Bath Life – Issue 500

When I realised the 500th issue of this amazing magazine was rolling round, I’ll admit I was nervous. It’s hard to know just how to honour such a momentous achievement – to celebrate how this magazine keeps going from strength to strength during times of crisis, Covid, and uncertainty. And then it came to me. It’s Bath itself – it’s this great city that has created the story of this magazine’s success. What we do at Bath Life is reflect back all that is positive, unique, and worth celebrating. Places, people, community, arts, retail, beauty, buildings, restaurants, venues, big name visitors – it’s all covered here. And not just in this special, bumper, birthday 172 pager, but in every gorgeous, bright-side, and upbeat issue we put together.

Here’s to feeling on top of the world, and the next 500 issues!

Enjoy!

SARAH MOOLLA

Follow us on Twitter @BathLifeMag Instagram @bathlifemag

© LOUIS SMITH; WWW.STUDIOWHISK.CO.UK

PICTURE BY ELLIS REED; WWW.ELLISREED.COM

OCTOBER

5th October – Paul Carrack

6th October – Fascinating Aïda

7th October – An Evening with Michael Palin

10th October – The Illegal Eagles

11th October – Grayson Perry

12th October – Dame Joan Collins

14th October – TEDxBath

16th October – The Waterboys

17th October – National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine

18th October – Beverley Knight

19th October – Simon Reeve

20th October – The Hollies

21st October – Andy and The Odd Socks

21st October – Phil Wang

24th October – James – The Orchestral Tour

25th October – Whitney – Queen of The Night

26th October – Level 42

27th October – James Martin Live

28th October – Tailenders

30th October – Kari Jobe

31st October – The Australian Pink Floyd Show

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

Paul Carrack 5th October

TedxBath 14th October

Dame Joan Collins 12th October

The Waterboys 16th October

Phil Wang 21st October Tailenders Live 28th October

Beverley Knight 18th October

Whitney – Queen of The Night 25th October

Issue 500 / September 2023

COVER A drone shot of The Circus, Bath, by Matthew Harris; Instagram

COVER STARS

20 Just a few of the famous faces who’ve graced our covers over the years

BIG INTERVIEWS

40 LENNY HENRY The actor, comic, and author ahead of his

THE ARTS

FOOD & DRINK

PROPERTY

DEPARTMENTS

Editor Sarah Moolla sarah.moolla@mediaclash.co.uk Managing editor Deri Robinsderi.robins@mediaclash.co.uk

Senior art editor Andrew Richmond Cover design Trevor Gilham

Contributors Sarah Baker, Nic Bottomley, Elsie Chadwick, David Flatman, Verity Genco, John Mather, Deri Robins, and Lydia Tewkesbury Social media assistant Grace Goodall grace. goodall@mediaclash.co.uk 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 Kirstie Howe kirstie.howe@mediaclash.co.uk Production designer Matt Gynn matt.gynn@mediaclash.co.uk Chief executive Jane Ingham jane.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk Chief executive Greg Ingham greg.ingham@ mediaclash.co.uk Bath Life MediaClash, 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.

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

Street art FLAG IT UP

Two public spaces in Bath have been dressed with artwork created by Zoë Power to celebrate the city’s events programme. The Art on the Street project has been installed at Milsom Quarter and Kingsmead Square and features overhead fla s, ecorate pla ters, contemporary bunting and window designs.

The programme will also support the Great ath east, hich r s ro 22 – 24 September with stalls and events across Milsom treet, iet treet, ree Street and New Bond Street.

etro a or a orris sa s, pro these art orks celebrati this a a i cit , ll e b a oral o bi e thorit , are p a e co ra e atho ia s, a all est o la resi e ts or that atter, to check them out. A big thank you to Zoë for her work here.”

rtist o a s, ath is s ch a bea ti l cit a provi es a st i back rop esi s are o o s a i cl sive, celebrati ath cit ce tre as a shoppi , creative a culinary hub.”

For more: www.zoepower.com

Zoë stops the traffic with her Milsom Street artwork

STAR STUDDED

A look back some of our fab famous face covers

FOR AN INCREDIBLE 500 ISSUES we have been a part of this gorgeously elegant, vibrant and welcoming city, and each of our covers have told a story about an aspect of Bath. From cityscapes to art, to interiors, to homes, to food, to retailers, to creatives – the list is, and will always, be limitless.

Here, to mark our star-special issue, we look back at just a few of our superstar covers featuring people who either live in the city, or who have visited and fallen in love with the place as much as we have. From Bath-loving citizen DJ, songwriter and presenter Huey Morgan, to that titan of comedy, and acclaimed actor, Sir Lenny Henry – who is also exclusively interviewed over on page 40 as part of his visit to the upcoming Bath Children’s Literature Festival. n

An independent silver jewellery shop located in the heart of Bath, on Pulteney Bridge.

Icarus Jewellery o ers a great selection of handmade, unique designs from their store and online shop. The boutique also o ers UK and international shipping. The Icarus Gift Card - now available to purchase online.

3 Pulteney Bridge, Bath, BA24AX

Website: www.icarusjewellery.com Tel: 01225 463693

@icarusjewellery

Opening Times: Monday-Friday 09:30am - 05:30pm, Saturday 09:30am - 6pm, Sunday 10am - 5pm

SCENE

THE LATEST ADVENTURES IN PARTY-GOING ACROSS BATH

STILL LIFE

The Woolshed at the Glove Factory Studios in Holt recently hosted an exhibition of the work of still life and landscape artist Sam Travers. More than 150 guests attended to view the paintings, and enjoy Alder Ridge sparkling wine with a variety of canapés.

Photography by Helena

www.helenamphotography.com

Martin Jennings and Clare Travers

Annya Parson, Simon Parson, and Alistair Heather

Miscioscia

David Haydon

Guy Mason and Clare Davies

Mike Adams and Steve Kirby

Sam Travers

Carrie Wheeler and Cat Adams

Jenna Travers

Rory Lintott and Sophie Lintott

Susan Kester and Simon Heptinstall

MATERIAL COMFORTS

This summer the Victoria Art Gallery on Bridge Street hoste the la ch o a e Fassett and Candace Bahouth’s joint exhibitions. Amongst the 200 attendees there to see the unveiling of Kaffe Fassett: Timeless Themes – New Quilts and Candace Bahouth: Enchanted Visions, which run until 1 October, was Glastonbury supremo Emily Eavis.

Photos by Freia Turland www.ftphotography.co.uk

Sandy and John Cleland and Sam Hunt

Martin and Hilary Petlock with Chandra Haabjoern (centre)

Delva Forrest, Trish Eroxup, and Tina Neilson

Polly Kemp and Niki Robinson

Emily Eavis, Carl Roberts, Ryan Saunders, Brigid McConville, and Nkele Montshiwa

Kaffe Fassett

Candace Bahouth

Barry Taylor, Kirsteen Sumner, Kelly Sumner, and Cynthia Taylor

Julia De Salis Janie Garnon, and Rupert Jones

Jane-Marie Mahy, Dorothy Hill, Ilaria Padovani, and Julie Harvey

Kaffe Fassett, Candace Bahouth, and Rob Campbell

MAKE A LINE!

More than 1,200 performers made up the Bath Carnival on 8 July. The colourful and joyous event started in the morning at Sydney Gardens with family activities, followed by a three-hour lively procession through the streets with a grand ale at a ra lace be ore loopi back to the Gardens for music until sundown. The celebrations carried on late into the night, with an after party at Komedia.

Photos by Beata Cosgrove www.beatacosgrovephotography.com

PARK LIFE

The always highly anticipated three-day Pub in the Park festival in Victoria Park once again lived up to expectations. This was thanks again to the carefully curated line-up of award-winning and Michelinstarred eateries that included Bath’s Noya’s Kitchen and The Milsom, plus the all-star music programme with headliners such as Judge Jules, Example, McFly, and Gabrielle.

Photos by Betty Bhandari www.bettybhandaribrand photography.com

Example

Victoria Bailey, Tracy Cook, and Charlotte Little

Jimi Famurewa and Leyla Kazim

Heather and Tom Lowe

The Cheese Collective

Elle Kelly, Katie Kay, and Kathryn Campbell

Jason Bhandari

Emma Rome, Zoe Wyatt, Phil Hall, Andrew Hind, and Andriana Drivila

Food is one of the big attractions at Pub in the Park

Rachel Quinn, Baz Harding-Clark, Claire Hall, Judy Mortimer, Kay Toogood, Sam Coolbear, and David Harding-Clark

Rachel Sims, Sophie Hanrahan, and Tracey Sims

OUT OF THIS WORLD

WOMAD lived up to its full title as ‘a world of music and dance’ when it welcomed more than 150 performers from more than 40 co tries to its harlto ark el s ho e he Wiltshire site was almost at full capacity, with 250 performances enjoyed by festival goers across seven stages in the arena, the arboretum a be o o st those taki to the stage were reggae royaltyQueen Omega & the o al o ls ro ri i a oba o, the frenetic Congolese rock bandLova Lova, and the s i ovators o l o l

Photos by WOMAD www.womad.co.uk

Cha Wa

Star Feminine Band

Luke Jerram’s Moon Installation

Catrin Finch

Dele Sosimi Afrobeat Orchestra

SPONSORED BY

Michael Rosen

Marina Satti

Malmesbury Schools with Jamo Jamo arts

Ibibio Sound Machine

Soul II Soul Mariza

WORLD OF WONDER

Mary Liddell held an invitationonly private view of her upcoming exhibition Colours of Summer at 44AD Artspace on 27 June.

Mary, whose great great aunt is Alice Liddell, the original Alice in Wonderland, says of her work, “I see my painting as a journey of discovery. I am never quite sure what will happen next. It’s a long fall down the rabbit hole, and it’s very exciting!”

MOVING HAUS

Kate Thomson, founder of Haus, invited around 40 guests to her pop-up homeware and gift shop’s new premises on Abbeygate Street. Following a successful pop up in Upper Borough Walls, the opening of Haus’s new store space, which also has a cushion and furniture showroom upstairs, was marked ith ri ks, ibbles, a charit ra e, and goodie bags.

www.hauslife.co.uk

Clyve Aguarde and TJ Peters

Paul Wontner and Louise Rushford

Therese Strauss and Mary Liddell

Robyn Blackmore and Valerie Gómez

Kate Thomson

Rosanna Hood and Rachel Telford-Gay

Emily Maclachlan, Andy Watson, and Anna Tainty

Charlotte and Neil Butters

Crispin and Georgie Simon Mark Tinsley

Photos by Michele Wontner www.maryliddellartist.com

Victoria Purdon and Melissa Epifano

David Winterflood, Angela Bond, and James Cox

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FLAT LINE DAVID FLATMAN

Doing the write thing

How our columnist, the forever tardy but always pithy Flats, puts pen to paper for every issue

Please allow me to say how ch e a to be a s all part of this wonderful magazine. I loved Bath Life o rst a i to 20 years ago, and I love it now. To be permitted to lob a hastily arranged, lar el i a e col i to its ve h re th edition is, well, pretty cool.

I mean, I say ‘small part’ but actually I’m rather a big deal around here. I don’t like to go on about it, but without me, this grand old mag would be… roughly one page shorter. And what gems I’ve penned over the years. I’ve described full body massages (wasn’t bothered, but they were nice people!), a dog groomer in Weston, the inevitable passing of the dog who got groomed (these two episodes ere o ciall relate , ve eve o e

weddings and child births. Does anybody read it? No idea. Never really thought to ask.

I’ve received less fan mail than my mother and I thought I’d get (we think the bods at HQ are shredding it), and only ever one bit of hate mail. From memory, that was so eo e riti i to tell e o or bei 20 stones in weight. The fact that this was i the b il p to a ra kl heroic e ort i the Bath Half was by the by for this chap; he just wanted me to know that I was too big. And he wasn’t wrong then, and he isn’t wrong now.

Were I pushed by my vast and attentive readership to select a favourite from my large bucket full of Bath Life columns, I’d have to be up front and tell you that I cannot even recall what I wrote in edition 499. I do write them, I promise (since Mum’s arthritis got worse), but I’m not exactly a planner of prose. Now

and then folks will approach me and tell me that they’ve enjoyed what I’ve written here. I’ll ask which column, they’ll give me a subject, and they will then see my blank face staring back at them. This is the sad bit, the bit when they realise that I don’t actually do the words myself. But I do! I do! I just have an odd memory (one of my daughters has the same thing, but in my youth they just told e as better o pla i sport as co l t co ce trate or ore tha ve i tes I think it may be true to say that I have ever ot o ce le cop be ore having to be emailed at least twice by an editor. Of this I am ashamed, but I know who I am and I will not promise to do better, for I am certainly incapable. Indeed, much of my best work has been tapped into this iPhone in A road lay-bys, service station car parks, I even did one in the loo at half time o a b orl p se i al o ce o only knows what I wrote, but I didn’t miss a tackle.

Tonight, in honour of the occasion, I’m giving it my full attention. Well, I’m act all flicki bet ee car vi eos o YouTube and barbecue videos on Instagram while my wife snores next to me and our bab a hter o ers her ver rst little snores; they’re like the contented purrs of a kitten. I’m late to bed, this column is late, and I’m up early to feed porridge to another o il o spri t s all o, b t so eho al a s ti e to ake sel a co ee, sit down, and read my old friend, Bath Life Here’s to the next 500

David Flatman is an ex-Bath and England rugby star turned TV pundit and rent-o-mic. Follow him on Twitte da id atman and nsta d atman

“I even wrote one column in the loo at half time of a Rugby World Cup semi-final”

WRITING THE WRONGS

Sir Lenny Henry on the importance of libraries, diversity in children’s books, and the need for Jammy Dodgers

Words by Sarah Moolla

Photos by Jake Turney

A whole new generation are discovering Lenny for themselves in a whole new way

He may be a titan of comedy, highly acclaimed as an actor, and a co-founder of Comic Relief, but to thousands of children, Sir Lenny Henry happens to be someone called Lenny Henry who writes their favourite books. The Boy with Wings and The Book of Legends, aimed at 8 – 12 years old readers, are huge bestsellers, with his recent follow-up Clash of the Super Kids looking to be on path for the same success. For a slightly younger audience, he’s just published a new picture book called You Can Do Anything, Tyrone!, wonderfully illustrated by Salomey Doku. So it’s no real surprise to hear, then, that the Bath Children’s Literature Festival organisers expect his visit to the Guildhall in Bath on 7 October to sell out.

It would be too easy, too lazy, and actually very wrong to put this literary success down to his mega celebrity status: it’s clear the books –brillia tl , i cisivel , a ittil ritte are bor e o , a a reflectio o , ir e s e er , passio , his past, his prese t, a a re p imagination. Here we meet up with the all-round legend to talk the importance of libraries, Jammy Dodgers, and diversity in books.

To start off, talk us through that early inspiration to write a children’s book?

My friend Neil Gaiman has a lovely thing he says, which is that “Google can give you 10,000 answers, but a librarian will give you the right one.” I’m paraphrasing there – but you get it, right? My early inspiration for writing children’s books is that I’ve been reading them ever since my Auntie Pearl enrolled me at Dudley library when I was about eight years old. She knew that whatever I needed to know about anything was in that wonderful place and it turned out to be true.

A lot of us can relate to valuing our local libraries as kids – but these places no longer exist in the same way, if at all. What impact do you think this has?

Of course, young people are getting their literary buzz from elsewhere these days, but libraries are so important to our communities – they are places for contemplation, close reading, job search, research, a cup of tea, looking at the newspaper, or just somewhere to sit. We need libraries a e sho l ht or their continued existence in our world.

Do you recall what you used to read when you were a child?

I grew up reading Richmal Crompton, J.M. Barrie, Dickens, Lear, and Lewis Carroll. My favourite authors breathe life into characters and narrative with i a i atio , flair a h o r also read the Beano, the Power Comics line including and Te i c, Smash!

introduced me to the Marvel Comics universe. Those were my inspiration.

What’s your approach to story writing? And how does that compare to writing non-fiction?

o ctio is e ith li ear, ostl serious hat on. When I’m writing for younger people, I unhinge my i a i atio a o o roa

Because of the people I read when I was a child, I am very aware that there may very well be an alternate universe in the back of a wardrobe, and a family of dragons could actually be hiding under my bed because of a dragon bully. If you dig far enough in your back garden, you could end up in Australia. These things are all possible in your imagination. All the best, most extraordinary adventures are waiting in your mind’s eye.

Any habits or routines to help kick start the writing process?

I tend to drink lots of tea and have Jammy Dodgers near to hand at all times. I play dreamy music quietly and I like to start early.

Tell us about the main hero, Tunde Wilkinson, in The Boy with Wings and Clash of the Super Kids – was he inspired by anyone in particular? Is there any of you in him?

I wanted to write a book about a kid that looks like me when I was 12/13/14 years old. I spent a lot of time in those days wondering why I hadn’t been bitten by a radioactive spider and subsequently gained a i ce t spi er po ers t as a co si ti e t al a s ha a ish that co l fl st i a i e o the chip shop a back i the blink of an eye…

How easy, or indeed how hard, do you think it is for us to remember the child inside?

For me, accessing my childhood is relatively easy. I have a daughter and read to her regularly throughout her childhood. We read The Worst Witch, and all the Harry Potters – and I was required, always, to do all the voices and act everything out. The only thing missing from these stories were faces that looked like my daughter’s, so I guess that was a major inspiration to write children’s stories – to represent a missing demographic. My books, proudly, have characters of colour front

Do you think things are changing with more diversity being represented in children’s books?

Nathon Bryon, Dapo Adeola, Malorie Blackman, Nadia Shireen and others have pushed the dial of the conversation around lack of diversity in children’s publishing. I hope my books can contribute to that conversation also.

What motivates the storytelling and plots in your books? Are you constantly coming up with ideas and adventures, or do you have to sit

I just wanted to write stories that made e la h cr be e cite t s i c lt to begin a children’s book by saying, a t to i cl sio i chil re s books. What do we want, more diversity in Narnia! When do we want it? NOW!”

So, for me it’s a matter of relaxing and letting my mind roam, drinking cups of tea, going for walks and then suddenly –BOOM! Two things smush together (if you’re lucky, more than two) and you’ve got a line, or a character or the snippet of a narrative that could, possibly, lead you to solving the mystery of your next story.

Dandy Fantastic and Pow! – which

and centre.

“A major inspiration was to represent a missing demographic”

Tunde, The Boy With Wings, illustrated by Keenon Ferrell

What’s the response been like from this new generation of fans?

The feedback has been wonderful. There was a signing at Dudley library recently which almost had me in tears – the queue was out the door and halfway up the street. Wonderful. Lots of kids with their parents (a lot of whom remember Tiswas etc) and very enthusiastic. It’s a bit of an emotional rollercoaster reading my stories to young people who don’t k o abo t the other st o he love the okes, a the voices, a the s rprises, a the o te have okes or e and that makes me very happy.

Can you share a joke, please?

I was at a book reading session recently in Bradford and a young boy said: “Why did the skeleton NOT go to the party? Because he had no BODY to go with!” Come on!

That’s brilliant! It must be very rewarding in your early 60s to be evolving in such a different direction. Any other evolutions waiting in the wings? ve st create a series or calle Three Little Birds –it co es o t i ctober o a t is base o the stories my mother told me about coming to Britain in 1957 a all the obstacles she a her a il ha to overco e, including racism and sexism at a time when those things were rampant. I hope people will love it. Whenever I watch episo e o e, i tears

And now the Bath Children’s Literature Festival –any fellow authors, or illustrators, that you’re hoping to catch?

a t to eet ever bo att arr, ho rote Captain Looroll, is on top o list a t to ask hi here he ets his i eas lso, ele Rutter who wrote The Funniest Boy in the World… she sounds interesting –bet she loves okes also a i tereste i eeti rac ar to a as ee s ail, the a thor a ill strator o My Brother is an Avocado I wonder if any of this story is based in truth?

I look forward to seeing Nathan and Dapo again – they’ve both helpe e o o r e as a e chil re s riter, so it ll be oo to be re ite a have a la h abo t riti , bisc it choice, ra o s hiding under the bed and so on.

Why are events like this festival important? Do you think promoting the printed word in a digital age gets harder?

I think lockdown and countless Zoom interviews made all of us yearn for personal connection. Swiping up and down on your phone is a privilege and incredibly easy – but holding a book in your hand is magical. I also think hearing an author talking about the origins of story is fascinating and fun and funny. Sometimes it’s better to be there in person.

Aside from the festival, will you get to spend any time in Bath?

aki a fl i visit this ti e b t have spe t a lot o ti e i Bath. I’ve worked at the Theatre Royal several times – performed Othello there, a also Fences lso, as a sta p co e ia have pla e ath a ti es, a al a s appreciate the a ie ces there n For more: www.bathfestivals.org.uk

ABOVE: Sir Lenny has long list of fellow authors and illustrators he’s hoping to see at the Bath Children’s Literature Festival; BELOW: seen here back in the 1980s, Lenny has always been a voracious reader

“It’s an emotional rollercoaster reading my stories to young people who don’t know about the othe stuff do

VISITING DYNASTY

As stars go, they don’t get much more famous, or brighter, or more impressive than Dame Joan Collins. With a distinguished career spanning over seven decades, she has graced the silver screen, the small screen, and the theatre stage, as well being an author, producer, humanitarian and entrepreneur, and proven, time and time a ai , to be a tr e trailbla er i her el Testament to her talent, longevity and her appeal is the range of roles she has made her own – from the legendary portrayal of the imperious Alexis Carrington in the ’80s megasoap Dynasty through to the deliciously comic hotel CEO Crystal Hennessy-Vass in the brash cult-comedy classic Benidorm Dame Joan has also trodden the boards of the Theatre Royal Bath on more than one occasion, starring in Private Lives by Noël Coward in 1992 and Over The Moon by Ken Ludwig in 2001. Her next visit to the city is to the Bath Forum on 12 October, where, accompanied by her husband Percy Gibson, she’ll be talking about her new book Behind the Shoulder Pads – an autobiography that promises ‘seldom told tales, enchanting anecdotes, and rare and fascinating footage from her seven decades in showbusiness’.

However, as we found out in our exclusive chat below, not only is Dame Joan a big fan of our fair city, but due to her eldest daughter, the writer Tara Newley, living in Somerset, she is also a regular visitor here...

How many times have you visited Bath?

I’ve lost count! I absolutely love Bath and always happy to see it in any tour schedule I embark on. At the risk of showing favouritism, I think Bath is the most beautiful city in England.

Have you performed here before?

Endlessly – I’ve ‘played’ Bath with all my plays and every incarnation of my one woman show. You must be fed up with me!

Can you share any anecdotes about your time in Bath?

I have one in my new book, Behind the Shoulder

Pads, when I was in a play called Over the Moon at the Theatre Royal Bath. It’s a beautiful theatre where I’ve performed many times, but this time one of the pieces of scenery got stuck, causing mayhem and havoc. But you’ll just have to read the book, or come to Bath Forum, to hear about it!

Where do you stay when you come here? At the Bath Spa Hotel every time. The most glorious hotel.

And to eat?

My latest favourite is the Ivy Bath.

Would you be able to pick a favourite place to live now?

London is always my favourite, but I love all my homes.

Is London where you would call home?

London is always home. I am a born and bred and proud Londoner.

What to your mind makes a house a home?

Good question! I’m a nester. Anywhere I go I must have photos of my family and loved o es scattere aro , flo ers, so t pillo s on the sofas, the bed made just right. I like to create a cosy environment anywhere I go, even he o to r a o to i ere t hotels a dressing rooms. I think that giving the personal touch is what makes anywhere, including a house, a home. That, and the memories of the times spent there. I would not like to live in those ultra-modern barren spaces.

Do you have any friends or family who live near here?

a hter ara a ath to be the most ideal meeting place, halfway between where she lives, and my home in London, although I suspect she has slightly less travel time than I do!

Any plans during your stay in Bath, aside from your show at Bath Forum? Indeed. Tara’s birthday is 12 October and my husband Percy’s is on 14 October, so we will be enjoying a mini joint celebration while we are here.

What are some of the other places you’ve lived around the world? Have you ever stopped to count them up?

Never. But in my book Passion for Life, I did an inventory of all the houses I’ve lived in and I have to say I surprised myself. However, it is interesting to see that the cities I revolve around are London, Los Angeles, New York and the south of France.

So, do you still have homes in London, LA, New York City, and France?

I sold New York after Covid.

You once called yourself a ‘gypsy’, as you spent so much time travelling. Is that still the case?

Absolutely!

What are your must-have items to take whilst travelling?

A good strong reading light, an alarm clock (one of those simple sturdy ones with big hands and a light), lots of books, and my pillow!

Where do you love to holiday?

I have to say that I’m slightly less adventurous. I love my home in the south of France in the summer, I love going to LA in January and February, and I love being in London in the spring and autumn, but mostly I’d say I like my own bedroom.

Why is that, do you think?

Lately I haven’t been that fond of hotels or other people’s homes, as I like to have things the way I want them.

Finally, can you ever see yourself ‘retiring’ to just one place?

No! n

For more: www.bathforum.co.uk

“I think Bath is the most beautiful city in England”

Dame Joan Collins may be a globetrotting Londoner with a glittering Hollywood career, but Bath has stolen her heart

The glamorous queen of the silver and small screens will be at Bath Forum on 12 October to talk about her life and career

By Lydia Tewkesbury

Mick Jagger and then girlfriend, soon to be wife, Bianca went shopping in Bath in 1971, whilst staying at the Bath Priory

Despite Bath being steeped in an amazing amount of history, much of it has been lost in the mists of time. Fortunately for future generations, the ath ecor ce, establishe i a located beneath the Guildhall, has been quietly locating, collating, restoring, and preserving precious documents including books, pamphlets, newspapers, ephemera, maps, and periodicals that tell the fascinating stories of Bath’s past.

Photographs form a huge part of the archive and local studies department, with the collection also forming the base of Bath In Time, an online photo library tracking the city over the years.

Here, Anne Buchanan, local studies librarian, tells us more about life in the archives and how Bath In Time came about.

What’s it like down in the Bath Archive?

If you visit us, you can touch history. Don’t be intimidated by the Guildhall or the ‘academics only’ reputation – we’re free and we are here for everyone interested in our collections. Whether it’s the original ee or o r ho se ro the th ce t r , or th ce t r pla i documents, it can make history come alive. There’s always something e to lear e re co sta tl i o t thi s e ever k e before, and are very happy to share our knowledge.

What kinds of things are there to see?

I particularly like the City Charters – some of the earliest records of the cit that have s rvive , ati ro to ears he spectacular Elizabethan charter that granted the baths to the City Corporation was so valued that they paid for it to be painted, and it’s still as bright and colourful as the day it was done.

I love maps and plans, and we have a fantastic collection of these – particularly charting the development of the city itself both geographically and architecturally – but I have to return to books for another favourite. Whilst the contents of the books are what bring most people to use this collection, I love many of them for their bindings. hether the are co te porar earl th ce t r bi i s, o er art bindings of the last century (some of them done by local binders, such as Cedric Chivers or George Bayntun), or pictorial Victorian impressed-cloth bindings that were the forerunners of a modern paperback cover, they all have a story. And don’t get me started on marbled endpapers – my phone is full of photos.

CLOCKWISEFROMTOP: The Princess Elizabeth outside the Guildhall in 1945; also outside the Guildhall, Winston Churchill in an open topped car in 1950; Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother arrives at the Royal Crescent by helicopter in 1979 to inspect the troops

The Beatles la ed at Bath a ilion

Why do you think the archive is important?

The Archives are a unique collection of documents and objects that tell the story of the City of Bath and the changing relationship with the region outside its boundaries. Without this collection, there would be no way of interrogating the past to inform the present or the future. We collect and curate the records created today so the researchers of the future have an understanding of why we made the decisions that we did, or how society functioned and what life looked like at a particular point in time.

What is the ‘Bath in Time’ aspect to the collection?

It’s an online image library of Bath through history, and was the brainchild of Dan Brown in about 2007. There were no online image library catalogues of library collections at that time, outside of major museums and galleries, so his idea was original and transformed access to our image collections.

How did Dan come up with the idea?

He had been volunteering in the library to help sort and catalogue the photograph collections, so had an understanding of the range of images available. His background in business combined with his skills as a local historian and amateur photographer gave him a unique perspective and the impetus to make the collections more accessible to everyone.

Many of the images are beautifully Bath, as well as fascinating –is there a way they can be purchased?

All the images are copyrighted and can be purchased online. There’s also a Bath In Time shop found in the Roman Baths shop, where there are pre-designed products available that use images of maps and guidebook covers on tote bags, mugs and tea towels. Or you can create your own online by picking any image from the collections. n Fo mo e: Bath eco d ce, chi es ocal tudies, uildhall, Bath www atha chi es co u www athintime co u

CLOCKWISEFROMTOP: The Beatles played at Bath Pavilion in June 1963 and stayed at the Francis Hotel; Princess Diana visited Twerton in 1985 to meet with the residents; Mitch Mitchell, Jimi Hendrix and Noel Redding of the Jimi Hendrix Experience at the Bath Pavilion, 20 February 1967

THE ARTS MEANS THE WORLD

It’s an installation that’s worth walking to the ends of the earth to see, and one which has already travelled the world and been seen by millions, but between 18 September and 29 October we only have to pop to Bath Abbey to catch Luke Jerram’s Gaia.

Measuring seven metres in diameter, the internally lit artwork features detailed NASA imagery of the Earth’s surface and, by standing 211m away from the piece, you can see the Earth as it appears from the moon.

The artist says, “I hope visitors to Gaia get to see the Earth as if from space; an incredibly beautiful and precious place. An ecosystem we urgently need to look after – our only home. Halfway through the Earth’s sixth mass extinction, we urgently need to wake up and change our behaviour. We need to quickly make the changes necessary to prevent runaway climate change.”

For more: www.bathabbey.org

SNAPSHOTS OF BATH’S CULTURAL LIFE

WHAT’S ON

EXHIBITIONS

Until 23 September

WAYS OF SEEING

Inspired by the ground-breaking book Ways of Seeing by John Berger, Bruton’s Bo Lee and Workman presents an exhibition that takes viewers on a visual journey. Exploring the complexities of perception and interpretation, the orks o ve artists, i cl i oh Wood and Paul Harrison, challenge traditional notions of art, subvert visual codes and expectations and invite viewers to explore new ways of seeing. www.boleeworkman.com

Until 1 October

KAFFE FASSETT: TIMELESS

THEMES – NEW QUILTS

World-renowned textile designer a e assett is at the ictoria Art Gallery with an immersive e hibitio sho casi o a e assett s lar e a colo r l e quilts, adorned with motifs from his print archives. The beautiful show ties in with his forthcoming book, Kaffe Fassett s Timeless Themes www icto ia al o u

Until 1 October

CANDACE BAHOUTH: ENCHANTED VISIONS

Running in conjunction with the assett e hibitio is a ace

Bahouth’s work, which includes a range of extravagantly e bellishe irrors lli the back wall of the gallery, along with fanciful candelabras adorned with bir s a ro a tic res, ith works for sale. www icto ia al o u

Until 1 October PAINTED LOVE

This fascinating Holburne exhibition looks at the intriguing role of portraiture in the Renaissance of Northern and Southern Europe. The paintings not only document the union of spouses, but also celebrate those of families, their wealth, power and land, and the forging of political alliances. www hol u ne o

Until 7 October

RICHES OF THE EARTH

An exhibition that uniquely celebrates the beauty of solid chemical compounds, displaying more than a hundred carefully selected mineral specimens from the Bath Royal Literary a cie ti c stit tio s o collection. www.brlsi.org

Until 7 October

SUMMER EXHIBITION

o te porar pai ti s, orks on paper, sculpture and textiles are curated amongst 8 Holland Street’s

esi classics eat ri art ork b l ates, ata e e ict, hica Seal, George Young, Jilly Edwards, ia alla ce, ikki ar ha , a Zach Zono. www hollandst eet com

Until 8 October SPIKE PRINT STUDIO

Spike Print Studio in Bristol, a leading open access print studio and a recognised centre for the exploration and creation of print, is currently exhibiting some of its members’ work at the RUH. www a tat uh o g

Until 22 December CONNECTING THREADS

Taking inspiration from objects in the Museum of East Asian Art’s collection, students from the Art & Design department of Bath olle e ere challe e to create garments which would appeal to their generation. www meaa o u

Until 31 December BRICK AMERICA

o the scale, s per , creative exhibition that uses the ordinary yet extraordinary Lego to celebrate the famous buildings, faces, and even events of the USA. And amongst the 40 Lego brick models, there s a replica o laverto Manor, the American Museum’s home. www ame icanmuseum o

Until 1 January 2024

GRUPPENAUSSTELLUNG

A multidisciplinary celebration of Hauser & Wirth’s Swiss heritage, with more than 20 artists, including arti ree , i her a , Richard Jackson, Jason Rhoades, ika otte ber , a ille e rot, Pipilotti Rist, Dieter Roth, and Björn Roth. www hause wi th com

Until 7 January 2024

LUCIE RIE: THE ADVENTURE OF POTTERY

elebrati cie ie , one of the most accomplished a i fl e tial potters o the th century. The collection features pieces produced across six decades, each following the evolution of Rie’s style. www hol u ne o

Until 22 June 2024

FROM HONG KONG TO BATH: A LIFELONG JOURNEY OF COLLECTING

o bi i a series o rare historical photographs with 30 treasures from the Museum of East Asian Art, the collection uncovers hidden stories of its late founder, Brian McElney. www meaa o u

11 September – 7 October

THE ART OF SILENCE

or its rst sho o the a t , Beaux Arts have put together a

Join songwriter and musician Matt Owens for a carefully curated oneday grassroots and blues festival at Burdall’s Yard on 30 September

TOPTOBOTTOM: The Bath Light Operatic production of the singalong classic Oliver! comes to Theatre Royal Bath; labradorite is just one of the mineral exhibits in Riches of the Earth on at the Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution; it’s a showcase of fresh, new talent when the Bath Spa MA Art And Design Degree Show exhibits at the university’s Locksbrook Campus

selection of still life works, including those of gallery favourites Helen Simmonds, Nathan Ford, Jo Barret, Alex Callaway, and Atsuko Fujii. www.beauxartsbath.co.uk

23 – 27 September

BATH SPA MA ART AND DESIGN DEGREE SHOW

The Bath Spa MA Art and Design Degree Show is a showcase of the work of some of the country’s most talented up-and-coming young artists and makers. The collection, which can be viewed at the Locksbrook Campus on Locksbrook Road, features work from the university’s postgraduate st e ts st i e art, photography, ceramics, design, illustration, graphics, and textiles. www.bathspa.ac.uk

7 – 15 October

PEACOCK ARTS TRAIL

From sculptors, textile artists and painters to photographers, jewellery makers and carpenters (not least Corsham based potter o o o , ho reache the als of 2023’s Great Pottery Throwdown), there’s plenty to enjoy at a whole series of Wiltshire venues (think Box, Chippenham et al, as well as Corsham). www.peacockartstrail.co.uk

8 October

BATH CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS FAIR

Since its creation in 2020, the Bath

Contemporary Artists Fair has showcased more than 600 artists, including the work of Lucia Lovatt, across 13 fairs at Green Park Station, bringing us the best of local co te porar art, i cl i e art, photography, sculpture, textiles and more. www.bcaf.co.uk

THEATRE / CINEMA

Until 23 September

FAREWELL MISTER HAFFMANN

One of France’s most successful new plays receives its English language première at the Ustinov. Paris is under Nazi occupation a oseph a a , a e ish jewellery shop owner, asks his long- standing employee Pierre Vigneau to swap roles and help save his life. www.theatreroyal.org.uk

12 – 16 September

OLIVER!

Bath Light Operatic Group returns to the Theatre Royal’s Main House with their production of the all time musical classic Oliver! Legendary show tunes include Food Glorious Food, Consider Yourself, and I’d Do Anything www.theatreroyal.org.uk

MUSIC

12 September

STRANGER SINGS

his sci spoo , that has bee selling out both Broadway and the West End, is a wild, irreverent twist o the hit etfli series Stranger Things – in all its hair-raising, demogorgon, blockbuster glory. Bath Forum; www.bathforum.co.uk

15 September

ARETHA & THE SOUL SISTERS

Experience the music of Aretha Franklin and James Brown’s Funky Divas played live at Chapel Arts. Injecting new life into old classics, including Respect, I Say A Little Prayer, Think and Natural Woman, is the soul power sensation Lisa Grand on vocals, along with the Jezebel Sextet. www.chapelarts.org

Until 16 September

IF OPERA

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. An added bonus is that all productions take

place in the Saddlespan theatre in the grounds of Belcombe Court, the stunning stately home in Bradford on Avon. www.ifopera.com

21 September

KOSHEEN

The electronic music showstoppers Kosheen are back in full force, on tour, and at Komedia, to celebrate 25 years of music. Expect new work and old classics including Hide U, the massive house dance anthem of 2000. www.komedia.co.uk

30 September

SYSTEM EXCLUSIVE

Following the release of their recent EP, Party All The Time, the Californian duo are performing at The Royal Oak on the Lower Bristol Road armed with an arsenal of mini synths and a pocketful o ara ti o ste ri s at their disposal. www.theroyaloakbath.co.uk

30 September

THE LAST DAYS OF SUMMER

The 7 Hills Festival is the passion project of Bathonian musician Matt Owens (co-founder of Noah and the hale , a their latest o eri is a i i est st o the o o oa at Burdall’s Yard, with Band of the Year winners Morganway, AMAUK Album of the year winner Robert Vincent, and slew of 20 other great artists in a one day celebration of grassroots music, rock ’n’ roll and singer-songwriters. Tickets available through www.wegottickets.com

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

Last Monday of the month

THE ELECTRIC COMEDY CLUB

The Electric Comedy Club is Komedia Bath’s monthly showcase, hosted by the brilliantly witty Morgan Rees. Each show features a pro headliner, as well as four rising stars o sta p, a o st the est up-and-coming comedy talent the has to o er www.komedia.co.uk

14 September

MARKUS BIRDMAN

Britain’s Got Talent se i alist

Markus Birdman brings his unique

charm and wit to the Rondo with his brand-new stand-up show, Platinum www.rondotheatre.co.uk

CHILDREN

Until 19 September ZOG TRAIL

Follow a golden star trail around Westonbirt Arboretum, home to one of the most important plant collections in the world, with no less than 15,000 specimens and 2,500 species. There are also r alo stat es to be spotte , a nature play trail and guided walks, along with the treetop walkway. www.forestryengland.uk

16 – 18 September

NEST

Two birds decide to make a city tree their home and soon their cosy nest contains a pair of very precious eggs. However, the world below is ll o st a , all too ickl , so is the nest. Suitable for 3+. The Egg; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

29 September – 8 October

BATH CHILDREN’S LITERATURE FESTIVAL

The festival brings over 100 of the hottest debut, local and national writers, creators and illustrators from the world of young people’s books to places and spaces across the city. Turn to page 76 for our round-up, and over on page 40 o ll o r e cl sive i tervie ith estival rst ti er, e Henry. www.bathfestivals.org.uk

OTHER

Until 17 September

OPEN HERITAGE DAYS

There’s a whole plethora of freebie events to be booked in Bath to help promote our heritage, community, and history. These include tours of hidden gems such as Southcot Burial Ground and Eyre Chantry Chapel, along with activities at the Roman Baths, American Museum & Gardens and Beckford Tower. Head to the Assembly Rooms for an exhibition of historical game playing. www.heritageopendays.org.uk

Until 18 September

THE JANE AUSTEN FESTIVAL

The largest and longest running Jane Austen Festival, which began in 2001, now draws in more than 3,500 Austenites from all around the world. The ten day programme includes the fabulously bonneted promenade, a summer ball, talks,

ABOVE: Two birds decide to make a city tree their home in Nest playing at The Egg 1618 September; BELOW: The US synth/rock duo System Exclusive will be delivering their Tarantino-dusted riffs on 30 September at the Royal Oak on the Lower Bristol Road

tours, workshops, symposiums, performances, and a free picnic. www.janeausten.co.uk

13 September

SARA PASCOE

As part of Bath Festival, and in collaboration Mr B’s Emporium, the award-winning comedian, writer and actor visits Komedia on the eve of the publication of her highly anticipated debut novel. Weirdo tells the comic story of Sophie, who aims to lead a normal life – if only she could suppress her light paranoia, pornographic visualisations, and pathological lying. www.bathfestivals.org.uk

16 September

BIG AVON PADDLE

Join Dorothy House for the Big Avon Paddle as paddle boarders, kayakers, and canoeists come together again to have some fun in the water whilst raising vital funds to help the charity provide crucial end-of-life care for Bath and surrounds local community. www.dorothyhouse.org.uk

9 – 24 September

BATHSCAPE WALKING FESTIVAL

An expanded programme of walks showcasing Bath as a walkable landscape city for everyone from families to groups and solo walkers. There are around 75 walks of varying lengths, including wheel friendly walks and sensory walks, and most of them are free. www.bathscape.co.uk

16 – 17 September

VERVE FESTIVAL

Head to Hatch House in Tisbury for a wellness reset, where saunas, cold water plunge pools, woodland spas, and mindfulness workshops meet late night DJ tents, local food stalls, and ple t o www.feeltheverve.com

24 September

CIRCUIT OF BATH WALK

The 20-mile walking challenge around the outskirts of the city (with lots of options for shorter routes) is organised by Julian House and is to help vulnerable and at-risk people across the South West. www.circuitofbathwalk.co.uk

Olivier Award-winning actor Matthew Kelly returns to the Theatre Royal Bath 19 – 23 September to star as Selsdon Mowbray in Michael Frayn’s farce Noises Off, alongside Liza Goddard and Simon Shepherd. Among Matthew’s many television credits are Bleak House, Moving On, Benidorm, Cold Blood, and he’s presented You Bet! and (of course) Stars in Their Eyes. His West End stage shows include Waiting for Godot with Ian McKellen, Big The Musical, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and the role of Lennie in Of Mice and Men, for which he received the Olivier Award for Best Actor.

The last great film I saw Addicted to Fresno, starring Natasha Lyonne, Judy Greer and Aubrey Plaza. It’s rude, subversive, and hilarious.

A film I could watch over and over again

Life of Brian, which tells you everything you need to know about humanity.

The painting that means something to me

Red by Mark Rothko. It’s a painting you would say, ‘I could do that, give me two minutes, a paint brush and a pot of red paint’. Then you see it in the flesh in the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and you can see

the depth in it – it’s stunning, absolutely amazing. I called one of my dogs after Rothko.

Best TV show ever…

Judge Judy. That woman should be President of the World.

My current binge watch

Survival of the Thickest starring Michelle Buteau. She is very funny indeed. They’re 30 minutes each – it’s kind of bitesized TV.

The book that changed my life

All books change your life, but the one I suppose that had the most effect on me was Lucky Man by Michael J. Fox. It’s so uplifting – you think you have problems, but that man overcomes an awful lot. It saves you from your own misery.

Last live music gig

Cher at Wembley in 2007. It was her 254th farewell concert.

Favourite arts place in Bath Theatre Royal Bath because it’s the place in the country I’ve played most. I’ve played there nine times in the last six decades – I absolutely love it.

My desert island disc Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No.2, because it’s loud, dramatic, romantic, overwrought – just like me. For more:

www.theatreroyal.org.uk

Matthew Kelly as Noises Off’s Selsdon Mowbray

CULTURE CLUB with Matthew Kelly

See the work of John Wood and Paul Harrison as part of the Ways of Seeing exhibition at Bruton’s Bo Lee and Workman

STARRY, STARRY NIGHTS

Let’s talk about your future plans with the who, what, when, and why of famous faces coming to Bath

From superstars at the top of their game to stars in the ascendancy, Bath is fast becoming a requisite and valued stop o or c lt re, celebrities, a co ics o to r e may be a small but culturally we’re punching, and to prove it, here’s just a few of the heavyweight names heading our a i the e t e o ths

1

For more than 30 years Bath Mozartfest has been bringing artistic excellence in chamber and orchestral music to our city, ith a pro ra e o the est classical sic per or e b orl re o e artists his ear it r s ove ber at the Assembly Rooms and at Bath Forum with classical giants including the stro vocal e se ble tile tico the base earl sic e se ble a ova sica ith sopra o c ro e a the pa ish stri artet Cuarteto Casals

2

Fresh from terrifying, terrorising, and traumatising his o spri as s Succession newspaper mogul Logan Roy, Brian Cox stars as Bach in the world première of The Score, opening at ath heatre o al o ctober a pla i til ctober irecte b revor a ritte b liver otto , e eet oha ebastia ach i r ssia as he rel cta tl visits the court of Frederick II, Europe’s most a bitio s a a ero s lea er he t o e co l har l be ore i ere t ach is eepl reli io s re erick is a atheist ach loathes ar, re erick revels i it ach st ies scripture, Frederick reads military histor re erick, i a e o ach s genius, has mischievously prepared a musical conundrum that he hopes ill ba e the co poser b t hat follows is something neither man could ever have pre icte

Spanish string quartet Cuarteto Casals are performing at Bath Mozartfest; INSET: Theatre Royal Bath hosts the world première of The Score starring Brian Cox

“We may be small but culturally we’re punching”

© DAVID RUANO

3The legendary and remarkable Soul II Soul are ‘Back to Life’ at the Bath Forum on 23 November, with their Feel Free tour. With two Grammy Awards, collaborations with artists such as Destiny’s Child and James Brown under their belt, over 10 million albums sold, and Jazzie B’s continued innovation, their music stands o t as ti eless a a the ticall i fl e tial

4Ahead of her show at Theatre Royal Bath on 26 November, the actor, comedian, presenter, writer, and self-confessed twat Dawn French tell us: “This show is so-named because, unfortunately, it’s horribly accurate. There have been far too many times I have misunderstood something vital or jumped the gun in a spectacular display of twattery. Book early to see the telly vicar lady be a total twat on stage, live in front of your very eyes. And ears.”

5Britain’s oldest contemporary dance and ballet company, the world-renowned Rambert, returns to the Theatre Royal Bath 2 – 4 November with a sensational double bill, Death Trap and Goat, choreographed by the Olivier Award nominated Ben Duke. This promises to be a night of meta dance comedy, full of the turbulence of life and death, darkly funny and packed with originality – enter a world where dance is literally a matter of life or death.

ABOVE: Soul II Soul bring their Feel Free tour to Bath Forum; BELOW: See Dawn French be a twat on 26 November;

INSET: Britain’s oldest contemporary dance company Rambert are headed our way

© PAUL HODSON

© MARC BRENNER

© CAMILLA GREENWELL

“A spectacular display of twattery”

6

A follow up to her tour Jenny Eclair Sixty! (FFS!) is Jenny Eclair Sixty Plus! (FFS!) coming to Komedia on 22 October. Having hit 60 (but still a year younger than Madonna), the presenter and comedian, AKA ‘The Face of Vagisan’, confronts a new decade of ecrepit e o that it takes i tes o scrolli o to her he she s lli i or s o li e, sho l she celebrate or cra l into a hole? What will her 60s hold for this 1960s babe, and is it a legal requirement to buy Nordic walking poles?

7

The two-time, back-to-back Grammy nominee for Best Traditional Blues, the musician, actor, author Guy Davis swings by the Chapel Arts Centre on 9 November. Using a blend of roots, blues, folk, rock, rap, spoken word, and world music, this storytelling maestro addresses the frustrations of social injustice, touching on historical events and common life struggles.

8

Rachel Fairburn, who is ‘very much the rock’n’roll star of British comedy’ according to Rolling Stone, is at the Rondo on 28 October casting her acerbic eye over everything from your children to her pretentious new alcohol-free life (accurate at time of writing). She’s worried, though. Has she mellowed a bit? She carries a lucky crystal now. Catch her before she disappears to the countryside with only joss sticks and taxidermy for company.

CLOCKWISEFROMABOVE: Jenny Eclair is moaning about being 60 plus at the Komedia; catch comedy’s newest rock’n’roll star Rachel Fairburn at the Rondo on 28 October; Chapel Arts Centre hosts two-time, back-to-back Grammy nominee Guy Davis

“The confrontspresenter a new decade of decrepitude”

9Restaurant critic and presenter Jay Rayner, undoubtedly the best jazz pianist in Britain of all the judges on MasterChef, leads a e se ble o top fli ht sicia s thro h a vivi i ht o the ver best o so riti a a o ctober at o e ia

10

pe the eve i i the co pa o certi e atio al Treasure Michael Palin s part o the ath estival, he s at the ath or o ctober talki abo t his e book Great-Uncle Harry: A Tale of War and Empire elli the tr e stor o his ra ather s brother ho as kille at the attle o the o e i , this is a ble o bio raph , histor , travelo e, perso al e oir, a the or er tho at his ver est

“Spend the evening in the com an o ce ti ed National Treasure Michael Palin”

ABOVE: Jay Rayner is whipping up some jazz at Komedia on 12 October; BELOW: As part of the Bath Festival, Michael Palin will be at the Bath Forum on 7 October

STORY TIME

what to expect at the BATH CHILDREN’S LITERATURE FESTIVAL this Autumn…

Autumn in Bath will be buzzing with the totally brilliant Bath Children’s Literature Festival! We will be welcoming more than 100 of your favourite children’s authors and illustrators to spaces and places across Bath to bring books and stories alive!

A top line-up of superstar authors and illustrators will be talking about their amazing books for all ages. Among them will be some of Bath’s festival favourites, including Cressida Cowell, Katherine Rundell, Joseph Coelho, Robin Stevens, Rob Biddulph, Dapo Adeola, Nadia Shireen, Holly Bourne, Laura Wood and many more.

There are events to make you laugh out loud, packed with hilarious stories, funny drawings, poetry and fun for all. We’ve got twisty tales to thrill and mind-blowing mysteries to astonish. Step into another world where anything is possible – and be back in time for tea! Dive into inspiring stories that encourage us to think about the world

around us – from dazzling adventures in far-away countries to connecting with nature in our own environment – you are guaranteed to see the world in a new way.

Get ready to shine! Celebrate what makes YOU unique and explore what makes you happy. Learn about inspiring real-life stories and about speaking up about what matters in uplifting, empowering, and inspiring events.

Always asking ‘Why?’ Love lists? We’ve got you covered! Train your brain, learn about history, science, nature and so much more!

Get creative with special guest curator, bestselling author and illustrator Rob Biddulph’s selection of artistic events that celebrate the magic of creativity and the sheer joy of drawing. Get ready to write, draw, model and make in incredible, fun-packed, hands-on creative sessions for all the family.

It's never too early to get into stories! With weekday events plus lots of fun at the weekends, there’s plenty for our littlest festival-goers! Bring

the smallest members of the family along for interactive sessions, storytimes, and special film screenings, featuring their best-loved characters. There's something for the older and teen readers too with lively, fun and important conversations with writers of young adult work. All this and much, much more – so head to the website for all the details and to book tickets. n

Box Office: 01225 463362

info@bathfestivals.org.uk

Festival Office: 01225 614180

Here’s

COVER STARS

A look forward to Europe’s largest stand-alone children’s book festival heading to Bath

By Elsie Chadwick

It’s a world of words and wonder coming to Bath 29 September – 8 October, as more than one hundred children’s authors and illustrators descend on the city for the much-loved and highly acclaimed Bath Children’s Literature Festival.

The event, which has been entertaining and engaging young folk since 2007, includes free family weekend activities, an inclusive schools programme, craft activities, interactive book eve ts, a to ler ti e l scree i s

Taking on the mantle as the festival guest curator for creative/illustrator events for 2023 is award-winning author and illustrator Rob Biddulph. “I can’t wait to recommend some of my fellow authors’ and illustrators’ events, particularly ones that celebrate the magic of creativity and sheer joy of drawing,” he says.

Here we look at just a few of the big names who’ll be sharing their magical work in venues and spaces all over the city, and for more festival fantastic-ness turn to page 40 for our chat ith rst ti e estivaller ir e e r

1It’s the 20th anniversary of the worldwide sensation How to Train Your Dragon, and we can celebrate with the author Cressida Cowell at Bath Forum on 7 October. Cressida will be teaching everyone how to draw their own Hiccup, shares behind the scenes secrets of how her books tra s erre to l a , and will be reading from her new short story ow to T ain ou o

2

Hear all about the brilliantly passionate and instantly loveable Rocket and her latest adventures, from award-winning author and illustrator Nathan Bryon and Dapo Adeola on 6 October at the Guildhall. This time she’s organising a peaceful protest to save her local library in Speak Up!

3

On 7 October at the Guildhall don’t miss out on the chance to hear from Holly Jackson, the bestselling author of Five Survive and A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, as she gives

insider secrets to the writing process and shares the inspiration behind her blood-pumping thrillers. Chaired by Kate Weston, author of the hilarious and brilliantly titled Young Adult (YA) thriller, Murder on a School Night.

Festival favourite Robin Stevens is back at the Bath Forum on 30 September to talk about her latest thrilling mystery, The Ministry of Unladylike Activity Robin will share her tips and tricks on how to write the perfect murder mystery and the inspiration behind her new team of detectives.

5The Unlikely Rise of Harry Sponge with Stephen and Anita Mangan is a farts, games, and fun extravaganza at the Guildhall on Sunday, 1 October, when author-illustrator brothersister duo host a storytelling, live drawing, and silly sibling session.

“Celebrate the magic of creativity”

6On 30 September at the Guildhall Holly Bourne, the bestselling author of YA and a lt co te porar ctio , ill be talki about You Could Be So Pretty, her new novel, a compelling and dystopian page-turner exploring looks, love, sex, and friendship set in a dysfunctional social media world.

7Courageous loop the loops, top secret plans, and a smattering of bird poo are on the agenda with Wings of Glory by Dermot O’Leary. The author and broadcaster is at the Guildhall on 8 October to talk about his brand new action adventure involving Linus the plucky swift. n

For more: www.bathfestivals.org.uk

BOOKS NIC BOTTOMLEY

Each year in late July, Mr B’s packs up a van with a few thousand books, 34 shelving bays, 16 apple carts that convert into a shop counter, bunting, blackboards and a whole lot of snacks and drives to an arboretum on the edge of Malmesbury. Once we’ve unpacked it all, and hoisted up our giant wooden ‘Books’ sign, we’re set for four days of loose, joyful bookselling as part of the World of Words area at the World of Music and Dance (WOMAD) festival.

Getting those books set up this time was more of a juggling act than ever, thanks to a niggly deluge on set-up day (cardboard boxes full of books just don’t mix with summer rains), but once everything was safely under cover, the s al lle blast o so s a words began.

Alongside the book range we curate for the festival shop, we look after signings for all the authors appearing, and we always get to discover some new favourites. The undisputed break-out hit on the books side of the festival was James Read, whose talk and demo around his book Of Cabbages and Kimchi (Penguin, £22) saw a full tent and 100 people listening from outside.

Read’s beautifully presented small-format book is pitche as a e ort to s le bacteria into our kitchens” as part of his guide to fermenting foods at home. There’s food-science and cultural history packed into the early pages before it bubbles into stacks of intriguing recipes. On the savoury front there’s everything from green chilli fermented salsa to chilled radish noodle soup, but it was the thought of soy caramel chocolate tarts that drew everyone in.

Beyond all the practical information, it’s Read’s enthusiasm that makes this much ore tha the iche book it rst appears to be. How can anyone fail to be drawn into the orl o er e tatio b se te ces like the shape of your container won’t alone keep

boistero s bits o r it or ve ro floati to the s r ace to escape their ate

Shortly after Read had left the stage, his place was taken by an author contemplating plants that are still in their natural habitat rather than inside kitchen jars. Mike Dilger spent an hour encouraging Womadeers to pay close attention to the wild plants aro the o e to his local patch by lockdown in 2020, ecologist and wildlife presenter Dilger doubled-down on a previous passion for botany by studying the plants around his home on his daily dog walks.

As soon as the world freed up, he set hi sel a tar et o seei , i ere t wild plants in a single year, a challenge that took him all around the country to experience our richly varied natural habitats. He documents his year in the informative and enjoyable One Thousand Shades of Green (Bloomsbury, £17.99), the perfect starting point for anyone wanting to learn more about the flora aro s

The big turnouts for Dilger and Read were, it must be said, dwarfed by the poetry reading given at the nearby Hip Yak Poetry Shack by the legendary Michael Rosen. Fans of all ages gathered for more than an hour before his appeara ce, so that he he all took the tiny stage he was surrounded by hundreds of people peering through the tree branches into a natural theatre. He reprised many of his famous poems for children and also dipped into his latest collection for older readers, The Advantages of Nearly Dying (Smokestack Books, £8.99).

The queue to meet Michael and have books signed threatened to block one of the chief routes to the main music arenas for a while –a e e o stratio that or s alo e ca still hold their own with music in 2023.

Nic Bottomle is the ene al mana e o B s Em o ium o eadin eli hts, ohn t eet, Bath tel: www m sem o ium com

ne demonst ation that wo ds alone can still hold thei own with music”

There was a world of books on the WOMAD main stage, thanks to Mr B’s

When it comes to capturing not only your image but also the true you and the characteristics that many seek ... she’s as good as it gets.

QUEEN BEE

Buzzing around with Jo Macina, THE PIG Near Bath’s resident beekeeper

Beekeeper Jo with daughter Stephie

HONEY & LAVENDER PUDDING

Robin Hutson, owner of The Pig group, says, “This gorgeously creamy pudding is similar to panna cotta and makes the most of the delicious honey we’ve been producing here for the past few years.

“We’re always looking for natural ways to sweeten puddings (rather than using processed sugar), so lucky for us that, thanks to our Queen Bee Jo, we now have six hives here, with more on the way.

“Somerset, of course, is famous for its milk and cream and we get ours from the Longman family, who’ve been farmers and cheesemakers in the Vale of Camelot for over two centuries.”

FOR THE SET CREAM

145ml whole milk

425ml double cream (we use Longman’s)

125g runny honey

5 sheets bronze leaf gelatine

FOR THE ICE CREAM

1 litre whole milk

50g fresh lavender

200ml double cream

150g Trimoline (if you can’t find it, use 110ml liquid glucose instead)

200g egg yolk

150g caster sugar

1. For the set cream, gently warm the milk, cream and honey in a pan. Submerge your gelatine in cold water and leave to soften. Remove the cream mixture from the heat, add the gelatine and stir gently to dissolve. Pass through a fine sieve.

2. Pour into individual moulds or a shallow dish and allow to set for a minimum of 4 hours (even better, make it the day before).

3. For the ice cream, heat the milk and add the lavender. Cover with a lid and leave to infuse for at least 30 minutes. Pass through a fine sieve and add the cream and Trimoline or liquid glucose. Return to the pan and gently heat through. Whisk together the yolks and sugar.

4. Pour the warmed milk onto the egg mixture, whisking all the time. Return to the pan and warm over a medium heat, stirring all the time, until it reaches 82ºC/180ºF (you’ll need a digital thermometer).

5. Pass once again through a fine sieve, cool and place into lidded containers and freeze. Give it a stir every half hour or so for the first two hours to make sure it freezes evenly and stays smooth.

Jo Macina is The Pig Near Bath’s resident Queen Bee, the woman responsible for its burgeoning bee population and honey-making plans. Jo was part of The Pig right from the get-go. Originally from Poland, she’d been living in the East End of London: “Ten years ago, I was working in a café in Brick Lane and doing other bits and bobs, but I was a bit lost. I came to the New Forest to get away and saw a sign for The Pig and thought it looked cool. So I went in and asked if they needed anyone.”

t rst, o orke i the resta ra t a as trai i to be a sommelier when she realised the garden was where she really wanted to be. So she joined the garden team in Brockenhurst a o her rst a et llie, o the ro p hea kitche gardener, among the veg beds.

Now, 10 years later, here they are – a couple, parents to Stephanie and Douglas and in charge of all The Pigs’ kitchen ar e s a bee keepi ot rst bees a ter abo t two years at Brockenhurst,” says Jo. “I’d just started to get interested in honey-making. Then I went as head gardener to The Pig on the Beach, and had about six hives there. I’ve done courses and taught myself a lot and we’ve produced bits and pieces so far, but now I’m ready to really go for it. We’re going to be making our own honey at every hotel, and each will have its own distinctive taste. Most of the garden team are getting involved.”

And Jo’s trusty helper? The youngest beekeeper, four-and-a-half-year-old Stephie. “She loves it,” says Jo, “especially using the smoker! I remember at Harlyn, we were opening up the hives and the honey as st flo i o t tephie as catchi it i her ha s a st licki it o her ers n

Excerpt and recipe from the Somerset chapter of The Pig: 500 Miles of Food, Friends and Local Legends: 2 by Robin Hutson, £30, published by Home Grown Hotels

Jo is in charge of all The Pigs’ bee keeping; INSET: Pig honey in the making

A creamy honeyed delight

FOOD & DRINK

SNAPSHOTS OF BATH’S FOOD SCENE

IN SEASON

THE COBNUT

To do not underestimate this British delicacy, advises Verity Genco

THIS IS ONE YOU MAY have to ht the squirrels for – the cobnut, which is a British elicac that ro s i the il bet ee epte ber a ctober he are ro a harvested mainly in Kent, with Kentish cob as the most common variety known. However, there are plenty of cobnut trees to be found locall o the circ lar alk ro the villa e o he a a he sho l be picke he the h sks be i to t r ello , aro late epte ber aili to ora e the o rsel , have spotte lar e crates o cob ts bei sol i o r local ath ree rocers i arkhall a l el ark

Just like there are many varieties of apples, the cob t is a c ltivate ha el t, b t i ere t

to the more familiar taste of dried hazelnuts in that fresh cobnuts can be eaten almost ri ht o the tree o ce shelle ate resh the have a cr ch te t re ith a ilk flavo r that evelops as the seaso pro resses eli ht to eat resh, rich i vita i a calci , the re also a treat o ce roaste , as the flavo r e ha ces a the c li ar ses et e citi

To roast cobnuts, shell them and place them i a ove at as ark or p to a ho r, epe i o their si e a resh ess, until they are hard and browned. Sprinkle with salt and eat them as they are, or ‘nutty up’ some o o r ishes b choppi the spri kli them into, say, a seasonal salad. Chopped or ro cobnuts can also be used on sweet

ishes, a i flavo r as ell as te t re to eri es, cr bles a cakes oaste cob ts, ro and then added to the top of pasta, connect me to my Sicilian other i la s a o servi pasta call it o a s par esa cheese cheat oasti stale brea cr bs i stea o si e pe sive or unavailable parmesan cheese was the way they used to do it. This breadcrumb pasta seaso i a have bee classe as a poor man’s cheese at the time, but has become the o to choice over cheese or a pasta ishes still made today.

For more cobnut recipe ideas and recipe inspiration, head to Ve it s nsta am a e o the a ou

GOOD FOOD MEETS A GOOD CAUSE

t s here c rr eets c rls, spices eets st le, a a reat oo eets a reat ca se a ook itche is hosti a charit i er i ht o epte ber i s pport o he air ro ect i ia, a charit set p b ac e ell o air

Tickets for a three course meal, drink on arrival, and a oo ie ba cost , ith per ce t o the s oi to ar s setti p a e hair ressi aca e i a alore his ill help o local irls, hose lives have bee broke b s ch ills as tra cki a e tre e povert , ai val able ali catio s i hair ressi

For more: www.bandookkitchen.com

© VERITY GENCO

Cobnuts are rich in vitamin E

Enjoy a sumptuous threecourse meal and help raise funds in the process

Zac Fennell of BA1 Hair and Bandook Kitchen owner Moe Rahman

A NEW PLANT BASE

orso e a is the latest a itio to ath s flo rishi pla t base oo ie sce e, o eri cooker classes, eve ts, a private cateri or e o the re o e e ths ooker chool, hich close er that name this summer after ears, its a a er eor ia arto a hea che a co rse t tor att cho ski have tea e p to ope the e cit ce tre ath ve e o errace alk eor ia sa s, he ethos at Morso Vegan is that food is a pleas re to cook, eat, a share e ai to i press si resh, locall so rce a seaso al pro ce i new and exciting ways. And our food is for ever o e to e o , a ot st ve a s

For more: www.morsovegan.co.uk

GET YOUR FEAST ON!

he streets o ath ill soo be pave ith oo he the reat ath east, i associatio ith he erti et itche , ret r s epte ber ver i the he s heatre, the li e p ill i cl e ichar erti et hi sel Masterchef ha pio o ha pio s i oo bes ro p che irector o he i otel a es ol i Michelin starred chef Chris le hor a arr a a osser ro he callop hell lo ith the elicio s e os, there ll be street per or a ces, live sic, ki s e tertai e t, a o e s o street oo stalls a bars to s p, sa ple, a east po For more: www.greatbathfeast.co.uk

GOOD TO GO

Family-owned George Street fave Chandos Deli is wheeling its a re i to the heart o o th ate ith a co ee cart packe ith oo ies arke p st o tsi e ath pa statio , the specialit a health oo store, hich has seve o tlets across the o th est a ore tha ears o e perie ce, ill be o eri co ee, reshl a e sala s, o r et ocaccia sa iches, a artisa pastries

lso oi i the i creasi o th ate eaterie ar is o ee i e, locate alo si e ivoli i e a he i epe e t barista specialist has ope e its rst ever ca , servi specialit co ee a elicio s cakes a pastries

The local indie additions are a welcome addition to the city ce tre shoppi area, as e erso , the o th ate ce tre irector, e plai s e re ver pro to be able to s pport local artisa b si esses like these, a it s reat to see the have alrea prove ver pop lar ith visitors

For more: Instagram @chandosdeli.bath | www.southgatebath.com

Morso specialises in vegan food INSET: Chef Matt Puchowski

Foodie and drink stalls will be lining the centre of Bath; INSET: Co-organiser Richard Bertinet at a Great Bath Feast book signing Enjoy Koffe Time

George Street fave Chandos Deli is setting up camp near SouthGate

THE FRENCH CONNECTION

in Queen Square…

With an illustrious career spanning over 20 years, The Francis Hotel was thrilled to welcome Cyril Royer as new head chef last month.

Originating from Limoges in France, Cyril has led the kitchen teams at a number of resorts including The Corran Resort & Spa and Gravetye Manor, which holds a Michelin Star. In his new role, Cyril has already embarked on an ambitious transformation of the dining experience on offer at The Francis Hotel in their signature restaurant Boho Marché.

The new all day dining menu is a step away from the original Boho Marché concept and invites guests and local Bath residents to experience France on a plate. It promotes casual dining through classic French dishes, cooked simply with a gourmet twist.

The new brasserie menu includes French favourites such as moules-frites, confit of duck cassoulet and côte de boeuf to share, as well as delicious, alternative options including slow roasted cauliflower steak and beetroot tarte tatin. For starters, guests will be making difficult decisions between delicious options such as lamb rossini, twice-baked cheese souffle, and crab rémoulade. A meal isn’t complete without dessert, and the new Boho Marché menu offers chocolate fondant or St Honoré with caramel diplomat cream amongst its tempting choices.

Speaking about his new menu, Cyril says, “It’s an incredibly exciting time to be joining the team at Boho Marché and The Francis Hotel. I’m really keen to put the restaurant on the map. We have a fantastic location in the heart of Bath on Queen Square, the restaurant has its own

street entrance and, we believe, could become one of the top places to eat out in Bath.

“We want to create a casual dining experience with great food that appeals to a wide, local audience. Our two and three course set menu is ideal for business lunch meetings, our extensive cocktail menu and light bites appeals to friends gathering at any point of the day, and our evening favourites are ideal for a couple looking to treat themselves at the weekend.

“I can’t wait for feedback on the new dishes and I look forward to further evolving the menu”.

To celebrate the launch of the new menu, there are a number of introductory offers to local residents and readers of Bath Life can enjoy a free glass of wine, a pint of beer or a soft drink when they enjoy at least two courses from the set menu or á la carte menu. Simply quote Bath Life before 31 October when you visit. n

The new á la carte menu at Boho Marché is served daily from 12 noon to 9.30pm. For more details, to view the new menu, or book a table, visit www.bohomarche.com

A new chef is whipping up a storm at BOHO MARCHÉ

“ WE BELIEVE THE RESTAURANT COULD BECOME ONE OF THE TOP PLACES TO EAT OUT IN BATH ”

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

Afternoon Tea at Henrietta Bar & Garden

A hidden gem in the most peaceful of settings @The Roseate Villa Bath

A quintessential English tea tradition with a few touches of modernity, Afternoon Tea at Henrietta Bar & Garden is an unforgettable, charming experience. Enjoy a delightfully delicious tea, brimming with homemade treats. Tuck into warm scones, selection of delicate finger sandwiches and moreish indulgent cakes, made by The Roseate Villa Bath fabulous bakers.

Served every day from 2pm – 5.30pm

USE CODE #FOODBYROSEATE when booking and enjoy a cocktail on us!

#ExperienceTheUnimagined

Reserve Now:

MADE IN HEAVEN

Tucked away on 7 – 9 Lower Borough Walls, Bath, Heavenly Desserts Bath invites you into a realm of sheer indulgence, where vibrant hues of orange, blues, and greens adorn the surroundings and friendly smiles await to greet you, beckoning you into a world of delectable treats.

At Heavenly Desserts Bath, it’s not just about the desserts; it’s about the entire experience. What sets us apart is our unwavering commitment to exceptional hospitality. Stepping into our restaurant, you’re welcomed by our friendly team ready to cater to your every need. Prefer a modern touch? Ordering through our app still retains the same outstanding service and heartwarming hospitality that Heavenly Desserts Bath has become renowned for.

Hospitality forms the very essence of our identity, and our dedicated teams understand the profound impact of first-class service on your Heavenly Desserts journey. Our ethos revolves around crafting memories through warm interactions and impeccable service that create joy for every one of our guests.

For those moments when you yearn for Heavenly Desserts beyond our doors, we’ve got you covered. You can order through our click and collect service via our website or app, ensuring your desired treats are ready for pick-up. Our array of retail items adds to the delight, featuring treasures like our Heavenly Dessert Popcorn created in collaboration with Joe & Seph’s, authentic Italian gelato tubs, and our very own chocolate bars, perfect for savouring on the go or at home.

The menu at Heavenly Desserts Bath is a testament to innovation and culinary artistry. From timeless classics like the chocolate brownie, waffles, crepes, and cookie dough to our signature creations such as Kunafeh, Milk Cake, Mochi, and the intriguing Croffle (where croissant meets waffle), there’s an indulgence for every palate. Our Traditional Afternoon Tea is a great way to catch up with friends and family and available to book now. Our commitment to innovation ensures that our offerings remain fresh and captivating. Take, for instance, our unconventional masterpiece, the Grow Up dessert, a visual and taste sensation that exceeds all expectations.

Can’t decide? Our dessert tapas experience is a revelation. It’s more than just a meal; it’s an exploration of flavours and textures in miniature form, meant to be shared and savoured.

Heavenly Desserts Bath is not just about satiating your sweet cravings; it’s about offering an holistic experience. Our diverse beverage menu complements the dessert extravaganza, featuring delights like the Pistachio Spanish Latte, Iced Rose & Lychee Martini, and the heavenly Lotus Biscoff Milkshakes.

The past year has been a journey of delectable discoveries, heartwarming connections, and the celebration of all things sweet. As we step into another year of delighting your senses, Heavenly Desserts Bath remains dedicated to redefining dessert escapades and creating moments that linger long after the last bite n

Heavenly Desserts Bath, Lower Borough Walls, Bath, BA1 1QR Email: bath@heavenlydesserts.co.uk www.heavenlydesserts.co.uk

HEAVENLY DESSERTS BATH proudly marks its one-year anniversary and reflects upon an extraordinary year that has delighted taste buds and captured hearts.

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.

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

|

9 Abbey Churchyard, Bath, BA1 1LY 01225 460072 | jody@jodycory.co.uk | www.jodycory.co.uk

SHOPPING

STAR QUALITY

Chopard’s signature Happy Sport collection, which debuted in 1993, is a masterpiece of jewellery artistry meeting watchmaking expertise. The Sun, Moon and Starsmodel is all curves and soft lines, with the emblematic dancing diamonds set in the moon and stars, playfully accompanied by a golden sun. A timeless classic that makes a true star of the wearer.

Chopard Happy Sport Sun, Moon and Stars stainless steel automatic watch, £6,910, Mallory, 1-5 Bridge Street, Bath; www.mallory-jewellers.com

FABERGÉ ESSENCE DIAMOND PENDANT AND CHAIN, £6,720

Celebrating Faberge’s love for surprise and wit is this 18ct gold chain and locket. It is inspired by the iconic Imperial Eggs and incorporates contemporary use of brilliant cut diamonds.

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

TWINKLE, TWINKLE

Make your world just a little bit brighter…

CHUNKY SILVER DIAMOND

STARRY SKIES BANGLE, £645

A handcrafted bangle made with sterling silver a co flict ree ia o s, set in a scattered pattern.

From Honey Willow, 8 Pulteney Bridge, Bath; www.honeywillow.com

ONE IN A MILLION NECKLACE, £29.95

Handmade 20ct gold plated tear drop shaped necklace, engraved with ‘one in a million’ and adorned with a gold star.

From French Grey Interiors, 1 Burton Street, Bath; www.frenchgreyinteriors.co.uk

COSMIC STAR BAND RING, £65

Add a celestial touch with four-point star engravings and crystal inlays, while a smooth band shape makes it ideal for stacking.

From Astrid & Miyu, 3 Milsom Street, Bath; www.astridandmiyu.com

MOON AND STAR STUD EARRINGS, £21

Inspired by the skies, these lightweight and comfortable earrings are designed, laser cut, and hand crafted by Pepper You jewellery. From Julia Davey, 20 Wellsway, Bear Flat, Bath; www.juliadavey.com

STAR LOCKET NECKLACE BY SOPHIE HARLEY, £320

A little locket with tiny stars on an e tra e belcher chai ope s to reveal spaces o either si e or photos, hile there s also space to keep a e e to s ch as a lock o hair or a love ote

From Grace & Mabel, 3 George Street, Bath; www.graceandmabel.co.uk

SILVER STAR WITH DIAMOND IN A GOLD SETTING, £145 ele a t a elicate i i star silver pe a t ith a ia o heart, h ro a elicate chai From Jody Cory Goldsmiths, 9 Abbey Churchyard, Bath; www.jodycory.co.uk

LUNA STAR BANGLE, £25

a c t a ha ere ba le a e b o e at the ope e eller pro ect i er , ith a e ta a ele e ts that are carve a polishe b ha i c a or From Homefront Interiors, 10 Margaret’s Building, Bath; www.homefrontinteriors.co.uk

DAZZLE GOLD AND SILVER STAR RINGS, £360 EACH ai t ct ello ia o star shape ri eat ri si brillia t c t ia o s arra e i rai setti s over the star esi From Nicholas Wylde, 12 Northumberland Place, Bath; www.nicholaswylde.com

SAPPHIRE SET SILVER SIGNET RING, £345 a e ro sterli silver, this oval si et ri is star set ith a eep bl e sapphire, b t ca be set ith a i ere t e sto e a shape i a i ere t etal

From Gold & Platinum Studio, 19 Northumberland Place, Bath; www.goldandplatinumstudio.co.uk

THE FINEST IN LINGERIE, BEACH & NIGHTWEAR

• Complete tailoring service for ladies and gentleman

• Alterations and Repairs on all Garments

• Made To Measure Suits and Shirts

• Bespoke / handmade Suits and Separates

• Ladies bespoke tailoring

• Bridal wear and Evening wear Alterations

• Re-sizing and Re-Designing Suits and Dresses

• Replicating your old favourite clothing

25 Milsom Street, Bath, BA1 1DG t: 01225 920 263 info@citytailors.co.uk www.citytailors.co.uk

7 Quiet Street Bath BA1 2JU | T: 01225 330563

E: info@dressingroombath.com www.dressingroombath.com |

Bespoke engagement and wedding rings using recycled, remodelled or Fairtrade gold and platinum, ethical gemstones and Alluvial Ocean Diamonds.

CHRISTINA OSWIN JEWELLERY

20A CHEAP STREET FROME SOMERSET BA11 1BN 01373 472505

www.christinaoswin.co.uk @christinaoswin

Sarah Baker enjoys a carefree, sulphate-free visit to Toni & Guy Bath

Ithi k e ca all a ree, the best bit of a trip to the hairdressers, aside from the ‘just stepped out of the salon’ feeling, is the post shampoo, mid conditioning head massage. On a recent a ar h rs a s er i ht, he the hair as a the orehea s eat , as as ar a a ro i eal date night self as you could i a i e ckil , as hea i or the o i & Guy Hairspa on Upper Borough Walls, as as booke i or a post ork, pre ate, much needed scalp and hair treatment, assa e, a blo r hair a hea heave o i is a a e s o o s ith the hairdressing industry and has a proud history ati back to its o atio s i he , i o th o o , the o r ascolo brothers (Toni, Guy, Bruno, and Anthony) created Toni , hich e iste e cl sivel i rope til la chi i e as i , here the family also launched the TIGI product line. These days Toni & Guy Bath is led by franchise partners Catherine and Sarah, part o a tea o tale te hair pro essio als ho are re lars o the creative tea at o o

Fashion Week, to name but one sit-up-andlisten accolade.

The Toni & Guy Hairspa has six hair and scalp restoring in-salon treatments available, all esi e to tar et speci c ee s, hether it’s a deep condition to nourish your dry hair or a revitalising scalp treatment. “Using expert head massage techniques, co bi e ith the a ar i i abel professional haircare ra e a hot to el rap, o ill eel a notice the improvement instantaneously,” they say.

abel is the pro essio al haircare ra e by Toni & Guy, biocompatible products cra te ith at rall erive i re ie ts a safe synthetics to produce high-performance or latio s that ive e ective res lts eat ri e cl sive tech olo ies orti e ith the est ble s o at ral pla t a r it e tracts, oils a vita i s or vibra t, lo i hair, these products are largely sulphate-, soyand gluten-free.

Enough of the science, and back to the treatment and the much-needed makeover. It’s a beautifully simple routine set in a large,

recli e chair, ith fl to els a ar i ater irst p, a clea si hair ash a ter hich treat e t as a e , a oist re restoring and balancing spray applied to the hair and combed through before a deliciously heavenly head massage made up of the perfect bala ce bet ee e tle a sti lati , a hich ver ch or e part o the ai eve t a hich co ti e lo enough to very nearly put me to sleep.

Once my treatment as co plete a hair re ashe , ove to be seate , rea or blo r he real bea t of this treatment is that it’s the perfect one stop shop, long enough for some serious relaxation a rec peratio a et ti e to be s ee e i to a b s eek bet ee ork a pla t elivers bea ti l a o rishe hair ith a loss ish a a clearer, ore reste i And (a huge plus for busy people) they are ope seve a s a eek ho sa s ate i ht can’t be a Sunday night? n

For more: Toni & Guy Bath, 1 Upper Borough Walls, Bath; tel: 01225 484284; www.toniandguy.com

LEFT: Sarah enjoyed a heavenly head massage; BELOW: Toni & Guy Bath is located right in the centre of town (and currently covered in flowers); INSET: Label.M is the salon’s biocompatible professional hair care range

“It’s a beautifully simple routine”

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STAR PUPILS

The A* achievements of our local students

By John Mather

We all know it’s been a tough few years for our schools and pupils and yet, once again, they’ve shown remarkable resilience, ability, and creativity. Whether it be swimming, singing, or GCSE and A level success, our educational establishments, from infants to sixth form colleges, have been nurturing, supporting, and developing the next generation of brilliant Bathonians. Below, and as a new school term rolls round, we help celebrate just a few of these achievements…

SING THEIR PRAISES

St Mark’s School is a coeducational Church of England secondary school and sixth form rated ‘Good’ Achievement Composing their own music, and performing as part of the Bath Festival

For the Bath Festival Creative Learning programme, St Mark’s musicians performed in the Bath Festival as part of a choir of young people who composed and performed their own songs for

the Schools’ Voices project. They created and rehearsed with the Bath Philharmonia’s Creative Learning team and put on two live performances during the Concert for the People of Bath. Headteacher Mr B Ash explains, “Their piece was inspired by the bleak Norwegian fjords, the Norwegian landscape and the composer Sibelius. They performed to a full audience at the Bath Forum as part of the Bath Philharmonia Concert season, alongside the world famous violinist Jennifer Pike.”

The school’s head of music, Mr H Kops, adds, “To be part of the Bath Festival and perform with such a large choir and the Bath Philharmonia Orchestra was awe-inspiring. They sounded glorious and sang beautifully, with real passion. It was lovely to see so many happy and smiling students and parents at the end of the concerts, making the whole project so worthwhile.”

TOP SCORE!

Millfield Prep School is a UK independent school in Street for boys and girls aged 2-18 years; www.millfieldschool.com

Achievement Winning the U13 Girls English Schools Football Association National Cup

ch like the io esses historic orl p ca pai , the ill el Prep team made history by achieving huge sporting success at the lish chools ootball ssociatio atio al p t as the rst ti e the school had entered a team into the national competition, and the si e elco e a tree chool i the al o the presti io s troph ith the a e ishi to the hosts

Head Dan Thornburn says, “Girls’ football has grown considerably at ill el rep pils trai ri the school a i the a t ter , a ca take part i eekl a ter school sessio s ith t res taking place in the spring term. Selected pupils are invited to additional private sessions, working on areas to improve. High achieving Year 8 irls ca trai o ce a eek at ill el ith the s, a pla i the o t p

PAST AND PRESENT GLORIES

Saint Gregory’s is a high performing, 11-18 co-educational school in Bath recognised as an ‘Outstanding’ in Ofsted’s Section 48 Inspection; www.st-gregorys.org.uk

Achievement Gold History Quality Mark the histor epart e t s e orts ere re ar e ith the

“To perform with the Bath Philharmonia Orchestra was awe-inspiring”

CLOCKWISEFROMBELOW: Millfield Girls National Final Champions celebrating their win; St Gregory’s new headteacher Melissa George, pictured her with sixth form students, praises the school’s award-winning history department; St Mark’s performed at this year’s Concert for the People of Bath

© ANNA BARCLAY

prestigious History Quality Gold Award. Headteacher designate, Mrs Melissa George, says, “As a Catholic school, which delivers an all-round education seeking to develop the social, intellectual, emotional, moral and spiritual aspects of our students, I am immensely proud of the history department’s achievement in obtaining the Gold Award from the Historical Association. Our teachers are truly inspirational and their dedication to our students shines through in this prestigious award.”

HOWZAT!

Beechen li is a high achie ing Bath state day and boarding school for boys in ears -11, with a mi ed and academic si th form; www.beechencli .org.uk

Achievement First X1 Cricket team T20 Champions

l , the eeche li irst cricket tea overca e sti local oppositio to beat i s oo chool i the al at ath ricket l b ea teacher r arkall says, “This team has a never say die attitude and has displayed tremendous ability and resilience throughout the season. It is the icing on the cake for a broad, rich and varied extra curricular programme at the school. We hope to emulate recent success in the national competitions in football and rugby.”

A TRUE STAR

Bath cademy is an independent tutorial college on ueen S uare, Bath, o ering G S s, e els, re ision and resit courses; www.bathacademy.co.uk

Achievement An A* student

Ed Jordan came all the way from Chester to study at Bath Academy to l l his rea o beco i a octor avi previo sl achieve A*A*A* in humanities subjects, he studied biology, chemistry and French from scratch in one year at Bath Academy, achieving A*AA. He is now going St. George’s University Medical School in London.

Principal Tim Naylor says, “Students at Bath Academy have always thrived in the small school environment, and recently we have seen a demand instudents preferring this more personal approachin which to learn and developat secondary level.

“To further accommodate these students and stay true to the academic visionof personal attention to individual students, the college will be taking on a third building in the historic city centre near Queen Square.”

A GOOD SPORT

Monkton ombe School is an independent school in Bath, o ering boarding and day options for boys and girls aged 2-18 years, www.monktoncombeschool.com

Achievement Joining Bath Rugby

Year 13 pupil Jack Bennett, who has been with Monkton since prep school, as o ere his rst pro essio al co tract ith ath b earlier this year after graduating from their Under-18 Academy.

Richard Miller, the director of sport at Monkton, says, “Everyone past and present at Monkton who has been part of watching and contributing to Jack’s development, since his earliest days at the prep school and through the senior school, is so proud of his achievement in earning this contract. It’s well deserved. We will still be watching, supporting and wishing him well at every opportunity as he faces the next challenge.”

ABOVE: Beechen Cliff’s cricketing success ; BELOW: Ed Jordan with Bath Academy’s Principal Tim Naylor; BOTTOM: Monkton Combe’s Jack Bennett joins Bath Rugby

TRULY EXCELLENT

Wells Cathedral School is a co-educational independent day and boarding school located in Wells; www.wells.cathedral.school Achievement An ‘Excellent’ ISI report

Wells Cathedral School was delighted to have been awarded the highest possible grade of ‘Excellent’ for both pupil achievement and pupil personal development, and has also passed the accompanying compliance inspection.

Headmaster Alastair Tighe says, “While these headline judgments of ‘Excellent’ are wonderfully positive, for me the true value of this outstanding report is found within the detailed examples and evidence the i spectors have se to sti their i s thi k that the report powerfully sums up what my brilliant colleagues are trying to achieve here for our pupils and why the school is such a very special place.”

MAKING A SPLASH

St Margaret’s Prep School is an independent prep school in Calne, in the heart of Wiltshire, for boys and girls ages 2-11, and is home to the Bluebird Nursery; www.stmargaretsprep.org.uk Achievement Gold at the IAPS National Swimming

Earlier this year St Margaret’s Prep ear a irls ha ali e as the fastest 8 x 25m Small Schools Freestyle Relay Team in the IAPS National Swimming Finals. The girls gained ali catio a ter havi hoste the re io al als, ith seve other schools i attendance.

In June the team then headed to the atics e tre i o o or the als, ith ore tha , p pils taki part i over 53 heats. The girls competed in the ver rst eve t o the a a pro ce a gold-winning performance.

Head of girls’ games Mrs Sophie White, who trained the team alongside senior s i coach rs ikki arris, sa s, t was wonderful to see how proud they were to represent their school and the sense of

“The girls produced a gold- winning performance”

ABOVE: Wells Cathedral School is officially excellent; BELOW: St Margaret’s Prep go for gold; BOTTOM: St Laurence students have every reason to celebrate at their prom

EDUCATION

pride shown on receipt of their team trophy and individual medals. The girls now sport their IAPS hooded jumpers, hats and t-shirt’s as lasting mementos.”

ANOTHER LEVEL

St Laurence School

is a co-educational comprehensive academy and sixth form in Bradford on Avon; www.st-laurence.com

Achievement Outstanding set of A level results

At St Laurence School 100 per cent of its students achieved A level passes, with 83 per cent achieving entirely A*- C grades. This led to an average A level grade score of a B.

Headteacher Tim Farrer says, “This cohort of students is remarkable. They did not sit their GCSEs due to lockdown and yet took on one of the most important moments of their life with maturity, dedication and courage. We are very proud that 30 per cent of the year group have achieved grades of A or A* across their subjects. Once again, we have students who have successfully claimed Oxbridge places.

“We are a truly comprehensive school and equally as proud of all of our students. We think it is vital to celebrate all our students’ achievements, whether they have decided to go to university, take on an apprenticeship, or step into the world of work. Their hard work and commitment has ensured they are taking their next chosen steps with the highest grades possible.”

PATH TO SUCCESS

King Edward’s School is an independent co-educational day school in Bath for ages 3-18; www.kesbath.com

Achievement The school’s bursary programme

Last year the school’s bursary programme provided over £1.2million of means-tested bursary support to around 20 per cent of pupils in the senior school. Martin Mora, a 2023 leaver, was one such bursary recipient and is now about to start studying biochemistry at the University of Bristol.

He says, “My experiences as a bursary award holder have shaped my life as it is. Without the top quality support I have received from KES academically, pastorally and within sport, I don’t even know what I’d be oi he a ar has allo e e to ot be hel back b a ces and be able to access a high-level education so I can make the most of aca e ic tale t thro h the teachi o ere at

“My time at the school is one I will never forget. From the opportunities and support the school gave me in music, to the wide range of competitions and lectures our teachers encouraged us to undertake to fuel a curiosity in the subjects we were studying.”

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

Ralph Allen School is a co-educational, comprehensive secondary school in Bath with academy status; www.ralphallenschool.com

Achievement GCSE and A level exam results surpasses expectations to achieve excellence

The school are celebrating great results for the both its Year 11 and Year 13 pupils. The GCSE results saw 31 per cent of students graded at , or , hile per ce t o st e ts achieve ve or ore top

grades, and eight per cent were grade 9. Meanwhile, A levels saw 85 per cent of the grades rated A*-C, and 29 per cent of those were A*-A, with 67 per cent at A*-B.

Headteacher Andy Greenhough says, “It is such a pleasure to see the har ork o st e ts pa i o ri this ti e there are oo and bad days, but our students needed to be resilient throughout. The Year 13 group never had the opportunity to go through the formal examination period for their GCSEs, so had less experience to fall back on, but this has not stopped them achieving.” n

ABOVE: Ralph Allen GCSE students celebrate their impressive exam results; BELOW: The King Edward’s bursary programme has helped Martin Mora on his journey to study biochemistry at the University of Bristol

“This cohort of students is remarkable”

BEING VOCAL!

VOICES FOR LIFE launch their new project in Twerton Park

In October, Bath based charity Voices for Life launch their brand-new project, Let’s Go!, all about being the best you can be. This latest exciting project brings together 150 local children at Twerton Park for a massed singing performance on 13 October, leading on from a series of school workshops taking place this month. Voices for Life is committed to creatively encouraging the voices of all children through high quality music, coaching and wellbeing projects. The charity enables primary school

children to be the best they can be by providing them with fun opportunities to express themselves through music, building their selfesteem, confidence, and wellbeing.

Voices for Life’s vision is a world where children make music to promote wellbeing and build sustainable communities. A supporter of the charity summed it up after a massed performance at Wiltshire Music Centre, “I so admire what you are doing. The magic of music really can transform lives and watching those children discover that was an inspiration”.

Since it launched in February 2021, founder Tessa Armstrong has built Voices for Life into an award-winning charity heading up a great team of local musicians and educators. The charity has already worked with pupils from more than 50 local schools, reaching nearly 2,000 children through five large scale projects. Voices for Life also runs a regular after school choir for 7 to 12 years who take part in larger Voices for Life projects as well as their own performances in local events. One choir parent has said: “My

son absolutely comes alive when he sings. He has definitely found a place where he fits at Voices for Life. It’s given us the confidence to encourage his music talent”.

We believe the power of music can help all children to have the confidence to show their communities how special they really are in a way that makes everyone want to sing, smile and dance.

With a whole programme of activity, there are lots of ways to get involved with the organisation. Get in touch and join the Voices for Life community! n

www.voicesforlife.org.uk

contact@voicesforlife.org.uk

“THE POWER OF MUSIC CAN HELP ALL CHILDREN TO HAVE THE CONFIDENCE TO SHOW THEIR COMMUNITIES HOW SPECIAL THEY REALLY ARE”

EMPOWERING EDUCATION LEADERSHIP

In the ever-evolving landscape of the education sector, the quest for extraordinary leadership talent has never been more crucial. Amidst an ongoing national crisis, senior leaders are reevaluating their paths, seeking opportunities that align with their aspirations and values. But what’s driving this shift towards seeking expert guidance and support during the application process?

UNVEILING THE STRATEGY:

In a world where education institutions are grappling with a shortage of quality direct candidate applications, a paradigm shift is underway. Enter Apple A Day Supply, a specialised senior leadership partner that’s setting a new standard in recruitment. As schools confront unprecedented challenges, collaborating with seasoned experts like Apple A Day becomes an undeniable advantage.

NAVIGATING THE RECRUITMENT MAZE:

Recruiting senior leaders is no simple task – it demands meticulous attention and a comprehensive selection process. Here’s where a trusted partner steps in, alleviating administrative burdens and ensuring a seamless journey. From initial screenings to candidate matching and interview coordination, Apple

A Day’s support paves the way for schools to access a pool of otherwise elusive talent.

A SUCCESS STORY: TRANSFORMING LEADERSHIP WITH APPLE A DAY

Imagine a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) at the crossroads of a structural change. In the previous year, the MAT joined forces with Apple A Day to identify an experienced interim headteacher during this transitional phase. The results spoke for themselves: the collaboration was so fruitful that the MAT entrusted Apple A Day with recruiting the permanent headteacher for the new structure. According to the CEO of the MAT, “Our partnership with Apple A Day has been a gamechanger. Its interim leadership post allowed us to test a new structure while their recruitment prowess secured us a permanent head of school. The transition has been seamless.”

ELEVATING EDUCATION: NURTURING LEADERS FOR TOMORROW

In the realm of education, leadership isn’t just important – it’s the bedrock upon which success rests. Apple A Day understands this imperative. Its recruitment expertise provides support and advice to schools and institutions aiming to secure leadership talent that aligns perfectly with its vision.

FROM TRIALS TO TRIUMPHS: A TALE OF RESILIENCE AND RENEWAL

Consider the journey of Tony* [*name changed] a seasoned headteacher with 17 years of experience. Having worked in a different region and held back by past mistreatment, Tony’s confidence was eroded. Apple A Day stepped in to orchestrate a transformative comeback. Through transparent networking, Tony’s achievements were spotlighted, his hardships acknowledged. Simultaneously, he immersed himself in supply work, solidifying his presence within local schools.

Miraculously, in just four weeks, Apple A Day sourced a leadership opportunity. Tony’s career trajectory changed, and he accepted the role with confidence and excitement.

A BEACON OF SUPPORT: UNVEILING THE APPLE A DAY DIFFERENCE

Every week, stories like Tony’s unfold –evidence of Apple A Day’s dedication. For those whose passion for education is unwavering, yet find themselves in unsupportive environments, Apple A Day offers a lifeline. With a network that spans the local education landscape, they’re connecting individuals with roles that resonate with their aspirations.

JOIN THE MOVEMENT: ELEVATE YOUR LEADERSHIP SEARCH

When it comes to education recruitment, experience speaks volumes. Run by former school leaders and teachers, Apple A Day boasts an insider’s perspective, offering local insights and sector know-how. If you’re seeking a partner in BANES or Wiltshire that not only understands but also champions the education sector, reach out to Apple A Day. n

ontact us to a to fin out ore about hat e offer. tel: 01225 302011 .a lea a su l .co.uk

In an education climate where leadership excellence is the cornerstone of progress, APPLE A DAY is dedicated to supporting schools and nurturing leaders towards a brighter future.

COMMERCE AND

WITH THE

CALLS

DIRECTOR OF THEATRE ROYAL BATH, DANNY MOAR

PHOTO BY BETTY BHANDARI

STAGE CALL

Theatre Royal Bath’s director Danny Moar on its survival, its success, and its stars

By Sarah Moolla

espite his immersion in the world of theatre, there is no drama, histrionics, or luvvieness from the softly spoken, considered, and pragmatic Danny Moar, the director of Theatre Royal Bath. In fact, during his interview with MediaClash chief exec Greg Ingham at a recent Bath Life Network Lunch at the Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa, talking about the behind the scenes machinations a a ces o the a lose theatre, he is quite understated about the incredible achievements and resilience of the place. This is in the face of Covid, arts funding cuts, and a cost of living crisis. And we’re not just talking one theatre here – the heatre o al is also the a cial river o the ot or pro t chil re s playhouse the Egg, and the Ustinov, the small studio venue that specialises in more progressive productions.

Danny, who has been director of the Theatre Royal Bath since 1997, and had previously been

Dgeneral manager of the Blackpool Grand Theatre, marketing director of Sadler’s Wells Theatre, and marketing and development director of Salisbury Playhouse, is clearly committed to Theatre Royal Bath being more than just a theatre, but also a stage on which to foster a creative ecosystem that nurtures budding artists – one that enriches the lives of local talent as well as the lives of Bath audiences, and ignites the spark of creativity in the hearts of the young. “It’s about making theatre accessible i ere t people have i ere t e tr poi ts, a it s o r duty to welcome them all.”

So how do the trio of playhouses work together? “The Main House theatre is basically posh plays with big stars, and it is a brand that has been that way for 30, 40 years. In other words, it stages the kind of classic revivals of a playwright that you would have heard of such as Noel Coward, with as big a star as we can assemble. This is achieved by either buying in from an external producer or shows that we produce ourselves.”

With the Main House the moneymaking hub, Danny then sees the role of the Egg as a possible springboard

for future talent, and for encouraging future Main House audiences, but that’s not it’s only role: “It is about people, families, just enjoying themselves and the show in the here and now.”

The importance of the Ustinov, meanwhile, is about being able to help promote, and be a part of, more cutting edge material, and it ill ever be a ciall otivate Danny explains, “When we put on a show in the Ustinov, there’s no way, given the size of that venue, it can ever get its money back – it can never make money.

he a cial rivers o the organisation, whether they’re constituted as a charity or as a commercial entity, are in the Main House, and when we have a show that works in the Main House, we can take a lot of money. Well, in our world of regional theatre,” he adds.

he res, he all oes ell, are in the region of a million a year. This is to be shared between the three spaces, leavi a pro t o bet ee £300k and £400k.”

t as t st the a cial si e o the business that was covered in the Bath Life Network Lunch’s full house

event – there were tales of working on a production starring Madonna, back in his London days; the diva ways of a few unnamed actors (and Madonna wasn’t one of them!); and how Bath is able to give unknown actors their rst break take a bo , Downton Abbey’s Michelle Dockery).

Danny also revealed that plans are underway for a fourth space. “We’re looking at another Egg for grown-ups, catering to adults with a thirst for creative exploration.”

Danny and his team’s commitment to the continued evolution of the theatre, whilst staying true to its core issio o e tertai e t, is a ve star, applause-worthy reassurance to the people of Bath.

Meanwhile, see page 131 for the next Bath Life Network Lunch. For more: www.theatreroyal.org.uk

DANNY MOAR Theatre Royal Bath

“THE FINANCIAL DRIVERS OF THE ORGANISATION ARE IN THE MAIN HOUSE”

Theatre Royal director Danny Moar speaks to Greg Ingham at the Bath Life Network Lunch held at the Royal Crescent Hotel

FULL HOUSE

It was a sell-out Bath Life Network

Lunch to hear Danny Moar, the director of the Theatre Royal Bath, be interviewed by MediaClash’s chief exec Greg Ingham. Prior to the talk the guests mingled in the Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa’s beautiful garden for drinks before enjoying a two-course lunch. Turn to page 127 for our write up of the three act event.

Photos by Betty Bhandari www.bettybhandaribrandphotography.com

Greg Ingham and Danny Moar

Joe Soares and Mark Saint

Debra Boulton and Richard McNairn

Caroline Entwistle, Polly Rathbone Ward, and Paula Hawkins

Katy Morrison and Mark Lord

Helen Keating, Alison Watson, Kate Hall, and Lorraine Jarvie

Carey Willis Fleming and David Bryant

Aaron Sims and Lizzie Heffer

Paul Harrison and Ian Lloyd

Helen Rich and Tessa Armstrong

Tim Rutherford and Ian Longworth Zoe Chandler and Jason Knowles

UK GOVERNMENT KEEPS UK TECH AT THE FOREFRONT

David Faulkner-Bryant, senior immigration consultant at THE VISA OFFICE explains how…

Businesses worldwide are planning to make progressive human resource decisions in a very uncertain economic environment by looking to upskill their workforce and take on the automation and AI advances of now and the future. The UK wants to lead in the field of AI and as such companies are having to be more dynamic.

Upskilling is a phrase coined by many as the way firms are adapting, however there still remains skills shortages across many sectors. In reaction to this the UK government has continued with uncapped skilled worker immigration to ensure

companies are able to access the skills they need from the global job market. This measure has proven successful for the short term, and while the costs are an issue for small businesses, the economic benefits are positive overall.

To get access to the global job market to employ overseas nationals, companies need to get permission from the UK Visas and Immigration department to sponsor a chosen migrant. The existing process and on-going sponsorship responsibilities in addition to existing HR due diligence are complex and many companies seek advice on immigration, sponsorship, and compliance processes to ensure they are not only compliant but also have the confidence moving forward with prescribed timelines and a predetermined budget.

It is vital to get regulated immigration advice when making

decisions on immigration related processes that effect the workforce. To assist with that, our specialists have knowledge of the rules and are technically astute at streamlining processes and maximising on output to ensure our clients get the best. Our team of immigration specialists have the technical expertise to assist in the skilled worker sponsorship route. We also advise on UK immigration for personal applications and nationality. If you have any questions, please call us. n

2nd and 3rd Floors, Northgate House, Upper Borough Walls, Bath BA1 1RG 01225 256800; contact@visa-of ce.com www.visa-of ce.com

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“THE PANDEMIC HAS INCREASED THE PRESSURE FOR MORE INTEGRATED BUSINESS AND WORKFORCE STRATEGIES”

– Bhushan Sethi, Joint Global Leader, People & Organisation

Providing vital resource to support your business with professional employment and HR advice.

Helping businesses to develop strategies to attract, develop and retain the best talent.

Helping your business to create the right environment and culture so that your people and your business can thrive.

Providing tailored HR support to small and medium sized businesses.

ON THE MONEY

Novia Financial, the adviser-focused platform, recently teamed up with independent charity Ablaze to host a mentoring day to help a group of Year 8 and 9 students from a local all-girls school e plore the orl o orki i tech and to consider their own future career paths. he st e ts visite the ovia i a cial o ce i ath or a i tro ctio i to a cial services as ell as a cha ce to isc ss arti cial i telli e ce (AI) and technology.

Patrick Mill, CEO at Novia, says, “We were

thrilled to have the students join us for the day a to ive the a i si ht i to a cial services and platforms. We’re a people business and we’re passionate about helping people and supporting organisations like Ablaze pursue their potential.”

Based in Bristol, Ablaze is an independent charity that works with business volunteers to help tackle the inequality of opportunity for young people in the South West. Fo mo e: www no ia nancial co u www a la e istol o

ON THE UP

David Hill, a private client partner at the South West legal and financial planning firm

MOGERS DREWETT, has been recognised by the prestigious Chambers and Partners High Net Worth Guide for the fifth year in a row. In the guide, clients of David Hill state that he “shows great empathy for delicate and personal situations”, adding, “He is very supportive, friendly, and will go the extra mile to explain complex issues in straightforward ways.”

www.mogersdrewett.com

STONE KING’S private wealth practice has again been top ranked by independent legal guide Chambers. The Band 1 ranking for the team’s work has also seen continued recognition for three of the firm’s partners, Alison Allen, Dan Harris, and Andrew Mortimer. The trio are all recognised as notable practitioners in the High Net Worth Guide, with Dan also lauded as a foreign expert for France.

www.stoneking.co.uk

TOTALLY OARSOME!

Two Bath adventurers have just completed the Yukon 1000 challenge, which is the world’s longest paddle race, in support of the charity Reduce Our Carbon. Lt Col Dan Holloway FRGS & Capt (Retd) Nick Spicer FRGS of the British Army

The Royal Yorkshire Regiment raced as one of 17 teams participating out of an original 30, selected from over a thousand global applicants.

The racers paddled 18 hours per day, continuously for up to ten days, to get 1,000 miles self-supported in an open canoe from Canada up into the Arctic Circle, with the race ending in Alaska. Nick and Dan were one of only 15 British

teams to have ever competed, and set the second fastest British time ever.

Nick says, “Dan and I wanted to show you’re never too old (or too stupid, maybe!) to push oneself, and to inspire my own children and hopefully others in the wonderment of exploration and the beautiful, vast natural world of ours in which we are so fortunate to live. And in turn, in doing so, highlight the importance of understanding the impact we have upon the environment and our carbon footprint throughout the course of our lives.”

For more: www.yukon1000.org

THRINGS has been recognised in the Chambers and Partners High Net Worth Guide for its work in private wealth law, with both the firm and one of its leading partners featuring in the rankings.

Penelope Munro, who works in the firm’s private client team from the Bath office, has been included in the listings for the first time in the 2023 High Net Worth Edition, ranked in Band 3, with the firm’s wider team ranked in Band 2. www.thrings.com

Ablaze works with business volunteers like Novia Financial

Dan and Nick on the Yukon Challenge

Alison Allen

Andrew Mortimer

Daniel Harris

David Hill

Penelope Munro

© PHOTO BY ABLAZE; WWW.ABLAZEBRISTOL.ORG

BUSINESS DIARY

26 SEPTEMBER

Bath Life Network Lunch with Bath Rugby’s chief executive Tarquin McDonald at the Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa; www.eventbrite.co.uk

28 SEPTEMBER

The inaugural EntreConf Awards being held at the Bristol Museum & Art Gallery; www.entreconf.com

2 OCTOBER

Bath Life Network Lunch; www.eventbrite.co.uk

13 OCTOBER

Freelance Mum Netwalk Bath, meeting at Newton Farm Shop & Café; www.freelancemum.co.uk

19 OCTOBER

Women Mean Biz Networking event at Walcot House; www.womenmeanbiz.co.uk

19 OCTOBER

Third Thursday Social: Drinks and Networking organised by techSPARK and held at Newark Works; www.eventbrite.co.uk

3 NOVEMBER Bath Property Awards at the Apex City of Bath Hotel; www.bathpropertyawards.co.uk

9 NOVEMBER Bath Life Awards nominations open; www.bathlifeawards.co.uk

29 FEBRUARY

Bath Life Awards; www.bathlifeawards.co.uk

ROYAL VISIT

Prince Edward, the Duke Of Edinburgh, recently made a visit to the Bath Royal Literary And cie ti c stit tio o ee are following his attendance at a graduation ceremony for the University of Bath at Bath Abbey. scorte b the s hair o the oar ro essor a a , the ke lear e abo t the or a isatio s histor , a took tea a cake hile he chatte to the vol teers ro essor a , a professor from Bath Spa University, says, “We are honoured to have hosted His Royal Highness. This was a very special occasion for the Bath Royal iterar a cie ti c stit tio as the rst ro al visit in our history, and we were delighted to have the opport it to sho ho the stit tio is o e o ath s historic a c lt ral e els, to celebrate the hard work and enthusiasm of our volunteers a sta , a to talk abo t o r e citi pla s or the bicentenary year and beyond.”

For more: www.brlsi.org

ALL THE PRESIDENT’S PEOPLE

he s li o les, ath b s oh all, a ol cholar iara herlock, avi ell o tor o s lta c , a ollis oll a i, ho has bee a e ber o the iversit s haritable o atio si ce it as rst establishe earl ears ago, were those recently celebrated by the University of Bath for making a i ere ce to people s lives locall he iversit o ath resi e t s Award is a new accolade which was arke ith a i er i l at the il hall, atte e b he ke o i b r h, the iversit s cha cellor ice ha cellor a resi e t ro essor a hitesa s, t as a real ho o r to reco ise a celebrate the achieve e ts o ve i ivi als ho i i ere t a s have each pla e s ch a i fl e tial role for the university, the city and wider region over the ears ecipie ts o a resi e t s ar have each

demonstrated their own impact through their sustained co trib tio s, a the a ar is a tr e reflectio o the importance the university places on that.”

For more: www.bath.ac.uk

The Duke signs the BRSLI’s visitor book

Ali Vowles, John Hall and Ciara Sherlock with Prof Ian White, University of Bath Vice-Chancellor and President

TEAM WORK

Following their move last year to new state of the art premises at Pines Way Industrial Estate in central Bath, Minuteman Press – Bath’s leading independent print and signage specialist – has undergone a total business transformation leading to a doubling of capacity with hugely increased turnaround times.

“After 23 years in business we realised we’d outgrown our original premises in Walcot Street,” says founder and managing director David Ghent. “The way we were spread across several buildings was preventing us from achieving all that we knew we were capable of. So, in January 2022 we made the move to our new location. It took more than £1million of investment, eight miles of electrical cabling, and the moving of over eight tonnes of machinery and equipment. It was a huge upheaval but we got there.”

This purpose-designed commercial unit houses everything: top of the range Xerox colour digital presses, high quality large format printers, laminating and foiling facilities, and much more all in one large space with breakout areas and desks for customers to go through their requirements and discuss ideas over a coffee. With benefits like free parking and avoiding the inner city centre traffic, feedback from visitors old and new has been highly positive.

As well as ensuring a welcoming environment for customers Minuteman’s location has proved fantastic for team cohesion. “In Walcot Street, with some staff being in a different building across the road or several flights of steps up, as you could imagine it sometimes made internal communication a bit slower,” says David. “Now being all together is fantastic in terms of both practical efficiencies and collaboration and connectiveness as people. Team work is at the heart of all that we do. We’ve got a great mix here of colleagues who have been with us for many years, along with newer recruits to complement that experience. We’re constantly sharing ideas and feedback and looking for improvements both technically and creatively.”

Along with a great team David is continuously investing in the best equipment to ensure that Minuteman can deliver on the widest range of services at a high standard.

“We’ve recently invested in a new laser cutter and engraver and have updated our printers and their sizes to ensure we can work to scale” explains David. “However often new customers are surprised by the range of solutions we can offer beyond traditional printing. Our huge array of high definition printing services include card products, business stationery, promotional printing and presentation folders. As well as printing we are experienced in display units and exhibition stands, vinyl banners, vehicle and

David Ghent, founder and managing director of MINUTEMAN PRESS talks to us about 25 years in business and the recent move to larger premises in central Bath

Above: The Minuteman team outside their premises at Pines Way Industrial Estate

window graphics and shop signage. We can work with many materials including metal and wood. Our talented graphic designers will help create or amend artwork and logos. Anything designed by us is always bespoke and sure to enhance our clients’ branding. Our experience enables us to deliver on the key attributes of our business – fast turnaround, customer care throughout, quality control of the highest levels, and full packaging and delivery services.”

“I feel the last 18 months have been one of the most defining times in the history of the company” says David. “Having opened in April 1998 we are very proud to be celebrating our 25th anniversary in Bath and the decision to move and all of the investment and thought that’s gone into it has delivered a completely positive outcome, enabling us to scale up in volume while improving quality, standards, speed and sustainability: the move has successfully launched Minuteman Press on its next chapter as a business, and we’re very excited about the future. n

Unit 2, Pines Way Industrial Estate, Bath BA2 3QS tel: 01225 442000; info@minutemanbath.co.uk www.minutemanbath.co.uk

“ OUR EXPERIENCE ENABLES US TO DELIVER ON THE KEY ATTRIBUTES OF OUR BUSINESS – FAST TURNAROUND, CUSTOMER CARE THROUGHOUT, QUALITY CONTROL OF THE HIGHEST LEVELS AND FULL PACKAGING AND DELIVERY SERVICES”

ALISON CURTIS design team

SAM HAWKINS large format manager

DAVID GHENT managing director and founder

CHLOE REYNOLDS customer account manager

ROB GREGORY production manager

MEET A FEW KEY MEMBERS OF THE MINUTEMAN TEAM...

CAREER PATH

LUCY PAINE

Lc ai e orks or tech , ho are the o th est s lar est tech et ork, a as a ecos ste co ector liaises across the re io to bri to ether the tech co it thro h b il i collaborative et orks, a eliveri eve ts a k o le e shari plat or s lso part o her role is or a isi the ath i ital estival

Who, in a nutshell, are your employers, techSPARK?

s a o pro t e icate to the co sta t i prove e t o the o th est tech cl ster, tech rives co ectio a collaboratio ro i o to a sea, orki ith tech a i ital b si esses o all si es to help the thrive

What is the company’s background?

e starte as ath over ears a o, as a ro p o tech o ers etti to ether or i er to co pare challe es, collaborate a

share s ccesses o e re a ot or pro t, e thro h a ble o spo sors, pro ects a eve ts like the the lar est tech a ar s o tsi e o o o , hich took over ath s ara e ar e s i l

What is its aims?

r ke activit is to co ect a a pli o r tech co it across the re io a the co tr o r o li e co it is i ter atio al a h e, a ath i ital estival i ke posts reache over o e illio people e are the voice o the tech co it i to ce tral over e t, e ork atio all ith o r e ivale t ro ps a e a e ith co pa o ers at ever sta e o their o r e

When did you join techSPARK? oi e the tea over o r ears a o to hea p the i o a iltshire co it , a beca e the ath o it a a er last ear live i a e i ath, so pe at the cha ce to et to k o local tech co it better

Who, exactly, makes up the techSPARK team?

r co it i ath still i cl es the ori i al ath park o ers, i cl i tor a ocket akers, thro h to rece tl o e co pa ies like eshii, ho ll be revol tio isi i access i ath later this ear

And who are your clientele?

e are here or a o e ho oves to the cit or ork or st , a or a o e orki i , or i tereste i , tech e have a obs boar or those looki to oi a local co pa , eekl e sletter, o thl eve ts a a ebsite ll o reat co te t a reso rces, all ree to access e are ot a e bership or a isatio

Talk us through ‘ecosystem development and connecting’?

a e tall it s all abo t etti to k o people, all the stakehol ers i o r re io a the o r b si esses a the h b o the heel, here to ake co ectio s, share e s, a coor i ate pla s he res lt is a ore cohere t, stro er co it a ore collaboratio s this is the po er o orki to ether

Any moment you have been particularly proud of?

ath i ital estival took p a lot o the rst hal o this as o r rst ear c rati it a it as orth all the e ort, as e ha ore tha , atte ees, reache illio people across all co icatio cha els, a create a h e b or e t ear t as e ha sti , i te se, a a a i

What other events do you host?

e o avo rite eve ts e r is itch e ach o th e have p to o r o ers eliveri a i te pitch to a ro p o e perts or criti e all o li e, so a o e ca atte t s a reat a to hear abo t so e a a i b si esses a also revie ho o o l pitch it s

asci ati st e also re larl have aro atte ees each o th at hir h rs a , hel at e ark orks t s reat seei people etti to ether to o t ore abo t each other over a lass o so ethi col a a slice o pi a

Did you know you’d end up working in the tech world?

e t to iversit i o o to st art a lish, a creative at heart, b t have lear t the ost ro the people have orke ith thro h the ears have bee helpi b si esses ith their ro th o r e s or over te ears ve al a s love tech ve orke ith isco, , ovell, o ptia a a others over the ears, ai l as a part er a a er bri i people to ether or t all be e cial e a e e t

What changes have you seen in your field over the years?

hat e a t ro ork has cha e so ch rece tl , e co ra i ore people to start their o ve t res, or cha e ho the r their b si esses it oes t eel totall resolve i ter s o hat the orl o ork ill look like oi or ar , b t it has e co ra e i c lt co versatio s hich hope ill be be e cial or ever o e ech olo is the e abler, a the pace o evol tio i vi orati rather tha scar

For more: www.techspark.co

LUCY PAINE techSPARK

“WE ARE THE VOICE OF THE TECH COMMUNITY INTO CENTRAL GOVERNMENT”

She’s techSPARK’s ecosystem connector. (No, nor us. Read on…)

BATH WELCOMES REFUGEES BATH LIFE AWARDS WINNERS

CHARITY AWARDPLATINUM AWARD

Bath Welcomes Refugees is a small, volunteer-led and non-partison charity that is on a mission to facilitate the settlement and the path to independence of those coming to the UK seeking refuge.

Here language support coordinator Alice Herve tells what is like to pick up not one, but two, triumphant Bath Life Awards.

First off, what prompted Bath Welcomes Refugees (BWR) to enter the Bath Life Awards for this year?

The past year has been particularly exciting and full-on for BWR. We have taken on a huge amount of new volunteers and welcomed a far larger group of people than we have ever supported in the past. We had to adapt in so many ways, and it seemed important to highlight the work of my colleagues who give up so much of their free time to address the ee s o people fleei ar a persec tio , most recently from Ukraine but also Syria, Afghanistan and many other countries.

Talk us through the process of nomination. Did you find it easy?

The process was both challenging and positive. Reviewing the work of a particularly busy year

where we met so many lovely new people and had the pleasure of introducing them to our beautiful city, was a highlight, and something to be fondly recalled. The review process also meant focusing o the e ort i volve i the a i istratio o much larger numbers, which was stressful at times.

It was certainly thought provoking to recall the e ort i volve i etti to rips ith e technologies, accessing and administering resources, training so many new volunteers, locating new venues, building new support mechanisms, recording large amounts of data, and updating all our procedures to ensure we support them wisely and securely.

What was it like on the night winning not one, but two, Awards?

Rosie Brown, who leads our employability team, and I were both nervous on the night. We knew many of the other organisations in the charity section and admired their work – some of them we have engaged with in partnership work over the years – so we thought we had little chance of i i o etheless, e ere a io s o the o chance that we might win and would have to get on stage and make a speech.

After our win we were able to relax and enjoy the evening. We hardly noticed when the Platinum Award was mentioned – and when we realised we’d actually won it, we were both completely blown away and walking back to the stage while everyone got to their feet to applaud. It was a very memorable, if somewhat surreal, event.

Who else did you meet there?

We were very fortunate to be sitting at a great table with many interesting people. Juice Recruitment were such lovely hosts, and very entertaining and knowledgeable. There were lots of opportunities at i ere t poi ts ri the eve i to chat to some of the other nominees and sponsors too, so that was great, and we’ve connected with a few people since on LinkedIn and X Twitter.

Any collaborations as a result?

Yes, we hope so, and we hope there will be more. We’d love, as I said, to hear from anyone who i ht be able to o er ork to re ees lso, e are a charity without a home. We each work from our own homes and depend on the generosity of local ch rches, b si esses, a or a isatio s to venues for meetings, lessons, events and activities. If we could negotiate something more permanent, that would be our dream, so if anyone can spare so e o ce space e love to hear ro the

What would you say winning the Awards means long term for BWR?

We are a small charity, we may have gone under the radar for a lot of people, but hopefully now our work will be more widely known and more opportunities will come our way to help us help refugees and asylum seekers to re-build their lives. For more: www.bathwelcomesrefugees.org.uk

THE POWER OF THE BATH LIFE AWARDS 2024

Planning is well underway for the 2024 Bath Life Awards, which will once again be a mighty celebration of the best of Bath businesses, innovators, charities, and creatives.

Due to take place on Thursday 29 February 2024 at the Bath Pavilion, there are opportunities to be a direct part of this spirit-raising, community-praising event, with various sponsorship packages on offer, all backed by multi-platform promotion. For further details, email pat.white@mediaclash.co.uk, annie.kelly@mediaclash.co.uk, or kate.griffiths@mediaclash.co.uk

For more: www.bathlifeawards.co.uk

How a small volunteer-led charity are the big time Bath Life Award winners of 2023

THE BATH LIFE AWARD JUDGES

Alice and Rosie were thrilled BWR was voted the Winners’ Winners

“RESPONDED EXCEPTIONALLY TO THE UKRAINIAN CRISIS… PUTTING IN IMPRESSIVE REHOUSING EFFORTS WITH LIMITED RESOURCES”

THE JUDGES WILL DECIDE

Every year there is a fresh panel of impeccably impartial and independent judges for the EntreConf Awards. It’s a diverse and knowledgeable group from a wide variety of sectors and sizes of business. They, and they alone, decide who the winners will be...

ARE YOU READY?...

The EntreConf Awards is just around the corner! The inaugural event, which has seen its sister conference running since 2021, is the most anticipated, most tightly contested entrepreneurial ceremony in the region, with an incredible variety of innovative companies involved. The future is most definitely unwritten…

By Greg Ingham

When: The EntreConf Awards 2023 take place on Thursday, 28 September

Where: The Bristol Museum & Art Gallery

Award sponsors and partners: Ambitious PR, Cazenove Capital (Headline), Link Stone Advisory, Storm Consultancy, Sustainit and University of Bath School of Management. Partners include Clockwise, Epic Solutions, Fourth Floor, Shakespeare Martineau and Thrings. Partnerships still available: please contact Annie Kelly (annie.kelly@mediaclash.co.uk) for more details.

Tickets: Available on our website now, and selling out fast due to the huge demand

THE NOMINATIONS CLOSED in June and we were blown away by them – not just by the sheer number of entries (there were well over a hundred), but by the strength, quality and depth of them. We’re constantly astonished by the genius, innovation, creativity and determination within the South West.

he alists have o bee announced on the website and all 17 categories – from ecommerce to tech, health ellbei to hospitality, scaleup to technology – are bursting with fast growing, ambitious organisations. The shortlist represents a snapshot of the best Bath and surrounding areas have to o er, a at the cere o itsel e experience that feeling in real life.

ith ever o e resse i their er , gathered at the Bristol Museum & Art Gallery, the positive, anticipatory vibe and the strong feeling of community underneath it all is palpable.

So who will win? Our independent panel of prestigious judges (all of whom you can see left), chosen from various sectors of business life for a balanced array of minds and voices,

will decide. It’s a painstaking process, each entry pored over, discussed and debated. It’s never an easy decision, but that’s part of the competitive nature of entrepreneurship. Winners will be announced live at the EntreConf Awards on 28 September at – what a great venue – the Bristol Museum & Art Gallery.

Across all of the industries, every year we discover fresh talent, celebrate excellence and create meaningful connections as we come together to recognise the achieve e ts o the rst ever ro p o a tastic alists, a raise a lass to the winners.

Everyone comes along hoping to win, of course, but in the end whether they go home with a trophy or not, they leave with a sense of pride, and something gained. This might be the potential for a new business partnership or simply a reminder of the vital role we all play in the evolution of the region.

It’s time – get suited and booted and prepared to celebrate the very best of Bath, and the South West. For more: www.entreconf.com

ANDREW HODGSON, senior partner at KPMG

DAN FALLON, founder of SearchStar

LAUREN COUCH, chief revenue officer of Growth Lending

TATJANA HUMPHRIES, senior inward investment executive at Invest Bristol & Bath

ASHLEY BREWER, CEO of Science Creates Incubators

GLYN BLAIZE, COO of Amdaris

PALIE SMART, Associate pro vice-chancellor for Global Civic Engagement at the University of Bristol

Successful, well-established year-round language school in the centre of Bath requires HOMESTAY HOSTS IN BATH

to host both short-term and long-term students. We teach adults and teenagers, and need both single and twin-room accommodation.

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

MEET THE SOLICITOR

HELEN STARKIE

HELEN STARKIE SOLICITOR

01225 442353

www.helenstarkie.co.uk

What do you specialise in?

We specialise in private client work – ie. law for the individual, so we deal with tax planning, willdrafting, probate and court of protection work (that is dealing with the affairs of people who are unable to deal with their own). This involves preparation of lasting powers of attorney, where possible, and applications to the court where it is too late for the client to make a lasting power.

What is your favourite part of the job?

People – both those that I work with (we’re all still in the office, it’s much more fun than working remotely!) and my clients.

If you could introduce one new law, what would it be and why?

It would be to ban unqualified and unregulated opportunists from practising. Many charge enormous sums for ‘one-size-fits-all’ schemes which appear very ‘sexy’ in their advertisements, but which cause far more problems than they purport to address. And many simply close their doors at the merest hint of a complaint. No regulation, no insurance, no come-back for the customer. We, and other private client firms, all have experience of trying to sort out the mess these outfits leave behind.

JENNA ALLSOP MOGERS DREWETT

01225 750090; www.mogersdrewett.com

What area of law do you specialise in?

I am a commercial property solicitor; I deal with sales and acquisitions, landlord and tenant matters, institutional lending, development work and everything in between.

What aspects of your work do you enjoy most?

In a nutshell – everything! I love being inspired and challenged on a daily basis, and I am lucky to have great colleagues and clients to work with.

What advice would you give to anyone considering law as a career?

Work in it; whether that be work experience, a secretarial role, paralegal, or otherwise. Get stuck in and make sure it is what you want to do. Working in law is very different to learning about it.

How have the last 12 months been for you

Busy! I was expecting there to be a reduction in new instructions following the rise in interest rates and cost of living and fully bracing myself for a quiet period but that hasn’t happened (yet).

Tell us something surprising about yourself...

Jenna Allsop

I have recently discovered that as a result of my daughter’s required daily dose of Frozen, I could probably play any one of the characters on stage without the need of a script!

Many moments in life call for a legal expert, whether it’s buying a home, getting divorced, or starting a business. Bath’s legal experts are on hand to guide you...

Helen Starkie

ROSS SIVITER

BATTENS SOLICITORS

01225 562581

ross.siviter@battens.co.uk

www.battens.co.uk

What do you specialise in?

I work in residential conveyancing assisting those buying or selling, from first-time buyers and clients downsizing to a retirement property or companies purchasing a property to let out or re-develop. I also assist with remortgages, transfers between parties, shared ownership, and newly built properties.

What is your favourite part of the job?

How varied the work is. I love being able to congratulate first time buyers on purchasing their first home after years of hard saving, finalise the completion of a multimillion-pound sale, and I enjoy managing my junior colleagues and helping them excel in their careers. Every day is different and involves me playing a different role each time.

What advice would you give to anyone considering law as a career?

Be prepared to work hard and deal with difficult situations at times, but to also relish and enjoy those moments where you know you have genuinely made a difference to someone’s life.

RICHARD

SHARP

SHARP FAMILY LAW

01225 448955; www.sharpfamilylaw.com

What do you specialise in?

Helping separating and divorcing clients to protect children, preserve assets, and limit the destruction and cost that too often occurs when relationships breakdown.

What are the misconceptions around what you do?

There can be a belief that divorce must be fought in court. After 35 years as a family solicitor, I truly believe every divorce is unique. No one process works for every family, including court litigation. Once I’ve listened to my clients’ concerns, I help them select the right course for their separation, divorce or family issue. The decisions of divorce profoundly affect the future.

What was your very first job?

In the 1970s I worked as a caretaker’s assistant at the International Anglican School, Jerusalem, Israel.

What is your favourite part of the job?

Solving client problems – helping a client go from despair to hope, and from fear to security, so they can move forward with their lives.

What professional accomplishment has made you proudest?

Founding Sharp Family Law, a firm focused on minimising the financial and emotional cost of divorce and supporting clients to secure the best outcome for themselves and their families.

KERRY GRAHAM

INCE; 07849 834 094

www.incegd.com/family

What sets you apart from other law firms in your field?

As an international firm, we have clients worldwide and we care about each of them and want to do the best job we can. We have clients who come to us from other firms who have had a bad experience and are relieved by our personal, attentive and professional approach. I have clients from 15 years ago who still refer me work, be it from their children, family or friends, and this speaks volumes.

What is your favourite part of the job?

Without any doubt, the people I meet every day, all of them with a different story to tell. However complex their stories may be, we find a solution.

What key bit of advice would you give to somebody considering a divorce?

Many couples stay unhappily together as the thought of being alone is far more frightening. If you do take that next step and want to progress a divorce, do your homework on who you would like to instruct to represent you, meet face to face, and try to get to grips with your finances, which will help us to help you.

BECKY RICARDS SMALL

NEW WAVE LAW SOLICITORS

07961 243333; becky@newwavelaw.co.uk www.newwavelaw.co.uk

What is your favourite part of the job?

At New Wave Law people are paramount, from our clients to our team. Typically, we visit our clients in their homes, or at meeting places most convenient for them. For me, getting to meet new clients in a relaxed setting and building trusted relationships with them is certainly one of my favourite parts of the job. My team say that working for New Wave Law is refreshing and they feel trusted and part of something exciting.

Which professional accomplishment has made you most proud?

Launching my own law firm. I registered the website domain for New Wave Law many years ago in the hope that one day I would have the courage and confidence to push the button and set it up. After watching me become frustrated by having to focus more on bills than clients, my husband took the opportunity to resign on my behalf, without my knowledge! He’d pushed me to finally follow my dream and so New Wave Law began, and I have never once looked back. Oh and yes, I am still married to him!

What makes working in Bath special?

Bath is and always has been my home. It’s a wonderful city, full of interesting people and businesses. Working once a week with my team in our Gay Street office is always enjoyable. My career began in Bath more than 20 years ago and New Wave Law was born here; that makes it such a special place for me. However, we’re fortunate to have many clients by the sea also, so perhaps a coastal office could be next.

Ross Siviter

Kerry Graham

Richard Sharp

Becky Ricards Small

JOANNA LAKE

STONE KING LLP

01225 337599

www.stoneking.co.uk

What is your firm’s ethos and philosophy?

Our ethos is centred around doing the right thing for our clients and our community. We do this through working together to ensure we have a deep understanding of every client’s needs, allowing us to provide tailored legal advice.

What do you most enjoy about your job?

The fact that no two days are the same. Stone King’s Information Law Team advises on a broad range of matters from subject access requests to data breaches. This means we might start the day with a to-do list, but if something urgent comes in we have to re-prioritise. It’s a fast-paced and an exciting area of law.

What predictions do you have for your practice area over the next 12 months?

There are lots of changes on the horizon. The Data Protection and Digital Information Bill is currently making its way through Parliament. Once in force, it will bring about changes that will impact every organisation that processes personal data, including schools, charities, and businesses.

MOLLY WEAVING

OMNIA LEGAL

01225 666600; www.omnialegal.co.uk

Tell us about Omnia Legal

Omnia Legal is a boutique law firm specialising in high level personal service and value for money products. Located on Bath’s historic Queen Square, we help individuals and businesses to find the best value legal services for their specific needs.

What can potential clients expect?

OmniaLegal is owned by a group of legal experts, who each have at least 20 years’ experience as solicitors or chief executives and if there’s one thing they know, it’s that client care is incredibly important. That’s why we offer free initial advice, with no obligation, in a friendly and professional manner. Our advice is honest, and it may be that you don’t need a lawyer this time – but when you do, you’ll want to use our excellent services.

What is your role in the firm, and what is your career background?

I have recently joined Omnia Legal as a chartered legal executive and have several years of experience working predominantly in Bristol. I am experienced and skilled in private client services including wills, lasting powers of attorney, probate, intestacy and trusts. I have built a reputation as an accomplished private client lawyer and have a large client following thanks to my professional yet friendly manner. I’ve been a close associate of the directors over the years, and I am delighted to have joined their skilled team of legal professionals as head of private client services.

REBECCA PURCHASE

RWK GOODMAN

01225 730100; rwkgoodman.com

What’s your role at RWK Goodman?

I am a private client solicitor specialising in wills, probate and lasting powers of attorney.

What do you enjoy about your work?

For me it’s client interaction. I chose private client because I enjoy helping people, so spending so much of my day with clients is a real highlight.

What’s the biggest mistake you see clients making? Trying to draft legal documents, such as wills, themselves. Wills have to be executed properly, and, when making a will, you want to ensure that it meets your needs and requirements. So many clients simply copy and paste from the internet, or copy a friend’s will; it can work just fine, but more often than not it causes problems when it does not fulfil the testator’s intention or is not legally valid.

Tell us something about yourself

I help run a networking group in Bath called the Private Client Network. We organise fantastic wine tastings and breakfast events which connect professionals working in the private client space, with the added benefit of enjoying Bath’s great food and wine scene.

What is it that makes working in Bath special?

Between the fun of the Christmas market and the green spaces, the city is attractive all year round. Also, Bath’s food scene is fantastic – it’s a real perk being able to walk to one of the many stunning restaurants on a Friday evening.

OLIVIA HOLDEN  GOUGHS SOLICITORS

01249 475901; www.goughs.co.uk

What do you specialise in?

I am a commercial property solicitor and predominately undertake landlord and tenant work. I have a keen interest in acting for tenants in the independent retail, leisure, and hospitality sectors. I am currently assisting the UK’s fastest growing private physiotherapy brand with its UK clinic roll out.

What is your favourite part of the job?

I often act for small business owners, independents, and start-ups – I hugely enjoy being part of a client’s journey and growth. My role also means I get to meet a wide variety of creative, talented people with an entrepreneurial mindset.

If you weren’t working in the legal world, what would you be doing?

Olivia Holden

My first job was as a Saturday assistant in an independent clothing shop, so in many ways I have brought my interest in the high street into my daily working life. If I hadn’t chosen to pursue a legal career, I suspect I would be doing something in fashion, or pursuing my love of writing as a travel journalist.

Joanna Lake

Rebecca Purchase

Molly Weaving

Architecture

HIGHER LEARNING

The Roman Baths Clore Learning Centre wins prestigious prize for its architecture

The Roman Baths Clore Learning Centre has recently won a RIBA South West Award for its architecture. The below ground state-of-the-art learning space, which is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and opened in June last year, was a former Victorian spa laundry and has been designed by local architects Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios to allow schools and community groups to learn about history and heritage in a hands-on and accessible way.

The RIBA judges said: “Tectonically and materially rich, the Roman Baths Clore Learning Centre is a triumph of thoughtful and inventive thinking that has created a series of dramatic and unexpected spaces that both celebrate and highlight the layered history of these wonderful buildings. It is a clear testament to the productive and successful collaboration between architect, client, archaeologist, contractorand wider design team.”

Matt Somerville, Associate at Feilden

Clegg Bradley Studios, says, “Our approach was built on collaboration, and respect for the existing fabric – the Roman archaeology, the Victorian spa buildings and the changes we needed to make to bring it back to life. It’s fantastic to be recognised by our architectural peers for having delivered a building that can help the next generation appreciate these things too.”

For more: www.romanbaths.co.uk | www.fcbstudios.com

Bath architects Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios designed the award winning Roman Baths Clore Learning Centre

JAMES NEWTON

ACROSS THE WATER

They’re at it again. This time, ahead of the Cleveland Pools longawaited opening on 10 September, the team have scooped a prestigious European heritage award. The ambitious revival of Bath’s 200-year-old outdoor lido was recognised by the judges as an ‘example of rescuing open-air pools’ for northern Europe and announced as a winner of the Europa Nostra Awards 2023.

They also highlighted that the restoration of the 19th-century open-air pools had been “driven by the local community”, and praised the use of “green energy and a holistic approach to reinstate the site’s original function while adapting it to 21st-century standards.

“The restoration of the Cleveland Pools in Bath is a good example of rescuing open-air pools for northern Europe, and is a great example for other similar sites across the continent.” For more: www.clevelandpools.org.uk

Rental market LET IT BE KNOWN

Bath landlords came together for an evening of talks at the Bath Landlord Conference held on 26 July at The Francis Hotel on Queen Square. The event, attended by about 50 people, proved to be an engaging platform for assorted industry experts to share their wealth of knowledge and expertise.

Toby Martin, a director of Reside Bath, and the West Country Regional Executive for ARLA Propertymark, talked about the intricacies of the local rental market, and Michael Tatters, a partner at Thrings Solicitors, delivered an in-depth exploration of the Renters Reform Bill and its impending impact on landlords.

Toby, who organised and hosted the event, says, “Our aim with the conference is to provide a supportive space for landlords to learn, connect, and stay ahead in the ever-changing private rental landscape.” For more: www.bathlandlordforum.co.uk

NOT LAST ORDERS

Limpley Stoke residents have been working together to save their local, the Hop Pole Inn, from permanent closure and redevelopment into ho es ot o l i the p b eat re i the l The Remains of the Day starring Anthony Hopkins, but it has been serving local residents and travellers as an ale house and inn for at least 300 years, and likely as many as 500. To date, £890,000 has been raised, which has been used to buy the pub and start the repair and refurbishment work, which includes £321,000 from a variety of grants including the government’s Community Ownership Fund. The group, Limpley Stoke Community e e t ociet , ee s to sec re a other , to co plete the work and to realise the long term plan to install a landlord and reopen the Hop Pole Inn in 2024 as a community-owned pub and hub, providing a friendly space for local people to drink, eat and socialise.

Simon Coombe, chairman of LSCBS, says, “With the incredible support of our community and followers, we are going full steam ahead with the repair, renovation and reopening of our beloved Hop Pole. We still need more investment and more hands on deck, so if anyone out there wants to support our project we’d love them to get involved.” For more: www.limpleystokecbs.org

Bath’s landlords came together for talks and to share insights; INSET: Francis Hotel was the venue for the Bath Landlord Summer Conference

The Hop Pole in Limpley Stoke as it looks now; INSET: and how it looked in 1910

Bath & North East Somerset Planning Service team at the Awards

PHOTO BY ANTHONY BROWN

Another pools win for Bath

A TAILORED APPROACH

A late summer market update by Sam Daniels at KNIGHT FRANK

The Bath property market has long been a captivating realm, known for its historical charm, picturesque landscapes, and rich culture. As the property market experience shifts in pricing and demand, both buyers and sellers find themselves facing a dynamic landscape that requires careful navigation. At Knight Frank Bath, we offer concise yet valuable advice tailored to all clients, guiding them through the complexities to achieve their goals.

SELLER ADVICE: MAXIMISING VALUE

Accurate pricing: Sellers should focus on accurate pricing. While prices may have dipped recently, highlight the long-term investment potential to attract motivated buyers. Collaborate with your agent to determine a competitive yet realistic listing price.

Enhance curb appeal: First impressions count, especially in a competitive market. Elevate your property’s curb appeal with simple enhancements such as landscaping and minor repairs. A well-presented property can draw more interest and potentially lead to quicker sales.

Effective marketing: In a dynamic market, effective marketing is essential. Employ a comprehensive strategy with high-quality visuals and engaging property descriptions, ‘short and sweet as they say’. Leverage your agent’s presence to showcase your property to the widest possible audience and capture buyer attention – this is key in a changing market in maximising value.

Flexibility in negotiation: The evolving housing market may require flexibility in negotiation. Collaborate closely with your agent to evaluate offers and consider different negotiation scenarios such as fixtures and fittings, and potentially being chain free, for example by moving into rented accommodation. Adaptability can lead to a successful deal that aligns with current market conditions.

Timing strategy: Timing plays a crucial role in successful sales. While prices have experienced shifts, strategically time your listing based on market

trends, seasonal demands such as schooling, and buyer activity. A well-timed listing can attract motivated buyers and facilitate a smooth transaction.

BUYER ADVICE: MAKING INFORMED PURCHASES

Strategic pricing approach: While recent pricing trends have shown fluctuations compared to past years, buyers should adopt a strategic approach to pricing rather than thinking its all ‘doom and gloom’. Focus on long-term investment potential rather than short-term variations. Collaborate with the selling agent who can provide insights into property values and appreciation prospects.

Location priority: Bath’s neighborhoods offer distinct lifestyles and amenities. Prioritise your preferences when selecting a location, considering proximity to schools, transportation, and attractions. Leverage an agent’s local knowledge to find the ideal setting for your lifestyle.

Strategic negotiation: Fluctuating prices necessitate skilled negotiation. Collaborate with the selling agent and consider recent trends, property condition, and comparable sales. Effective negotiation and a thorough understanding of the Bath market is key.

In conclusion, the Bath property market’s fluidity demands a tailored approach. For sellers, accurate pricing, enhanced curb appeal, effective marketing, flexible negotiation, and strategic timing are key. In a market characterised by change, expert advice serves as a compass, guiding both parties toward informed decisions that lead to successful outcomes. n

RECENT SALES

Farleigh Wick – guide £3,750,000Charlcombe Lane – guide £1,750,0000Lansdown – guide £1,750,000

CLIMATE CRISIS

TOO DIFFICULT TO THINK ABOUT?

Bath and West Community Energy (BWCE) is a successful, not for profit community organisation, working to reduce local carbon use and helping to increase energy efficiency.

Our current projects include installing solar panels on school roofs – for free –and selling them the generated electricity at a lower rate which enables schools to spend this saving on much needed staffing and resources.

To raise the capital for this we invite sustainable investment in the organisation, where investors receive interest and become members of BWCE enabling a vote at the AGM. Find out more here www.bwce.coop/invest

GREEN OPEN HOMES B&NES

On the 4 and 5 November, BWCE is running,

in partnership with Bath & North East Somerset Council, Buro Happold, Bath Preservation Trust and Transition Bath, an event to showcase a variety of homes that have undergone various energy efficiency and low carbon improvements. Come along and have a look – our open homes will showcase measures suitable for a range of budgets and personal circumstances. There are volunteering opportunities too if you’d like to get involved. We hope to see you there!

HOME ENERGY SERVICE.

Wish your own home could be more energy efficient? Our new Home Energy Service launching this autumn, will provide independent, expert advice including bespoke home energy plans to help people find the right solutions for their home. n

At BATH AND WEST COMMUNITY ENERGY (BWCE) we understand the anxiety of watching what’s happening to the world and believe that action helps combat this. Find out how you can join with us to take action in your local area...

BATH PROPERTY AW ARDS

GRAND REVEAL DAY SEPT 13

Talk with us about sponsorship:

• Connect with leading Bath property

businesses, across all sectors

• Benefit from a multiple channel marketing campaign, reaching thousands

• Stand out amongst your peers at this prestigious, unique event

For details: bathlife@mediaclash.co.uk

Category sponsors:

MAXIMISING YOUR HOME’S SELLING PRICE

Determined to bridge the gap between male and female estate agents, Melissa Anderson opened Camella in July this year. Her business is based on three core values:

PROPERTY MARKETING

We believe it is our job to ensure your property shines.

We use professional photography, videography, and 360-degree immersive virtual tours at no additional cost. We pride ourselves on beautifully written property descriptions, perfectly encapsulating every property. We meticulously work with our media company to ensure properties launched to the market are ready to make an impact and create buyer demand.

We wholeheartedly believe that multi-channel targeted advertising ensures your home is seen by a larger audience. We invest in extra features on Rightmove, including boosting your property to the top of the search. We promote your property on social media with paid for campaigns to target buyers looking for property in Bath and the surrounding villages.

Formally a Director at Rightmove Melissa Anderson uses her 13+ years’ experience as a property consultant to achieve the highest asking price for your property. Here she explains what she feels is essential to achieve maximum market value.

SENSIBLE VALUATIONS

Too many homes for sale are overpriced. Properties advertised on Rightmove in the Bath area saw a huge jump in price reductions compared with a year ago. In BA1 the Increase was 78%, and BA2 even higher at 112%.

Coupled with the tough economic climate, the average number of days for a property to go ‘under offer’ has almost doubled from July 2022, taking on average 51 days to secure a buyer.

The maximum interest you will receive for your property will be in the first few weeks of marketing. Getting the valuation right from the start will drive buyer demand and help secure the highest possible price.

If you have a property that has been on the market for a long time, it is likely to be ‘stale’ to potential buyers who have repeatedly viewed it on the portals. Buyers will be bored of seeing your board! If your sellers’ contract permits, switching agents can be a good course of action. A fresh marketing approach and a complete property relaunch can reinvigorate interest.

At Camella we do not bind sellers into long contracts. We are confident in our service and believe you should be in control of your move.

OUT OF HOURS SERVICE

Did you know 50 per cent of buyer enquiries are sent out of hours?

Our online booking system allows buyers to book viewings 24/7, capturing every lead that enquires about your property. We never want to lose a potential viewing or purchaser. At Camella we operate seven days a week with extended opening times, offering weekend, early morning, and evening viewings. n

If you are considering selling your property within the next six months, we would be delighted to offer you a free in-depth valuation.

Tel: 01225 255 321

hello@camella.co.uk www.camella.co.uk

The only female owned independent estate agent in Bath, Melissa Anderson, is the Director of CAMELLA ESTATE AGENTS

ROMANCE IN THE STONE

Better hall, Saul: the founder of heritage brand Mulberry is selling his extraordinary family home near Glastonbury

Words by Deri Robins

We didn’t have Pinterest or Instagram back in those carefree, social media-preceding days of the 1980s. If you needed a bit of home design inspo, you bought an interiors magazine. Spotted something you liked? There was no scrolling, no screengrabbing, no handy pin to tap; you had to tear out the pages a stick the i to a le

I’ve long since dumped my own archive of torn-out features – a girl has to move with the times – but some of the more outstanding homes remain stuck in my memory. One of them was a historic pile near Glastonbury called Abbots Sharpham; the family home of Roger Saul.

Appropriately, for the founder of English heritage brand Mulberry, Roger’s house dripped history, with many of the walls painted in bold, authentically period hues – emerald greens, rich ochres, deep madder rose. In an era when most people still bought ‘suites’, the living rooms featured thrillingly mismatched chairs and sofas, draped with richly patterned fabrics hinting at exotic travels. I vaguely recall wolfhounds bei i volve , sl beri e t to a h e ope replace, b t o t quote me on that as I may have embroidered the memory.

It was, and still is, one of the most extraordinary homes you could ever hope to see – and now, providing you have around eight mill in your pocket, the whole estate could be yours.

Let’s begin with the history; there’s plenty of it. Abbots Sharpham is so ancient it makes the Royal Crescent look like an upstart new-build; we’re harking back to a time when years were numbered in threes, not fours. The site dates back to 957, when King Edwig gave Sharpham to a landowner named Aethelwold. In 1191 King John bequeathed the park to the abbots of Glastonbury by placing his bejewelled gauntlet upon the abbey altar; property transactions were so much more colourful in those days.

It was owned by the abbots for over 300 years, at which point their fortunes came spectacularly unstuck. In 1539 – a dangerous time to be a man of the cloth, what with Henry VIII dissolving monasteries right, left and centre – Richard Whiting, the last abbot of Glastonbury, was arraigned in his favourite kitchen and tried for treason, after

Estate of grace, and around 270 acres

which he was hung, drawn and quartered by Cromwell’s thugs on Glastonbury Tor. Sharpham was then granted to Sir Edward Seymour, or rotector to e r s so a sickl bo ho rei e briefl as Edward VI. The Elizabethan poet Sir Edward Seymour was born here in 1543; fast-forward a couple of centuries later to 1707, when the author Henry Fielding was born in the ‘Harlequin chamber’ – because at Sharpham, the bedrooms naturally have names.

o er a l a his i e o t rst bo ht part o bbots Sharpham in 1977. They then proceeded to acquire the rest of the estate, gradually restoring its authentic glory over the following 46 years. The grounds received as much attention as the 15th-century manor house. In 1993, 4,000 English hardwood trees were planted; in 2003 the farmland was taken organic and restored, the deer park created, walnut and fruit tree orchards put in, along with miles of avenues and hedges. In 2007 a purpose-built spelt mill was created ith o ces a a areho se o a , the estate eat res stocks o re deer and Shropshire sheep, as well as the spelt that gave birth to the Sharpham Park organic food brand.

erhaps s rprisi l , o er sa s that bbots harpha s tra itio s, architect re a histor all i fl e ce the lberr bra In the 1990s he debuted his Mulberry Home interiors collection, with the house featured as a backdrop. It launched worldwide in Elle Decoration s rst e itio a o the eat res o the collectio or the basis of the décor of the house today.

Over the years, Roger and Monty uncovered more and more of bbots harpha s histor a herita e oth ho se a park ha been divided up over the generations by feuding siblings; as well as all the original features in the house, more historic gems were waiting to be discovered beneath the surface.

It’s a home that wears its history on its sleeve (or to keep with the mediaeval vibe, we guess that should be slevil), from the blue lias and Doulting stonework to architectural souvenirs from various periods. here are fla sto es ever here, polishe b e eratio s o ootsteps,

ABOVE: The Sharpham red deer pose charmingly with the Tor in the background; BELOW: Mediaeval beauty: gables, mullions and diamond-paned windows

Selling houses in the south west for 18 years, covering 3 counties

“I wanted to reiterate how much of a pleasure it has been to deal with the Hunter French Corsham branch, and in particular the ever helpful Dan and the rest of the team – Simon, Sam, Pat et al – across the Corsham and Bath offices. They are meticulous and informed, and always prepared to go beyond the call of duty. Really has been a lovely experience, and one that all other agents in the area should be looking to emulate.”

If you are looking to sell or purchase in the area then please feel free to get in touch with us via email, phone, social media channels, or pop into the office for a coffee and a confidential chat about how we can help, with no obligations attached. Whether it is a flexible contract or a competitive fee to partner with our professional photography and fully comprehensive service, we tailor our services to the needs of each individual client.

Please get in touch with your local office where the team will be delighted to help you get moving…

with oak, elm and old pine timberwork in the beams, jousts and plank-and-muntin screens. There’s a minstrels’ gallery, and impossibly romantic old wooden doors. There are window seats set beneath diamond-paned glass within stone mullions, concealed entrances and secret passa e a s, or ate pillars, replaces o co l roast a s allish pig in, and carved armorial freestone panels bearing heraldic devices that include the Prince of Wales three feathers, the Tudor portcullis and one of the few remaining Glastonbury coats of arms.

Beyond the hefty oak front door, with its elaborate scrolled mediaeval hinges, lies a rambling layout guaranteed to confound a be ile the rst ti e visitor ro the e tra ce hall ith its e staircase, double doors open to a music room with an open stone replace a el floorboar s to e steps fla ke b pillars lea p to the library, a quiet, peaceful room with diamond-paned windows, oak bookshelves, a concealed cupboard, a secret door leading to a study a a assive sto e replace st a sl beri ol ho s ro the librar , a other oor lea s o i to the ra i roo ith ore fla e floors, th ce t r oak bea s a ia o pa e i o s oors ope to a sitti roo ho ever, o r e e is guaranteed to lead you in the other direction, beneath a timber arch a hich ope s to a fla sto e hall a ith th a th ce t r pa el scree s, a o i to the i i hall

In a house where every corner holds fascination, this is the star attraction, with its high-vaulted, oak-braced ceiling, heraldic shields, sto e floori ith erfloor heati , e re ot i a ore and minstrel’s gallery, leading to a solar with a vaulted ceiling. If walls could talk, this room would supply enough gossip and information for a six-part BBC history drama.

assive chi e breast above a i le ook replace is fla ke b a staircase, ith a oor o a hal la i to a balco i the o ble height, oak-framed orangery. the kitche , tte c pboar s have bee create ro a th ce t r che ist s tti s, ith arble a aho a orktops set

ABOVE: Obviously, there’s a minstrel’s gallery; BELOW: Henry Fielding was born in one of the bedrooms

around a large central table. A hidden door in the panelling leads back into the dining hall.

Hopelessly lost? We did warn you. There’s even a whole ‘east wing’, for heaven’s sake, in the form of the The Long Hall – another large and sple i roo ith a sto e replace, pla k a ti scree , hi h vaulted ceiling with beams and a splendid galleried bedroom with steps to a small window for viewing Glastonbury Tor. This wing has a separate oak entrance door, and with its kitchen and shower room co l easil ake a sel co tai e apart e t a ho se as vast as this you could go for weeks without bumping into your guests or tenants.

pstairs, o the rst a seco floors, reache via a staircase ith Tudor balustrading, the marvels just keep on coming. Many of the be roo s have e s ites so e have vie s to the or

And naturally, with a home of this size and standing, there are a clatter of less glamorous but wildly useful rooms, such as a boot room, laundry and gun room. There’s also a very indulgent one in the form of the i oor pool or ore spirit al re ire e ts, there s eve a chapel

Your jaw suitably dropped, it’s time to wander, and wonder at, the ar e s ith the ever obli i or as a sce ic back rop tr ot to dwell on the fate of poor Richard Whiting), and open countryside stretching as far as the eye can see, these are predictably lovely, starting with the drive that leads over a private stone bridge, between the deer park and a meadow, along a 150m treelined drive to tall stone pillars, and beyond to the gravelled driveway to the house.

ere are o t oor roo s to lose o rsel i , ith terraces, isteria a rose rape per olas, a bo he e parterre, a ovecote, cro et lawn, high stone walls espaliered by cherry trees, and a sunken garden in the style of Gertrude Jekyll – Roger’s gardening heroine.

There’s a spectacular herbaceous border, manicured lawns, a pond, a il flo er ar e a a or a ic raise ve etable ar e a sto e grotto with dipping tank and a lion’s head feeding a shallow rill, and so ethi rather char i l calle a st per here s eve es a

Mulberry tree, and a ‘playing card’ garden – look out for the Joker. th ce t r a o ho se i cl es a pi a area a kitche , sho er room and large indoor swimming pool, with cloistered verandahs – the i eal place, e re ass re , to rela a ter te is o the all eather co rt – because yes, of course there’s one of those, too. There are two further three be roo cotta es, a th ce t r stable ith pla i a plenty of other outbuildings.

Of course, a home like this can’t really be conveyed in a shortish feature and handful of photos, so head to the websites below for the full story. And feel free to tear out and keep these pages…

HOUSE DETAILS

The estate, including the 15th-century manor house, cottages, deer park, orchards, organic farm and a mill within around 270 acres is on the market for £8 million. It can also be purchased in lots.

Lot 1 has the mediaeval house, gardens, indoor swimming pool, tennis court, outbuildings, two cottages, stone stables with residential planning, deer park, cider orchard and meadows, set in parkland of about 44.4 acres.

The second lot offers the mill, warehouse, office, agricultural buildings, solar plant and yards, along with a productive organic walnut orchard of over 250 trees, mixed fruit orchard and mirror carp pond; about 24.73 acres.

The third and fourth lots total 201.50 acres of arable and pasture, all classified fully organic for 20 years.

Contact Carter Jonas Rural on 01823 428590, www.carterjonas.co.uk or Roderick Thomas on 01749 670079, www.roderickthomas.co.uk

ABOVE: If the dining hall’s walls could talk, there’d be enough material for a BBC historical drama; RIGHT: the 150m treelined drive

A NATURAL VISION

As established British furniture designers, based in Wiltshire with over 30 stores around the UK and Europe, including one in Bath, Neptune values the beauty of natural materials, thoughtful and practical design, and sustainable craftsmanship, to create homes that feel both timeless and contemporary.

NEW ARRIVALS

A case in point is this season’s new collection which marries classic lines with the finest of natural materials to deliver a relaxed yet sophisticated aesthetic. Spanning exquisite oak furniture, rich kilim rugs, brass lighting, and textural accessories, the autumn collection is designed to work in city, town, and country properties. Take the new Stratford table which nods to the clean lines of mid-century modern design, and features a uniquely engineered castellated pedestal base, but is re-interpreted and re-sized for modern family living. Or the gracefully proportioned Kenilworth dining chair with its slim birch frame and chalked oak seat and the compact Ardingly desk that quickly converts into a console. Enveloping the whole season is Neptune’s subtle new paint shade – Potter’s Pink – an earthy hue with the textured look of raw clay and fresh plaster.

THE NEPTUNE ETHOS

What unites this and every Neptune collection is a set of core values and an attention to detail that ensures the timber kitchens and carefully curated homeware collections are designed and made to last. Indeed, Neptune’s mission is to create furniture that will last 100 years and beyond, bringing joy to future generations and helping support a sustainable manufacturing approach.

The Neptune vision is reassuringly simple:

1. There is a focus on using natural, organic materials wherever possible, from solid oak for tables to Belgium linen and Harris Tweed for upholstery. MDF and chipboard are never used, instead sustainably sourced timbers and hardwood plywood lend stability and authenticity to the designs.

2. Then there is a spotlight on quality craftsmanship and joinery – learning from the forms and solutions of furniture makers of the past and combining them with the latest innovations in technology and engineering.

3. And finally, there is a commitment to service, both in the excellence of the customer services available, from kitchen and home design services to the colour consultancy, and through to the warm welcome customers receive in our stores and the delivery drivers who go that extra mile to help. n

Explore the autumn winter collection at www.neptune.com.

Find your nearest store at: Neptune Bath, One Tram Yard, Walcot Street, Bath BA1 5BD. Follo us on nstagra @ne tuneho eofficial

With a focus on British design, heritage craft and modern living, NEPTUNE’S new collection is a masterclass in timeless style

Stratford ellipse table and Kenilworth chairs painted in Chestnut

Walls in Potter’s Pink, Olivia headboard in Harry linen in apricot

Ardingly desk

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.o ce@bathholidayrentals.com www.bathholidayrentals.com

O ering 4 & 5 star holiday rentals since 2006

BUYING CARPET & FLOORING IN BRISTOL MADE SIMPLE

We have one of the largest selections of carpets, laminate, vinyl and karndean flooring in bristol and the south west region. Our flooring showroom is conveniently situated at longwell green bristol with free parking; so when buying your next carpet or flooring, why not come and experience our wide range, first class fitting service and great prices for yourself?

You’ll be spoilt for choice with our wide range of carpets & flooring...

FOR THE HOME

TR HAYES

TR Hayes has been selling furniture in Bath for over 100 years now and has a reputation for good quality and excellent service, and the handy customer car park akes bro si stress ree o ill furniture of all sorts, with many major brands featured. There are also well respected curtain and carpet departments. 15-18 London Street, Walcot, Bath BA1 5BX; Tel: 01225 465757; www.trhayes.co.uk

WOOLF INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

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

MENDIP FIREPLACES BATH

ath s lea i replace, oo b r er, as re, chi e a fl e specialist ro classic to co te porar , co cept to completion, their team of experts can work with you to achieve your perfect interior. Brands include Chesney’s, arbas el res, a , t v a et aster et i to ch or visit the showroom. Mendip Fireplaces, Monkton Combe, Bath B in o mendi e laces ath co u , Tel: 01225 722706; www.mendipfireplacesbath.co.uk

CHEVERELL

Cheverell is set in the heart of Wiltshire with a st i sho roo a orkshop, o eri a ll bespoke design, manufacturing and installation service in kitchens, bedrooms, and interiors. Established in 1989 it has over 30 years of experience to guide you through the whole process. Cheverell, Waller Road, Hopton Park, Devizes, Wiltshire SN10 2GH; Tel: 01380 722722; www.cheverell.co.uk

BROADLEAF

Broadleaf are the UK’s leading manufacturer and retailer o bea ti l oo floori , ith a i e and unrivalled range of solid and engineered plank and parquet. Open since 2022 their extensive Bath showroom showcases the complete collection. Visit their e pert, rie l tea to i spiratio , isc ss your project and pick up samples. 134 – 136 Walcot St; 01225 463464; www.broadleaftimber.com

CLAIR STRONG INTERIOR DESIGN

lair tro terior esi is a bo ti e, creative company based in Bath, providing a wide range of services for both residential and commercial clients. Her portfolio of projects includes the design, project coordination and sourcing for some of Bath’s most beautiful residences, as ell as hotels, sports cl bs, o ces a other co ercial venues. Contact Clair on 07855 797311 or 01225 690019; www.clairstrong.co.uk

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

Tel: 01225 300414; www.nexusofbath.co.uk

PERFECT ROOMS

ri i all ro erth i cotla , er ect oo s o er, e, is a creative i terior esi er b heart ith a e viable eye for detail. Passionate about creating new schemes that are designed to impress, she has a portfolio of clients up and down the country that cannot speak highly enough of her incredible work. To arrange a consultation for interior design services, do not hesitate to get in touch.

Tel: 01249 716445; www.perfectrooms.co.uk

PLUSHH:

ara tee o tsta i b il alit , top class project management and truly amazing customer care pecialisi i the o estic arket, ro concept to completion. Their expertise covers all aspects of building refurbishment, renovation and outstanding property maintenance packages.

Tel: 01225 767148; www.plushhrestoration.co.uk

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

BRIAN SEED

The renowned photographer looks back on his illustrious career

During his impressive career, Brian Seed, who was born in 1929, took many now iconic photographs of international figures, including Marilyn Monroe, Muhammed Ali, and Winston Churchill

It all started when he joined Time Life’s London bureau as an office boy, age 16. He went on to become a photographer there, snapping for many of the hugely successful magazines of the day, including Sports Illustrated, Life, Time, and Fortune His work, which includes landscape photography, is now represented in the Tate, the Victoria & Albert Museum and the National Gallery.

After living in America for 40 years, Brian returned to the UK two years ago and now lives in Bath.

My parents separated when I was very young. My father was later killed, along with his parents, in The Blitz in the Second World War. My mother worked as a waitress at Lyons Corner House in London, and then in a munitions factory as part o the o e s ar e ort

I went to Sir Walter St. John’s Grammar School for boys in London. Its motto was Rather Deathe than False of Faythe. I remember it as ‘Sooner Death Than Wash Your Face’! I did get polio as a o bo , the e ects of which stayed with me, and I spent a long time in hospital.

I was evacuated as a small boy to the premises of Charterhouse School, where my school was temporarily relocated. It was initially

supposed to be to a school by the seaside, but that was too dangerous, as it was vulnerable to enemy invasion. We’d pick wild mushrooms in the surrounding hills before breakfast.

My stepfather, Leslie Bush, who was a subscriber to Time magazine, saw an advertisement or a o ce bo , a he persuaded me to apply. I was about 16 at the time and dressed up in a three-piece suit. They later said I had turned up too smart, but I did get the job!

I was apprenticed to the famous photographer Cornell Capa, and my job was to take care of photographers and their supplies. It was under his wonderful mentorship that my love of photography grew, as did my skills.

One of my first jobs was to go to Chequers and pick up Winston Churchill’s weekly column for Time Life. I then started to take his photo. He was notoriously grumpy, and on more than one occasion he would give me ten seconds only, and would actually count down from ten. His wife, Clementine, was very lovely though.

One of my favourite photos is of Marilyn Monroe, pictured with her then husband Arthur Miller. There were hordes of

photographers below me, but she looked up and seem to look directly at me. I think Marilyn realised that I wasn’t a usual press photographer because I as si i ere t photo raphic equipment, a Leica camera. She knew a glossy magazine picture would have more longevity than those in a daily newspaper.

Another favourite of mine is of Cassius Clay, who later became Muhammed Ali. It’s an in-the-moment picture. I like how the little man in the bow tie is poi ti his er, a ti that autograph.

Some of my other career highlights have included taking photos in Ireland for the Time Life books. I have also photographed many creatives, musicians and artists, and have had assignments as varied as working in Africa and photographing the Brontë parsonage in Yorkshire.

I recently had an exhibition at the Penwith Gallery in Cornwall, which featured my work of artists including Barbara Hepworth and Jack Smith.

I regret nothing. I was fortunate enough to photograph people who were happy to be photographed.

For more: www.penwithgallery.com

“Churchill was notoriously grumpy and would give me just ten seconds to take his photo”

© BRIAN SEED