Bath Life - Issue 497

ISSUE 497 / JULY 2023 / £3

“I BELIEVE THAT IS CALLED ALFRESCO” ISSUE 497 / JULY 2023 / SUNGLASSES ON, BABY

THE TASTIEST, MOST EXCITING FOOD IS OUTDOORS RIGHT NOW PLUS! THE MINT ROOM CASTLE FARM OUTDOOR THEATRE THE ROYAL CRESCENT’S HIDDEN HISTORY

YEAH, WE MEAN BUSINESS

THE REINVENTION OF QUEEN SQUARE

SUMMERTIME

STYLE SPECIAL

COOL BLUES FOR HOT DAYS

BE HAPPY (YES, HAPPY) AND ENJOY YOUR MOMENT IN THE SUN

EDITOR’S LETTER

ABOVE: Long shadows and lovely blankets at The Newt (page 48); BELOW: Blue sky thinking for summer time accessories (page 66)

E

ven somewhere like Bath changes, just a little, each time we look at it – and amongst the most prominent (and absolutely, positively, make-no-mistake better) ways in which it’s changed in recent years is the growth of opportunities to eat and drink outdoors. Cars disappear from places like Kingsmead Square and Saw Close, and almost immediately the pavement seating moves in.

Looking at pictures of the Bath of the past, all grubby buildings a ge ts i hats o e o the most ota le i ere ces is that nobody’s eating outside. And, indeed, for much of our history – human history, not just Bath history – eating alfresco was rare, even frowned upon.

Some of the reasons for this are obvious: unpaved roads, covered in dust and dirt. Horse poo everywhere.

But even in the 20th century, with the gee-gees co sig e to fiel s a sta les it remai e airl uncommon. (Hey, it rains lots. And for those days when it doesn’t, we’d just invented air conditioning: who wouldn’t want to take advantage?)

There were pockets of British history where eating outside did happen on the regular, though, and one was the period that made Bath’s name: the late 1700s/early 1800s – Georgian into Regency then back to Georgian again – when ‘pleasure gardens’ were all the rage. Sydney Gardens at the end of Great Pulteney Street was one such, of course, and amongst the most impressive of the breed outside London’s Vauxhall, the OG of its type.

Guests, including entire families, would lounge, stroll about, e o the e tertai me ts ua g ips a shru s a s lla u s seei g a e see a stu g their aces i the su . e e recently discovered ice cream – as commonly described as “ice, fruits and creams in the best Italian manner” back then – after all.)

This issue we celebrate all the joys of eating, drinking and just being outside, from pub gardens to your own personal patios, rooftop dining spots to street cafés (not least on page 48, but on pages 63, 64 and 66 too). Next time anyone tells you the world’s going to hell in a handcart, block them out – they may well be right! – and instead think, yep, but at least we get to dine outside these days…

MATT BIELBY

Follow us on Twitter @BathLifeMag Instagram @bathlifemag

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Issue 497 / July 2023 COVER “If you go down to The Newt today, you’re sure of a big surprise…” It’s picnic time at their ‘Garden Lates’, so relaxing our logo has started to slip down the cover…

FEATURES

48 SEAGULLS, BEGONE! We’re feasting alfresco across the city, and

14

woe betide the feathered pest that tries to get in our way

68 QUEEN’S GAMBIT Queen Square has reinvented itself many

times, but now’s going through another change (by getting younger…)

THE ARTS 27 ARTS INTRO 28 30 39 41

a es all our e orts loo rather pedestrian (ours, anyway) ARTS FEATURE Who would live in a house like this? Turns out, just about everyone. A Royal Crescent manse reveals its secrets WHAT’S ON A bit of singing, a little dancing, plenty of messing with paints and play acting: all our favourites, in other words BOOKS Remember the British Invasion? Now American books are coming the other way FILMS Movies good enough to tempt you out of the sun

© PETE HELM PHOTOGR APHY

LIFESTYLE

63 SHOP LEAD ar e ur iture to shame the stu in the house 64 EDITOR’S CHOICE Shopping fun to enjoy in the sun 66 FASHION Ain’t no cure for the summertime blues. (But when it

loo s this goo

h fight it

FOOD & DRINK

44 RESTAURANT REVIEW Revisiting The Mint Room, an old

favourite still very much in its prime 47 FOOD & DRINK Food writer Jenny Chandler gets grilled 60 RESTAURANT REVIEW Castle Farm’s supper clubs are ever changing, but always glorious. Which one(s) will you try?

68

BUSINESS

73 NETWORK University of Bath goes from strength to strength 80 CAREER PATH Matthew Emeny of Garden Theatre Festival

PROPERTY

87 PROPERTY LEAD ee i e e rooms e ve the ga or ou 88 PROPERTY NEWS he e i l o less loo s rather fi e 92 SHOWCASE Southcot House enjoys a position to die for

DEPARTMENTS

9 11 13 14 98

SPOTLIGHT Counting the bugs at City Farm INSTAS Curvy models? We’ve had ’em for centuries FLATLINE Flats gets teary-eyed about old training ground days SCENE A society pages bumper special to celebrate the sunshine BATH LIVES Kate French, Modern Pentathalon superstar

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Acting editor Matt Bielby matt.bielby@mediaclash.co.uk Managing editor deri.robins@mediaclash.co.uk Senior art editor Andrew Richmond Cover design Trevor Gilham Contributors Nic Bottomley, David Flatman, Rachel Ifans, Emma Ingledew, Marianne Cantelo, John Walker, and Paul Marland Group commercial manager Pat White pat.white@ mediaclash.co.uk Business development manager Annabel North annabel.north@mediaclash.co.uk Business development manager Dan Nichols dan.nichols@mediaclash.co.uk Production and distribution manager Sarah Kingston sarah.kingston@mediaclash.co.uk Deputy production manager Kirstie Howe kirstie.howe@mediaclash.co.uk Production designer Matt Gynn matt.gynn@mediaclash.co.uk / Gemma Bourne gemma.bourne@mediaclash.co.uk Chief executive Jane Ingham jane.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk Chief executive Greg Ingham greg.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk Bath Life MediaClash, Carriage Court, 22 Circus Mews, Bath, BA1 2PW. tel: 01225 475800; www. mediaclash.co.uk Instagram @TheMediaClash ©All rights reserved. May not be reproduced without written permission of MediaClash.

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SPOTLIGHT We’re buzzing

ANIMAL FARM

A holly blue butterfly in on-trend summer colours (see page 66 for proof)

A common frog (which is rather a dismissive name for this beauty, if you ask us)

An ashy mining bee in distinctive black-and-grey

Then and now: the Emperor walks under the arch…

Enduring love

Yes, yes, Bath City Farm has plenty of sheep and goats, but if you think the wildlife ends there you’re wrong, so wrong. A recently completed seven-year survey of the 37-acre Twerton site revealed that no fewer than 1,094 species call it home, including 55 types of bird (highlights: re ite a firecrest assorte e ts rogs a slo orms a almost species o pla t including ivy broomrape and pyramidal orchid.

The real stars, though, are the almost 750 species o i verte rates i clu i g t pes o utter a earl i ere t eetles. ve better, farm trustee and ecologist Mike Williams – the man behind the survey – found the very rare and tiny horseshoe ladybird, the beautiful asp spi er o l rece tl arrive i ath a a small rove beetle apparently not seen in the area for over 100 years.

“As far as I’m aware, no other site in Bath has had this many species recorded on it,” Mike says. “The Farm has a lovely mix of habitats, including woodland, meadows, ponds and hedgerows. It has been farmland since at least the Domesday Book in 1086, and many of the fiel s have retai e their ames over the last e hundred years, including Lower Lamb Sleight and Maiden Furlong. It’s nice to think that some of the wildlife we have here today descends directly from what was present back then, nearly a thousand years ago.”

For more: www.bathcityfarm.org.uk

…and his great-granddaughter does exactly the same thing

GREAT GRANDPA WAS AN EMPEROR

o the le t ou see aile elassie mperor o thiopia a ath resi e t rom to 1941, when his country was occupied

by Fascist Italy – at the Italian Gardens at Bath Spa University’s Newton Park Campus.

To the right, his great-granddaughter, Her mperial igh ess ri cess sther elassie A tohi thir rom le t at the ver same spot.

And that’s it, really: the Princess had never been to the Italian Gardens before, but visited recently as a guest of the University. Today she runs charitable organisation Heritage Watch thiopia a is irector o the oar o ath s airfiel ouse airfiel ouse in Newbridge, of course, was Haile Selassie’s ath resi e ce he o ate it to the it i 1958, with the idea that it should become a residence for the elderly, and it remains a cultural part er o the u i . A e uri g friendship, then – and a little reminder of an unusual slice of Bath history.

For more: www.bathspa.ac.uk

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SPOTLIGHT

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FLAT LINE DAVID FLATMAN “It was a chemical and visceral experience”

“C’mon, Bath!”

Flats, wet-eyed with nostalgia, is doing the Lambridge Walk

A

s a young rugby player, I remember reading an interview in the paper with one of our senior players. He was asked where his favourite place to spend time was, and his answer was our cru ol trai i g grou . first thought as o his amil a the o e ce the might take, and after that I found my head wobbling i is elie . A ter all this place as a o a fi e dump and all we did there was run until we felt sick, batter into one another all day, and sit in a sweaty little room dissecting our myriad mista es o a lo efi itio scree .

Fast forward a hundred years or so, and I think that – had I been asked a similar question as a senior player at Bath Rugby – I would have said “wherever my family are” and I would have meant it. But a close second would have been our training ground out

at Lambridge, on the London Road. The showers were tepid at best, and weaker than a ree . he pitch as fi e. ro e to oo i g a a it lump ut fi e. he car par as dusty and the changing rooms were nothing more than basic, nothing less than dank. But the memories…

The electricity that surged through us, the tightest o groups e ore a ig fi al i as e hu le together o that ol fiel o i g what lay ahead. Sucking in any oxygen we coul fi hile ei g toote at passers screaming either “C’mon, Bath!” or, just as common, “C’mon, Bris!” a i g that fiel o a ues a mor i g and knowing, as folk cruised on by in enviable ignorance, that a version of warfare was now inevitable. Knowing that this session – this one – would see men chosen and men discarded for the next big match. The team room would be ota l less oisterous tha ormal utter ies setting in (the promise of imminent violence

ill o that to ou . a s fi gers a les knees and shoulders being strapped up to stop them being damaged any further.

The session would take place, we would go at it at maximum intensity – best mates fighti g or the same spots o the team e held so dear – and then the whistle would go to e our e ort. he a re ali e oul pour rom us oo i g out i laughter a pra s and lots and lots of hugging. No doubt this would have been odd to behold, but it was a chemical and visceral experience, every single week. Some blokes would need a few minutes o uiet time e ore s itchi g rom fight to ‘fun’, but we’d all meet in the bath and we’d all come back together as one.

I remember one sunny day, about one minute before training was due to start, a particularly gifted and charismatic teammate i g i to am ri ge i his rap music blaring, cigarette in mouth (no, nobody did that!), and seemingly unclothed. He jumped out of his car, his bodybuilder physique uncovered, and with only a pair of pyjama shorts o ic e his cigg a a a sai to our ope -mouthe hea coach or i g mate. Gonna need to borrow some kit!” He trained, he conquered, he owned Lambridge that day.

Now some of our old stomping ground is to ecome a i l supermar et. hile at first it eels a it sa actuall thi it is t. actuall thi it s uite fitti g. e ere t a posh rugby team, and we weren’t then the richest i the la . e ere a it o a rag tag mo i truth so hile a gia t e aitrose might have better suited the middle class image of Bath, we rugby lads who took to that pitch a thousand times will take comfort in knowing that what replaces it will be somewhere that, like we were, is a little bit budget in comparison with its competitors, but somewhere that’s actually rather useful. I still whisper “C’mon, Bath!” to myself whenever I drive past, and that won’t change.

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

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SCENE Cathy Adcock and Alison Watson

T H E L AT E S T A DV E N T U R E S I N PA R T Y- GO I N G AC ROSS BAT H

Niki Facey Jamie Barrow

Jamie Williams and Greg Ingham

Dulcie Selby and Jasmine Barker

Jody Cory and Kim Thomas

HERE COMES THE SUMMER

e al a s li e to o somethi g to ic o the scorchi g eather a this ear e teame up ith u or tart the ummer ith u and Bath Life a earl eve i g shi ig i the su gatheri g a couple o hu re rie s a amil team mem ers a co tri utors supporters a ge ui el goo eggs o ever stripe to e o all our regular summer tipples plus a ra e coc tail create especiall or the eve t. irector o the top- otch eorge treet coc tail ar u im heleha oi e e ia lash reg gham or a elcome speech amo gst the ota le guests e spotte ate A e o ath estivals a rece t Bath Life coverstar o o ut a simpl rela i g e o i g a summer coc tail i the su . A triumph as al a s sai a other guest ath it s arole a ell a et a other e ample o ou gu s oi g hat ou o est ri gi g ath together.

Photos by Rafael Bastos Photography www.rafaelbastosphotography.com

Henry Brewer and Karalyn Preston

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Rowena Rutherford

Nigel Dando Ewan Tavendale and Adam Adamopoulos

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SOCIETY

Louisa and David Faulkner-Bryant

Benjamin Trought

Spencer Freitas, Tony Harvey, Paul Hobbs and Nancy Dowman

Sunjay Singh and Nick Hems Cool tunes rocked the night

Janik Yeshim and Megan Knight-Foster

Dave Dixon and Tim Whelehan

Tim Moss, Emma and Andrew Summers, and Annie Moss

Benice Hampton and Loraine Morgan-Brinkhurst MBE Jack King, Eve Wright, Alison Watson, Nathan Sheppard and Gary Fisher

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Tom Boyce and Eleanor Wood

Clair Strong and Katherine Sater Steph Dodd

Kim Thomas Rowena Rutherford, Tim Burden, Sandra Groso and John Law

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Emma and Andrew Summers

Loraine Morgan-Brinkhurst MBE Alex Miller

Sunjay Singh, Emma Summers and Nick Hems

Jack King

Jamie Watkins, Tom Kennedy and Astrid Beccard

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dd Ralph Oswick

HOT HOT HOT

Dan Lewis Jones and Rosie Crocker

Tiley Sheridan and the crew make the most of the semi-sunshine

Joanna Crosse and Luke Taylor

Another sunny early evening event, this time at Bath Cider House, and with an even more relaxed vibe – if such a thing were possi le as efits ath s creative community. The Creative Bath eceptio get-together s mai o as to cele rate the fi alists and sponsors of the Creative Bath Awards 2023, the ceremony for which took place on 28 June in a big marquee in Queen Square, and was sponsored by Bath Spa University. Aided by an array of nibbles, the odd welcome speech, and – crucially – drink tokens

provided for the bar, creatives from across the city (and across every discipline) got to rekindle old acquaintances and friendships, create new ones, and look forward to two of the biggest events in the creative year: the Creative Bath Summer Party in the Square, then the Awards right after. “The event as terrific great ve ue a the sta ere ama i g sai orai e Morgan-Brinkhurst MBE, of Visit Bath. “I wanted to thank you for all you do supporting the business and creative community."

Simon McNeil-Ritchie

Photos by Josh Empson Photography www.empsonjosh.co.uk

Phillip Jansseune, Alice Herve and Phil Wickens

Lexie Hewlett and Ellie Brown

Sarah Powerbaugh and Jack Risdale Tiley Sheridan, Jasmine Barker, Kate Hall, Dan Lewis Jones and Rosie Crocker

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

Davina Rose, Steve Fountain and Loraine Morgan-Brinkhurst MBE

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Mayor of Bath Rob Appleyard, Amanda Appleyard and Ian Hargraves

Sarah Hargreaves, Greg Haynes and Sarah Freeman

Amy Howard, Chris Ryan and Helen Chalmers

Shay Parsons and Pam Jones

PICTURE THIS

Doug King, Mike Hendon and Harry Blackmore Richard Gardener, Carolyn Gardener and Ted Eyles

The great and the good of Bath’s photographic community joined up with the Mayor of Bath, Councillor Rob Appleyard, and Mayoress Amanda Appleyard, for one of the most important dates in the photographic calendar, the Bath Photographic Society Annual Exhibition Opening 2023 at St Michael’s Church, Broad Street. It’s through this exhibition that the society shares its beautiful photography with local residents and visitors to the city alike. The society’s president, Ian Hargreaves, said a few or s i e as ua e a aturall some top-class images were enjoyed.

Jeremy Richards and Fiona Clouder-Richards

Photos by Liz Bugg and Philip Dean www.lizzbuggphotos.com

Carolyn Betts and Csilla Szucs

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Reverend Simon Winchcombe

David Nicholson

SPONSORED BY

Richard Hall and Judith Rutherford Heather Jackson and Helen Netherwood

Cosmo Fry and Danny Moar

Josh Patel-Foster

of Chilled & Tannin STAGE BEAUTY courtesy with canapés from Brozen, while Theatre Royal Bath hosted two events at their 1805 Rooms recently: one was to celebrate their reopening, while the other was the opening night afterparty for Roman Holiday, the jukebox musical twinning the plot and characters of the classic, Oscar-winning 1953 Gregory Peck/ Audrey Hepburn romantic comedy with the witty, urbane songs of Cole Porter. (If you don’t know the plot, think Notting Hill crossed with The Princess Diaries – a frustrated, rebellious royal escapes for one day of big city fun and freedom with a cynical everyman). Wine came

the Theatre’s director, Danny Moar, welcomed everyone. One memorable moment saw the naming of a room for Ann Meddings, who worked at Theatre Royal for over 40 years and retired in 2022, while notable guests included the leads in Roman Holiday: Michael d Xavier and Rebecca Collingwood. This is the first time these storie eorgia rooms have been open since before the pandemic; over the last few years they’ve been beautifully renovated and reimagined.

Photos by Lloyd Evans; www.lloydevansphotography.com

Ann Meddings Michelle McKelvey

Tania Mathurin

Suresh Ariaratnam and Danny Moar George Renshaw, Maya De Faria and Max Mirza

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Clare Horn, Bernard Horn and Dominic Doherty

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Beth and Karen Needham

Jasmine Baker, Holly Tarquini and Anu Anand Scarlett Daley and Casey Hollyman

Jamie Benyon and Chole Cattermole

Annie Hammond and Courtney Buchner

SCREEN STARS

Marsha Doran and Roger Griffith MBE

Film Bath recently hosted the IMDb Script to Screen Awards, an event that’s been running since 2012 and rewards the best script for a short film o mi utes or less ith cash plus orth o hire it to tur it i to a fi ishe film. he au ie ce o ome ia hear about the careers of the award-winning judges – producer Branwen Prestwood-Smith (The Mauritanian), writer John Hodge (Trainspotting), film ma er eah lar e a ou er ol ee ham ollo e a rehearse script rea i g o the five fi alist scripts elivere ath pa i stu e ts. rocee i gs close ith announcement of the winning script – Two Minutes amie e o .

Jemima Greed and Charlie Coles

Photos by Film Bath; www.filmbath.org.uk

Branwen Prestwood-Smith, John Hodge, Anu Anand, Leah Clarke, Col Needham and Jasmine Barker

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Alex Duque, Abigeall Williams, Ruairi H Reed, Lucas Walker, Olivia Moreton and Cara Hopton

Everyone welcome…

CHRISTINE MCKENZIE ART Solo Exhibition at

Bath

• Jamaica

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Lansdown Road, Bath BA1 5EE

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Saturday 15 July to Sunday 23 July inclusive

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For more information phone 07470 127 482 • www.christinemckenzieart.com

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

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CLOCKWISE: A famous statue, some angry folks decide they prefer coffee to tea (or something), a chewy lunch, a cramped home, and the man behind them all, Warren Elsmore

The earliest art was carved or painted; much of the latest is conceptual – it could be anything. But the most fun? e fi it har to loo e o the plastic ric or o i urgh- ase arre lsmore a o e-time pro tur e ull-time lumi ar . e rote a hit oo o his adventures (Brick City ollo e assorte more specific o es each recreati g a i ere t part o the orl . atel he s ee co ce trati g o America a the e e hi itio at the America useum ar e s at laverto ru i g ul to ear s e sho cases ot ust uil i gs rom the mpire tate to a ra cisco ictoria terraces ut vehicles u a o ules ast oo s urgers historical moments (the Boston Tea art a more. here are mo els i all ma o them uilt speciall or the American Museum – including a gia t replica o laverto a or the useum s home. ve etter you can get involved too uil statio s ma e it possi le or your own creations to become part o the ric America all o ame galler a there s a ric s gra ti all a assorte activities to o loa a o at home. ve etter the re ru i g a eve t calle he ig uil i viti g ou to or alo gsi e arre to create a giant model of the oll oo ig to mar its th a iversar this ear. his ru s . am . pm o ul a ill e a rop-i activit o ee to pre- oo . ou get to create a large ric out o smaller o es the arre s team ill assem le them to create the sign.

Brick America: An Adventure in LEGO Bricks runs 22 July – 31 December at the American Museum & Gardens, Claverton; www.americanmuseum.org

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

INSIDE No 10

A new book tells the story of one address, 10 Royal Crescent

By John Walker

I

t as et i s perio rama Bridgerton, that began it, back in the autumn of 2019.

No 10 featured as the residence of opera si ger ie a osso the lover o iscou t Bridgerton. As I watched the pseudohistorical drama unfold on my doorstep, I began to wonder who had really lived in this house, from Georgian and Regency times to today.

It was the pandemic’s enforced restrictions that actually provided me with the time to explore the many documents relating to the house’s histor some o it paper or that ha survive the centuries, including the earliest of it, signed by the Crescent’s architect, John Wood the younger. Using these indentures as a starting point, I was able to trace all the owners of No 10, and most of the people who lived in the house. Here is a look back at just a few of those lives behind the home.

11771: John Cannings makes a profit John Wood the younger gets deserved credit for designing a masterpiece. Heritage plaques on many

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

houses indicate the famous who were once residents.

But who knows the craftsmen who actually built the Crescent? For No 10, it was John Cannings, who signed a one year-lease on 6 March, 1771, and had the house ready for occupation by 18 April the following year.

Cannings, a carpenter by trade, prudently kept the interior quite plain, built staircases in simple wood, and ma e a profit u li e some other uil ers ho e t i for fancy interiors and fashionable stone staircases, and went bankrupt.

“I began to wonder who really lived in this 1750s: John Zephaniah Holwell house, from 2deserves a Heritage plaque Georgian times to today”

Holwell, former Governor of Bengal, and his wife li a eth ere o s first resi e ts. e as a survivor and the chronicler of the Black Hole of Calcutta, when 146 Europeans were imprisoned in a cramped, overheate goal o cers o the re ellious a a o Bengal in June, 1756; the next day, only 23 were still alive.

His account remains controversial, but he was also the earliest European to write on Hindu religion and culture, i ue ci g oltaire a o e o the first to ecome a teetotaller and vegetarian.

HISTORY into apartments in 1928. Her compatriots complained after she wrote that “the withdrawal of Imperial troops gave the death-knell of Canadian society,” adding that Canadians spoke with a twang “unequalled all over the world for its ugliness.” She professed astonishment at their reaction, and wrote, “I ask them to forgive me if it has been my misfortune to have heard with other ears, and seen with other eyes, than theirs.”

Unmarried women added to the vitality of the Crescent 71938: Bath, for much of its history, was home to twice as many spinsters as bachelors. Stella Butt, who never married, as the first perso to tur o i to apartme ts.

One tenant in 1938 was the aristocratic, unmarried, Violet Eustace. She was an artist, who had sponsored a working-class boy, Thomas Nash (1891-1968), to study at the Slade. Following the German air raid in 1941, Violet, then 67, made water-colour sketches of the city’s devastation. Three of them are now in the collection of Bath’s Victoria Art Gallery.

FROM ABOVE: Bridgerton comes to No 10; John Zephaniah Howell; Lady Harriet Jephson; Charlie Ware

31923: Bath remains a garden city

The openness of the Royal Crescent, facing as it does onto green lawn and parkland – despite being so near the centre of the city – emphasises that Bath is an enviable mix of urban and country life. As Frederic Harrison, writer, philosopher and resident of No 10, put it when accepting the Freedom of the City of Bath in 1923: “As we pace our streets each day, we lift our eyes to heaven and on every side we can see a sweet vision of woodland, heath, park, and lawn.” That is still true today.

: he asting in en e o (1821-1923) 81Frederic1 Harrison

Arguably No 10’s most important resident was the now forgotten Frederic Harrison. As a lawyer, he once persuaded Karl Marx to swear on the Bible. His importa ce is as a huma ist specificall as the ritish leader of the Positivist movement, which was concerned with the perfection of life on earth by a genuinely scie tific u ersta i g o ma s po ers a a ts.

He felt that he had made few converts to his views, but the fact that 37 per cent of people in the 2021 census professed no religious belief shows that humanism is winning the day.

1968: The Crescent looks better than ever

Charlie Ware and the importance of conservation 91960s:

1941: Community is important

Edward Goring also deserves a Heritage plaque 101970s:

4

As the Woods began Bath’s building boom, many locals no doubt complained, as did Anne Elliot in Persuasion, of “the white glare” of the new buildings. That didn’t last long. By 1901, a visiting American architect noted “the dismal blackness of the stone”, as layers of soot e cruste the houses. o as the first house in the Crescent to be cleaned. It took around forty years before the exteriors of all thirty houses were scrubbed of centuries of dirt, so now the mellowed stone gleams honey-gold on the darkest of days.

5

Set apart by its shape, the Crescent became a community. Over the centuries, residents have got together for social events or when some danger threatened, such as the cost of hiring saddle-horses, or clearing rubbish from the street. In 1941, 38 residents orme a fire- atchi g scheme eepi g atch rom 6.30pm to 7am, irrespective of air-raid alerts, and special stirrup pump teams were formed. In 1973, the Royal Crescent Society was established to prevent outsiders holding a military tattoo on the lawn, and it has continued to represent local concerns.

61928: Lady Harriet Jephson’s apology Lady Harriet, Canadian-born travel writer, was an expert at the non-apology. A friend of Edward VII, she as the first te a t o o he it as tur e

The ebullient Charlie Ware came to Bath in 1965 with a belief in conservation. “It is something which will be much more appropriate in the economic and ecological climate we’re going into, where we must not use up quite so many resources in making things that fall apart,” he said. He was to save Kingsmead Square from demolition, improve the Theatre Royal, restore Morris Minor cars, and make and lose millions on a property empire, based on mortgaging No 10 for £25,000 (£422,000 today), a house he had bought six years earlier for £8,500.

Edward Goring came to work in Bath at half of his London salary because he fell in love with the city. He wrote a column, Sul’s Day By Day, in the Bath Evening Chronicle that, according to author Jan Morris, made him the pre-eminent chronicler of Bath in the 1970s, providing a permanent addition to the city’s literature.

He also founded the Royal Crescent Society, whose ten-year campaign, led

by Mike Daw, a later resident of No 10, led to the banning of the 90-a-day tourist buses that had long plagued the poor Crescent. n 10 Royal Crescent: A House & Its History

by John Walker, £9.50, can be ordered by emailing John at j.walker1@btinternet.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 29

WHAT’S ON 7 July – 1 August

EXHIBITIONS Until 9 July

BODYWORKS Last chance to enjoy Bath Sculpture Group’s annual exhibition at Walcot Chapel with more than 40 new works by artists including Anna Currey and Colin Hawkins. alirogers2011@hotmail.co.uk

on canvas and constructed reliefs, creating a sense of rhythm in the negative space. Francis Gallery; www.francisgallery.co

Until 29 July

NEW WORKS New ceramics from Paul Wearing, paintings by Bobbie Russon, and Beth Carter sculptures make up this beautiful Beaux Arts early summer exhibition. www.beauxartsbath.co.uk

KIM BOOKER I Want to Live Twice is a solo exhibition by Kim Booker in a former Methodist church in Bruton, exploring the female experience, fear of death and desire for more time, through large acrylic canvases.

Booker depicts naked female figures i positio s o surre er or sacrifice resem li g the crucifi .

Bo Lee and Workman; www.boleeworkman.com

Until 23 July

Until 25 August

Until 15 July

TIME LINE: A NEW PATH Time Line by Rob Mackenzie comprises 25 pen and ink works, created especially for the RUH. The pieces express the healing journey, drawn from Rob’s personal experience of a haemorrhage and stroke in 2014. www.artatruh.org

Until 29 July

LIAM STEVENS Liam, now London-based, grew up in rural Somerset and works in layered pigment washes with pencil

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

IMMERSION Shay Parsons is a Bath-based contemporary photographer who uses camera movement, abstraction and multiple exposure to bring a painterly and impressionistic style to her pictures. This solo exhibition at Burdall’s Yard follows a Bath pop up gallery. www.shayparsons.com

Until 1 October

PAINTED LOVE This major Holburne exhibition looks at the role of portraiture

Zoe Barnett, upcoming guitar superstar, at Bath Guitar Festival

in the process of marriage in the Renaissance. www.holburne.org

Until 7 October

RICHES OF THE EARTH This free exhibition celebrates the beauty of solid chemical compounds, with more than a hundred carefully selected mineral specimens from the Bath Royal iterar a cie tific stitutio s own collection. www.brlsi.org

Until 1 January 2024

GRUPPENAUSSTELLUNG A multidisciplinary celebration of Hauser & Wirth’s Swiss heritage, with more than 20 artists, including Martin Creed, Cindy Sherman, Richard Jackson, Jason Rhoades, Mika Rottenberg, Camille Henrot, Pipilotti Rist, Dieter Roth, and Björn Roth. www.hauserwirth.com

Until 22 June 2024

FROM HONG KONG TO BATH Subtitled ‘A Lifelong Journey of Collecting’, this exhibition combines a series of rare historical photographs with 30 treasures from the Museum of East Asian Art’s collection to uncover hidden stories of their late founder. www.meaa.org.uk

9 July

BATH CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS FAIR Since its creation in 2020, the Bath Contemporary Artists Fair has showcased more than 600 artists across 13 fairs at Green Park Station, bringing us the best of local co temporar art i clu i g fi e art, photography, sculpture, textiles and more. www.bcaf.co.uk

14 July – 7 January

LUCIE RIE: THE ADVENTURE OF POTTERY This new Holburne exhibition celebrates Lucie Rie (1902–1995), one of the most accomplished a i ue tial potters o the th century. Featuring work produced across six decades, this display follows the evolution of Rie’s style. www.holburne.org

THEATRE / CINEMA Until 8 July

TONY! [THE TONY BLAIR ROCK OPERA] Written by Harry Hill and Bath’s own Steve Brown, this rip-roaring new comedy musical is a hilarious

WHAT’S ON reappraisal o our first pop prime minister, from latter-day hippy to modern day crusader; it hits Bath fresh from West End success. www.theatreroyal.org.uk

17 July

A ROOM OF ONE’S OWN Rebecca Vaughan performs Virginia Woolf ’s 1928 exploration of the impact of poverty and sexual inequality on intellectual freedom and creativity – don’t worry, though, it’s quite funny too! www.theatreroyal.org.uk

17-19 July

ABIGAIL’S PARTY The all-time classic comedy of ’70s embarrassment, when a suburban ‘nibbles’ party spirals out of control.

See Culture Club, page 34, for more. www.theatreroyal.org.uk

MUSIC 14 July

TOP TO BOTTOM: Comedian Huge Davies, looking rather cooler than he ever did on Cats Does Countdown; Covent Garden Ballet comes a-visiting; ‘Cat Street’, Hong Kong, sometime in the ’70s, at the Museum of East Asian Art

THE ELO EXPERIENCE ou ou tless o e ea his The Electric Light Orchestra barely needs any introduction – between 1972 and 1986 they achieved more combined UK and US Top 40 hits than anyone, from Don’t Bring Me Down’ to ‘Mr Blue Sky’. This isn’t them, but it is the best ELO tribute out there. www.bathforum.co.uk

16 – 19 August

BATH GUITAR FESTIVAL 2023 This year’s classical concert programme features some of the most celebrated international guitarists. The Paraguayan Berta Rojas and the Cuban Marco Tamayo make not-to-be-missed rare visits to the UK, while Colombian Francisco Correa and IGF’s Artistic Director, Tom Kerstens, complete the line-up for three evening concerts. The lunchtime events, meanwhile, present the very best young guitarists in the country, and on Friday there are also two Student Concerts, which close the guitar summer school. www.igf.org.uk

10 September

THE SONGS THE BEATLES GAVE AWAY The Old Grey Whistle Test and BBC Radio 2 presenter Bob Harris, and former custodian of John Lennon’s childhood home Colin Hall, talk about their love of the Fab Four, and particularly tracks which Paul and John penned for other artists, including Cilla Black’s top 10 hit

‘Step Inside Love’ and Peter and Gordon’s transatlantic chart-topper ‘A World Without Love’. The show is inspired by the BBC Radio 2 documentary and Colin’s book of the same name. www.komedia.co.uk

COMEDY Every Saturday

KRATER COMEDY CLUB Both up-and-coming and established talent provide the weekend laughs. Previous alumni include Romesh Ranganathan, Tom Allen, Sarah Millican, Daliso Chaponda, and Luisa Omielan. www.komedia.co.uk

8 July

BILAL ZAFAR AND HUGE DAVIES A double bill of comedy, with Bilal Zafar previewing his new show Imposter ahead of taking it to Edinburgh Fringe later this summer, while Edinburgh Newcomer Award nominee and musical comedian Huge Davies (8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown) presents a preview of his new show, Whodunnit? www.theatreroyal.org.uk

17 July

FREYA MALLARD An exciting new voice in standup comedy, Freya’s slightly absurd take on life make her a delight to watch. This, and the other Hop Pole gigs listed below, are all works in progress (Bath Comedy’s Edinburgh Preview Specials) so expect rough edges – and the thrill of seeing a winning routine come together. The Hop Pole; www.bathcomedy.com

17 July

STUART GOLDSMITH Stuart Goldsmith takes on the climate crisis, and tries to work out how to feel OK about it. Openhearted, honest (and guaranteed potentially funny) from the host of ‘The Comedian’s Comedian’ Podcast. The Hop Pole; bathcomedy.com

18 July

JANINE HAROUNI Janine thought she knew her family.

Then she took a DNA test and thi gs got mess . the heels o her New York Times recommended show Stand Up With Janine Harouni (Please Remain Seated) comes a new hour from the Edinburgh Best Newcomer nominee, exploring her Arab roots, and what happens when your DNA test does not go to plan.

The Hop Pole; www.bathcomedy.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 31

WHAT’S ON 18 July

DAN TIERNAN He’s 27, gay and riddled with dyspraxia. Dan’s had a big year, quitting his job as a dinner lady, going full-time in comedy and fi all leavi g home et someho he still feels he’s completely going under. The reigning BBC New Comedy Awards winner and British Comedian of the Year presents his gag-heav high-e erg e ut hour.

The Hop Pole; www.bathcomedy.com

14 September

© MARK SENIOR

MARKUS BIRDMAN Britain’s Got Talent semi-fi alist Markus Birdman brings his unique charm and wit to the stage with brand-new show Platinum, coming to Bath’s Rondo. www.rondotheatre.co.uk

CHILDREN Until 8 July

THE BOOKBINDER Award-winning New Zealand company Trick of the Light Theatre ri gs a i ve tive eil aima esque one-man performance by writer, performer and co-founder Ralph McCubbin Howell to The gg eavi g sha o -pla paper art, puppetry and music, as an old man sits down to read the tale of an erstwhile bookbinding apprentice. www.theatreroyal.org.uk

Until 31 July

THE WILD ESCAPE ictoria Art aller is ta i g part in The Wild Escape, a nationwide project uniting hundreds of museums, schools and families to fi ature i museums. hil re are i vite to fi a avourite a imal in the gallery and create an artwork imagining its ‘escape’ back to its natural habitat. www.victoriagal.org.uk

Until 19 September

ZOG TRAIL Thanks to amazing augmented reality technology, you can follow a golden star trail around Westonbirt Arboretum, home to one of the most important plant collections in the world, with 15,000 specimens and 2,500 species. here are also ru alo statues to be spotted, a nature play trail and guided walks, along with the treetop walkway. www.forestryengland.uk

29 September – 8 October BATH CHILDREN’S LITERATURE FESTIVAL oo s a stories come alive

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

ABOVE: Jack Whittle as Tony Blair, plus the whole sick crew, in TONY! [The Tony Blair Rock Opera]; RIGHT: Comedian Markus Birdman, from Britain’s Got Talent to The Rondo

this autumn at Bath Children’s iterature estival. he estival ri gs over o the hottest e ut local and national writers, creators and illustrators from the world of young people’s books to places and spaces across the city. Amongst the big names expect Sir Lenny Henry, o i teve s ressi a o ell Rob Biddulph, Holly Jackson, Dapo Adeola and Nathan Bryon, i ita ill atheri e u ell Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet, Holly Bourne, Chris Riddell, Tom Holland and Dermot O’Leary. www.bathfestivals.org.uk/childrensliterature

FESTIVALS 10 – 14 July

BATH DIGITAL FESTIVAL A five- a sho case o the est tech i ath ith a i ere t theme or each day. www.techspark.co

21 July – 5 August

THE GARDEN THEATRE FESTIVAL ol ur e useum ar e s hosts a range of open air shows, so bring a picnic and get immersed in a world o fire- reathi g rago s car chases

WHAT’S ON and convicts, Shakespeare galore, beautiful cabaret, slapstick, laughter at Bath’s only open-air theatre.

Performances include Looking For Me Friend: The Music of Victoria Wood; David Walliam’s Bad Dad; Lewis Carroll’s The Jabberwocky & Other Nonsense; and The Great Gatsby. www.gardentheatrefest.co.uk

27 – 30 July

WOMAD Artists from all over the world will perform at Charlton Park in Malmesbury at this major player amongst festivals. Names include Afrobeat dynamo Femi Kuti and his band the Positive Force, Horace Andy, Soul II Soul, Bombay Bicycle Club, and Peruvian ex-culture minister (and three-time Latin Grammy winning singer) Susana Baca. www.womad.co.uk

24 August – 16 September

IF OPERA Productions take place in the Saddlespan theatre in the grounds of Belcombe Court, the stunning stately home in Bradford on Avon.

A packed programme which runs over various dates includes Umberto Giordano’s Fedora; a jazzinfused Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

by Will Todd; and the classic Mikado

by Gilbert and Sullivan. www.ifopera.com

OTHER

Until 16 August

BATH ON THE BEACH Head to Royal Victoria Park for a chilled out pseudo seaside venue with beach games, summer cocktails, street food and ice creams.

Entry free, but adults only after 6pm. www.bathonthebeach.co.uk

27 – 30 July

COVENT GARDEN DANCE AT HATCH HOUSE Amazing international ballet in the spectacular grounds of the Wiltshire country house. www.coventgardendance.com

2 – 3 September

NEPTUNE SUMMER MARKET The Walcot Street furniture emporium reinvents itself as temporary weekend home to assorted artisan brands, including Novel Wines, Bath cheese-andchutney company The Cork and Truckle and sustainable clothing outfit Aspiga. www.neptune.com

3 September

WAG WALK The annual fundraising event of Bath Cats & Dogs Home, with two sponsored dog walks: an early twomiler or a hillier five-mile course. www.bathcatsanddogshome.org.uk

Now that’s what we call wallpaper: Rebecca Birch in Abigail’s Party

CULTURE CLUB with Rebecca Birch Actress Rebecca Birch makes a welcome return to the Theatre Royal Bath to star as the monstrous Beverly in London Classic Theatre’s production of Mike Leigh’s famous black comedy Abigail’s Party, running 17 – 19 July. Rebecca’s many credits include Charlotte Keatley’s modern classic My Mother Said I Never Should at the Theatre Royal in 2019, and Noël Coward’s comedy Relative Values in 2013.

Your lockdown boxset?

Married at First Sight Australia…

Don’t judge me.

The last great film I saw was…

Rye Lane. I absolutely love a rom-com, and this one was 10/10 – and also a love letter to South London, in a big way.

The book I’d happily re-read The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern. It’s this gorgeous tale of a secret world full of books. But you can only find it if you open the right door…

A film I could watch over and over again and again…

Paddington for comfort. Dirty Dancing for nostalgia. The 1986 Little Shop of Horrors with Rick Moranis for performances and epic puppetry.

We’re betting this eager fella does the harder five-mile yomp for Bath Cats and Dogs Home

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

A painting that means something to me I’ve actually got four in my house that have been drawn by loved ones. One is me and my best friend (by my artist husband), one is me doing martial arts (by my uke, which is also known as a fighting partner), one is me and my surrogate dad, and one is me on stage (by another best friend). These all mean the world to me and I can’t believe I have such talented friends!

Best TV show ever…

This changes a lot but, at the moment, Succession. I mean, it was just incredible, wasn’t it?

The book that changed my life A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. A heart-wrenching but incredible story of four friends in New York.

Last live music gig My pal David Kelly, performing his original music at a pub in Balham. As I said – stupidly talented friends.

My desert island disc?

Beyoncé. Any album!

The first single I bought Christina Aguilera, Genie in a Bottle. I was a huge fan.

My karaoke go-to Again, probably Christina.

Anything with a belt and a riff I can’t do, but think I can.

For more: www.theatreroyal.org.uk

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

SUMMER 14th July – The ELO Experience 15th July – Rob Lamberti: Perfectly George

The ELO Experience 14th July

Rob Lamberti: Perfectly George 15th July

Encanto – Live in Concert 2nd August

Maggie May: The Rod Stewart Years 6th September

The Carpenters Songbook 7th September

Thank You For The Music 9th September

2nd August – Encanto – Live in Concert 6th September – Maggie May: The Rod Stewart Years 7th September – The Carpenters Songbook 9th September – Thank You For The Music 12th September – Stranger Sings – The UK Theatre Premiere 14th September – The Rest Is Politics Live 15th September – Alfie Boe 16th September – 90s Live 18th September – Graham Nash – Sixty Years Of Songs And Stories 19th September – Aunty Donna – The Magical Dead Cat Tour 20th September – Miriam Margolyes – Oh Miriam!

21st September – Loose Women Live 22nd September – Dexys Presents – The Feminine Devine Live 27th September – An Evening with Adrian Edmondson 28th September – The Makings of a Murderer

www.bathforum.co.uk

Bath Box Office | 01225 463362

ALBANY GALLERY HARRY HOLLAND Selected works from the studio of one of Britain’s finest figurative artists 30 June – 22 July www.albanygallery.com

74b Albany Road, Cardiff, CF24 3RS | T: 029 2078 9171 | E: info@albanygallery.com Gallery open: Tuesday - Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday 11am-4pm | www.albanygallery.com

SPONSORED CONTENT

PENTATHLON WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS COMING TO BATH Excitement is building as the countdown begins to the UIPM LASER RUN AND MODERN PENTATHLON WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS taking place at the University of Bath in August.

T

en amazing days of sport begin with the Laser Run World Championships (19-21 August) which combine running and shooting in dynamic, fast-paced races with all ages taking part from Under 9’s to Over 70’s.

What’s more, for the first time there will be an Elite Para Laser Run event, as well as a Discover

Para Laser Run session for local children to try the sport on Saturday 19 August.

Ticket-holders for the Modern Pentathlon World Championships (22-28 August) will see elite international athletes fence, show-jump and laser shoot and run live from their seats in an outdoor arena, while the swimming section will be broadcast via a large video screen in the stadium.

All five sports take place in a new, action-packed 90-minute format making it the ultimate mental and physical challenge for athletes and even more exciting for spectators.

You don’t need to be a die-hard sports fan to enjoy the World Championships! Alongside the thrilling competitive events, an exciting programme of family entertainment is planned including a family day on 22 August where all tickets cost just £5, ‘come and try’ sessions and great music to ensure everyone has an unforgettable day out. n

Find more information at wch2023.org

BOOKS NIC BOTTOMLEY

A Nic casts his eye west – a long way west, in fact, to the most exciting of the new American authors

“It’s told in stunning prose and brims with politics, ideas and vignettes”

s I write, the news has just broken that this year’s Women’s Prize for Fiction has been won by the incredible Barbara Kingsolver with her latest novel, Demon Copperhead (Faber, £9.99). This is not her first ro eo. t s ot eve her first ro eo this year. Demon Copperhead has already picked up the Pulitzer Prize in 2023, and she won the predecessor of the Women’s Prize (the Orange Prize) for the stunning Lacuna back in 2010. Her Congo-set novel The Poisonwood Bible as also a ulit er ri e fi alist ears ago – and it still crops up on a lot of our customers’ favourite novel lists.

Demon Copperhead is a reimagining of Charles Dickens’ avid o er e d, except the action begins in the 1980s, with the lead character’s birth, the setting is Appalachia and the primary themes concern rural poverty, the opioid crisis and the long path to creativity. Like many of her works, it’s told in stunning prose and brims with politics, ideas and memorable vignettes as Demon’s life unfurls in unpredictable ways.

Kingsolver’s latest prize success got me thinking about other recent giants of the American book world that might ultimately translate to vast critical and reader acclaim here in the UK. Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez (Orion, £8.99) is a debut novel based on true events which has had huge success in the US, and we’re starting to see it do seriously well here – thanks, in part, to a number of our booksellers recommending it relentlessly.

Set mostly in the 1970s in Alabama, Take My Hand ocuses o e l ualifie urse Civil Townsend, who is on a personal mission to ma e a i ere ce.

Civil helps out at a family planning clinic, which she believes aims to help suppress pregnancy rates amongst local young women.

But some of the tasks she is given give her cause for concern, particularly when she’s

asked to administer birth control drugs to two very young sisters living in squalid conditions but with little immediate pregnancy risk.

As she becomes increasingly attached to the Williams family she starts to question the things she’s being asked to do. Take My Hand is a very human story centred on a quest to fight the s stem or the e efit o those less fortunate and which is emotional without being overly sentimental.

Just now I’m reading another huge recent American success to prepare for interviewing the author at our shop in early July. Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah has just completed a long US event tour taking in many of America’s great bookshops, introducing readers to his hard-hitting dystopian novel Chain-Gang All-Stars (Vintage, £18.99).

We’ve been a fan of Adjei-Brenyah’s since his debut short story collection Friday Black (Quercus, £9.99) and talking to him about this bold book is going to be a thrill.

Chain-Gang All-Stars takes us into a privatised America priso s stem here priso ers fight to the death (watched by live and internet audiences) to earn freedom.

Stars and lovers Loretta Thurwar and Hamara ‘Hurricane Staxxx’ Stacker are the lead anti-heroines, trying to battle their way out of the system. It’s a brilliant but brutal oo rutal ot ust or the fight sce es ut in its surreptitious annihilation of TV and celebrity obsession, systemised racism and the impact of incarceration. evie ers have ee ueui g up to fi comparison points for this livewire novel – Squid Games, The Hunger Games, The Handmaid’s Tale and The Running Man have all been doing the rounds. But despite some obvious links, this book’s key quality is actually its uniqueness. And perhaps that’s what will make it join the long list of Trans-Atlantic success stories.

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

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

THE REEL THING EMMA INGLEDEW

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Cillian Murphy in Oppenheimer; Margot Robbie is Barbie; the iconic imagery of 2001: A Space Odyssey; and the search for a home in both Mother and Son and Herself

The hot weather has officially arrived, but The Little has more than just powerful aircon to draw in audiences this summer…

Mother and Son

Releasing Friday, 14 July

Mother and Son, or to use its original title Un Petit Frère, is a moving French drama, constructing and deconstructing the idea of family and tradition. In the 1980s, Rose moved from the Ivory Coast to Paris with her two young so s. his film is the chro icle o their lives spanning 20 years from their arrival in France to the present day. Written and directed by Léonor Serraille as her sophomore feature, she escri e the film i a a es press co ere ce as being “the story I’ve been thinking about for 18 years… I’ve always wanted to write about this – I hadn’t dared so far.”

Barbie Oppenheimer

Releasing Friday, 21 July

It’s the showdown of the summer… The double bill that has the world divided… That’s right, it’s Barbie vs Oppenheimer. Greta Gerwig’s thir eature film Barbie, is out on 21 July, going head to head with Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. In Barbie, Margot Robbie plays the titular doll as she sets out on a voyage of discovery alongside her boyfriend, Ken, played by the ever wonderful Ryan Gosling.

Meanwhile, in Oppenheimer, Nolan mainstay Cillian Murphy stars as the central scientist,

grappling with the moral dilemma of the creatio o the uclear om . he films ma i er i to e ut the oth eature huge casts and main characters wondering what it means to be human – and are both sure to be Box ce smashes. he o l uestio remai s hich ill ou atch first

Herself

Charity Screening with Julian House Screening Friday, 14 July

We are thrilled to announce that we are screening Herself to raise money for local Bath charity, Julian House. Julian House provides homeless services and accommodation, domestic abuse services, criminal justice, employment support and more across the South West. Herself follows a young mother, Sandra, as she escapes her a usive hus a a fights back against a broken housing system. Finding no home available for her and her children, she sets out to build her own, in the process rediscovering herself. Directed by Phyllida Lloyd (Mamma Mia, The Iron Lady), Herself is a powerful drama, screening for a good cause.

2001: A Space Odyssey

Screening Friday, 4 August

The 1968 cult classic returns to screens at The Little on Friday, 4 August. After uncovering a

mysterious artefact buried beneath the Lunar sur ace a spacecra t is se t to upiter to fi its origins – manned by two men and the supercomputer .A. . . hilst the film is widely loved now, voted as the Greatest Film of All Time in Sight and Sound’s 2022 directors’ poll it as ot a fi a cial success at first. fact, it was performing so badly that MGM almost pulled it from cinemas – until several theatre owners noticed that it had become a trend with younger people to watch the tar ate se ue ce u er the i ue ce o psychedelic drugs! The increased ticket sales rom this tre helpe the film to ecome a fi a cial success. hilst he ittle oes t approve of this behaviour, we can say that it is a gorgeous thing to catch on the big screen.

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

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

SPONSORED CONTENT

THRINGS MEETS… ROOTS ALLOTMENTS THRINGS solicitor Jake Wennan meets Will Gay and Christian Samuel, founders of the simple-yet-innovative ROOTS ALLOTMENTS Jake Wennan: First up, tell us about Roots Allotments and how it got started.

Will Gay: We’re the allotments of tomorrow, providing a membership that gives people no-fuss access to growing plants, fruit and veg.

Christian and I started this business with my twin brother Josh and our friend Ed Morrison back in 2022. Ed left London and started a no dig patch at home during Covid and by the time he came back, he was clearly healthier and happier.

As he and I love to cook, we looked into getting an allotment of our own in London but found the local council had a 28-year waiting list.

It turned out this was the case across the country and, after looking into it, it was clear there was a demand for this kind of business – with an estimated two million people on waiting lists!

Having floated the idea, the four of us eventually decided to take the leap, renting our first site from my parents at Tuckers Meadow near Newbridge and opening in April 2022. The response was overwhelming, and we’ve since opened up a second site in Bathford called Avon Views, with a third set to open in Bristol later this year. Overall, we now have around 1,100 members.

JW: What services do you offer?

Christian Samuel: We want to make it easy for people to enjoy their allotments and – after their face-to-face induction, where we get them ready to go and help plant their seeds – we provide watering and weeding services as well as looking after plots while they’re away.

We also offer an online learning platform through our app, along with in-person workshops, advice and events.

We are constantly uploading new high-quality videos to help people learn more and work with highly regarded growers, such as Charles Dowding and Mitch Grows, to get the most out of their allotment through our no dig approach.

JW: What is ‘no dig’?

CS: The classic approach is to ‘dig for victory’, trudging up the soil to unearth and remove weeds. This can actually undermine the backbreaking efforts to get the pitch started, as it unearths dormant weeds, bringing them to the top where they can thrive.

No dig is a concept that looks to avoid turning or tilting the soil, and instead we put a layer of cardboard under four inches of compost to provide an environment to plant in on day one. This leaves healthy soil that has formed underneath undisturbed to create more nutrient-rich material for plants to grow into.

JW: Why would you say what you are doing here is important?

WG: In the UK, one-in-five adults suffer with depression symptoms with 3.8million feeling a chronic sense of loneliness.

Being outdoors in a green space, and interacting with other people, has been shown to have a significant boost on mental health and we provide the environment for that to happen.

A recent survey of our users showed 93% had a wellbeing boost since joining, feeling

happier both mentally and physically, with 60% saying they met someone new at Roots. This is supported by our community hubs on each site, running anything from poetry and compost workshops to yoga classes to add as much value as possible to our members.

JW: Given the sense of community in the business, what are you up to away from the allotments?

CS: We want to integrate ourselves into the community, making a positive difference and impacting those that need it; one way we’ve been doing this is working with local schools.

We are currently redoing the entire back garden of the Bath YMCA, and have donated a patch on our site to them. We’re also building an allotment bed at the RUH for patients to enjoy, and are providing patients in the cancer centre with free access to our online platform and seeds to plant at home.

JW: What does the future hold for Roots Allotments?

WG: We’re very excited by our plans to expand the work we do across the south of England, and are planning to have seven more sites active by the end of the year. We are actively engaging with a range of communities to win their support by getting our message across that this is an educational, environmentallyfocused service which anyone can enjoy.

To find out more about Roots Allotments, visit www.rootsallotments.com n

2 Queen Square, Bath BA1 2HQ; tel: 01225 340000; solicitors@thrings.com www.thrings.com

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

THE MINT ROOM

Eclectic dishes and a glimmering Studio 54 charisma give The Mint Room a unique spot near the top of the Bath dining pyramid, says Matt Bielby

S

ome restaurants make a virtue of never changing. At Dyer’s Burgers in Memphis, Tennessee, they still deep fry their hamburgers in the same 100-year-old fat the ere usi g he the restaura t first opened in 1919. Disgusting, you might say. o claim aficio a os the at or s o the same pri cipal as a cast iro s illet a sor i g avours to add savoury depth to their food over the years.

The Mint Room threatens us with nothing so challenging, but doesn’t change much either – and to great e ect. isiti g here a e is li e meeti g up ith the best of old friends. This staple of Bath’s Asian food a fi e i i g sce es oth revels i its almost thrilli gl obscure location on the Lower Bristol Road, and though newer, fresher curry houses occasionally eclipse it for a while – not least owners Moe and Luthfur Rahman’s more central, accessible Bandook – The Mint Room endures, and comes back stronger than ever. It’s the daddy, in other words.

The menu feels timeless but never boring, with some unusual choices amongst the classics that echo the feel of the place uite a c ut har l stu ar oo im lighting, cream banquettes, a shimmering glass waterfall running down the centre to divide the space into two aisles. The Mint Room has been around for a dozen or so years at this point, and still looks and feels much

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

as it did when it opened – which is to say, not quite like anywhere else in the city. Where changes have been made are most obviously to the rooftop terrace, a sun-trap now rearranged and largely covered by a giant sail-like tent, proof against rain and, presumably, spice-loving seagulls.

Places to eat open and close every day, but longevity can be achieved, and it’s often by those who give customers somethi g ver specific a stic ith it over time. he i t oom o ers a eclectic ra ge o ishes rom across the sub-continent, the best of which comprise a lengthy Tour of India tasting menu (a well-priced £45, or ith a matchi g i e ight hich cha ges i details but remains broadly recognisable year in, year out. es rea er e ha it agai . t starts ith s ac s street-food nibbles – one of them pleasingly theatrical – the lea s ou through chops a fish course a su sta tial mai less sur tur a more tree tur ma e and a pud, guaranteed to leave you sated, verging on pleasi gl stu e . e ega ith poppa oms three i ere t avours rom spic to mil alo gsi e a trio o chut e s the the street chat appetisers each i its o little ish hel poori, samosa chat, and pani poori with tamarind water – once eaten, never forgotten – which involves pouring a shot-glass of spicy liquid into a crisp, crunchy ball of potato and chickpea, then devouring the lot in one bite.

Amongst the all-time great mealtime ice breakers, it was

RESTAURANT

served here alongside another get-the-evening-going favourite, a glass of Laurent Perrier Brut Champagne.

Next came Rajasthani lamb chops, a north India-south Wales mash-up reminiscent of Carry On Up the Khyber (in which the Watkin Path near Snowdon famously stood in for the Khyber Pass into Afghanistan) in that meat from the valleys was marinated in Kashmiri chilli then served with yoghurt, cloves and cardamom. This came with spiced sweet potato patties called shami kabab, and proved utterly delicious; I remember it being a highlight of this tasting menu the last time I had it, and might have been again, if there hadn’t been yet better to come. It came paired with a South African wine, a Viognier from the Western Cape. or me a fish curr lover the erala fish moilee as thrillingly well realised, the delicate pan-fried sea bass served with creamy sauce of coconut milk and mustard see to i i g e ect ith this a resh ruit pa ish white with hints of peach, maybe apricot.

Then to the main, a beef Chettinad, slow-cooked in spices for up to eight hours so it collapses on the fork, served in a hot south Indian curry of coconut, star anise and red chillis. That this comes alongside a side dish of Delhi Old Style butter chicken in a tangy tomato, cashew a e ugree sauce plus accompa ime ts o sa ro rice, Indian breads and assorted vegetable sides, is almost over-generous – and all the better for it. Buddy for this as a pa ish io a the o l re o the ight these wines (wisely) come in a variety of sizes, but none of them huge allo i g or eas fi ishi g e ore each course is cleared away, and clear-ish heads in the morning.

Last up, guiab jamun (fried cardamom dumplings in rose s rup ith e se cream ulfi ice-cream paire with just 50ml of a light French dessert wine, Garonnelles auter es a elicious ho e e citrus a air.

Of course, you don’t have to go this way at all. The Mint Room also has a range of a la carte menus (one is vegan and gluten-free) – the prawns, scallops, salmon and sea bass of the seafood moilee always jumps out at me – but when the tasting menu is this well-priced, why fight it This is a business that only gets better with age, and at a time when curry houses seem perpetually on the cusp of culinary collapse – recent reports see Birmingham’s Balti Triangle, London’s Brick Lane and Manchester’s Curry Mile being depleted at an alarming rate – reminds us of the hard-to-replicate joys of this exciting, colourful, once-dominant cuisine.

That’s the Mint Room, then. Don’t ever change. n

“When the tasting menu is this well-priced, w t it?”

DINING DETAILS The Mint Room, Longmead Gospel Hall, Lower Bristol Road, Bath, BS2 3EB; 01225 446656; www.themintroom.co.uk Opening hours: Monday-Saturday, 5.3011pm Owners: Brothers Moe and Luthfur Rahman Executive chef: Soyful Alom In a nutshell: For twelve years or so, Bath’s fanciest, most reliable option for intriguing, well-realised Indian cuisine, straddling the worlds of everyday a la carte and special occasion fine dining with ease.

Prices: Starters £7-£12, mains £10-£23; a goodvalue Tour of India tasting menu is £45, or £70 with a matching wine flight Drinks: A range of Mint Room special cocktails (delighting in such intriguing names as South Side of Mumbai and Jaipur Collins), alongside martinis, mojitos and Champagne cocktails, £7.50-£9.50; assorted beers and ciders (Kingfisher, of course, prominent); an extensive list of spirits, liquors and wines (we counted 14 whites, for instance, from under £20 to over £100 a bottle) Atmosphere: 007-ish glamour circa Diamonds Are Forever paired with friendly, knowledgeable service; Bianca Jagger could ride a white horse up the steps and fit right in

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

BATH SPA HOTEL

Unwind in complete luxury and enjoy beautifully landscaped gardens, a fabulous spa and outstanding food. It's the ultimate destination for relaxation in a peaceful corner of Bath city centre.

Sydney Road, Bath BA2 6NS | 0344 879 9106 | www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk/bath

FOOD & DRINK S N A P S H O T S O F B AT H ’ S F O O D S C E N E

Good colour co-ordinating skills!

KITCHEN GRILL JENNY CHANDLER

Jenny Chandler is a food writer, teacher and campaigner. She grew up in rural Worcestershire; studied at Bristol Uni; and worked around the world for over a decade, often as a private chef on sailing boats. Nowadays Jenny teaches regularly at The Bertinet Kitchen in Bath and Leith’s in London, while running sustainability workshops for contract catering chefs. She’s written cookbooks for kids and adults alike, and her latest, A Good Appetite, has just hit the shelves.

What’s the first thing you ever cooked?

It was a total disaster! Rock cakes by name, rock cakes by nature, baked under duress for the local village show. I was six, and didn’t win a prize.

When did you really start to love food?

It wasn’t really sparked until I began to travel to Spain. My grandparents moved to Ibiza, and then I spent blissful teenage summers with a pen friend near Valencia, where family meals were central to everything – life, love and laughter.

What’s your best ever food memory?

ati g m first paella coo e over a oo fire in my Spanish friend’s garden. About a dozen of us sat in the shade of the olive trees, and the meal lasted for hours. The food was sublime, and I drank in the atmosphere – as well as my first ti tipple o ra .

You promote planet-friendly eating. How would you describe it?

It’s all about reducing the negative impact of our food system on the world – but it involves so many considerations, it can sometimes feel over helmi g. i ere t i gre ie ts have

i ere t oo pri ts re uiri g more or less land and water to produce them, and are responsible for varying levels of greenhouse gas emissions. Add to that their impact on wildlife, soil a local livelihoo s a it ca e a i g.

Where’s a good place to start?

A Good Appetite: Eating for Planet, Body and Soul gives plenty of pointers and guidelines.

Becoming more sustainable is a journey: reducing meat consumption, and shopping directly from small suppliers (and the farmers who strive to work with nature), are two great places to start.

What’s a food you couldn’t live without?

Dal: it’s frugal, simple, but always so comforting.

There are so many ways to enjoy dal, too; it ca e prepare ith a hole sle o i ere t pulses eistil spice or su tl avoure a accompa ie at rea s or rice.

What’s your kitchen cupboard staple?

I would never be without pulses – dried, jarred, or in tins. Chickpeas, lentils and beans are the most versatile, nutritious, sustainable and economical ingredients in the world.

RUDE AWAKENING

This is Rude Giant Brew Co., the latest edition to the local beer-making scene, but – crucially – it’s not a craft beer concern, ut rather a proper ol -school outfit born, they say, “out of a desire to make beers to unite all drinkers and, of course, a fair amount of passion for a decent pint.”

Founding partners include Dan Hancock of Immersive Group, Joe Robinson of Blonde Brothers, Lyall Dew (formerly of Sixpenny Brewery and The Brew Shack) and Ethan Davids of Chickpea Group. Once the brewery is properly up and running, plans include opening a tap room and running a series of regular supper clubs there. Worth a trip in the future, maybe, but in the meantime keep an eye out for their initial range in Bath pubs and restaurants: a 4 per cent best bitter, a 3.6 per cent golden ale, a 4.3 per cent session pale ale and a 4.5 per cent pilsner-inspired lager – something for everyone then, and nothing too crazy strong either.

For more: rudegiant.com The boys outside the brewery, enjoying a swift one

Tell us a guilty pleasure

Chocolate, good dark chocolate – too much of it. h a sherr rom r fi o to raisi -s eet Pedro Ximénenez.

Finally, where do you like to eat in Bath?

a restaura t al a s fills me ith elight.

Richard Buckley’s menu is absolute proof that you don’t need to be vegetarian or vegan to be blown away by plant-based food.

For more: www.jennychandlerblog.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 47

AL FRESCO

I THINK WE’RE DONE WITH THE KITCHEN TABLE, BABY (LET’S GO OUTSIDE, IN THE SUNSHINE)

What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the word ‘summer’? That’s right, us too: outdoor eating and drinking. That’s why we’ve put together a bumper list of roof-free venues for you, so you can enjoy life to the max this sunny season, and with virtually no effort at all

By Paul Marland

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

“What, pray-tell, is that big glowing orb in the sky? Oh, yeah: the sun”

Drinking in the sun at Ludo, one of the latest additions to Bath’s alfresco scene

W

AL FRESCO

hat, pray tell, is is that big glowing orb in the sky, drawing everyone outdoors, squinty-eyed and inappropriately dressed? Oh yeah, that’s the fella: the sun. And it’s here just for us – and to help make the most of alfresco drinking-anddining season, baby!

Bath is awash with alfresco venues these days (it’s the rare restaurant, pub or café that doesn’t have at least a few seats outside), so this list could easily eat up the entire magazine (and half of the next issue too). Clearly too much for us to handle, so we’ve curated it down a little. Here, then, are just a few of our current avourite local spots to sco top oo a gu le i ve tive ri s hile soaking up that much-needed vitamin D… BATH PIZZA CO Tucked away at the back of Green Park Brasserie, just inside the historic Green Park Station, Bath Pizza Co has its own sunny little terrace, a more relaxed and chilled out alternative to the main steakhouse with its jazz bar vibes. The £12.50 pizza-and-pint (and £12.50 pizza-and-Prosecco) lunchtime o ers are especiall popular. At i er sa s co-o er Ale eters love the chicken pizza with a couple of beers while atchi g the orl go .

When, what and where: si e ree ar www.bathpizzaco.com

ir o ulte e oa oasts a ever-cha gi g out oor o eri g a fresh this year is their new urban Garden Terrace, where repurposed il o er troughs a her pla ters o to the o- ig itche gar e ust five miles a a at ome oo i resh or o their in-house restaurant, Plate. With unbroken views of the Bath skyline (the Abbey and Rec prominent) and the gentle tap of a croquet mallet in the distance, this serene sun trap is a one-of-a-kind oasis, perfect for relaxing with a lunchtime glass and some small plates, escaping the cro s or a uic a time co ee or i i g u er the stars. ur recomme atio a small plate or t o ith a glass o olc ros the award-winning English wine they’ve partnered with.

When, what and where: The Garden Terrace is open daily for lunch o a - atur a pmpm u a - pm a ter oo tea ail - pm a i er o a - atur a pm . he ir ulte e oa outh ath ic www.thebirdbath.co.uk

“This serene sun trap is a one-of-a-kind oasis, perfect for relaxing with a lunchtime glass” tatio till late

THE BIRD Long one of Bath’s most vibrant, quirky (and just plain fun) hotels, The

BOSTON TEA PARTY BTP – part of a growing West Country chain with two local branches – is famous for its rea asts ru ches lu ches a co ees and has just launched a new summer menu, packed with lighter, brighter dishes perfect for warmer days: think vibrant salads and frozen slushies (pick from lemonade, watermelon and boozy Pimms). Though the Boston at the top of town has a number of tempting tables on both sides of its Georgian townhouse home, it’s the corner spot at Kingsmead uare that oasts the reall special al resco optio s. rom the e menus, the falafel quinoa salad (with coriander, mint, pitta, whipped feta, curry oil and za’atar) sounds especially tempting.

When, what and where: Choose between Kingsmead Square and Al re treet www.bostonteaparty.co.uk BELOW: Summertime nibbles at Boston Tea Party; OPPOSITE: Fun, thy name is The Bird

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

AL FRESCO here s a great s erg et ee a a eptu e the high-e alcot treet i teriors store the call home oth are actuall i he ram he a th ce tur tram epot that u er e t a ma or tra s ormatio i to a leisure a e tertai me t ve ue some ears ago. eptu e ath ope e its oors here hile a at the rove ist arrive at the e o o eri g sustai a le seaso al sourci g a utritious ishes create e ecutive hea che a re er. he terrace is o te use or eve i g eve ts thi coc tail ma i g or i e tasti g a i the a time there are covers out here too.

When, what and where: o the si e o eptu e at the e tra ce to alcot treet www.theprovenist.com LUDO SPORTS BAR & KITCHEN ere s a ra e ve ue com i i g a cuisi e a ri s ith a prett much u i ue to ath sports ar e perie ce a ash ith scree s that it has a street-si e alco terrace a a i e rear roo top eer gar e ust a s to the appeal. At ru el uare e t to the statio s u o is o course the ol ra e site re or . o a part ership et ee o o restaurateur arti a t Austell re er it o ers ever thi g rom stea s pi as a urgers to t Austell a mussels per ect or a uic stop-o e ore catchi g our trai or a pre-match meal. A the there are the scree s o e er tha gia t mo sters visi le throughout the ve ue a ru i g oot all rug cric et hat-have- ou. his summer o course ma have ee tu e to he Ashes ith the much-a ticipate ug orl up o its a .

When, what and where: A ove the street a right e t to the plat orm at ath pa www.ludobath.co.uk or ollo them o Instagram @LudoSportsBars ABOVE: Hearty carbs at Bath Pizza Co; RIGHT: None-more-healthy than Jaq at the Prov

THE CATHERINE WHEEL ust outsi e ath at arshfiel this og- rie l village pu is a tempti g stop-o o a al or c cle i to the ots ol s a a i eal spot or a ite to eat i the su that esto irt Ar oretum a astle om e are ear ust a s to the appeal. t s got histor too as a coachi g i it ates ac to the th ce tur hile its u usual shell porch is rate as a particularl ell-preserve e ample. he i ou su trap gar e has space or arou a oo optio s li e a uc heat eetroot a carrot sala ith eta are a out as ar rom tra itio al pu gru as ou ca get.

When, what and where: the igh treet arshfiel www.thecatherinewheel.co.uk GREEN PARK BRASSERIE e a ather-so team A re a Ale eters ree ar rasserie is o o e o ath s lo gest sta i g i epe e t restaura ts hosti g a out people outsi e across their t o terraces the rear o e share ith sister compa ath i a o. eopleatchi g opportu ities here are almost u eata le a the ru ith live music our ights a ee o ee e s till arou pm. his ear the re hosti g a pop-up Aperol prit errace ith lai ac vi es hile rom the e ar me u ottomless ru ches i the su shi e are goi g o especiall ell. ight o pic a Aperol prit ith our e chic e urger rom the rasserie itche sa s Ale alo gsi e some tru e armesa ries.

When, what and where: At the e tra ce to ree ar tatio till late www.greenparkbrasserie.com JAQ AT THE PROVENIST e o ath s e est a hottest lu chtime spots a at the rove ist is a e clusivel vegetaria o er specialisi g i orth A rica a i le aster avours e pri e ourselves o provi g that a iet ithout meat ca e ust as e citi g a ulfilli g a hersel sa s.

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

MILSOM PLACE e re ot tal i g o e esti atio here ut ma a part- eorgia partmo er multilevel arre o alco ies a pla as as charmi g as it is spra li g e ge et ee ilso treet a roa treet. here

“A diet without meat can be just as exciting”

Bosco Pizzeria

Côte Brasserie

The Botanist

B

ath is world famous for its stunning architecture, rich history and vibrant food scene. All these ingredients combine perfectly when choosing to dine alfresco at Milsom Place.

Milsom Place is located in the heart of the historic city of Bath and is the perfect destination for those seeking an unforgettable alfresco dining experience. With its beautiful courtyards and sun blessed terraces complementing a wide variety of culinary options, Milsom Place offers choices for everyone.

Inspired by the finest pizzerias in Naples and New York City, Bosco Pizzeria is where you can find some of the best pizza in Bath. With everything from the pizza dough to the made in-house porchetta, Bosco’s quality never ceases to impress. The outdoor courtyard, with its twinkling lights and rustic Mediterranean charm, provides the perfect backdrop for a relaxed evening with friends and family.

Bosco Pizzeria

The Gaff

For those looking for something with a little more spice, Bandook Indian Kitchen offers up a delicious array of Indian street food dishes.

It is the brainchild of the team behind Bath’s award-winning restaurant The Mint Room.

Bandook provides a relaxed and authentic dining experience that elevates Indian cuisine to new heights. The food is bursting with flavour and the colourful courtyard is a great spot to soak up the atmosphere.

After four years of being rated as one of the top 50 restaurants in Wales, The Gaff is quickly establishing its reputation for fine food dining at Milsom Place. Its beautiful outdoor seating area provides a cosy and intimate atmosphere for alfresco dining. The restaurant’s menu features a wide variety of deliciously crafted small plates that create a tasting experience like no other.

If you’re in the mood for something a little more traditional, head to Côte Brasserie for classic and elegant French cuisine. The restaurant’s outdoor seating area is the ideal

Bandook Indian Kitchen

place to enjoy a glass of wine and tuck into a plate of steak frites in the summer sun.

And for those who fancy a cocktail or two, The Botanist serves up a range of creative and classic concoctions in a lush, botanical-themed bar and terrace. The drinks are as beautiful as they are delicious, with edible flowers, fresh herbs and exotic fruits all featured in the menu.

But it’s not just the food and drink that makes Milsom Place such a great destination for alfresco dining. The courtyards themselves are stunning, with historic architecture, awardwinning plantings and an abundance of seating options. Whether you’re looking for a romantic date spot or a fun night out with family and friends, Milsom Place has got you covered.

Milsom Place, Milsom Street & Broad Street, Bath BA1 1BZ 01225 789040 milsomplace.co.uk

AL FRESCO are shops here, but – more importantly – plenty of bars and restaurants too. t s sheltere a a rom the tra c a a ash ith su -traps hile oo o eri gs ra ge rom the casual to the gourmet. a c ia street oo he there s a oo rom the people ehi the cele rate i t oom revie e o page this issue. ve tive fi e i i g r he a or top- otch small plates. he there s eapolita pi a rom osco i eria reshl roaste olom ia co ee at ero s ca creative coc tails rom he ota ist a re ch classics at the lo g esta lishe te rasserie the chai ever o loves. here s cool eve i g lighti g here too mi this ith all the ver a t pla ti g a ou reall get a ath-o - te A ur vi e. e ou might eve e treate to the musical accompa ime t o a pa ish guitar the eguili g otes ema ati g rom a talented violinist, or popular favourites pla e a local a a all o hich per orm live ee l sessio s uri g the summer. There’s room for everyone, too, ith arou out oor covers otte arou the various terraces a court ar s to e e o e u til pm or so.

When, what and where: ight i the mi le o ath to e accesse through arches a alle s rom roa treet a ilsom treet www.milsomplace.co.uk

here are rolli g out la ets across the la s ever hurs a i ul or a i timate pic ic e perie ce. he ll serve ou as ou sit rom a me u that cele rates the est o omerset thi summer sala s reshl pluc e rom the veg plot ishes prepare he e t s tale te estate che s a aturall a selectio o their fi est tipples. ighlights i clu e omerset lam chargrille courgette uc ett s aerphill cheese serve ith c er ruit chut e a summer ruits ool ith lemo ver e a cur . h a there s live music to e o too. his place reall comes alive as the su sets tra s ormi g i to a o erla alive ith light colour a sou . a er the or ame tal a pro uctive gar e s the itche ar e sho cases some o the varieties o ruit vegeta les a her s use i he e t s trio o restaura ts e o the stu i g oral ispla s a rare pla ts s ip through mea o s ursti g ith vi ra t hues a iverse oo la s a fi all e plore the ara ola at the core o the hole thi g a alle gar e co ceali g a apple tree ma e a varieties o apple . isitors receive a elcome coc tail a speciall curate hamper co tai i g a variet o culi ar elights a a ottle o their sig ature c er the various ishes rom the che s hile a coc tail va is o ha to or er that e tra su o er as ight alls over omerset.

When, what and where: ar e ates are availa le ever hurs a i ul rom pmpm ith o ee or a e t mem ership per perso . he e t ruto omerset A www.thenewtinsomerset.com

“The team here are rolling out blankets for an intimate picnic experience”

THE NEWT here are posh hotels a the there s he e t a cou tr estate ith a mo er i ter atio al lu ur t ist. his summer ou ca e o their amousl himsical gar e s a ter hours as the thro ever thi g ope or their al resco coc tail eve i gs u e ar e ates .

A ou o t eve have to ri g our o oo i stea the team

THE ROSEATE VILLA his is o e o those little hi e oases ou fi scattere arou the cit its eauti ul terrace a gar e surrou e o er e s la s

BELOW: Bosco’s terrace, one of many at Milsom Place; OPPOSITE: The poshest of picnics at The Newt

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

AL FRESCO and a laurel grove: a true secret garden. Couple that with seasonal cocktails and an excellent afternoon tea, and you’ve got an alfresco dining experience to remember. Originally built as two Victorian villas by architect William Wilcox in the 1860s, then combined to make a single house in the 1970s, this place has space for 20 guests outside, either in their front terraced garden – best for more formal meals – or the more relaxed back garden, just the job for outdoor drinks. Think charcuterie boards, artisanal pizzas, and their very own Villa Zest cocktail, properly refreshing and tangy, accompanied by delicious patisserie cakes.

When, what and where: Just minutes away from Great Pulteney Street, in a quiet spot by Henrietta Park; www.roseatehotels.com ROYAL CRESCENT HOTEL Most people don’t know that there’s an acre of gardens at the heart of The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa, which isn’t just the pair of joined Grade-I listed houses you see in the centre of the Crescent itself, but a number of buildings in the gardens behind too. Think lavender-lined pathways, tables on the lawns and a brand-new outdoor dining terrace – complete with cantilever parasols and seasonal heaters – providing the most idyllic of settings for alfresco dining. Sit outside, perhaps with a cocktail and a platter of cured meats, and you’ll soon forget you are in the heart of the city.

Inside there are still 45 individually designed bedrooms and suites, a luxurious spa, and the newly named and refurbished Montagu’s Mews restaurant and bar (called for the inspirational original resident of No.16 Royal Crescent, Elizabeth Montagu), complete with outside dining terrace. There are 30 covers here, plus 15 on the patio and about 40 in the garden, with the bar and terrace menus available right up u til pm esig e ith gra i g i mi the o er shari g platters BELOW: The Royal Crescent’s oasis from the city; RIGHT: And similar at Roseate Villa

“Couple that with seasonal cocktails and you’ve got an alfresco dining experience to remember” salads and small plates, as well as a few favourites such as steak and resh fish. Alter ativel e o a ui tesse tial a ter oo tea o the la overlooking the gardens, or an evening sat out on the terrace enjoying a chilled glass of white and a platter of British cheese.

When, what and where: Slap bang in the middle of Bath’s most famous architectural treat; www.royalcrescent.co.uk THE WHITE HART Widcombe’s famous watering hole, once a Georgian coaching inn, claims “arguably the best beer garden in Bath”, and sitting out here it’s hard to argue: this walled garden, with multiple nooks and awash with pots and plants, has a genuinely Mediterranean feel, and is big enough to seat around 50. The wooden balcony high on one wall helps, of course – you can imagine Juliet perched on it while randy Romeo eavesdrops in her orchard below. In the summer the full menus is served outside – and this is a gastro pub of no mean renown – but they also o er ar s ac s a tapas st le oo or the less committe . ur famous rough pesto is a particular favourite,” says owner Jo Parson, “or perhaps ust tr a glass o chille ros a a o l o chips ith tru e mayo and Parmesan.”

When, what and where: At the ottom o i com e ill ehi the train station; www.whitehartbath.co.uk n

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

THE

CATHERINE WHEEL MARSHFIELD

SALLY NARROWBOATS Invite you to cruise the kennet and Avon Canal. Our holiday boats range from a intimate two berth up to a larger 10 berth family boat.

You can travel down to Bath for a long weekend or if you have more time travel east and take on the Caen Hill flight.

A 17th century village pub with real ales, great food and affordable accommodation near Bath.

Find out more online www.thecatherinewheel.co.uk

Call 01225 892220 Marshfield, Bath SN14 8LR roo@thecatherinewheel.co.uk

DAY HIRE • WEEKLY & SHORT BREAKS CANALBOAT HOLIDAYS SKIPPERED CRUISES • CREAM TEAS Holiday hire on one of our traditional narrowboats: 01225 864923 Enquires@sallynarrowboats.co.uk www.sallynarrowboats.co.uk

WHITEHART • w i d c o m b e •

Established in 2004, The White Hart Inn is now one of the longest running independent restaurants in Bath and a firm favourite on the Bath food scene.

Consistently recognised by the Michelin Guide, Good Food Guide, Sawdays, Hardens and The Good Pub Guide.

In addition to the main dining room, the large walled garden is one of bath’s best beer gardens and an upstairs dining room, perfect for parties seats 30.

Still a local pub at heart, but with a heavy emphasis on good restaurant quality food, friendly knowledgeable service, good wine and local ales.

Open Tuesday – Sunday. Closed Tuesday & Wednesday lunchtimes THE WHITE HART, WIDCOMBE, BATH, BA2 6AA 01225 338053 | WWW.WHITEHARTBATH.CO.UK

CASTLE FARM

The Midford tractor barn supper clubs go from strength to strength. And is the food here better than the authentic world cuisines that inspire it? Quite possibly…

By Rachel Ifans

L

ast year, we went to Tangier in northern Morocco on holiday. Alongside the décor, the climate, the markets and the atmos, we were excited about the thought of all the food we’d eat there: the warming stews, the spiced sides, the colourful vegetables. I mean, I’ve tried the odd tagine in my slow cooker at home, but it’s never felt very authentic. he first ight i a iger e i e outsi e i a pavement café, ooo-ing and ahh-ing as the waiter removed the top of the tagine pots (the chimney) to reveal sizzling plates of slow-cooked mutton/chicken/beef marooned on piles of couscous.

The second night, we were after something a bit i ere t ut hatever it as that e or ere it e e up looking very similar to a tagine, just with less sauce.

And the third night, there were even more tagine vibes…

We felt a bit disappointed with Moroccan cuisine. ra te e i fi a heave l ta ea a o the last ight ith at rea s a aga oush mi t sala s a spiced chicken pieces, but generally speaking it was not the gastro hotpot we’d imagined.

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

I was delighted, then, to be invited to Castle Farm Midford’s recent Marrakech Supper Club.

Maybe this would be the culinary treat we’d been expecting on hols? Certainly the blurb on the website promised much: “An evening inspired by the souk spice mar et colours avours a sou s to create a east for the senses and the belly. Join us for a menu of Middle Eastern, North African and Mediterranean dishes inspired by the melting pot of Morocco.”

It was a mild night when we went along; the barn was glowing and alive with bubbling chatter, the clink of glasses and Moroccan music on the stereo. We caught sight o at rea s ei g coo e resh o a hot sto e as we made our way to our table, already under the spell of charred fragrant aromas.

The place was full of life, so we decided to play catch-up with a cocktail or two. I gladly sank into my sweet and spicy Medjooli and my dining companion, usually a cocktail refusnik, downed his Orange Blossom Cooler in no time; both were great at waking up the taste buds and balancing the palate with their sweet zing.

And then those hotbreads arrived; extremely fresh and

RESTAURANT

opp ut ith a slightl charre taste that e t per ectl ith the ri le ho e . ho e rea a ho e coul e this goo ee it as o l ettere the mouth- ateri g au ergi e a roaste garlic aalou ip alo gsi e. e t o the supper clu me u came a fish cro uette a all o mo fish gur ar a pra ell-spice ith papri a a sa ro so t i the mi le a covere ith a fi e a cru ch crum . ou o l have to loo at a pra the ro g a sometimes a it goes har or r or oth ut the o es i m cro uette ere still uic a tast a each cro uette ha a small ollop o s eet potato goop o top hich marrie the avours per ectl . e arel recovere rom this taste se satio tha the e t course rolle i grille lam s e ers il garlic chermoula a oghurt. he cu es o te er a tast lam alter ati g ith slices o celeriac gave a pleasi g ite a love the accompa i g oghurt ith i -seaso garlic. hat oul have give or a other o those ough at rea s ith hich to mop up the remai i g oghurt ca ream that as t e ough e still ha the mai ish to come. A roaste uail sat ith a mergue sausage its si e a spoo ul or t o o pomegra ate-i use couscous a lea gree s rom the gar e . he uail meat as lightl game ith a rich ess that e t per ectl ith the other avours especiall the eauti ull smo a spic ras-el-ha out. he mergue surprise us ei g such ualit e arel recog ise it rom the olsh a gers e use to thro o the i re ch campsites. t as a outsta i g plate o oo hich ma e us realise that the rest o the umm me u ha ee merel a precursor to this. A remai i g ou ts a out orocca cuisi e ere clea se ith the most gorgeous mi t ice cream loll hich as tast cool a soothi g a ter the spices a her s.

As e sat ac a stretche our ull ellies a fi al treat as i store. A filo pie fille ith almo s ates co ee a ora ge lossom hich as pleasi gl e se a elicious. coul t uite ma age all o it right the ut let me tell ou it i t go aste . n So far this season, Castle Farm has offered A Month in Provence and Scandinavian supper clubs, in addition to this Marrakech feast. This month they’re focussing on Hawaiian cuisine, and in August this uber-talented team shifts to a Notting Hill Carnival theme. Santé!

“If that wasn’t enough, we still had the main dish to come” DINING DETAILS Castle Farm, Midford Road, Bath, BA2 7PU; tel: 07564783307; www.castlefarmmidford.co.uk Opening hours: Friday/Curry Club 6pm 11pm; Saturday/Supper Club 7pm - 11pm; Sunday Roast 12pm - 8.30pm (four sittings) Food served: On Friday evening the menu is Malaysian and South Indian; a take away service is also available. Every Saturday night there is a supper club inspired by a different theme every month (supper clubs are released on the 1st of every month, one month in advance i.e., on July 1 the August supper clubs were released). On Sundays four sittings of Sunday Roast are served between 12pm and

6.30pm. Booking advised on all days Price: Supper clubs are £58 per person for food. Other prices online Drinks: For supper clubs there is a bespoke cocktail menu created for each monthly theme, along with a selection of local wine, beer, ciders and soft drinks, homemade cordials and their signature Scout & Sage Garden gin Dietary options: Castle Farm is happy to accommodate dietary requirements for each supper club Access: Disabled parking and toilets Atmosphere: Just excellent; think friendly rustic romance. We’ve yet to meet anyone who’s been who doesn’t love it.

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 61

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SHOPPING LIVE WELL, BUY BETTER

UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG When you think Neptune, you probably think interiors – and kitchens especially. But if you’ve got it in your head that’s all they do, you’re missing out. The high-end lifestyle brand, with a Wiltshire base and one of its largest stores at the ramshe i ath has ee o eri g out oor ur iture as long as it’s been doing anything – and right now their range is ultra-compelling, thanks to a new collab with top textile house Christopher Farr. The results are fresh ut classic a little it s ortofi o a ti ta s Normandy, and a lot 1920s English country pile.

The two brands have great synergy anyway: Neptune’s design is all bucolic Englishness, while Christopher Farr loth has ee o eri g i ovative te tiles or over ears.

Witness the two patterns chosen for this new collection: the lively, organic Carnival Celeste, designed by Michael Szell in the late 1970s and here reimagined in pale greens, whites and blues; and Cremaillere Saggio, from the archives of re o e re ch artist aoul u o eri g a small-scale geometric print in a similar colourway.

Sounds expensive? Yes, but not shockingly so – think £125 for the smaller cushions, and £995 for a 3-metre parasol, all in showerproof, sponge-clean polyester. Add just an item or two to upgrade your current garden furniture, or even buy the parasol canopy separately to swap back and forth with your existing Neptune brolly. www.neptune.com www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 63

PORTABLE GRILL BAG, £540 Handmade in Somerset in co u ctio ith ill a er it co tai s a small grill so ou ca coo over ope ames a time a here rom ire ade www remade o

LAURA MATTRESS CUSHION, £65 A soft and squishy sun lounging mattress in a warm earthy brown with a ditsy hite oral pri t per ectl porta le or ollo i g arou the ra s From Julia Davey, 20 Wellsway, Bear Flat, Bath; www.juliadavey.com

© MAT T AUSTIN

THE OUTSIDERS e re ta i g the i oors out and letting the outdoors in

INDOOR-OUTDOOR HANGING CHAIR, £395 tro g st lish a per ect or s uggli g i a the clever thi g is it ri gs its o sta to ha g rom too Cox & Cox, Frome; www.coxandcox.co.uk

GARDEN STYLE BY HEIDI HOWCROFT, MARIANNE MAJERUS, £40 he i eal oo or esig ers la scapers architects a e thusiastic amateurs to help i spire a pla all aspects o the gar e rom T e d e d ar oo s o 43 Moorland Road, Bath; www t eo d e d ar oo s o o

SOLAR BUG LIGHT BEE, £8.99 a g rom a stur ra ch a this us ee ill spe all a chargi g up so he ca automaticall light up at ight From Whitehall Garden Centre, Corsham Road, Lacock; www.whitehallgardencentre.co.uk

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

EDITOR’S CHOICE ROUND CONISBROUGH INDOOR/ OUTDOOR DINING TABLE, £2,995 They used to just do a rectangular one, but now this versatile rustic design comes King Arthur-style too From Oka, 26-27 Milsom Street; www.oka.com

THREE GALVANISED PLANTERS, £190 Handsome, pot-bellied, semi-ribbed steel planters with handles in three sizes, ranging from 23cm tall to 35cm From Cox & Cox, Frome; coxandcox.co.uk WOODLAND FIRE BOWL, £120 The intricate design of this Woodland Fire Bowl makes for a mesmerizing display with its charming woodland scene lit from within. ra te rom steel this copper coloure fire pit is a great accessory to al fresco family meals From Graham and Green, 92 Walcot Street, Bath; www.grahamandgreen.co.uk

MESSINA UMBRELLA, £899 This classic, durable design comes in assorted colours (green, blue, yellow) to keep you dry or cool From Salcombe Trading Company, www.salcombetrading.co.uk

SOPHIE ALLPORT PICNIC BLANKET, £48 These pretty, knitted picnic blankets are available in assorted Sophie Allport designs, including rago ies a these stra erries From Vinegar Hill, 16 Milsom Street; www.vinegarhill.co.uk

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

BLUE SUMMER

Dress for the summer you want, not necessarily the summer you’re going to get though this ear as ever ear e o course have high hopes Words by Marianne Cantelo

W

hen you summon the image of a perfect summer in your mind, what do you see? Is it endless white sands and turquoise water; gree fiel s ith poppies avi g the sce t of bracken, heather and sparkling waterfalls?

Or are you longing for terracotta tiles, whitewashed walls, blue and green cupolas and the cheerful colours of parasols shading tables?

Working from home in the middle of a s eat heat ave that i o summer seems ver ar a a . om ort is o te prioritise over st le a e eel lice se to ear either ver little, just chucking something acceptable on or a oom or thi gs ith ver little aesthetic merit. Although e i le or i g has ope e our eyes to work/life balance, there was something to be said for ‘getting ready’ or or a leavi g the house.

In the last ten years, the lines between ‘work wear’ and ‘apres-

or ear have ero e or the etter. t eels like there is an opportunity to embrace the possibilities of dressing without the constraints of boring corporate clothing, but also without the sloppi ess o pret-a-p ama. eeli g motivate to ress i a a that is i spiri g ot ust practical ca i ue ce moo pro ect greater co fi e ce a oost creativit . taking this idea and choosing clothes that re ect the eaut o our lo ge or holi a destinations, instead of waiting for an escape that might not come, perhaps e ll e o livi g more i the ‘magical’ than settling for ‘meh’?

How about selecting a day dress that matches the sea at Santorini, creating the illusio o re ectio s in the water with earrings or necklaces in mother o pearl silver or lucite? Or a crisp, linen blouse in an azure that mimics

“As fresh as the froth of the waves”

the iviera li ti g a simple pair o hite tailored trousers as fresh as the froth of the aves Alrea eeli g the heat ithout the need for the Med, how about a cobalt blue s irli g s irt that o s to cooler altic aters – matched with a Heidi-esque embroidered louse evo i g resh ree es o iss Alps A ter the almost i fi itel gre i ter e ha this year, there can’t be enough opportunities to em race su shi e ello s. rom cooler early morning pale lemon to midday ambers, a ter oo sa ro s a su set gol s ou ill e sure to fi a sha e that ri gs the ra s i to our ar ro e. our s i t pe reall isn’t compleme te this vi ra t hue a some solar into your wardrobe in less full on ways: ol citri e ha ags i e leg ochre o i g trousers su o er or marigol pri te resses with more complementary base tones and, of course vi ra t sa als ashi g light ith ever step.

Are ou more i cli e to e ostalgic tha glamorous? There’s something to be said or some ates-st le himsical glish holi a ressi g. e are o the ots ol a after all! Try tiered dresses with plenty of room or a ree e that might e ist ri gi g ou lesse relie girlish ess tempere ith oversi e su glasses a chu gla iator sa als.

The lightest of blouses with smocking to keep the fabric away from your skin, matched with oversi e li e u garees or some pictures ue or o the la . hether ou re a a ar i or a ariette loo or oat oral A-li e s irts ala ce ith a eat short sleeve shirts or i g per ectl ith sst le e ges ar a es or ellies. All the a ove o course to e paire ith a large as et ag or hol i g all our cut o ers poetr fille ote oo s or u er-si e home grown carrots!

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 provide a large part of its income, plus it also has an online shop.

For more: www.dorothyhouse.org.uk

Photographer: Egle Vasi; www.eglevasi.com MUA: Chantelle Moody; www.eglevasi.com Model: Tash Kings Styling: Eleanor Tasker and Marianne Cantelo Venue: The Curfew, 11 Cleveland Place West, Bath; www.thecurfewbath.co.uk

FASHION 1 4

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SHOPPING LIST 10

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1. Isabel Marant Étoile Idety top, £206.50 (was £295), Square, 12 New Bond Street; www.squarebath.uk 2. Baggu clouds bag, various sizes £12£85, Found, 17 Argyle Street; www.foundbath.co.uk 3. Flared zip-up midi dress, £89, Cos, 24-26 Union Street; www.cos.com 4. Ischiko jacket/cardigan, £179, Oska, 30 Upper Borough Walls; www.gb.oska.com 5. La La Rainbow Snake dress shoe, £269, Chanii B, 9 Milsom Place; www.chaniibshoes.com 6. Small checkerboard lightweight scarf, £25, Dents; www.dentsgloves.com 7. Men’s Icecream sweatshirt, £55 (was £90), John Anthony, 28 High Street; www.john-anthony.com 8. Men’s A Fish Named Fred sunglasses shirt, Gabucci Menswear, 35 Milsom Street; www.gabucci.co.uk 9. Small Retwist Hobo bag, £1,195, Mulberry, 38 Milsom Street; www.mulberry.com 10. Pale blue garment dyed lightweight denim jacket, £195, Toast, 7 Bartlett Street; www.toa.st

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

ONCE UPON A CLASSIC Stories from Queen Square, John Wood’s early masterpiece, the vibrant heart of white collar Bath, currently undergoing a quiet reinvention…

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

Q

ueen Square was built, of course, as houses: posh ones, to suit the squires and aristocrats that Beau Nash was temping to Bath in the early 1700s. It was classically styled, but a more am itious piece o architecture tha it ma first appear, for John Nash was trying to emulate the London, Oxford and Bristol squares that had been making a such a splash at the time – ithout there ei g the suita le at grou that the e o e . ee to this day Queen Square is one of the very few grand squares of the world that works properly while occupying an unpromising slope. omes remai here o course o te o the upper oors ut e full houses, these grand doorways mostly leading to hotels, restaurants, a prestigious o ces. ut o post- ovi thi gs are cha gi g agai . ome though o mea s all the ig la firms a fi a cial a visors are movi g out their places ta e service o ce comple es a the start ups a smaller firms that ma e these their home.

Time, then, to check out the current state of the Square, through the eyes of many who’ve rocked up in the past couple of years, and a few rather longer established residents…

YOU WOULDN’T IMAGINE there’d be a school here, but in fact Bath Academy a i epe e t si th- orm college has live at No 27, on the corner of Gay Street, since 1997, specialising in a small school environment and friendly community atmosphere. “We’ve a

STREET LIFE introduction of regular food vans and pop ups is now making it a real lunchtime and early evening destination. Perhaps we should incentivise or ers to come ac i to o ces provi i g more ge eral activit i Bath’s central spaces?”

© PETE HELM PHOTOGR APHY

IN FACT, FLEXIBLE service o ce space is such a gro th area right now, we caught up with another of them: local independent Vio es, who run two buildings here. “We aim to forge long lasting relationships with our clients,” says owner Colino Violante, “providing ma imum e i ilit rom o e perso to a out . his is i eal or start-ups, who require the ability to grow, as well as larger companies.”

They’ve been here for three years, with a pretty eclectic client base that e o s the prestigious locatio the pro imit to the mai shoppi g areas, and the good road access it enjoys.

“But, given the council’s push for people to cycle into work, it would be nice if they’d provide a large bike storage facility for the public, free of charge,” Colino says, “perhaps near Charlotte Street car park.”

long history of helping students from Bath and around the world, with a wide range of abilities, progress to the best universities,” says their Tracey Ellis. “The elegant buildings and beautifully landscaped green areas evoke timeless beauty and sophistication, and our college takes great pride in being a part of this historical legacy. oth sta a stu e ts appreciate the eaut uri g their rea s.

This has always been a lovely spot, but over the years the Square has become busier, with markets and community events. In fact, it would be great to see more of this to really bond local businesses, and improve community spirit and atmosphere. More park appreciation events, such as ru ish collecti g or pla ti g trees a o er e s oul e good – Queen Square in bloom would be lovely! We’ve appreciated the bike lanes that have recently been introduced too; along with the safer pe estria crossi gs the ve ma e a ig i ere ce to our stu e ts.

TOTALLY UNLIKE ANYTHING ELSE, ath o a iterar ientifi nstit tion is an Educational Charity founded by Georgian scientists, naturalists, and intellectuals in 1824. e ru over tal s a ma e hi itio s ever ear at our home on Queen Square,” says Ian Gadd, the Chair of Directors, “covering all aspects o scie ce literature the arts a orl a airs e also host events and meetings for local groups, organisations and companies.

What many people don’t know is that our basement houses over museum o ects some relate to ath a the surrou i g area, but many more were collected from around the world over the last ears. e e hi it parts o our collectio ever ear at uee Square, and harbour longer term ambitions to establish a permanent e hi itio or the people o ath.

LEFT: Bright offices at Vio; BELOW: Bath Academy students flow onto the pavement

WITH SOME OF the larger firms that o ce occupie these uil i gs now moving a little further out of town in search of open plan spaces, the service o ce compa ies are movi g i . e such is ath e Co a i epe e t outfit that o ers e i le or spaces or usi esses of all shapes and sizes. They “create spaces teams love.” ocate at hapel o ust o o e cor er o the uare or a little less than four years now – they also have a property on the adjacent ri ces treet the ath ce o gu s love the close pro imit to all that ilsom treet a io treet have to o er ithout the hustle a ustle. here s a great selectio o co ee shops ou ca atch or play a game of boules; and it’s right on the cycle path to Bristol,” sa s elicit illiams. A the uare itsel o ers a rare e el o central green space, a tranquil spot for our customers to look onto from their o ce i o s. e love to see more eve ts here though the

T e are itse o ers a rare jewel of central green space” www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 69

STREET LIFE

NOT QUITE SO well established here, but getting there, prestigious la firm Thrings has been serving clients in Bath for over three centuries, incredible longevity they put partly down to how good they are at developing long-term relationships with clients.

Thrings have actually been at 2 Queen Square for over a decade now. “It’s the heart of the business community in Bath, with a great variet o orga isatio s estle arou the uare sa s i ie e er. ts u o mi e use rom usi esses to retail mea s it s also the perfect place for communication and collaboration. Though the volume o tra c arou the uare has i crease ota ilit i rece t years, nothing can detract from the beauty of the public space; with its iconic central obelisk, it’s an oasis in the heart of the city. But making it

“Its buzz of mixed use means its the perfect place for collaboration”

© BRSLI

These guys have been here since the 1930s, and before that had a grand, purpose-built building on Terrace Walk – what is now Bog Island – until it was compulsory purchased and demolished so a new road to the train station could be built. “We were given our current property in Queen Square as a replacement, but moved out during the Second World War,” Ian says, “when the Admiralty commandeered it, and we weren’t able to move back properly until 1993. Queen Square is the perfect location: central Bath, but just outside of the busiest part. We work closely with our neighbours, running events in conjunction with the Jane Austen Centre and Mary Shelley’s House o ra e stei as ell the ra cis otel ho i l o er members a discount at their Bon Marche restaurant.”

Ian sees the Square as much livelier than it used to be, with boules now a staple activity. “Events such as the recent Party in the City involved music throughout our building,” Ian says, “and there was a fantastic line up of acts playing live in the Square too. Similarly, the hil re s iterature estival stretches through our rooms a fills the uare. he iggest pro lem is fi i g a a to re uce the tra c oise.

Our evening speakers, especially in the summer when the windows are open, regularly have to pause because of loud engines or sirens.”

ABOVE: The BRLSI dominates the western side; LEFT: Freshly Ground on Quicke’s farm

tra c- ree is the ream. hether or a leisurel stroll a pic ic or simpl a rea rom the o ce a tra c-less uee uare oul surel e nirvana for locals and tourists alike.”

FINALLY, Freshly Ground a oo a ri age c that or s with independent brands, including restaurants, producers, events, award schemes and anything else that celebrates great food. “We’ve always been committed to working with people who truly believe in what they’re doing, and are doing everything they can to deliver something incredible,” says Sam Brice. “We’ve worked with lots of Bath business over the years, but also with food and drink businesses across the UK. We’ve done a great deal with artisan cheese – conveniently, one of my main hobbies! – and have delivered huge international press coverage for clients such as the World Cheese Awards.” hese gu s have ee o hapel o ust to the si e o the uare for two years and are especially pleased to share this little street with e ceptio al co ee shop olo a malls a o e o ath s est restaurants, Corkage. “Our building contains lots of small businesses, so this feels like a thriving little patch of Bath,” Sam says. “Queen Square is a lovely spot to grab time in the sun, and home to some great events. Being so central, but just out of the main drag, the area can make an ideal home for new businesses looking to make an impact.” n

YOU HAVE BEEN READING…

Bath Academy, 27 Queen Square; www.bathacademy.co.uk Bath Office Co., Chapel Row; www.bathoffice.co.uk Bath Royal Literary & Scientific Institution, 16-18 Queen Square; www.brlsi.org Freshly Ground PR, 3 Chapel Row; www.freshlygroundpr.co.uk Vio Offices, 16-18 Queen Square; www.viooffices.com

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

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Bath attracts students from everywhere;

INSET: But perhaps not for the traditional subjects

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Bath jumps to 5th in the country in the latest Complete University Guide

ack in the day – i.e., when we were undergraduate brainiacs ourselves – the University of Bath was something of an also-ran: not Oxford, not Cambridge, not Durham, and not one of the other high-end Russell Group unis, like Nottingham or Bristol or Leeds, either.

But how things have changed.

In the recent, utterly independent Complete University Guide rankings, Proud, and she should be

Bath is rated 5th best in the country overall (up from 8th a year ago), and the runaway winner in the South West, on a complicated but compressive list of criteria including entry standards, student satisfaction, research quality, graduate prospects, stu e t-sta ratio spe i g o academic services (and on student facilities), Uncle Tom Cobley and all.

That’s right: it’s better than Imperial, better than Durham, better than Edinburgh, Bristol – in fact everywhere except the two you’d

expect, plus the London School of Economics and St Andrews. And with Bristol (15th) and Exeter (18th) also in the national top 20, the South West’s higher educational landscape has rarely looked stronger. (Even the Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester climbed a mighty 22 places, a year-on-year improvement to rival any in the UK – and though the RAU is still only 73rd overall, it’s much higher in some of its crucial specialities; in Land & Property Management, for instance, it’s 7th.)

So, what can we credit with this?

Part of it is to do with the city itself, of course, and the South West more generally: people like to come here and live here; it feels happy and safe; and parents like to visit. The campus is nice and green, the lecture halls compact and engaging, and it’s easy to wander about. Equipment tends to be state-of-the-art, and student support top-notch; generally, there’s a healthy, can-do vibe. And it’s an academic powerhouse, particularly at some of the less obvious specialities – engineering, for instance, or marketing – plus, there are sporting facilities (and a sporting reputation)

amongst the best in the country.

Pleasant, well-equipped, academic, eauti ul ath o ers a ua ruplewhammy, if such a thing exists. And those who study here often intend to stay.

A healthy university makes for a healthy city, then – and one with a bright future. Stands to reason, really.

For more, www.bath.ac.uk | www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk

WHAT BATH’S BEST AT? Here’s a top 10 of Bath’s best subjects, with their CUG 2014 national ranking…

Marketing - 1st Accounting & Finance - 2nd Architecture - 2nd Social Policy - 2nd Sports Science - 2nd Business & Management - 3rd Manufacturing & Production Engineering - 3rd Sociology - 3rd Aeronautical & Aerospace Engineering - 4th Education - 4th

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Humanity Centred, and highly wearable

BEING HUMAN Bath has always been home to a range of cool, unusual fashion boutiques, alongside the department stores and chains, and the latest to catch our eye is Humanity Studios at 5 Broad Street, home to Humanity Centred Designs, a vibrant Indian cultural social hub that provides support to more than 150+ marginalised micro and small enterprises (MSEs) based in Rajasthan, India. The upshot: ethical, responsible fashion.

“We’re focused on supporting these small artisans and craft communities, who often lack resources and knowledge, towards sustainable development,” says founder Vishal Tolambia. “We provide them with a unique platform in the international marketplace, alongside our recycling and waste management support a per ce t o our profits go irectl to these ver s. ver thi g s ma e o certifie orga ic material with fair trade standards, and transported here by carbon neutral shipping from India.”

Sounds great, right? But what’s the fashion – and homeware, because they do that too – actually like? Well, pretty impressive is the answer: lots of neutral colours and subtle patterns, and the likes of crop-tops; layered, wrap-around and split skirts; wrap-around and cowl-neck resses ac ets a hoo e umpers a are or utilit style trousers (often with an excess of pockets – yes!) Bags and other accessories, too, mostly large, practical, and more tha a little it oho. asicall items that coul fi a happy home in many a wardrobe.

For more: www.humanitycentreddesigns.com

MAKE IT POP This is 2023’s new sustainable poppy, created by the Royal British Legion and Bath-based design studio Matter for use on Remembrance Day in November; it’s now 100 per cent paper (no glues or plastic at all), and thus super-easy to recycle, while remaining as bold and durable as you’d expect.

For more: www.matter.co.uk

BUSINESS DIARY 20 JULY Women Mean Biz The female-only networking group meets up at Walcot House, lunchtime into early afternoon, under group leader Julie Savage. www.womenmeanbiz.co.uk 21 JULY We Mean Biz More networking, but for everyone this time, twelve-till-two, at Grasmere Court Hotel in Keynsham; Lisa Gill is the main point of contact for this one. www.wemeanbiz.co.uk 26 JULY Bath Landlord Conference An early evening look at the Renters Reform Bill at The Francis Hotel on Queen Square, with expert speakers, a Q&A and more; 6.30pm kick off. www.eventbrite.co.uk

So much classier than canned beer or lager, wouldn’t you say?

Still red, but now much greener too

CAN BUY ME LOVE Canned Wine Co., the Bath-based premium wine-in-a-can brand, has just acquired one of its main competitors, The Copper Crew. The two brands have lived parallel lives to this point: they’re both founding members of Wine Traders for Alternative Formats (WTAF); both launched in 2020; and between them they’ve now won over 30 international awards for their wines.

The acquisition aligns with Canned Wine Co.’s continuing focus on excelling in the canned format. The Copper Crew co-founders, Oli

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

Purnell and Theo Gough, will become minority shareholders in Canned Wine Co. as part of the deal, and will continue as brand ambassadors.

“We’re thrilled Oli and Theo have entrusted The Copper Crew to our team, and I’m excited to work with them to grow the brand,” says Canned Wine Co. CEO Simon Rollings. “This step will take us closer to achieving our vision of Canned Wine Co. as a global mark for quality, sustainability, and talent in wine.”

For more: www.cannedwine.co

NETWORK And here he is in the old days, getting grubby

ON THE UP

HERE’S SEAN PRICE, due to take over from the long-serving Greg Taylor as the new head teacher of the Junior School at King Edward’s School, up on North Road, for the Spring 2024 term.

He joins from Westonbirt Prep School, and is – we’re told – both a hugely passionate educationalist and an enthusiastic handson teacher. He also holds various roles within IAPS, the Independent Association of Prep Schools, including serving as the National Sports Committee Chair and Director. www.kesbath.com WILTSHIRE LAW FIRM Goughs continues to grow, now appointing a new Partner to its well-regarded housebuilding, land and development team. Dan Shaw has advised on all kinds of development transactions, from smaller high value sites to 1,000+ unit mixed use developments; he advises on site acquisitions, disposals, promotions, joint ventures and collaboration agreements, and has developed a particular expertise in strategic land deals. “In Goughs’ unique approach to land and development, no project is like another,” he says, “so a one size fits all, tick box exercise won’t cut it, and that’s not what we’re here for. We specialise in navigating the specific constraints of each project.” www.goughs.co.uk

Rock star: Neville Redvers-Higgins

ROMANCING THE STONE Once the archaeologist who led excavations underground during the Combe Down Stone Mines Stabilisation Project, Neville Redvers-Higgins now returns to Bath as curator at the Museum of Bath Stone on Combe Down.

An ambitious new business plan supports both the introduction of this new part-time role, and the trust’s vision for expansion. The Museum of Bath Stone, until now a modest interpretation centre under the guise of ‘Ralph Allen Cornerstone’, is undergoing major transformative works to realise its potential as a museum commemorating the city’s relationship with the hard stu . A ter all e oul t have a orl eritage ite ithout it.

For more: www.museumofbathstone.org

Mille Grover, fashion face of the future

GIRL WITH A PEARL Orange crush: Rob, Jan and our brand new stone

OUR BRILLIANT FRIENDS The colour of that sheet might be a giveaway. So might the location, Orange rove. o hat s goi g o here ell i ou as people here ath is t i e with, they’ll likely suggest Aix-en-Provence in France and then play for time, but we’ve actually got three more equally worthy foreign siblings: Germany’s Braunschweig (or Brunswick); Hungary’s Kaposvar; and (crucially for this story) Alkmaar in the Netherlands. Here’s our Mayor, Cllr Rob Appleyard, and the President of the Rotary Club of Alkmaar, Jan Roobeek, unveiling an engraved stone, duplicate of one laid in the Netherlands last year, embedded in the pavement next to the Alkmaar Garden, not far from the Guildhall. And that’s the story, really: best friends forever, written in stone.

For more: www.bath-alkmaar.org.uk

his is fi al ear ath pa iversit fashion design student Millie Grover, rece tl a ou ce as o e o five winners in this year’s Graduate Fashion Foundation x Mother of Pearl x Tencel competition, set by Amy Powney, luxury sustainable fashion brand Mother of Pearl’s creative director. She’ll now have one of her designs selected by Amy herself, to be crafted and manufactured at Dumfries House in Scotland. Millie’s creations have also taken her to Germany, securing her a place i the fi al o this ear s x Kornit Digital Printed Fashion Textile competition. Some talent, then, and a name to look out for.

For more: www.bathspa.ac.uk

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aspects of the Furniture Shop, and to see the impact the work experience opportunities have on vulnerable people’s lives.

© VR ANCH VISUALS / W W W.VR ANCHVISUALS.CO.UK

What was it like on the night?

Steph Wynne-Davey came with me, and we simply celebrated the event and had a good time. It was ama i g ust to e a fi alist o course ut it as exhilarating to win. We had a great conversation with a lady from Bath Welcomes Refugees, and it was exciting to celebrate with Taste of Bath, as we work directly with them with regards to the Bath Foodbank. It was a lovely, vibrant, celebratory atmosphere. Did we feel nervous before the ceremony? Yes, a little bit.

Joe, Steph and some well-deserved smiles

BATH LIFE AWARDS WINNERS

GENESIS TRUST FURNITURE SHOP

General manager Joe Wade tells of a year of amazing growth: a better offering, greater sales, and some thrillingly quantifiable outcomes

T

RETAIL WINNER

he Furniture Shop collects good quality, pre-loved furniture donations from the community, then resells everything to raise funds for Genesis Trust Bath’s charitable work. Their mission: to support homeless and vulnerable people, all the way from crisis to independence. Through partnerships with various agencies, Genesis Trust’s Furniture Shop, which can be found online selling via eBay, also provides furniture for people in need, perhaps movi g i to accommo atio or the first time.

And it provides work experience opportunities for vulnerable people too, helping them get back into the workforce. Not bad, eh?

What was it persuaded you to enter the Bath Life Awards this year, Joe? We’ve had an exceptional relaunch, since moving from a physical shop to an online one during the Covid lockdowns. Indeed, our monthly sales average has i crease five times this past ear and our service area has expanded too. The quality o the ur iture e o er has also i crease .

How did you find the process of applying?

The Bath Life Awards application is always a goo eal o e ort to get right ut ecause the Furniture Shop has had such a great year – and has made so many amazing changes – there was plenty of information to pull from. We also had the advantage that it’s easy to understand the charitable

What does winning a Bath Life Award mean for the business?

Relaunching the Furniture Shop has been hard or re uiri g several sta cha ges a ma i g sig ifica t cha ges across the oar to the a e do business. The fact that the judges recognised the success of the shop has really validated all the hard or a co firme that the cha ges ma e have ee goo a that the sta team are goi g i the right direction. And where’s the Award right now?

On display in our Furniture Shop warehouse.

Might we see you again next year?

We will probably apply again, but as Genesis Trust Bath in the charity category.

Finally, any advice for someone else thinking of entering?

Take the application seriously, and put in the necessary hard work to get it right. Also, really think about what makes your business stand out.

And, beyond that, I would recommend that any organisation takes the time to give back to their community through charitable work. After all, can you imagine what any community would be like if all the businesses within it had a sincere and thorough plan to give back?

For more: www.genesistrust.org.uk

“CLEVER OFFERING, SELLING SECONDHAND FURNITURE TO MAKE THOUSANDS FOR CHARITY. A SUSTAINABLE, VALUABLE RESOURCE IN THE CITY THAT ALSO SUPPORTS SKILLS DEVELOPMENT” THE BATH LIFE AWARD JUDGES

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running around with 2-metre rulers to keep everyone properly spaced out, though; these days you’ll probably fi me stu g m ace ith our delicious in-house catering.

CAREER PATH

MATTHEW EMENY Through his company The Production Garden, Matthew runs The Garden Theatre Festival and Calf 2 Cow Productions, makers of high quality, feel good, age inclusive theatrical events – that, crucially, always take place outside

So, what do you do all day?

Basically, I spend my time putting together and creating theatre shows, and developing touring and festival productions. As they’d say on Little Britain, “Write the theme tune, sing the theme tune.”

Are you from around here?

Alas, I’m not born and bred in Bath; I hail from Andover in Hampshire.

I came to Bath in 2012 to train in acting at Bath Spa University, and e rom m first a i this cit that one day I’d be calling it home.

Apart from 18 months of wandering around the UK touring, and sofa surfi g i o o a ter u i ath has been my home ever since.

And you’re now artistic director of Garden Theatre Festival...

That was created in response to the pandemic. I made my living as a performer, and in 2020 I knew outdoor theatre was going to be the only way to enjoy theatre for a while.

So my mentor, Kerry Irvine, and I got our heads together to put on one night of theatre with a touring theatre company, The Three Inch Fools. We sold out at the Holburne in September 2020, and again later that month at the American Museum.

In 2021 I created the Garden Theatre Festival title, and produced six nights of outdoor theatre at the Holburne – and, since then, it’s only got bigger and better. I’m no longer

Rewinding a bit, how did you fall into this line of work?

2017 was a very important year for me: I joined the Natural Theatre Company and began an MA in Creative Producing at Bath Spa. The combination of really learning how to produce theatre under the guidance of the amazing Kerry Irvine, and discovering a complete love of Street Theatre with The Naturals, set me on the path I’m on today. Both Kerry and the Nats have taught me the importance of quality, legacy and audience impact.

Any relevant jobs before this?

Every job I’ve had since I was 14 – pot wash, chef, paintball marshal, bar manager – has been relevant in teaching me the vital skill of graft.

But, most of all, at 20 I began doing estivals a summer or five ears selling pasta and pizza. It taught me everything about the production world, tour life, management, organisation, hard work and the importance of keeping your crew happy, as working outdoors can be incredibly tough.

Did you always know this is what you’d be doing?

Not at all. I wanted to be a movie star, with my own trailer, on a lovely set in the Caribbean as we shot the e t o film although m most certainly more of a Q than 007. I didn’t know anything about theatre, let alone outdoor theatre when I was gro i g up it as all music a films.

But as soon as I found live theatre and outdoor comedy, I was hooked.

Anything new in the pipeline?

“I JUST WANT EVERYONE TO LEAVE WITH A SMILE ON THEIR FACE” MATTHEW EMENY Garden Theatre Festival

This year the festival’s getting a fresh look. We have two new catering chalets on site, and an incredible new bar. We’re boxing the garden in to make it really feel like a proper theatre space, but still keeping the sense of the outdoors. We have a live band on opening night, and deck chairs. It’s going to be fantastic.

Sooner or later the Garden Theatre Festival will become the South West’s largest outdoor theatre. We want to bring Regent’s Park Theatre from London to Bath too, and I’m getting very excited about making it into a proper gree fiel estival ith massive shows and huge bands.

Finally, what do you feel you’ve achieved so far?

Garden Theatre Festival was established for one reason – to provide our audiences with a fantastic night out. It’s not just about the theatre show, it’s also about the excitement of turning up, fi i g our spot tuc i g i to our picnic while enjoying the British summertime at its fi est. ust a t everyone to leave with a smile on their face and some nice memories.

That’s why I do it.

The Garden Theatre Festival runs 21 July – 5 August, with an opening night celebration on 21 July. Tickets start at just £11, while the VIP family ticket includes early entry to the site plus luxury snacks and a bottle of Prosecco.

For more: www.gardentheatrefest.co.uk

SPONSORED CONTENT

MEET THE B CORP And, while we’re at it, please explain what one actually is.

We rounded up a selection of local B Corps certified businesses to tell all…

EBBA LEPAGE

GROUP HEAD OF CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY, LOMBARD ODIER GROUP www.lombardodier.com

PAUL MACKENZIE-CUMMINS

What have you found to be a key advantage of becoming a B Corp?

A B Corp certification is a stamp of approval for our sustainability strategy and integration. It shows that we align our product strategy with our own operations.

We walk the talk. The B Corp community is a fantastic network for sharing best practices with likeminded entrepreneurial businesses, who want to step up their business to contribute to the good of society. Our B Corp certification is a source of pride for our employees. It is also a good example of our commitment to sustainability in discussions with new employees, from a generation that truly wants to ensure that a company’s values align with their own.

What was it that first drew you to the B Corp movement?

We knew we were doing a good job of being a more environmentally and socially responsible business, but we had no way of benchmarking ourselves to know if we were doing enough.

The B Corp assessment gave us the answer and provided a roadmap on how we can continue to improve.

What makes the B Corp certification process unique?

It is a very holistic approach to sustainability within a company, taking into account not only products and their impact, but also a company’s environmental policies, the well-being of employees, community impact, and solid risk governance. At Lombard Odier, we very much appreciate this approach because we believe that sustainability must be integrated in all parts of a company and it must be measurable. The due diligence process is very thorough and a good opportunity to add to our sustainability road map.

CLEARLY PR www.clearlypr.co.uk

Ebba Lepage

What advice would you give to other companies that want to achieve a B Corp certification?

Don’t do it, unless you are truly committed to being a better business. This is not a marketing gimmick or a moment – it’s a movement. It takes effort and true dedication to be a ‘better’ business.

Paul MacKenzie-Cummins

What is a key advantage of becoming a B Corp?

People buy from people like themselves – those with shared interests and values. B Corp members recommend businesses to one another, and non-members are attracted to B Corps because they know they’re supporting a business with a conscience that is doing good things for the environment and their community.

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SPONSORED CONTENT NATALIE SHERMAN

FOUNDER & DIRECTOR, NATURALLY SOCIAL 01225 809990 ; www.naturallysocial.co.uk

SUNHOUSE CREATIVE

What makes the B Corp certification process unique?

It goes beyond traditional measures of success by assessing a company’s social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. It sets a high bar and requires companies to meet rigorous standards across various areas, including governance, workers, community, and environment.

What was it that first drew you to the B Corp movement?

As the business has grown we’ve become all too aware of our social and environmental impact. It’s crucial that we look for new and innovative ways to make Sunhouse a force for good and stay true to our original, Positively Different ethos.

What was it that drew you to the B Corp movement?

What initially caught my attention was its commitment to balancing purpose and profit. The idea of using business as a force for good resonated with me deeply. It offers a unique opportunity to make a positive impact and create a more sustainable and equitable world through business practices, and by having the accreditation we could demonstrate that we walk the walk and talk the talk.

Especially as a marketing agency, I felt it was important to demonstrate recognition of our values.

What is your ambition as a B Corp and what are your future commitments?

The beauty of B Corp certification is that it isn’t just ticking a box. It’s a continual process and in two years we’ll be assessed again, so in practice it’s a really great tool for making us constantly assess how we can positively drive the business forward and make change.

www.sunhouse-creative.com

Natalie Sherman

What advice would you give to other companies that want to achieve a B Corp certification?

Start with the impact assessment, as it really highlights the areas where you need to improve. We were concerned the process would be incredibly time consuming, but with a couple of keen, organised people to champion the process, it really didn’t distract too much from the day to day client work.

In your experience, what is the single biggest challenge for businesses to overcome, when applying for B Corp Certification?

Aligning their existing practices with the high standards set by the movement. It can be a significant undertaking to evaluate and potentially revamp internal processes, supply chains, and stakeholder engagement to meet the certification criteria.

Sunhouse Creative

NICK SPICER

MANAGING DIRECTOR, YOUR ECO 01225 931666; www.yourecouk.com What would your advice be to founders interested in applying for B Corp certification, who might be put off by the costs of becoming and remaining B Corp certified?

Become a B Corp by embracing what it represents and ingraining it throughout your business. This isn’t a collectors badge, this is a way of doing business and demonstrating it. It is something to be proud of and if you don’t see the value, then it probably isn’t for you, as it is about making a commitment to being a force for good.

What is a key advantage of becoming a B Corp?

The ability to tangible demonstrate that you are a force for good and have made that a commitment to being a positive and responsible business.

FIONA PARASHAR

FOUNDER AND CEO, LEADERSHIP COACHING LIMITED www.leadershipcoaching.co.uk What was it that drew you to the B Corp movement?

I started reading about the triple bottom line of people, profit, and planet about 15 years ago and knew immediately that it was a great articulation of what we stood for, and I was interested in formalising this with a B Corp certification. Our mission is to make a positive difference by coaching leaders, developing coaches, and paying it forward to women who need support with safety, health, education or gender equality issues. We are committed to increasing positive leadership in the workplace and prioritising wellbeing for people and the planet. The B Corp vision of business being a force for good resonated with us and we were keen to be involved with a group of like-minded organisations.

Nick Spicer

What advice would you give to other companies that want to achieve a B Corp certification?

Do it! You won’t regret it. This is not business as normal, but this will be the business of the future.

What is the most rewarding element of being part of the B Corp movement?

Knowing that there is a community of other like minded people and businesses who have chosen their path to work towards a better future and be leaders within the business community pioneering this charge.

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

What is the most rewarding element of being part of the B Corp movement?

I think the sense of solidarity as a team has been the most rewarding aspect for us. We really want both our staff and our client partners to be proud to work with us, and taking this step has been a really powerful story that everyone has got behind.

Fiona Parashar

What is a key advantage of becoming a B Corp?

The journey to B Corp certification has helped us to crystallise and focus our vision and values as well as ensure we have the best practices and processes in place to truly be a force for good. Since certification, we have had the benefit of being part of a network which supports one another and collaborates together. It has been a wonderful way to increase our connections and working partnerships.

SPONSORED CONTENT BOB MYTTON

PAUL GREENEP

MYTTON WILLIAMS 01225 476476; www.myttonwilliams.co.uk

CO-FOUNDER, LIFEWORK COMMUNITIES hello@thelifeworkgroup.com; www.thelifeworkgroup.com

What was it that drew you to the B Corp movement?

Committing to being a better business – a business that is a force for good. Profit is always going to be at the forefront of any business owner’s mind, but the danger is that we put financial gain before people and the planet.

What would your advice be to founders interested in applying for B Corp certification, who might be put off by the costs of becoming and remaining B Corp certified?

It’s not easy, but it’s worth it. When you first approach B Corp it might seem complicated, but don’t let that put you off. Make use of the support that B Corp provide. Get the whole team onboard, not just with what’s needed for the process, but that sense of greater purpose and doing good.

What was it that first drew you to the B Corp movement?

Seeing businesses proactively take accountability and responsibility for their role in a sustainable future. Certification requires ongoing evidence of progress for each three-year review. Making it more for businesses genuinely looking to transform how things are done, finding ways to build business benefitting people, planet and profit, rather than ticking boxes or greenwashing.

Bob Mytton

What is your ambition as a B-Corp and what are your future commitments?

We are excited about the future of our communitydriven coworking business, bringing work closer to home, making life easier and bringing together services for those that work remotely or locally more often. We want to be part of a community, building regenerative business and having a positive impact on society and the environment around us.

What is the most rewarding element of being part of the B Corp movement?

It has made us reflect on how we approach design projects and decisions when we propose solutions and develop strategies. This has strengthened our ability to have conversations with clients who are also reflecting on sustainability and need to think through the implications for their brands and communications. And we have been approached by other B-Corps wishing to work with us – including from Australia and other parts of the world.

Paul Greenep

ED HADDON

What advice would you give to other companies that want to achieve a B Corp certification?

Get started; the B Impact assessment is free (Google it). It’s a great guide for establishing good business practices with the right foundations; providing guidance and challenging questions to help organisations make more informed choices. It is not perfect, but nothing is or needs to be!

HADDON COACHING, BATH www.haddoncoaching.com What was it that first drew you to the B Corp movement?

I have always loved the idea of building a great business while doing good for society at the same time. The B Corp movement has created a set of standards that makes it really easy to measure your impact and then create a roadmap to improve it.

What advice would you give to other companies that want to achieve a B Corp certification?

It’s important to understand that it’s not just another badge to put on your website to make you look good. It really needs to sit authentically at the core of your company mission and run through the culture.

NICK DIXON

CEO, EDIT AGENCY www.edit.co.uk; 01225 480 480 What is your ambition as a B Corp, and what are your future commitments?

In just over a year as a B Corp, we have already achieved a lot; we’ve carbon offset our whole team through fellow B Corp Ecologi, with over 21,000 trees now in our Edit Forest, and 1,500 tons of carbon reduced.

We’ve launched our B Corp committee (our ‘B Keepers’) and published our first publicly visible Environmental Management Report. And we know we can do more; for instance, we have a plan to design and develop our very own calculator to carbon offset any new client projects and to plant over 35,000 trees in our Ecologi Forest.

Ed Haddon

What is the most rewarding element of being part of the B Corp movement?

It’s baked into the B Corp process that you continue to improve your impact and report on it every year, so I love that we have to keep thinking about this.

Nick Dixon

What is a key advantage of becoming a B Corp?

Our B Corp certification shows that we are going above and beyond to put people and planet at the heart of everything we do. It’s not an easy accreditation to achieve; it’s taken a lot of resource, both time and money, and demonstrates that we’re serious about being a force for good. This is both a source of pride for our employees and an advertisement of our values and principles to potential new employees. When you become a B Corp, you join a network of like-minded organisations and individuals – the community really is fantastic.

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

The house, coach house and just a small portion of the grounds, the ha-ha sadly not pictured

Deep sofas for deeper conversations

Residential

OVER THE GARDEN WALL …lurks this delightful home of size, charm, and intriguing detail

Elegant halls with lots of light (and lights)

How many bedrooms would you consider ge erous ive a e si ell a fiel House has seven – plus a separate coach house, adding two more – as well as a long private driveway, amazing views, over eight acres of grounds, and all on the edge of the small, pretty, much sought-after village of Potterne, just south of Devizes, with its shop, church, post o ce pu a ealth o lovel al s.

This is an elegant Grade II listed house in the Gothic style, built in 1828 with later a itio s. pect e less perio etail i si e thi cor ice ceili gs ope fireplaces and Tudor-arched openings – all subject to sympathetic renovation, including a custom-

uilt itche . utsi e ou ll fi that si ea le coach house (perfect for guests or family), plus an inner courtyard with useful ancillary outbuildings; the old garage, for instance, is currently used as a home gym, but could equally become a play room, creative studio, or games room. here s a outh est aci g gar e too laid to lawn and surrounded by trees, a yew hedge and a truly gorgeous original wall; elsewhere, a dining terrace, vegetable garden, ha-ha a pasture fiel . he price or all this ust . millio . argai reall .

For more: www.carterjonas.co.uk

sbsdesignandbuild.com 01225 874676 info@sbsdesignandbuild.com

PROPERTY NEWS Restoration

TOWER BOOST The ongoing preservation and renovation of Beckford’s Tower has received an award of £100,000 from the Historic England awards.

Built between 1826 and 1827, the structure was intended to house the collections of books, furniture and art of writer and collector William Beckford (17601844). Now owned and run by British Preservation Trust (BPT) the landmark tower is a Grade I listed building and is the only museum in the world dedicated to his life and work.

In 2019, the Tower was added to Historic England’s national Register of Heritage at Risk.

Claire Dixon, director of Museums at BPT and the lead for the Beckford Tower project says, “I am really grateful that this grant from Historic England demonstrates a partnership that goes e o fi a cial support provi i g co fi e ce through colla oratio to adopt the best solutions to repair and conserve this important building. This latest sum is in addition to £10k that Historic England has previously provided to support our Development Phase a e a les us to move co fi e tl i to the fi al phase of the project, that is now fully funded.”

This funding forms part of a much larger £3.9m National Lottery Heritage Fund-supported project that will transform the museum, open up the landscape, provide accessible experiences and also provide digital resources alongside a new learning programme and opportunities for volunteering and community engagement. It will also tell the story of how Beckford’s wealth was secured through owning plantations and exploiting enslaved people.

For more: www.beckfordstower.org.uk

The plan to restore Beckford’s Tower has received a funding boost; INSET: The project will tell how William Beckford’s wealth was made through slavery

Greener shopping

NEW LIDL REVEALED

Lidl and ‘subtle’ have rarely been bedfellows, until now

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No, you can’t live here – though you might be able to furnish your house, in time, from the centre aisle. The long-awaited plans for the new Bath Lidl o the o o oa have fi all ee su mitte a as ou ca see it s uite i ere t rom the sta ar steel-a -glass o . itti g alo gsi e Bath Rugby’s Lambridge training ground, it demonstrates the promised “proactive engagement with the community, local heritage and architectural stakeholders,” while its presence will secure the long-term future of the amateur club here, enabling much needed upgrades to the facilities. If approved, the multi-million-pound investment would deliver increased shopping choice for local residents on the eastern side of Bath, Lidl says.

But since we’re the property pages, what of the architecture? Well, as ou ca see it s a espo e sto e-cla a air ot issimilar e ca t help thi i g to the petrol pumps at loucester ervices. t s ee ra up local Bath architects Mitchell Eley Gould, and features a Bath rubble stone wall set back behind a landscaped frontage, shielding the store from London Road itself. The plans accommodate existing and new trees, and features bee towers, bird baths, a habitat wall, a living green roof, solar panels, rapid electric vehicle charging spaces and a wetland area. (Indeed, a biodiversity net gain of over 40 per cent is expected.) Plus, as you may well have spotted, the much toned-down sign is no longer bright yellow and blue…

For more: www.corporate.lidl.co.uk

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75+ luxury properties for lets 2 nights to 5 months Holidays – For business – Friends & family – Temporary accommodation during renovation/relocation Contact: 01225 482 225 | bhr.office@bathholidayrentals.com www.bathholidayrentals.com Offering 4 & 5 star holiday rentals since 2006

Repairs, Restoration • Alteration of Stone Buildings New Build • Stone Cleaning • Stone Carving • Fireplaces

PROPERTY

SOUTHCOT HOUSE Full of light, awash with period detail, and resplendent in a position to die for, Southcot House makes a convincing case for Bath’s southern slopes

By Paul Marland

T

here’s a lot to be said for Widcombe, and for Lyncombe Hill just above and behind it, stretching away towards Bear Flat. It’s super-handy for central Bath, and even more so for trains to London and Bristol, but retains a disarming countryside feel. And it’s awash with pretty and impressive homes to rival anywhere in the city, many of them enjoying views over Bath to die for – the subject at hand being a case in point.

Southcot House is a well positioned, rather vast fourstorey Georgian home enjoying just about the perfect position, a triangular plot of roughly a third of an acre half way up the hill. Elevated yet secluded, it boasts the most incredible views of the Abbey and the crescents beyond over its walled garden and courtyard. Built in 1777 – an intriguing year, with the American revolution i ull o a heri a s The School For Scandal first performed – and extended by the Victorians, it combines e less charmi g perio etail gorgeous fireplaces ecorative plaster or tile a agsto e oors ith all the joys and conveniences of modern living, most of these enhanced by a series of major re ur ishme t e orts over the past te ears.

At the rear, bay-windows on all four oors com i e ith attleme ts alo g the roof edge for a feeling of stately eccentricity; this doesn’t just look like a big house, but an important one.

You enter via a Victorian extension entrance hall, leading on the left to a music room and the right to a recently refurbished conservatory – but we’re going to ignore them for the moment, and move straight through to the inner hall and the bulk o the grou oor accommo atio .

Here adjoining Shaker-style kitchen and breakfast rooms enjoy a mix of wooden

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PROPERTY

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PROPERTY

a restore ca ocho sto e oori g lea i g through the ac oor to the court ar across hich sta s the garage a stu io. ut e ore ou hea out there chec out the gra high-ceili ge ra i g room o the le t ith its pa oramic vie s o the cit through tall e etia -st le triple i o s. here s a mar le fireplace rame storage cup oar s o o e all a the oor to the i i g room ith its gar e vie s o the other. o stairs the lo er grou oor o ce or i g uarters or the sta Downton Abbey-st le o ers ple t o large right a ell-ve tilate space a oasts several origi al sto e a ric fireplaces there s a ge erous stu here a a large gar e room lea i g to the rear terrace. he vaults provi e ample storage too havi g ee co verte i to a utilit a or shop a a i e cellar.

Alter ativel hea up the carpete staircases to the first oor its spacious split-level la i g lea i g to the pri ciple e room suite ith its or ate fireplace uilt-i storage a loo sho er o o e si e o the room a the other steppi g o i to a mo er ressi g room a a e suite athroom. here are t o urther e rooms o e ith a e suite o this oor plus a amil athroom a sho er room a a other separate loo. ea up agai to three more goo si e e rooms a a other amil athroom plus eve more arreachi g vie s. utsi e ell there s that i trigui gl -shape t ostore coach house the grou oor appro imatel t t a thus a happ home or a um er o cars hile upstairs a large stu io co tai s a itche

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“An enthralling maze, with a cute summer house in one corner” HOUSE NUMBERS Bedrooms

6

Bathrooms

4

Internal floor area 5,204 sq ft (main house), 914 sq ft (coach house and garage) Guide price

£3,850,000

For more: Knight Frank, 4 Wood Street, Queen Square, Bath BA1 2JQ; 01225 325993; www.knightfrank.com

a athroom a a ig ce tral area the per ect stu io at or seco home o ce. he there are all the la s a trees a patios a po s a e thralli g ma e o eleme ts ith a cute summer house i o e cor er. e more i trigui g thi g happe e i ui alila the a agasca tortoise it s elieve aptai oo gi te the o ga ro al amil as or perhaps the lo gest live a imal o recor she u ortu atel passe a a li a horse- a car- amage at or so i the mi - s. ot a u i ut ou ve got othi g o outhcot ouse ust as ol ut e uusimmu e a o l o e teri g its ver est ears.

A PLACETO CALL PROPERTY HOME

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BATH LIVES

“That home crowd roaring you on is an incredible feeling” in Bath for the European Championships, where I ualifie or the games i oth 2015 and 2019, comes a close second. Worst moment was at the World Championships in Mexico City in 2018, where I struggled to compete at the altitude.

KATE FRENCH

Kate’s a top-notch modern pentathlete, star of a compilation sport comprising fencing, swimming, show jumping, pistol shooting and cross country running. She competed for Britain in two Olympic Games, winning gold at Tokyo 2020 Kate’s is a tale of commitment and perseverance, yes, but also of joy. In her early twenties she was winning golds in the team event at European and World levels, and by the 2016 Rio Olympics was winning the riding outright, and ending a very creditable fifth overall. The following year she was ranked number two in the world, and at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics won gold; an MBE soon followed. This year, the Laser Run and Modern Pentathlon World Championships take place at Bath University, running from 19 – 28 August.

I grew up in Kent in a village

called Meopham, and I still live in a village, but now just outside Bath. I love being in the countryside, but also having such a beautiful city nearby. I moved here at 18, to study and train at the University of Bath – the National Training Centre for Modern Pentathlon is there. I immediately loved the stunning architecture and feel of the city.

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I’ve always lived outdoors

I grew up on a farm, in a very sporty family – we loved all things equestrian. Naturally, I started riding from a young age – I actually trained to be a jockey to ride at Glorious Goodwood last year! – and tried as many sports as possible. Netball, hockey – I wanted to do it all.

This year is a big one. It’s so exciting that the Laser Run and Modern Pentathlon World Championships are taking place right here in Bath. I have fond memories of competing here when the university hosted the 2015 and 2019 European Championships: hearing that home crowd roaring you on is such an incredible feeling.

Training has to come first

so I’ve had to make plenty of sacrifices o te missi g eve ts i order to be at my best. That said, I still love socialising, and visiting new places. In fact, I lived with a Mongolian nomad family for a month, back in 2016.

Since Tokyo, I’ve been running corporate team building sessions. I go into

not in the classroom – but I did love sports, and my school, Cobham Hall, was extremely supportive of my endeavours. I wanted to be an equine vet, but that quickly changed to ‘Olympic athlete’. I’m so pleased I stuck with it.

companies with my laser pistols and targets, and coach shooting, team building and performing under pressure. It’s absolutely brilliant fun, and the feedback I’ve received has been great.

I always take my Olympic medal, as people love seeing and holding o e i the esh. ver o e sa s the same thing: “It’s so heavy!”

I feel I was always destined to be involved in sport but

My biggest inspiration was Georgie Harland. She won

I wasn’t a particularly conscientious child…at least,

not necessarily the crazy sport of modern pentathlon. I’m very competitive, but have developed good discipline too.

My best moment has to be winning Olympic Gold

but competing on home soil

bronze in modern pentathlon in Athens 2004, and once did the prize giving at a competition I was in; she signed my rosette, which I still have. Also Kelly Holmes, who I sat and watched in awe winning the 800m and 1500m at the Olympics. After

Tokyo I met various members of the royal family: The King took time to chat to all of us.

My mum has supported me at every step of my journey.

She’s driven me to each corner of county, and was there for me on the days where it all went wrong.

I wouldn’t have achieved my dreams without her.

I’m a proud ambassador for Bath Rugby Foundation. In

fact, I’d urge everyone to look them up and see the amazing work they do in the city.

My husband and I started a property management company in Bath. I’ve been here

for 12 years, and my husband has always been involved in property, so we set up Nest-in-Bath in 2020, initially to help manage friends’ homes while they were abroad. As the company grew, we started specialising in short term holiday lets, like Airbnb management and vacant property care, and now manage a portfolio of properties.

I have many ambitions for the future. I want to continue

competing at the highest level; I want to race in the Bath Half again; and I want to be a black card holder at Good Day Café and Taylors Bagels!

The University of Bath’s Sports Training Village is hosting this year’s Laser Run and Pentathlon World Championships 19 – 28 August.

Ticket prices start from £5 for children and £5 for adults on family day, 22 August. Concession tickets, all day tickets, and ten-day event passes are also available though there World Championships (WCH) website.

For more: www.wch2023.org | www. kfrench.co.uk | www.nestinbath.co.uk