Bath Life – Issue 485

Sleigh bells ring. Are you listening? Or can you not hear them over the sound of your pounding heart? Are you shallow breathing and loudly panicking because you realise you haven’t got auntie / neighbour / pet / cousin a Christmas present? Or is it that your tinsel looks tatty and your nativity manger a little manky, and you just know your Yuletide guests will be oh-so-judgey?

Hark. Have no fear. This is where we swoop in like Christmas angels with a last minute gift guide starting on page 13. These have been carefully curated on the basis that, if you don’t want to rely on world wide webbing and posting, you can stroll to your local lovely indie and pick it up. We also have lots of ideas for experience vouchers that can be in somebody special’s inbox before you can say ‘Happy Holidays’!

There’s top expert advice on page 20 and page 51 on how to best dress your festive table and home this season; a trip to beautiful Bruton on page 53; afternoon tea and chilling at Bishopstrow (page 40); and over on page 48, a very naughty-list fashion feature urging us to ditch the dull, and get flirtatious with the festive.

Enjoy and see you in two weeks!

Twitter @BathLifeMag Instagram @bathlifemag

© LOUIS SMITH; WWW.STUDIOWHISK.CO.UK

ABOVE: Nutcracker illustration by Eleanor Tasker (page 20);

RIGHT: How to tie your home’s festive look together (page51)

Bath at Christmas WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS

The full Christmas extravaganza has returned to Bath for the rst time since 201 . The Christmas lights trail, the vast 1 0-chalet Christmas market, lves Swapshop where children can drop o and collect upcycled toys , Milsom Place winter wonderland and so much more besides have transformed Bath into a festive dreamscape of food, shopping, and the magical moments you can only really have under the twinkling fairy lights of a real Christmas tree.

Glowing Bath Abbey by ©arthur_hannam_photography

Polar express by ©assh.shots

The festive quarter by ©jamfootsteps

The stars come out by ©whatkatydid.next

Magical projections by ©wanderlust_on_wheelz

THE GREATEST GIFTS

From last minute stocking fillers to experiences of a lifetime, our star of wonder gift guide will help make Christmas wishes come true

LUXURY PAINTS

BY ANNIE SLOANE

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

We can’t all be like Santa and making lists, let alone checking them twice. Your seasonal sentiment may be true but your vibe is last minute but do not worry – we are here to help you get Christmas cracking. Our handy local gift guide covers everything from perfume to pets, and from experiences to art.

And with this carefully and lovingly curated shopping edit, you can do a Santa’s dash and pick up your gorgeous gifts as late as Christmas Eve.

And if you’re in need of a little pizazz inspiration for last minute decorations, turn to page 20, and over on page 51, we have expert advice on how to dress to impress your home for Christmas.

SNOW LEOPARD BEADED WASH BAG AND COIN PURSE, £35 AND £18

From Sassy & Boo, 9 Bartlett St, Bath; www.luellafashion.com

POP ORANGE, £99

From Moss of Bath, 45 St James’ Parade, Bath; www.mossofbath.co.uk

SET OF 4 HOLBURNE MUSEUM COASTERS, £20

From Holburne Museum, Great Pulteney St, Bathwick, Bath; www.holburne.org

BATH RUGBY HOOP BEANIE BEAR, £9.99

From Bath Rugby Shop, 1 Argyle Street, Bathwick, Bath; www. bathrugbyshop.com

WHITEHALL VINEYARD MULLED WINE, £9.99

From Whitehall Garden Centre, Corsham Road, Lacock; www. whitehallvineyard.co.uk

TRACKLEMENTS

TONGUETINGLINGLY HOT TRIO, £15.65

From Prior Park Garden Centre, Prior Park Road, Bath; www. priorparkgardencentre. co.uk

BOTANICAL CANDLE, ORANGE, CLOVE & CINNAMON, £18.50

GLASS LEMON PERFUME BOTTLE WITH STOPPER, £55

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

From Biggie Best Bath, 3 Broad Street, Bath; www. biggiebest.co.uk

SILK SCARF BY KRISHNAA SHYAM, PRICES

START AT £75

From Holburne Museum, Great Pulteney Street, Bathwick, Bath; www.holburne.org

BATH BOX OFFICE GIFT VOUCHER, PRICES START AT £1 rom www at o o e or

BLEND YOUR OWN BESPOKE BOTTLE OF GIN, FROM £95

From Still Life Gin, 26 Catherine Hill, Frome; www.yuup.co

TATCHA DEWY GLOW SKIN TRIO, £77

From Space NK, 10 New Bond Street Place, Bath; www.spacenk.com

BRAMLEY X THE PIG HAIR CARE SET, £55

From THE PIG near Bath, Hunstrete House, Hunstrete, Pensford, Bath; www.thepighotel.com

BATH ART BY VANILLA WHITE PICTURES, PRICES START AT £50

From www.vanillawhite.com

CANON CAMERA EOS 2000D, £519.99

From London Camera Exchange, 13 Cheap Street, Bath; www.lcegroup.co.uk

BEAUTY TREATMENTS, PRICES START AT £50

From Dr Lucy Facial Aesthetics, 10 Rossiter Road, Bath; www.doctorlucy.co.uk

HANDBOUND SKETCHBOOK BY CAROLE WALLER, £25

From Waller & Wood; www. wallerandwood.co.uk

HOUSE BOX WITH TWO FULL REFILLS OF CHOICE, PRICES START AT £24

From Consciously You, 1 Kennington Road, Bath; www.consciouslyyou.co.uk

ISLA FAIR ISLE KNITTED SOCKS, £32

From Bibico, 9a Bartlett Street, Bath; www.bibico.co.uk

BESPOKE HOUSE LIGHT BOX BY ELE GRAFTON, PRICES START AT £1,200

From www.elegrafton.com

VIP EXPERIENCES AT LONGLEAT, PRICES FROM £85 PER PERSON

From www.longleatshop.co.uk

WOOL LINED LEATHER GLOVES WITH KNITTED CUFFS, £59

From Dents Factory Shop, Furnax Lane, Warminster; www.dentsgloves.com

MICRO BAYSWATER PORTOBELLO BLUE IN CRINKLED METALLIC LEATHER, £495

From Mulberry, 38 Milsom Street, Bath; www.mulberry.com

SWIMMER THREE BY JAMES NUNN, £245

From www. jamesnunn.co.uk

FRENCH CHEESE COLLECTION, £50

From Paxton & it e d o n Street, Bath; www. a tonandw it e d o

NATURAL COLOURED DIAMONDS SET IN 9CT YELLOW AND WHITE GOLD, PRICES START AT £485

From Jody Cory 9 Abbey Churchyard, Bath; www.jodycory.co.uk

TOASTED MARSHMALLOW LIP SCRUB MADE BY PRETTY LITTLE TREAT CO, £6

From Consciously You, 1 Kennington Road, Bath; www. consciouslyyou.co.uk

LIMITED EDITION DOLCE & GABBANA JUICER, £449

From Coopers Stores, 13-15 Walcot Street, Bath; www.coopers-stores.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk

PASTA MAKING EXPERIENCE, PRICES START AT £50

From Pasta Laboratory, 7 Richmond Place, Lansdown, Bath; www.pastalaboratory.co.uk

UN JOUR, UNE HISTOIRE BATH ROBE BY YVES DELORME OUTLET, WAS £199 NOW £119.40

From Yves Delorme, 11 Milsom Place, Bath; www. yvesdelormeoutlet.

com

MARLEY JAMAICAN HOT SAUCE WITH PINEAPPLE, MANGO AND SCOTCH BONNET CHILLI, £6.99

From The Somerset Chilli Co., Southlands, Bath, www.somersetchillico.com

GREAT TASTE AWARDED TRIO GIFT BOX, £15.99

From www.bathculturehouse.co.uk

GOLD GLITTER RIBBON WAND £9.99

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

HANDKNITTED FOX BEANIE, £21

From Tilian Kids, 142 Walcot St, Bath; www. tiliankids.com

A-Z OF DOGS JIGSAW PUZZLE, £14.99

From Julia Davey, 20 Wellsway, Bear Flat, Bath; www.juliadavey.com.com

MACARON CHRISTMAS TREE, £19.50,

From Sugarcane Studio, 1 Grove Street, Bathwick, Bath; www.sugarcanestudio.co.uk

CUSTOM CANDLE POURING WORKSHOP, PRICES START AT £35

From Paddywax Candle Bar, 2 New Bond Street, Bath; booking via Instagram @paddywaxcandlebaruk

BATH CITY FC AWAY SCARF, £12

REX LONDON FINGERPRINT ACTIVITY SET, £13

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

From Bath City FC, Twerton Park, Bath; www.bathcityfcshop.com

INTRO

From Combe Hay Vineyard, Combe Hay, Bath; www.yuup.co

THE CATERPILLAR – WINTER, £250

By Nick Cudworth, from Nick Cudworth Gallery, 5 London Street, Bath; www. nickcudworth.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk

GEORGIAN WITH LEAF BLOWER BY ANDY GOODMAN, £75

Available via Instagram @ ve ar ate illustration

FRATELLI SICILIA ORGANIC PISTACHIO AND HAZELNUT SPREAD, £10.49

From Chandos Deli, 12 George Street, Bath; Instagram @chandosdeli.bath.

SWEDISH SUNBURSTROCKING CHAIR, £3,200

From 8 Holland Street, 23 Brock Street, Bath; www.8hollandstreet.com

SET OF 3 MODERN MAN SCENTED SOAPS, £12.95 From Luca & Fig, 6 Widcombe Parade, Bath; www. aand om

PULSE POINT RUB ON BLEND OF BLACK PEPPER AND GINGER ESSENTIAL OILS

BY GAIA, £15

From Whatley Manor Hotel and Spa, Easton Grey, Malmesbury; www.whatleymanor.com

BATH SOFT CHEESE, £9

From The Bath Soft Cheese Co. Park Farm, Kelston, Bath; www.parkfarm.co.uk

SACHA DELARBRE

TUMBLER, £38

From Berdoulat, 8 Margaret’s Buildings, Bath; www.berdoulat.co.uk

MARIE JO COELY SET IN STRAWBERRYBRA £112 AND BRIEFS £45

From The Dressing Room, 7 Quiet Street, Bath; www.dressingroombath.co

TEQUILA KOMOS ANEJO CRISTALINO, £119.90

From Amathus, 6 Green Street, Bath, www.amathusdrinks.com

GREAT CHARACTERS ENZO FERRARI FOUNTAIN PEN, £955

From Mallory, 1-5 Bridge Street, Bath; www.mallory-jewellers.com

GINGKO FLOATING GALAXY LAMP, £139.95

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

LUXURY OBAGI SKIN CARE CRACKERS, PRICES START AT £45

From Dr Lucy Facial Aesthetics, 10 Rossiter Road, Bath; www.doctorlucy.co.uk

PAINT BY WINE ART WORKSHOP, £40

From Studio LX, 34 Green Park Mews, Midland Bridge Road, Bath www.paintbywine.com

SHINDIG FESTIVAL TICKETS AND DOWNLOADABLE CHRISTMAS GIFT LABEL, FROM £160

From www.shindigfestival.co.uk

SUEDE AND ROPE REINDEER DOG

TOY, £14.50

From www. bathcountrypets.co.uk

PIG’S NOSE BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY, £27.95

From Flourish, Glenavon Farm, Bath Road, Saltford, Bristol; www. flo ris at enavon o

Nutcracker Snowglobe, £40, www.coxandcox.co.uk

Red berry wooden garland, £18.50, www.homefrontinteriors.co.uk

Jellycat teddy snowman, £23.99, www.whitehallgardencentre.co.uk

FINISHING TOUCHES

How to add that nal touch of Christmas magic to your home

Wool mouse by Gisela Graham, £11.99, www.rossitersofbath.com

Small Christmas tree, £2.50 each, www.vinegarhill.co.uk

Isla stockings from £32, www.neptune.com

Festive wreaths, prices start at £45, www.electricdaisyflowerfarm.co.uk

Individually hand made Christmas cards by Eleanor Tasker, £4.50 each, available via Instagram @eleanor.tasker

Winter Fox Christmas card by Sammy Hayward, £2 each, available via Instagram @srh_illustration

YULETIDE SETTING

Interior designer Lola Swift selects the best for a fab festive table

Julia Davey; www.juliadavey.com

• Candlestick set of 4, £15

• Set of 4 crackers, £16

Festive frost Christmas arrangement, £40, www.crescentflowers.co.uk

Luca & Fig; www.lucaandfig.com

•

• Woollen Sheep, £8.50

• Wooden chopping board, £24

• Glass candle stick green holder, £12

•Small pink holder, £7.50

• Large pink glass candle holder, £12.50

• Advent candle, £10

Vinegar Hill; www.vinegarhill.co.uk

• Bronze reindeer candle stick holders £34.99, £27.99

• Wine glass, £7.99

• Golden Christmas tree small, £7.99 large, £9.99

• Red paper star, £8.99

• Spoons, £5.99

• Christmas gnome, £21.99

Homefront Interiors; www.homefrontinteriors.co.uk

Noel candle stick, £29.95

Glass street scene tealight pot, £8.99; www.whitehallgardencentre.co.uk

Large gold glitter star, £14.95, www.grahamandgreen.co.uk

Graham & Green, www.grahamandgreen.co.uk

• White paper tree, £12.50

• Gold napkin rings, £6.50

• Baubles, from £5.95

• Golden tea light candle holder tree, £21.95

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FLAT LINE DAVID FLATMAN

all-time high, and any notion of mystery is but a memory. A relic. Kids now know everything, even if lots of what they know to be true is tosh (we all presumed omniscience at that age, lest we forget). So we do the best we can, and we treat our 13 year-olds as 17 year-olds, and crack on.

Goodwill to all

As kids, my sisters, brother and I would leap out of bed to see if Father Christmas had been. We’d soon know, as there would either be a stocking rammed full of gifts at the feet of our respective beds or there wouldn’t. Spoiler alert: there was. Lucky old us. The drill was that we would all pile onto one of our beds –designated excitedly the night before – and open a seemingly endless number of bits and bobs, strictly one at a time, saying ‘wow’ in celebration of every individual reveal. With wrapping paper lobbed to the ground (I now know who picked that all up), we bundled all of our new things back into the wind sock-sized stocking and bobbed down to Mum and Dad’s room, where we again assembled en masse atop the duvet, entirely unaware and uncaring of how little sleep

they’d had. ‘What did you all get?’ they’d ask, and the Generation Game-style conveyor belt would commence.

Once done, it was downstairs again (tall house. Oddly, I now live in a practically identical house to the one my parents bought in 1986. It’s all a bit vertical and probably doesn’t make sense, but we love it, and it’s great for the calves for co ee and croissants. This is how I remember it anyway, but it does seem unlikely that my parents fed us co ee at such an early age. Mind you, it was the Eighties, the pre-IsoFix era.

They were magical days, and the challenge now is to create days that our kids enjoy just as much. With smartphones and YouTube and TikTok and Snapchat having changed the world – and I think that, despite us all en oying the odd video or nstagram flick or news update here and there, we’d all agree that said changes haven’t necessarily made the world a better place – transparency is at an

hat nd tough is the stu . The ob ects. The new belongings. The piles of plastic and those fun little tidbits that we know won’t ever leave that gap down the side of the sofa unless we retrieve them, as the kids simply have too many new things to keep on top of. Now I am acutely aware that I loved all this as a kid, and that I mustn’t become that Daddy – the killjoy who talks about recycling on Christmas Day, and who demands his children never waste a thing, despite having been as complacent as an overfed sea lion as a child myself. But, but, there’s a balance. It hurts me a tiny bit every time see gifts left on the floor, every time the kids nd a hoodie or a mirror, or a bag that they’d completely forgotten they owned. And it’s not their fault. It’s ours. Totally, totally ours.

So this year – like last year – there will be stu . There will be fun little things in a bulging stocking. But there will also be the promise of a shared experience that we will enjoy together. We’ll go somewhere new and do something fun. We’ll make a memory, hopefully.

We will also use some of the money we might have spent on tat, and some of our time, lling bags with things that might be appreciated by children who have nothing – or at least very little – this Christmas. Our kids have loved arranging bags for ve kids and donating them to The Nest Project in Bath. Have a Google – it’s wonderful. So we will rip into Christmas and do it properly, but we will also try to remain aware of how very, very fortunate we all are. One hoodie fewer won’t hurt, and the hope is that the help we’ve given to those in need will feel like a gift to us, too. Please do have a look, and please do give anything you can. May every child in Bath have a magical few days.

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

“There will be the promise of a shared experience that we will enjoy together”

Flats on the magic of Christmas past, and the joy of Christmas present

SCENE

THE LATEST ADVENTURES IN PARTY-GOING ACROSS BATH

HAVE A N-ICE DAY!

Clarks Shopping Centre unveiled its rst ever ice rink on 15 November. The brand-new, custom-built, undercover rink measures 550 metre square and features real ice. Along with parent and toddler sessions and school visits, there will be dedicated quiet times and is wheelchair accessible at all times. The outlet based near Street, which is home to some 90 designer and high street brands and houses plenty of foodie outlets, is also holding a Christmas market until 24 December. www.clarksvillage.co.uk

Photos by Huw John; www.huwjohn.com

Scarlett Luxe and Bradley Wye

Ellenor Penny, Steve Burge and Lettija Lee Clarks Village ice rink

Lara Bridges and Kate Beesley

Luke Palmer and Tatum Palmer

Andrew Peacock and Holly Peacock with Otis and Eddison

Hollie Huddart and Meg Huddart

Councillor Laura J Wolfers Ava, Connie, and Evie Phelps-Goggin

IN

THE HOUSE

Katie Thomson recently celebrated the launch of the pop-up for her homewares and gift brand Haus with a party. uests flocked to the pop-up on Upper Borough alls for drinks and nibbles and the chance for some rst-look late night shopping at Haus, a carefully curated selection of pieces

James Dando and Eddie Ilic

sourced from all around the world.

Photos by Lucy Jane Photography; www.lucy-janephotography.com

Kate Norris, Katie Thomson and Lucy Saunders

David Winterflood, James Dando, Harriet Delahunty, Angela Bond, Anna Iwanowska and Tennille Holgate

Lisa Rockliffe and Fran Stevens

Alex Feltham, Jordan Denner and Noodle the dog

Billie Townson and Hollie Marshall

Minty Bos-Rich, Zoe Symes and Emily Maclachlan Saba McGee, Ayla McGee and Darragh McGee

FROM THE HEART

250 supporters and trustees of the Helen Straker Charity flocked to the Bath Pavilion recently for the third Helen Straker Charity Ball, hosted by former pro rugby player Matt Powell.

The Ball is a fundraising event for the charity, with all proceeds shared between RUHX and Dorothy House. There was a raffle, a True or False game with Matt Powell, and a 12-lot auction hosted by James Lewis, celebrity auctioneer from Antiques Roadshow and Flog It!

The Helen Straker Charity began in memory of Helen when she lost her battle with cancer in 2013, in accordance with her wishes to raise funds for cancer and end-of-life care.

www.thehelenstrakercharity.co.uk

Neil Cowley and Melina Vitale

Matt Powell and James Lewis

Neil Maddison and Jenny Maddison

Tim Hies and Lizzie Hues

Mark Hulse and Katharine Hulse

Karen Elson and Graham Laing

Juliet Straker and Guy Straker

Jules Dodd and Steve Dodd, Nigel Walker and Helen Walker

Scott Sartin and Jenna Hanns

Steve Harbour and Liz Harbour

Photos by Richard Newsome;

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

We hosted another successful Bath Life Business Club at the Royal Crescent in November. A networking event, it allows local businesspeople and shareholders to meet and connect over a lunch in the luxurious surrounds of the city centre hotel. After lunch there is a live speaker, this time Debbie Still, who owns and runs Walcot House alongside her husband and sons.

In a wide-ranging interview she discussed the reality of family-run businesses, why she likes to take risks and how her experience of breast cancer impacted her approach to her work life.

Dave Dixon and Sandra Dixon

Photos by Betty Bhandari; www.bettybhandaribrandphotography.com

Paul Rogers and Peter Woodhouse

Tim Moss

Cherie-Anne Baxter and Daniel O’Connor

Annie Moss, Debbie Still and Elisa Soldaini-Paice

Ben Briggs and Nathan Robinson

Willem Puddy, Natalie Puddy and Jenna Allsop

Simon Jones and Peter Blake

Claire Ladkin and Jo Maggs

ON THE MAP

The women of Bath gave a hugely warm welcome to Davina McCall for an intimate evening at The Forum, hosted by The Bath Festival.

Davina, the TV star and author of a ground-breaking book, Menopausing: The Positive Roadmap to Your Second Spring was joined on stage by menopause expert and co-author Dr Naomi Potter and TV presenter Angellica Bell to talk about a ma or life event which a ects 1 per cent of the population, but that was, until recently, rarely openly spoken about.

t the end of the evening the auditorium lled with the fluttering of hundreds of Menopausing paper fans, as the crowd posed for a mass sel e with Davina.

www.bathfestivals.org.uk

Photos by Bath Festivals;

Katie Ernst and Linda Barnes

Festival volunteers Vicky Mendham, Heather Forte and Catherine Macmillan

Jo Sanders, Georgia Cornell, Kath Lewis, Emma Plested and Maddy Taylor

Davina McCall and Dr Naomi Potter

Clare Freshwater Turner and Vicky Gierat

Angellica Bell Dide Lucas and Elaine Selby

Hannah Carter and Hanna Magee

Petra Collier, Jo Lawrence and Michelle Hubbard

SNAPSHOTS OF BATH’S CULTURAL LIFE

THE ARTS UNVEILED

It’s been the prime spot for many a remarkable pop-up and, from 16 – 18 December, 15 New Bond Street, former site of Bloomsbury gift shop, will be housing the work of Magnus Gjoen, Carrie Reichardt, Ben Turnbull, Banksy, Jungle Angelo, Kelda Storm, and My Dog Sigh.

The Rip It Up, Start Again group show has been organised by Jonathan Lewis of the Bristolbased gallery ART808. Jon was an early collaborator with Pictures on Walls, the legendary collective that shook the art world and helped to launch the stellar careers of Banksy, Invader, Conor Harrington, Paul Insect, Antony Micallef and Lee Eelus.

Jon says, “I feel privileged to have the support of such diverse and interesting artists and to be able to host the show in the beautiful city of Bath.”

She Will Dance Again by Magnus Gjoen can be seen at the Rip It Up, Start Again exhibition that runs 16 – 18 December at 15 New Bond Street, Bath; www.art808.co.uk

WHAT’S ON

EXHIBITIONS

Until 20 December

BARBARA RAE

Adam Gallery’s new exhibition is the Arctic Series by Barbara Rae. The Scottish artist has made several voyages to the Arctic in the last few years recording the landscape and ice flows. www.adamgallery.com

Until 24 December

WINTER EXHIBITION

Winner of the British Wildlife Artist of the Year prize in 2015, Nick Mackman’s characterful ceramic animals are a big favourite at Beaux Arts. Also on exhibit are Anthony Scullion, Chris Keenan, Beth Carter, Anna Gillespie, and Helen Simmonds. www.beauxartsbath.co.uk

Until 31 December

HATCHING THE PAST: AMERICAN DINOSAUR EXPLORERS

This remarkable hands-on exhibition at the American Museum o ers an astounding array of dinosaur eggs and nests collected from all over the globe, with focus on the importance of American fossil sites in our understanding of dinosaurs. Suitable for all ages, there are also interactive dig pits

and animated video presentations. www.americanmuseum.org

Until 31 December HERSCHEL 200 EXHIBITION

To commemorate the bicentenary of the death of Bath-based astronomer William Herschel (1738-1822), this major exhibition at his former home on New King Street highlights the hugely important contributions both he and his sister Caroline made to the world’s understanding of space, including the discovery of Uranus. www.herschelmuseum.org.uk

Until 8 January WRAPPINGS

A perfect opportunity to visit the ArtBar in Abbey Hotel, grab a cocktail and peruse the a ordable art, prints and cards by six local artists, including Sarah Bull, Charlotte Farmer, Sue Porter, and a collaboration between Jason Dorley-Brown and Emma Taylor. www.abbeyhotelbath.co.uk

Until 8 January MY REALITY IS DIFFERENT BY NALINI MALANI

The artist has created an extraordinary deep black exhibition space in the Holburne Museum

with one monumental, beautiful artwork encompassing more than 40 metres of wall. www.holburne.org

Until 8 January

ELISABETH FRINK: STRENGTH & SENSUALITY

The 11 works included depict the artist’s unique take on some of the most loved and well-known tales from Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, as well as classical Greek mythology in her Children of the Gods series of etchings. www.holburne.org

Until 8 January

RODIN – DEGAS: IMPRESSIONIST SCULPTURE

Bringing together two towering and influential gures of modern European art, Auguste Rodin (1840–1917) and Edgar Degas (1834–1917), the Holburne Museum’s exhibition focuses on the artists’ equally radical representations of the human body. www.holburne.org

Until 15 January

PETER BROWN: BATH, BRISTOL AND BEYOND

This exhibition from the Bathbased artist Peter Brown, aka Pete the Street, features more than 100 beautiful new oil paintings of Bath,

Bristol, Glastonbury and beyond. www.victoriagal.org.uk

Until 22 January CONNECTIONS

The Group 7 collective of artists are exhibiting and includes Michelle ri ths, Ursula Leach, Stephen Powell, Brian Bishop, Martin Brewster, Bonnie Brown, and Peter Symons. Black Swan Arts; www.blackswanarts.org.uk

Until 30 March

MAISIE

WALKER

Society Café in Kingsmead Square is currently hosting a beautiful exhibition depicting the Pendine Sands Hot Races in Wales by Bath photographer and Instagram fave Maisie Walker. www.maisiewalker.co.uk | www.society-cafe.com

Until 3 June REVOLUTION, PROPAGANDA, ART: PRINTMAKING IN MODERN CHINA

This striking and informative exhibition at the Museum of East Asian Art showcases a series of prints selected from Muban Educational Trust’s collection of over 6,000. It explores artistic

Peter Brown’s Sun on Melting Snow, Gay Street, Bath can be seen at the Victoria Art Gallery until 15 January

trends, political movements and technical developments in modern Chinese printmaking. www.meaa.org.uk

29 December – 28 March

PERRY HARRIS

Having worked in a variety of areas of art including cartoonist for punk fanzines, stage scenery painter, architectural illustrator, and art technician, Perry Harris stages an exhibition at the Widcombe Social Club that demonstrates his talents and range. www.widcombesocialclub.co.uk

THEATRE / CINEMA

Until 8 January

ALADDIN

The enchanting, entertaining tale of Aladdin has been panto’d up by Bath’s own Jon Monie aka Wishee Washee and is this year’s Theatre

Royal Bath festive special. Expect a treasure trove of gems including topical okes, modi ed pop songs, a few innuendoes, lots of booing, a wish granting genie, and a flying carpet. www.theatreroyal.org.uk

17 December

SCREENING: THE ROYAL BALLET THE NUTCRACKER (ENCORE)

Peter Wright’s much-loved production for The Royal Ballet, with gorgeous period designs by Julia Trevelyan Oman, keeps true to the spirit of this festive ballet classic, combining the thrill of the fairy tale with spectacular classical dancing. www.wiltshiremusic.org.uk

19 – 24 December

WILD, WILD WOODS

A junk western fairy-tale at the Pound Arts Centre telling the

tale of Lil Red who is on the run with a rag tag of merries. There’s foot-stomping original music, and imaginative storytelling delivered by the Scratchworks Theatre Company. www.poundarts.org.uk

20 – 31 December

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

The Dickens classic starring Olivier Award winner Guy Masterson playing all the roles, comes back to the Ustinov after its 2019 critically acclaimed and sellout run. www.theatreroyal.org.uk

22 December

THE MUPPETS

CHRISTMAS CAROL

The charming Disney classic starring Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Gonzo and Michael Caine as Ebeneezer Scrooge, will be screened with the musical score, which was composed by Miles Goodman, performed live to the lm. Bath Forum; www.bathforum.co.uk

12 – 15 January

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

The timeless story of the sel sh prince doomed to be a beast forever, unless true love can unlock the key to his heart. Enter a beautiful soul. Presented by Bath Drama. Rondo Theatre; www.rondotheatre.co.uk

MUSIC

17 December

THE BOOTLEG BEATLES

This multi-media show by the world’s premier Beatle tribute band and an orchestral ensemble features a special set to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Please Please Me Bath Forum; www.bathforum.co.uk

19 December

BATH CAMERATA’S

CHRISTMAS CONCERT

Conductor and composer John Rutter CBE will join the awardwinning Bath chamber choir in the magni cent surroundings of Bath Abbey for a gloriously festive feast of well-loved carols and Christmas music. www.bathcamerata.co.uk

21 – 23 December

CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHT

Bath Bach Choir’s 75th annual entertainment of Christmas music at the Pump Rooms will feature two maestros for the price of one. The new director of music, Benedict Collins Rice, along with retiring conductor Nigel Perrin. www.bathbachchoir.org.uk

ABOVE: The enchanting children’s story of the Midnight Mole performs at The Egg on 9 – 31 December; LEFT: Longleat’s legendary Festival of Light, on until 8 January, celebrates the world of Roald Dahl this year; INSET: Enjoy a truly magical wander through Westonbirt’s Enchanted Christmas

22 December

THE ABBA TRIBUTE LIVE IN CONCERT

The Knowing Me Knowing Yule Christmas special with 90 minutes of ABBA classics with the added glitzy bonus of the Komedia decked out in 1970s style. www.komedia.co.uk

6 January

BATH JAZZ WEEKEND

Taking place at Widcombe Social Club, this is a weekend guaranteed to chase away the January blues. The Bath Jazz Weekend promises a remarkable line up of bands and soloists of international standing from across the British jazz scene. www.bathjazzweekend.com

8 January

BEN PILSTON

Singer, songwriter, wordsmith, and rising folk star Ben Pilston, who has been described as an old head on young shoulders, is live in session at Komedia’s Electric Bar starting at 2pm. www.komedia.co.uk

14 January

LAUREN HOUSLEY & NIGEL WEARNE

This special collaboration at the Chapel Arts Centre sees intimate acoustic performances from each artist, in a celebration of crosscontinental connection, culminating with the locking of harmonies and melding of styles. www.chapelarts.org

20 January

FROM THE JAM

From The Jam are led by Bruce Foxton (original bass player and songwriter with The Jam) and Russell Hastings who will be celebrating the 40th anniversary of The Jam s nal 1 2 farewell tour Beat Surrender.Bath Forum; www.bathforum.co.uk

COMEDY

Until 23 December

KRATER CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

Complete with an all-star comedy line-up, an optional 1 or 3 course meal, and dancing to cheesy floorller classics until the early hours with after-parties courtesy of FAME & The Big Disco. Now there’s all the festive feels in one gorgeous night. Komedia Bath; www.komedia.co.uk

31 December

KRATER COMEDY

CLUB NYE SPECIAL

Kick-out 2022 and welcome in 2023 with the Krater Comedy Club

New Year’s Eve special featuring two circuit-leading stand-ups and one of the best compères in the business. The bundle ticket gets you a meal and the after show party. www.komedia.co.uk

21 January

RHOD GILBERT: THE BOOK OF JOHN

Rhod was in the middle of a massive tour when Covid 19 brought curtains down in theatres everywhere, but now he’s back on the road and appearing at Bath Forum. It’s a little bit raw, very personal, and brutally honest; no more lies, no more nonsense. This is Rhod, but di erent, the same, but not. www.bathforum.co.uk

CHILDREN

Until 15 January

FIVE

CHILDREN AND IT

Five children discover a magical, mischievous, and extremely grumpy sand fairy called It with the power to grant spectacular wishes. But they learn, be careful what you wish for. Written by Marietta Kirkbride and based on the novel by E Nesbit. The Egg; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

Until 31 December MIDNIGHT MOLE

A heart-warming, moon-dancing adventure from the creative team behind Snow Mouse (with a nod to Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard) full of puppetry and music. Suitable for ages 6 months – 4 years. The Egg; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

20 January

ROCK THE TOTS: AROUND THE WORLD

A gig for the little people… and their grown-ups! Expect to hear some super tunes with destinations in their titles and lyrics. No prizes for guessing geographical classics by Toto (Africa) or Beach Boys (California), but George Ezra’s Budapest? That’s clever. Rondo Theatre; www.rondotheatre.co.uk

LIGHTS, MARKETS, AND ACTION

Until 20 December THE SWAPSHOP AND FATHER CHRISTMAS

The Bath BID Elf-o-Matic machine is taking over the

ABOVE: The Muppets Christmas Carol is screening at the Bath Forum on 22 December with the score performed live by an orchestra; BELOW: Follow Bath Christmas lights trail all over the city until 3 January

CULTURE CLUB …with Morgan Rees

This softly spoken, rising star of a Welsh comedian boasts a densely packed arsenal of impressive oneliners and hilarious short stories. He has appeared on BBC Radio 4 in the prestigious finals of the BBC New Comedy Award and is also a co-writer of the internet superstar Uncle Roger.

Morgan is also the regular host of the Komedia Bath’s Electric Comedy Club, running the last Monday of every month, which is a showcase of the UK’s finest up-and-coming comedy talent.

The last great film you saw The animated sci-fi comedy The Mitchells vs. The Machines

A film I could watch over and over again

Hot Fuzz starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost

A painting that means something to me Guernica by Pablo Picasso, which was painted in 1937

My lockdown box set Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Best TV show ever Marion & Geoff

The book that changed my life The Descent of Man by Grayson Perry. It eloquently explores the concept of masculinity.

Last live music gig Griff at the Bristol O2

Favourite arts place in Bath Bath Komedia. Comedy is an art form, and as a student, I went to the Krater Comedy Club almost every Saturday by myself to watch how the masters did it

My desert island disc Run The Jewels by Run The Jewels

The first single I bought Work It by Missy Elliot

My karaoke go-to Suspicious Minds by Elvis Presley. Or Toxic by Britney Spears

Recommended podcast Try Chatting With Cherubs Myself and the hilarious Josh Jones present it. It’s a show of fun chat, juicy goss, and a nice vibe with amazing guests, and is designed for the sole purpose of cheering you up.

For more: www.komedia.co.uk

Swapshop in Abbeygate Street and is being hot desked by Father Christmas himself. www.bathbid.co.uk

Until 21 December

ENCHANTED CHRISTMAS AT WESTONBIRT

Father Christmas’s elves have decorated the arboretum with beautiful sparkling lights. www.forestryengland.uk

Until 31 December THE ENCHANTED GARDEN OF LIGHT

The American Museum and Gardens puts on its annual and utterly magical outdoor light display once again. www.americanmuseum.org

Until 1 January CHRISTMAS AT STOURHEAD

Immersive and spectacular artworks transform the National Trust’s world famous landscape garden and Palladian mansion this winter, with the return of the imaginative light trail accompanied by enchanting music. www.nationaltrust.org.uk

Until 2 January

ICE RINK AT CLARKS VILLAGE

rst-of-its kind ice rink at Clarks Village as part of the outlet’s Christmas celebrations, o ering guests a truly magical skating experience to go with their festive shopping trip. www.clarksvillage.co.uk

Until 3 January BATH ON ICE

It’s dreamy winter wonderland at Victoria Park. Bath on Ice is back for its 10th year with wintery music, the cosy Moguls Alpine Bar serving

seasonal drinks, and Glow Golf just next door. www.bathonice.co.uk

3 January BATH’S CHRISTMAS LIGHT TRAIL

This Christmas, many of Bath’s most famous streets and buildings have been brought to life with magical illuminations. These include winter cheer at the Royal Mineral Water Hospital; lighting the London plane in Abbey Green; and the beacon of hope at Bath Abbey. www.welcometobath.co.uk

Until 8 January FESTIVAL OF LIGHT

Along with the enchanted Christmas Tree show, and the Santa Train, the wondrous world of Roald Dahl is being celebrated at Longleat this winter including a Willy Wonka style chocolate river, and a huge and very friendly giant. www.longleat.co.uk

OTHER 20 December BATH LIFE BUSINESS SURGERY

In conjunction with the University of Bath’s School of Business, this promises to be an in-depth exploration of the importance of diversity in management teams and the boardroom. Speakers include Jane llis-Brush, who is a senior lecturer at the University of Bath, and Abi Millican, a Uni alumnus now on the board of Bath Artists’ Studio. For info and tickets email: events@mediaclash.co.uk or search for Bath Life Business Surgery on Eventbrite. www.eventbrite.co.uk

See A Christmas Carol with Guy Masterson at the Ustinov, 20 – 31 December

Kaysha Nada, Alex Aram, Jon Monie, Nick Wilton, and Tom Lister star in Theatre Royal Bath’s Aladdin

BOOKS NIC BOTTOMLEY Christmas is lit

At this time of year I always enter the same few searches into our stock systems to make sure we have all the best reside reads. uick search for ‘Christmas, ‘Winter’, ‘Ice’, ‘Frost’ and Snow will usually reveal all the festive stocking llers we ve been selling every December, and plenty of new seasonal reading treats as well.

Whilst the covers of many of these books seem like they o er nothing but comfort and oy, you do have to watch out for the usual blend of light and dark. The Winter Garden by le andra Bell Cornerstone, . sees eight-year old Beatrice invited to e plore the mysterious and wondrous inter arden at Half Moon House on the night that her mother dies. For a week the garden, with all of its spectacular plants and animals, proves an immense source of distraction and relief until it disappears completely. The novel begins in the ictorian era, and there are feminist and other historical themes to e plore, but on another level it s an escapist fairy tale laden with shiny wintry ad ectives that is going to appeal to anyone who devoured The Night Circus all those years ago. ach year the archives tend to reveal forgotten books of winter stories from classic authors, and this year s pick might be Winter in the Air by Sylvia Townsend arner Faber, . . arner was a proli c mid-twentieth century author of novels and short stories, and she s perhaps best known for the much loved and tremendously witchy family drama Lolly Willowes

Winter in the Air has ust been reissued with a crisp illustrated cover. t s a delicious collection of stories of everyday angst and more dramatic goings-on all set amongst a glittering snowy landscape. s the snow drifts down we witness schoolyard brawls, the theft

of a kitchen knife, a woman returning to the scene of her dysfunctional marriage and even murder. ll of these dramas take place in a single town, and the fabric of that community and its own collective personality shape, proves to be a witty and e tremely subversive collection of tales. Perfect mischievous armchair reading for the very shortest days.

ndulging in seasonal comfort reads shouldn t be the preserve of adults alone. The Snowflake by Ben i Davies Harper Collins, . is the ideal intro to the magic of the season for our very youngest readers. Davies brings his usual stunning illustrative style honed in modern classics such as The Storm Whale to a delightful picture book. e follow a perfect flu y snowflake form high in the clouds and tumble down to earth to enchant one lucky girl, Noelle, who has been dreaming of snow. Snowflake and girl make the perfect team in this e uisite story which you can imagine being read year after year as a festive e citement-builder.

To end with, m going to resist giving my nearly annual shout-out to my personal essential Christmas ve read with the kids the sublime and hilarious picture book Christmas at Exeter Street by Diana Hendry alker, . .

ell okay, didn t uite resist, but am going to leave it at that, and instead point out One Christmas Wish by current master-of-all-genres atharine Rundell and, illustrator mily Sutton Bloomsbury, . . This is a beautiful bittersweet tale of a child entranced by some mischievous Christmas decorations who spring to life to entertain him one lonely Christmas ve.

f only all of our decorations would come to life to put themselves neatly away in the attic each January.

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

“Some mischievous Christmas decorations spring to life to entertain a lonely child one Christmas Eve”

Literary reads to keep you cosy this festive period

THE REEL THING EMMA INGLEDEW

Corsage

Release date 30 December (previewing 18 December)

For people who loved the irreverence of The Favourite comes a new biography, Corsage. Written and directed by Marie Kreutzer, this is a partly imagined, purposefully anachronistic biography of Empress Elisabeth of Austria. Empress Elisabeth, also known as Sissy, was once idolised for her beauty, but as she turns 0, she is o cially deemed old.

The lm is masterfully acted by icky Krieps, as she rallies against the strict roles for women in society and comes up with a plan to protect her legacy.

Berliner Philharmonika

Screening 31 December

Founded in 1882, The Berlin Philharmonic is one of the most popular, acclaimed, and well-respected orchestras in the world. Now, the joy of their concerts will be beamed across the globe to The Little with their New Year’s Eve show.

Led by chief conductor Kirill Petrenko, the Berliner Philharmonika have a thrilling Russian-Italian programme planned. Tenor Jonas Kaufmann, one of the world’s leading

singers, will be featuring as a special guest, as the Philharmonika perform popular numbers from Sergei Proko ev s Romeo and Juliet and Tchaikovsky’s sumptuous Capriccio Italien, amongst other surprises.

Tár

Release date 13 January

(previewing 31 December)

The scar race is o cially underway, and how better to prepare for the season than by watching one of the main contenders. Starring Cate Blanchett, Tár is the ctional biography of an imagined conductor and musician Lydia Tár. As she prepares for the performance of a lifetime, ghosts from her past begin to haunt her, in this thrilling exploration of power, cancel culture and music.

Todd Fields writes and directs this tourde-force performance and Blanchett is unforgettable in a role that looks likely to become legendary.

The Queen of Spades Screening 1 January

Described by Wes Anderson as the sixth best British lm, the forever creepy and haunting drama The Queen of Spades will be returning to cinema screens this January.

It is a 1949 fantasy/horror based on the short story by le ander Pushkin. The lm follows Countess Ranevskaya (Edith Evans), an elderly woman who sells her soul to the devil in order to always win at cards.

When a Russian soldier, Captain Herman Suvorin becomes obsessed with discovering her secret, his quest soon takes an eerie turn. This early horror lm was once considered completely lost, but fortunately was found and restored in 2009.

Emma Ingledew is manager at The Little Theatre Cinema, 1–2 St Michael’s Place; www.picturehouses.co.uk

From an ageing Austrian empress to a pact with the devil Countess, The Little Theatre has a whole selection box of quality treats to take you into Christmas and beyond

CLOCKWISEFROMTOP: The haunting Queen of Spades from 1949; Cate Blanchett’s performance in Tár has Oscar-worthy written all over it; See the Berliner Philharmonikalive streamed on 31 December; Vicky Krieps plays the ageing Empress in Corsage

BISHOPSTROW HOTEL & SPA

By Lydia Tewkesbury

When the opportunity arose for a spa day at Bishopstrow, a historic country house nestled within 30-acres of land beside the winding River Wylye – it was an instant ‘yes please and thank you’ from us. Just the other side of Warminster, the hotel was bought back in 2021 for a cool £5.5m by the Kaleidoscope Collection, Ian and Christa Taylor’s powerhouse hotelier, that counts quirky Bath hotel The Bird amongst its portfolio, along with the luxurious Homewood Hotel & Spa in Freshford. They set about putting their distinctive mark on the place, and by the end of the year Bishopstrow had become the rst hotel in Wiltshire to be accredited by the global Small Luxury Hotels of the World network.

So far, so high expectations.

The approach is via a long, winding drive peppered by the characterful Kaleidoscope animal motif – in Bishopstrow’s case, a cute-looking fox with a big bushy

tail (there’s a Homewood bear, and the Bird has its bird, of course). After a moment, the vast Georgian mansion looms into sight – designed by John Pinch the Elder, it has a very Regency feel and a grand visage – and, not to be out-Bathed, a unique water supply collected from its own borehole, pure and fresh from the ground. It’s an unusual quirk they could make more of – especially in such a spring-centric local spa scene.

The touch of Kaleidoscope is evident. They’ve renovated all 14 rooms, with the addition of four new sumptuous hot tub suites, and the two AA-rosette restaurant has had an overhaul, complete with new head chef. Outside, there’s a brand new pool bar, and a no-dig vegetable garden to complement the new kitchen.

On arrival we head straight to the spa, a rabbit-warren like con guration of interconnecting treatment rooms. You can languidly make your way through the myriad options of the gym, sauna, steam room and luxurious monsoon shower, all lit with a dark and heady glow that, conveniently, makes you forget what time of day it is.

There are two pools, one indoor and one out that are, confusingly, accessed via the disabled toilet (the spa is set for a refurb next year, so I assume this oddity will be dealt with then) but the spaces are bright and airy once you’ve made it through that, and the outdoor hot tub especially is a must. Warm enough to tolerate on the sunny autumnal day of our visit, especially with a glass of warming bubbly in easy reach, it is an idyllic spot from which to watch the world slip by, surrounded by the calming peace of Bishopstrow’s lush grounds.

The spa is fuelled by Elemis, and has a holistic style and a healing vibe, and it was with this in mind that I went for a back, neck and shoulder massage. A must for a journalist who spends every day hunched over a keyboard, I entered with anticipation of the sweet pain that comes with the kneading and unspooling of knots in my back under a pair of talented hands. And I got that, sure – my therapist unwound the tension in my neck with a light but sure touch, brought my shoulders away from their habitual spot just below my ears and left me feeling two inches taller. She also talked. A lot. And asked me questions. A lot. This I suppose is a matter of preference – for some, I am sure a long chat about the source of your back tension is a vital and helpful part of the experience. For me? I just wanted to lie in the dark and enter that liminal massage space where you might actually be asleep, unintruded upon by a slew of questions from above.

No matter – I met my companion afterwards (she had been for a facial, which was excellent and sans interrogation) and went for an afternoon tea that was so sumptuous, so rich, and so utterly captivating we wound up sitting in Bishopstrow s light-flooded garden room for hours. Everything from the note perfect service to the deliciously neat rectangular sandwiches, flu y scones and dreamy creamy little cakes, was ensuring we wanted to keep the world at bay for just that little bit longer. Bishopstrow is a nearby and great option when you a bit of TLC – the countryside surrounds and easy luxury of the place make for the perfect day escape.

HOTEL DETAILS

Bishopstrow Hotel & Spa, Boreham Road, Warminster BA12 9HH; tel: 01985 804680; www.bishopstrowhotel.com

When established 1975, but acquired by Kaleidoscope in 2021

Owners Ian and Christa Taylor Spa Gym, thermal treatments and a range of Elemis facial and body treatments available, in addition to massages and treatments formulated for men

Recommended The Elemis Pro-Glow Brilliance+ facial, £90. An ultrasonic peel with brightening enzymes gives the skin a deep clean and removes visible pollutants for happy, healthy and plump skin

Atmosphere Set in 30 acres of prime, picturesque estate. The grounds boast kitchen gardens (where they get many of their naturally grown ingredients), a rolling orchard, and the River Wylye runs alongside – perfect for a spot of trout fishing.

“It is an spotidllyic from which to watch the world slip by”

FOOD & DRINK

SCENE

JUST FOR CHOUX

The Royal Crescent Hotel and Spa has launched a Festive Afternoon Tea, available until the end of the year. Guests can enjoy intricately designed festive Christmas pastries – and make it an extra special treat with a delicious flight of Taittinger champagne or sparkling Gusborne rosé to go with it.

For more: www.royalcrescent.co.uk

GIVE BACK

Odd Down’s 3 Café Kitchen has launched a sponsor-astudent campaign. The award-winning café is part of Three Ways School, and provides a delicious menu of breakfast, lunch and cakes while giving young people with special needs training and work experience in a real working environment.

They aim to provide 40 work placements each year alongside food hygiene and catering uali cations. Students who have completed placements at 3 Café have gone on to placements in the community including at No. 15 Guest House and Lansdown Golf Club, as well as employment in Lucknam Park and Hotel Indigo.

“We would like to secure partners to sponsor each of the young people who work in the café ensuring that they are supported by our jobs coach and able to make the most of the experience,” says Lucy Beattie, fundraising, marketing and development manager at Three Ways. “In a world where less than 4.5 per cent of people with disabilities are in paid work, it is vital that we do all we can to prepare our young people to achieve as much as they can, to experience the world of work and to gain employability skills. To nd out about ways to sponsor contact Lucy on lucy.beattie@threeways.co.uk

For more: www.threeways.co.uk

A BELLY FULL

Belly Laughs is coming to Bath. For the last ve years, comedian Mark lver s hilarious brainchild has been banishing the winter blues in Bristol with a series of stand-up shows in cafés, restaurants and bars. In January Belly Laughs will launch in Bath with gigs planned across the city – all in aid of Julian House. e do stu in that area where food, comedy, and doing good stu for others meets, e plains Mark. e re really e cited to be spreading our wings a little and launching in our neighbouring city of Bath. I’m always blown away by people’s generosity at these events and am sure we can raise some money for Julian House whilst

having a bit of a laugh at the same time.”

Belly Laughs partners with independent venues to put on comedy gigs with food and drink. There are a range of di erent si ed venues involved, from places like Bath Brew House, The Moor elds and bbey Hotel, to the likes of Sally Lunns, La Terra and Sugarcane Studio. Acts are a surprise on the night, and can be up-and-comers, local stalwarts and household names – with previous acts including Jon Richardson, Abi Clarke, Jon Robins, Jayde Adams and Joe Wilkinson. Tickets are available through Yuup.

For more: www.yuup.co

Mark Olver the comedian and founder of Belly Laughs

Festive afternoon tea Royal Crescent

© ROBERT WILLIS PHOTOGRAPHY

Three Ways students like Jess can benefit from work experience in the 3 Café

CHRISTMAS BIRD

t s so spine-tingly when Bath s bars, restaurants, caf s and clubs go the extra festive mile this time of year. e re particularly smitten with the domes of The Bird, Bath in Bathwick that have been decked out in proper bauble style. And if that wasn’t enough for evoking all the festive feels, there s the lpine Lodge and bar for that skislopes in winter atmosphere.

For more: www.thebirdbath.co.uk

OUTSIDE THE BOX

The Box is a new travelling champagne bar that was set up by Hayley Jack this summer.

There seemed to already be uite a lot of prosecco and vans, but hadn t ever found a champagne one, says Hayley. Though do sell other sparkling wines as well, including prosecco, felt that although this could be a niche market, there was room for something a bit di erent.

Since June, Hayley has been building her reputation locally, popping up at locations like Bowood House and ardens, the reat Bath Feast and, most recently, Stourhead, where she ll be right through until 1 January.

For more: www.the-champagne-box.co.uk

SKI SEASON

The Après Ski Bar has made a welcome return to The Abbey Hotel. Rest up in the Alpine-inspired atmosphere where you can refuel on mouth-watering bratwursts, winter cocktails, indulgent lu ury hot chocolates, and locally sourced mulled cider to set the festive tone.

t o ers a magical winter wonderland feel complete with interactive snow globe photo opportunity and bright, festive mural imaginatively created by local artists Jason DorleyBrown and Emma Taylor.

For more: www.abbeyhotelbath.co.uk

The Après Ski Bar is back

Watch the Birdieshe’s pretty

The Box is at Stourhead throughout the Christmas period

© JAKE EASTHAM

DINE THE WINTER WONDERLAND WAY

Enjoy two heartwarming, belly-filling delicious recipes from THE PIG – near Bath

Robin Hutson started his career with Claridge’s Hotel as a waiter before going onto co-found the Hotel du Vin chain in 1994. Since 2011, Robin has built up another collection of hotels, called THE PIG with eight locations including THE PIG –near Bath. Here he selects a few winter warmer recipes from his new book The Pig: 500 Miles of Food, Friends and Local Legends: 2 which, with the help of interviews, notes, and recipes, celebrates the artisans, growers, farmers,

SPICY GARDEN ROOT PIE

Robin says, “It probably hasn’t escaped your notice that we love a good pie at The Pig. But this one is slightly different from the meaty ones we usually serve – it’s packed with veg from the kitchen garden and is light and wholesome. It can be made without dairy, so it’s suitable for everyone. The vegetable filling can be adapted to what’s in season and this mix, with the celeriac setting off the spinach and chard, is a firm favourite. Don’t hold back on the spices – they’re what help to make it so tasty. This one’s even been known to convert the odd meathead!”

You’ll need a 22cm x 26cm pie dish or 6 individual 16cm pie dishes

Ingredients

2 tablespoons rapeseed oil 1 large white onion, diced 3 garlic cloves, crushed 1 celeriac, peeled and diced (you want to end

Serves 4–6

up with 00g flesh 3 large carrots, diced 4 medium sticks celery, diced 1 tablespoon mild curry powder ½ teaspoon turmeric ½ teaspoon chilli powder

Salt and pepper 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes 120g fresh spinach 120g chard 320g pu pastry shop-bought is ne 1 large egg yolk

Method

foragers and shermen who make each P hotel special. Of the location of THE PIG – near Bath, Robin says, “Mellow is the word for everything about Somerset –surely the only county in England where a dairy farmer would invent the world’s most famous music festival, where cutting-edge galleries sit amid dreamy meadows, and one of the local herdsmen used to play with The Kooks. Oh, and the cheese, cider and cream aren’t bad either. And you wonder why it’s our kind of place?”

3. Taste the mix and, if you’re happy with the seasoning, add your spinach and chard – this will take just a minute to cook, so take care not to overdo it. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

. Heat your oven to 200 C, 1 0 C fan 00 F , gas mark . nce the mi has cooled, ll your pie dish (or dishes if you’re using individual ones .

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and sweat the onion and garlic without colouring. Once it’s fully softened, add the celeriac, carrot and celery.

2. Cook until everything has softened then add your spices and salt and pepper and cook for a few minutes more. Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes (you may need to add a splash of water here .

. Roll out the pastry to t your dish or dishes . Brush the inside edge of your dish es and eggwash, then place the pastry on top, pinching it around the edge to seal.

6. Using a pastry brush, egg-wash the lid well – this will give the pastry a nice glaze when it’s cooked. Poke a hole in the middle to allow the steam to escape.

7. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

SLOW ROASTED QUINCE

Serves 4–6

“We’re not sure exactly when the poor old knobbly quince fell out of favour, but we’re big fans and have some lovely old trees in the kitchen garden near Bath,” says Robin. “Unlike apples and pears, the quince has to be cooked to reveal its fragrant glories – but one taste of this and you’ll be a convert. The long, slow cooking time allows the honey and spices to really do their job, perfectly complementing the quince’s delicate, perfumed flavour. Those Victorians knew a thing or two.”

Ingredients

For the quinces

4 quinces, cleaned of any brown down 1.8 litres stock syrup (made by heating together 700g sugar and 1.1 litres water until the sugar is dissolved; cool to room temperature)

200ml lemon juice (you’ll need 4 large lemons) 70g runny honey

2 cloves

1 star anise

400ml dry white wine (whatever you have lying around – since it gets cooked out, it doesn’t need to be anything special)

For the sponge

4 medium eggs, separated 160g caster sugar Pinch of salt 160g pecans 30g plain flour

Method

1. Peel the quinces, quarter and remove the cores. Place in to the stock syrup and add the lemon juice. Bring to the boil and simmer for 40 minutes. Remove the quinces from the syrup and place in a baking tray (the cooking syrup can be kept and used with yogurt and fruit). Drizzle over the honey and add the spices and wine.

2. Heat the oven to 180ºC, 160ºC fan (350ºF), Gas Mark 4.

3. Cover the quinces with a piece of greaseproof paper and gently cook in the oven for 30 minutes. Then turn them over and ladle the juices on top (add more white wine if necessary). Return to the oven for a further 30 minutes. They should be soft and crimson coloured.

4. In a food mixer, whisk together the egg whites, 100g of the sugar and a pinch of salt to form a meringue; set aside.

5. Whisk the yolks and remaining sugar until the mi ture is light and flu y.

6. Heat the oven to 200ºC, 180ºC fan (400ºF), Gas Mark 6.

7. In a mini food processor, grind the pecans nely, add the flour and blit for a few seconds longer to combine.

8. Fold the meringue into the yolks gently so as not to knock the air out, followed by the pecan flour.

9. Spread onto a lined baking tray (around 22cm x 22cm) and bake for 15-18 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool before cutting.

10. To serve, place a slice of the pecan sponge on a plate, put 3 or 4 quarters of warm quince on top of the sponge and drizzle the cooking liquor over the fruit. You can always add crème fraîche or ice cream.

The Pig: 500 Miles of Food, Friends and Local Legends: 2 (RRP £30) is available to order at local indie bookshops and also via THE PIG website www.thepighotel.com

LD RL

Sarah Baker nds gold, fabulousness, and bliss at the Broad Street beauty salon

Imust confess this is my rst time to LittleLab. hile thought knew all about this award-winning beauty emporium, also kind of thought it was a hen group destination. And it is, at times, but it is also much more than that.

First o was treated to a Christmas miracle of a facial. ow. nd really mean , as can t emphasise enough how delicious this treatment was and how e cellent Charlotte, the salon manager s, skills are. had the L D Facial with light therapy (perfect for this time of the year for S D syndrome which includes an anti-ageing collagen boost facial perfect for anytime of the year using L rganic Skincare products, featuring the BioRetinol old Mask how bou ii, how festive Hertfordshire-based volve make handmade beauty products in small batches using antio idant oils, butters, and e tracts and are a vegan, cruelty-free and eco-friendly brand, sourced by LittleLab creator and salon owner atherine Spreadbury.

The treatment consisted of a beautiful massage, (that included the arms and hands, shoulders, and neck together with a lymphatic drainage massage on the face. The gold mask

was delicious, and the LED light therapy was fun – not intrusive at all. From start to nish this treatment was superb bliss, goldplated bliss.

e t up, was a few hours with make-up artist Sammy updating my make-up skills in a one-toone make-up workshop as part of their #shyofmakeup movement, which helps clients to build their make-up con dence. may have thought that TikTok had taught me all needed to know about make-up at 2. was wrong. Sammy had so much to share about techni ue, brushes, and product use. n this workshop you are guided on how best to create your chosen look obvs a smokey party eye plundering the LittleLab palettes which was a real treat. nter MUD, a new-to-me brand that atherine brought to the U from the US, where she spent time as a make-up artist. t proved to be beautiful uality and easy to use. was smitten. The foundation was flawless and can be purchased in store at a very reasonable price for a professional product. Never fear not

being able to remember all the information from Sammy, as you take away a booklet with you that you annotate as you go. The workshop is perfect as a one-to-one make-up refresh, for a mother and daughter quality time treat or for group hen-party sessions, and would make a lovely Christmas gift for ust about anyone who en oys wearing make-up.

fter these two treatments, even think m looking pretty hot, and very ready for my pr s Ski Bar date with my other half. However, Charlotte and Sammy are keen to share their ir-Brush make-up kit with me and who am to refuse s part of the LittleLab makeup bar beauty services they o er C airbrushed make-up, an express professional service ideal for getting you Christmas party perfect.

Charlotte was super uick adding delicate foundation and blush additions to my look. LittleLab also o er an eyebrow bar, lash bar and a C nail bar and, until 23 December, there s an in-store champagne bar, making it the perfect pre-party, post-Christmas market shop stop-o .

Founder Katherine tells she me wanted to create a brand that helped women break down the scary barriers associated with make-up, o ering uick routines, helpful workshops, and high quality, easy to use, professional grade brands. up, all the ticks and a great big gold star for a ob very well done

For more: www.littlelab.co.uk

LEFT: LittleLab’s interior; BELOW: Sarah was positively glowing after her LittleLab session; INSET: The Bio-retinol gold face mask by Evolve

“From start to nis t is treatment was superb – bliss, gold-plated bliss”

BRIEF ENCOUNTERS

Tis the season to be seduced by sparkles, sequins, and night time only partywear

Words by Marianne Cantelo

Does anyone else get to this time of year and feel like breaking up with their clothes? Or even worse, let them hang sadly in the wardrobe while conducting a torrid a air with some inappropriate but exciting new thing? Maybe it’s the fact that the days are so short – you leave the house in the dark, you go home in the dark. Those cosy, autumnal colours just don’t cut it anymore – they seem bland and colourless in the streetlight – not hygge but ‘homely’. Instead, siren-like, in the deep of night, shiny, light-reflecting, hypnotic and colourful clothes you’ve seen in shop windows, call to you. They want you. You want them.

THE HUSSY COAT

t s an invitation that s di cult to resist, our magpie-like tendencies exaggerated as winter removes colour from our surroundings and creates a craving for light, contrast, and e citement that we can t nd in what we already have. As much as we know that these clothes might not have longevity, the excitement of playing with them outweighs how short-lived and inappropriate that relationship might be.

Who will be tempting you away from your reliable, warm but functional padded jacket? It’s that hussy the faux-fur coat. Preferably in lilac, hot pink, or even Kelly green – you’ll walk out with her proudly for two months max, then drop her like a hot potato at the end of January. She’ll go with anything, jeans, midi skirts, pleather pants, maxi dresses, and minis, until suddenly she won’t. She’s gone again until next year. Eye-catching, tactile, transient.

SEDUCTIVE HEMS

You’ll turn your back on that comfortable, everfaithful midi dress, and slither deliciously inside a sequin frock with matching metallic booties. She’ll seduce you into a hem length that denies the existence of cold winds, inspires eyewatering dance moves, and an irrational sense of immunity to hangovers. When you wake up the next day you’ll have multiple scratches on your arms and legs and no memory of how they got there. Until you next put on the sequin dress and it all comes back to you. But the pain is worth the gain. Then there’s velvet. Corduroy was the comfortable girl next door and along comes velvet, the femme fatale of fabrics. Blazers, slinky dresses and sensual skirts layered with gold jewellery, soft wool and gently distressed leather. It’s an intense but short-lived relationship which ends shortly after you take down the Christmas

decorations, even if you have introduced her to your knitwear family and they loved her as much as you did.

And who is replacing your pragmatic, versatile and loyal crisp white t-shirt? It’s that floo y, the ewel-toned satin, plunging blouse. Evoking 1990s Tom Ford for Gucci, it’s an item that flatters and boosts the ego worn with a matching midi she’s slinky and sexy, with jeans subtly seductive.

DEVIL MAY CARE

Why would your ‘go everywhere’ tote bag suddenly become the dull ‘stay at home’? It’s the plethora of embellished, baroque, beaded and bling encrusted clutch bags that appear at this time of year, persuading us that life’s too short and exciting to carry anything more than a phone, lipstick, keys and credit card.

“Along comes velvet, the femme fatale of fabrics”

re you casting o your treasured white capsule wardrobe super sneakers for seasonally speci c sparkly high tops so you can bring the party to the o ce There s something in the crisper air that makes us all susceptible to statement pieces that defy our notions of practicality and make us more devil may care. Go on, I dare you, ‘go on a break’ from your wardrobe and defy the cold with some frivolous fashion choices. It may not last, but it’s de nitely love.

Marianne Cantelo is the business development project manager for Dorothy House Hospice Care.

The charity has 25 high street shops across the region selling fantastic pre-loved items which provides a large part of their income, plus it also has an online shop.

For more: www.dorothyhouse.org.uk

Photo: Egle Vasi; www.eglevasi.com

Model: Olivia Hope Anthony  Styling: Anna Power Venue: Rondo Theatre; www.rondotheatre.co.uk Make-up: Chantelle Moody; Instagram @chantellemoody.makeup

SHOPPING LIST

1. Pailette gold croc heels, £245, from Chanii B, 9 Milsom Place, Bath; www.chaniibshoes.com

Karen Millen pale blue sequinned bag, £7.99, www.dorothyhouse.shop

Bella skirt in floral taffeta, £425, from Cabbages & Roses, 3 West End, Bruton; www.cabbagesandroses.com

Diane Von Furstenberg cherry red pre-loved silk ruched minidress - UK 6, £75, from Love Alice, Unit 7 Old Mill Business Park, Station Road, Bruton; www.love-alice.co.uk

Kanel sparkle red hair clip, £17.50, from Found, 17 Argyle Street, Bath; www.foundbath.co.uk

Changing Constance eau de parfum, £215, from Penhaligon’s, 14 New Bond Street, Bath; www.penhaligons.com

7. Nixa dress in purple by Stine Goya, £690, from Grace & Mabel, 3 George Street, Bath; www.graceandmabel.co.uk

8. The Colette cropped wide-leg sequin trousers, £160, from Anthropologie, 1 – 4 New Bond Street, Bath; www.anthropologie.com

9. White cropped faux fur bomber jacket in white by Compania Fantastica, £89, from Gaff Clothing, 29 Upper Borough Walls, Bath; www.gaffclothing.co.uk

10. Alara Molten metallic suit jacket by French Connection, £95, from Spirit Fashion; 3 High Street, Devizes; www.spiritfashion.co.uk

GOOD FACIAL AESTHETICS…

Should not be noticeable, says Dr Lucy Middlefell of DR LUCY FACIAL AESTHETICS

Ever looked in the mirror and thought –‘I look tired!’? It’s often a side effect of being incredibly busy and not having time to take care of ourselves. We live crazy lives and most of us don’t have time to dedicate to looking after ourselves properly. This is where Dr Lucy can help. She uses various products from wrinkle relaxing and dermal fillers to injectable moisturisers and amazing skin care solutions from Obagi to help you look well-rested and your absolute best, regardless of time constraints.

Wrinkle relaxing treatments are the fastest way to make sure you look wellrested. You can start in your 30s and use it as a wrinkle

preventative measure, or later and use it to relax the wrinkles so they look less prominent. It is incredibly beneficial whenever you choose to start.

Dermal fillers are not just for the Kardashians. Used correctly, they can restore lost volume from the face and look completely natural. As we age, our tissues deplete so we don’t have the scaffolding that we do when we’re younger.

To put it bluntly – everything starts to sag/drop. Dr Lucy only ever uses filler to restore what was once there.

Treatments range from cheek filler, jawline filler, ‘smoker’s lines’ filler, chin filler and so on. Her work is subtle and unless you have discussed otherwise, nobody will know you’ve had any treatment – you will just look well and fresher. Less is always more.

Profhilo – known as ‘the injectable moisturiser’, this is a hyaluronic acid treatment which is injected into the skin

to subtly plump and give a glow to your skin.

Obagi – the medical Obagi skin range is prescription-only and for this reason stands apart from all other skincare systems on the market. They have an incredible anti-ageing range as well as systems to treat acne, rosacea and many other conditions.

HydraFacial – a medical facial which can tackle a number of skin issues from pigmentation to acne.

Good skin is both anti-ageing and a sign of health and vitality that should not be underestimated.

10 Rossiter Road, Widcombe, Bath BA2 4JP Tel: 07496 230618; Email: info@doctorlucy.co.uk www.doctorlucy.co.uk

MOODBOARD

Decorating every part of the home into a gorgeous winter scene is easy if you think of it as a festive recipe,” says Dani. “We take one main tree, an alternative tree, decorations, accessories, lighting, wrap, and ribbon, and then collate them within the same scheme – that way, the festive d cor moves e ortlessly through the house.

For more: www.coxandcox.co.uk

3 There’s more than just red and green wreathes now, and you can subtly add Christmas to any room to match any scheme making creating a complete look even easier.

4 There is always room for fairy lights outside or inside the home. Whether it’s winding them around trees, the mantelpiece, photo frames or threading them into glass jars –they’re a simple way to create a warm welcome.

SHOPPING LIST

5 Another versatile look is jewelled garlands, like these pale pink gems displayed on fronds of golden wire. They can be easily twisted into any arrangement, and used for the festive season and beyond.

1. Indoor outdoor light up star silhouette, £35

2. Burnished brass house tea light lantern, small £50, large £55

3. Dusky blush wreath, £75

4. Magical outdoor indoor hanging vine lights, £50

5. Blush jewelled garland, £35

6. Golden blossom silhouette ribbon, £12.50

7. Indoor outdoor golden gypsophila light up tree, £195

8. Faux large gingerbread house, £85

2 Consider the journey through the house to make a winter scene at home. There’s no need to add much, it might only take a Christmas doormat inside the front door and house lanterns in the hallway.

1 The story begins outside with kerb appeal – it is important to begin to set the scene for guests arriving. Traditionally this would be a wreath at the door but you can also hang a light-up winter motif such as a star at the window – or at the door.

8 Don’t forget the whimsy! We shouldn’t take ourselves too seriously at Christmas, and adding a touch of fun to the décor, something nostalgic or charming, is when a winter scene comes to life.

6 The same gorgeous ribbon can update your tree, your garland, and your foraged finds, and quite literally ties the look together.

7 As well as being a versatile choice for those limited in space, adding a second alternative tree helps create a winter wonderland look. Usually prelit, an alternative tree provides that extra winter twinkle without additional decoration.

Dani Taylor of Cox & Cox looks at simple ways to keep the home looking joyous this Christmas

BRAVO BRUTON

By Lydia Tewkesbury

There is something anomalous about Bruton. Somerset is no stranger to cool little towns – from the renowned Frome Independent Market to the other-wordly vibes of Glastonbury, small places with big personalities have plenty of precedent. But even among these, Bruton stands distinct. Famously nicknamed ‘the new Notting Hill’, it has attracted myriad celebrity inhabitants over the years, including A-listers like designer Stella McCartney and lmmaker Sam Taylor-Johnson.

The transformation of Bruton from wellto-do Somerset town to fashionable home of the elite seems to come down to two of its most uni ue o erings for a town of barely 3,000 it has outsized, and internationally recognised arts and food scenes. Both arose from the runaway success of two key arrivals – Iwan Wirth and Manuela Hauser’s West Country outpost of global artistic phenomenon Hauser & Wirth, and Catherine Butler and Ahmed Sidki’s renowned restaurant, At the Chapel.

IT’S AN ART FORM

World-class contemporary art gallery Hauser & Wirth – complete with garden designed by internationally famous landscape designer Piet Oudolf – and its two purpose-built galleries (by Paris studio Laplace) brought the heart of the contemporary art scene to the countryside. Artists at the height of their careers are now always accessible to rural Somerset as never before in January 2023 alone the gallery will see a collection of works by Canadian artist Rodney Graham, who passed away in October. In dialogue with the rural gallery setting, the exhibition will open with Graham’s major late body of work, The Four Seasons, created between 2011 and 2013. The works comprise a captivating lightbox series dedicated to nature’s cycle through meticulously staged mis-en-scènes.

Merlin Labron Johnson, Osip’s Michelin-star-winning chef

How the small Somerset town became a high-end, jet set favourite

© ED SCHOFIELD

a romanticveryplace”

In addition to that, The New Bend curated by Legacy Russell, executive director and chief curator of the experimental new media, art and performance institution, The Kitchen will transfer from H&W’s LA home to Bruton. An exhibition that brings together 13 contemporary artists, it is a fascinating examination of the raced, classed and gendered traditions of quilting and textile practice.

It’s not just about showing art, either – Hauser irth o ers an immersive artist-in-residence programme, in which an artist spends an extended period in Bruton to draw inspiration from the local surroundings, people and way of life.

It’s not surprising that this culture of expression has spilled out across the Bruton community, to one of the town’s newest arrivals, Bo Lee and Workman. Jemma Hickman of bo.lee gallery and Alice Workman, previously senior director of Cultural Centres Europe for Hauser & Wirth bring together a combined 30 years of art world expertise to the new venture.

Jemma explains, “The gallery represents artists with a distinct identity and attention-to-detail, and is committed to supporting artists with their practice and development, collaborating with institutions, curators and museums and acting as an abutment between emerging talent and new and existing collectors.” At the moment they represent nine artists working across mediums, and after a successful pop-up season in spaces around Bruton, are moving into a new permanent space in the town next year. There will feature solo exhibitions from my Stephens, a Bath-based sculptor painter im Booker, who works from Margate at a studio comple supported by Tracey min and Devon-based ill Cruickshank, who makes te tile sculptures created using hand-built winding machines.

ABOVE: At The Chapel brought the clean, minimal aesthetic to Bruton; FARLEFT: Jemma Hickman and Alice Workman; INSET: Something, Anything, Everything by Amy Stephens from Bo Lee and Workman

“It’s

AN APPETITE FOR SUCCESS

At the Chapel, which was bought by the Stay Original Co. this year (owners of Timbrell’s Yard in Bradford on Avon, among others), had a similarly multiplying e ect. The clean, minimal aesthetic of the 18th-century chapel drew in the trendy crowd when it opened in 2008, while the perfectly baked sourdough, exceptional pizzas and simple but luxurious menu of produce-centric dishes kept them coming back.

At the Chapel’s general manager Chloe Hallam says, “Former owners Catherine Butler and Ahmed Sidki revolutionised the small, sleepy town of Bruton and its surrounds. Bruton and South Somerset became synonymous with fabulous food because of the restaurant and because of others that followed it.

Within less than a mile of At the Chapel there are now other great eating options including Osip, The Newt, and The Roth Bar & Grill at Hauser & Wirth. But it all started with At the Chapel and its food-totable ethos, leisurely atmosphere, stylish interiors, and strong links with the local community.”

“The establishment of At the Chapel on the High Street some years ago really impacted the food scene speci cally, agrees Merlin LabronJohnson, founder of Michelin-starred restaurant sip. ntroducing its

minimalist aesthetic and sourdough bread to the deep countryside, it paved the way for a more artisanal, considered approach to food.”

sip has taken a similar approach. Founded by Merlin, who earned his rst Michelin star at age 2 at his London restaurant Portland, Osip arrived in 2019.A unique and immersive experience, Osip is a restaurant with no menu, instead asking that guests put their faith in the kitchen to use the ingredients they have that are cultivated themselves on the two plots of land they keep nearby – to create something exceptional. The kitchen is small, the ingredients limited to what they pulled from the land that day, and the vibe utterly exclusive.

“Bruton as it used to be was never very restaurant-orientated – like many of its neighbouring towns, its community was predominantly farming-based, Merlin says. Certainly the arrival of Hauser Wirth changed the identity of the town somewhat, making Bruton a destination for a speci c, non-rural demographic of visitors. These types of visitors have helped populate the restaurants here, and Bruton s relatively uick links to London have maintained the ease of travel for food-orientated people to hop out to the countryside.” n terms of what the restaurants o er, the produce homegrown in Somerset and the closeness of relationships enabled between venues and suppliers by the proximity of producers to their local communities is foundational to their success.

think there s really something uni ue about how it all ts together here, says Merlin. t s a very romantic place, from that perspective.

IT’S A WAY OF LIFE

“Bruton is a historic town still retaining much of its picturesque charm,” says Harry Renshaw-Smith, regional sales manager for Acorn Property Group, who are currently developing Cubis Bruton, a community of 56 highly contemporary homes. “It is such a vibrant place to live, well served by schools and offering a variety of cafés, shops, a Michelin-starred restaurant and a renowned art gallery. It also benefits from great transport links to London and the rest of the country and a short drive will take you to cities like Bristol, Bath and Frome.”

ABOVE: At The Chapel’s brought the sourdough revolution to Somerset in 2008; LEFT: Tuesday Smillie Sequin Light (Orange, with Kjerstin Rossi) from The New Bend, at Hauser & Wirth in January 2023, image courtesy the artist and Hauser & Wirth

THE COSY

CLUBS

Want to make your winter holidays a little different this year, but still keep it close to home? We have eight gorgeous options for you to check out, and then check in

By Matt Bielby

Hunker down and hibernate in the glorious No.15

in an old boot factory and townhouse”Georgian

ARTIST RESIDENCE

Where is it? rade listed Portland S uare, ve minutes from Cabot Circus, Bristol What’s so special? Set in an old boot factory and eorgian townhouse, the eccentric, intimate and design-led rtist Residence o ers 23 individually decorated bedrooms, including two suites and The Lookout, a uni ue room tucked away in the eaves and set over two floors, with a private terrace overlooking the rooftops. What else? h, and there s art everywhere, much of it from locals like Rose ickers, nnie Clay, and street artist edals. The food and drink at the industrial chic Boot Factory their concrete-and-brick bar, caf and kitchen is pretty special too, crowd-pleasingly Mediterranean and built around pi as, grilled meat and sh, and hearty bowls of pasta.

For more: www.artistresidence.co.uk

AVON GORGE BY HOTEL DU VIN

Where is it? Up in Bristol s fancy Clifton illage with ama ing views across the worldfamous suspension bridge. What’s so special? Once one of the city s greatest wasted opportunities, now reinvigorated by the Hotel du in group, von orge o ers suites, balcony and even garden rooms, witty-yet-elegant decor, and one of the most spectacular locations you ll ever see. What else? Plus, there s a uni ue restaurant, oram incent imagine a gritty smokehouse with an open kitchen, coal red grills and bespoke clay ovens and the publike hite Lion bar, both en oying the most sublime views. lternatively, if you fancy being more central, Hotel du in s original City

Centre site is housed in a collection of rade listed former sugar warehouses, and has a newly refurbished bistro too. For more: www.hotelduvin.com

THE BATH PRIORY

Where is it? n leafy eston Park, 20 minutes walk from the centre of the city. What’s so special? The best British hotels tend to be either country houses big, beautiful, but essentially isolated or set in the heart of a city, inevitably a little smaller and a little louder, but with everything right on your

doorstep. Welcome to the best of both worlds: The Bath Priory feels like the rst, but it s ust a short wander through a top-notch park to the heart of the U SC world heritage city. What else? ither rela in four acres of gardens, sink into a feather sofa in front of a roaring re, e plore the historic glamour of Bath itself, or pamper yourself at The arden Spa by L ccitane, the only one of its type in the U . lternatively, try the afternoon tea this place is home to the Daily Telegraph’s ‘best scones in Bath , don t cha know For more: www.thebathpriory.co.uk

ABOVE: The stylish Artist Residence café space in Bristol; BELOW: Enjoy champagne in bed at Avon Gorge by Hotel du Vin

“Set

BRISTOL HARBOUR HOTEL & SPA

Where is it? Right in the middle of historic Corn Street, occupying two former banks rammed into one.

What’s so special? This is a hotel with real wow factor, from the 42 rooms to the stunning Sansovino – built in 1850, inspired by Jacopo Sansovino’s 16th century Venetian library, and once a banking hall. Then, deep underground in the former bank vaults, explore the HarSPA – central Bristol’s only luxury spa, we’re told – or the ultra-luxe Gold Bar in the old bank manager s o ce, with its plush velvet armchairs, resident weekend DJ, and high-end speakeasy vibe.

What else? Then there’s the Harbour Kitchen, with its seafood-centric menu, to fortify you before hitting central Bristol’s bars, theatres and clubs – or exploring St Nicholas Market next door.

For more: www.harbourhotels.co.uk

HOTEL INDIGO BATH

Where is it? Between the Abbey and the railway station in central Bath.

What’s so special? Perfectly placed in the heart of the city, taking up numerous town houses on South Parade, Hotel Indigo Bath this year opened its 18th century underground ault Rooms, completing the nal stage of a multi-million-pound restoration project. These 12 are each stunning and spacious, featuring exposed brickwork with soft lighting, timber nishing, vaulted stone ceilings and underfloor heating, not to mention king-size Hypnos beds and spa-inspired bathrooms with roll-top baths and walk-in rainfall showers.

What else? Happily, on-site

restaurant The

CLOCKWISE: The sumptuous drawing room at the Bath Priory; The dining is pretty special at The Elder in Hotel Indigo Bath; The glittering Gold Bar at Bristol Harbour Hotel & Spa

“Perfectly placed in the heart of the city”

Elder is at hand, sumptuous yet informal with an extraordinary menu, independently owned and run by restaurateur Mike Robinson and executive chef Gavin Edney. It’s widely acknowledged to be one of the most exciting dining options in Bath.

For more: www.bath.hotelindigo.com

LUCKNAM PARK

Where is it? Near Colerne in Wiltshire, seven miles northeast of Bath.

What’s so special? With a whopping 500 acres of parkland, Lucknam Park in Wiltshire really comes into its own in winter. This 42-room Palladian mansion provides an ideal escape for those looking for long country walks in the crisp winter air (dogs welcome), perhaps following the trail of statues dotted around the estate, while an uestrian Centre o ers hacks through the woodland and children will be kept busy with crafts and adventures inside The Hideaway. You can even take part in falconry or archery, before lazing in front of roaring log res, accompanied by a wide choice of books and board games. What else? There’s an indoor pool and the Michelin-starred Restaurant Hywel Jones too, o ering great views of the frost-touched gardens. Lucknam re-launched its spa this summer, alongside two new partners: Bathbased sustainable brand Natural Spa Factory, and global skincare leader 111SKIN, whose premium o ering features non-surgical face lifts and an innovative Cryo chamber, designed to mimic the e ects of e treme cold on the body’s natural system.

For more: www.lucknampark.co.uk

NO.15

Where is it? Half-way down Great Pulteney Street, familiar from Bridgerton, Vanity Fair and The Duchess What’s so special? No.15 is the perfect place for a winter hunker-down, right in the middle of one of Bath’s most spectacular roads yet feeling apart from the hustle and bustle somehow. This makes it the ideal base for both exploring the beautiful city, and hiding from it with sweets and popcorn from the Pantry and a classic disc from the vinyl library spinning on the in-room record player.

What else? Then maybe head down to The Spa (one favourite option is the Copper Room ritual, best with a carefully chosen plus one!) or for afternoon tea, carefully curated by pastry chef Gabi. No.15 is undergoing something of a revamp at the moment, with air conditioning rolling out across the hotel in time for the spring. And if you don’t fancy one of those orange-pink electric scooters that have started colonising Bath’s streets and pavements, why not borrow a Brompton bike from the hotel and explore on two wheels? For more: www.guesthousehotels.co.uk

ROYAL CRESCENT HOTEL & SPA

Where is it? Right in the centre of arguably the city’s most famous street, The Royal Crescent. What’s so special? Recently voted ‘Hotel of the Year’ at the 2022 VisitEngland Awards, The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa is a classic destination in a classy city. Pick from 45 luxurious bedrooms and suites, all by interior designer Jane Clayton, then explore Bath –ust a pleasant ve-minute stroll away with the hotel’s concierge team on hand to book the best tables and recommend things to do. Later, dine or take afternoon tea at The Dower House Restaurant; pamper yourself in the award-winning spa, with its heated Relaxation Pool; or enjoy the Taittinger Spa Garden (perhaps with a blanket over your knees), part of the hotel’s acre of grounds. What else? In 2023, The Dower House undergoes an exciting refurb, with stylish new d cor to accompany a new ne-dining menu, while April will see the launch of a new Luxury Balloon Flight Experience, inviting couples and friends to take to the skies during the warmer months, and experience breath-taking views of Bath’s beautiful landmarks.

For more: www.royalcrescent.co.uk

ABOVE: Opt for private dining in the Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa’s Library Room; BELOW: Lucknam Park provides an idyllic retreat

It’s the city’s business

BATH WORKS

Extra special Christmas celebrations are popping up at SouthGate every weekend until Christmas. Festive characters will appear including Santa himself along with Mrs Claus, both of them beautifully dressed in Nordic Lapland-style blue robes with white fur and snowflakes. The

Snow Sisters will perform everyone’s favourite festive tunes, and a Christmas brass band will be playing Christmas songs for visitors young and old to enjoy, as well as a visit from Frosty, who will be dishing out delicious Christmas cookies from his cookie bike.

There will be appearances from The Snow Lion and Snowdrop the Polar Bear who will be roaming the centre spreading festive cheer, while Santa’s elves will be performing some of the

orth Pole s nest magic tricks.

“We know that this Christmas might be more di cult for many, so we re doing what we can to make this year extra special,” says Guy Henderson, centre director at SouthGate Bath. “We’re so excited to launch our range of activities and festive character visits to help spread Christmas cheer to as many people as possible in the local community.”

For more: www.southgatebath.com

THIS ISSUE >>FESTIVE LIBRARIES (62) >>BIZ Q&A BATH & WEST COMMUNITY ENERGY (64) >>AWARDS SOMERSET CHILLI CO (65)

Santa’s elves are popping up in SouthGate

IN THE GOOD BOOKS

There’s plenty of festive fun to be had at Bath and North East Somerset libraries this Christmas season. The jam-packed Christmas events calendar includes a Lego Lab for free creative play, Christmas crafts and stories and the return of the dedicated sensory space to Bath Central Library for people with disabilities and sensory needs.

“As we enter the festive season it’s great to be able to provide lots of exciting events at our three libraries for families and children to come along and enjoy,” says Dine Romero, cabinet member for Children and Young People, and Communities. “You can join the fun online as well on our blog. I’m also delighted that we’ll be out and about bringing the library to the community.”

For more: www.bathnes.gov.uk

CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK

There’s a new antique shop on London Road just in time for Christmas. HARTLEY & HAZLEHURST is the embodiment of owner and founder Suzanne Hazlehurst’s lifelong passion for all things antiques.

ne of my earliest memories is as a ve-year-old being taken to an auction by my grandad,” says Suzanne. “It was like being in another world and a world I have been lucky enough to inhabit all my life – and now turn into a career.”

With her partner Stephen Hartley, a well-known name in the antique trade in the South West, Suzanne has gathered an eclectic collection of pieces, from a 1 th century French co er made from Monastery panels to mid-century Danish furniture, and contemporary paintings and sculptures by the renowned late artist John Wragg RA.

For more: Instagram @hartleyandhazlehurst

A GOOD PAWS

The Bath Cats and Dogs Home (BCDH) is trying to raise £20,000 for its winter appeal. The funding will go towards the charity’s vital animal welfare work for unwanted pets, and to provide the medical care often urgently needed when animals arrive at the shelter. Due to the cost-of-living crisis, the BCDH has seen a sharp rise in the number of animals arriving at the home with advanced medical problems.

“Since January, we have taken in 190 stray dogs and cats that were sadly unclaimed by their owners and are believed to have been abandoned as a result of people struggling to cope or to a ord the cost of a pet’s medical care,” says Rachel Jones, chief executive of the BCDH. “A rising number of animals are also being given up to the Home by their owners, and behaviour issues, nancial challenges and changing circumstances are often cited as reasons for this. Much of our rescue work goes on behind the scenes and our medical treatment and round-the-clock animal care can be expensive. Please support our appeal to help give animals the medical care they so urgently need and help us keep the most vulnerable animals safe this winter.”

For more: www.bathcatsanddogshome.org.uk

Suzanne Hazlehurst in her new London Road shop

BCDH rescue dogs, Tinkerbell and Babe with their Bath Cats and Dogs Home staff foster mums

Bath libraries have a busy programme of Christmas events

MOVERS AND SHAKERS ETC

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Squeeze raised 211.5kg in food donations and £1,440.50 in cash for the Trussell Trust at Bath Forum Concert in November. The band are asking for donations on every stop of their Food For Thought tour, based on an EP of the same name released to raise funds for the charity.

Squeeze has a long relationship with the Trussell Trust, which provides emergency food and support to people in need, and have raised thousands of pounds for the charity, and tonnes of food which is distributed to people in crisis across the 1,300 food bank centres in the Trusell Trust’s network.

www s ee eo ia om

MAKE THE PAPERS

Bath Spa University’s creative writing incubator, Paper Nations has been awarded more than £600,000 by Arts Council England. A total investment of £603,060 has been granted to the team in the University’s Research Centre for Transnational Creativity and Education (TRACE), making it one of only a few cultural organisations in the South West to receive funding from the Arts Council England and National Portfolio Organisation.

The funding will be used to continue its work nurturing an appreciation for the art of writing in people of all ages, from all walks of life, local to Bath and beyond.

www a ernations or

PIVOT

Former Team Bath netballer Chani Wopara has taken up the role of assistant coach. After her success with Bristol-based Premier Romans and the University of West of England, her new role is a return to the city, where she represented the Blue & Gold during the 2023 Super League campaign alongside head coach Asha Francis.

Chani says, “I’m loving being back. We’ve been back in training since the start of October and it’s going really well.

“I’ve forged a great partnership with Asha and I’m getting to know the girls, building those relationships week on week.”

www team at om

FEELING THE HEAT

orld Cup o cial dam Nunn prepped for the high temperatures of Qatar with heat training sessions at the University of Bath. The Premier League and FIFA assistant referee from Trowbridge took part in weekly exercise and recovery sessions at the Team Bath Physio and Sports Science Centre in a plastic indoor chamber heated to more than 30 degrees.

“It’s been fantastic that the University of Bath have allowed me to use the facilities for heat chamber sessions,” says Adam. “It’s obviously very warm in Qatar and I’ve had an experience before where I’ve arrived at a tournament in similar conditions, so it’s important to be prepared and in the best possible position to acclimatise.”

Adam took part in the training sessions alongside his usual regimen at the Centre, where he does regular strength and conditioning training

CHRISTMAS MIRACLE

Little Acorn Makes is donating a gift to all the babies born at the Royal United Hospital over Christmas.

“I’m a mum of three amazing boys all born at the RUH, and for some time I’ve wanted to do something to give back,” explains Millie Turrell, owner of Little Acorn Makes.

“I own a small handmade clothing business and decided this year I am gifting all of the babies born between Christmas Eve and Boxing Day a free pair of baby leggings.”

Little corn Makes o ers handmade children’s clothing in unique fabrics created by small designers, and hand-stitched by Millie. Millie started sewing clothes for her own children when she found a lack of good quality, stylish baby clothes for boys, and her pieces quickly caught on with other parents when she began posting her designs on Instagram.

or more Insta ram @ itt e a orn ma es

Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford of Squeeze

© DANNY CLIFFORD

through a partnership with the Professional ame Match cials Limited P M L . or more www team at om

Little Acorn Makes baby leggings to be given to RUH Christmas babies

Adam Nunn feeling the heat in training for the World Cup

BIZ Q&A

Capener

Bath & West Community Energy (BWCE) is a not-for-pro t community business that develops community-owned renewable energy projects, reducing fuel bills, reducing carbon emissions and increasing community bene t. So far, it s built enough renewable energy to match the equivalent annual demand from 4,500 typical homes, with many more pro ects in the pipeline.

Tell us a little about the origins of the BWCE?

Like many community initiatives, it started with a conversation in a pub, this time in Widcombe, with discussions between Transition Bath and Transition Corsham community groups. e were wondering how we could ensure that local communities are more connected with, and bene tting from, renewable energy pro ects developed in their local area.

What does it mean to be a member of the BWCE?

Our members are people who invest a minimum of £100 in the organisation and become shareholders. Most of our members live locally, in Bath and orth ast Somerset, the western part of Wiltshire (Corsham, Bradford on Avon, Trowbridge) or the eastern edge of South loucestershire Marsh eld, Cold ston, ick, Bitton . e are keen to have more members and people can read about our open share o er on the website.

What do your members get?

Members receive annual interest payments and have the opportunity to get involved in the running of the organisation to whatever level they wish – over half of our board are elected from and by our members.

Members are involved in discussions around strategic issues relating to the organisation and many members get involved by voluntarily supporting

B C activities. They get a nancial return, but also a positive sense of contributing to tangible outcomes that are bene cial to the community as well as the environment.

And how are local people benefitting directly?

Our projects generate surplus funds that are recycled as grants (over £300,000 to date) to local community organisations to support community action on carbon reduction, energy e ciency and fuel poverty. e can also generate much higher fuel bill savings for the buildings we put solar panels on than through a normal commercial model.

And environmentally speaking?

Perhaps as importantly, by working at a community level and connecting local people with local projects we can build greater support for renewable energy and engage people in a tangible and practical way in the urgently needed transition to net ero.

What’s the process for new projects?

We identify potential sites for renewable energy, it might be solar PV on a building with a large roof or in an appropriate eld where we work in partnership with the local community. e then secure a grid connection agreement with the local network operator, lease arrangements with the site owner and planning if re uired. e raise capital, as detailed above, to build the projects, procure a contractor to install the system and then insure, maintain and operate the project over its life.

Talk us through one of your sites

How

do you source the money for your projects?

Bath & West Community Energy raises capital funds from members, and from bank debt, to build, and then own and operate a whole range of di erent community renewable energy pro ects.

What does it mean for it to be community-owned?

s a Community Bene t Society, our non-pro t status, asset lock and re uirement to generate bene t for the local community, are all permanently written into our constitution. This means that we can hold these community assets on behalf of, and for the bene t of, the communities we serve.

This year we have been working with the Midsomer orton School s Partnership and have been installing solar systems on a range of their schools. So far, we have installed solar on Writhlington, orton Hill, Somervale, Beechen Cli and Hayes eld schools and are hoping to install at St Mark s School and St Mary s and St John s C of schools over Christmas or the February half term.

What is the impact of all of this on the climate crisis?

Increasing renewable energy helps reduce the carbon emissions we all produce from using electricity. ver 0 per cent of our electricity comes from renewable sources, but we need to be at least doubling this by 2030 if we are to play our part in addressing the climate crisis. But also, by creating a stronger link with where our energy comes from locally, we re helping to draw more people into the debate about climate action in the future.

For more: www.bwce.coop

The co-founder and managing director of the BWCE on why community-owned energy is the future

Pete

“IT STARTED WITH A CONVERSATION IN A PUB”

BATH LIFE AWARDS 2022

Grace, founder and managing director of THE SOMERSET CHILLI CO on the business’s phenomenal first year

NEW BUSINESS WINNER

The Somerset Chilli Co o ers the highest quality hot sauce, made with carefully chosen chillies paired with exotic fruit. The products focus on flavour rst, and there are sauces with a range of heat levels from mild to spicy. The brand also has a vibrant clothing range and merchandise too, all available on the website.

How did it feel to win a Bath Life Award?

It felt amazing, unexpected and similar to a movie scene. I hadn’t prepared beforehand as I was up against some heavy hitters so it really took me by surprise and I just spoke from the heart. hen rst started the business, had the idea that maybe I could become a Bath Life wards Finalist, but to win it was surreal.

Where do you keep the Award?

On the mantelpiece in my living room where I see it every day.

Why do you think you won?

I believe it was because of my obsession with the business and determination in 2021. By attending over 10 events, constantly networking and going the extra mile, it got us where we are today. By ensuring both the product and brand are strong, it increases your chances of winning new clients and showing your passion.

What’s the best part of your job?

I love working for The Somerset Chilli Co. because rst o , love chillies. For conte t, I had a Tabasco tattoo long before I founded the business! I also love the freedom I am given to try and share new ideas in the kitchen and through the power of social media connect with customers, enthusiasts and other businesses.

Any difficulties?

The supply of chillies is faced with a seasonal growing capability and is also subject to external forces such as the previously seen Storm Eunice. Another frustration is the preconception of many customers that chilli sauce means blowyour-head-o heat, and avoid chilli like the plague. Just like alcohol and chocolate, we have a range to suit di erent preferences ust try some and see.

GOT TO BE IN IT TO WIN IT

Nominations are now open for the Bath Life Awards 2023. There is a huge range of categories to enter, from charity to new business, arts to hair and beauty – and so much more. It’s free to enter, and even better, you can put yourself forward for as many categories as are relevant to your work. Bath Life Awards nominations are mostly about what you have achieved in the last year, so entering is a great – and natural – addition to your end-of-year reflections, and offers a much-needed opportunity to sit back and pat yourself on the back for another 365 days of grinding. If you’re feeling at a loss for where to start, there’s some great tips for putting together your best, sparkliest, most winning-est nomination on the Bath Life Awards website, and a whole webinar that covers top tips, not to mention the various ways you can get involved in the Awards, on our YouTube channel.

Nominations close 24 January 2023, and the ceremony is on 23 March at Bath Pavilion, with a fun Finalists and Sponsors reception in between. A glam high point in the city’s business calendar, it’s not one you want to miss.

For more: www.bathlifeawards.co.uk

What do you love about the local business community?

It feels great knowing I am contributing to the local Bath community. When I walk through the local Bath Farmer s Market and know many of the faces by name it is a feeling of belonging that you couldn’t put a price on.

Do you have any business advice for us?

Don’t start a business that you would not do for free. You need that level of passion and determination that some may even call crazy, because in the beginning you will at some point experience tough times mentally that would make any sane person quit.

Anything exciting coming up?

We have partnered with another artisan company who will operate the production side of the business, which takes production out of the home kitchen and provides a growth opportunity that was not possible in our rst year. t has been a work in progress getting the sauces recerti ed in the lab and replicating the recipe on a larger scale but we are now ready for our relaunch in time for Christmas.

For more: www.somersetchillico.com

James

Rosie Glanvill and James Grace, founders of The Somerset Chilli Co

© SOUL MEDIA

SPONSORED BY

WHERE ARE WE NOW?

IR35 rules

Late September into mid-October has been a turbulent time for the government and a confusing time (at best) for taxpayers and advisers alike, after former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng’s fiscal statement on 23 September. Indeed, not long after we wrote last month’s article on the Mini-Budget changes, on 17 October the new chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, reversed around two thirds of the tax cuts announced, including complicated changes to the controversial off-payroll working rules known as ‘IR35’.

BACKGROUND OF IR35

The IR35 rules first came into law via the Finance Act 2000, the idea being to clamp down on the growing use of ‘one-man-band’ limited companies to provide professional services to clients, where the individual (usually a director and shareholder) was still working in a manner like a traditional employee. In other words, the rules were designed to clamp down on self-employed workers who enjoyed the tax benefits afforded by a corporate structure, while benefitting from what may arguably have been akin to employment.

If a contract was inside IR35, it effectively meant the contractor was a ‘disguised’ employee for tax purposes and would have to pay the same income tax and NICs as an employee, even if they worked through their own limited company. If the contract was outside IR35 and the contractor worked through their own company, the company would follow the usual rules on paying Corporation Tax on its profits and the director/ shareholder would pay tax personally on any salary/dividends extracted from the company.

Directors/shareholders of limited companies benefitted if their contracts were outside IR35, because they could pay themselves relatively low salaries and top up their payment with dividends, which were (and still are) generally taxed at lower rates than employment income, which is liable to income tax and National Insurance. They therefore had an incentive to find their contracts to be outside of the IR35 legislation. Note how contracts, not the worker, were and are analysed on a case-by-case basis as to whether IR35 applies or not.

After efforts to help taxpayers understand the rules more easily during the coalitiongovernment era, the IR35 tax rules were reformed in the 2016 Budget, when businesses (the ‘engagers’) were given more responsibility for determining the tax status of their contractors. The aim of the policy was to ensure contractors who are not genuinely self-employed pay the same income tax and NICs as employees and that the businesses engaging the services of the contractor could not avoid taxes by hiring self-employed workers operating via their own limited company in place of regular employees.

The new rules came into force for public sector engagers in 2017 and were expanded to private sector engagers in 2021, after a oneyear postponement due to Covid-19. However, the rules only apply to medium and large companies/engagers, meaning contractors working for small end-clients have to work out their IR35 status themselves.

In a surprise move as part of the September 2022 Mini-Budget, then-Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng announced a repeal to both the 2017 and 2021 IR35 reforms, due to take effect from 6 April 2023. This repeal was then cancelled, however, by Jeremy Hunt after he succeeded Mr Kwarteng as Chancellor.

At the time of writing, no further changes are due to happen to IR35 (subject to any new announcements in Jeremy Hunt’s delayed fiscal statement, due to take place on 17 November), and the engagers/end-clients of contractors will continue to be responsible for applying the rules.

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO

So, with the IR35 reforms here to stay, businesses remain the ones liable to identify the ‘true’ tax status of their contracted workers. But how do you know whether they are inside IR35 or not?

IR35 is underpinned by employment legislation and case law, so tests of employment have evolved over the decades. A tool

called ‘Check Employment Status for Tax’ (CEST) provides HMRC’s view of a worker’s employment status based on the information provided. Engagers, agencies and contractors themselves can all use the tool. It was published in March 2017 in conjunction with the reforms. The following list of points to consider may also be helpful as a non-exhaustive IR35 compliance checklist detailing some of the factors that can indicate whether a contractor is inside or outside IR35.

For example, a contractor might be inside IR35 if they: carry out all the work they are contracted to do personally; work for their own limited company, but receive employment benefits, such as paid leave or sick pay; are being paid on a time basis; work for one client on a long-term basis; are supplied with the equipment by a client and work at their premises.

They might be outside IR35 if, for example: they have the right to delegate or substitute work contracted to another person and use that right in practice; they are paid on a project basis rate or at a fixed rate; they can decide how and when they work; they take financial risk and all rejected work is corrected at their own cost; they work with more than one client at one time or on short successive projects with a variety of clients.

* The above is for general guidance only and no action should be taken without obtaining specific advice.

37 Great Pulteney Street, Bath BA2 4DA 01225 460491; mail@pearsonmay.co.uk www.pearsonmay.co.uk

Matthew Rutter from Bath-based chartered accountants and tax advisers PEARSON MAY on navigating

Matthew Rutter, a partner at Pearson May

Matthew Rutter BSc(Hons) FCA CTA Pearson May Chartered Accountants & Chartered Tax Advisers

Bath, Chippenham and Trowbridge

Community FOR THE

PEOPLE

BANES has announced £5m of infrastructure improvements made in 2022

Communities across Bath and North East Somerset have bene tted from almost m of infrastructure improvements over the past year all funded by local development. Pro ects including Bath City Farm s Community Hub, eston Hub Ball Court and arden, the Jewish Burial round and Bath City Football Club all received grants up to a total 2 3k, with further pro ects in the pipeline for eynsham, Somer alley and the local bus services among others. The money is raised through S10 agreements and the Community nfrastructure Levy C L , which are charges imposed on developers.

e always look to use C L funding in the best way we can to deliver infrastructure and community facilities, ensuring the pro ects we support have a positive impact on our residents, says Councillor Tim Ball, cabinet minister for Planning and Licensing. Last year we approved funding for a number of large-scale pro ects including our new community recycling facility at eynsham. However, nearly every community across our district from Temple Cloud to Batheaston and Chew Stoke to estbury has bene tted in some way.

For more: www.bathnes.gov.uk

Bath City Farm will benefit from infrastructure improvements

Money for community projects like Bath City Farm is raised through the Community Infrastructure Levy

For sale FOR THE VIEWS

A Grade II-listed maisonette is for sale on London Street. The threebedroom home is situated above the Nick Cudworth Gallery and features panoramic views from east to west, and a charming roof garden of impressive size, with lots of options for development. The property was previously owned by artist and gallerist Nick Cudworth who passed away last year, and the gallery below is now run by his children. It’s on the market with Hamptons, o ers in e cess of 2 ,000.

For more: www.hamptons.co.uk

Appointments ALWAYS GROWING

Amber Grinham has joined the team at Bath-based coworking, meeting and event space, Rengen House.

“We have been seeing steady growth in co-working memberships over recent months,” says Jo Lloyd, property associate with Rengen. “This, combined with our ambitious plans for 2023, including an action-packed events schedule has led us to recruit an additional fulltime member of sta to support us as we grow our o er. Amber has been working abroad for the last eight years and brings with her a wealth of experience in hospitality, management and events planning.”

For more: www.rengenhouse.com

New developments LIDL WONDER

Bath is getting a new Lidl. Bath Rugby has exchanged contracts with Lidl GB on part of its Lambridge land to deliver a modern and bespoke store beside Bath RFC’s training facilities. This means that Bath Rugby has transferred its Lambridge training pitches and clubhouse to Bath RFC, securing the club’s long-term future at Lambridge.

“This will create funding opportunities for the amateur club, helping the facilities at Lambridge to be revitalised,” says Tarquin McDonald, chief executive of Bath Rugby. “This will also enable Bath Rugby to invest in our wider community rugby programmes, and the women’s pathway and professional team, assisting amateur rugby to grow and thrive in the long term.

“We were impressed by Lidl GB’s commitment to deliver a high-quality sensitive design, with consideration to the local setting and sustainable features, such as proposing to incorporate local Bath stone, natural timber cladding, air source heat pumps, a green roof and electric vehicle rapid charging facilities.”

For more: www.bathrugby.com

The London Street property offers spectacular views from the roof garden

Plans for the new Lambridge Lidl

Amber Grinham has just started with Rengen House

2 L SD R D

Quirk matters in this Lansdown property

By Matilda Walton

We love a property with personality. In a sea of beautiful Georgian houses, we yearn for a little quirk or uniqueness that elevates one above the others and makes it stand out. A flying freehold with a top floor that towers above its neighbours one of which is the e ually characterful former home of beloved jazz pub Ye Olde Farmhouse, now The Lansdown Clinic, though you can still glimpse the ghost sign of its former life number 2 Lansdown Road has it. There s a higgledy-piggledy nature to this short stretch of pavement rarely seen in a city known for its symmetry, and it s one that appeals. umber 2 even seems to twist away from its counterparts on the street, as if to make a rm declaration of its own identity. nside, it s a theme that the current owners have taken up and

run with. It’s a bold, bright and refreshing property, which doesn’t hide any of its unusual elements – it’s above a currently empty shop and its ground floor is comprised of only a long stretch of hallway with a bathroom and the courtyard beyond, with the living space above. No matter – it’s a cool house. Cool houses have idiosyncrasies.

The entire rst floor is occupied by the kitchen dining and sitting rooms. The vibe is open plan, but there are arched dividing wedding doors that can be shuttered when re uired. The combination of dark and bright white paintwork gives the place a modern and airy feel, with beautiful period elements like the grand wrought iron replace, built-in alcove units and enviable curved, floor-to-ceiling triple-sash windows providing the unmistakable whi of Bath lu ury. The kitchen is e ceptional creative tiling in ects some serious personality into the space, which is a home chef’s dream. Think vast Rangemaster gas range, ceramic

double butler s work sink, chunky wooden worktops and smooth white-painted floorboards giving the space an almost Mediterranean feel.

The bedrooms are on the second and third floors the part of the house that reaches higher than the others on the street, providing some epic views across the city. t s a bene t you can make the most of from the rolltop bath in the principal bedroom placed, movie set-like in the curve of the floor-to-ceiling windows. nd don t fear there is no e hibitionism here, such is the elevation of the room you can look down on your neighbours in complete privacy.

There’s outside space to the rear of the property too –a cosy courtyard currently decked and with a fau lawn. It is a deliciously private space for socialising, and in the summer months it is easy to imagine yourself gathering loved ones for a barbeque before sitting in the fading light together watching the Bath skyline melt from pinky purples, to dark blue, to nal darkness.

HOUSE NUMBERS

Price £1.5m

Square foot 2,465 Bedrooms 4

Knight Frank, 4 Wood Street, Bath; www.knightfrank.com

BREATHING SPACE

The assignment was to create a space that appealed to the client’s personal tastes but also worked as a holiday let

A Bath bolt-hole and holiday let designed for calm

By Lydia Tewkesbury Main photos by Pete Helme

The light and airy dining nook and its beautiful view is Lindsey’s favourite part of the apartment

colour

Lindsey Jones is the creative director and lead designer of Bathbased independent interior designer Studio Walcot. After establishing the business in 2019 together with her husband, Mike, who looks after operational and project management, Studio Walcot has grown steadily to take on a number of commercial and residential projects across the South West, and opened a studio and showroom in Milsom Place this year. Here, Lindsey talks us through the renovation of an apartment for a family who wanted a city bolt-hole and sometime holiday let.

What was the brief for the apartment?

The client approached Studio Walcot to provide full service interior design. They wanted to create a contemporary take on classic Georgian styling that allowed the bones of the building and its beautiful natural light to shine. Its functionality was to provide a space for the family of four to use as a city hideaway, with the view to potentially listing it as a private holiday let, therefore the space had to combine both their personal design tastes with commercial functionality.

Who or what are your inspirations when it comes to style and décor?

We are located in the centre of Bath, a world heritage city amidst beautiful Georgian architecture; and so naturally we take inspiration from this. The city itself has a beautiful tonality to it, sandstone and honey-hued buildings exude warmth and richness giving the impression the city is glowing, all whilst still retaining a simple sense of neutrality. The natural colour palette of the city has de nitely influenced my own relationship with colour in my designs.

Are there any parts of the design you’re particularly proud of?

The dining nook is my favourite part of the apartment. When we originally met with the clients to discuss the space plan, we did various design iterations for the orientation of the kitchen and dining area but ultimately knew that the seating needed to take advantage of the amazing views to the city and valley beyond.

How did you create it?

We selected a circular Carrara Marble dining table and designed custom banquette seating with bespoke upholstery to comfortably seat six guests. We hand selected every element of the design from the fabrics

“The natural

palette of the city has de nite infl en ed my own relationship with colour”

and leather used for the upholstery piping to the pro le of the oinery and how this met the bones of the original building.

The apartment is perfect for entertaining and so we created a bar through further built-in cabinetry that takes advantage of the incredible three-metre ceiling height and added a ladder for ease of access. We lled this with beautiful glassware with ample space for wines and spirits. The nishing touch for this space is the de L scalloped ceramic pendant light in the centre of the table – beautiful but understated, so as not to distort the view from the kitchen sink through the window.

And any favourite furniture or accessories?

The various custom oinery elements that we designed. The pro le of the cabinetry throughout the apartment is beautiful in its simplicity, a careful consideration as we wanted it to sit comfortably in the classic bones of the original building but bring a contemporary touch to the interiors. We carried this through from the built-in arched alcoves in the living room, to the dining nook seating and the bedroom. Perfectly blending a new clean line with the ornate original cornicing. We added a floating white oak shelf to the kitchen to keep the space light and open and provide a space to display stacks of bowls and simple glassware.

Did you run into many problems during the project?

The bedroom was the most challenging room to design, as due to the original orientation of the apartment s floor plan we had to work around a waste pipe. To take advantage of the beautiful natural light and street side views over The Paragon, we relocated the original bathroom from the front of the property to a new internal position o the central entryway. n doing so we had to reroute the waste pipe around the perimeter of the bedroom.

e designed beautiful bespoke oinery in the form of window seating, a built-in bed frame and an oversized headboard to house the plumbing. We worked with Walcot Upholstery to create the custom bed with a three-panelled boucle headboard design. The bed and headboard are so large they had to be made and installed on site, but Simon and the team at Walcot Upholstery made it happen for us.

The cabinetry throughout the apartment is simple but modern

What do you want people to feel when they enter the home?

I always want the spaces we design to help people feel ‘lighter’, adding real value to their lives and improving their well-being, creating for them as much metaphorical space as physical. If our designs were to be described as a feeling, it would be like taking a deep intake of breath and instantly feeling calm. ‘You’ve arrived home’, whether that be to your own residence or a holiday apartment in the city. It’s a wholebody experience.

Whose house, (famous, not famous, dead or alive – your choice!) would you like to have a snoop around? I would give anything for a snoop around Nancy Meyers’ house, or any of her movie sets for that matter. I’ve been obsessed with her aesthetic since I was a teenager and she was a huge inspiration to me during my formative design years. Who doesn’t want the Parent Trap London townhouse with the billowing linen curtains, or the coastal Hamptonsstyle cottage? I originally wanted to go into set design at university but changed my mind later, though she has continued to inspire me with her covetable interiors. I once read that nobody passively watches a Nancy Meyers movie – each one is an enticing invitation to escape from daily life, and that’s what great interior design is for me.

Finally – the new showroom. What’s it like?

theEDIT // by Studio Walcot is our new working studio and showroom in Milsom Place, where we are launching our rst collection of furniture and interior homewares. The concept behind the studio is to create an immersive design and retail space that allows customers and clients to experience our aesthetic and who ‘Studio Walcot’ are. It will be a working design space, where clients can meet with us to discuss their projects whilst also being home to an edited collection of our most loved design pieces and our own exclusive range of interior homewares for those who want to own a piece of Studio Walcot. We’ve seen a demand for pieces that have featured in some of our projects and so we felt now was the right time to create an opportunity for people to shop our look.

For more: theEDIT // by Studio Walcot, 23 Milsom Place, Bath; www.studiowalcot.co.uk

CLOCKWISEFROMLEFT: The bed and headboard were assembled on site by Walcot Upholstery; Lindsey Jones, creative director and lead designer; Studio Walcot specialises in interiors that denote a sense of calm

FOR THE HOME

ASPECT WINDOW STYLING

Inspiration for windows. Based in the heart of Bath, Aspect Window Styling are suppliers of top quality shutters, blinds of all types, curtains, poles, and awnings. Visit their showroom for inspiration and advice from expert staff on how to transform your windows into something gorgeous. Full design, measuring and fitting service. Tel: 01225 469559 www.aspectwindowstyling.co.uk

WOOLF INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE &

DESIGN create unique, client-focused contemporary and traditional interiors, valued for their individual, beautifully tailored characterful design. With 25 years of expertise delivering space planning, detailed design, procurement, art curation and project management. An award-winning practice with studios in Bath & London, WOOLF are accredited designers of historic, period, listed houses and hotels. Tel 01225 445670; woolfinterior.com

MENDIP FIREPLACES BATH

Bath’s leading fireplace, wood burner, gas fire, chimney and flue specialist. From classic to contemporary, concept to completion, their team of experts can work with you to achieve your perfect interior. Brands include Chesney’s, Barbas Belfires, Hwam, Stuv and Jetmaster. Get in touch or visit the showroom. Mendip Fireplaces, Monkton Combe, at in o@mendi re a es at o Tel: 01225 722706; www.mendipfireplacesbath.co.uk

NEXUS OF BATH is a Bath based family business specialising in painting and decorating, plastering, tiling, sash window restoration and other property restoration. Nexus have built a reputation for the highest standards of workmanship with experience across a range of projects from listed buildings through to new builds, with a complete commitment to customer service and health and safety Tel: 01225 300414; www.nexusofbath.co.uk

VIRTUOSO FLOORING

Offering stylish, innovative flooring solutions to meet the needs of the savvy Bath homeowner. Virtuoso employ the largest team of experienced fitters in Bath. Their dedicated team are ready to turn your dream floor into a reality. Call now for a free consultation or visit their new show room on Moorland Road. To en ire emai in o@virt osofloorin o or a 01225 972715; www.virtuosoflooring.co.uk

JENNIFER MOSSE DESIGN STUDIO

A bespoke, tailor-made, client-focused interior design consultancy service based in Bath. Specialising in residential interior design and providing a truly personal service adapted to each client’s needs, Jennifer’s unique style blends seamlessly between period and contemporary homes. The aim is simple – to create spaces that bring joy, reflecting her clients’ lifestyles and personalities.

Tel: 07738289189; www.jennifermosse.com

CLAIR STRONG INTERIOR DESIGN

Clair Strong Interior Design is a boutique, creative company based in Bath, providing a wide range of services for both residential and commercial clients. Her portfolio of projects includes the design, project coordination and sourcing for some of Bath’s most beautiful residences, as well as hotels, sports clubs, offices and other commercial venues. Contact Clair on 07855 797311 or 01225 426905; www.clairstrong.co.uk

BATH KITCHEN COMPANY

Based in the heart of Bath and specialising in bespoke, handmade kitchens, Bath Kitchen Company become personally invested in every kitchen they design and build. It’s about attention to detail at every stage – creating a beautiful space that enhances the way you live. ort arade i din s at Tel: 01225 312003 www.bathkitchencompany.co.uk

SCHMIDT BATH

Providing bespoke kitchens and made-to-measure interiors across the Bath area for more than 35 years, Schmidt Bath offers luxury solutions for the home at affordable prices. With a dedicated in-house fitting team, your project will be completed to the highest standards. Visit their showroom to see the latest ranges and more of what they can offer. 1 Park Road, Bath BA1 3EE; Tel: 01225 337276; www.schmidt-bath.com

Our local businesses are poised and ready to help with all your home needs for Winter

HAVE YOURSELVES A VERY HUEY CHRISTMAS

The BBC Radio 6 Music DJ and presenter talks Christmas wishes and festive tunes

As well as The Huey Show every Saturday morning on BBC Radio 6 Music, Huey, a former US marine and now a Bath lovin’ resident, can also be heard presenting a new Sunday night show The Hip Hop Mixtape, which features the underground hip hop, rap classics and rarely heard jams. Both shows are available to listen to now on the BBC Sounds iPlayer.

Tell us about your Christmasses as a child

I grew up with my mom in a very small apartment in Manhattan. I was an only child but my mom had two brothers, who both had a lot of daughters. I would visit

my tios on Christmas Day and they’d bless me with lots of intense fatherly advice every year. They were both former military o cers, and they really couldn’t tell their daughters all the war stories, so reaped the bene t of their experiences and their wisdom.

What are your early Christmas memories?

They’re mostly good, but I had a very complicated childhood. remember having fleeting glimpses of shiny things – maybe trapped in amber...

Did you ever believe in Santa? Are you trying to tell me something? What do you mean, did I ever believe in Santa?!

believe life is too short to stop and point out all the naughty”

The greatest gift?

My wife and I think that travel is the best gift for us as a family, and I think this year my family are gonna have their best present.

Real tree or artificial tree?

My adorable wife Becky wanted me to say that she gave into my wishes, after many years, of a real tree. That thing dragged and dropped pine needles all over the house. So back to arti cial now.

Who’s on your naughty and nice list right now?

It seems that this time of year opens up that naughty/nice book again. However I believe life is too short to stop and point out all the naughty, but it’s long enough to show some love and celebrate the nice.

Where will you be this Christmas Day?

In the loving arms of my very loud and talkative family, who we have over in Bath every year.

Will you be playing any festive tunes for them?

We talk a lot as family, it’s kinda hard to bump tunes. But as a professional DJ, I manage to have a playlist on in the background.

What’s your one Christmas wish this year?

e, as a society, nd our sense of humour again. Things are getting boring without the ability to laugh at ourselves. Also I wish for stove top stu ng. oogle it.

Any message of joy to Bath Life readers, and the world? If music be the fruit of love, play on…

For more: www.bbc.co.uk

HUEY’S YULETIDE JINGLES

“Here’s my top 20 Christmas classics –Feliz Navidad y’all!”

1. A Christmas Card from a Hooker In Minneapolis by Tom Waits, 1978

2. Christmas Rappin’ by Kurtis Blow, 1979

3. Jingle Bells by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, 1970

4. Oh Christmas Tree by Nat King Cole, 1960

5. Christmas Night in Harlem by Louis Armstrong, 1960

6. Santa Claus is Coming to Town by The Jackson 5, 1970

7. I Want to Come Home For Christmas by Marvin Gaye, 1972

8. Christmas Waltz by Oscar Peterson, 1995

9. Christmas Time This Year by Ry Cooder, 2011

10. Presents for Christmas by Solomon Burke, 1968

11. Christmas in Vietnam by Private Charles Bowens & The Gentlemen from Tigerland, 2012

12. Merry Christmas Baby by Bruce Springsteen, 2015

13. Christmas by The Side Of The Road by Huey and the New Yorkers, 2012

14. Christmas by Ann Margret and Oliver Reed from the 1975 film Tommy

15. Baby, It’s Cold Outside by Jimmy Smith and Wes Montgomery, 1965

16. The Christmas Song by John Gary, 1963

17. Silver Bells by Jim Reeves, 1963

18. What A Merry Christmas This Could Be by Willie Nelson, 1998

19. Pretty Paper by Roy Orbison, 1964

20. Christmas Time All Over The World by Sammy Davis Jr., 1965

“I

© BETTY BHANDARI;