wellow, Bath; www.emmaroseartworks.com

GARDEN TRADING ITHACA SALAD BOWL, £40 Generous in size and beautifully handcrafted, this Ithaca salad bowl takes inspiration from Greek meze sharing feasts. The deep bowl has neutral tones with a curved rim, and the varying shades and bubbles make each bowl unique.

Stockists Woodhouse & Law, 4 George’s Place, Bathwick Hill, Bath; www.woodhouseandlaw.co.uk

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ED’S CHOICE OUTDOOR MONKEY LAMPS, START FROM £210 Add some cheeky charm to your garden with these outdoor black monkey lights. Perfect for hiding in trees, illuminating your garden pathways, or adding some light to early summers evenings. Alternatively, these unique lights make a great indoor lighting option and can be combined with a shade for a different look.

From Graham and Green, 92 Walcot Street, Bath; www.grahamandgreen.co.uk

SASS & BELLE GREEN GLASS BUD VASES, £4 EACH Perfect for blooms around the home, these green glass vases in varying shapes will hold a couple of stems each, ready to be displayed together on any windowsill, shelf or coffee table.

From Honey on The Hill, 30 Catherine Hill, Frome; www.honeyonthehill.co.uk

RAKU CERAMIC CANDLE BASE, £30 Handmade in Bear Flat by artist Kate Marshall, with the beautiful and distinctive Raku copper flushes and green crackle making each piece unique.

From Kate Marshall Ceramics; www.katemarshallceramics.co.uk

HOT PINK AND GREY MALIZA BLOCK BASKET, FROM £10 Handwoven by a small collective of female weavers near the Masinga Dam in Kenya, the baskets can be used as flower pots for indoor plants, for jewellery, or as desk tidies. Each woven basket is supplied with a thank you card from the weaving cooperative.

From Homefront Interiors, 10 Margaret’s Building, Bath; www.homefrontinteriors.co.uk

FATBOY BUGGLE UP, £239 With its versatile straps, the tough, dirt-repellent Fatboy beanbag is the perfect garden lounger. Perch on the patio or lie on the lawn, do up the straps and this multi-functional outdoor beanbag becomes sturdy enough to act as a chair.

From TR Hayes, 15-18 London Street, Walcot, Bath; www.trhayes.co.uk

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GARDENS

HAPPY VALLEY

Nick Woodhouse explores the forever-evolving Organic Garden at Yeo Valley

A

s you enter the gates of The Organic Garden at Yeo Valley, there seems an unspoken yet welcoming invitation to cast any niggling worries firmly aside, even if just for a short while. Intersected and cocooned by a matrix of beech hedging, the gardens sit just above Blagdon Lake, offering a breath-taking and magical patchwork of individual spaces. From the colourful tapestry of the gravel garden to the enchanting silver birch grove, each space offers something distinctly different, yet shares an underlying respect for the nature within, and beyond, that garden gate.

visits, citing Yorkshire’s Scampston and Le Jardin Plume in the north of France as being particularly impactful on her.

One of Sarah’s first introductions to the garden was its avenue of tea crab-apple trees, approached through a woodland walk of hellebores, snowdrops and amelanchiers.

The avenue really comes into its own in May, when the crab-apples trees are in full bloom, petals dropping like snowfall in the breeze.

The towering spires of camassia flower in solidarity in the adjoining meadows, are also home to the beehives that provide honey to the garden’s café and shop.

These days, Sarah is joined by a full-time team of Matt, Zelah and Faye, as well as apprentice Chloe, and Paul, who works part time. On team days, they will all work together, disco music on full blast.

In the late summer meadow for instance, the team are currently working on the planting of over 5,000 perennials including perovskia, rudbeckia, echinacea and scabiosa. On other days, each team member will tend to their own space, Zelah for example is in charge of the vegetable garden, Matt of the bronze garden that frames the formal pond.

The gardens have opened as part of the National Gardens Scheme (NGS) for a quarter of century now. Whilst organic principals have been in place at Yeo Valley for much of this time, the garden has been officially certified as such by the Soil Association for almost a decade; one of only a few in the country that holds that status. To Sarah, it’s an all-ornothing approach to being organic, something that is core to their very first show garden for Chelsea Flower Show, later this year.

The show garden, designed by Tom Massey, had been planned for last year’s event, but with its cancellation due to the pandemic, Sarah and Tom were keen to maintain the garden’s ethos of minimal waste. Around two thirds of the plants planned for the show

“The team are currently working on the planting of over 5,000 perennials” The six and a half acres of gardens that we see today has been a labour of love for head gardener Sarah Mead, who inherited the bones of the gardens from her mother-in-law over thirty years ago. Having moved from a small garden in London to join her husband on the family’s dairy farm, her knowledge of plants at the time was limited. Sarah was determined however to learn on the job and within months she was hooked. She found her passion lay in colour and concepts, and advertised for a gardener to help her best realise those very concepts. Fortunately, Eileen O’Donnell answered the call to arms and with a background in landscape architecture, was able to help Sarah with the more formal planning and structure of those spaces. Eileen is now retired but regularly joins Sarah on her trips to gardens across the country. Sarah will often take inspiration from these garden

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garden were redistributed to hospitals in both London and Plymouth; those remaining will be used in this year’s show, which will be held in September rather than its usual May offering.

Sarah hopes that the show garden will inspire visitors to take on a more organic approach to their own garden, even if it’s with just the smallest of changes.

As Sarah and I walked the gardens on a sunny March morning, the team were tending to priorities other than Chelsea; they had a garden to get ready. Each year, the garden’s season starts with an NGS open day, and this year is no different. This year however the gardens will also open, through pre-booked tickets, for the first time on Saturdays in June and July, as well as their traditional Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the season.

The gardens are ever-evolving so even regular visitors will spot new additions.

Inspired by the No Mow May campaign, the turf from the formal lawn that once sat in front of the glasshouse has been lifted; in its place an annual wildflower mix will take centre stage this summer. The seed mix is the team’s own recipe, but Sarah warns me that she doesn’t necessarily do tasteful; bright, bold pinks have been chosen for impact, and plenty of fun. By Sarah’s own admission, it’s a bit of an experiment, but she’s not afraid to make mistakes. These are after all gardens inspired by nature, and its own imperfections.

Somehow, if the rest of the gardens are anything to go by, I have a feeling Sarah and the team will get it just right.

For more: The Organic Garden, Yeo Valley, Blagdon, Bristol; www.yeovalley.co.uk Nick Woodhouse is the co-director of interior and garden design company Woodhouse & Law on 4 George’s Place, Bathwick Hill, Bath; 01225 428072; www.woodhouseandlaw.co.uk

clockwise from above: Organic principals have been in place at Yeo Valley for more than 25 years; The six and a half acres of gardens has been a labour of love for head gardener Sarah Mead; The gardens will be open for the first time on Saturdays in June and July; The avenue really comes into its own in May when the crab-apple trees are in full bloom

BOHO MARCHÉ

Sarah Moolla finds a lot of foodie fusion happening at Bath’s Queen Square new restaurant

O

nce upon a time I went to a restaurant and sat inside. Or did I dream it? So long ago now I can barely remember. My 2020 diary (yeah, I know right?!) tells me it was back in mid-December. It was when we thought it was fine to dine inside and the road to recovery was on the horizon. In fairness the rules at Boho Marché had been stringent (visors for the staff, distance at all times, track and trace) and included signed confirmation my plus one was a part of my ‘bubble’.

Boho Marché is a strange and striking venue – wicker chairs, a life size plastic horse seemingly dressed as an Argentinian polo pony, tropical wallpaper, a lot of faux greenery – you just know the planning meeting started with the word ‘eclectic’ which gives licence to throw it all into the mix. They say: “With an interior that feels like a

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never-ending summer, Boho Marché fuses Parisian café culture with lush tropical greenery, Andalusian floral walkways and punctuated with cues from the infinitely stylish era of the 1970s in Marrakech.”

I say: It’s a kind of Jackie Collins’ novel meets upmarket Moroccan package holiday.

The mish mash eclecticism is reflected in a menu that states it is “a Mediterranean-meets-Morocco theme, with a strong North African element, a sprinkling of Andalucian specialities and peppering of popular French classics. The city’s hottest venue will serve up a menu that celebrates modern and playful dishes that are bursting with colour and flavours. Guests can expect traditional shakshuka, Moroccan butternut curry, truffle tagliatelle, a rib-eye sharing steak and an indulgent passion fruit crème brulée.” It’s sounds wonderfully ‘world music’ but choosing took a while as it felt like the marriage between any starter and main was going to be an awkward one – a bit like

RESTAURANT

a multi-global buffet. In the end we asked our lovely and helpful waiter for her recommendations and went with those, and they were good.

The spicy salmon crispy tostadas with avocado, raw red onion, and drizzle of a citrussy yuzu dressing was fresh tasting with a pleasing crunch, if a little on the small side, as was my dining companion’s sweet, plump pan-seared tiger prawns sautéed in garlic butter and served on a slice of sourdough toast. Maybe eating at home has made me greedy and a little stingy, but at £11 and £12 for each starter dish, I’d have expected more.

The lobster and shrimp mac‘n’cheese, which the waiter declared herself in love with, was amazing, and very quickly, I too was head over heels. The sweet, tender, pink morsels of lobster and juicy shrimp smothered in a bubbling, pungent cheese sauce was a straight up, hug-menow, comfort food game changer.

My companion also loved their duck confit with the gameness of the meat offset by the sharpness of tart, slow cooked apples, drenched in a piquant red wine Valpolicella jus with hints of aromatic sage wafting through, but I think I won the mains round. However I was outplayed in the battle of the puddings, my Belgian waffles with chocolate sauce, caramelised bananas and vanilla ice-cream was deeply average and a tad dry, whereas the salted caramel chocolate fondant was a fudgy, syrupy, heavenly delight.

One aspect of Boho Marché that is really important to remember is it is housed in Queen Square’s Francis Hotel. We visited as diners not guests and I think if I had been staying and discovered this bright energetic gem on the ground floor offering me Turkish poached eggs with labneh and chilli oil for breakfast, alongside the English fry-up, I’d have been chuffed to bits. This might not be high up on a Bathonian’s list of places to visit for proper dinner but for a shopping pitstop or an outdoor brunch, it would do the job nicely and for any lucky Francis hotel resident, taking some easy time out, the restaurant is going to offer an oasis of calm, and worlds within a world. n

“Fuses Parisian café culture with lush tropical greenery and Andalusian floral walkways”

DINING DETAILS Boho Marché, 6 Queen Square, Bath. tel: 01225 473 351; www.bohomarche.com Opening hours Breakfast: 7.30am11am, Lunch: 12pm-3pm, All day dining: 11am-10pm Prices Starters £7-£17 mains £13-£38 desserts £6-£10 Disability access Yes Outdoor space Yes, see picture left Atmosphere Friendly, different and welcoming

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“The Grapes premises have been entirely rejuvenated with facilities fit for guest accommodation and its Jacobean structure restored to sturdy, secure condition. The once neglected building is now a vibrant must-visit space.’’

– Bath Life Awards Judges’ comments

B EST B AR

PRESENTS

ITY CO

HOSPITAL

IL 2021

19 APR : E C N E R E NF

For sponsorship enquiries: neil.snow@mediaclash.co.uk

@CrumbsMag

@crumbsmag

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

THE FIRST SIP

Amie MacNab-Jack started Sips and Slides, an Instagram account recommending places with coffee and play areas, during the first lockdown.

She’d given birth to her second child shortly before, and at home with two children under two in the midst of a global pandemic, she was feeling the isolation.

“One day, during one of those blissful synchronised nap times, I had 15 minutes I knew I needed to make count. So, I whipped up a logo out of thin air, took to Instagram and made Sips and Slides a ‘thing’. It started as an Instagram page, an online community to fulfil the resounding disconnect and isolation parents were feeling. My offering was small in the grand scheme of things – a ‘directory’ for parents of good places to drink good coffee whilst their children could play in neighbouring parks,” Amy explains. Now, Sips and Slides is entering a new phase: Sips coffee. “One morning in the shower (where all my best thinking happens!) I had a lightbulb moment: a coffee company, with parents at the heart.

“Juggling two children and a global pandemic – and zero business experience – I worked night and day to make Sips come to life.”

Along with Bath’s caffeine experts Colonna Coffee, she launched Sips, which currently comes in espresso roast and filter roast. “It’s truly my joy to be the provider of the good stuff. The vision behind this is that parents have their chance to sit on their bums with a cuppa during times that are taxing. A chance to breathe and recuperate, making the insignificant significant – making it a moment.”

For more: www.sipscoffee.co.uk Sips coffee is a delicious excuse to take five minutes for yourself

Bath Alfresco partners with Goodness Grazers for the full outside dining experience

LIFE ALFRESCO

Phoebe Oliver set up Bath Alfresco to cater to all our outside socialising needs. A new dining experience for the springtime, Phoebe transforms spaces into luxury dining areas for all occasions – birthdays, baby showers, date nights, anniversaries, or a simple lunch between friends. She uses a mix of pallet tables, soft seating, decorative accessories and beautiful dried flower arrangements to create atmosphere and utterly Insta-worthy spreads.

You can cater for yourself, but Phoebe has also partnered with luxury grazing caterers Goodness Grazers to provide a package that combines her gorgeous set up with a delicious platter of fine food.

For more: Instagram: @bath_alfresco

GREAT TAKEAWAYS

Crumbs Takeaway is a great chance for local hospitality to share info

There’s still time to sign up for the new Crumbs Takeaway conference on 19 April.

With hospitality soon re-emerging to full trading, Crumbs Takeaway is an opportunity for businesses to get practical advice and inspiration for starting back on the right foot.

The free event will feature national insights on the hospitality sector, top tips from local business owners and the chance to get your questions answered by the leading players in the industry. Plus, there’s also a special Bath Life section where we’ll highlight some of the good our city’s food and drinks companies have done during the pandemic.

Sponsorships are available: nell.robins @mediaclash.co.uk For more: www.crumbsmag.com

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FOOD & DRINK Neil is passionate about creating social dining experiences

and quality of food to health and safety – but my favourite part is still cooking day to day with the teams, teaching and inspiring the next generation of chefs.

Has the pandemic changed the way that you see your work?

It has. Not only do I cook, but I mentor a team of individuals daily helping them out with any problems, from work to home life.

I like to take people under my wing and support them – it’s something that’s hard to do in this pandemic.

Tell us about Eat More Pie. How did you get started?

TAKE 5 Babington House executive

chef and founder of Eat More Pies Neil Smith on food, photography and his favourite places to eat During lockdown, the executive chef for Babington House and Soho House Oxfordshire returned to his first love, pies, with his home delivery service Eat More Pies.

Every week he releases a fresh menu via Instagram with a delicious hand-made, heat-athome pie special along with a starter and a pudding. Here we chat pies, pandemics, and food photography...

Did you always want to be a chef?

Not that I can remember. I got my

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first job in a kitchen when I was 13 to earn some money – my love for food and the industry started there.

What sort of food do you most love to cook and why?

I’m all about homemade familystyle food! I love big sharing platters, simple, seasonal and colourful dishes – the feeling of getting people excited and talking about food around a table.

What does the day in life of an executive chef look like?

I oversee all the all the daily operations, from menus, suppliers

Eat More Pie started off as Eat. Drink. Share – three of my favourite things to do! I just wanted to facilitate the experience of eating and drinking around a table, talking, sharing and just having a good time. Food brings people together and in this uncertain time we all need that, it’s something to look forward to. It’s been very popular with lots of repeat customers. I deliver pies that are ‘oven ready’ on Sunday morning ready for lunch or dinner. It’s also very generously portioned, and for me that’s how it should be – we all like to sneak back into the kitchen later on and pick at some cold pie!

Why pies?

I love pie. From making the pastry to scraping the bottom of the dish at the end of the night. Perfection.

Have there been any particular challenges?

The challenge was to get people to understand it’s more than just a pie – it comes with a starter, pudding and side. It’s a story from start to finish, and everyone should be a part of it! (Also delivering in the snow was a huge challenge.)

Your Instagram is full of your beautiful food photography.

What goes into creating a great food image?

First, consider plating. How you arrange your food a is crucial for a good image. Second, think about lighting – how you use it to bring out your food’s good side. Third, composition. Before you take the photo, consider how you will frame your shot. Finally, editing. Small touch ups to bring out colour and take the image to the next level.

A great food photo is all about the plating, lighting and composition, says Neil

Why do you think lockdown led so many people to embrace cooking in such a big way?

I think we all took restaurants and takeaways for granted, frankly!

When we were all told to close, most people had no choice but to cook or learn how to cook. I think it’s great – home barbequing, baking, roasting.

Spending so much time at home has made people find ways to make cooking fun and enjoy the feeling of assembling a really good meal.

What are some of your favourite local spots to eat?

Westcombe Dairy for delicious cheeses and cured meats, Landrace Bakery in Bath – the bread and cinnamon buns are to die for, Bunch of Grapes in Bradford on Avon, where they’ve turned the front of the pub into a shop offering homemade goodies, and Cru Wines in Bradford on Avon. They have a great wine selection and they’re just down the road from me. They also deliver, which is very handy.

What are you most looking forward to about restaurants opening back up again?

Going out to eat, to try other food and be inspired for my own cooking! We are hitting a great time for delicious produce and food. I can’t wait to try what other chefs are doing with the incredible ingredients on offer locally.

For more: Follow @chefneilsmith and @eat.morepie on Instagram

It’s the city’s business

BATHWORKS THIS ISSUE >>NEW FREE LEGAL CLINIC (52)>>BUSINESS SURGERY WITH DATASHARP (54) >>Q&A WITH ANNA SABINE OF CASSIA (57) main image: Camilla Rigby and Rachel Mostyn launched the Women’s Work Lab

to help mothers back into work; inset: Irene Muthemba and Joselynne Sabano completed work placements at Southmeade Hospital in the Bristol programme

Back to work

T

he Women’s Work Lab has now launched in Bath. A social enterprise founded by Camilla Rigby and Rachel Mostyn in Bristol in 2019, the Women’s Work Lab has partnered with B&NES to work with 45 women in Bath in 2021. They support unemployed mothers aged 25 and over, and on Universal Credit, to become work ready via a 12-week programme and an entry-level work placement.

BUSINESS CLUB

“Time and again a lack of confidence and recent work experience are what holds many of the mums we work with back,” says co-founder Rachel Mostyn. “There is so much untapped talent amongst mums and we want to support as many women as possible to build a career that improves theirs and their family’s future and helps reduce social inequality.”

The Women’s Work Lab has partnered with local employers including University of Bath,

Curo, First Steps Bath, The Art Cohort and Newton Farm Foods to provide formal work experience, as well as expert face-to-face training that fits around the school run.

The first cohort of mums start in May, with further programmes beginning in September and November. Rachel and Camilla are keen to hear from local businesses interested in offering work placements for Women's Work Lab. For more: www.womensworklab.co.uk

Virtual one hour sessions, all free to attend Search Bath Life on LinkedIn for upcoming dates and registration If you would like to get involved, please email events@mediaclash.co.uk MEDIACLASH.CO.UK 115

BATHWORKS

A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN It’s been a tough year for the hotel Meanwhile, Whatley Manor are industry, but despite it all, The Royal finalists for the coveted Small Hotel Crescent Hotel & Spa, and Whatley of the Year Award in the South West Manor have continued to thrive.

Tourism Excellence Awards. The South The Royal Crescent recently picked West Tourism Awards this year received up a Gold Award for Best Large Hotel at 416 entries, and the 78 finalists across the Bristol, Bath and Somerset Awards categories represent the very best the 2020/21.

South West has to offer.

“Now more than ever, we appreciate For more: www.royalcrescent.co.uk; this award as it symbolises the strength www.whatleymanor.co.uk and passion that the team here at The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa have shown over the last difficult 12 months,” says Ben Danielsen, general manager.

“We are thrilled to have been presented this award and to know that from the 12 April, we can swing open our doors once again to welcome back guests and friends for spa days and outdoor dining, then staying guests from the It’s not hard to see why The Royal Cresent Hotel & Spa is award-winning 17 May, when we will be fully open.”

Les Redwood, CEO of Citizens Advce B&NES thrilled to announce the new partnership with Stone King and Bath Spa University

GOING OUT ON A HIGH The Sustainable Technologies Business Acceleration Hub (STBAH) completed in March. The three-year programme, funded by the European Regional Development Fund and partnered with the University of Bath and Bath SETsquared was the first business acceleration hub in the UK that focused on small firms in the sustainable technologies sector.

“The STBAH programme has been a huge success and has enabled scientists and engineers at Bath to work with many regional SMEs, generating a wide range of grant income, investment and research opportunities,” says project lead and director of the University’s Centre of Sustainable & Circular Technologies, Professor Matthew Davidson. “As STBAH comes to an end, researchers in the Centre for Sustainable and Circular Technologies at Bath look forward to new and ongoing partnerships with high growth companies, particularly to help with their scale-up strategy and further enhance our research and its impact.”

For more: www.stbah.org

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FREE LEGAL ADVICE CLINIC

Uni of Bath-based Naturbeads, which creates biodegradable cellulose microparticles to replace plastic microbeads was supported by the Hub

Stone King, Bath Spa University and Citizens Advice B&NES have joined forces to launch a free legal clinic. The Bath Law Clinic will offer top quality legal advice to local residents and create work experience opportunities for law students at Bath Spa University.

“We are proud and excited to announce the first steps in this long-term strategic partnership with Bath Spa University and Stone King solicitors to provide a law clinic within Bath,” says Les Redwood, chief executive officer at Citizens Advice B&NES. “Citizens Advice B&NES has been delivering a long-term strategy of greater community engagement and increased partnerships across the region over the last two years and this will be another core partnership for the charity delivered over the course of this coming year.

“This new partnership will give our clients access to free legal advice in a number of specialisms – therefore giving more access to justice for those who need it most.”

Stone King will also fund a co-ordinator at the advice centre, a role that will include ensuring the smooth running of the project and the development of future funding opportunities.

For more: www.citizensadvicebanes.org.uk

MOVERS AND SHAKERS ETC

Dr Asel Sartbaeva works on the frontline of ensuring equitable vaccine administration around the globe James Shone will cycle with colleague Anthony Dutton

VACCINE QUEEN The University of Bath’s Dr Asel Sartbaeva has won the 2021 FDM everywoman in Technology Woman of the Year Award. Dr Sartbaeva is a world-leading interdisciplinary chemist at the centre of the efforts to ensure low-income countries can access Covid-19 vaccines. She works on vaccine ensilication – stabilising vaccines without the need for refrigeration – which has prevented two million children worldwide dying from preventable diseases like diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis.

“Each of our winners demonstrates the critical role that technology has played over the past year and how continuing advancements are transforming, improving and saving lives,” says Maxine Benson, co-founder of everywoman. “Their achievements are remarkable, and we welcome them into the everywoman family where they will inspire the talent that will follow in their footsteps.”

For more: www.everywomanforum.com

ALL ABOUT THE AMBIENCE

Holly Allman-Lopez creates beautifully styled weddings and events; INSET: Holly’s table layouts are contemporary and elegant

NEW BIZ ALERT: Venue stylist Holly Allman-Lopez has launched Ambience Venue Styling Bath to meet all your Insta-worthy event needs. Ambience produces contemporary, elegant designs for weddings and events that complement the natural elements of a space.

Holly previously spent 15 years working in the arts, including a stint with the National Trust, where she managed the movement of its art collections around the world.

“Whilst I loved my work, I missed being creative and getting hands on, so in 2018 I decided to re-train as a professional interior designer – studying in the evenings alongside my job and two small children,” she explains.

“I found that I had a particular talent for styling and decided to look for a business opportunity that would allow me to combine my planning and creative skills, and start my own business. I discovered the Ambience Venue Styling UK network and joined in 2021 as the stylist for Bath and North Somerset and I haven’t looked back since!”

For more: www.ambiencevenuestyling.com

BREAKING THE CYCLE

James Shone, the blind education speaker is cycling 140 miles from Bath to London’s Big Ben on a tandem to raise funds for his charity I Can & I Am, which provides mental health support for young people.

“The pandemic has been challenging in so many ways to our young people but I know that we can take so many positives from it,” says James. “I want to help break the negative cycle so prevalent among young people today and to equip them with the tools they need to believe in who they are and what they can do so that they can live their lives with confidence.

“We plan to raise £15,000 during the Tandemathon in April to provide funds for our new double decker bus, which we’ll be using to take our messages and workshops to those schools that need us most.”

For more: www.icanandiam.com

HEALTHY OUTLOOK

Becky Reynolds will be the new director of public health for B&NES. A consultant in the council’s public health team since 2013, she takes the baton from Dr Bruce Lawrence, who is retiring.

“I’m delighted to have been appointed to this role and to help tackle some of the challenges faced by our communities in Bath and North East Somerset, especially at this important time during Covid-19,” says Becky. “I have a strong interest for improving health and wellbeing and reducing health inequalities.

“My immediate focus is to do all I can with colleagues across the council, the wider health sector and the voluntary sector to help our area recover from the pandemic and improve health and wellbeing.”

For more: www.bathnes.gov.uk

A SMASHING CLASHER

MediaClash has appointed Steph Dodd its new managing director.

Founders Jane and Greg Ingham say of this new appointment, “Steph has consistently impressed since joining us five years ago, rising excellently to every challenge. She brings drive, energy and dynamism, and is a great advocate for our values internally and externally. As we gear up in this time of rejuvenation, we look forward to the extra momentum and success Steph will bring us.”

For more: www.mediaclash.co.uk

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BATHWORKS LEFT: Technology assists the work and home hybrid

way of working; BELOW, TOP TO BOTTOM: Datasharp Integrated Communications head of engineering Brad Snow and head of pre-sales Will Wood

THE HOME OFFICE Brad Snow and Will Wood from Datasharp Integrated Communications discuss the role of technology in the future workplace

I

n our latest virtual Business Surgery, held on 24 March, we were keen to learn more about the hybrid working from home and working in the office scenarios that are arising as a result of the pandemic, as well as the changes to ways of working it has brought about over the last year.

For example, how might it actually physically work, and how might companies prepare for both continued and enhanced productivity, as well as considering employee wellbeing? A huge part to this puzzle is the smooth running of technology and telecoms, and successfully tackling or preempting any challenges for both employer and employee that could arise.

To help clarify issues around these matters, we called on the Bath-based communications technology experts, Datasharp Integrated Communications, who have 40 years in the industry as leading providers of unified communications and collaboration solutions including network security. The company’s head of engineering, Brad Snow, and the head of presales Will Wood, were in the hot seat to share their technology insights and predictions. Here are a few edited highlights from the one-hour session, hosted

by MediaClash chief exec Greg Ingham, that can be viewed in full on Bath Life’s YouTube channel.

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BL: One year on, how are businesses reacting to the possibility of combining both working from home and coming into an office?

Datasharp: A lot of businesses have already embraced a lot of change. Some of the most common and simple advances out there include using smart phones for meetings etc. The primary aim is about user simplicity and tech being userfriendly. Our biggest roles at Datasharp in the last year have been about helping people feel they are in a good place with connectivity such as extending office WiFi into homes – this offers security, ease of management, and helps with day-to-day working.

BL: How can technology be used to enhance productivity over two work spaces, as well as aid wellbeing?

Datasharp: In terms of productivity, a real challenge for businesses is people are now used to WFH – for example setting up meetings easily – so this has to be matched in the back-to-the-office experience with smart and intuitive technology.

In terms of wellbeing, people are using online rooms and virtual hubs for bonding exercises such as quizzes, weekly socials, escape rooms – not just to keep in contact with colleagues but to also keep the creative energy going.

BL: What about microphone technology?

Datasharp: A big problem at the moment among staff is Zoom fatigue often due to too many meetings, bad quality technology, and poor connectivity. Some businesses are championing the idea of no Zoom Fridays to give people a break.

But it is also about having the right equipment to ease these issues.

BL: How does technology assist with hotdesking?

Datasharp: Really this is about the virtual desktop: businesses are investing in good laptops, mobiles, apps – a revenue spend that is accepted to help create this agile way of working. Moving ahead right now is about finding the right tools and exploring all the tech opportunities. Also businesses can save money on the actual office real estate this way.

BL: Tell us a little about ‘The Cloud’ way of working…

Datasharp: The industry is adapting to the ‘cloud-edge’ way of working – it enforces the company's security policies for example, and is much easier than going via traditional VPNs and servers. Migration to The Cloud is a case of choosing a public or private cloud environment, but problems can lie in the security of a public cloud. It is vital that end points are always protected from viruses and hacking. Encrypting your own system is much safer.

For more: www.datasharp-ic.co.uk The Bath Life Business Surgery is a regular free Zoom meeting where local businesses can access expert advice and insight from local professionals across a range of disciplines. Follow @bathlifemag on social media for information about the latest clubs and how to sign up.

BATHWORKS “LOOK SHARP! NOMS CLOSE 13 MAY!”

One month to get those nominations entered

Whether you’re a first-time entrant, previous winner, tiniest of new companies or largest of corporates – absolutely anyone can win!

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ominations are in full flow for the 2021 Bath Life Awards, and the deadline for companies to enter has been revealed: 13 May. Businesses are encouraged to get cracking on a strong case to ensure they’re ready in plenty of time.

“There’s not long left to submit your nomination for the Bath Life Awards,” said Annie Miekus, events & brand manager at MediaClash. “Becoming a finalist is highly beneficial for business profile, and provides great recognition for teams and individuals who go the extra mile for your company.

“The Awards celebrate all aspects of Bath – from all areas of business to culture, arts and charity. Everyone plays their part on shaping this city: from the smallest of indies to the largest of corporates. And uniquely, they all come together in the Awards. We understand how difficult times have been: we’ve all in the same storm if not the same boats. So our judges will be looking for the SPONSORSHIPS For remaining options, please contact annie.kelly@ mediaclash.co.uk or pat.white@mediaclash.co.uk NOMINATIONS Open via website www.bathlifeawards.co.uk

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

Sponsors gain close association with the most prestigious event in Bath

smart and positive ways that you’ve responded.”

In previous years tickets to the uberglam Awards, held in the impressive Bath Assembly Rooms, have been snapped up weeks in advance, with 500 attendees and dozens on the waiting list.

Winners receive coverage in Bath Life, a handcrafted trophy and window stickers to proudly display – plus the long-lasting remembrance of an award-winning moment.

Nominees are also encouraged to check the ‘Top Tips’ page on the Awards site, which cover everything from what to include within a nomination and how best to showcase achievements to a freshly selected panel of judges.

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, please contact Annie Kelly or Pat White.

Nominations close on 13 May and finalists are announced on 19 May. For more: www.bathlifeawards.co.uk @BathLifeAwards

TICKETS Updates when on sale. Limited number of Silver Sponsorships including Table. Please note: we sell out every year with many on the Waiting List.

AWARDS The uberglam Bath Life Awards will be held at Bath Assembly Rooms on 9 September 2021.

Nothing beats being there…

SOCIAL MEDIA Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for all updates.

That Award-winning feeling can’t be beaten…

Businesses that win gain all the benefits that their great achievement deserves – including collecting that uberglamorous Award trophy

TESTIMONIAL

“What a truly inspiring event and we were very privileged to have had the opportunity to be a judge. It was a genuine privilege to learn more about some of the great individuals, organisations and businesses in the area and see them all come together on a fantastic evening of recognition.”

Sue Porto St John’s Foundation

BATHWORKS “WE WANT TO CREATE COMMUNITY DIFFERENTLY” Jude Young, turned that into actual plans for builders and carpenters – and then I did the décor. It just kind of fell together. People admire the ribbons hanging from the ceiling, which were put up by Chimene at Cahoots Events.

We plan for that to be an installation that changes every few months – we’re happy to take suggestions...

Anna with Buddy, Cassia’s chief mascot

BIZ Q&A

Anna Sabine Anna is the owner of Cassia, the fresh, new café and co-working space on Bath Riverside What’s the vibe at Cassia?

We’ve tried to follow a model that’s more like places I’ve seen in Amsterdam and Berlin, which blend the best elements of a workspace, café and bar. The idea is you could work with us for all or part of the day, and then have a drink after work. During the week we’ll be adults-only to foster that sense of a workspace, while at weekends we’ll be welcoming children and families. Desks are hired on a day by day basis with no long-term commitment, so you can just decide you fancy a day out and book online; it's super flexible because that’s how we tend to live our lives now.

What’s on the menu?

Cassia is plant-focused: it’s not a vegan café but we wanted vegans and vegetarians to be able to eat or adapt most things on the menu, not feel like the odd ones out! It felt like a sustainable choice but also fitted in nicely with the idea people might come to us to work – I certainly don’t work well after a heavy, meaty meal! So you

can expect to find things like huevos rancheros, quesedillas, kimchi melts, salads, as well as some lovely sweet treats including our infamous cookies, which are supplied by a new local business, Sophie’s Vegan Bakes. Our head chef Maria is Greek, so there’s often a nice Mediterranean twist on the flavourings too.

What made you want to start Cassia?

Lockdown madness, I think! I had been working in the same firm for 12 years and Covid meant we decided to make that company totally office-less. It got me thinking about what people would do for workspace post-Covid, and that combined with, turning 40 years old and meeting Tom, meant it all kind of came together at the right time.

Have you and Tom worked together before?

No we hadn’t; he was the general manager and cocktail maker extraordinaire at my local, The Bunch of Grapes in Bradford on Avon.

He wanted a new challenge and I needed someone who understood the industry. I wouldn’t have made the leap into such unknown territory without partnering up with someone as good as Tom – he’s a hospitality natural and a safe pair of hands.

Tell us about The Study. What’s the space like?

Someone on Instagram described it as ‘serene’ the other day but I’m not sure it will feel like that when it’s open – hopefully it will be buzzy. It’s light and airy and it overlooks the river, but the desks are all open rather than pods, so it’s more of a space for people who are happy to meet others, rather than people who need to be tucked away in private.

Who were your design influences?

‘Design influences’ makes it sound much more organised than it was!

I had a few pictures on Pinterest of the kind of thing that I wanted, then an amazing local interior architect,

Tell us a bit about the community you’d like to cultivate as Cassia I think a lot of co-working spaces try to falsely generate a sense of community through slightly awkward networking events. We want to create community differently: firstly by really getting to know our customers and making them feel part of Cassia when they walk in; secondly by hosting a series of events of all types, ranging from food and wine tastings, to quiz nights, to an event about the menopause. Hopefully people will come along to these and that sense of community will start to happen organically.

What’s coming up for Cassia?

The first priority is to get our amazing terrace open so people can have a seat outside, which will be amazing. Over the course of the summer we will be able to start serving inside, alongside the existing co-working, and then I think we’ll plan in-person events from September onwards. We might have a couple of virtual wine tastings in the meantime though – we’ll have to see what happens! We just can’t wait to get firing on all cylinders. And then of course, we’ll have to work on our next location – Bristol perhaps….

For more: Cassia Community, Sovereign Point, Bath, BA1 3GJ; www.cassiacommunity.co.uk

Cassia is all about stylish, social working

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SOLD

MIDDLESTOCK SOLD IN 2021

SOLD

£575,000 BATHWICK HILL SOLD IN 2021

LET

WIDCOMBE LET IN 2021

LET

£1,950 DYRHAM LET IN 2021 LET

SOLD

CENTRAL BATH SOLD IN 2021

£475,000 BATH RIVERSIDE LET AGREED 2021

SOLD

GREAT PULTENEY STREET £495,000 SOLD IN 2021

AGREED

BATH RIVERSIDE SALE AGREED 2021

SOLD

£2,200,000 LANSDOWN SOLD IN 2021

LET

£500,000 BATHWICK LET IN 2021

AGREED

£1,250 COMBE DOWN SALE AGREED 2021

SOLD

£500,000 LANSDOWN SOLD IN 2021

£470,000 BIDDESTONE SOLD IN 2021

SOLD

£950,000 FROME SOLD IN 2021

£525,000

SOLD

AGREED

£2,750P/A COMBE DOWN SALE AGREED 2021

£2,750

£2,200,000

AGREED

£895,000 PEASEDOWN SALE AGREED 2021

Matthew Leonard Director

Lucy McIlroy Director

£950,000

Denise Latham Lettings Manager

PROPERTY

© CASPER FARRELL; W W W.CASPERFARRELL.CO.UK

P L A C E S T O L I V E , W O R K A N D P L AY

The plan is to fill empty units with creative projects and pop ups like this recent display on Milsom Street

Retail

POP STARS

Plans to pretty up vacant properties with art pop-ups

Bath BID's Allison Herbert

An exciting project to breathe new life into vacant shops and buildings in high streets in Bath and surrounds has been awarded £500,000 from the West of England Combined Authority’s Recovery Fund.

The Vacant Units Action Project will see empty properties in Bath used for creative projects and pop-up businesses. The project will be delivered by Bath & North East Somerset Council as part of its High Streets Renewal programme, with further match funding and in-kind support provided by the council and Bath BID. The project follows on from a successful pilot to celebrate local retail during the lead-up to Christmas 2020 when the council worked with local artists to promote 12 vacant properties in Bath city centre by animating shop windows, encouraging two pop-up shops to open.

Allison Herbert, chief executive of the Bath BID, says, “As part of the Bath BID’s work to create the environment for businesses in the city to succeed, we are continually seeking innovative solutions to empty shops on the high street. We are pleased to be working in partnership with B&NES on this project, which will ensure the city centre’s vacant premises are utilised and that the high street remains welcoming, helping retailers and hospitality businesses to thrive as the city recovers from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.”

For more: www.bathnes.gov.uk

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

PROPERTY NEWS Commercial

ALL CHANGE

Numbers 12 and 13 Queen Square have been the home of the legal firm Stone King for 190 years but is now up for rental. As part of Stone King’s move to smart working and the recent merger of its private client team with Mowbray Woodward, based at number 3 Queen Square, the company is moving out of its current offices.

The Grade I listed Georgian property, which is listed with Carter Jonas, encompasses end of terrace and mid terrace buildings, and extends to 7,242 sq ft over five storeys including a lower ground floor.

It also has an illustrious literary past – Jane Austen is known to have lodged at Number 13 for a couple of months in the summer of 1799, at about the time she was writing Northanger Abbey.

Carter Jonas’s Philip Marshall says,“The building’s prominence in one of Bath’s most sought after locations, and its detailed history only adds to its appeal and makes it an exciting proposition for any potential tenant. It is extremely rare for a Georgian property of this substantial size and configuration to become available. It is a fantastic space that is set for refurbishment. It offers an inspiring combination of period and new build elements and provides a unique opportunity to enjoy the city’s heritage whilst being central to its future success.”

For more: www.carterjonas.co.uk 12 and 13 Queen Square is up for rent

Auctions

GOING GOING GONE

Could an auction be the easy way to find your new home?

Is your only experience of properties at auction from watching Homes Under The Hammer? Ours too, so we ask property auctioneers Olly Hollis and Andrew Morgan to share their insight and top tips to buying at auction...

1

Attend several auctions before attempting to buy – for now online and, when restrictions permit, in person.

2

Read the auctioneer’s guidance notes about buying and feel free to ring the auctioneer and ask any questions if you are not clear. Properties will be marketed four to six weeks prior to the sale during which time you are free to visit the property in the set viewing times, as well as arrange for any professional advisors to visit the property such as a surveyor.

3

You must be sure of the structural condition of the property so it is advisable to have a surveyor or builder give an opinion in advance of the auction. You must also view the legal pack provided by the seller’s solicitor or legal conveyancer.

Olly Hollis

Andrew Morgan

“Auctions are an increasingly popular way of selling property especially for those sellers who need to be seen to achieve the best possible price. Typical situations are those looking for quick sales in the case of settling estates of deceased; divorce situations; bankruptcy; and selling on behalf of statutory bodies and charities. They all generate some of the most interesting and unusual properties to come onto the market and potentially provide some of the greatest opportunities. Buying at an auction is not just for property professionals and should not be feared. Our advice for top tips for the novice, would-be, bidder are:

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4

If you are interested in a property and want to bid, make sure that you have the necessary finance available as you will be required to pay ten percent of the purchase price on the auction night. The balance will be payable on completion of the sale, which is usually four to eight weeks later.

A two bed top floor apartment on Gay Street sold at auction for £275,000

An apartment on Lansdown Road went under the hammer for £150,000

Don’t leave obtaining a mortgage to the last moment – you need to be sure that you have funds in place to meet the completion date.

5

Pandemic auctions are held online but you still have three ways of bidding.

You may bid yourself online (instructions are easy to follow); you may leave a proxy bid; or you may make a telephone bid.

In all cases you will need to contact the auctioneer several days in advance to register, provide identification and organise the necessary deposit monies.

6

On the auction night, if your bid is successful, the fall of the auctioneer’s gavil (hammer) will mean you are the highest bidder and you have purchased the property and therefore contracts will be exchanged immediately. This is a clean, neat and very swift way of purchasing a property and you may have a bargain. However, do be very aware, an auction is a binding situation and failure to complete the sale will result in losing your deposit and possibly being sued for the total purchase price.”

For more: www.hollismorgan.co.uk

BATH PROPERTY AWARDS

OFFICIAL AWARDS REVIEW

BATH PROPERTY AWARDS 2020 BATH… KEEP ON BUILDING The third Bath Property Awards were wholly virtual and highly successful

I

t was the anticipation that first hit you. Around midday on a Friday, hundreds of Bath’s finest and hugely proactive property people descended into the innovative Virtual Symposium to network and engage, discuss and discourse – all aided by the wondrous new-found use of Zoom rooms and socially distanced tech. Who’d have thought back during the last Awards that the tribe would return in these circumstances? But they did.

And in great numbers.

When so many contribute, so many benefit. And when so many come together in one place to celebrate excellence, then good things can happen. Awards were won, of course. Wonderful ones. Aaannnddd… intros happened, acquaintances made, new contacts built, deals discussed, partnerships sounded out.

In short, business as usual happened.

It was thrilling to see the array of participants, from the coolest of the city’s indies to the largest of the sector’s corporates; from local to regional to national and even international. The sector was celebrated, venerated. This was the chance to say that Bath property matters: commercially, practically, aesthetically.

On the following pages you’ll see our winners of course, carefully chosen after protracted debate by our independent judges drawn from all aspects of the property scene.

You’ll see our sponsors, without whom none of this would have been possible, led from the front by Mogers Drewett: thank you.

Also thanks to MP Wera Hobhouse, who provided such a sterling start to the Symposium with her introductory remarks about the resilience against adversity of property companies in Bath; Simon Martin, of Bath & North East Somerset council who provided key updates on major property projects and post-pandemic approach and our host, BBC presenter and journalist Laura Rawlings, skilfully engaging sponsors and winners alike.

Special thanks also to Chris Druce, senior research analyst of Knight Frank, for an inspiring keynote talk on residential property trends and insights into rising property growth in the city.

You’ll see all our finalists too. Worthy contenders all.

So next time..? It’ll be a Friday again, on 22 October, this time back in real life at Apex City of Bath Hotel. Join us for the splendid hubbub of business, and singular veneration of this incredible sector…

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BATH PROPERTY AWARDS

THE FINALISTS ARCHITECT Donald Insall Associates Lord Architecture Nash Partnership

IZEO Construction JSBS Group Saltford Building Services Stonewood Builders

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY Sponsored by Spaces CSquared Arena Global Management (AGM) Bandook Restaurant Bath

by Mobius Works Bath Quays South Grapes Public House

by Pococks Assets

DEVELOPER Sponsored by South West Business Finance Aequus Construction Ashford Homes Backhouse Housing IZEO Construction Linden Homes Stonewood Partnerships

COMMERCIAL INTERIOR DESIGNER Interaction Pococks Assets CONSULTANCY Arena Global Management (AGM) Greengauge Building Energy Consultants Mode Consult CONTRACTOR Sponsored by Hawker Joinery Ace Energy Clayton Davidson Flying Pig Halsall Construction

EMPLOYER BiBO Greengauge Building Energy Consultants Halsall Construction Touchstone LEGAL & FINANCIAL Advantage Financial Solutions Goughs Solicitors Hubb Property Group South West Business Finance LETTINGS AGENT Airready Aspire To Move Reside Touchstone

RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT Backhouse Housing Bailbrook Lane by Ashford Homes Berkeley Place Bitton Mill by Linden Homes Orangery and Private Garage

by Flying Pig Riverside View by Aequus Developments Silverwood House by Hubb Property Group The Tannery by Stonewood Builders and Stonewood Partnerships Woodside, Bath

by Ashford Homes RESIDENTIAL INTERIOR DESIGNER Bath Kitchen Company Etons of Bath Kelly Marie Kitchen Interiors RESIDENTIAL AGENT Sponsored by L&C Mortgages BiBO Savills TYNINGS

RISING STAR Advantage Financial Solutions Aspire To Move BiBO Flow Bar Frome SUPPLIERS AND SERVICES Ace Energy Airready Bath Leasehold Management Clayton Davidson Kelly Marie Kitchen Interiors Nook of Bath TRANSFORMATION Sponsored by Bath Life 17 Paragon, JB Residential Berkeley Place Flow Bar Frome Grapes Public House by Pococks Assets Homewood Hotel & Spa Lynwood Cottage by Lord Architecture Orangery and Private Garage

by Flying Pig The Tannery by Stonewood Builders and Stonewood Partnerships Team Eleven by Interaction

THE BATH PROPERTY AWARDS JUDGES JO HALL Head of business development and marketing, Hartry Global

LUCY MCILROY Director, Winkworth

SARAH DEDAKIS Principal, Bath Leasehold Management

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PATRICK BRADY Business development manager, Mogers Drewett

NATHALIE THOMPSON Managing partner, Bath City Lets

SARAH LATHAM Founder and creative director, Etons of Bath

SIMON MARTIN Programme director, B&NES

Producing only the finest architectural joinery, furniture and kitchens.

T: 01225 459247 | M: 07896 809349 clayton@claytondavidson.co.uk | www.claytondavidson.co.uk

BAT HʼS LE ADING P LA N NI NG CONSULTANCY Arena Global Management offer a comprehensive range of specialist Planning Services from small scale residential developments through to large commercial schemes including:

BATH PROPERTY AWARDS

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE WINNERS

Listed building and heritage conservation • site appraisals residential re-design, extensions and new builds commercial development and re-development change of use • appeals and objections • rural workers dwellings and olympic-sized dressage arenas.

With a proven track record the AGM team will give you expert and intelligent planning advice every step of the way.

Bridging Finance

Commercial Mortgages

Property Development

“AGM have consistently provided me with an outstanding service; they are commercially astute and I have complete confidence in their knowledge of the planning system. Professional and enthusiastic, they are a pleasure to work with.”

– Paul Haskins, Founder, Interaction

3 Edgar Buildings, George Street, Bath BA1 2FJ 01225 681 589 | info@agm-ltd.co.uk | www.agm-ltd.co.uk

Property Investments

01225 800849

Buy To Let Mortgages

www.swbf.co.uk

South West Business Finance is a broker of credit and not a lender. For each introduction that we make to a lender we may receive a commission for doing so. South West Business Finance is a trading name of Aspire Commercial Finance Limited Registered in England & Wales under No: 09076273 Aspire Commercial Finance Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (690089) also a member of the NACFB (06/0035/CM) Your property may be repossessed if you do not keep up on repayments on a mortgage or any other debt secured on it.

99 SYDNEY PLACE Matilda Walton discovers a Georgian gem packed with original features

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

A

n exquisite example of unspoilt Georgian heaven, 99 Sydney Place was built in 1808 by John Pinch the elder, the architect responsible for much of the beauty of Bathwick. It has all the most desirable features of period living, with characterful original features scattered throughout. (turn to page 74 for our period piece feature). Large panelled doors built for making a grand entrance, intricate architraves that hug the elegant archways and windows, and a fine cantilevered stone staircase lend the house an atmosphere of history and authority. Listed property enthusiasts often think of themselves as the guardian of a property rather than its owner – another pair of hands in a linked chain to care for the place and ensure its continued longevity. You feel that in 99 Sydney Place, that you are a part of the evolving story of the house, rather than the other way around – one that will continue, long after you are gone.

Original features aside for the moment, there is another reason why Georgian property continues to be so sought after – and it’s not just the Bridgerton

PROPERTY

effect – it’s the versatility offered by the abundance of rooms. 99 Sydney Place boasts a library, drawing and withdrawing rooms, sun room, dining room, breakfast room, two studios, a workshop and vaulted store rooms, not to mention two kitchens. Following a year in which our spaces needed to work harder for us than ever before – as an office, school, gym – homes that allow for multiple uses have more value than ever. In this area, a property like 99 Sydney Place steps into its own.

It’s not just inside, either – with a private walled garden and courtyards to the front and rear, 99 Sydney Place offers plenty to the avid gardener, not to mention the value of a private outdoor space when it comes to socialising these days. Another high point is the roof terrace, accessed via the sunroom. It is easy to imagine oneself sipping wine out there on a summer evening, watching the sun sink idly beneath the horizon.

So many of us are considering our options for starting over as we glimpse what we all hope is the close of this pandemic. A property brimming with potential, location perfect (a short walk from town, overlooking The Holburne and Sydney Gardens – dreamy, basically) and allowing for the flexibility we all now crave, 99 Sydney Gardens is the perfect base for the start of a new, hopeful chapter.

HOUSE NUMBERS Price

£2.5m

Square foot 7745 Bedrooms 5 Bathrooms

3

Reception rooms 4 For more: Strutt & Parker, 7-9 North Parade Buildings, Bath, tel: 01225 685801; www.struttandparker.com

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SPONSORED CONTENT

Live like a tourist

A

Peter Greatorex from THE APARTMENT COMPANY on why Bath is one of the best locations for a staycation

s we watch the days being ticked off the calendar, we’re starting to get excited about the things that are potentially returning to our lives. Who would have thought that meeting some friends in a pub would feel like you’ve won the lottery? We want to remind you that, even though you’ve been tied to the city for a year, we still believe it is one of the best locations for a staycation.

YOU CAN’T HELP BUT FALL IN LOVE We are not the only ones who believe Bath is one of the best destinations for a post-lockdown staycation. According to Big 7 Travel, who compiled the rankings, our vibrant city has been listed in their top 10. They write, “It’s affectionately coined as one of the most beautiful cities in England, and it isn’t hard to see why.

Loads of Georgian architecture, top-notch

museums, world-class thermal spas and a rich Roman history... the city has been wowing for more than 2,000 years.”

REDISCOVER WHAT WAS LOST In many ways, this last year has felt surreal. You watch all those disaster movies and see the wideeyed wonder as the actors step out into a new world once the catastrophe has ended. In many ways, we too will be taking to our streets with new eyes, stores may have changed, and new businesses will be blossoming. Instead of racing off to pastures new, why not take some time to rediscover what is outside your front door?

Thermae Bath Spa, or indulge in a cream tea at the Regency Tea Rooms. Experiencing the city through the eyes of a tourist may remind you why it’s considered ‘one of those cities you just can’t help but fall in love with’.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE At The Apartment Company, we would love to know what you love about Bath, what you can’t wait to see reopen, and if you are excited to rediscover the city when it comes alive once more? n

BECOME A TOURIST When you live somewhere, you often don’t take advantage of what it offers. When was the last time you took advantage of all those attractions that pull visitors from across the world? Why not go from a pamper and a swim on the roof of

For more advice visit our blog at www.theapartmentcompany.co.uk Sales: 01225 471144 Lettings: 01225 303870

PROPERTY

ORIGINAL THOUGHTS An expert guide to restoring and maintaining period features in the home

By John Mather

T

hese are original’ announces the estate agent pointing to a rattling, draughty window. They say it’s a sash, and you think uh, oh that looks suss. Renovating, reinstating and maintaining a period property, whether it be a tumbling Georgian or a modernised Victorian, isn’t always the easiest path to navigate.

Then there’s the issue of complementary interiors, enhancement, accessories, and décor.

For Verity Woolf of WOOLF Interior Architecture & Design, who specialise in design practice for period and listed buildings and are accredited historic interior designers, the renovation, restoration and subsequent interiors work is about “taking projects right from the initial design concept stage all the way through to completion. We frequently work in tandem with teams of architects on demanding, complex and detailed schemes towards the common design objective.”

Here Bath experts share their knowledge and insights into just a few period features, their significance and their upkeep.

SASH WINDOWS

“Whilst our natural inclination in the 21st century is to double and triple glaze, Georgian properties were designed to breathe,” says Sarah Latham, founder and creative director of Etons of Bath, who with their team of interior designers, project managers and period building experts have created a large local portfolio of historical renovation projects. “By this I mean that air needs to circulate for the fabric of the building to be maintained against damp, or these days, against overzealous heating. Whilst this appears not to be great for your heating bill, there are lots of things that can be done to improve the function of your windows, to eradicate draughts, rattles and rot without installing unsightly secondary glazing.

“Subject to listed consent you can replace rotten sections or entire windows with replica windows whilst you can repair and maintain existing windows with new draught proofing, replaced sash cords and beautiful new hardware. Finally, you cannot overlook a stunning window dressing to set off a sash window.”

FIREPLACES

It’s the staple of an original features wish-list but the upkeep of a true, working fireplace is vital as Rachel Cropper, design director of

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above: Rachel of Stonewood Home’s advises to check the ‘health’ of exposed timber; opposite: As part of a design such as the pillars in this orangerie by Etons of Bath, you

can use specialist paint and textural affects to replicate the look and feel of stone

“Preserving your home’s features is important in any market but perhaps never more so than now”

above: WOOLF studios offer bespoke interior design and interior architecture services; clockwise opposite, from top left: The brief for Etons of Bath was to add drama to this guest

bedroom; Neptune’s Amber points out that substantial skirting is both practical and elegant looking; A Royal Crescent home, rich in period features, on the market with Savills

Stonewood Homes, explains, “You cannot overestimate the importance of having any open chimneys swept regularly to ensure they remain in their best condition. If they are not drawing effectively and are billowing smoke into the room, installing air vents into the floor will allow the air flow to be opened and closed. If floor vents are not possible installing a fan can help.

“Fireplaces in historic buildings can be re-parged, this is the fireresistant coating found in the throat of the chimney. Any old stone beyond repair around the fireplace can be carefully removed by a skilled stonemason replacing with new.

Historically white was seen on fireplaces in most period bedrooms, but if they are marble and damaged, the old marble can be cut out in sections and replaced with new.”

CEILING ROSES AND CORNICES

“The cast iron radiators we work on were typically installed in Bath from 1880 right through until the 1950s,” explains David Lucas, owner and senior restorer of Reclaimed Radiators. “This means that most radiators have had a working life of 100 years or so to date.

“It is no surprise the layers of paint become shabby, the interior may be sludged so they don’t get as warm, and the air vents can stop functioning. Our restoration process addresses all these issues resulting in authentic radiators that look smart and will do their job efficiently

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SKIRTING

When it comes to adding or reinstating features, Amber Greenman, home designer at Neptune Bath, suggests we look down. “Skirting is an element that can give a home a great deal of character without too much expense or fuss. Contemporary spaces – and contemporary renovations – tend to favour short skirting, which can feel scanty and at odds with the proportions of a tall room. Fitting something substantial will feel much more generous.

“There’s also something to be said for tall skirting being more practical as it’ll protect wallpaper and matt emulsion on walls from scuffs – painted in eggshell, it’ll be more hardwearing and you can wipe it clean.”

“Georgian properties were designed to breathe”

Sarah of Etons of Bath says,“Ceiling roses and cornices can easily be restored – missing parts can be replaced by skilled plaster craftsman.

Where a ceiling rose is modern and you wish to replace with something authentic then I recommend visiting a good specialist site who should have replicas from the archives that enable you to match up to the period and type of room in your own property.”

RECLAIMED RADIATORS

into another century – no need to retire them. Radiators that have been professionally restored more or less look after themselves – just bleed them every autumn and give them a lick of paint after 10 years or so.”

ROOF TIMBERS

Who isn’t dreaming of exposed beams in cute cottages, but Rachel of Stonewood Homes advises to always take a closer look.“Exposed timber beams or purlins, if spongy, soft or flaking away, they will need attention. Also be aware of blackwatch beetles – they leave little pin holes in timber. The work to remove them often involves sandblasting prior so the treatment can penetrate the wood. Without the specialist care the beams will turn to dust, losing all of their structural integrity.”

TILED & WOODEN FLOORS

“If the floor does not need replacing, existing parquet or plank floors can be de-nailed, resanded and stained,” says Stonewood’s Rachel.

“Historic elm floorboards have a dark chestnut colour appearance and

PROPERTY

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PROPERTY are generally much wider than new flooring these days. If any boards need replacing due to rot or damage, a good salvage yard should have a bountiful stock.

“A note on flagstone floors, if they’re thick, big and too heavy to lift they’re the original. They are often found to be sited on nothing but earth allowing the damp and moisture to happily seep into your room.

With the relevant permissions old floors can be lifted, the flagstones numbered, being careful to create a plan of where they individually sat in the room, ready for relaying later.”

THINK BIG

The huge-scale successful contemporary rebuilds like those at Hope House, which was originally built in 1781, required working with heritage specialists at every single stage of the redevelopment, as Robin Squire, regional managing director of Acorn’s Bristol office, explains, “This included carefully matching the honey-coloured stonework, handcrafted metalwork and paving details, which help blend the new build elements with the original mansion.

“When approaching a project with period buildings, we carefully consider how to showcase these elements to create new and converted homes that celebrate their history rather than neglecting it.”

THE HERE AND NOW

But what about a home that’s not Edwardian, Georgian or Victorian – are there features we should be respecting in the newer builds?

“Just because it’s considered modern does not mean it isn’t significant from a heritage point of view,” says Stonewood’s Rachel. “Some things are unforgivable, such as pebbledash, so swing away with the sledgehammer at that, but others such as wonky plaster walls are part of the beauty. Architecture evolves as do trends throughout the decades, the transience is part of its appeal.”

Specialist work like that from Reclaimed Radiators can preserve the life of a hundred-year-old radiator

SALE ITEMS

It may involve expense and time but looking after your home’s period features is a smart investment long term, as Luke Brady, head of Savills Bath office and southern residential division, explains, “The most important features to buyers are ceiling detail and cornicing, fireplaces, and shutters. Original doors are also attractive to buyers, as are staircases. Cantilever staircases are relatively commonplace here, and stone holds the most appeal. The finest houses will see the stone start at the bottom step and run all the way to the very top.

“Preserving your home’s features is important in any market but perhaps never more so than now. The events of the last year have prompted a surge in lifestyle buyers, who are looking to enjoy their new home from day one. So, while there will always be buyers who like the challenge of a project, the best-presented homes are those that will perform the best.” n

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YOU’VE BEEN READING… 1. Robin Squire, Acorn, 50 Clifton Down Rd, Clifton, Bristol; www.acornpropertygroup.org 2. Sarah Latham, Etons of Bath, 108 Walcot Street, Bath; www.etonsofbath.com 3. Amber Greenman, Neptune, One Tram Yard, Walcot Street, Bath; www.neptune.com 4. David Lucas, Reclaimed Radiators, 2 Combe Buildings, Whatley, Frome; www.reclaimedradiators.co.uk 5. Luke Brady, Savills Bath, Edgar Buildings, 17 George St, Bath; www.savills.co.uk 6. Rachel Cropper, Stonewood Homes, West Yatton Lane, Castle Combe, Chippenham; www.stonewoodhomes.co.uk 7. Verity Woolf, WOOLF Interior Architecture & Design, Broome House, Upper Lansdown Mews, Bath; www.woolfinterior.com Acorn worked with heritage specialists to sympathetically redevelop Hope House

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

SERVICES GUIDE HOME CARE

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STONE SPECIALISTS

NORTON MASONRY LTD Stonework Specialists & General Builders 38 LONG BARNABY, MIDSOMER NORTON, RADSTOCK BA3 2TZ

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PHOTO BY PHILIP FIELD; W W W.PHILIPFIELD.COM

“Gentleman Jim is still the only book about the SAS which makes use of an original diary” After the war, and having been a great escaper, he

was determined never to do an ‘ordinary’ job. My sequel, Escaping The Ordinary: How a Founder of the SAS Blazed a Trail at the End of Empire, tells this section of his life.

LORNA ALMONDSWINDMILL The author and historian on the fascinating life of her father, a founding member of the SAS Bristol-born and Bath-resident, Lorna is a former Regular Army Captain, who later had a career in the voluntary sector before becoming a Whitehall civil servant. She served in the, then, DTI and HM Treasury and in the European Commission in Brussels. Her first book, Gentleman Jim: The Wartime Story of a Founder of the SAS, tells the wartime story of her father, an SAS hero, and ‘L Detachment Original’. She followed this up with Escaping the Ordinary: How a Founder of the SAS Blazed a Trail at the End of Empire. Her brother also served three times with the SAS and went on to become the Chief of Staff of the SAS. I am the daughter of Jim Almonds, who was one of the

original members of the SAS handpicked in 1941 by the founder of the regiment, David Stirling.

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

Before that at the age of 18 he joined the Coldstream Guards

and soldiered at the Tower of London. In 1936 he then served with the Bristol Police until the outbreak of the Second World War. He was involved in many of the SAS’s daring raids behind enemy lines in North Africa before being captured and shipped to Italy, where he escaped twice. He parachuted into France on D-Day and caused problems for the Germans by blowing up trains and bridges. He earned the nickname Gentleman Jim because he never swore.

My father, who died in 2013 aged 91, was the only one of

the ‘L’ Detachment founders of the SAS who kept a personal, contemporaneous diary. Gentleman Jim is still the only book about the SAS which makes use of an original diary and is fully sourced.

When the SAS disbanded in 1945 my father, a young Captain, still sought adventure.

After training Emperor Hailie Selassie’s Army in Ethiopia, he went as Second-in-Command of a bandit-chasing outfit in the new ‘Wild West’ of Eritrea. This follows his story and travels including the SAS reforming in 1947 and him in Malaysia, acting as a Major in the West African Frontier Force, and sailing across the Atlantic in a hand-built ketch.

Because my father was always making things, my childhood toys were never ordinary. He

made a land yacht. The front wheels came from an old pram, the back ones were of wood with old hose nailed into it to act as tyres. On a disused airfield, it went like the wind.

My twin sister Gloria lay face down on the front watching the runway flash beneath her, inches from her face. My brother John and I sat on the back with very little steering and no brakes to speak of...

When I was older, he also

made me a scooter, a huge heavy thing. I could be heard for miles, thundering along on it.

As a father, he was loving and kind but a bit remote due to his

frequent absences on military duties. He had a great sense of humour, and made us all laugh, but

he was quite strict about things like house routine, honesty, and above all, not moaning!

He wanted the best for us so he set high standards, which sometimes felt quite harsh. My

twin and I were in the Brownies, and would line up for inspection.

He would give us the Coldstream Guards once-over, and, to our great dismay, often send us off to improve the spit and polish of our shoes and brass badges.

We were sailing off Singapore Island in a boat my father had designed and built. I

was daydreaming, trailing my fingers in the water, when a black and yellow sea snake surfaced right next to my hand. It hissed at me as I quickly whipped out my hand, and it slithered out of sight. Turns out it was a YellowBellied Sea Snake, whose bite is so deadly, I’d have been dead in minutes. However my dad said that wouldn’t have happened as he would’ve have cut my finger off with his United States Marine Corps Commando knife. Lucky escape either way I think! n Lorna’s books are available to order through local bookshops.

For more: www.pen-and-sword.co.uk