Bristol Life – Issue 378

SEAS THE DAY

ISSUE 378 / JANUARY 2026 / £5

ISSUE 378 / JANUARY 2026 / GO ON; DIVE IN

Go on – dive in! Now is the perfect time for a dip at Clevedon Marine Lake * (* No, seriously, it is)

TEN YEARS

of The Wardrobe Theatre

SO PARR, SO GOOD

A personal tribute to Martin

FEATS OF CLAY

Bristol: ceramic city

BREAK OUT THE BUNTING Anniversaries and new openings

HOT STUFF

Winter warmers from BANK Bristol and Lapin

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EDITOR’S LETTER

T

here are two equally acceptable ways to greet a new year. The first is the easiest by a long chalk – anybody can do it! – and basically involves burrowing deep under throws and duvets, book or remote in hand, until spring arrives. I mean, if hibernation is good enough for bears, why not humans? Absolutely no judgment from us if that’s your preference. Just peep cautiously over the parapet of cushions in, say, early April, when it’s generally safe to come out.

The second, if you’ll forgive me for coupling a slightly bizarre metaphor with a split infinitive, is to fearlessly take the year by the horns. To start as you hope to go on. Eat less meat and drink less booze, watch less telly, embark on some kind of fitness regime; all the joyless cliches.

But what if there’s something you can do that takes practically no time or energy at all? Just a moment of gung-ho bravery that offers an instant reset to body and mind? Something that sharpens the senses and makes you feel more alive than the first coffee of the day?

The clue’s in the picture on the left: we’re talking about cold-water swimming here. Once regarded as the preserve of hardy, eccentric enthusiasts, the practice has surged into the mainstream in recent years. We’ve found out the best local places for a dip; turn to page 52.

If you’re not hard enough, of course, there’s always The Lido.

But obviously our first new issue of the year isn’t all about immersing yourself in the icy depths; we’re also here for the throws-andBaileys hardcore. So hunker down, and make your way through another packed, eclectic issue of Bristol Life; however you choose to dive into the new year, we got you.

Wet wet wet

Cold-water swimming – why it’s a really great idea, and where to do it

DERI ROBINS Bristol Life editor @BristolLifeMag

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Issue 378 / January 2026

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ON THE COVER Clevedon Marine Lake by Laura Nesbitt

ARTS

9 BL LOVES Pictures of Lily 10 WHAT’S ON Seasonal delights 16 THEATRE In praise of The Wardrobe 22 BRISTOL HEROES A tribute to Martin 28 ART & CRAFTS Ceramic city 33 BOOKS Start the new year right

FOOD & FESTS

36 RESTAURANT Ten years of Adelina goodness 38 FOOD & DRINK Things we have learned 43 CAFÉ SOCIETY East is Easton 45 WINE The kind of resolutions you want to keep 46 RECIPES Winter warmers courtesy of BANK and Lapin

GET OUT

48 GARDENS A trip to Jekka’s Herbs 52 COLD-WATER SWIMMING It’s exceptionally good for you

ANNIVERSARIES

60 LOCAL LEGENDS rom marking a first decade to looking back over 180 years, these local businesses are thriving and celebrating

BUSINESS

22 60

75 BRISTOL PROPERTY AWARDS in review

PROPERTY

84 SHOWCASE Rural doesn’t have to mean twee

REGULARS

6 SPOTLIGHT 90 BRISTOL LIVES Is Chris Daniels having a laugh?

Editor Deri Robins deri.robins@mediaclash.co.uk Senior art editor Andrew Richmond Cover design Trevor Gilham Contributors Colin Moody, Stan Cullimore, Storysmith Books, Charlie Taylor Commercial director Pat White pat.white@mediaclash.co.uk Commercial manager Neil Snow neil.snow@mediaclash.co.uk Business development manager Charlotte Mace-Pettitt charlotte.mace-pettitt@mediaclash.co.uk Business development manager Jessica Ashley jessica.ashley@mediaclash.co.uk Production/operations manager Kirstie Howe kirstie.howe@mediaclash.co.uk Chief executive Jane Ingham jane.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk Chief executive Greg Ingham greg.ingham@mediaclash. co.uk Bristol Life MediaClash, Media House, 1 Widcombe Parade, Bath, BA2 4JT. tel: 01225 475800; www.mediaclash.co.uk. @The MediaClash © All rights reserved. May not be reproduced without written permission of MediaClash.

We’re a West Country-based publisher, creative agency and event organiser Magazines Our portfolio of regional magazines celebrates the best of local living: Bath and Bristol.

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SPOTLIGHT HM meeting some of the Rivals cast.

Bet she’d secretly hoped for Aidan Turner

Drama

THE UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL LIFE

TV

BREAK OUT THE BOLLY HM Queen Camilla and romcom ‘bonkbuster’ queen Jilly Cooper were the best of pals. For decades the two bonded over literature and dogs while, presumably, chuckling merrily over the scandals, sex lives and social circles of the wealthy horse-loving country set. HM was a big fan of Jilly’s Rivals series, not least because the books’ fictional showjumping lothario Rupert CampbellBlack was said to be partly based on the Queen’s ex-husband, Andrew Parker Bowles.

When Dame Jilly died last October the Queen described her as a “legend’ and a “wonderfully witty and compassionate

friend”, so there was a bittersweet element to her visit to the set of Disney+’s Rivals at The Bottle Yard’s TBY2 studios last month.

Producers at the facility gave HM a behind-the-scenes tour of the set, where she was able to observe filming and meet some of the lead cast members and behind-thescenes technicians. She also learnt how the two series of Rivals has provided a boost to the creative industries in the South West, providing training and opportunities for many young people from the region.

The second season of Rivals will be shown on Disney some time this year.

Science

DOING IT FOR THE KIDS

Bristol’s science centre and education charity We The Curious marked its 25th birthday at the end of last year by launching Future Sparks, a bold new initiative which hopes to welcome 25,000 primary and secondary children from across Bristol through its doors at no cost, making science available to everyone.

The free visits programme, which will primarily focus on schools which have 40% or more students on free school meals, will include entry, a live science and/or planetarium show as well as transport to and from the venue.

“Every child deserves the chance to be curious, inspired and see a future in science”, says We The Curious CEO Donna Speed. “Bristol is a city full of talent and potential, but with some of the starkest educational inequalities in England, not every young person has the same chance to explore their creativity and curiosity. As we celebrate 25 years, we’re determined to deliver our most ambitious campaign yet.”

For more: www.wethecurious.org

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Playwright, screenwriter and journalist Sir Tom Stoppard, who died last November aged 88 years, had strong ties to this city.

He left school at 17 to become a journalist in Bristol, an e perience which effectively served as his ‘university’ according to a Radio 4 programmes about his life and work.

Tom worked for the Western Daily Press from 1954 to 1958, and later as a features writer and drama critic for the Bristol Evening World, which immersed him in the world of theatre and led to friendships at the Bristol Old Vic; he was a frequent customer at Renato’s on King Street. He said it was during this time that he fell in love with theatre and decided it was the most exciting art form in England, partly thanks to seeing the charismatic Peter O’ Toole in Hamlet at Bristol Old Vic, which transfi ed him. They became close friends.

Tom said later that he regretted not getting a formal university education but had loved his early career in Bristol, a city he considered, for him, the starting point for “all the things that count”.

THE ARTS

© BRIGIT TE L ACOMBE

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

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SHOUTOUT TO HER EX

here’s nothing remotely new about breakup albums. Stevie and Lindsey bitched back and forth on Rumours, Amy grieved over Blake on Back to Black, while Taylor would have a far smaller back catalogue if it hadn’t been for her exes.

And this year, following her headlinegrabbing divorce from Stranger Things star David Harbour, we’ve had Lily Allen singing ever so prettily about sex addiction, lies, and

emotional manipulation in the autofictional’ West End Girl, demonstrating once again her talent for spinning personal trauma into musical gold. The album chronicles the hot mess of a disintegrating marriage caused by a husband’s misuse of a (reluctantly agreed) open relationship; in a style that’s barely changed since her first single Smile in 2006, Lily coats her candid, caustic, witty lyrics in incongruously sweet, poppy melodies.

Lily’s never had it easy; you can’t help wishing the girl would catch a break. This, of course, will not stop you from desperately wanting to hear her perform West End Girl live.

If you’ve bagged tickets for the Bristol show in March, expect a night of emotional honesty, cinematic pop and classic Lily attitude. If you haven’t we’ll see you in the returns queue.

Lily Allen performs West End Girl at Bristol Beacon on 17 March; www.bristolbeacon.org

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W AT’S ON 2-30 January 2026

Tainted love?

Lost Atoms at BOV

EXHIBITIONS Until 4 January

SMALL THINGS, BIG VOICES 24x24cm works demonstrating how the smallest gestures can sometimes hold the biggest voices, revealing the power of intimacy, focus, and imagination. At WA, rwa.org.uk

Until 11 January

NOUR JAOUDA Solo exhibition by Libyan artist our, whose uid, multi-layered textile works traverse the languages of painting, sculpture and installation to produce ‘landscapes of memory’.

Spike Island, spikeisland.org.uk DAN LIE: SLEEPING METHODOLOGIES Dan’s commission celebrates natural cycles of transformation and the interdependent exchanges that structure ecosystems; Spike Island, spikeisland.org.uk

Until 8 February

EMMA TALBOT: EVERYTHING IS ENERGY Emma brings her complex visual poems to life across drawing, silk paintings, sculpture, installation and animation; Arnolfini; arnolfini.org.uk

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Until 26 April

WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR The prestigious exhibition of nature photos at Bristol Museum; the ideal January treat. bristolmuseums.org.uk

22 January-10 May

DARK TALES: BRITAIN AND IRELAND THROUGH A GOTHIC LENS The new exhibition at MPF explores the complex relationship between gothic and documentary photography in Britain and Ireland, from post-war to the turn of the 21st century. martinparrfoundation.org

24 January-19 April

COSMOS: THE ART OF OBSERVING SPACE A major art and science e hibition celebrating our enduring fascination with space. Bringing together contemporary and historic artists, the exhibition features a wide range of work inspired by the cosmos.

At WA, rwa.org.uk

SHOWS

Until 3 January

MIRACLE ON NORTH STREET Gurt Haunted brings a participatory

paranormal parody to TFT which will leave you pondering: is it the festive spirit, or have I just had one too many brandies? tobaccofactorytheatres.com

Until 4 January

SLEEPING BEAUTY Polka Dot Pantomimes does what it does best, with this classic panto at edgrave; redgravetheatre.com JACK & THE BEANSTALK It’s Bristol Hippodrome’s traditional panto with Will Young as the Spirit of the Beans, Charlie Brooks in familiar villain mode, oh, and Sooty. atgtickets.com

Until 10 January

TREASURE ISLAND What could be more Bristol than a piratical yarn? BOV’s Christmas show has had great reviews, not least for Jayde Adams’ performance. bristololdvic.org.uk ANTARCTICA The South Pole is a magical, wind-whipped world of snow, ice and some of the most wondrous creatures on Earth. BOV Christmas shows for very young theatregoers; bristololdvic.org.uk

Until 11 January

MOULIN SCROOGE It’s a festive comedy mash-up for grown-ups, so it can only be The Wardrobe: absolutely no prizes for guessing which two tales are being mashed here. thewardrobetheatre.com

Until 17 January

RAPUNZEL: A HAIRY TALE The T T’s hristmas offering.

We’ve never seen one we didn’t like. tobaccofactorytheatres.com

13-24 January

LOST ATOMS The story of an, transformative love. Or was it? Perhaps it was just typical? Or toxic? Or doomed from the start? Two people plunge deep into their shared pasts and propel themselves into multiple imagined future, at BOV; bristololdvic.org.uk

28-31 January

SMALL TOWN BOY How do you piece together a person who didn’t have time to find those pieces themselves? A heartbreakingly joyful play about grief, community and growing up queer in a rural town, explored in drag at BOV; bristololdvic.org.uk

WHAT’S ON sex. The problem is that she blushes every time she says that word.

Expect routines about Page 3, lad culture and most importantly, big, fat naturals. BOV, bristololdvic.org.uk

MUSIC

CABARET & COMEDY Ongoing

3 January

BRISTOL IMPROV THEATRE For the full programme, see improvtheatre.co.uk

19 January

CLOSER EACH DAY The world’s longest-running improvised comedy soap continues at Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com

THE GAFFE Stand-up LOLs from some of the sharpest, funniest comedians on the circuit, at Bristol’s hottest new comedy club: ga o lu . o

15-31 January

BRISTOL COMEDY FESTIVAL Two weeks of live comedy to brighten up the gloomiest month of the year, with local legends, rising stars and big names alike – we’re talking Jayde Adams, Mark Watson, Abi Clarke, Olga Coch, Milo Edwards, Finlay Christie and many more – at venues across the city. thebristolcomedyfestival.com

24 January

RIA LINA: RIABELLION Ria explores the state of the world, the eternal battle of the sexes, and the delight of throwing life up in the air after years of following the rules, at Redgrave; redgravetheatre.com

25 January

WONDERHAUS The brightest and bravest gems of live performance, comedy, clowning, circus, music and miscellany, freshly mined from the depths of the collective subconscious; at Wardrobe, thewardrobetheatre.com TOP: Someone tell St Paul & The Broken Bones it’s standing-room only at Electric MIDDLE: “Nobody ever forgot the Treasure Island after-party”

BOTTOM: Charm of Finches:

if you haven’t had the memo, they’re ‘darkly bewitching’

For more events see: Bristol Beacon (bristolbeacon.org); St George’s Bristol (stgeorgesbristol.co.uk); Trinity (trinitybristol.org.uk); The Louisiana (thelouisiana.net); Thekla (theklabristol.co.uk): O2 Academy (academymusicgroup.com); Bristol Folk House (bristolfolkhouse.co.uk); Electric Bristol (electricbristol.com); The Hen & Chicken (henandchicken.com); Prospect Building (theprospectbuilding.com) and Gallimaufrey (thegallimaufry.co.uk)

CHLOE PETTS: BIG NATURALS Chloe’s delving where she’s never delved before: this is a show about

NEW YEAR VIENNESE GALA Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra’s chief conductor Mark Wigglesworth conducts soloist Elizabeth Watts; at Bristol Beacon, bristolbeacon.org THE 502S The beach folksters from Florida, are often called ‘the happiest band on Earth’, and certainly their breezy banjos, shout-along choruses and high energy feels like sunshine you can dance to – and who doesn’t fancy a bit of that in the middle of January?

At Electric, electricbristol.com

21 January

CHARM OF FINCHES Aussie sisters Mabel and Ivy Windred-Wornes bring their intricate folk-pop and graceful, darkly bewitching vocals to Jam Jar; thejamjarbristol.com

22 January

ST PAUL & THE BROKEN BONES Brace yourself for a night of powerhouse soul as the eight-piecer brings its high-octane live show to Electric. electricbristol.com

28 January

MARTYN JOSEPH The gifted guitarist and singersongwriter has been compared to Springsteen; make your own mind up at Beacon; bristolbeacon.org

OTHER Ongoing

BRISTOL FILM FESTIVAL Now Christmas is over we’re back to the usual eclectic selection (though

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WHAT’S ON The book that changed my life Although it’s technically a play, reading it changed my life: The Effect by Lucy Prebble was the play that made me want to become a playwright. I finally managed to see it last year and got to meet her at the same time.

CULTURE CLUB with Brenda Callis An emerging artist from the Sotu West, Brenda is the writer of Smalltown Boy, “a heartbreakingly joyful play about grief, community, and growing up queer in a rural town, explored through the explosive storytelling medium of drag”.

A film I could watch over and over again I’m a real romcom girl, and the one I could watch forever is Populaire - a French movie about a secretary who competes in a typewriting competition in the 1950s. It’s gorgeous, colourful, funny, heartfelt, and more tense than you would expect! And all the dresses are just… *sigh*.

A painting that means something to me Zoe Power’s Nous mural in Bedminster. It’s about solidarity and sisterhood, it’s colourful and beautiful, and in lockdown I tried to walk past it whenever I left the house to help me feel some joy. I have the print and it was the first piece of art I bought for myself that made me feel like a cool adult with cool art on the walls of my tiny flat.

Best TV show ever…

I’m torn. I mean, Fleabag, surely.

Every thread, every character, every line is pulled to its absolute edge, it has the best ending to a TV show I’ve ever seen and is a masterclass of storytelling. But I’ve recently loved We Are Lady Parts; it’s so funny, punchy, and also tells story in an exciting way. I love all the dream sequences and would watch Anjana Vasan in anything. Yay for women writers on TV! My favourite binge-watch Gilmore Girls. When I was growing up we relied on a DVD rental service to watch it, so we’d have to see three episodes, send off the disc, and wait two weeks for the next one to come back. I think it’s designed to be watched back-to-back so you start talking as fast as they do (also: Team Jess).

The book I could happily re-read Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Everisto is so rich and brilliantly written; at every chapter-end I think “I don’t want to leave this character” until you get a page into the next person, and then you don’t want to leave them, and so the cycle begins again!

My desert island disc Be the Cowboy by Mitski. Such fun, so emotional, every song is a journey. Nobody, a disco track about loneliness, made me think a lot about how impactful joyful explorations of sadness can be, which is something that comes up a lot in Smalltown Boy. A character you’d love to play Blanche Dubois in Streetcar Named Desire. I played her for ten minutes for my A- Level performance and her voice comes back to me whenever I’m a little tipsy. “I don’t want realism, I want magic!”

there seem to be a lot of movies about outer space this month); ri olfil i al. o

Until 4 January

BENEATH THE WAVES A festive light-and-sound experience at the s r a ri ain turns the lower dry dock into a luminous seascape, tracing the ship’s voyage from the icy depths of northern waters to the warm, golden shimmer of distant shores. gr a ri ain.org MERRY AND WILD CHRISTMAS Festive trail at the Zoo; kids can visit the lves’ ost O ce and write a wish for wildlife in their letter to Santa (aww); step inside a giant snowglobe, see Santa’s sledge and giant hanging bells, and wind up in the Tipi Grotto; ri ol oo ro .org.uk

Until 5 January

THE LAST SPROUTS Step into the SPROUTERverse - a festive parallel world where the humble sprout becomes the unlikely hero of the season, ak ig r. o

Until 11 January

THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHT Run out of Bristol-based festive things to do? Ever wanted to see Wallace & Gromit (and Shaun, and Morph, and the i k n un chooks) in giant lantern form?

Of course you have! Head to Longleat for the British Icons display; it’s a grand day out. longl a . o.uk

7 January

NT LIVE: THE FIFTH STEP The next best thing to seeing Jack Lowden and Martin Freeman at the actual NT, in the acclaimed and subversively funny new play

by David Ireland; At Redgrave; r gra ar. o

26 January

NT LIVE: HAMLET More treats from the South Bank; this time Hiran Abeysekera gives us his Dane in a fearless, contemporary take on Shakespeare’s famous tragedy; Redgrave; r gra ar. o n

My dance floor/karaoke banger Fergalicious by Fergie. I’ve known every single word, beat, second of that song since I was 12. With that song on separate occasions I’ve won a karaoke queen award, closed the night performing with a drag queen, and won over a whole room of strangers at a friend’s birthday.

Podcast pick The Painkiller Podcast is made up of ten-minute audio plays that used to be released fortnightly – great for a bit of theatre on the go.

Best app Headfirst! So cool to have an events app just for Bristol, and I get so excited when friends’ events get chosen for the editors’ pick.!

Guilty pleasure Honestly… Nando’s. I don’t go very often because it’s basic, a chain, and there’s so many amazing other independent places to eat in Bristol, but my heart calls its peri-peri name.

Smalltown Boy plays Bristol Old Vic’s Weston Studio between 28-31 January www.bristololdvic.org.uk

Jack Lowden fans form an orderly queue: The Fifth Step shows at Redgrave (We’re not sure which step Jack is taking here)

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NOMINATIONS CLOSE 29 JANUARY PLATINUM SPONSOR

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For sponsorship please contact neil.snow@mediaclash.co.uk

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THEATRE

TEN YEARS OF THE WARDROBE THEATRE

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“The Wardrobe Theatre wouldn’t exist without Bristol. This theatre was built by a city that believes in creativity”

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THEATRE

ow firmly established as Bristol’s leading fringe venue, The Wardrobe Theatre first opened in Old Market during the Christmas of 2015. What had formerly been a bank and then a cabaret venue had been transformed through sweat, determination and a community’s love for theatre.

Ten years on, The Wardrobe Theatre stands as one of Bristol’s most emblematic success stories, offering proof of how far creativity and collaboration can go when they’re given a home.

The venue’s beginnings in 2011 were modest, almost accidental, says artistic director and CEO Matthew Whittle. “It was only supposed to be a pop-up. Just a few months above The White Bear pub on St Michael’s Hill; but artists loved it, the audiences loved it.”

That temporary attic space sparked a movement. By 2015, the team knew they’d outgrown their makeshift home and dreamed of something purpose-built, but still characterful, accessible and unmistakably Bristol. That dream led them to Old Market.

“When we saw the space for the first time, it just felt right”, says co-founder and technical director Chris Collier. “We got the green light, and suddenly we were knee-deep in plaster dust and spreadsheets.”

The build was chaotic in the most heartfelt sense, with unpredictable funding and the need for long days and even longer nights.“We were still fundraising while we were building, so I had no idea what I could spend the money on”, says Chris. “But every day, people turned up – friends, family, old schoolmates, theatremakers. Everyone gave what they could.

“The result was the most beautiful kind of DIY: mismatched chairs, repurposed wood and unshakable optimism. It was a total labour of love. Everything was borrowed, begged or donated”

MAIN PIC: The 250th episode of Closer Each Day

ABOVE: A slightly less-well-known Nish Kumar back in 2016

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THEATRE

TOP ROW: Goldilock, Stock and Three Smoking Bears; 10 years in the biz we call show; new seating; MIDDLE ROW: The Lost Cabaret; Old Market Remixed; Aisha Ali at Kiota BOTTOM ROW: James Williams; the Wardrobe corridor; the Wardrobe team, from back, l-r: Aisha, Chris, Guila and LK: front, Kate, Daisy, Matthew and Luke

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THEATRE When self-made Christmas show Goldilock, Stock & Three Smoking Bears opened in the new Wardrobe Theatre that first December, the show sold out. The audience squeezed into the fledgling 100-seat theatre: Bristol had embraced it immediately.

Aisha Ali, theatre manager and artist development producer, remembers the transformation vividly.

“The old theatre was tiny; tickets were sold from a table in the pub. The new space felt palatial by comparison, and it was built by the community. That spirit has never left.”

Over the last decade, The Wardrobe Theatre has become a home for imagination in all its messy, joyful forms. Its stage has hosted over 4,000 performances including 200 unique episodes of cult-comedy hit Closer Each Day: The Improvised Soap Opera; the monthly Story Slam, in which audience share their true stories live; hundreds of comedians who went on to become household names, including Russell Howard, Nish Kumar and Daniel Kitson; and a string of irreverent Christmas mash-ups such as Reservoir Mogs, The Good, The Bad & The Coyote Ugly, Muppets Die Hard and current show Moulin Scrooge.

The Wardrobe Theatre has produced and co-produced 30 original shows, several of which have toured the UK, visited festivals such as Edinburgh Fringe and reached the stage of the National Theatre. Thousands of performers, poets, musicians, theatremakers and total beginners have stepped onto its stage.

Groups such as The Shade Pullers & Lash Stackers Social Club, The Lost Cabaret, Kiota, Chuckle Busters, Aftermirth, Milk Poetry, Tommy’s Waffle Club and Rock The Tots have found a creative home here, growing audiences and widening the city’s cultural landscape. “Fringe theatre is personal and political”, says Aisha. “It’s where people experiment, fail, laugh, and start again.”

Of course, no decade-long story would be complete without the shock of the 2020 pandemic. “It was devastating”, says Matthew.

“Hundreds of shows cancelled overnight. But we had to adapt.”

Innovation followed. Working with Sharp Teeth Theatre, they created Sherlock in Homes, an interactive digital detective show that ended up reaching audiences across Europe, Australia and even Brazil. “It brought families together who were miles apart”, he says. “That was special.”

For Aisha, the crisis prompted deep reflection. “We didn’t know if we’d survive. The Cultural Recovery Fund helped, but really it was the community – the artists, volunteers and the audience – which kept us going.”

Today, The Wardrobe Theatre is more established but just as heartfelt. “It started as an unknown”, Chris says. “Now it’s about celebrating what we built together. Every corner represents someone’s time, sweat or kindness.”

Aisha agrees: “I used to perform more, but now I mainly compose for theatre and support artists. Watching someone you’ve helped share their work – that’s magic.”

Looking ahead, the team dreams of expanding what’s possible: more support for artists, more bold ideas, more stories that reflect Bristol in all its colour. The Wardrobe Theatre, in many ways, mirrors its city: collaborative, rebellious, welcoming, and always alive with possibility.

“The Wardrobe Theatre wouldn’t exist without Bristol”, says Chris. “This theatre was built by a city that believes in creativity.”

“We’re so lucky”, says Aisha. “Lucky to work with clever, silly, caring people, in a creative city we love. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.” n www.thewardrobetheatre.com

“It was a total labour of love.

Everything was borrowed, begged or donated”

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SPONSORED CONTENT

WRITE YOUR FUTURE IN 2026 Writing your will and keeping it up to date is the best way to secure the future for your loved ones

A

s you plan for the year ahead and organise your family, why not write or update your will with St Peter’s Hospice?

You can also help secure the future of hospice services for local families like yours across your community.

St Peter’s is the only hospice for adults in Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset, providing free, expert end-of-life care to patients and families.

Gifts in Wills are one of the most powerful ways you can help St Peter’s be there for its community, ensuring they can continue to care for everyone who needs them, for generations to come.

Writing your will gives you peace of mind and ensures the people and causes you care

“ST PETER’S IS THE ONLY HOSPICE FOR ADULTS IN BRISTOL, SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE AND NORTH SOMERSET” 20 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

about are provided for. Leaving a gift to any charity is so simple, and will of course cost you nothing today.

For a friendly conversation about how you can support hospice care with a gift in your will, including accessing St Peter’s free willwriting services, contact Matt.

Call 01275 391400 or email legacy@stpetershospice.org

GIVE THE GIFT OF HOSPICE CARE You can leave a legacy of love and care for your community with a gift in your will to St Peter’s. Gifts in wills pay for the care of one in every five patients that St Peter’s supports, ensuring the end of life can be met with calm, kindness and compassion.

Visit stpetershospice.org/GiftsInWills to find out more, call Matt on 01275 391400, or email legacy@stpetershospice.org

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THANK YOU, MARTIN

A personal tribute to the late, great photographer Martin Parr Words and pics by Colin Moody

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BRISTOL HEROES

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his is going to be a very personal tribute from me to the man I knew, who always had time to talk about photography; about where you were going with your practice, and how to be ambitious, and to always – and I do mean always – keep the lens cap off, because you never know when you’re going to need to lift that camera and take a picture.

So these images are going to be my own photos from encounters over the years. I can’t remember e actly the first time I met artin arr, but I can remember Deri, the editor of this magazine, coming up to me and saying to me how much she thought my work was in uenced by him and how I should meet him. Well: whatever transpired in the chemistry of the universe we did meet, and I think it may have come about with me taking a picture of him at the Arnolfini, which we will come to soon.

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irst picture, then, is about legacy. artin’s work, of course, spanned the globe, while taking us inside places you only saw in a arr photograph. But artin also created a oundation in his name at aintworks, to champion local voices and underrepresented artists and documentary from all over the world.

So here is artin letting another photographer share their vision, their ideas, with audiences at the artin arr oundation.

I started attending talks there religiously when I was first working in Bristol, and the ideas I heard there have moulded me. What I’m trying to say is that you can take artin’s photos and see them as an incredible body of work, entertaining us over the decades; but you also have to take in his efforts to get other voices heard, to shine a light into the darkness. ost photography is just letting light into the camera to develop on the film, to be captured by the sensor. artin worked just as hard the other way, projecting that work back into the world.

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This may have been the first time I met artin properly. e was launching an incredible show at the Arnolfini, and once again raising the bar for Bristol. I’ve met many photographers and artists who don’t make the leap from working here in this city to working wider. artin was always so ambitious and humble at the same time, bringing international attention to our city in big shows.

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“On both sides of the camera it felt like we were all being seen, heard, recognised and championed by the work”

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

“I still remember how disappointed he was with me when I showed him a shot of a fi ong r without noug fi

4 He’d made Bristol his home for years, and I started to bump into him at cultural events. Wherever big crowds came together to dance and celebrate, he was there. And even though his health was not so great at times he still made it happen.

He once asked me about getting press access to the festivals I was working at, in such a friendly way. I passed his details on, and started to see him in the pit at Loves Saves the Day, and then at Pride. I always remember how he was always so happy going up to people and getting chatting. I’m gonna say that I was able to learn from him while he did his thing. And in these next few images you will see a few chance encounters when he and I were both shooting at the same time.

S he later told me he was not taking a selfie here, but watching a mad video.

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I don’t do selfies, but just this once let’s have one. ntil I watched the movie on the BBC about Martin I didn’t realise he was a frequent visitor to East Street while shooting one of his many books.

Here, me (on the left) and my good friend Lee (aka @pit_lad) were out on one of our street-photo walks down East Street when we realised there was another photographer clicking away. It was Martin.

This was my favourite time to be with Martin. He has helped me edit my books year after year, and that’s such an honour, but to just be riding the elements of chance and hard work that is street photography with him was always a joy. e was always doing e actly what he needed to do, watching, waiting, getting a good spot.

Here we are outside the Sunshine Café. I don’t know why we didn’t suggest we all went in for a cup of tea and some toast. But the world was turning, and people needed to be photographed. Lee and me always believe it is so important to show how things are and to document them. Martin, thank you, for your support and always challenging us to do more, to be bolder. I still remember how disappointed you were with me once when I showed you a shot of a fishmonger without enough fish. I went back and shot it again, did it right.

No shortcuts for Martin, unless it’s an alleyway that will take you from one part of the universe to another where kids are holding icecreams that are melting all over the place.

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Martin shot the St Paul’s Carnival one year, and his photos ended up being blown-up big and hung all over the walls of Arnolfini.

He clearly had a dream that we could all come together in this photography thing. On both sides of the camera it felt like we were all being seen, heard, recognised and championed by the work.

24 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

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BRISTOL HEROES

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Cheeky gin and tonic with Lee at Love Saves the Day? Why not.

But not sat down for long. Soon, that muddy walk to the pit, all the photographers out to get snaps of the band for this mag or that mag. Not Martin. Like Lee and me, he was looking at the audience, the mega-fans, the ones screaming for more.

If there was one photographer who bothered to notice us, the real us, over all these years – the bored couple at dinner, the big-hat lady at the races, the hardworking and proud steel worker, and a million others – it was Martin Parr. While politicians claim to represent us, and fall short, Martin was able to show us moments that made us feel seen.

Sorry again another failure of a shot. Smiling. That was a no-no.

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With Lucas Antics here, whose shop Martin popped into when I was chatting away instead of shooting After a brief introduction to Alex from me he went right away into shooting mode, setting her up perfectly for a portrait here and there.

Alex says her work, with its wonky and often lazy-looking animals, was heavily inspired by Martin’s early colour photography. So great to bring these two together for a second and a quick snap.

Martin would be mad, of course, because again I didn’t give them time to stop smiling. He taught me a lot about the importance of not letting the mask of the smile ruin a good portrait. But these photos here today are the personal ones; the ones that are just for me. To show you just a little of the joy that he gave when he met new people, especially those whose own work was inspired by his own photography.

“If there was one photographer who bothered to notice us, the real us, it was Martin Parr” 26 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

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Martin writing “Well done Bristol” on one of my prints of the Colston statue going in the drink. e took the time to come to my tiny show, and was one of the first to add his words to an image. He then bought a completed piece which he put into a show the very next month.

Martin did not mess around. No small talk.

I just wanted to add that it was those incredible talks with Magnum photographers and others who ew to the foundation to inspire us all that gave me the confidence to do work as bold as it should be done.

If he believed in you, you had to pull out all the stops and go for it.

His work in itself is inspiring, but when he took the time, after making you a cup of tea at his Foundation, to go over your work you knew right away what you were doing right and where you might try harder.

Always harder. artin pulling books off the shelf to help me put projects together; I’m going to miss that. He could see what you were trying to do and knew a dozen books immediately that you had to take a look at. His mind knew the world of photography like no-one I’ve ever met.

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The man was a machine. The mud at a festival to a man in a mobility pushalong thing was no obstacle at all, it seemed.

He always said get closer, and he never, ever stopped. I can’t believe he isn’t out there now somewhere, pushing on and on.

Thank you, Martin. I just want to say thank you.

Colin Moody: content creation, online images Twitter @moodycolin; Instagram @colinmoodyphotography www.colinmoodyphotography.wordpress.com

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FEATS OF CLAY Think you know Bristol? A new book by Oliver Kent takes a very niche look at the city Words by Stephen Morris

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ome cityscapes are defined by bricks and tiles. ew ork and hicago would not be the same without their heritage of moulded bricks and coloured tiles, Lisbon’s facades are blue and white, and London nderground has its iconic Johnston typeface and roundel logo.

And Bristol? espite a long history of pottery-making and a thriving th-century brick-and-tile industry, Bristol is by nature a stone city, its older buildings a lesson in geology, built from the rock beneath our feet. Brick – clay that’s been kiln-fired and thus ceramic – was the stuff of revolution: a uick and cheap answer to the demands of manufacturers and their workers. ot very se y, you’d think. But Bristol’s makers found and still find a way to enhance the brickiness of their buildings with ceramic ourishes – terracotta dragons, a leaping fo , a laundromat of life-sized washing machines and psychedelic patterns for council housing. An entire building dressed up like a oulton teapot, another as a rench ch teau.

In Feats of Clay, ceramicist Ollie ent shares some of the strangest, shoutiest and loveliest e amples of Bristol’s street ceramics. e demystifies the grassy bumps and dents of urdham own and the sticky li uid slag of the Black astle. ere and there, elegantly tiled doorsteps say welcome home’, and a fine old boozer shines like a Lisbon tramcar.

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The ceramic city is as comple and variable as the clay that makes it.

In north Bristol the clay turns red, in Bedminster it’s fired to buff and yellow. ire the clay-rich Avon mud to higher and higher temperatures and it transmutes into rich brown-black glass. Look to see those colours in the chimney pots, in the tiles at Temple eads – and, with the following to get you going, create your own I S of favourites.

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Urban Foxes by Chinagirl Tile for Upfest, 2016 Where? en and hicken, 2 orth Street, Southville Street artists such as hinagirl have discovered ceramics. Bristol’s pfest is famously a showcase for painted murals, but tiles, ceramic mosaics and even fully three-dimensional pieces have also been appearing regularly, particularly south of the river. There are even ceramic tags, if you look for them.

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“The ceramic city is as complex and variable as the clay that makes it”

The Christmas Steps Eye by Beau Stanton, 2017 Where? Ahh Toots cake shop, hristmas Steps An old blind window with sight restored in a th-century building at the bottom of the hristmas Steps. Well above head height – blink and you’ll miss it.

There is something mysterious and magical about sightless windows in old buildings, and Beau’s mosaic is a mysterious reprise. This place has been a church, a mediaeval hospital, one of Bristol’s oldest schools, a chip shop, a sweet shop, a clay-pipe factory, a printer’s. Behind it all is a little block of ats built in the 5 s as model dwellings for the industrial classes’, who might have looked out of those windows and watched the city change.

Beau is a Brooklyn-based street artist best known for large murals across the nited States and internationally.

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Bristol Temple Meads When glamorous maroon and cream vintage trains pull into Temple eads Station, they are greeted not by the great ictorian

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

ARTS 4

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Clayton Hotel Bristol (formerly Edward Everard Printworks) Where? 5- Broad Street Glazed facades became all the rage in the late 19th century, not least for their ease of cleaning for butchers and fishmongers and public lavatories . The potential for colour and decoration was irresistible and so brightly coloured ceramic shops and pubs appeared, with local brickmakers enthusiastically trying to outdo stonemasons for ourishes. ictured here is the wildest of the wild, the dward verard rintworks of : oulton blocks and tiles all handmade and glazed. an you find the dragons and the spelling mistake? n Want to see more? Feats of Clay costs £9.50 online at the link below, or order from your friendly local bookshop www.thegreatbritishbookshop.co.uk

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engine shed that reaches across platforms 2 to 5 but by 1930s purple Art Deco tiles on the glossy glazed ceramic waiting and refreshment rooms of the open platforms to the east.

Very Agatha Christie, Miss Marple and cream teas. Around the same time, Great Western Railway was busy building new Art Deco stations for ardiff and Leamington Spa, and o ce blocks at addington. But dominated by ortland Stone, none of them have the pizazz of Temple Meads’ cream-glazed ceramic walls.

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The Café Wall Illusion Where? af Bar, -2 erry oad ere’s a visual trick: the green and cream horizontal rectangles of this caf facade refuse to be parallel, even though you know they must be. One row dips to the left, the ne t to the right and so on. Try drawing the pattern out on a piece of graph paper – the same thing happens.

It was in that rofessor ichard regory of the Brain and erception Laboratory at Bristol niversity christened it the af Wall Illusion’ and tried to understand why our brains can’t cope with it. is conclusion? The strong contrast between the colours and the relationship with the dark line of grout leave our brains mystified as to exactly where the edges are, and so come up with contradictory results.

“The green and cream horizontal rectangles of this café facade refuse to be parallel, even though you know they must be” www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 31

EMILY & DAN ROSS STORYSMITH BOOKS

the bedside of an oil magnate as he dies, and is narrated by the metaphysical being assigned to comfort him as walks towards the light. It is totally breathless, funny, troubling, anarchic, beautiful, poignant, weird, precise, loose, and many more things which cement it as one of our most anticipated reads this year.

It’s your life; your book-choice.

No pressure at all from these guys

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ar be it from us to impose on you, reader, the strictures of a New Year’s resolution, especially one dedicated entirely to reading: judging by the quantity and calibre of books you were gifting last month, you’ve got plenty to read.

So for this issue, we thought we’d simply share the books about which we are most quiveringly excited in 2026, and leave you to draw your own conclusions about whether or not you should read them. No pressure. Well, not really. Maybe some light pressure.

Anyway, it’s your reading life, we’re just here to advise…

Vigil by George Saunders (released January 2026) We’ve achieved something of a shop ambition and, after some years of heartfelt entreaties and impassioned pitches to his publisher, we’ve convinced one of our favourite authors of all time to come and visit us in Bristol this February (sold out already, apols).

Besides being a Booker Prizewinning writer of fictions long and short, George Saunders is perhaps the world’s most famous creative writing teacher and, with his new novel, the architect of ever-deepening examinations of the human soul. Vigil, which we’ve already devoured, takes place at

What Am I, A Deer?

by Polly Barton (released April 2026) It’s hard for us to be more stoked about a book this year than Polly Barton’s debut work of fiction.

You might know Polly’s work even if the name isn’t familiar: she’s the rightly-renowned translator behind the English-language editions of the Japanese literary juggernaut Butter, by Asako Yuzuki, as well as a lauded nonfiction writer, but she’s also a beloved Bristol local and a regular haunter of the city’s independent bookshops (for this alone we’ll always be on her team).

With a delightfully perplexing title and even more enticing set-up involving a lost umbrella, video games and karaoke, it’s safe to say we’ll be prioritising this one.

learned individuals who has read Gwendoline Riley’s criminally underacknowledged classic My Phantoms, you’ll already be comfortably aboard the hype train for The Palm House. Like all her work, The Palm House is a vertiginous balancing act between extremes of tragedy and hilarity, written with an almost intangibly uncanny sense that this is all really happening somewhere and you’re just hearing about it.

An august magazine gains a new editor and alienates one of its key contributors, and our narrator, his best friend, is left to pick up the pieces: but her own past di cult relationships means she’ll have to dig deep to help him. Quiet and casually devastating, it’s actually a gently hopeful novel about what survives of us through personal crises.

If you visited us in the shop over Christmas, we hope you managed to find, gift and receive everything you wanted, and that we also appeared lucid and unfatigued while you were here. Chief among all our hopes, though, whether you visited or not, is that you’ll join us for another year of esoteric and exploratory reading adventures – we’ve got some wonderful things planned for Bristol already.

“It’s breathless, funny, troubling, anarchic, beautiful, poignant, weird, precise, loose, and many more things”

The Palm House by Gwendoline Riley (released April 2026) If you’re one of the lucky and

Visit Storysmith at 36 North Street, Bedminster; www.storysmithbooks.com www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 33

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ADELINA YARD

This small, family-run restaurant on Welsh Back epitomises the Bristol food scene at its shining best Words by Deri Robins

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RESTAURANT

e dined like kings during 2025. At new openings e t, we’re back in cured fish territory – and really, we agree, why and old favourites alike, at pop-ups and supper bother cooking the stuff when it’s always so much nicer this way? A black clubs, we munched our way contentedly across stone doughnut-shaped bowl sets off the translucent jewel-like portions the city in a wild, waistband-expanding ride. It’s of ChalkStream trout a treat, with a bit of subtle heat from jalapeno and always nice to end the year on a high, so in early ginger and the satisfying pop of the pearly roe.

December we hied ourselves to Adelina Yard.

There’s a sweet-salty-smoky thing going on in a chopped eel dish with Like many of the best Bristol restaurants, it’s a family affair with deep beetroot, apple, seaweed jam and pickled kelp, which more or less ends roots in the city. It’s run by Jamie Randall and Olivia Barry; an irrelevant the starters if you regard the next dish as a pasta course: cavatelli in a (but fun) aside is that Liv’s part of the Bianchi cookin’ cousins clan. They tangy Rachel reserve goat’s cheese and fermented kale, with a slick of pitched up in Adelina Yard in late 2015 with impressive previous, both egg yolk. I experience a moment of déjà chew. I’m almost sure I had this having gained top diplomas from the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts dish here many years ago, so maybe it’s become a signature. before working at stellar London restaurants such as Murano, Galvin The first of the mains is a sliced fillet of aged beef, nicely pink, the La hapelle and Odette’s. The site they chose for their first venture creaminess of burrata pairing a treat well with the rich meat. The was a little building on Welsh Back, just past the old O&M sheds where Adelina kitchen is skilled at avour-balancing, and the addition of BoxHall is meant to be opening, although this shows no more sign of citrussy ponzu adds a tartness to the umaminess. happening than it did back in 2021, and I’m not sure anyone’s holding I sometimes feel a little sorry for the latter dishes on a tasting menu. their breath any more.

Unless you’re dining solo, remain sober and never relax your forensic Being set back from the street in a row of attention, some of the subtler details can slip under unmellowed red brick buildings on a quiet part of the radar at this stage. But I do recall that a sea bass DINING DETAILS the harbour, Adelina was never going to attract course is fresh-tasting and aky in a lovely creamy, Adelina Yard, Queen Quay, Welsh Back, much casual footfall. It’s not like Cargo; you need to winey, tru y sauce, while venison and black pudding 0117 925 6682; www.adelinayard.com know it’s there, which lends a pleasingly cognoscenti Open: Wed-Sat, midday- 2pm, 6pm to 8pm with hispi cabbage brings all the wintry feels. quality to proceedings. Inside, the bijou L-shaped After a palate-cleansing green apple, sorrel and Prices: Anniversary tasting menu £100pp; space has only 30 or so covers. At lunchtime or cucumber refresher comes another intriguing treat dinner menu £80; four-course lunch £43 during summer evenings it’s nice to sit at the back, in the form of the pudding course. Would we have Veggie? Alternative menu available where you can gaze across the water to edcliff uay detected the presence of Jerusalem artichoke if we Service Friendly and invested and watch all the sculling action. On a winter’s night hadn’t been told? ell, of course, says she would. It’s Atmosphere Buzzing, relaxed it’s cosy, the gold main wall a warm glow. a fascinating layered concoction, the artichoke cream I hadn’t felt especially Christmassy before arriving, on top of fruity, dark Manjari chocolate and softly but as soon as we’re ensconced beneath Adelina’s baubles a festive chewy caramel. We thought it was brilliant. switch is ipped. I find myself succumbing to the airytale cocktail – as A lot of tasting menu restaurants set out to be wild and different these it happens, this week is also the anniversary of Shane McGowan’s death. days. This of course can be a lot of fun; I have fond memories of the A citrussy mulled whisky, it’s served chilled, making the first in a set of fever dream that was Casamia during its 24-course, weird-gig-with-food delightful surprises. I can almost hear Andy Clarke, seated at the table era, though I probably wouldn’t have gone twice. behind me, scribbling down the recipe.

Adelina ard doesn’t try to be gimmicky. either is it remotely A succession of fabulous morsels appear, explained with just the right pretentious; each course is invested with a huge amount of care and amount of nerdiness by the servers. Beetroot macarons sandwiched with creativity, but there’s minimal tweezering. The fact that it has yet to be cod’s roe (if you fancied being fanciful you might imagine them as a pair garlanded with Michelin stars (although it’s in the Guide) is one of the of stylised Santas melt on the tongue and set the avour bar high. e t great mysteries of our time; it’s every bit as good as Wilson’s or Bulrush, up is a squid and prawn tart, the seafood cured rather than cooked, with and just like those great restaurants it combines sublime, refined creative preserved Japanese mandarin sealing the festive deal. In uences are cooking with a friendly, likeable, welcoming vibe. global, with a featherlight Asian touch to many of the dishes.

It’s Bristol at its best: a class act which doesn’t feel the need to shout Little mu ns are cheesy with aged parmesan under bosky black or put on airs. It’s such a great achievement that in these hard times for tru e. We’re encouraged to eke out our accompanying beakers of hospitality this excellent tucked-away little place should be celebrating celeriac broth over the next few courses, and this we dutifully do, though it’s 10th anniversary. We hope it’s still thriving after another decade; it’s it’s so comforting we’re tempted to whack it down it in one. places like this that makes our food scene such a joy.

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

FOOD & DRINK TA S T Y T I T B I T S F R O M T H E B R I S T O L F O O D S C E N E

Before we get stuck into the new year, let’s look back at some of the things we learned during the latter part of 2025

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Back in autumn we were introduced to A, a new ‘festival of food ideas’ from Josh Eggleton of the Pony group and Shona Graham of Team anteen, a not-for-profit I supporting food banks and underrepresented communities in the city.

Taking place in and outside Arnolfini between 2 -2 September, the festival featured an artisanal Producer Village and launched The Pony Farm Bus – a free-to-hire interactive learning centre converted from a vintage double-decker, complete with hydroponic growing and a demo kitchen.

The finale took the form of a symposium chaired by anthe lay and oger Saul, backed with a line-up of e pert speakers.

Inspired by ood on the dge in alway, Josh first launched A as an industry event, opening it to the public last year for the first time. Tackling some of the big current issues around food, from health to regenerative farming and education, A brought together industry professionals, grassroots organisations and consumers to share ideas and inspiration.

I’ve always wanted to use the energy and culture that we have here in Bristol to create nationwide conversations around food , Josh told us. The aim of A is to challenge our perceptions of and relationship with food, from how we source it to how we eat it. And crucially, how we pass this knowledge on to future generations.

“We’ve put on a few festivals in the city over the years, but I’m sort of hoping this will be the last one that I start! Hopefully it’s one which can really stand the test of time, that’s created for the city, deeply rooted in localism but also bringing in ideas, speakers and visitors from all over the UK. “Bristol is an epicentre of food, but A is also about looking outward to creating more connections and learning opportunities. I want to get as many people as possible into the city so that we can learn from them, and vice versa. Our first year was so well received that we’re now cracking on with 2026; watch this space!”

“I wanted to use the energy and culture we have in Bristol to create nationwide conversations about food”

www.fodafestival.com 38 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Along with food stalls, the Pony Farm Bus – a free educational resource – made its debut at FODA Bottom right, Josh and Shona

HOT PLATES

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THE GREAT BRISTOL WINE BAR REVIVAL CONTINUES APACE

Carmen Street Wine: come to drink and snack, buy a few bottles to take home

KASK²: Now saying “No to sh*t wine” in BS6 as well as BS3

In 2025 new ones opened or expanded all over the city at a rate of knots, from Tapps on Whiteladies to the second branch of KASK; aper ure’s boozy offshoot Carmen Street Wine, and new local favourite Carouse Wines in Totterdown.

Carmen Street has also recently expanded, with the addition of a new bottleshop next door adding 30 extra covers; as well as drinking onsite you can now also buy bottles to take home or order online.

In October, the team behind KASK opened KASK² on Cheltenham Road. Tastings take centre stage, from casual walk-in ights to private events in the first- oor tasting room on the first oor.

“The original KASK started as a way to get more people excited about good wine made by good humans, not in a stuffy, formal way but by showing how delicious, approachable and interesting it can be”, said Charlie Taylor. “If KASK in Bedminster is similar to that little place you discover on a European short break, KASK² is a little louder, but with the same no-nonsense approach to discovering something we know Bristol will love.”

KASK² has also launched a Book Nook – part-bookshop, partlibrary, part- tasting room. Guests can browse the wine-related books, order a glass, and if they’re hooked, buy the book when they leave. There’s also a second-hand swap section and magazines.

AS has also begun serving coffee and boozy hot chocolate, extending its opening hours into the day. www.kaskwine.co.uk

Faye Buckle has taken her years of wine industry and sommelier experience to open her own bar in Totterdown.

“Carouse Wines brings a relaxed and community-focused approach to enjoying wine”, she says. “We are a hybrid wine shop and bar and ensure we can cater for all.

Guests can buy to take home, or try up to 20 by-the-glass options.

“Totterdown has a great independent scene, and I wanted to add something that fits that spirit. We cater for walk-ins only, with an intimate private room for up to 12 for which we take bookings. Wine tastings and events will be ongoing, and involving other independent businesses.” www.carousewines.co.uk

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

HOT PLATES

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NEW RESTAURANTS ARE MOVING INTO OLD SITES

Raising the steaks at Flat Iron

Obviously this has always been the case, but here are a few notables from last year.

Remember how literally everyone, including, err, us, predicted that Greek restaurant Sousta would be moving into the old Casamia site? Looks like we were wrong. In fact it’s Italian restaurant Limone, run by the team behind established restaurants Il Gusto in Chipping Sodbury and Il Vello D’Oro in Melksham which took over the space inside The General on Guinea Street, serving a mix of Mediterranean and Italian dishes. “Welcome to your new favourite Italian restaurant!” says the website bullishly; a bold claim given how high the bar in Bristol already is. www.limoneristorante.co.uk Still talking Italian, Moltobuono has submitted plans to the Council to take over the old Fishers restaurant on Princess Victoria Street; liftonians can only cross their fingers and hope. www.moltobuono.co.uk.

Nobody sounds a louder klaxon than a national chain arriving in town, so you probably already know that Flat Iron have taken over the Four Wise Monkeys site on Clare Street. The Bristol menu is led by the signature Flat Iron steak, a cut taken from the feather blade and renowned for its avour, tenderness and juiciness when seam-butchered with skill and care. Look out too for blackboard specials such as a wagyu steak of the day and a green chilli cheeseburger made using beef from Flat Iron’s own herd in Yorkshire. You’re unlikely to recognise the joint no pun intended from its our Wise onkeys or earlier ata egra days; the -cover restaurant has stripped back the original walls and layered the room with vintage pieces and chairs. . a iron ak. o.uk

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BRISTOL KEEPS GETTING NATIONAL RECOGNITION

Meanwhile, family-owned-and-run Noah’s on Brunel Lock Road is one of five finalists in the National Fish & Chip Awards (Restaurant of the Year category); the outright winner will be announced in a ceremony in February.

Good luck, Dan and Joie! www.noahsbristol.co.uk

rom Wilson’s gaining its first ichelin star, to new Bib Gourmands for Little Hollows, Other and Tare, Bristol continues to impress far beyond its BS postcodes. The latest restaurant to gain national recognition is Dan O’Regan and Jack Briggs- oran’s rather brilliant rench bistro Lapin in A O, which has just earned an entry in the Good Food Guide. The guide praises Lapin’s classic and more surprising dishes, its wide wineby-the-glass list and good value pri -fi e menus. www.lapinbristol.co.uk

CLOCKWISE: Hi Jack; something delicious in pastry; Dan and Jack

In cod they trust: Noah’s

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

A LOT TO 5THERE’S BE MIGRATEFUL FOR

After a successful crowdfunding campaign, cookery school igrateful launched in ovember, offering classes taught by refugees and asylum seekers. igrateful provides its cooks with paid work, training, and opportunities to help them build confidence, improve their English and make new connections. any of the chefs have ed war, violence or persecution, and the classes offer a path toward independence and employment.

The new school at Windmill Hill City Farm will host classes in cuisines from Trinidad to Tobago, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Sudan and beyond. uests are invited to cook a meal collaboratively, guided by a refugee chef, who will share their recipes, culture and stories with the group. The experience ends with everyone sitting down around the dinner table to share a meal in a celebration of food and togetherness.

The idea came out of discussions with a group of refugee women at a skill e change project. The women in the group were all highly ualified yet were unemployed due to language barriers and their ualifications

6

BRISTOL’S BEEN SHARING THE LOVE

We guess it would have been selfish of Bristol to keep Pizzarova to ourselves forever, and you can now find a branch of the pizza restaurant in London.

“From touring the South West in a converted Land over to opening four sites in our home town of Bristol, we have found a new home in op Bri ton, a food hall and events space right in the heart of South London , say the guys.

It’s a massive milestone for our team, and we couldn’t be prouder of our izzarova family.

Just remember your roots while up in the big ger city, lads. www.pizzarova.co

not being recognised in the UK. When asked about the skills they could share with the group, many of them said they could cook. This gave founder Jess Thompson the idea to start igrateful, with the aim of helping refugees into employment by supporting them to share their cooking skills with the world.

Jess, a Bristolian, ran the first-ever Migrateful gets the Jamie O beam of approval class with paying venues across the city. Due to popular guests at Bakesmiths on Whiteladies Road demand, and following the successful in ay 2 before e panding the model crowdfunding campaign in the spring, the to London. The first classes were a success, and since then igrateful has gone on to run dream of opening its very own cookery school in Bristol has finally come true. over 5, cookery classes with over 2, lasses are open to the public, and participants taught by cooks representing 48 igrateful also run private classes for team different nationalities. building days and other’ socials.

Over the past si years, igrateful has been building its name in Bristol through www.migrateful.org regular cookery classes held in pop-up

Apropos, vegetable-led restaurant Root, run by Josh and olly ggleton and co-patrons ob owell and eg Oakley- owell, has opened a third restaurant, this time in Bath The O site has been at A O more or less since the containers opened in 2 , and the second site launched in Wells in 2022. Both have been awarded Bib ourmands. www.rootrestaurants.co.uk

Brixton gets a slice of the Pizzarova action

Holly, Josh, Meg and Rob

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

© JON CR AIG

CAFÉ SOCIETY STAN CULLIMORE

Inside Number 12 Stan hits the streets of Easton in search of adventure, enlightenment and coffee

D

on’t know about you, dear reader, but one of the things I savour about living in this fine old city of ours, this marvellous metropolis, this wellspring of wonders, is finding brand new bits of it to fall in love with. I’ve been here now for what seems like a million years and have adored every single moment of it.

Over the years I’ve walked a million steps along it’s shining streets. Probably multimillions, come to think of it. Expect you have done the same.

After all, there is a lot to be said for putting on your walking boots and hitting the pavements in search of adventure, enlightenment and coffee.

al a o ing o fin a snackspot for all seasons, a dispensary of delights in a ina u ul

Hoping to find a new café that lights the fire in your cakecraving heart.

A snack spot for all seasons. A dispensary of delights, in caffeinated cupfuls.

However, for my sins I have to confess that even after years of pavement pounding, there are still some corners of this pretty city I have never really noticed, never strolled round, never explored. Never made the effort to get to know properly.

Can’t work out if that’s a good thing (so much left to explore!), a sad thing (what have I been missing?) or something I should be mildly ashamed of (bit lazy).

Either way, it brings me in a roundabout sort of stroll to this issue’s coffee shop of choice. I’m talking about the outrageously wonderful No. 12 Easton. It’s easy to find, and definitely worth getting to know. It’s a joyous little jewel of a place. All you need to do is know where to look.

It can be found snuggled down on a corner of the High Street in Easton, just past the church at the end of St Mark’s Road.

Must admit, I had never seen this place until recently. Luckily for me, some of my favourite people in the world have just moved in nearby and so I have found

my footsteps heading over that way on a regular basis.

On one of my recent visits, they suggested we should pop down to their local café.

Naturally, I was all for it. I’m always keen to try out a new venue for nibbles and coffee.

When we arrived and I saw just how cute and cosy the place was, I was all smiles. Things got even better when we popped inside. The staff were superb, the atmosphere was awesome and the menu was full of brunchable delights, with big plates, small plates, sandwiches and an array of savoury milk buns that were enough to make a mouth melt with happiness.

After a suitable pause to give thanks that such a top-notch noshery was so close at hand, we went for a brace of the brekky buns and a couple of grilled three-cheese monsters.

They were, quite simply, spectacular. As were the coffees.

I could go on, but I’ve run out of space. No. 12 ? More like No. 1 – with a milk bun on top. n Former The Housemartins guitarist Stan is now a journalist and travel writer; @stancullimore on instagram Google up Stan’s daily substack blog: Diary of an Urban Granddad www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 43

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CHARLIE TAYLOR KASK WINE

It’s been another year of travel and wine for Charlie (tough gig, we know)

A

year ago, in these pages, I set myself six wine resolutions.

Two of them were simple enough on paper: travel more, and drink more English wine. Looking back now, I’m pleased to report I’ve given it a good bash.

The year began with an allexpenses-paid trip to Uruguay (a ridiculous sentence to write, I know). What followed was one of the most eye-opening wine experiences I’ve ever had.

Uruguay is a small coastal country with a big winemaking heart, shaped by waves of Italian, French and Spanish immigration three or four generations ago. Many of those families arrived with vine cuttings tucked into their luggage, planting them into virgin, chemical-free soils.

Every one of the twenty-plus wineries we visited proudly displayed framed photographs of grandparents and greatgrandparents, a reminder that the respect for tradition runs deep.

That reverence continues in the vineyards today, where chemicalfree farming is the norm and grape varieties often re ect family heritage. One standout was Pablo Fallabrino, whose northern Italian roots are clear in his Nebbiolo, Barbera and Moscato Bianco: wines that overdeliver on quality

and value. A few glasses shared in Uruguay turned into something more: months later, Pablo found himself in Bedminster, pouring his wines for our customers at KASK. This is the quiet magic of travel: connections that stretch far beyond the trip itself.

April took me to Burgenland in eastern Austria, bordering Hungary. We were there to visit Pia Strehn, often referred to as Austria’s ‘Queen of Rosé’.

Rosé isn’t usually the section of a wine list that makes my pulse race, but Pia’s wines changed that. They’re bold, textural and complex, especially her oak-aged Elefant im Porzellanladen (The Elephant in the China Shop), which became one of our wines of the year – full bodied, with peachy and honeydew melon notes alongside the expected red fruits, and oakin uenced avours of bourbon vanilla and nougat.

In October, a friend’s wedding in Sicily offered the perfect e cuse to detour to Vittoria, a small town in the island’s south east. This is home to COS, one of Sicily’s most in uential wineries. ounded in the early 1980s by three friends

on a shoestring budget, COS became pioneers of biodynamic viticulture on the island and were the first to achieve O status (a prestigious stamp of quality) for their Cerasuolo di Vittoria.

While tasting, the man himself, iusto Occhipinti, walked in.

Initially hesitant to chat due to the language barrier, he ended up spending over an hour with us.

Time spent with a true legend, unhurried and generous, was something to savour.

Just down the road, iusto’s niece Arianna Occhipinti has been forging her own path for over twenty years. Her SP68 Bianco, named after the road connecting her vineyards to Vittoria, is a brilliant example of the mineral, energetic wines that proximity to Mount Etna can produce.

But wine stories don’t only reveal themselves through travel.

This year, we’ve deliberately expanded our English wine list, building relationships with winemakers who are part of a quiet revolution happening closer to home.

At a trade tasting in March, we met Ben Walgate, long admired for his work at the famed Tillingham, but now focused on his own project in Rye. His approach is regenerative, thoughtful and detail-driven, with a clear emphasis on purity and place. His

“Wine stories don’t only reveal themselves through travel”

Pinot Blanc is a standout: smoky, expressive and gently rich, with notes of apple, lemon and pear.

Equally exciting is Adam Collins of Saddle oose, discovered thanks to a team member popping into his winery on a day trip to Frome and immediately messaging me: “We need this wine.” They now sit alongside regulars like Limeburn Hill in Chew Valley, Westwell in Kent, and Matt regory in Leicestershire – producers proving that English wine is no longer just about sparkling clean Champagneimitators.

Meeting winemakers, whether abroad or at home, brings a shared truth into focus: this is a life lived on a knife edge. Each vintage balances hope with uncertainty. A single frost, storm, drought or pest outbreak can undo a year’s work.

For those farming organically, without chemical shortcuts, the stakes are even higher.

Winemaking is an ongoing negotiation between art and science, guided by humility and an acceptance that control is largely an illusion. Perhaps that’s why the bottles we love most are inseparable from the people behind them. rink enough good wine, and you realise it’s never just about what’s in the glass: it’s about where it comes from, who made it, and why they keep going, year after year.

Visit KASK Wine at 51 North Street and KASK² at 243 Cheltenham Road 07522 198081; www.kaskwine.co.uk www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 45

FROM THE CHEF’S KITCHEN

Cold enough out there for you? Here are a couple of winter warmers from Jack BriggsHoran, executive chef and co-owner of BANK Bristol and Lapin. The porchetta comes courtesy of BANK, the stew from Lapin

PORCHETTA Serves 8-10 YOU WILL NEED:

1 whole pork belly, butterflied, skin on (2.5–3 kg)

Stuffing mix

600 g pork mince (20–25% fat is ideal) 10 cloves black garlic, roughly chopped 3 tbsp white miso 25 g panko breadcrumbs 40 ml cold milk 1 large egg 1 tsp fine white pepper Finely grated zest of ½ lemon

For the skin

1 tbsp fine sea salt 2 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed Optional: ½ tsp baking powder

WHAT YOU DO:

1. Make the stuffing. In a large bowl, combine the pork mince, black garlic, miso, milk, breadcrumbs, egg, water, pepper and lemon zest.

xx I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Mix gently with your hands. You’re not aiming for a sausage-fine paste – stop once everything is evenly distributed and the mixture just begins to bind. The texture should remain coarse and meaty.

2. Lay the pork skin-side down and lightly score the flesh. Pat dry.

3. Spread the stuffing evenly over the meat, about 1 cm thick, leaving a small border along the edges. Roll the belly up tightly, keeping even pressure and rolling the flap of meat into the centre rather than spiralling outward. Tie firmly with butcher’s twine every 2–3 cm. The skin should form a clean outer layer around the roll. Season the skin generously with the salt and crushed fennel seeds (and baking powder, if using).

4. Place the porchetta uncovered in the fridge overnight. This step matters—the drier the skin, the better the crackling.

5. Preheat the oven to 150–160°C (fan 140–150°C). Place a rack in the centre of the oven with a roasting tray underneath to catch any fat.

6. Place the porchetta directly on the rack, skin-side up and roast for 2½–3 hours, rotating once or twice if needed, until the centre reaches 68–70°C. The meat should feel soft and yielding when pressed. If the skin begins to colour too early, loosely tent with foil and continue cooking.

7 Increase oven temperature to 240–250°C (fan 220–230°C). Return the porchetta to the oven and roast for 15–30 minutes, rotating as needed, until the skin blisters and crackles.

8. Rest the porchetta on a rack over a tray for 20–30 minutes before cutting thick slices.

Serve with a tangy slaw (fennel, apple and jalapeño), kewpie mayonnaise and some crusty bread.

BANK Bristol, 107 Wells Road, Totterdown www.bankbristol.com

RECIPE FRENCH VENISON STEW Serves 4 YOU WILL NEED:

1 kg venison shoulder or haunch, cut into large, even pieces 750 ml full-bodied red Burgundy or Côtes du Rhône 2 bay leaves 3 sprigs thyme 6–8 black peppercorns 2 juniper berries, lightly crushed 40 g unsalted butter 1 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, finely diced 1 carrot, finely diced 1 celery stalk, finely diced 1 handful of pearl onions/shallots, peeled 1 tbsp plain flour 1 tbsp tomato purée 500 ml veal or beef stock 150 g lardons or lightly smoked bacon, blanched 200 g button mushrooms, trimmed and halved

1 tbsp cognac or Armagnac Salt and white pepper

WHAT YOU DO:

soft, aromatic, and lightly golden. Add the shallots and tomato paste and cook to lightly caramelise.

1. Marinate the venison. Place the venison in a non-reactive container with the red wine and aromatics. Cover and refrigerate for 12–24 hours, turning once.

5. Stir in the flour and cook gently to form a light roux. Return the venison to the pot.

Add the cognac and flambé if desired. Pour in the marinade wine and reduce slightly.

2. Remove the venison, pat dry thoroughly, and strain the marinade. Reserve the wine only; discard the aromatics.

6. Add the stock and mushrooms. Bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook in an oven set to 160°C for 2–2½ hours, until the venison is meltingly tender; careful not to cook for too long, venison is lean and can dry out easily.

3. Heat the butter and olive oil in a heavy casserole over medium heat. Brown the venison gently but thoroughly on all sides.

Remove and reserve.

4. Lower the heat. Add the lardons and cook until golden brown, then add the diced onion, carrot, and celery to the same pot. Sweat slowly for 8–10 minutes until

7. To finish, skim excess fat. Adjust seasoning. The sauce should be dark, glossy, and coat the back of a spoon.

Serve with pomme purée.

Lapin, Cargo 2 www.lapinbristol.co.uk

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

CELEBRATE GOOD THYMES

From playing at the first-ever Glastonbury with a prog-rock band to delivering her first herb orders in a van named Sid, Jekka McVicar’s career path has been far from conventional Words by Nick Woodhouse All pics by Jekka’s Herb Farm

GARDENS

J

OPPOSITE PAGE: Jekka in the herbetum; ABOVE: herb envy during a group visit; ABOVE: the clue’s in the label

ekka’s Herb Farm is often described as a living book of herbs. Home to both the country’s first herbetum and its largest collection of herbs, the farm now has over 500 varieties.

While the farm holds her name, Jekka McVicar is quick to explain that it’s a family affair. usband ac was behind the 2013 construction of the farm’s herbetum; a project aimed to ensure that the vital history and role of herbs is preserved and understood by future generations.

Alongside their son Alistair, Mac also proof-reads all of Jekka’s books – nine, to date, including Jekka’s Complete Herb Book, which has now sold well over a million copies. Daughter Hannah, a renowned illustrator and printmaker, designs all the farm’s seed packets, as well as holding regular workshops there on botanical screenprinting.

When it comes to plant families, Jekka tells me that Lamiaceae is her favourite.

It’s an extensive one which includes thyme, rosemary, sage and nepeta. Such is this passion that the herbetum now holds over different varieties of thyme, with names including Jekka’s Bee Haven and Jekka’s Autumn Spice.

Not the obvious career path, perhaps, for a former member of progressive rock band Marsupilami, one of the bands to play at the very first lastonbury. It was however a path that started in 1983 when Mac was dispatched to rench uinea to launch a satellite. In his absence, a friend popped over to see Jekka and asked if she could help herself to some of the French tarragon in the garden. It was then

that Jekka’s father’s advice came to mind; find a business that no one else was doing.

At the time, there were no suppliers of fresh herbs, let alone organic ones. Jekka was soon receiving orders from clients such as Fortnum & Mason, which she would deliver in recycled fruit boxes in an old mobile veg van they fondly named Sid. Jekka’s enterprise soon outgrew their back garden and new premises needed to be found.

Their search brought them to a derelict blacksmith’s cottage in Alveston, just north of Bristol, and the site on which the herb farm now sits. The family soon embarked on the construction of polytunnels and a glasshouse, while converting the former pigsty into a potting shed.

In 1993, Jekka was invited by Mavis Sweetingham, the first show manager of RHS Chelsea, to exhibit at the event. Jekka knew she had to do it, but getting the plants there was going to prove problematic; they had no lorry, just Sid. They found a horsebox instead, and unable to afford a hotel, camped in Battersea car park.

That year saw Jekka win the first of many RHS awards, including the prestigious Lawrence Medal in 2009, awarded by the society for the year’s best exhibit. Last year, in recognition of her ongoing work in the field, Jekka was also awarded the Prince Edward Award for Excellence in Horticultural Career Development.

Jekka has been creating herb gardens for over 30 years now, for clients ranging from hotels to private residences across the country.

Closer to home, she is also president of The

“Such is Jekka’s passion for thyme that the herbatum holds over 70 varieties”

Friends of the University of Bristol Botanic arden.

The gardens have been at their current home in Stoke Bishop for over two decades now, their meandering organic trail leading visitors through a blend of informal and formal plantings. It’s also home to an annual programme of talks and workshops, including The World in a arden this month, with guest speaker Mike Nelhams, garden curator at Tresco Abbey ardens.

More recently, Jekka’s priority has also been education, one highlighted by the ongoing success of the farm’s masterclasses, covering all things herbs, from their growing to more specific classes on dividing and potting up.

With this year’s season now wrapped up, the farm is soon to launch its spring 2026 classes. With an ever-growing amount of information now consumed online, Jekka is conscious that the opportunity to share these techni ues first-hand, person-to person, is on a steady decline. To fill this growing knowledge gap, she is working closely with The Eden Project, The Royal Parks and The National Trust to create a new educational programme to help share this horticultural know-how before it’s lost forever.

It was her work on central London’s The uiet arden that truly made Jekka realise how just how gardens can heal. The garden was built with the help of St Mungo’s initiative, Putting Down Roots for Young People, aimed at supporting vulnerable young people though gardening and its therapeutic benefits. ere, Jekka e plains, she met the most wonderful man. Once homeless himself, each night he would take the bread left out by bakeries and take it to the homeless under the nearby arches.

Several years passed until she saw him again. At Chelsea Flower Show, Jekka heard a voice call her name; the very same man was there, working on a show garden. Plants, says Jekka, had helped restored him. It’s perhaps little wonder Jekka feels that herbs are indeed the plants of the people.

Jekka’s Herb Farm, Rose Cottage, Shellards Lane www.jekkas.com

Nick Woodhouse is the codirector of interior and garden design company Woodhouse and Law at 4 George’s Place, Bathwick Hill, Bath www.woodhouseandlaw.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 49

SPONSORED CONTENT

I

Jenny Cowderoy, Kindred Health

IS PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE WORTH IT? A guide for families in Bristol & Bath

’m a mum living in Bath with my two teenage children, and I’ve worked in the healthcare sector for more than 25 years. I’ve recently joined Kindred, a UK collective of senior doctors, as Head of Healthcare — and as part of settling into the role, I’ve been digging deep into the world of private health insurance. What I’ve found has been eye-opening.

With the NHS under unprecedented strain and around 40% of people now waiting over four months for treatment, more than 10 million people in the UK have turned to private health insurance. On the surface, it seems like a sensible solution. But when you look closely, the picture becomes far more complicated.

A huge 95% of all health cover in the UK is dominated by the “Big Four”: Bupa, Axa, Aviva, and Vitality. These companies have become household names — but are they genuinely looking after your family’s health, or simply selling you expensive insurance policies? And crucially, are they good value for money?

“A HUGE 95% OF ALL HEALTH COVER IN THE UK IS DOMINATED BY THE BIG FOUR” 50 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

To understand what you’re really paying for, it helps to follow the journey of what happens when you or your child becomes unwell:

1

YOU GET SICK — AND CALL YOUR INSURER. You reach a call centre staffed not by medical professionals, but by insurance agents. Hold times can stretch from 10 minutes to well over an hour.

YOU’RE SENT A LIST OF DOCTORS OR PROVIDERS. These lists are often based on paid-for marketing placements on platforms like Doctify. Many of the best clinicians don’t advertise on these sites and therefore never appear.

YOU ARRANGE EVERYTHING YOURSELF. You ring hospitals, chase appointments, and manage the admin — all while unwell or caring for a sick child.

CHOOSE THE WRONG SPECIALIST? YOU START AGAIN. Back to the call centre, more delays, more frustration.

THE INSURER PAYS THE BILL. That’s their role. They are claims processors, not healthcare providers.

Everything else — the clinical advice, the navigation, the continuity — is outsourced.

2

3

4 5

These companies are global insurance corporations built to manage risk and protect profit. Their priority is financial performance, not your long-term health outcomes. Bupa, for example, generated nearly £1 billion in profit last year, an increase of almost 60%.

Vitality raised premiums by 15% in 2024 alone.

Families in Bath and Bristol deserve more than this. They deserve healthcare that actually works — fast answers, the right specialist the first time, and a team who knows their story rather than a scripted call handler.

That’s why I joined Kindred Health. It offers genuine, doctor-led care rather than insurancedriven processes. Powered by the same senior medical team behind Alliance Health Group — trusted by major employers like RollsRoyce and Anglian Water — Kindred brings that level of clinical expertise directly to local families. Instead of navigating call centres, you get consultant-led support from day one, a dedicated adviser who stays with you, and access to our “Doctor’s Doctor” network, where specialists recommend the colleagues they would choose for their own families.

Private health insurance may pay bills.

Kindred delivers care.

www.kindredhealth.co.uk 0333 0151 203

Scan me

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The only private healthcare company run by doctors “Our clinical team looks after your whole family” Owned and run by doctors

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Prof. Bruce Braithwaite

Consultant Vascular Surgeon, Bath (Medical Director)

Dr. Ali Khavandi

Consultant Cardiologist, Sulis Hospital Bath, The Bath Clinic

"Twenty years ago a group of leading UK doctors set out to fix private healthcare. We built a company that puts health and care before profits"

The water’s lovely: why we’re all diving into the cold-water swimming craze

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

T

WILD SWIMMING

here’s a particular kind of magic in stepping into cold water: the kind that steals your breath, sharpens your senses, and makes you feel more alive than the first caffeine hit of the day. old-water swimming, once the domain of hardy enthusiasts and eccentric winter bathers, has surged into the mainstream, drawing everyone from fitness fans to stressed-out o ce workers in search of a natural reset.

One of the biggest draws is the mood lift.

Immersing yourself in chilly water triggers a rush of endorphins and dopamine, producing that unmistakable post-dip high people rave about. any swimmers describe it as an instant mental declutter: anxieties soften, focus returns, and the world feels a little more manageable.

Then there’s the resilience factor. egular cold dips help train the body to cope with stress, both physical and mental. Over time, swimmers often report improved circulation, better sleep, and an increased sense of grit. It’s not about being tough; it’s about discovering what your body and mind can do when you gently push the edges of comfort. ommunity is another une pected benefit.

Whether it’s dawn swimmers huddled over asks or weekend dippers cheering each other into the water, cold-water swimming fosters a warm, supportive culture that feels wildly at odds with the temperature. ost of all, though, it’s about connection: to nature, to others, and to that quiet inner voice that says, you did something brave today.

So yes, it’s cold. ery cold. But that’s precisely where the magic begins.

THIS PAGE AND OVERLEAF: All Clevedon Marine Lake photos by Laura Nesbitt

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

WILD SWIMMING

F

rom saltwater tidal swimming by the sea at Clevedon, to managed freshwater open-water swimming with facilities at West Country Water Park, to a natural-feeling quarry lake at Cromhall for a “wild but organised” swim, there’s a wide variety of options. Let’s start with the big one.

1

CLEVEDON MARINE LAKE Where? Clevedon, on the seafront promenade.

What? At 5, s uare metres it’s the largest infinity seawater tidal

lake in the , filled from the Bristol hannel at high tide and offering a safe and scenic environment for people of all ages to enjoy. Managed by the charity MARLENS (Marine Lake Enthusiasts), the lake is a vibrant hub of activity, from open water swimming to kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding.

Need to know: It’s accessible 24 hours a day, all year round, with no need to book; however, it can get busy, especially during weekends and warmer weather. To help plan your visit, you can check the lake cam on the o cial website for real-time views of the area; you can also find out the temperature of the lake on any given day (at time of going to press in late December it was a refreshing but by no means arctic 8.6 degrees).

Why is so special? It’s perfect for cold-sea-water swimming in a semicontained environment. It also has a welcoming swimming community: two regular swim clubs, The Orcas and The Walruses, along with coached open-water swimming sessions for all levels.

Cost: Free, but donations welcome. www.clevedonmarinelake.co.uk; @clevedonmarinelake

2

WEST COUNTRY WATER PARK Where? Trench Lane, Bradley Stoke, Winterbourne What? A freshwater open-water swimming lake with changing rooms,

showers, a caf and even a oating sauna.

What makes it special: If you want a more ‘managed’ open-water swim, or want to combine swimming with better facilities and safety (lifeguards, showers, changing rooms) it’s perfect for both recreational dipping and serious open-water training.

Sounds fun: The Night Glow Swims run on the Friday evening closest to the full moon; illuminated oats keep you safe.

Cost: Sessions cost £8.50 for adults, £6.40 for kids, with season passes available. www.westcountrywaterpark.co.uk

3

THE LAKE Where? The Lake, Cromhall Quarry, Wotton Road, Cromhall What? A ooded former uarry offering open-water swimming, with

marked swim courses, lifeguarded sessions, and the possibility to dive when allowed.

What makes it special: The water is generally clearer than many lakes or sea-pools, good for those who prefer fresh-water wild swimming with a structured setting.

Cost: Sessions cost £7.50 for adults; under-16s aren’t allowed to swim in the lake. www.thelakeuk.com

ABOVE AND MAIN PIC OPPOSITE: Clevedon Marine Lake: INSET AND TOP: Bristol Wild Swimmers

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

“Clevedon’s is the largest ininity seawater tidal lake in the UK”

WILD SWIMMING

4

HENLEAZE SWIMMING CLUB Where? 14 Clifton Park Road, Bristol What? Long-established open-water club, ideal for freshwater

winter swimming enthusiasts.

What makes it special: Based at a lake in a former uarry, the club has been going since and offers open-water swimming, springboard and high diving in beautiful surroundings. It has a welcoming community and structured sessions.

The good news or the bad news? The bad: membership is currently full with a waiting list of approximately 3500. The good: if you’re on the waiting list you can use a payas-you-go scheme which allows limited access during quieter times while you wait for your membership place.

Cost? if you’re not a member, or if you’re coming as a member’s guest, it’s generally around £8 an adult or £5 for kids. www.henleazeswimmingclub.org

CLUBS AND MEET-UPS

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BRISTOL WILD SWIMMING MEETUP

Community meetup group organising wild swims in rivers, lakes, and occasional coastal locations around Bristol. Great for social and recreational swimming. www.meetup.com/bristol-wild-swimming-meetup

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UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL WILD SWIMMING SOCIETY

Student-led society open to the wider community offering wild and cold-water swims in rivers, lakes, and coastal spots. Good for guided winter swimming experiences. www.bristolsu.org.uk

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ALL-ABOARD WATERSPORTS

This watersports charity based at Baltic Wharf is dedicated to breaking down barriers and enabling all members of the community and visitors to the city to participate in various watersports activities. Open-water swimming is available in Bristol Harbour on selected days; as an added incentive, coffee is supplied by TrueStart offee, there’s free beer by Wiper and True; a sauna provided by Sivo Wellness, and yoga breathwork and meditation sessions run

by Amelia Paul Yoga. www.allaboardwatersports.co.uk

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OPEN MINDS ACTIVE

ABOVE: The Lake: INSET AND TOP: Henleaze; BOTTOM RIGHT: Open Minds Active

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

A social enterprise providing open water swimming coaching and cold-water swimming sessions around the Bristol area — good for those seeking guided and/or coached swimming rather than DIY wild swimming. n www.openmindsactive.org

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THE HIDDEN HOLE IN THE NOSE UNDERSTANDING NASAL SEPTAL PERFORATION

Most of us breathe through our noses without ever thinking about how it works. Within the nose is a thin wall called the septum, which separates the left and right nasal passages

S

ometimes, a hole can form in this wall. This is referred to as a nasal septal perforation. It may sound frightening, but it is a condition many people live with, and there are good treatments available.

Some people with a septal perforation do not notice any problems at all.

Others may develop annoying or even painful symptoms. One of the most common is a whistling sound when breathing. This happens when air rushes through the hole. Many people also experience dryness and crusting in the nose, which can be uncomfortable and may lead to frequent nosebleeds. The nose may feel blocked, sore, or painful, especially in cold or dry air. In larger perforations, breathing during exercise can become difficult.

There are several possible causes of a septal perforation. The most common cause is previous nose surgery, such as an operation to straighten the septum. Repeated nose-picking

“TREATMENT DEPENDS ON THE SIZE OF THE HOLE AND THE SEVERITY OF THE SYMPTOMS. MANY PATIENTS ARE MANAGED WITHOUT SURGERY INITIALLY”

or trauma can also damage the septum over time. Some potent nasal sprays, when used too often, can thin the nasal lining. Infections, immune system diseases, and cocaine use can also stop blood from reaching the septum and cause a hole to form. Addressing the cause by treating any underlying conditions or stopping cocaine use is a must in these cases to prevent extreme nasal and soft tissue damage.

Treatment depends on the size of the hole and the severity of the symptoms. Many patients are managed without surgery initially.

This is called conservative treatment. Regular saltwater (saline) sprays and rinses help keep the nose moist and reduce crusting. Nasal creams and ointments protect the inside of the nose and lower the chance of bleeding.

A humidifier in the home, especially in the bedroom, can also make a big difference.

These treatments do not close the hole, but they often control the symptoms very well.

If symptoms continue, a doctor may suggest a septal button. This is a small device that sits in the hole and blocks airflow through it.

Silicone septal buttons are soft and flexible and can often be fitted in clinic. Magnetic septal buttons use two small magnetic discs that clip together on either side of the septum.

Both types can reduce whistling, bleeding, and crusting. They do not heal the hole, but they can significantly improve comfort.

For some people, especially those with larger perforations or severe symptoms, surgery may be an option. The most advanced method uses intranasal flaps, in which healthy tissue from within the nose is carefully moved

to cover and close the perforation. This aims to restore normal airflow and stop bleeding and crusting. Recovery takes time, but when successful, surgery is the only permanent solution.

A septal perforation can be worrying, but with the proper care and specialist treatment, most people can breathe more easily and return to everyday life. If you experience ongoing nosebleeds, whistling, or crusting, it is best to seek medical advice promptly.

EXPERT ENT ASSESSMENT IN BRISTOL If a septal perforation is affecting your quality of life, don’t suffer in silence. Mr Warren Bennett, Consultant Rhinologist and ENT Surgeon, offers expert assessment and all the latest medical and surgical treatments. Head to bristolentsurgeon.com or call 01172032328 to book your consultation, and check out @bristolentsurgeon on Instagram for helpful tips and updates.

To book a consultation with Mr Bennett at The Spire Bristol please get in touch: 0117 2032328; info@bristolentsurgeon.com; www.bristolentsurgeon.com; bristolentsurgeon www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 59

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BREAK OUT THE BUNTING

Aardman’s new film The Beast of Mossy Bottom is out this autumn

Celebrations are in order! While many Bristol institutions are gearing up for their milestone anniversaries, others are raising a glass to new openings and expansions

ANNIVERSARIES

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s it’s January you don’t get much past us we decided to make like Janus and train our gaze both backwards and forwards. Let’s kick off with a few local legends who are celebrating major milestones – it’s a big happy anniversary’ from us to

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AARDMAN ANIMATIONS – 50 YEARS

Who are they? Bristol’s multiaward-winning animation studio, based on as erry oad.

How it began: In long-term chums eter Lord and avid Spro ton co-founded the studio with a vision to create distinctive animated content. Over the years it evolved from a small creative team into an employee-owned, globally recognised studio, celebrated for its craftsmanship, storytelling, humour and nostalgic charm, and iconic characters including Wallace romit, Shaun and orph.

Share a few highlights:

Winning multiple Oscars and BA TAs, and five uinness World ecords titles, including the most claymation feature films made by a single studio.

Aardman’s work continues to set benchmarks in animation, blending artistry with innovation

A 2025 production of The Government Inspector

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across film, T , ads and interactive media.

It also works closely with the rand Appeal years old last year, see p to raise money for Bristol hildren’s ospital – also celebrating 25 years this year!

How are you celebrating?

With a year of celebrations culminating in the release of a new feature film, Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom in the autumn.

Locally, we’re collaborating with Bristol useums on Cracking Exhibition Gromit: 50 Years of Aardman in Bristol at Shed, which promises to be a mustsee cultural moment, offering a behind-the-scenes look at Aardman’s creative process and the studio’s deep-rooted connection to Bristol. This joyful and nostalgic celebration will honour Aardman’s 5 years of legacy, from humble beginnings in Bristol to becoming a global creative powerhouse. www.aardman.com

Aardman have collaborated with Grand Appeal for 30 years to raise funds for Bristol Children’s Hospital

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BRISTOL OLD VIC THEATRE SCHOOL – 80 YEARS

Who are they? World-leading Bristol institution based in Clifton, which trains the best of the best in the creative arts, from actors to directors, playwrights, performance designers, costume makers, stage managers and technical specialists.

How it began: The School was founded in 1946 by Sir Laurence Olivier as a sister company to the Theatre Royal, which later became Bristol Old Vic; the two organisations separated into independent institutions over 40 years ago. It moved from its original home above a greengrocer’s near Kings Street to Downside Road in 1956 – another anniversary!

“We’ve grown in size a little over the years, but retained our very small and specialist nature, never having more than 250 students at any one time on our full-time training”, they say.

What are you most proud of? “The success of our alumni, including multiple Oscar-winners such as Olivia Coleman, Jeremy Irons and Daniel Day Lewis. Sir Patrick Stewart and Dame Patricia Routledge also trained here, along with rising superstars Erin Doherty, Josh O’Connor and Theo James.”

Alumni also include the writers of smash-hit West End musicals and three former artistic directors of the RSC. “We are equally proud of building on our widening participation and community outreach work and championing the next generation in creative arts. We also work with schools and young people through short courses, youth programmes and holiday workshops, which now engage more than 5,000 people across the South West and beyond annually.”

How are you celebrating? “We’re kickstarting a year-long celebration with a star-studded Gala Dinner in February for our alumni, funders, students and supporters, with other exciting plans in the pipeline, including a year of major theatrical productions and other events.” www.oldvic.ac.uk

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CINEMA REDISCOVERED – 10 years

Who are they? The ’s leading festival of newly restored, newly found or overlooked films.

How it began: ounded by Watershed cinema curator ark osgrove, who was inspired by Bologna’s similar Il inema itrovato, the first festival was

held in 2 and offered around events in Bristol.

How it’s going: Last year it notched up over 2, admissions, involved over 5 venues across the and Ireland and launched several theatrical re-releases of restorations including Amadeus and My Beautiful Laundrette. It also sent its Against the Grain: 1980s

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ANNIVERSARIES

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THE WARDROBE THEATRE – 10 YEARS

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What is it? Based in Old Market, Bristol’s favourite fringe venue will clock up 10 years in the biz we call show this year – see full feature on page 16. www.thewardrobetheatre.com

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CARGO – 10 YEARS

My Beautiful Launderette

British Cinema strand to an international festival in Mexico.

Can you believe that the first phase of A O at Wapping Wharf, with its vibrant collection of businesses housed in converted shipping containers, first opened as long ago as October 2 ? A O 2, an e pansion with more caf s, bars and restaurants opened in May 2 . It’s now hard to imagine Bristol without it. www.wappingwharf.co.uk

How are they celebrating?

The special birthday edition in July will offer a mi of screenings, expert-led talks, Q&As, workshops, walks etc.

The programme is yet to be announced but we know it will include a return to the festival’s favourite Hollywood decade, the 1970s; there will also be a strand celebrating the 50th anniversary of Aardman Animations. arlybird passes go on sale this month. www.watershed.co.uk/cinemarediscovered.

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LOST & GROUNDED – 10 YEARS

Who are they? An independent brewery based in a state-of-the-art German brewhouse in Brislington, producing specialty lagers and ales with a clear focus on sustainable brewing.

How it all began: L&G was founded by real-life partners Alex Troncoso and Annie Clements. While the brewhouse is ultramodern, the process echoes traditional German brewing techniques which produce beers with smooth, rounded finishes and depth of character.

How has it changed? “We started with just two of us and a passion for creating something special, and now we have a team of 35. The key for us has been ensuring we have diversity of backgrounds and ideas, all united by common values. As well as steadily increasing our brewing capacity we’ve improved our sustainability. ” What are you most proud of?

“It’s our people who make Lost and Grounded, otherwise we’re just a shed filled with stainless steel”, says Alex. “Supporting our community really keeps us balanced, and reminds us of the important role business can play in society. We’re also proud to have

62 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

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been awarded some incredible accolades including Gold at the World Beer Cup Awards with our flagship lager Keller Pils, and Gold at the European Beer Star with our Wanna Go to the Sun pale ale. We’ve also won both Brewery of the Year and Brewery of the Year at the Brewers Choice Awards in London.”

How are you celebrating?

“We love throwing a party and connecting with folks over a beer or two so people can expect lots of fun events from us at our taproom throughout the year.” www.lostandgrounded store.co.uk

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SPIKE ISLAND – 50 YEARS

Who are they? One of the UK’s leading centres for contemporary art and culture, housed in an 80,000 sq ft former factory on Harbourside. “An experimental space where art is made and enjoyed”, it offers an internationally acclaimed programme of museum-scale exhibitions, always with free admission.

As one of the largest providers of artist studios and creative spaces in the UK, with over 70 studios in residence, it also hosts a calendar of regular community events; there’s a print studio and a café, too.

How it all began: In 1976 a group of artists transformed a disused Victorian warehouse on Harbourside into Artspace Bristol: an experiment in creativity and collectivism.

In 1992, they moved into the former Brooke Bond tea-packing warehouse, where Spike Island was born.

“Over five decades, we have evolved from a single warehouse collective into a creative community shaping the future of art in Bristol and beyond”, they say.

What are you most proud of?

“To represent a fully inclusive creative ecosystem which supports artists through all stages of their career; commissioning and producing new work from acclaimed artists; championing artists at pivotal moments in their careers; commissioning ambitious new work and showing rarely seen existing work; presenting a diverse programme of underrepresented artists; maintaining free public access to contemporary art, and

supporting hundreds of artists and young people each year through development programmes .”

How are you celebrating?

“Spike Island 50 will be a year-long celebration featuring a special programme of events.

“These include the Open Studios 50 in May with behind-the-scenes access to 70+ studios; the Spike Print Fair in July, a new fair honouring our printmaking heritage; a summer party fundraiser in September, an evening of food, drink, music and performance; and Made at Spike Winter Fair in December, a showcase of work made in our studios, with opportunities to meet the artists and buy directly from makers.” www.spikeisland.org.uk

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ANNIVERSARIES

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FEARS WATCHES – 180 YEARS

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Who are they? A British watchmaker marking 180 years since it was founded in 1846, and a decade since the revival of the family firm.

“Throughout that time, the name on the dial has stood for a particular kind of British elegance: understated, precise, and considered , they say.

“From our workshops we design and assemble mechanical watches that pair heritage with modern refinement.

A Fears watch is built for longevity and integrity.

We choose materials, movements and finishes with the intention that 9 each watch will be worn daily, serviced properly, and passed on with pride. It is a uiet philosophy, but one that has guided Fears for 180 years and continues to guide us today.

How it began: In

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WINDMILL HILL CITY FARM – 50 YEARS

Who are they? A city farm in Bedminster which aims to connecting the local community with nature

How it all began: “In 1976 the site was a derelict bombsite which the council wanted to turn into a lorry park. However, our founding volunteers worked tirelessly to create a space that benefited their local community and local wildlife.

By 1979 a modest working farm was set up, with a couple of horses and chickens.”

How it’s going: “Today we’re a thriving community space. We have a children’s nursery and a café; we run many health and social groups; we have outdoor

learning groups for children, an outdoor theatre, a migrant-run cookery school and even an on-site sauna.”

How are you celebrating? “In September we’ll be having a birthday bash with music, performances, games and workshops. We’ll also be collecting stories about the farm from our community.

If you have a story or a memory you would like to share about the farm, please send them to anniversary@windmillhill cityfarm.org.uk www.windmillhill cityfarm.org.uk

, a young Edwin Fear opened his workshop and showroom in the heart of Bristol. early two centuries on, that legacy continues under the stewardship of his descendant, icholas Bowman-Scargill, who revived the family firm in 2 .

What began as a small Bristol workshop became Fears Limited in . By the 2 s and ’ s, the company had transitioned from pocket watches into the new world of wristwatches, while continuing to produce both. These were years of uiet e pansion. ears became an established British exporter, its watches sold in almost 100 different countries.

The mid-century decades brought more di cult terrain.

The destruction of ears’ historic premises during the war left a lasting impact, and while the business continued, it never fully regained its earlier momentum.

After more than years of uninterrupted operation, Fears became dormant in .

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ANNIVERSARIES 10

BARELY TAKEN THE BUNTING DOWN…

A few more milestones that took place in 2025 THE GRAND APPEAL – 30 YEARS Last year the Bristol Children’s Hospital charity marked three decades of partnership with Aardman to fund vital hospital services, equipment and facilities, with major events such as the Gromit Unleashed 3 trail, to celebrate. A huge source of pride to the city, the charity has raised about £90m to date. www.grandappeal.org.uk

In 2016 the sixth generation of the family brought Fears back to life; what followed has been a decade of careful, deliberate rebuilding, restoring traditional methods, forming partnerships with specialist makers across Britain and Europe, and re-establishing an identity defined by proportion, refinement and uiet lu ury.

How are you celebrating the milestone?

“As we enter 2026, we mark not only how far the brand has come, but the remarkable journey of returning, rebuilding and thriving once again , they say.

“To mark the occasion, we will be revealing a series of special pieces and thoughtful launches, each one drawing from a different chapter of the ears story, reinterpreted through the refined, modern lens that now defines the company. www.fearswatches.com

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EXACTA TECHNOLOGIES – 25 YEARS

Who are they? Exacta creates bespoke, high-performance servers built specifically for software companies. It was founded and launched in 2001 from a small self-storage unit in Bristol with a belief that software

66 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

businesses deserved purposebuilt hardware engineered for performance, not generic, offthe-shelf systems.

How has it changed over the years?

As demand grew, so has the team and facilities, eventually leading to the move to purpose-built 2 , s ft head uarters in mersons reen in 2 2 .

“We are proud of how far we have come, and even prouder of the long-term partnerships we have built along the way”, they say. We are also very proud of our contributions to the local community, from raising nearly £77,000 for Grief Encounter over the past four years to supporting Community of Purpose CIC and local grassroots sports programmes, as well as becoming the sleeve sponsor for Bristol City FC Men’s and Women’s first teams in 2 25.

How are you celebrating the milestone?

“It will be all about the team”, they say. It’s their dedication and expertise that have driven the company’s growth. There will also be an exciting HQ revamp creating a space that re ects acta’s culture and ongoing success. www.exactatech.com

SLAPSTICK FESTIVAL – 10 YEARS Slapstick launched in 2015 so obviously held its big anniversary last year – though given the festival’s weakness for comedy pratfalls it might have been funnier if they’d got the date wrong and celebrated this year by mistake. www.slapstick.org.uk WE THE CURIOUS – 25 YEARS Created as part of Bristol’s Millennium celebrations and originally named At-Bristol, the much-loved science museum rebranded as We The Curious in 2017. After a fire in April 2022 caused major damage and forced a long closure, the centre reopened in 2024 with special citywide activities and events.

The 25th celebrations included a huge callout for public memories and an interactive timeline project reflecting on its history and community impact. www.wethecurious.org GARDINER HASKINS – 200 YEARS Founded in 1825 as a modest blacksmith and ironmongers, Gardiner Haskins has grown into one of the city’s leading independent homeinteriors retailers offering expertly designed kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms and furniture.

To mark the 200th year, Gardiner Haskins Interiors unveiled new showroom displays and expanded their product offering; they also celebrated two award wins with a Bristol Life Award in Home & Interiors and a Bristol Property Award for Kitchens. www.gardinerhaskins.co.uk ADELINA YARD –10 YEARS It’s tough in the world of hospitality, so big congratulations to owners Jamie Randall and Olivia Barry – check out our restaurant review on page 36. www.adelinayard.com

4a Ashley Road, Bristol, BS6 5NL info@terracafe.co.uk | www.terracafe.co.uk

Photo by: Dan Bird

PEOPLE OF BRISTOL! Birthday parties, teambuilding, corporate events & hen parties, we would love to host you!

We’re a friendly pottery café in the heart of Stokes Croft, offering accessible pottery handbuilding sessions, wheelthrowing lessons, and creative private parties for all ages.

You can also browse locally made ceramics and enjoy great coffee, toasties, and treats while you create.

NEW BUSINESS NEW OPENINGS

Based at Eagle House, MAP Space is Bristol’s newest destination for flexible workspace with private offices, co-working, meetings and event space for up to 200 people. The fully serviced, design-led spaces are ready to go from day one, offering an inspiring environment for startups, expanding teams and established businesses alike. www.mapspace.uk

While the legends listed on the previous pages pop the champagne, these businesses are celebrating new beginnings NEW RESTAURANTS Far too many opened to list here – flick back though our past issues for a comprehensive list – but 2025 standouts included Italian restaurant Ragu, from the team behind COR, and French bistro Lapin from the BANK Bristol guys, both in Cargo; Korean restaurant Dongnae on Chandos Road, and dim sum at Clouds in St Werburgh’s.

Terra Café opened last year with a passion for pottery and community. A welcoming craft space in Stokes Croft, it provides affordable and unique pottery-making sessions for all ages, with help from friendly hosts and beautifully illustrated guides. They also sell locally handmade ceramics, including their own, and serve coffee and sweet treats in the café area. www.terracafe.co.uk HUSK, which elevates standard cabinetry from suppliers such as IKEA and Howdens with made-to-order doors, cover panels, worktops and hardware, has opened its second Bristol showroom, on Christmas Steps.

The new site not only houses the showroom but also includes additional office and meeting spaces across the upper floors, creating a central hub for the design and operations teams. www.madebyhusk.com Clifton Rocks has just opened its new premises at 54 The Mall.

“The new gallery/ shop is bigger and brighter, a lovely space for us to welcome customers, and we have the space to display more designers and create a homely feel, which is what we are all about. We are home to 30 UK based talented designers, many of which are based in Bristol and we are also really proud to work in Fairmined gold.” www.cliftonrocks.co.uk

Premium German kitchen-makers Kutchenhaus has launched a new showroom in Frome. The building, which had stood empty and neglected for nearly a decade, has been completely renovated and reimagined into a state-of-the-art kitchen showroom featuring beautifully designed room sets, working appliances and inspiring design ideas for every home. www.uk.kutchenhaus.com Mokoko Bakery is set to open a new branch within the Spitfire Hangar at Brabazon this month.

Everything Mokoko sells is made fresh on site and served still warm over the counter. “Our bakeries are built for connection,“ says Mokoko. “It’s a place where people meet up to enjoy time together, whether it’s enjoying a freshly baked pastry and coffee with friends, or simply watching our bakers at work, surrounded by the irresistible aroma of Viennoiserie and sourdough.” n www.mokokobakery.com/

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starting again after a divorce. You’re returning to the workplace. You’re adjusting to a new figure after a weight-loss jab. Or you’re simply so busy there’s barely time to think, let alone shop. Whatever the reason, clients share one thing: they’re overwhelmed by choice and underwhelmed by how they feel in their clothes.

“Several of our clients have incredibly highpowered jobs,” says Anna. “They’re travelling internationally, commuting to London, juggling young families – they genuinely have no time to think about how they look or feel outside the workplace. That’s where we come in.”

THE STYLE RESET YOU DIDN’T KNOW YOU NEEDED Meet the dynamic duo behind CLIFTON STYLE SERVICES

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he wardrobe detox and personal styling business was founded in 2025 in response to a huge and somewhat unexpected wave of demand.

Philippa, a former chartered surveyor and founder of the circular luxury boutique The Green Muse, and Anna, a fashion stylist, art director and former head of brand creative for one of the UK’s leading fashion houses, bring together two powerful worlds of expertise.

Together, they’ve crafted a service that feels refreshingly tactile; a return to real conversation, real connection, and the transformative power of clothes chosen for you, not for the masses.

SO WHAT EXACTLY IS A WARDROBE DETOX? “The phrase is becoming popular, but for us, a detox is a structured yet relaxed clear-out session”, explains Philippa.

“We come to your home and go through your wardrobe together, identifying what deserves pride of place, what can be altered, and what no longer serves you. We reorganise everything so your wardrobe works smoothly and you can see exactly what you own. Most clients say

“CLIFTON STYLE WARDROBE DETOX & PERSONAL STYLING SERVICES”

it feels like a fresh start, not only for their wardrobe, but also for their mindset.”

A HUMAN APPROACH IN AN AI-DRIVEN WORLD In an age of algorithms, AI and digital overload, Philippa and Anna offer something refreshingly analogue: time, presence and genuine personal attention.

“Of course you can find endless outfit inspiration on Instagram and TikTok or watch a detox YouTube video”, says Anna.

“But having an in-person conversation instantly breaks down barriers.

People relax. We can identify their exact needs and wants, and we have fun with it. We genuinely love every minute of what we do; making people feel good about themselves is powerful and a real privilege.”

Philippa agrees: “We listen intently to everything our clients tell us. Coming into someone’s home is deeply personal, and how people dress is incredibly individual. Respecting that is at the heart of everything we do.”

WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS From the moment they step into your wardrobe, any nerves dissolve. The experience is warm, intuitive and most importantly, profoundly human.

Philippa and Anna decode your lifestyle, taste and aspirations with ease, blending industry-level expertise with genuine empathy.

“There are no intimidating fashion rules, no judgement, no trend-chasing”, says Philippa.

“Style isn’t about following the latest trends, it’s about creating a wardrobe that works beautifully for you.”

And it’s not just women they style. Clifton Style Services works with men, women and couples, offering everything from complete detoxes to long-term wardrobe curation. Their beautifully presented gift vouchers also make for a thoughtful and confidence-boosting present.

A SMARTER, MORE CONSCIOUS WAY TO SHOP “A client recently told me she doesn’t think twice about spending several hundred pounds on shoes or having injectables to feel great, so why wouldn’t you invest in something as defining as your personal sense of style?” says Anna. “And actually, we often save our clients money. They stop over-shopping and move towards a much smarter, more conscious approach.”

In a world that’s speeding up, Philippa and Anna invite us to slow down: to rediscover the joy of clothes that fit not only our bodies, but our lives.

WHY CLIENTS REALLY COME TO THEM While the world tells us to scroll for inspiration, Philippa and Anna’s clients come seeking something far more valuable: clarity.

For many, a wardrobe detox isn’t only about clothes: it’s about navigating a life chapter.

Maybe you’ve recently had a baby. You’re

website: www.cliftonstyle.co.uk WhatsApp: Philippa 07770017143 email: cliftonstyle@gmail.com Instagram - @cliftonstyleservices

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LIKE A SECOND HOME A happy life at STANSHAWES

t was the friendly, home-like atmosphere at Stanshawes Care Home which convinced Cheryl Walker that she had found the right place for her husband Robert. Married for 55 years, former Concorde engineer Robert’s dementia had progressed quickly.

Within a year, he had gone from getting confused out on a shopping trip to needing a nursing home before he could be discharged from hospital after a fall. Cheryl knew she needed to make the right decision in a short timeframe, and after visiting a few local homes, made her choice.

“He settled in straight away”, said Cheryl.

“He’s very happy at Stanshawes. He loves the food, and we always feel comfortable and welcome when we visit him. There are lots of activities at the home, and although he can no longer take part in all of them, he enjoys watching the other residents and being surrounded by people.

“HE’S VERY HAPPY AT STANSHAWES. HE LOVES THE FOOD, AND WE ALWAYS FEEL COMFORTABLE AND WELCOME WHEN WE VISIT HIM”

“It feels like a weight off our mind to know that he’s settled and safe. We miss him, but I am in to visit every day, and our daughter comes to see him on her day off work. It’s like a second home. All the staff are so pleasant and friendly.”

Robert and Cheryl bumped into each other – quite literally – at the age of 20 at the Silver Blades ice rink in Bristol. She was there with her cousins, and he was with colleagues from Rolls Royce. She crashed into him on the ice, and the following week Robert spotted her again and approached her to talk. The couple travelled widely, including to Australia and New Zealand.

Their daughter, Mia, also feels reassured that her dad is in the right place. “When we first looked around the home, something just felt right”, she said “It was so homely and warm.”

Stanshawes Care Home offers residential, dementia, 24-hour nursing, respite and palliative care in Yate.

Call 01454 850 005 for more information, and to arrange a visit.

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FRESH THINKING OVER A FINE LUNCH Unique social business occasion: live interview, plus leading business people, superb venue and lunch

Returning in 2026.

Unrivalled speakers + connections Sponsored by:

B E PA RT O F T H E C ONV ER S ATI O N

If you would like to get involved, email events@mediaclash.co.uk

PHOTOS BY ADAM CLUT TERBUCK

BRISTOL PROPERTY AWARDS

SOLID FOUNDATIONS – A CITY IN FULL BUILD! Another year, another massive celebration at the Bristol Property Awards

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ack once more as a highlight of the city’s calendar and marking its biggest turnout yet, the Bristol Property Awards returned on 28 November to Ashton Gate Stadium, celebrating the outstanding achievements of the region’s property professionals. Here’s a look back at the day’s highlights.

This year’s Awards featured the widest range of categories to date, spanning civic initiatives and sustainability through to rising stars and major national players. With a record-breaking number of nominations and finalists, the 2 25 event proved to be the boldest and brightest yet as hundreds gathered at Ashton Gate to honour Bristol’s thriving property community.

The day began with lively networking, drinks, and lunch, before the much-anticipated ceremony commenced. Hosting duties were shared by MediaClash CEO Greg Ingham and BBC interior designer and TV presenter Gabrielle Blackman, with an excellent opening

address delivered by Rowan Flint on behalf of headline sponsor Your Eco. On behalf of Bristol Life, heartfelt congratulations go to all the remarkable winners, an energetic and diverse mix of businesses and leaders who continue to shape Bristol’s property landscape with innovation and excellence.

A special mention goes to the outstanding team at Jeff Way roup, who not only triumphed in the Contractor category but also took home the prestigious Winner of Winners title for their exceptional all-round performance this year.

The judges praised Jeff Way, commenting: ated highly as the gold standard in Bristol: increased turnover, an immense property employer, fantastic training schemes and retrofit leadership with unmatched integrity.

Congratulations!”

As always, the Awards celebrated more than just the winners. The event re ected the industry’s trademark energy and camaraderie,

bringing together colleagues, clients, and collaborators to connect, share ideas, and build the foundations of future projects.

Bristol Life joined many esteemed local businesses in supporting the Awards, an event which continues to bring enormous value to the community. Organisers already have their sights set on creating an even greater impact for 2 2 .

Over the following pages, you’ll find the complete list of winners along with snapshots capturing the day’s celebrations. And don’t forget, there’s more to look forward to: the Property Awards will return next autumn, while the highly anticipated Bristol Life Awards are back for their th anniversary in arch. We can’t wait to see you there!

For more: www.bristolpropertyawards.co.uk

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BRISTOL PROPERTY AWARDS 2025 WINNERS! Congrats to all the finalists of the Bristol Property Awards 2025!

The judges faced some incredibly tough decisions, but after much debate, here are their choices…

Winners’ photos by Narrated Frames; www.narratedframes.com

WINNER OF WINNERS – Jeff Way Group

ARCHITECT – Barefoot Architects

CIVIC & COMMUNITY – One Lockleaze by Goram Homes and Vistry Group

COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT – Welcome Building® by Trammell Crow Company

CONSULTANCY – Building Energy Experts

CONTRACTOR – Jeff Way Group

DEVELOPER – Woodstock Homes

EMPLOYER – AWW

FINANCIAL – Land Rich

INTERIOR DESIGNER – Wylde Interior Architecture

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BRISTOL PROPERTY AWARDS

KITCHENS – Gardiner Haskins

LEGAL – Barcan + Kirby

ONE TO WATCH – Henlie Group

OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL – Natasha McGrath, AWW

PARTNERSHIPS – Elim Housing & NHS BNSSG ICB

PROPERTY AGENT – Burston Cook

PROPERTY LEGEND – Acorn Property Group

RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT – Brabazon by YTL Developments

RISING STAR – Vicky Karavatsi, Curtins

SUPPLIERS AND SERVICES – Alide Hire

SUSTAINABILITY – Verto Homes

TRANSFORMATION – Gap House by BDP

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HOT PROPERTY!

Bristol’s property professionals descended on Ashton Gate Stadium on 28 November for the return of the prestigious Bristol Property Awards.

This celebratory event was hosted by MediaClash chief executive Greg Ingham and TV presenter Gabrielle Blackman, with a headline sponsor appearance from Your Eco. Guests enjoyed a champagne reception, three-course lunch and the awards ceremony. Thank you also to the amazing judges: Alison Bracey, Amy Rudrum, Coralie McKeivor, David Mace, Julian Cook, Kevin Hunt, Nick Spicer and Nick Stopard.

Photos by Adam Clutterbuck Photography

www.mediaclash.co.uk MEDIACLASH.CO.UK I BRISTOL LIFE I 79 1

HEADLINE SPONSOR

SEE YOU NEXT YEAR THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT CATEGORY SPONSORS

TALK TO US ABOUT BENEFITING IN 2026 BRISTOLPROPERTYAWARDS.CO.UK | EVENTS@MEDIACLASH.CO.UK

PROPERTY COMMENT

LEFT: Garden Flat, 24 Victoria Square

NEW YEAR, NEW HOME?

T

RIGHT: 9 Beaconsfield Road, Clifton

RICHARD BROOKS, head of residential sales for Savills Bristol, reports a positive start to the 2026 property market

he prolonged run up to the autumn budget at the end of last year – perhaps the most protracted lead-up to a budget announcement in history – created market conditions that were sticky at best.

In the weeks before the announcement we saw the prevailing sense of uncertainty grow with buyers and sellers understandably uncomfortable about making decisions. This weak sentiment was felt particularly at the top end of the market with agreed sales on homes worth above £1m 16 per cent down in November alone.

In the event, however, the introduction of an annual tax surcharge on properties worth over £2m, at levels lower than many feared, is considered the ‘least worst’ outcome for owners of prime property.

Most importantly, with the uncertainty of 2025 now in the rear view mirror, we are

already seeing a marked change in sentiment.

Buyers and sellers who have had their finger on pause in recent months finally have the confidence to make plans.

There is a real feeling that the gloom has lifted, backed by a noticeable uptick in activity here in Bristol last month, but it is only now as we move into the New Year that we will see the true effect of the improved outlook.

The change in sentiment is supported by an improvement in mortgage affordability, with several lenders having reduced mortgage interest rates last month, and an easing of in ationary pressures.

Buyers coming into the market this January can expect much more choice than they have seen recently. In December, our instruction book was looking particularly strong and we are looking forward to launching a good range of properties into the market, from city pads to large family homes.

The Renter’s Rights Act, which comes into force this year, is probably the biggest regulatory change in the residential rental market for 30 years. It is expected to prompt some landlords to sell up, which could mean that we will be seeing more apartments up for sale in Bristol – in turn an opportunity for firsttime buyers.

Price-wise, we are expecting growth of around two per cent across the South West this year, with stronger gains from 2027 onwards. Over the ne t five years to 2 we are forecasting prices to increase by up to 21 per cent – slightly more than in London and the South East.

With more buyers coming into the market early, we are advising those thinking of making a move this year to act now and benefit from the positive conditions. www.savills.co.uk

Offices in: Henleaze, Whiteladies Road Clifton Village, Shirehampton 0117 962 1205 www.amdsolicitors.com

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They bring: • Objectivity — they see your life from the outside, without emotion clouding decisions • Experience — helping you avoid costly mistakes made by others • A structured approach — turning vague intentions into clear, practical steps • Time back — removing the stress of trying to “figure it all out” alone Independent research shows that people who receive ongoing financial advice end up significantly better off over time, financially and emotionally.

LAMPIERS’ APPROACH

A BETTER WAY TO PLAN YOUR FUTURE LAMPIERS FINANCIAL PLANNING explain why a financial plan is the best resolution you can make

E

very January, millions of us make resolutions with the best of intentions, to get fitter, spend less, finally get organised, yet research shows most resolutions fade within a few weeks. Not because we don’t want change, but because we don’t have a clear plan to make change stick.

FINANCIAL RESOLUTIONS ARE NO DIFFERENT. “I’ll start saving more.”

“I’ll finally sort my pension.”

“I’ll get on top of my money.”

Great intentions, but without structure, they quickly fall away. And that’s exactly why a financial plan is one of the most powerful resolutions you can make. Not a product. Not an investment. A plan, one that aligns your money with your goals, values, and the life you want to build.

“TRUE FINANCIAL PLANNING STARTS WITH YOU: YOUR HOPES, YOUR COMMITMENTS, YOUR DREAMS FOR THE YEARS AHEAD”

WHAT FINANCIAL PLANNING REALLY MEANS Many people think a financial plan is simply choosing investments. Investments are only a small part of the picture. True financial planning starts with you: your hopes, your commitments, your dreams for the years ahead. It helps you understand what you want from life and then uses your money to support that vision.

It’s life planning, not just money planning.

THE MOMENTS THAT SPARK A RETHINK People rarely seek financial advice “just because.”

Most come after life shifts, such as: • A career change • Receiving an inheritance • Starting or growing a business • Expanding a family • Approaching retirement • Navigating separation or loss These moments can be exciting, overwhelming, or both. A planner helps bring clarity when everything feels uncertain.

WHY WORKING WITH A PLANNER MAKES THE DIFFERENCE A good financial planner is an expert, a sounding board, and a steady hand all in one.

At Lampiers, we’ve been helping families, professionals, and business owners make confident decisions for over 80 years. We are a Chartered Financial Planner, this is a “gold status” award which reflects a high level of technical competence, ethical commitment and professional knowledge. Our approach is holistic, personal, and built on long-term partnership. We listen first, plan second, and support you throughout life’s changes, not just at the start of a new year.

Make 2026 the year your money works for you. If you want this year to feel different, start with a conversation.

Download our free financial planning guide at lampiers.com/guides — no details needed.

Or get in touch. Your financial future deserves more than a resolution — it deserves a plan that lasts.

Phone: 01179 707 910 | Email: enquiries@lampiers.com | www.lampiers.com

This advertorial is for information purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results.

Investments can fall as well as rise, and clients may get back less than they invest. We do not guarantee the success of any investment strategy or financial plan, and all clients’ circumstances are unique. Please seek personalised advice relevant to your situation. Capital at risk.

Investment values can go down as well as up. Lampiers Financial Planning is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. FCA Number 606848.

Registered in England and Wales under Company Number 02094288. The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate estate planning or tax advice.

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 83

PROPERTY

NORTH VIEW Nice views? The phrase feels wholly inadequate when describing the ones enjoyed by this spectacular home in Dundry Words by Ursula Cole

A

great view can often be a dealmaker for house-buyers. It’s something estate agents are always keen to jump on when writing up the property descriptions, especially if the house in uestion finds itself on a bit of an incline.

“Panoramic views!”, they suggest optimistically. Well, on a clear day, perhaps, and during the few months when the next-door neighbour’s 30ft oak isn’t in full leaf. Really, such praise should really be reserved for those houses which have truly spectacular views, such as those enjoyed by this contemporary home in Dundry.

Most Bristol dwellers choose city life for a reason. They wouldn’t relinquish their urban delights for all the world, they say; they can’t face saying goodbye to their friendly neighbourhood barista, bistro owner or boutique.

Anyway, they can see the country perfectly well without leaving town, thanks; there it is, that smudge of green just over there, across the oating harbour off to the south. Lovely for a Sunday sortie, maybe a stop-off for fish and chips at Salt alt or lunch at The Pony, just as long as they can be back inside the city gates by sundown.

But for many, it eventually gets to the point where distant bucolic views aren’t enough. They start to feel the need to be surrounded by the stuff 2 – to wake up to a dawn chorus of birds rather than the wail of police sirens or the neighbour’s car alarm.

The good news is that the city doesn’t have the monopoly on cool 2 st-century living; it’s not just barns and farmhouses out there in the countryside. Originally built in the s, as its sleek odernist looks might suggest, North View in Dundry is a very contemporary take on the classic rural pile. True, you may never be approached by Bristol ilm O ce as a location for the

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PROPERTY

next Jacobean drama, but the lack of any half-timbering and creaky olde-worlde charm is wholly compensated for by sheer modern liveability.

As you’ve probably worked out from the photos – yes,we know some of you never get any further than this, don’t think we haven’t seen you, absently icking – the house is surrounded on three sides by its own gardens which rise impressively at the top of a broad circular sweep of steps.

Splendid in its bright white stucco and timber cladding, the house looks out over landscaped grounds through large picture windows, which pull off the double-whammy of framing the view and making the rooms upliftingly light, even on those less-than-uncommon Bristol days when the sun doesn’t deign to shine.

Inside it spreads itself in a leisurely, easy- owing manner across two main storeys with an additional master bedroom suite on the lower-ground oor. In the main ground- oor living area, open-plan is the order of the day. A wide entrance hall leads naturally into the 35ft L-shaped kitchen/dining room/could-live-in-it-all-day room; cool and mono, it has pale stone ooring, crisp black-and-white units and worktops, and full-width, fullheight windows.

This huge family space opens to a wide decked balcony, which also takes you to the equally spacious second sitting

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room; there’s a playroom, too. Similarly, the master bedroom suite – a true sanctuary, with its dressing room and bathroom – opens to the balcony; there are two further bedrooms here, and a fourth on the lower ground oor, with another en-suite and a gym.

Outside, wide lawns dotted with mature trees sweep down the hillside and set off the views. The terrace and BB areas provide ideal entertaining spaces, there’s a bespoke treehouse and a hot tub. Fancy owning the groovy-looking garden pod you can see below? It’s available to buy separately.

Cool, collected and impressive though the house HOUSE NUMBERS is, we suspect it’s those Where?

Dundry incredible views stretching Guide price: £1.75m over to Wales that’ll be the Bedrooms: 4 clincher. While the chances Receptions: 3 of invasion are slight, they Bath/shower rooms: 4 are never zero, so it’s good to know that, just like the Outside: 2 acres landscaped castle-dwellers of the past, if grounds, treehouse, hot tub the Celtic hordes do decide What else? Gym, utility, to invade, you’ll be in pole garage position to see them coming Call my agent: Savills Clifton over the hills.

0117 933 5800; savills.co.uk

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SPONSORED CONTENT

CASE STUDY:

GILL’S BRISTOL KITCHEN TRANSFORMATION

H

When Gill visited the GARDINER HASKINS showroom in Bristol, she had already spent months searching for the right kitchen

er existing U-shaped layout, with two wall sections and a peninsula, was showing its age.

She wanted to replace the worn wooden cabinets, remove an intrusive extractor, relocate the hob and introduce an eye-level oven. Despite visiting several suppliers, she hadn’t yet found anyone who understood her vision or made her feel confident.

During her research, Gill came across a modern kitchen style she liked and discovered that Gardiner Haskins stocked the brand. She was immediately impressed by the displays and began discussing her ideas with kitchen designer Alec Yull. Gill mentioned that she had originally imagined a white scheme but was now considering aqua. Alec listened closely, then suggested a home visit to better assess the space.

At the appointment, Gill outlined her desired changes while Alec took detailed measurements. He brought brochures and various cabinet samples, including a matt grey aqua door with copper trim that instantly caught Gill’s attention. It perfectly matched the style she had been looking for. Confident that Alec understood her preferences, she asked him to develop a full design.

“GILL CAME ACROSS A MODERN KITCHEN STYLE SHE LIKED AND DISCOVERED THAT GARDINER HASKINS STOCKED THE BRAND”

Alec produced a complete plan and photorealistic images showing how the finished kitchen would look. To complement the cabinetry, he recommended a white marble-effect quartz worktop that Gill had admired in the showroom. She was pleased to discover that it worked within her budget.

Gill also hoped to switch her gas hob to induction and reposition it on the peninsula, facing into the living area. She suggested extending the peninsula to make better use of space, and Alec developed this further by adding shallow cupboards along the outer side. This increased storage, expanded the work surface, and created better clearance around the hob. To maximise functionality, the washing machine was relocated to the peninsula’s outer section, improving accessibility while keeping plumbing simple.

Gill chose to keep her existing oven,

and Alec incorporated it at eye level within the new cabinetry, sourcing a matching microwave to sit neatly above. The sink remained in its original position, but Alec recommended upgrading to a Quooker boiling water tap with filtered cold water - a feature Gill quickly embraced. Storage was carefully planned with a mix of deep drawers, cupboards, a corner carousel, and integrated appliances including a concealed dishwasher, boiler, and fridge-freezer.

Gardiner Haskins’ recommended installation team completed the removal of the old kitchen and full installation of the new one in around three weeks. Gill found the team professional, courteous, and in constant communication with Alec, ensuring a smooth process.

The finished kitchen delivered everything Gill had hoped for, “I really wanted to feel confident because a kitchen is a large investment,” she says, “The service from Gardiner Haskins has been excellent, and when my kitchen was finished, I rang Alec to tell him just how pleased I was with everything.”

Want to design your dream kitchen with Gardiner Haskins Interiors? Visit the showroom in Straight Street, Bristol, BS2 0FQ or visit their website www.gardinerhaskins.co.uk/kitchens

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BRISTOL LIVES

“The best silents are as good as, often better than, the best contemporary films” silent comedy, but now include visual comedy, contemporary comedy, satire, classic sitcoms and more. This year we go from s British silent films right up to Lee Mack celebrating 20 years of Not Going Out. Aardman have been magnificent supporters of

CHRIS DANIELS

Slapstick Festival’s back next month.

Let’s meet the chap who’s been having a laugh for the past 11 years

C

hris founded Slapstick Festival in 2015 and continues to run it today.

Unsurprisingly he’s a lifelong fan of comedy and its performers. “Through Slapstick, I’ve had the pleasure of working with many of the people I grew up watching, which has been an incredible privilege”, he says.

Back in 2000 I was running

a local arts organisation called Bristol Silents. We were screening classic silent dramas and comedies, and in 2005 I developed this into a three-day festival with Paul Merton as our special guest. That became the first edition of Slapstick.

Slapstick began with a desire to

build audiences for brilliant silent films which rarely get screened.

Silent comedy felt like the most accessible gateway; the best of these films are still so good, so clever and so entertaining today. That idea grew into our

first Silent omedy ala at the (then) Colston Hall, now Bristol Beacon, with classic films accompanied by a live orchestra and a huge audience we’ve grown from 600 to 1600 over the years.

People often stumble upon Slapstick out of curiosity and

then get completely hooked.

Silent cinema is a misunderstood art form, but the best silent films are as good as, often better than, the best contemporary films.

Big-name comedians come to the festival because many

of them were in uenced by these artists when they were young, and can’t wait to have a platform to celebrate them. Last year Martin Freeman spoke beautifully about admiring Buster Keaton’s athletic and acting abilities.

Slapstick has grown enormously since 2015 – at

our peak we’ve welcomed around 10,000 attendees annually. We started with almost exclusively

90 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

the festival. Peter Lord, David Sproxton and Nick Park have backed us from the very start.

Their work is steeped in the traditions of silent comedy, so the partnership feels very natural.

Without them, the festival simply wouldn’t still exist.

A few standouts down the years include presenting a major

award to French & Saunders at a sold-out Bristol Beacon event with June Whitfield; honouring Ken Dodd, Barry Humphries and Eric Sykes; celebrating 50 years of The Goodies; working with Victoria Wood, who hosted the gala; fundraisers and events with four members of Monty Python; a joyous ash-mob performance of Smile in the Beacon foyer, and year after year, 1,500 people laughing together at our gala screening.

That never loses its magic.

Among the current crop of comedians, Stewart Lee always

makes me laugh – he’s clever, sharp and consistently brilliant.

Alexei Sayle is another favourite and a great supporter of the festival. I enjoyed Sophie Willan in Alma’s Not Normal, and Lee Mack in Not Going Out still always raises a smile.

I’m excited about this year’s gala, with Stephen Mangan

presenting The Kid and Rick Wakeman performing a new live score for The Boat. I’m also thrilled about our Armando

Iannucci events, including presenting him with the inaugural Golden Baz Award for comedy writing in memory of Barry Cryer. He’s a true national treasure.

Diane Morgan would be a dream guest. She grew up

loving Harold Lloyd and Laurel & Hardy, and she was a great fan and friend of Neil Innes, so she’d be a perfect match for Slapstick.

I’d also love to welcome back people we’ve had before, like Stephen Fry, but our dates never seem to quite align.

I live in the lower part of Knowle. I love the fantastic

independent places on our doorstep: the brilliant A Cappella café and pizzeria – wonderful food, lovely people – and fruit and veg shop Fox & West.

Wapping Wharf is possibly my favourite place in the

whole city. I also love Arnos Vale Cemetery, and Easton for the food, the buzz and the energy.

Bristol is full of these little pockets of character.

I have an unusually good memory for comedy history

– dates, films, obscure details and facts. Completely useless at dinner parties, but surprisingly valuable when running a festival like Slapstick.

My most regrettable habit

is probably saying ‘yes’ way too often. I get excited about ideas, events and collaborations, and before I know it, my diary looks like a stunt sequence from a Harold Lloyd short. I’m working on it… slowly!

Slapstick Festival returns 4-8 February; www.slapstick.org.uk