ISSUE 386/AUGUST 2026/£5
THE WAY WE WORK NOW The best flex spaces in town
THE WILD BRUNCH The best meal of the day
GARAGE REVIVAL Matthew Bourne on bringing back The Car Man BRISTOL IN A GLASS Cocktails on the terrace at Rick’s
ISSUE 386 / AUGUST 2026 / EVERYTHING IN THE GARDEN’S LOVELY
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Sarah Mead says step away from the lawn mower…
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NATURAL SELECTION
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PENNMANSHIP Chef Liam comes to Emmeline
EDITOR’S LETTER
58
I
“Yeo Valley’s approach is common sense Harmony in nature takes precedence” What do you mean you’ve never heard the Yeo Valley Rap? Google it at once! Then turn to page 58 and meet inspirational co-owner and head gardener, Sarah Mead
t may sound like a backhanded compliment, but one of the very best things about Bristol is how easy it is to leave. Not permanently, of course – that’s just crazy talk – but there’s something incredibly special about having such easy access to the countryside; in particular the green and pleasant hills south of the city near Blagdon where Yeo Valley makes its home. You can visit the gardens any Thursday, Friday and Saturday between April and October, but the perfect time is 17-19 September when co-owner and head gardener Sarah Mead brings backs her Yeo Valley Organic Festival for a second year. If you have even the slightest interest in plants or nature, whether you own a rolling estate or a handkerchief-sized balcony, there’s loads to enjoy. To quote the Yeo Valley Rap of 2010 – and surely only a Bristol-adjacent dairy farm would have come up with that idea – Yeo changed the game, it’ll never be the same. Of course, another major Bristol’s attraction is the food scene. People come here for all kinds of reasons, from the culture and creativity to the spirit of the people –youthful and curious, compassionate and friendly, boho with a rebel soul – that, and the fact that everyone here is so spookily charming, sexy and good-looking – there, is that enough flattery, have you forgiven me for that easy-to-leave comment yet? – but many are lured by the fiercely independent chef-led restaurants, the sustainability and the street food culture. It’s almost enough to make up for the traffic. Given the average Bristolian’s insatiable greed, we’ve stacked the food features up this month like a pile of decadent dirty fries. You’ll find the best spots for brunch, cocktails inspired by local landmarks, and a taste of what to expect from Chef Liam Penn’s pop-up menus – and that’s even before you get to Dan and Charlie’s reliably brilliant columns. Back at you in mid-September. Fellow autumnophiles, dig out the bunting, because the hotweather freaks have had their fun. It’s our turn now.
DERI ROBINS Bristol Life editor @BristolLifeMag
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Issue 386 / August 2026
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ON THE COVER Photo of Sarah Mead in the Yeo Valley birch grove © Britt Willoughby
ARTS
20 WHAT’S ON Summer in the city, continued 28 DANCE Bourne again 34 BRISTOL HEROES Hot in the city 38 BOOKS Just don’t call them beach reads
FOOD & DRINK
12 BRUNCH The best damn meal of the day 42 RESTAURANT The Great British Animation menu 47 COCKTAILS Bristol in a glass 49 YES CHEF Summer: the case against 51 WINE Pass the wine, we’re pregnant
28
LIFESTYLE
54 ED’S CHOICE Holivals and festidays 58 GARDENS Yeo, listen up; the Organic Garden Festival’s back
BUSINESS
63 C OWORKING There’s a space for you 76 NETWORK LUNCH With Dr Asel Sartbaeva of EnsiliTech 79 NETWORK NEWS It’s the city’s biz
42
PROPERTY
86 SHOWCASE The mill on the Little Avon
REGULARS
9 SPOTLIGHT Harbourfest, Encounters and an anniversary bash 90 BRISTOL BUSINESS In place of our usual Bristol Lives, Anna Farthing takes a look at the ongoing campaign to revive the shopping quarter
Editor Deri Robins deri.robins@mediaclash.co.uk Senior art editor Andrew Richmond Cover design Trevor Gilham Contributors Colin Moody, Storysmith Books, Charlie Taylor, Dan O’Regan, Nick Woodhouse 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 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. Agency From the design and build of websites to digital marketing and creating company magazines, we can help. Events We create, market, promote and operate a wide variety of events both for MediaClash and our clients Contact: info@mediaclash.co.uk
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SPOTLIGHT Festival
clockwise: The Cardboard Boat Race; James Prestwood being extra, Pyronaut; inset: Laura Dia
A BIGGER SPLASH
The boats! The global music! Crazy people scrambling along greasy poles to seize a flag! The flyboarding stunts – seriously, James Prestwood, are you for real? Was this really Harbour Festival, or a manifestation from the Marvel Universe? This year’s event brought an expanded programme featuring the new Baltic Wharf Water Arena, a glowin-the-dark nighttime flyboarding show, the Red Bull Up-the-Mast challenge, and of course the crowdfavourite Cardboard Boat Race – a truly superior effort this year, we thought. On the live stages, The Amphitheatre hosted the main Harbour View acts including Laura Dia, KOG, Dr Meaker, and Year of The Dog. Millennium Square provided the Expression Stage, while Queen Square served as a hub for a diaspora takeover. The new Dockyard Stage near the ss Great Britain set the scene for a South Asian Voices takeover, while the admittedly not especially nautical Bristol Waiters’ Race took place around Queen Square. Let’s do it all again in 2027. www.bristolharbourfestival.co.uk
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SPOTLIGHT Film
RAVE ON, AVON
Bristol festivals get bigger and more ambitious every year – and so it is with Encounters next month. Leading this year’s programme is the UK première of Sirāt Live, part of the ‘Underscore’ series of music events inspired by film. DJ and Sirāt composer Kangding Ray will perform a new immersive AV club experience – he’s calling it an ‘existential rave’ – of the 2025 road movie at Prospect Building on 24 July, reimagining the score with special visuals and unseen material from Oscar‑nominated director Oliver Laxe. Also in the expanded 2026 programme are talks, masterclasses and in‑conversation events with leading figures from film and the wider screen industries, aiming, as ever, to celebrate the best of breakthrough local talent and the stories being told on our doorstep. Animated Encounters returns with a future‑gazing day of conversations, workshops and masterclasses celebrating all things animation. This year’s focus centres on story and writing, with an emphasis on the diversity and range of voices driving the art form forward. “Bristol has always done things differently”, says Encounters executive director Dave Taylor-Matthews. “From Massive Attack to Banksy to Aardman, this city’s creative culture is radical, progressive, and internationally significant. “Encounters exists at the heart of that: a place where the screen industries here in Bristol and the wider South West meet the world, and where discovery and breakthrough drive everything we do. Presenting Sirāt Live as the headline event of our 31st edition, Oliver Laxe and Kangding Ray’s extraordinary collusion of cinema and sound-system culture, feels like the festival coming home to what it’s always been about.” Encounters Film Festival 2026 takes place 23-27 September www.encounters.film
bottom row: The very cool collusion of Oliver Laxe (left) and Kangding Ray
Nobody ever needs to fight for the right to party at Wapping Wharf
Anniversary
CELEBRATE GOOD TIMES
Happy birthday, Wapping Wharf! On 3 July the dockside retail and hospitality businesses celebrated in their usual restrained fashion, with a massive public party featuring usual suspects Batala Bristol Drummers, The Ambling Band, the silent disco, roaming Bubble Fairies and of course food from the restaurants of Cargo. How will the Wharf look in another ten years? Pretty different, if all goes to plan, but still with the same friendly community vibe, we’ll bet. www.wappingwharf.co.uk
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THE WILD
BRUNCH
opposite: Feeling hungry, or Hungarian,
even? Budapest Café will sort you out
this page: The aptly named Breakfast Stack
at The Granary
Always thought breakfast was the most important meal of the day? We suspect you’re getting up way too early Words by Deri Robins
FOOD & DRINK
B
runch: hands-down the best meal of the week. You can have a lovely, long, lazy lie-in, then tuck into a proper, potentially boozy, meal from as early as 11am. You can obviously wave goodbye to productivity for the rest of the day, but who wants to be productive on a weekend? The choice in Bristol is far-ranging and enticing, but unlike you we haven’t got all day, so we’ve picked out just a few.
BANK BRISTOL
Where? 107 Wells Road What? Neighbourhood restaurant, cherished
by its grateful Totterdown regulars and also its wider Bristol fanbase. When’s brunch? Saturday 9am-11.30am. Are they licensed? Yes, and they do very excellent cocktails. Sum up the vibe... “Attentive but relaxed – the perfect Saturday morning brunch spot.” ...and the menu? “As always at Bank, it’s all about live-fire cooking and high-quality, seasonal produce, taking influence from far and wide. British classics sit alongside more eclectic options, leaning on flame and embers to elevate each dish and create a breakfast worth getting out of bed for.” Tempt us: “Smoked full-English, eggs en cocotte, pain perdu, and the Billingsgate Bap with grilled scallops and smoked bacon. Steak served with peppercorn sauce, with bone marrow, charcoal-roasted mushrooms, black pudding and a scallop on the side.” Can we bring the dog? “Yes! Calm, wellbehaved dogs are very welcome.” www.bankbristol.com
BURRA
Where? 7 Lower Redland Road; 223 North Street; 19 The Mall in Clifton What? Antipodean-flavoured cafés run by three guys from Bristol Bears, serving classic brunch dishes along with rice bowls, granola, mezzes etc. When’s brunch? Every day between 8am-4pm, except on Sundays when they open at 9am. Are you licensed? “Yes, at North Street and Clifton – and we get temporary licences for Redland!”
Sum up the vibe... “A neighbourhood feel. Community over everything.” ...and the menu? “Healthy, actually good for you, colourful!” Tempt us... “Feta and eggs is always a huge hit – add a sausage like the Burra team do. Or the Works Bun (egg, sausage, bacon, mixed leaves, halloumi, beef tomato, jalapeño mayo). Our ‘Little Brunches’ menu is perfect for those with smaller appetites.” Can we bring the dog? “Yes please!” www.burrabristol.co.uk
BUDAPEST CAFE
Where? 58 Alma Vale Road What? Family-owned café serving traditional
homemade Hungarian food and cakes.
When’s brunch? Tuesday to Friday, 9am-
top: Feta and eggs goes down a storm at Burra; above: Bank – you’ll never leave hungry; opposite: If the Breakfast
Stack (page 13) doesn’t call to you, how about something with a Persian flavour, at The Granary?
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1.30pm; Saturday 9am-3.30pm; Sunday 9:30am-3.30pm. Are they licensed? No. Sum up the vibe... “We want people to feel at home, whether they’re stopping by for a quick coffee or spending a couple of hours enjoying brunch with friends and family.” ..and the menu? “Inspired by Hungarian flavours alongside classic brunch favourites. Everything is freshly prepared to order, and great coffee is a big part of what we do.” Tempt us: The Rustic Breakfast (cheesy scrambled eggs, Hungarian chorizo, potatoes and lecso*, topped with crispy bacon; [* tomato, pepper and onion stew]. Our homemade goulash soup has a loyal following, and our homemade Hungarian zserbó is loved by everyone with a sweet tooth.” Can we bring the dog? “Well-behaved fourlegged friends are always welcome.” www.budapestcafe.co.uk
THE GRANARY
Where?: 32 Welsh Back What?: Independent neighbourhood
restaurant with an all-day offering, in the city’s loveliest Bristol Byzantine building. When’s brunch? Tuesday to Sunday 8am-12pm. Are you licensed? “Yes, all day, every day!” Sum up the vibe... “Relaxed, buzzy and welcoming. Wide arched Byzantine windows fill the room with light, while lush greenery, colourful upholstery and work by local artists and artisans bring warmth and personality.’ ...and the menu? “The brunch menu takes the classics and gives them a Granary spin, with Persian-inspired flavours and quality local ingredients. Expect freshly baked milk buns, Clarence Court eggs, merguez sausages; there are lighter options too, plus excellent coffee, fresh juices and signature health shots.” Tempt us: “Makouda potato cakes served with harissa and tomato sauce, fried eggs and soft herbs; or the Breakfast Stack,– a freshly baked milk bun stacked with fried egg, merguez sausage, bacon and a potato cake.” Can we bring the dog? Always welcome. www.granarybristol.com
Although people think of brunch as being quintessentially American, the name was first coined by British writer Guy Beringer in 1895. Guy reckoned that a leisurely late-morning meal would be kinder to ‘Saturday-night carousers’ than an early Sunday lunch. “Brunch is cheerful, sociable and talk-compelling”, he wrote.
“Brunch is cheerful, sociable and talkcompelling”
FOOD & DRINK
STARLINGS
Where? 99 Queen’s Road What? Popular café with locally roasted coffee and a modern dining menu. When’s brunch? Monday-Friday 8am-3:30pm; Saturday 9am-4:30pm; Sunday 10am-3:30pm. Are they licensed? Yes. Sum up the vibe...“Restaurant-quality food in a relaxed café atmosphere, taken on the terrace or inside our beautiful dining room.” …and the menu? “A mix of classic and unique dishes, elegantly presented and made with locally sourced produce.” Tempt us: “Turkish eggs with chickpeas roasted in spiced brown butter, served on herby crème fraiche with pickled cucumbers and grilled focaccia. Or pork crumpet; slow-roasted pork shoulder, chipotle slaw, mashed peas, avocado, jalapeños and crispy onions on toasted crumpets.” Can we bring the dog? They’re welcome both indoors and out. www.starlingsuk.co.uk
above: Bag a terrace spot at Starlings; below: The clue is on the plate
CRAFTY EGG
Where? 113 Stokes Croft; 780 Fishponds
Road
What?: Vibrant, creative café/restaurant with a diverse menu and local brews. When’s brunch? Every day 8.30am-3pm. Are they licensed? Yes. Sum up the vibe... “Cosy all-day hideaway.” …and the menu? “Modern twists on brunch using all fresh and local ingredients.” Tempt us: “Afghan eggs and salmon hash are big customer favourites. Our new homemade hashbrowns also seem really popular!” Can we bring the dog? “We’re totally dog friendly.” www.thecraftyegg.co.uk
THE MET
Where? 72 Whiteladies Road What? Casual neighbourhood restaurant. When’s brunch? Tuesday- Friday 10am-
midday; Saturday and Sunday 10am-1pm.
MOLLIE’S DINER
Where? Cribbs Causeway What? Classic American roadside diner
meets contemporary British hospitality. When’s brunch? Every day 7am-midday. Are they licensed? Yes. Sum up the vibe… “Stylish interiors and a laid-back atmosphere.” …and the menu? “Crowd-pleasing favourites, from full-English to French toast and granola.” Tempt us: “The full-English is a Mollie’s favourite, while the Eggs Royale is perfect if you’re after something a little more indulgent. For those with a sweet tooth, the waffles and French toast are must-orders, especially when paired with our bottomless filter coffee.” Can we bring the dog? Yes, in designated areas of the diner www.mollies.com/bristol
Are they licensed? Yes; restaurant manager
and cocktail expert Hugo has even created a cocktail list to complement the brunch menu. Sum up the vibe... “Relaxed, buzzy, chilled.” …and the menu? “Brunch classics along with some with a twist” (think Mumbai toastie, or fried chicken bun with kimchi). Tempt us: “How’s ox-cheek hash with bubble and squeak?” Can we bring the dog? Only in the garden. www.metropolitanbristol.com
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The most expensive brunch in the world was at Norma’s restaurant in the Le Parker Meridien Hotel in New York. Called the Zillion Dollar Lobster Frittata, it included a pound of lobster and 10 ounces of caviar and cost around $2000, earning it the Guinness World Record for the most expensive commercially available omelette.
FOOD & DRINK SKYBOAT CAFÉ
Where? 4 Harcourt Road What? Community hub with soft-play for kids and a café for well-behaved grown-ups When’s brunch? Mon-Sat 9:30am-2:30pm Sum up the vibe... “A welcoming independent café in a calm, family-friendly space. The kids get to play in a design-led environment, giving the grown-ups time to enjoy their brunch and coffee while it’s still hot!”
…and the menu? Grown-up treats include pancakes, salads and toasties, with a separate menu for the kids; all made in-house with a respectful eye on seasonality. Tempt us: “Kimcheese toastie made with our home-fermented kimchi; shakshuka; or Big Boat, our take on the full-English breakfast.” Can we bring the dog? “In the café area but not the soft play!” www.skyboatcafe.com
WINDMILL HILL CITY FARM CAFÉ
Where? Phillip Street, Bedminster What? One of Bristol’s greatest community
assets, the city farm has brought people together for 50 years through nature, learning and wellbeing. When’s brunch? Every day 9am-3pm. Sum up the vibe... “Family-friendly, welcoming, wholesome.” ...and the menu? “Farm-to-table, sustainable and colourful.” Tempt us: “Try our big full-English breakfasts: the City Farmer, or the veggie City Grower and City Planter.” Can we bring the dog? “Yes please! we have free treats for them and we sell Marshfield Scoops Vanilla Dog Ice Cream.” n above: Skyboat – Let the kids roam the soft play while you have a proper meal for once top right: Farm-to-table goodness at Windmill City Farm
WE COULD HAVE STOPPED RIGHT THERE…
But of course, we didn’t. Here are a few more wellestablished favourites:
of by new curators Wiper & True, while FED café takes serves up coffee from Yallah, pastries, toasties, salads and cakes. Open 8am-10pm daily. www.arnolfini.org.uk/cafe-bar
ARNOLFINI CAFÉ BAR, Narrow Quay Whether you’re dining al fresco on the covered deck or tucked up cosily indoors, locations don’t get more picturesque than this one, directly on the Harbourside gazing over to M Shed. There’s an all-day offering, with beer, wine and cocktails taken care
THE BRISTOLIAN, Picton Street Classic fry-ups in this quirky, boho Montpelier café. Try the Bristolian Fusion with eggs, local chorizo, minty yoghurt, garlic mushrooms, grilled sunblush tomatoes, sesame spinach and crispy potatoes. Open all day, 8am-5pm. www.thebristolian.co.uk
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PRIMROSE CAFÉ, Boyce’s Avenue A Clifton staple for nearly 30 years; sit out front for caféquarter people-watching, or hide away in the secluded rooftop garden. 10am-4pm Mon-Fridays, 9.30-4pm weekends. Choose between The Monty’s fry-up, savoury muffins, waffles and more. www.primrosecafe.co.uk THE BRISTOL LOAF, Bedminster Parade, Church Road and Bristol Beacon Along with a range of breads, pastries, cakes and savouries,
these ambitious cafés offer seasonal and fresh Scandiinspired brunch menus. Opening hours vary across the venues, but all open at 8am, except for a slightly later 10am start on Sundays. www.thebristolloaf.co.uk TERRACE AT 43, Whiteladies Road Formerly the legendary Brace & Browns. Classic brunch dishes along with shakshouka, pistachio French toast and an entire hashbrowns menu. Opens at 9.30 every day. www.terraceat43.com
THE PLAY CAFE FOR LITTLE ONES AND THEIR GROWN-UPS
COFFEE BRUNCH LUNCH PRIVATE HIRE
Imaginative space for children to play and learn A vibrant, seasonal and healthy cafe 4 HARCOURT RD, REDLAND, BRISTOL, BS6 7RG WWW.SKYBOATCAFE.COM | INSTAGRAM: SKYBOATCAFE
99 Queens Road, Clifton, BS8 1LW www.starlingsuk.co.uk
WHAT’S ON
14 August-12 September 2026
You’re not likely to need that pully on the Downs, Lorde...
EXHIBITIONS Until 30 August
FOLLY The tradition of folly building began in Britain’s stately homes several hundred years ago; the tradition also persists in the urge to undertake an idiosyncratic project for its own sake, flying in the face of logic, common sense or utility. Contemporary artists explore the theme, at RWA; rwa.org.uk
TOHÉ COMMARET: MIJITAS The first exhibition in the UK by Franco-Chilean artist Tohé, featuring two new commissions, Rosa and Can You Hear Me? – enigmatic short films which approach social realities through magical realism. Spike Island; spikeisland.org.uk
Until 13 September
SOPHIE GREEN: TANGERINE DREAMS British documentary photographer Sophie presents a vivid exploration of the communities, subcultures and social gatherings that shape contemporary Britain. How very MPF; martinparrfoundation.org
CRACKING EXHIBITION, GROMIT! A major anniversary retrospective celebrating 50 years of Aardman in Bristol with behind-the-scenes sets and insights into the animation process. When you’ve seen it, head up to Bristol Museum & Art Galley and see if you can spot all the little Aardmanobilia they’ve hidden among the regular cabinets. bristolmuseums.org.uk
NANCY LUPO: SEVERAL CHICKENS LATER Nancy often describes her work as being held together through a thin thread of narrative which she explores through writing that she publishes as zines. An epic drama of regular things, dreams and distortions are intertwined, through sculpture, video, writing, sound, drawing, painting, performance and more. Spike Island; spikeisland.org.uk
SENTIENTS From raging wildfire to the vision of an owl, from a river to multiple galaxies, this collection of video games and virtual reality invites you to see through other eyes. Discover wild imaginings and animal visions; look through windows into a world in conflict; adventure into strange lands, quests, myth and folklore, all without leaving Undershed; watershed.co.uk
Until 6 September
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Until 27 September
JONATHAN BALDOCK: HELD Rooted in traditional craft techniques, myth and folklore, Jonathan’s work is imbued with a tactile familiarity. Filled with humour, his works cross multiple platforms; Arnolfini; arnolfini.org.uk THE LOST PAINTINGS: A PRELUDE TO RETURN In 1947, Palestinian‑Lebanese artist Maroun Tomb was preparing to open a new exhibition in Haifa when the show was lost amid the breakout of war. Now contemporary 53 Palestinian artists offer their own response; at Bristol Museum, bristolmuseums.org.uk POLLY BRADEN: AGAINST THE TIDE Documentary photographer Polly explores the effects of coastal poverty in collaboration with young people from some of the most deprived places across England and Wales. At Arnolfini; arnolfini.org.uk
Until 27 June 2027
MARTIN PARR: LACOCK In 2025, Martin’s final commission was to shoot everyday life in the village of Lacock; a full circle moment in his illustrious career. Fox Talbot museum; nationaltrust.org.uk
SHOWS
Until 15 August
THE BODYGUARD Two West End stars gamely take on the challenge of capturing the magic of Whitney and Kev in the musical of the film, at Bristol Hippodrome, atgtickets.com BARLEYCORN It’s been raining all summer, but that’s not going to stop the residents of Hopley Drew assembling in The Barleycorn Inn for one last knees up before it closes its doors for good. Riddlestick Theatre’s new musical comedy tells tales of folk intrigue, ‘wyrd’ happenings and inebriated villagers, at The Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com
18-23 August
ANNIE It’s a hard-knock life for little orphan Annie, until – oh you know the rest, Daddy Warbucks and all that. Hippodrome, atgtickets.com
29 August
THINGS I’VE NEVER SAID A life-affirming story told through dance theatre with original music, from the award-winning Project Dance at the Redgrave; redgravetheatre.com
WHAT’S ON 1-5 September
THE CAR MAN What do you get if you take Bizet’s Carmen, keep the best tunes, swap the 19th-century Spanish cigarette factory for a Mid-West1950s garagediner and replace the femme fatale for an homme? Find out on page 28. Hippodrome; atgtickets.com
8-12 September
MEAN GIRLS The Plastics rule North Shore High and will burn anyone who gets in their way. Grab your friends, this is going to be fetch; at Hippodrome, atgtickets.com
9-12 September
SUNK INTO THE EARTH What do you do when your ex-situationship appears after six years in prison for killing her sister’s husband? You invite her and all your friends over and hope for the best, right? See how that all pans out for everyone at Alma Tavern, almatavernandtheatre.co.uk
12 September
BADGERS A folk tale about folk tales, the art of letting go, and the ethics of true crime: a shape-shifting, mercurial new show from the team behind Outlier. BOV, bristololdvic.org.uk
COMEDY & CABARET Ongoing
CLOSER EACH DAY The world’s longest-running improvised comedy soap continues to froth away amusingly at The Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com BRISTOL IMPROV THEATRE For the full programme, see improvtheatre.co.uk THE GAFFE Stand-up LOLs from some of the sharpest, funniest comedians on the circuit; thegaffecomedyclub.com
16 August
BEN POPE Ben stress-tests a new hour of bookflavoured jokes. Expect riffs about Where’s Wally?, airport thrillers, Dr Seuss, performative male readers, and Sylvia Plath’s bloody fig tree, at Gaffe, thegaffecomedyclub.com
24 August top: Arms in the air like you just don’t care at Forwards middle: Charlotte rocks the mic at Electric
bottom: Together in Tangerine Dreams at MPF
TEZ ILYAS: TEZ THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU The grumpiest uncle on the circuit
is back with fresh jokes, furious rants and ridiculous stories; it’s a tryout for his big autumn tour; The Robin Hood at Gaffe, thegaffecomedyclub.com
31 August, 22 September
SAM CAMPBELL: KID GIBLET Sam definitely doesn’t know what’s going on, but he can’t wait to come to Bristol and respect its traditions. “I have purchased a large metal ring. I will use it to keep all of the keys to the city that are given to me by the mayors I impress with my showmanship”, he says. Bristol Beacon; bristolbeacon.org
3 September
HELI LAUGHS Top funny people assemble to raise funds for Great Western Air Ambulance Charity. Hosted by Kiri Pritchard McLean, Michelle deSwarte headlines. At BOV, bristololdvic.org.uk
3-6 September
RUSSELL HOWARD Such is Russell’s popularity in Bristol that the Beacon main hall has confidently booked him for four straight nights. Expect the usual sharp insights on everyday life, highenergy storytelling and clever riffs; bristolbeacon.org
5 September
RHYS JAMES: CHOP LOGIC Rhys has made a discovery that could fix everything. If he can ignore his own problems for long enough, he might just be able to solve yours. A fast, forensic show of big ideas and gag-dense overthinking from one of the nation’s sharpest stand-ups, at BOV; bristololdvic.org.uk REUBEN SOLO: SOMEONE IN THIS CROWD WILL BETRAY ME “I came here to tell jokes and figure out who’s going to betray me. And I’m all out of jokes.” After months spent touring worldwide, Reuben returns with knives in his back and a camera on his head. As previously booed on America’s Got Talent; now at 1532, 1532bristol.co.uk
8 September
LARRY DEAN: HELLBENT Recently married, emotionally feral, the Gallus Glaswegian goon comes to BOV with a riotous show about refusing to grow up. bristololdvic.org.uk TOM READ WILSON: THE A-Z OF ME If your ideal night out involves an alphabetful of TV presenter, author, actor, and singer Tom, head
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FRESH THINKING OVER A FINE LUNCH Unique social business occasion + live interview: OLLY CULVERHOUSE of Signable
JOIN US
Wednesday 16 September, 12pm at The Granary Sponsored by:
Full details here:
If you would like to get involved, email events@mediaclash.co.uk
BE PA RT OF T HE C ONVE R SATI ON
WHAT’S ON
to Redgrave for songs and sonnets, stories and smut, redgravetheatre.com
9 September
IVO GRAHAM: ORANGE CRUSH What’s the best orange thing in the world? Aperol? Sunsets? Claudia Winkleman? Maybe it’s marmalade, or Garfield. There’s just so many to consider, and no one on earth has considered more of them than Ivo. Come and help this orange lunatic make his orange list, in a show about hats, haters, hometown heroes, and whether Hare Krishnas are better than Hobnobs; bristololdvic.org.uk BAGA CHIPZ: BAGZ TO RICHES A story of transformation from council estate princess to the nation’s most loveable tart: it’s the international drag superstar and RuPaul’s Drag Race icon, at Redgrave; redgravetheatre.com
10 September
GINGER JOHNSON: SHOW PONY High camp, low morals and double helpings of her trademark ridiculousness as Redgrave welcomes one of Britain’s most beloved queens; redgravetheatre.com JACK ROOKE’S GOOD GRIEF Jack explores grief, ambition, being a class traitor, milking having a dead dad for personal/professional gain, the innocence of writing just for oneself before the interference of ‘telly w*nkers’, and the palpable regret of his own decline into becoming said ‘telly w*nker’. This show may contain triggering stories around grief, suicide and Geri leaving the Spice Girls in May 1998; at BOV, bristololdvic.org.uk
12 September
AURIE STYLA: MAVERICK Although everything seems nice and cushty, something is throwing off the scales of Aurie’s wins and fails; come and hear him explain his bad work-life balance, family influence, relationships, health and more, at BOV; bristololdvic.org.uk
MUSIC
See also festivals For more events see: Bristol Beacon (bristolbeacon.org); St George’s Bristol (stgeorgesbristol.co.uk); Trinity (trinitybristol.org.uk); The Louisiana (thelouisiana.net); Thekla
Dean idol: the original Rebel Without a Cause rides, broods and smoulders once again at Bristol Film Festival
(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 Gallimaufry (thegallimaufry.co.uk)
27 August
AFI California’s iconic alt-rock visionaries AFI bring their dark, electrifying live show to Prospect Building, fusing post-hardcore intensity with a gothic atmosphere, anthemic hooks, shadow-drenched melodies, and explosive energy; theprospectbuilding.com ERRATIC BATTING: FULU MIZIKI Fulu Miziki translates as ‘music from garbage’– an accurate description of the chaotic eco-friendly-Afrofuturistic-punk-assemble collective which comes straight from a future where humans have reconciled with Mother Earth and with themselves. Still no idea? Head to Jam Jar; thejamjarbristol.com
28 August
LORDE Forwards Festival brings New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde to Bristol for an all-day concert on the Downs, supported by Djo, Audrey Hobert, Rose Gray, Esha Tewari and Grove. forwardsbristol.com
JACK WHITE Detroit’s restless innovator, a master of reinvention, fuses blues, garage rock grit and experimental edge into a sound that feels both timeless and fiercely forward-thinking, from his era-defining work with The White Stripes to tracks like Seven Nation Army. Come and hear him electrify the main stage at Prospect; theprospectbuilding.com
3 September
THE REAL THING Yes, the real Real Thing, no mere tribute band: the ’70s soul-funksters with original vocalists Chris Amoo and Dave Smith perform all the hits; we’re talking the likes of You to Me are Everything and Can’t Get by Without You,at Redgrave; redgravetheatre.com
7 September
DAVID ESSEX From his breakout role in Godspell to a string of 1970s hits and a starring role in That’ll be the Day, David Essex OBE has long proved he was more than just a pretty boy (though damnit, he was pretty). Enjoy the songs and the stories, at Bristol Beacon, bristolbeacon.org
11 September
CHARLOTTE CHURCH’S END TIMES POP DUNGEON The former Voice of an Angel now prefers to plunge audiences into hallucinatory realms of the ecstatic
through tarantella exuberance, clear-blue-sky-bliss and the sacred communion of bleeding hearts. She’s back for one last key change, just in time for the world’s end, at Electric. electricbristol.com
FESTIVALS, FAIRS & PARTIES Ongoing
BRISTOL FILM FESTIVAL The year-round festival continues; look out for some atmospheric sci-fi and sci-fact screenings at the Planetarium this month. bristolfilmfestival.com
Until 15 August
BRISTOL CIDER WEEK A citywide week-long celebration of the beverage, as befits Bristol as the UK capital of cider. Expect tap takeovers, talks and tastings, cheese pairings, orchard tours, pop ups, secret toasts (!), impromptu parties, cider boat trips, sunset mead toasts and, unbelievably, ‘lots more’. bristolciderweek
15 August
CIDER SALON Head to Trinity to try dozens of fine ciders and perries, while learning directly from the makers and meeting other enthusiasts and experts. cidersalon.co.uk
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WEDDINGS AT THE CLIFTON CLUB Prestigious Clifton Village location
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“You truly made our day unforgettable. Friends and family couldn’t compliment the staff and venue more. Thank you for everything! - Gill & Matt THE CLIFTON CLUB 22 The Mall, Clifton Bristol, BS8 4DS
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CONTACT 0117 974 5039 events@thecliftonclub.co.uk
WHAT’S ON 22 August
SOULTASIA It’s the UK’s biggest touring soul and disco bonanza, it has Kenny Thomas, Jocelyn Brown,Loose Ends, Odyssey, Phil Fearon and Gala in the line-up, and it’s coming to Lloyd’s Amphitheatre. soultasia.com
29 August
OLD CITY SOUNDS The annual takeover of King Street, St Nicholas Street, Welsh Back and St Stephens Church, in a free musical celebration which celebrates the city’s songful soul, from jazz and traditional Irish folk to immersive DJs and alt-rock; bristolbid.co.uk
CULTURE CLUB with MALAIKA KEGODE Written and developed by Malaika (middle of pic) who also plays The Storyteller, Badgers is a new folk play memory and music.
The book I could re-read Manifesto: On Never Giving Up by Bernadine Evaristo. I read this for the first time last year when I was in a real funk, and it was super invigorating and inspiring.
A film I could watch over and over again The Philadelphia Story (1940) – Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn and Jimmy Stewart, all at the top of their games – so funny, smart and sexy.
My desert island disc Speaking in Tongues by Talking Heads. Wall-to-wall bangers. No skips. Just a band at the top of their game.
A painting that means something to me Good Measures by local artist David J McMillan, created for The Good Measure pub. I’m a real pub lover, and this illustration sums up so much of what I love about them. It’s full of warmth, chaos and familiarity.
My karaoke banger Common People by Pulp. As a flex, I can also do the entirety of Subterranean Homesick Blues by Bob Dylan, but people don’t tend to want to hear that. Philistines.
Podcast pick Rehash – Maia Wyman and Hannah Raine discussing what social media phenomenon says about our culture more widely. I Best TV show ever… just love funny, girly chats that get My first instinct was to say Twin deep into researching the media’s Peaks, especially as Badgers is impact on feminism and how we so inspired by David Lynch, but I’m actually going to say I’m Alan live our lives. Partridge. Absolutely perfect Guilty pleasure comedy following one of the I’m so sorry, but it is those AI slop best characters ever created. fruit drama videos. I always need to know whether Bananito will My favourite binge watch discover Strawberita’s affair with Smash, a much-maligned NBC Applelito. drama following the creation of a musical about Marilyn Monroe. The pre-Edinburgh preview of It’s soapy, silly and sometimes actually quite bad (although the Badgers is at Bristol Old Vic performances and music are top between 8-12 September; www.bristololdvic.org.uk tier) – but I absolutely love it.
R&B LOVERS It’s another outing for the massive 1990s and noughties daytime summer fest, at Prospect Building; theprospectbuilding.com
29-30 August
FORWARDS Since launching in 2022, Forwards has become the most important outdoor music festival in the city, drawing both the biggest and freshest names in international music to the Downs. Up this year, among others, are Tems, Wet Leg, Self Esteem, Tricky, Goldie, Little Simz, Amyl and the Sniffers, Dijon, Charles Hazlewood and Paraorchestra performing their Kraftwerk:RE:WERK. forwardsbristol.com THE OLD DUKE JAZZ FESTIVAL Everyone’s favourite King Street music pub celebrates nearly 60 years of free jazz performances with a solid line-up; theoldduke.com
30 August
FANTAZIA Uplifting old school piano anthems, hardcore classics, acid house, jungle, and trance collide with cuttingedge production and sound, at Document; document-bristol.com LOVE THE 90S The parties just keep coming at Prospect; here with performances from DJ Sammy, N-Trance (DJ and MC set), Baby D, K-Klass, Livin’ Joy, Phats & Small, and Ultrabeat’s Ian Redman, theprospectbuilding.com
4-6 September
WING FEST Poultry in motion at Lloyd’s, with chicken wings (around 100,000 of the things), 25 different food vendors, beer, bourbon and music. wingfest.co.uk
6 September
EAT: BEDMINSTER Over 80 local food and drink stallholders turn East Street and Dean Street into one big food festival, purveying cider and cheese, baked goods and street food; look out for the Latin market with authentic street food such as arepas, empanadas, and Argentinian asados; there’s live music, dancing, and family-friendly entertainment too. eatfestivals.org
12 September
BRISTOL COFFEE FESTIVAL Get your caffeine fix, discover established and emerging talent from the growers and learn about essential topics at the core of the industry. Barista and author James Hoffman is booked to give a talk this year; at Beacon. bristolcoffeefestival.co.uk n
Handy gardening tips from Wallace & Gromit; at M Shed
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BOLD NEW ERA BRISTOL’S REDGRAVE THEATRE transforms into a producing house for 60th anniversary and announces its first in-house pantomime
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he Redgrave Theatre has announced an exciting artistic evolution in its 60th anniversary year. Moving beyond its traditional model as a receiving house, the iconic Bristol venue is officially transitioning into a producing theatre. The theatre will launch its first in-house production for the 2026/27 festive season: a new Bristol-focused adaptation of Dick Whittington which gives the classic rags-toriches tale a West-Country flavour, allowing audiences to set sail with Dick as he journeys to Bristol to seek his fortune with his feline friend Tommy by his side. The transition marks a monumental shift for the 320-seat theatre, allowing it to create and stage its own work for the first time in its six-decade history. The inaugural seasonal offering will be part of a year-long ‘Diamond Year’ celebration throughout 2026 and 2027, honouring the theatre’s rich heritage while anchoring its future in the local community. “This is an exciting time for the Redgrave”,
“THE PANTO IS A NEW BRISTOLFOCUSED ADAPTATION WHICH GIVES THE TALE A WEST-COUNTRY FLAVOUR”
said theatre manager Sue Ellicott. “Launching our own in-house production company during our 60th year feels like the perfect moment to take this leap. Audiences can expect the same theatre magic and festive joy they have always loved, with a homegrown touch. We are incredibly proud to be collaborating directly with Bristol talent, from the incredible local performers to the brilliant designers shaping our sets and costumes, to craft a version of Dick Whittington that is packed with WestCountry wit, familiar nods, and the vibrant energy of our city.” James Moore, Director of Performing Arts for Clifton College, who is producing this year’s pantomime with the Redgrave Theatre team. “For 60 years, the Redgrave has been a beautiful space for visiting companies, but stepping into the role of a producing house allows the theatre to truly weave itself into the cultural ecology of Bristol”, he says. “Dick Whittington is just the beginning of our commitment to champion local artists, creators, and technical crews right here on our stage” While the new winter pantomime stands as the festive finale of 2026, the Redgrave’s 60th anniversary features a wide array of community, youth and legacy initiatives. Following a remarkably successful launch, the newly established Redgrave Youth Theatre is expanding. Designed for ages 7-14, the programme provides a vital space for local young people to build confidence and performance skills under industry professionals, with exciting plans underway for
a summer school. To secure the theatre’s next 60 years, the venue has launched a public fundraising drive. The ‘Name a Seat’ campaign allows individuals to dedicate a personalised plaque on an auditorium seat for three years, with supporter packages ranging from £300 to £500. Funds raised will directly support vital improvements to the historic venue, community outreach to local schools, and arts scholarships. Whether you’re supporting the next generation of performers, naming a seat, or joining Dick and Tommy on their festive adventure, there has never been a more exciting time to be part of the Redgrave Theatre’s story. n
HOW TO BOOK: Performances run from Friday 4 December Sunday 3 January with discounts for schools, family tickets and group bookings. To book your tickets call the box office on 0117 3157 800 or visit www.redgravetheatre.com. www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 27
MURDER ON THE DANCE FLOOR
Matthew Bourne’s The Car Man blends ballet, contemporary dance, tango and jazz in a high-stakes crime thriller full of predatory prowls and violence. It makes Dirty Dancing look about as edgy as a middleschool disco . . . Words by Ursula Cole Photos by Johan Persson 28 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk
DANCE
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s much influenced by the movies and musicals as classical dance, Matthew Bourne has helped to popularise dance to a wider audience, reinventing classic ballets in a contemporary style, giving familiar stories fresh and imaginative interpretations Strangely, while Carmen may seem a shoo-in for a Bourne adaptation, Matthew says he resisted the idea for quite a while; until 2000, in fact, when the dance first premièred. “There were so many versions of it, both ballet and opera. But I kept listening to the score, and felt it was the right kind of music for [his company] New Adventures. I also felt it suggested a different kind of movement to what we’d done before. “But to stop myself, and probably everyone else, thinking, “Oh no, not another Carmen”, I thought, well, we’ll use the music but we’ll tell a different story, and that’s what made the whole thing feel like a totally original project. I was also keen to create a kind of dance thriller, full of plot twists and suspense. You can’t do that with a story people already know.” His The Car Man may differ quite a lot from Carmen, “but there are parallels with the opera story, too; there are elements of lust, fate, revenge and murder and all those things that are associated with Carmen. The essence of Carmen is there, but we’ve set it in a different place and time, in an ItalianAmerican community of a small mid-western town in the 1960. Although it’s in the USA there’s quite a European feel to the production, and while there are some obvious American elements, we’ve tried to add a gritty kind of realism, associated with Italian, French and Spanish cinema, and tried to avoid Hollywood glamour. “This fictional town is called Harmony; I was looking for a name that could become increasingly ironic as the story develops. The characters are very gutsy and real, requiring a whole different acting style from much of the New Adventures repertory. It was certainly a change of direction in 2000 following the lakeside fantasy of Swan Lake and the genteel period feel of our wartime Cinderella. “The Car Man has always been a piece that has challenged my company as actors, and the movement that comes from it was also much more earthy and gritty and contemporary in feel. You could call it a
“You could call it film noir, but one that tells a story that no film of that era would have been able to tell”
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DANCE
classic film noir, but one that tells a story that no film of that era would have been able to tell! In dance terms, it remains a comparative rarity, as the first ballet to depict bisexuality as a major part of the plot.” The previous orchestration Matthew admired, by Rodion Shchedrin, was only 40 minutes long; so another hour of music had to be commissioned from composer Terry Davies, based on the Bizet score. “With other shows I’d choreographed, I’d worked to an existing score and made the story fit, but with this piece, I was able to work in reverse, so with certain scenes or dances I was able to ask, what kind of music do we need for this? In that sense, it was the first time I’d collaborated with a composer to create a complete score. I think that the results are very filmic and incredibly contemporary in feel; a tribute not only to Terry and Shchedrin, but to the enduring genius of Bizet.” The title of the show is designed to differentiate between his production and Carmen while indicating that he has retained elements of the original, particularly the music. “The title is quite literal: it’s about mechanics working in the garage where most of the production is set. More specifically, it refers to the character of Luca, a stranger who arrives at the beginning of the show and takes a part-time job there. Luca is a kind of fate figure who affects everyone’s lives and becomes the catalyst for change. There is also a
30 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk
Carmen figure called Lana, while Angelo and Rita are nods to Don Jose and Michela.” Apart from a special Albert Hall London revival in 2022 to celebrate its 150th birthday, The Car Man has not been seen in UK for over 10 years – this despite the fact that it’s one of New Adventures’ most popular productions and a firm favourite with the company. “All my dancers want the chance to play these challenging roles. There’s now a whole new generation of talented artists ready to take up that challenge, which is one of the main reasons for bringing it back in 2026. It’s also a particular favourite of mine because it combines my love of cinema with a highly theatrical approach. It also gives me a great excuse to revisit many of my much loved old movies for research.” Matthew is one of the most popular, and populist, dance choreographers of our time; Bizet’s Carmen is one of the most accessible and toe-tapping operas ever written. Put them together, along with a thrilling new score and athletic, sensual performances, and you’re guaranteed a good night out. n The Car Man plays Bristol Hippodrome 1-5 September; www.atgtickets.com
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LEAP OF FAITH It’s the Bristol summer; let’s jump right in Words and pics by Colin Moody
BRISTOL HEROES
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’m going to take a look at some of the heroes I’ve seen on the streets this summer. But to start us off, let’s go peak Bristol and hit the water.
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Can’t think of a better visual metaphor for the culture of this city that this one. A cardboard boat made to look like a tin of sardines, but rather than say that the tin is full, they are more than willing to receive one more. Did he make it, with that leap of faith? If you were there at Harbour Festival this year then you know.
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Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Hippodrome, and the audience really goes for it. Fair play to all the men in suspenders and dress shirts who walked in their Manolo Blahniks past all the kebab shops to get to their seats. Bristol has a penchant for taking it to 11 all the time, so here I’ve over-flashed deliberately in harmony with that energy.
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Pride. Missed the march this year, sad about that, because so much has been won by our diverse LGBT+ communities over the decades, and what has been achieved through protest has been incredible. It’s great to get to a place where Pride brings together so many, and so many allies, in celebration. That we can get to a place where Supergirl here, sat on a pub bench on the Downs on the hottest day of the year, can take five to check that their makeup is still flawless makes me happy. Here’s to a safe inclusive city for us all. Haters can do one; we are a strong, safe city, let’s build on that. And be wise enough to know that after so much was won, with new hatred knocking at the door, that we will not tolerate it. No way. We may all need to be superheroes in this new fight.
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It’s been my pleasure to work with some amazing creatives in this city, and one of the things I’ve learned on the way is to notice that this city is not always the most joined-up culturally. It’s great that we are in the running as some kind of beacon of cultural cool. But put down your lattes and step down the side streets and the gaps culturally do presents themselves
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“Bristol has a penchant for taking it to 11 all the time” www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 35
BRISTOL HEROES
“Maybe we will never get two stars on our shirts, but we will always be able to get 20,000 drum-and-bass heads to stop traffic” 5
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Took a few minutes to chew the fat with the owner of this fine vintage Harley on East Street. Outside cash for gold that is up for auction. When even the cash swapshops dive, where do you go from there? Time for the open road for Paul here, who does not have time for the city’s big red-trouser plans, he tells me. Seems to him this city is becoming a city of rules, ownership, and controlled development. Maybe we should check in on East Street again soon. It has a history that dwarfs Bristol’s, having been in Bedminster long before there was even a city here. Thanks for the insight, Paul. Hope to cross paths again some time further down the road.
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Maybe we will never get two stars on our shirts, but we will always be able to get 20,000 drum and bass heads to stop traffic.
Lucas Antics crew hugging a tree after filling up the wall on the side of a well-known supermarket with vibrant colour. When it comes to art, Upfest sets a high watermark of not just creatively thought-out use of wall space, but of layers of community – those who exist between the artists, all chatting and comparing stickers, but also the fans, the photographers who love it all. Feels like a big grown-up version of that day at school when you could come in dressed as you like and could just do art all day long. What starts out as a macaroni Eiffel Tower on your mum’s fridge – well, it can go places, take you all over the world, and we are growing it here.
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“Come on then…” he’s saying at the Bristol Punk Festival. Real punk. No plastic DMs here. All originals. If we don’t have punk, we don’t have quality control.
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And with several weeks of summer left before the next deep winter keep snapping, don’t stop. Bristol may yet surprise you with its summer heroes. Back next year with eight more.
Colin Moody: content creation, online images Twitter @moodycolin; Instagram @colinmoodyphotography www.colinmoodyphotography.wordpress.com
36 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk
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EMILY & DAN ROSS STORYSMITH BOOKS
migration and displacement, and their intergenerational effects. Mina has been living a precarious and spurious life in London for some years when she receives a call to say that her father Omar has died, and she needs to return to her ancestral home in Italy... Anechoum feels like a fresh and exciting voice in Italian literature, and we loved the way she probes the nuances of contemporary womanhood through Mina’s character.
Three recommendations for your summer holiday. Please don’t call them beach reads
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n an uncharacteristic move, we’re going to bow to seasonal pressure and provide you with three recommendations for exceptional summer reads, books to stuff in your hand luggage, books to aid your disconnection from humdrum life if you’re lucky enough to be holidaying, books from which to ceremonially offer up to the winds the sand collected between their pages. Our main caveat is that we will not be using the phrase ‘beach read’ (except for just then), because we believe you can read literally anything on a beach, regardless of whether it’s meteorologically consonant with your surroundings. 38 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk
Because what if your beach is within the Arctic Circle? Precisely who is going to stop you reading Proust in your woollen bathers? Anyway, these are piffling issues: here’s what you should read this summer. Tangerinn by Emanuela Anechoum (trans. Lucy Rand) Because summer reading so often takes us to Italy, so we must return, and Emily has been well and truly transported by this one. At first glance, Tangerinn feels like a novel about contemporary ennui (not a criticism: we enjoy a wellwritten novel about dissatisfaction as much as the next millennial), but it soon expands into a bold and richly layered debut exploring
London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe If you’re looking for a book to reach inside you, roughly grab your most delicate tendrils and not relinquish them until the story has completely, finally and irrevocably altered your emotional state, then please allow us to join the massed chorus of praise for the latest investigative masterpiece from Patrick Radden Keefe. Many will be familiar with his forensic, conversation-shifting tomes like Say Nothing and Empire of Pain, and London Falling is every bit as exhilarating and exhausting. This is the true story of one teenager’s secret life and the unconscionable cost of keeping it secret: namely his own life, when he fell from the balcony of a London apartment block in 2019. Delicately told through the eyes of that teenager’s family, and from the vantage point of an unsympathetic city, simply calling it ‘true crime’ severely underplays
both the devastation of the truth and the frightening extent of the crimes. Dogs On Dates by Luke Healy Our resident graphic novel gobbler Callum has unearthed just the thing for anyone for whom the realities of holidaying communally means that reading must be attempted in short bursts only: Dogs. On. Dates. This graphic novel does exactly what it says on the tin. You will get dogs (Brad & Bernie) on dates (like, dozens and dozens of them). They meet by accidentally walking smack-bang into the same extremely clean window, and from there embark on a series of dates and associated hijinks, like chasing a food truck halfway across Dog City in order to get a hipster sandwich and, on the way, a good photo of Bernie for his Employee of the Month plaque. Charming and hilarious, it is a stupendous font of gags that can be enjoyed in brief stints just as rewardingly as a long session. Non-opposable dog-thumbs up. No matter where you’re taking your reading material this summer, even if you’re just sitting on the doorstep to breathe some different air, we look forward to your reports of your travels, what you read while you undertook them, what worked and what didn’t. You’ll find us continuing to cheerfully ignore the seasons in our reading…
“We enjoy a well-written novel about dissatisfaction as much as the next millennial”
Visit Storysmith at 36 North Street, Bedminster; www.storysmithbooks.com
EDIBLE STORYTELLING And now for something completely different: it’s CHEF LIAM PENN’s Great British Animation Menu! Words by Deri Robins
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t’s not often you’ll catch me saying this, but Liam Penn’s cooking is unlike anything else you’ll find in Bristol right now. If comparisons are useful, maybe think late-noughties Casamia, for the culinary finesse and an insatiable enthusiasm for dry ice, crossed with (bear with me) Six by Nico, but only in so far as that each menu has a quirky theme. Add your favourite vegan restaurant into the mix too, because Liam’s cooking is entirely plant-based. “I find vegetables incredibly inspiring”, he says. “They’re often treated as an afterthought, whereas really they’re the heart and soul of a dish.” A Michelin-trained chef, Liam has worked with the greats: Heston Blumenthal at The Fat Duck, Simon Rogan at L’Enclume, and Andrew Dargue at Vanilla Black. He’s been a chef since he was 15, and says his earliest inspiration was his mum’s home cooking. “I saw the kitchen as a place of experiment. I was fascinated by what happened when you mixed things, a bit like a mad scientist. What flavours worked together? What new textures could I create? Why couldn’t this be savoury not sweet? That curiosity never really left me.” His childhood inspiration extends to the shows he loved as a child, and his menus are as nostalgic as Aardman – as it happens, the studio is just up the road from Spike Island, where we’re headed tonight to sample his Great British Animation tasting menu. Liam pops in and out of the kitchen between courses to explain them to us. A bundle of warmth and energy, he reminds me of Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies; he even looks a little bit like the young Russell, and has a similar infectious, bouncy enthusiasm and love for storytelling. Indeed, he refers to his menus as Edible Storytelling. “I think food and stories are completely entwined”, he says. “Food is there at every pivotal moment in life: weddings, funerals, first dates, last dates and everywhere in books, literature, film and television. There’s a story behind every dish; I just think most chefs forget to tell it. Edible Storytelling is my way of turning memories, stories and emotions into food. As a kid, I loved finding a book where you could almost taste the flavours coming off the page. Now, as an adult, I get to bring those stories to life through tasting menus. “I believe true creativity can only really be found at the edge of insanity”, he adds. It comes as no surprise to learn that he’s recently been cultivating roqueforti on cornflakes. His menus begin with sourcing: he forages and grows, he preserves, pickles, ferments, freezes and dries. He makes his own dessert wines, but
RESTAURANT not from anything as obvious as grapes; on the pairing menu tonight is one made from sourdough and another from marmalade. He’s been holding regular pop-ups at top Bristol cafés; tonight’s is at Emmeline. I did wonder initially whether the wooden chairs, bright lights and clattery acoustics would be as conducive to a four-hour dining experience as they are to my morning latte, but it’s a testament to Liam’s cooking and showmanship that after scraping the bowl of the final dish we’d have happily have sat on for several more, and not because we were still hungry – this may be fine dining, but Liam likes to feed as well as dazzle you, and each dish is more tapas-sized than the kind you get in tasting menus where you need a magnifying glass to locate each teency-tiny morsel on the plate. Ten animations have inspired tonight’s menu, which is laid out pictorially with charming little sketches by Liam’s girlfriend. “Let’s get the traumatic show out of the way first”, says Liam, presenting us with his Watership Down; elevated bunny food in the form of peppery watercress gazpacho in a little bottle. We pour it over a quenelle of horseradish sorbet, finding it magically hot and cold at the same time. Clearly you can take the boy out of Heston, but not Heston out of the boy. Next, “I want you to use your hands; get messy, like kids”, says Chef gleefully before serving us a dish of oversized profiteroles dusted with powdery black stuff. There are no plates or cutlery. The diners shoot covert glances at each other before cautiously shoving one into their gobs, eyebrows raising with delight at the creamy mushroom filling. The room is now full of elegantly dressed people with faces as mucky as Just William after a long day with The Outlaws. That book’s not the inspiration, though; this is a homage to Thomas the Tank Engine, the black stuff presumably repping the catchphrase “cinders and ashes!”. Liam returns from the kitchen to riff on the questionable legacy of Fireman Sam, in particular its xenophobic attitude to Bella Lasagna. The next dish is in her honour. Little towers of crisp pasta on tomato and bay-smoked almond ricotta arrive in bell jars that lift to release clouds of dry ice; if Liam ever does a Disney theme this would be a cinch for Beauty’s rose. And yes, dry ice is regarded by some chefs as being
“I believe true creativity can only be found at the edge of insanity”
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RESTAURANT gimmicky these days, but Liam doesn’t strike me as someone who’d be kept awake at night by that. Personally, I’ll take any bit of theatrical fun wherever I can. Next it’s time for Super Ted, and we are issued with blindfolds as a nod to the eponymous ursine’s fear of the dark. I bet I’m not the only one who cheats by peering through the gap to admire the mini-terrine containing savoury blancmange spiced up with red pepper oil. Aardman films appear twice, including A Grand Day Out: globular croquettes of cheese in a crispy ‘potato bits’ coating. “I get really excited when the dish properly fits the brief ”, says Liam. “When Wallace and Gromit eat the moon made of cheese it sounds gravelly, and Wallace says it’s like no cheese he’s ever tasted. So the dish really needs to bring that, too.” It arrives in a black stone ‘moon’ which cracks open, engulfing the table in yet more dry ice. There’s The Clangers, who Liam admits to finding quite irritating (cue good-natured murmurs of protest from the older diners). “I’m going to be your Soup Dragon”, he says, before he and his servers bring out glass teapots of hot consommé – made from celeriac, because the knobbly root reminds him of the Clangers’ meteor home. To rattle through the puds, there’s a doughnut-like cream bun for Bananaman; little ice-cream marmalade sandwiches under Paddington’s hat; and finally, on this hottest of midsummer nights, The Snowman, with slivers of milk crisp on a white chocolate mousse with pickled pears and mulled wine. “Let’s celebrate Christmas six months early”, says Chef. Liam’s complex, assured cooking doesn’t actually need a theme, but the novelty value of the narrative, along with his likeable relish in telling
“I get really excited when the dish properly fits the brief”
it, is a whole lot of fun, and the room is filled with laughter rather than hushed foodie reverence. We’re led to understand that seasonality and localness are important, but that Liam will worry about that side of things so we don’t have to. Events such as the upcoming FŌDA festival at Arnolfini are ideal for serious discussions on the subject, but on a night out I’d far rather listen to a discussion on who the best villain was in Bananaman than a lengthy lecture on provenance; call it the importance of not being earnest. Liam has his sights on running a bricks-and-mortar restaurant, but for now the pop-ups allow him to keep evolving, changing the stories, and creating something that feels special every time. You can join the waiting list for An Edible Ode to Roald Dahl; menus are always kept a secret until the night, but the BFG is almost guaranteed to feature. “The BFG eats snozzcumbers, which he describes as completely disgusterous”, says Liam. “So I get to make a dish sound as revolting as possible, but then make it taste delicious. It’s the contrast between story, expectation and flavour that excites me.”
DINING DETAILS We ate: The Great British Animation Menu at Emmeline, £95 plus wine Next up: An Edible Ode to Roald Dahl; see website www.liam-penn.co.uk
www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 45
COCKTAILS
TASTES LIKE LOCAL SPIRIT
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What does Bristol taste like to you? The new cocktails at RICK’S BAR are inspired by some of the city’s most recognisable locations; come with us as we try to drink them all Words by Deri Robins
ick’s Bar arrived on the Bristol cocktail scene in 2023. It’s named, in case you’re not down with your classic movies, after the world’s most famous fictional gin joint: Rick’s Café Américain in Casablanca, the refuge of a bunch of World War Two misfits tended to by a world-weary Bogart in a tux. Bristol’s Rick’s Bar wears its nod to the movie lightly. It’s somehow resisted the temptation to plaster its walls with blow-up posters of Bogie and Bergman, there are no Moorish arches, no piano player tinkling As Time Goes By. What it does try to capture is a sense of old-world glamour and luxury, not least through an inventive cocktail list that might even have tempted Rick Blaine away from his signature bourbon and soda. You’ll always find a perfectly executed classic here, but the bar staff like to literally shake things up with changing concept menus. On a sultry-late June evening we popped in to try the latest one: ten very different mixes, each inspired by a different corner of Bristol. Local suppliers are duly namechecked. The house gin is created by Psychopomp, beers are sourced from Good Chemistry, but given that we’re seated outside on what they’re currently calling the Tequila Terrace, facing directly onto on the waterfront, we start with The Harbourside –a cool-as-a-cucumber thirst-quencher made from Belvedere vodka and soda spiced up with black and pink peppercorns, served with a nori cracker.
The Clifton Village adds champagne to its gin base; well, it would, wouldn’t it? The College Green goes down the Mezcal route, while Queen Square serves up Macallan 12-year-old whisky with bittersweet Amaro Santoni, fig, orange, truffle and chocolate, rather like an out-of-control boozed-up Terry’s Chocolate Orange. Served in a can, The King Street is a blend of rum, amaretto, lapsang souchong, pineapple and coconut milk with kokomo IPA, which sounded interesting but didn’t quite do it for me. I did, however, adore the sweet and fruity Bristol Crocodile – Havana rum, Wray & Nephew rum, melon liqueur, pineapple and yuzu, and not just because my inner child was excited that it came with a croc gummie. I didn’t quite have the heart to eat my croc. I found him at the bottom of my handbag the next day, picked off all the fluff and, no longer boozily sentimental, ate him. The Clifton Suspension Bridge (Bushmills, coffee and almond) is after-dinner indulgence writ large; The Castle Park cheekily tops up tequila with Thatchers cider; St Nick’s mixes vodka with corn (as in Corn Street?) liqueur and comes with a mini-carrot. Finally there’s a Stokes Croft – not, as you might fear, a Turbo Island-inspired Frosty Jacks mix in an unbranded plastic bottle but a far more sophisticated creamy rum-andginger-liqueur-based concoction. The Bristol Landmarks menu is available all summer. n www.doylecollection.com
“The Clifton Village adds champagne to its gin base; well, it would, wouldn’t it?”
from left: The Clifton Village; The King Street; The Bristol Crocodile; The Stokes Croft
www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 47
DAN O’REGAN BANK BRISTOL & LAPIN
Summer. It’s all fun and games as long as you’re not trying to fill restaurant tables
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step out of my front door and the sun catches me full in the face, and for a brief moment, I’m as happy as anyone else in the city. Then the maths arrives. Bank is a winter room. It was always destined to be. Low light, candles, woodsmoke from the fire wisping its way into the room. October to March, and then the weather turns and Bristol receives more enticing invitations. You can see it happen on a single afternoon. The Friday that half-term kicks off, the streets of Totterdown surrounding Bank fill with cars sitting with their doors open, roof boxes on, families ferrying camping equipment out of the house in relays. They’re not going to
dinner. They’re off to Devon, or Wales, or wherever the sun is shining and the week is generous. Some stay. They just find new stomping grounds. The Downs, Harbourside, Victoria Park, all of them set ablaze by disposable barbecues, smoke going up in columns like distress beacons you can see from halfway across the city. Send help, we’re too busy. Cooking over fire is the most British summer thing there is. We just happen to do it indoors, mostly in the dark, in November. And I can’t resent a second of it. I’m hardwired for the sun like everyone else. On the first properly warm day, I’m out in the garden with my face tipped up, happy, right until I remember what it’s costing me. When I do get an evening off, I’m no better. I see friends, and I indulge in the fleeting moment
“I stand in a half-empty dining room, and at some point someone always says it. Oh, it’s quiet tonight”
like the rest of the country, but Bank sits at the back of my mind throughout. I’ve never once managed to take the summer off, even when I’m not in the room. Summer typically trades about 40 per cent down on the cooler months. It’s a number I’ve held for years, and it still gets me every time I think about it. So I stand in a half-empty dining room, and at some point someone always says it. Oh, it’s quiet tonight. Never unkindly. People don’t want the room to themselves; people want to eat where other people are eating. So they don’t notice their stroke of luck, they simply notice that something’s off. Sometimes I just smile. Sometimes I say, “‘Ah, that’s the summer”, which is as close as I get to complaining in front of a guest, and then we let the moment go. On those nights, though, we’re better. Four tables get the attention we’d normally spread across twelve. A moment longer on each plate. Time to linger at a table that wants us to. The food goes out as well as it ever does. We do our best work on the nights that scare me. I’d still take a full dining room every time.
For the first four years of Bank, I told myself the next one would be a counterweight. A restaurant that basked in the sun. Something with a terrace. So now, when Bank is quiet, I go to Lapin, where the terrace fills with people after a Provençal escape a bit closer to home. I opened a restaurant to solve a weather problem, and it worked. It didn’t help. After service, I still drive back across the city at eleven to a room I love, and then my mind wanders. What if it’s like this forever? What if this is the year there’s no bounce-back and we’re on our slow march to obscurity, and I’m the last to notice? Five years in, I know better. It arrives every year anyway, and follows me home. Then the sun starts fading earlier in the evening, and it is October. I find myself lighting candles at six, and the room fills. n Dan is the co-owner of restaurants BANK and Lapin BANK Bristol, 107 Wells Road www.bankbristol.com Lapin, Cargo 2, Museum Street www.lapinbristol.co.uk www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 49
CHARLIE TAYLOR KASK WINE
Pregnant? Here, have a glass of wine . . .
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t the time of writing, my wife Natalie is nine months pregnant. She’s fit to pop. The other day she told me she can’t wait for a couple of margaritas. I’m a bit disappointed it’s not wine, but I guess I’ll keep that bottle I’ve been saving for her all to myself. The first few months were the complete opposite. I’d open a bottle, she’d catch a whiff and tell me to take it into another room. I like to think it was the heightened sense of smell rather than just a handy excuse to get rid of me. Six months in, on holiday in Montenegro, she looked on jealously as I tucked into a glass and some cheese, and I started thinking about the wines I’d recently discovered that I’d introduce her to once baby is born. We chatted about what she was missing. Yes, it was the taste, the aroma, the silly feeling after a couple. But it was also the going out. You don’t need alcohol to have fun: plenty of people abstain for other reasons, but if all your friends are in the spirit because of the spirits, it’s hard. Somewhere between the wine and the view across the lake, we came up with an idea: a pregnancyfriendly wine and cheese evening. If Natalie was missing that
experience, chances are plenty of other people were too. And if they all ended up in the same room, perhaps they’d leave having found a few new friends as well. So we put a quick post on Instagram and hoped three or four people might fancy it. By the next day, thirty had booked. We had a full house. We just needed to work out what to pour. Over the years we’ve been sent A LOT of samples of non-alcoholic wine, 95% of which have been poured down the drain. Alcohol is a fundamental in wine: it provides ‘body’ or weight, carries aromas, softens acidity and balances tannins. Take it away and too many bottles end up tasting like either sharp grape juice or sugary squash. Thankfully, there are exceptions. We’ve found four bottles we genuinely enjoy drinking ourselves: enough to build a tasting flight alongside a non-alcoholic Bellini. The common thread? Fizz. The effervescence brings freshness, lifts the aromas and replaces the loss of body from the absence of alcohol. Two of the bottles, from Alt, begin life as proper wine before the alcohol is
gently removed. The other two come from Romain des Grottes, an inventive winemaker in Beaujolais who started experimenting with grape juice, herbs from around the vineyard and other fruits that didn’t quite fit into traditional winemaking. Strictly speaking, they’re not wines. But they’re wine-adjacent, delicious, refreshing and exactly the sort of thing I’d happily drink in the middle of the week. After hosting two of these evenings, we’ve noticed something else. As excited as everyone is about what’s in the glass, the biggest smiles appear when the cheese arrives. Pregnancy has a way of making every menu feel like an exam. Is it pasteurised? Is it cooked? Can I eat that? Can’t I? There’s so much conflicting advice (here’s looking at you Reddit) that plenty of people simply avoid cheese altogether. In reality, many cheeses remain perfectly suitable during pregnancy, particularly harder varieties and many cheeses made with pasteurised milk. We build our boards around those choices, avoiding the soft mould-ripened
“The effervescence replaces the loss of body from the absence of alcohol”
types that people are generally advised to skip unless cooked. It means everyone can tuck in without second-guessing every bite. As always, we’d encourage guests to follow the latest NHS guidance if they’re unsure. But the cheese and wine are only half the story. The real magic has been watching the room. Some guests come with their partners, who happily enjoy a few wines or beers without feeling guilty. Others arrive with friends from antenatal classes. A few have come on their own, knowing they’ll walk into a room full of people going through exactly the same thing. Within minutes, strangers are swapping stories, comparing due dates and laughing about sleepless nights that haven’t even happened yet. It turns out the ritual of going out has very little to do with alcohol. It’s the conversation. The atmosphere. The excuse to leave the house for a couple of hours and feel like yourself again. A good drink just helps. Even when there’s no alcohol in it. Natalie’s still counting down the days to that full-strength margarita, though. 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 51
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THE LILY SUNGLASSES, £135 The enticing choice of styles, frame colours and lens tints at Jimmy Fairly makes choosing a new pair of shades easy – yet somehow incredibly difficult From Jimmy Fairly, 90 Park Street www.jimmyfairly.com
LOEWE PETAL ANAGRAM LEATHER SLIDERS, £650 To elevate and cheer every single summer outfit you own From Harvey Nichols, 27 Philadelphia Street; www.harveynichols.com
HAPPY HOLIVALS!
Kitting yourself out for a festival and a holiday is much the same thing; what you want is cool stuff to wear when it’s hot, sometimes with a bit of bling, and always with a splash of colour HELINOX’S SUNSET CHAIR, £160 A comfy chair can make or break your camping experience From Ellis Brigham 160 Whiteladies Road www.ellis-brigham.com
QUAZI NESTA EARRINGS, £22 Handmade from 100% waste magazines, in a range of summerbright colours, by women artisans in South Africa From Prior Shop 136 Church Road, Redfield www.priorshop.uk
LF MARKEY LINEN SHIRT, £125 In soft, cool-as-a-cucumber linen with a boxy wide-cut cropped design for extra ventilation From Maze Clothing, 26-28 The Mall www.mazeclothing.co.uk
ED’S CHOICE BEADED CHARM NECKLACE, £35 Layer it up, boho-style, or let it fly solo as a statement piece From Mint Velvet 44 Regent Street www.mintvelvet.com
EMBELLISHED NECK SCARF, £35 Tie it jauntily around your neck or use it to hold back your hair, it’s very obliging From Mint Velvet, 44 Regent Street www.mintvelvet.com
TRAVAUX EN COURS HAT, £72.50 Classic plaited paper hat in a rich terracotta, with a contrasting leather band From Fox + Feather, 41 Gloucester Road; www.foxandfeather.co.uk COTTON EMBROIDERED DRESS, £120 One of the prettiest minis we’ve seen this season From Mint Velvet 44 Regent Street www.mintvelvet.com
NALI SHOP SIMONE RAFFIA SHOULDER BAG £47.60 (FROM £680)
24 BOTTLES URBAN BOTTLE, £20 Lightweight, with a tactile stone-like finish, in a deep Pacific blue to bring the coastal holiday vibes – yes, even if you’re just sat on the Downs From Fig 1, 1 Gaol Ferry Steps www.fig1.co.uk
It’s a huge 47cm, with room for all your essentials: your purse, book or kindle, towel, swimwear, packed lunch, a smallish dog . . . From Fox + Feather 41 Gloucester Road www.foxandfeather.co.uk
ILSE JACOBSEN CHEERFUL GLITTER FLIP FLOPS, £17.50 Another reason to be cheerful is that the price is down from £35 From Grace & Mabel 32 The Mall www.graceandmabel.co.uk
www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 55
NATURAL SELECTION
As Yeo Valley prepares to bring back its Organic Festival for a second year, NICK WOODHOUSE and JOHN LAW join co-owner Sarah Mead on the garden path
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PHOTOS ON THESE PAGES BY ©JONATHAN BUCKLEY
long with her husband Tim Mead, Sarah runs the 6.5-acre Yeo Valley organic gardens in Blagdon. It’s not quite the career she originally had in mind. Sarah was a city girl, London born and bred. She spent three years at dance school in London, where she formed “a dodgy dance troupe” (her words) with Liz Hurley, touring the capital and regularly getting pelted with cabbage. After meeting Tim, she moved to Somerset to help him run the family dairy farm; that was over thirty years ago. Today her main relationship with cabbages are the brassicas grown in the Yeo vegetable borders. Sarah inherited the six-and-a-half acres of gardens, idyllically situated just above Blagdon Lake, from her mother-in-law. Having previously only owned a small urban garden, Sarah’s knowledge of plants was limited, but she was determined to learn, and within months she was hooked. Discovering that her chief passion lay in colour and concepts, she advertised for a gardener to help her realise her vision. Eileen O’Donnell answered the call to arms and, with a background in landscape architecture, was able to help Sarah with formal planning and structure. Today, intersected and cocooned by a matrix of beech hedging, the gardens offer a magical patchwork of individual ‘rooms’. From the colourful tapestry of the gravel garden to the enchanting silver birch grove, each space offers something distinctly different, yet shares an underlying respect for the nature within, and beyond, that garden gate. Fifteen years into the project, Sarah began the process of certifying the garden as organic with the Soil
GARDENS
Sarah inherited the idyllically sited gardens from her mother-in-law; 15 years later, she took them organic
Association, making it one of only a handful in the UK to hold that status. In 2021, she worked with garden designer Tom Massey to create a show garden for the RHS Flower Show. The garden was the first fully organic garden at Chelsea; it won both an RHS Gold Medal and the People’s Choice Award. Sarah describes organic gardening as taking a ‘live and let live’ approach. Her team allows natural predators such as ladybirds to manage aphid populations rather than intervening directly; they collect rain in troughs and butts, and water early in the morning, focusing on roots rather than foliage. No chemical fertilisers or pesticides are used. “Being organic means we are being kinder to the garden and, even better, kinder to ourselves”, says Sarah. “We allow mother nature to take the lead, and put that first in every decision we make.” It’s an all-or-nothing approach, and one Sarah is keen to share with visitors to the Yeo Valley Organic Festival – which after a sold-out inaugural year in 2025 returns between 17-19 September.
“Being organic means we are kinder to the garden, and kinder to ourselves” www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 59
Each day of the festival is built around a different theme. On Thursday, ‘It’s a Gardening World’ focuses on biodiversity, soil health and climate resilience; on Friday, ‘Colour Confidence’ tackles planting design and colour; and on Saturday ‘Mission Possible’ looks to the next generation of gardeners. The programme will be held across a number of spaces within the gardens, from main stage The Hive to The Germination Station and The Living Room. A line-up of guest speakers will host headline talks and panel discussions on sustainable, nature-friendly gardening, beginning on Thursday with garden designers and broadcasters James Alexander-Sinclair and Joe Swift with a live recording of their hit podcast, The James & Joe Garden Show. Over the weekend they’ll be joined by industry experts including Arit Anderson, Frances Tophill, Sarah Price, Jimi Blake, Lottie Delamain and many more. Visitors to the 2026 festival will be the first to experience the Glasshouse Gatherings, a new series of shorter, informal sessions offering practical pointers and inspiration to take home; they’ll also be able to explore one of the garden’s newest borders, the ‘Load of Rubbish Bed’, or LORB as it’s affectionately known by the team. Inspired by brownfield landscapes and made from reclaimed stone, gravel, logs and crushed rubble from other parts of the garden, the space has been transformed into a wildlife-friendly haven which proves that gardens don’t need perfect soil, pristine borders or generous budgets to thrive. “The spirit of experimentation and just having a go is exactly what this festival is all about”, says Sarah. ”Last year felt incredibly special, full of brilliant conversations, shared ideas and people happily disappearing off down garden paths together having a natter! The energy, the conversations, the laughter and the sheer love of gardening in all its forms: it felt like a real coming together of people who care deeply about growing with nature, and who also want gardening to feel generous, human and fun. “My favourite moment wasn’t even one of the big talks; it was walking past the yurt around four o’clock and hearing a group of complete strangers swapping seeds and phone numbers. That’s exactly what I hoped this festival would do. There was also a moment when a rainbow appeared right at the end of the final talk. I’m not remotely superstitious, but I did wonder if the garden was giving us its approval.” Sarah has always wanted the festival to be fully accessible rather than expert-only. “We are determined to ditch the formalities and the ‘one size fits all’ approach to organic gardening, and provide some myth-busting, jargon-breaking, real-life practical solutions to suit every garden and every budget. My dream is to create a gathering where garden lovers, from newbies to pros, can exchange experiences and swap tips about a better way to garden. This year we’ve added even more voices, new areas to explore and
“The spirit of experimentation and just having a go is what the festival is all about” 60 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk
GARDENS
FESTIVAL PHOTO BY @SOUL MEDIA
plenty of plants to buy and inspiration to take home.” And what is she most looking forward to? “Honestly? The bit where the field starts to fill up on the Thursday morning, the excitement of what’s ahead, and the feeling of bringing hundreds of people together, all with a common love and joy of gardening. That never stops being a thrill. I’m especially looking forward to James and Joe opening things with their live podcast recording. It will be unscripted, and probably a bit cheeky, in the best way.” The date chosen for the festival is both intentional and timely. As Sarah puts it, the seed heads and natural decay of early autumn remind her of the end of a great party. She hopes those joining her for this very special party will leave with heads buzzing with ideas, a few new plants in hand, and the inspiration, perhaps, to step back from the lawnmower, throw away the weedkiller, and garden with nature in mind. The Yeo Valley Organic Garden Festival runs 17-19 September; www.yvogardenfestival.co.uk
Nick Woodhouse and John Law are the co-director’s of interior and garden design company Woodhouse and Law at 4 George’s Place, Bathwick Hill, Bath; www.woodhouseandlaw.co.uk
above: Errol Reuben Fernandes, just one of 26 speakers this year left: The festival is for everyone, not just industry experts
right: Sarah trained a dancer, not a farmer. When not working, she still likes to throw some shapes, especially when fuelled by rosé. She can often be found in the herbaceous border accompanied by pugs Ivy and Brenda.
Hoping to pick up tips for your own garden? The festival is full of them – but in the meantime here are some thoughts from Sarah THE HEATWAVE: “You can’t out-water a heatwave. What you can do is build a garden that doesn’t need rescuing every time the sun comes out – deep roots, good mulch, soil that actually holds on to moisture instead of shedding it. That’s the whole organic argument, really; it’s all about the soil, and it’s never felt more relevant than it has this summer.”
PHOTO BY ©JONATHAN BUCKLEY
ON HOME GARDENING: “You don’t need six acres to garden the way we do; you need patience, some good compost, and a willingness to let things get a bit messy. It works exactly the same for a couple of pots on a balcony – peatfree compost, plants that suit the space you’ve actually got rather than the one you wish you had, and a bit of restraint with the watering can. Start with the soil. Everything else follows from that.” ON LEAVING WILD AREAS: “If I could get every reader to do one thing this year, it would be to stop tidying up so much. Leave the seed heads, leave a corner of the lawn long, and see what turns up. It can often be way more interesting than whatever you’d planted on purpose.”
www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 61
NETWORK
THE CITY’S BUSINESS NEWS
WE LIKE THE WAY YOU WORK IT CREATIVE, ADAPTABLE, INDEPENDENT – WITH COWORKING HUBS LIKE THESE, IS IT ANY WONDER THAT SO MANY BRISTOLIANS HAVE RETURNED TO THE OFFICE?
T NETWORK
he Covid pandemic may be a receding memory, but it’s left a lasting legacy in terms of our relationship with the physical office. Many people who worked from home during lockdown out of necessity have simply never gone back, while in many sectors there’s been a shift from full office attendance to a more hybrid model, with business owners tempting staff back with competitive benefits. Meanwhile, many freelancers and small companies have increasingly turned to coworking hubs, welcoming the structure, support and camaraderie that go hand-inhand with a shared working environment. Here are some of the best options out there.
CLOCKWISE
Fully serviced spaces based in the Generator Building at Finzels Reach Their take: People are looking to be part of a community. They are missing human connection and collaboration; they don’t want to lone-work for 40 hours a week at home or in a café. What do you offer in terms of spaces?
Club lounge memberships (coworking), dedicated desks (private desk), private offices, virtual offices and event space hire, meeting room hire.
Do you offer any special facilities, services or USPs?
There are monthly events, massage, yoga, social and professional meet-ups. It’s also the only coworking/office space in Bristol to offer a wellbeing room for multifaith prayer, breastfeeding and meditation.
Does any particular sector work out of your offices?
We have a lot of green energy, law firms and digital marketing. Engineers seem particularly attracted to the building, perhaps due to its history. How important is after-hours socialising, and how do you foster it?
Creating a nurturing community is hugely important to the service we provide to our members. We host regular evening networking drinks, daytime craft events, run clubs and many more events to encourage collaboration and social inclusion for our members’ wellbeing. Anything else you’d like to tell us?
We have a fantastic event space in the heart of the building, where you can host up to 100 people standing and 40 seated. Being so centrally located – a sevenminute walk to Temple Meads station –and with in-house catering and a full bar, it’s the perfect option for all your event needs. www.work-clockwise.com
“ IN AN ERA INCREASINGLY SHAPED BY AI, THE APPETITE FOR GENUINE HUMAN CONNECTION HAS NEVER BEEN STRONGER”
64 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk
opposite: No wonder so many engineers choose to work in Clockwise’s Generator Building below: Square Works – that’s not going to get the annual report written, lads!
NETWORK
DESKLODGE
Funky, award-winning co-working spaces in Redcliffe and Beacon Tower Their take: Hybrid working is here to stay, but businesses are becoming much more intentional about when they bring people together. They’re looking for workplaces that offer something people can’t get at home – collaboration, creativity, energy and community. We’ve always believed the office should be somewhere people want to be, not somewhere they have to be. What does your workspace offer?
Everything from hot desks and coworking memberships to part-time offices, full-time serviced offices and teamday offices; meeting rooms, quiet spaces, phone booths, breakout areas, shared kitchens and rooftop terraces. Different work needs different environments, and giving people that choice helps them do their best work. Any special facilities or USPs?
Our spaces are colourful, creative and designed to feel warm, welcoming and full of positive energy. From varied work zones and rooftop terraces to community events, we’ve created places people genuinely enjoy working from.
Does any particular sector work out of your offices?
We’re home to businesses from all kinds of industries, including creative agencies, tech companies, charities, consultants and professional services. Rather than focusing on one sector, we focus on building a community of great people and great businesses who enjoy working
above: Yes, this is Clockwise, not Bristol’s latest groovy downtown bar; below: It’s fair to say DeskLodge rolls differently to the rest
alongside one another. That diversity creates new ideas, collaborations and lasting relationships. How important is after-hours socialising?
Massively. We’re big believers that some of the best ideas happen over coffee or pastries. Our regular socials, wellness events, community lunches and pop-up perks help members connect, unwind, and collaborate. It’s about building community, not just renting space. Anything else? We believe great workspaces should help people do brilliant work while genuinely enjoying where they spend their day. It’s a combination of inspiring spaces, a supportive community and a team that truly cares. www.desklodge.com
GATHER ROUND
With two Bristol branches, at Brunswick Square and The Cigar Factory in Southville, along with a base in Bath, Gather Round is designed to foster a positive community of likeminded people through an open and supportive culture Their take: People are looking for a professional, calming environment that allows for their most productive day, and this is one of the things that influences the design of each of our spaces. We are the only group of coworking spaces in the South West to have been ‘created by creatives’, right from original concept through to creation. None of our locations started life as an ‘office’ and every space is tastefully curated and designed to inspire creativity. What does your workspace offer?
Central to each location is a flexible hot-desking area featuring multiple breakout areas for calls, nooks, crannies and comfy sofas for focus time, in bright areas filled with natural light. Our founders worked with local
66 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk
suppliers to design the bespoke furniture, commission artwork and choose pieces from ethical suppliers. Do you offer any unique facilities or USPs?
We have three unique spaces for private hire at Brunswick Square. The main event space is perfect for industry networking events, with bar staff and a fully stocked bar. Our cosy meeting room is perfect for workshops, team strategy days and intimate events, and our production space –a blank canvas that gets used as a rehearsal area, yoga studio, photography shoot location and even for an animation shoot – is a very versatile space.
“WE BELIEVE THE OFFICE SHOULD BE SOMEWHERE PEOPLE WANT TO BE, NOT HAVE TO BE”
MAP SPACE
Does any particular sector work out of your offices?
Our members all work in creative industries and related fields: designers, illustrators and motion graphics pros, right through to tech innovators, app developers, sustainability pioneers and cartographers. It’s ideal for freelancers, founders, remote workers, and anyone who needs a productive base for the day without the commitment of a membership. Whether you’re just in town for a day, trying out a new way of working, or simply need to escape the house, the door’s open. How important is after-hours socialising?
We go out of our way to bring our community from all three locations together. We host member events both during the day and after hours, and our legendary parties are often a reason why people join. We also host monthly member breakfasts, free yoga at Brunswick Square plus our monthly community sessions, which are usually either a lunch, a picnic or a drink at the pub on us. Our likeminded members genuinely enjoy hanging out, and have since set up their own splinter groups; some
own an allotment together, there’s a tennis club and a coffee club. Anything else? Each location is completely unique and began life as spaces where people once gathered. The Cigar Factory started life as well, a cigar factory, and Brunswick Square was once a working men’s club. Both buildings are steeped in history, and we’ve restored original features to their full glory while putting the Gather Round mark firmly onto each. www.gather-round.co
It’s the bright one, it’s the right one: Gather Round’s Cigar Factory
Private offices offering workstations, flexible coworking and meeting spaces, at the Art Deco building Eagle House in the city centre. Their take: The conversation has moved on from working from home versus working in the office. Businesses are now asking a much more important question: what is the office actually for? If businesses want people to choose the office, they have to offer more than rows of desks under fluorescent lights. That’s why we’ve created a workplace with the feel of a boutique hotel rather than a traditional office. Every detail has been considered, from the lighting and acoustics to the natural materials, planting and even the signature scent that welcomes you. Soft background jazz and record players in our shared spaces create a relaxed atmosphere, giving clients somewhere they genuinely enjoy spending time, not just somewhere to work. What does your workspace offer?
We’ve created a workplace that gives businesses the
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NETWORK
flexibility to work in different ways throughout the day. Alongside private offices for teams of four to 70, we offer coworking, private day offices, meeting rooms, podcast and content studios, phone booths and a range of breakout spaces. Whether you’re hosting clients, collaborating as a team or simply looking for somewhere inspiring to work, every area has been created with flexibility in mind.
Where there’s a Wills, there’s a way; enviable views from the Origin terrace
Do you offer any special facilities, services or USPs?
One of the things that really sets MAP Space apart is our 150-person auditorium and event space; a rare facility within a flexible workspace which gives our clients the opportunity to host everything from product launches and seminars to training days, networking events and company presentations. Alongside this, we take a genuinely hands-on approach to supporting our clients. Whether it’s helping businesses connect with one another, introducing trusted local partners or providing a service that goes beyond what’s expected, we see ourselves as an extension of our clients’ teams rather than just a workspace provider. Does any particular sector work out of your offices?
One of the biggest misconceptions about flexible workspaces is that they’re only for start-ups or freelancers. We have a wide range of clients, from gaming to legal, from ambitious start-ups and growing SMEs to established national and international organisations. Larger businesses are increasingly questioning whether they still need vast offices with rows of empty desks. Instead, they’re looking for spaces that encourage people to come together with purpose, places where teams
68 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk
can collaborate, innovate and connect, rather than simply having somewhere to sit. We believe the future of the workplace isn’t necessarily about having more office space; it’s about having better office space. That’s exactly what flexible workspaces are designed to deliver. Anything else? Bristol has always been a city built on creativity, collaboration and innovation. We’re proud that MAP Space is playing a small part in that story. www.mapspace.uk
ORIGIN
“BUSINESSES ARE NOW ASKING A MUCH MORE IMPORTANT QUESTION: WHAT IS THE OFFICE ACTUALLY FOR?”
A carefully curated mix of open-plan areas, private offices, meeting rooms, and quiet zones, set in Clifton’s Berkeley Square Their take: The shift to people choosing a shared workspace over working from home is real, and it’s accelerating. People aren’t just choosing to leave home because they have to; they’re choosing to because they want to. The kitchen table worked in a crisis, but it was never a long-term strategy for building a business or a career, and there’s only so much LinkedIn scrolling you can do between calls. The businesses coming to us now are driven by three things: energy, credibility and connection. They want to be somewhere that feels professional, somewhere they’re proud to bring a client, a colleague, or a friend. They want to be around people who are ambitious and doing interesting things. And they want the kind of spontaneous conversation that doesn’t happen on a video call. We’ve also noticed that the decision often isn’t made by freelancers anymore; it’s made by founders and directors
NETWORK who’ve tried full remote and realised what it costs them in culture and momentum. And in an era increasingly shaped by AI, the appetite for genuine human connection has never been stronger. What does your workspace offer?
We have a range of options so people can find what actually fits the way they work, not just the way they work on a good day. That includes private offices for teams who want their own space and identity, and coworking areas for those who thrive in a more open, social environment, whether on a low-commitment basis through our lounge and hot-desking memberships, or with a dedicated desk and storage for those who want a home from home. Members have access to the building seven days a week, including our on-site gym, breakout spaces and meeting rooms, and for moments when you need to bring people together properly, we have meeting rooms and event space accommodating everything from a two-person meeting to a gathering of 100. Members can scale up or down without the friction of a traditional lease, and that matters enormously to growing businesses and established ones alike.
Do you offer any special facilities, services or USPs?
We’re independently run, which means decisions get made by a team who genuinely care whether things are working for you. We’re also proud that our profits are donated to the Origin Foundation, which supports Bristol-based youth charities. To date, we’ve contributed towards £1.5 million in grants to organisations focused on children and young people.
above: Boutiquey vibes at MAP Space; below: the Gather Round community doing what it says on the tin
Does any particular sector work out of your offices?
We have a genuinely mixed community, which is one of the things that makes a trip to the kitchen or attending one of our networking sessions interesting. Engineering and manufacturing is our largest sector by membership, and we also have a strong presence from professional services, marketing and creative agencies, property and construction firms, and recruitment businesses. But what tends to unite our members isn’t sector – it’s mindset. The people who thrive here are usually founder-led or independently minded. They want to work professionally, but they don’t want to disappear into a corporate machine. How important is socialising?
It’s central to what we do. Community isn’t a word we use lightly – it’s the thing that actually makes a workspace worth being in, versus simply renting a desk. We run regular events that bring members together, whether that’s networking, talks, or informal social moments. Some of the best introductions we’ve witnessed have happened at our monthly socials – for example, someone from a recruitment agency meeting someone building a tech product and realising they can help each other. That kind of connection is hard to engineer deliberately, but it happens naturally when you get the environment right. From paddle networking sessions to roof terrace socials, we think of Origin as an ecosystem, not just an address. Anything else you’d like to tell us?
Bristol is having a moment in the office market. Demand is strong, quality space is scarce, and rents are rising. For a lot of businesses, that makes Origin a genuinely smart alternative to a traditional lease – the quality and the credibility, without the risk or the rigidity. www.originworkspace.co.uk
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NETWORK
SPIKE ISLAND
Office spaces in one of the most creative communities in town Their take: Hybrid working has become the norm for many freelancers and small businesses, and people increasingly value being surrounded by peers from a wide range of creative disciplines.
Honestly, does anyone ever get any work done at Square Works?
Dedicated desks, including flexible desk-share options, across two open-plan workspaces, Workspace West and Workspace East. Workspace West was recently refurbished and provides a bright, spacious environment with high ceilings and plenty of natural light.
Anything else you’d like to tell us?
We’re excited to have recently launched our new Starter Desk scheme, offering heavily discounted workspace memberships for emerging creative practitioners looking to establish themselves in Bristol. www.spikeisland.org.uk
Do you offer any special facilities, services or USPs?
Does any particular sector work out of your offices?
Our workspaces are particularly popular with illustrators, graphic designers, architects and other creative
72 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk
How important is after-hours socialising?
With such a broad range of creative skills under one roof, conversations often lead to new collaborations, commissions and problem-solving opportunities. We encourage these connections through shared lunches, social events and opportunities to engage with Spike Island’s wider public programme throughout the year.
What do your workspaces offer?
Our workspaces include 24/7 access, high-speed internet, flexible rental terms (two-month minimum stay), Emmeline café on site, and much more – but what makes Spike Island unique is the creative community that surrounds our workspaces. Members become part of Bristol’s largest creative ecosystem, with more than 70 artists’ studios, a renowned artistic development programme and an internationally recognised contemporary art programme. Workspace members benefit from a diverse community of creative practitioners, a year-round programme of exhibitions and events, opportunities to meet internationally acclaimed artists and arts professionals, and access to specialist making facilities through our wider community, including woodworking and metalworking workshops, pottery kilns and a postproduction editing suite.
freelancers, but we’re also home to small businesses from across the wider creative industries.
SQUARE WORKS
“LESS EXCITINGLY, WE HAVE A REALLY FUNCTIONAL STATIONERY CUPBOARD, BUT NO-ONE EVER WANTS TO HEAR ABOUT THAT”
Bristol’s only high-end serviced offices and co-working space with a private members’ club, in Berkeley Square. Their take: We are part of Quarter, an independent hospitality group with over 60 years of experience in Bristol. This expertise has allowed us to pioneer a coworking space that feels like a home for individuals and businesses of all sizes, with five-star hotel-like service integrated into the everyday. What does your workspace offer?
We have a wide range of spaces available, from large serviced offices to dedicated desk areas and openplan hot-desking. We have a number of lounges and breakout spaces that are ideal for casual working or catch-ups, along with meeting rooms, phone booths and presentation spaces. Members can choose between multiple hot-desking areas, whether seeking a quiet
INTERACTION
Design-and-build company creating “fit-outs people can’t wait to work in”. Their mission: banishing boring offices...
Their take: Nobody commutes for a desk anymore. If the office is just a quieter version of the kitchen table, people will stay at the kitchen table. But there is stuff a well-designed office can offer: appropriate settings for whatever type of work you’re doing, whether that’s an informal breakout space for a quick catch-up or a dedicated ‘war room’ for a big pitch. Ergonomic furniture. Spaces set up for face-to-face collaboration. Possibly even dogs, if you’re lucky. What’s your own office like? We design and build offices, so our clients expect us to have a really good one. We’ve got a mix of focused working desks, more casual group working tables, large and small meeting rooms and call pods, showers, a wellness room, a design bench and fabric library, a great coffee bar and a social space on the top floor where we eat lunch and gather round the bar on a Friday. Less excitingly, we have a really functional stationery cupboard, but no-one ever wants to hear about that. Is there any particular sector that you work with? We tend to work with business that take their culture and their offering to their people very seriously. In Bristol this is mainly professional services firms and scaling tech businesses, but we also work with flex space providers and landlords
to create great coworking and ‘plug and play’ workspaces. How important is after-hours socialising? Really important, and really easy to neglect or get wrong. We put a lot of thought into how we communicate, socialise and learn together, much of which ends up in the form of informal ‘rituals’, overseen by The Ministry of Action, our culture team. We don’t always get it right, but we recognise that internal relationships are built on trust and looking out for each other. Anything else you’d like to tell us? We’re here to banish boring offices. Nobody should have to trudge to an office with depressed carpets, echoing acoustics and aggressive lighting. A great workplace is a comparatively small investment which can improve the quality of life for everyone who works there. www.interaction.uk.com Join the creative set at Spike Island
space to power through their to-do lists, or a lively and collaborative area to inspire ideas and encourage connections. Our range of meeting rooms and presentation spaces are available to both members and non-members, and are all equipped with video conferencing systems, Panasonic HD TVs and complimentary refreshments, with the option to have food from the award-winning Square Kitchen delivered right to your desk. Our recent expansion into an additional Georgian town house on Berkeley Square introduced five new floors of luxurious offices, meeting rooms, and a state-of-the-art fitness suite. Do you offer any unique facilities or USPs?
We are the only flexible workspace with a private members’ club in Bristol. Established in 1990 as Bristol’s first private members’ club for creatives, The Square Club is now vibrant and established with a network of over 1200 members. As well as the restaurant the club includes a boutique lounge, the Lower Deck cocktail bar and the heated and covered outdoor Secret Garden. The Square Club is also part of the Sonato Alliance, which means members can access the highest quality members’ clubs across the globe at no extra cost. How important is after-hours socialising?
Socialising is a crucial part of creating a successful community which allows members to meet and connect with individuals from other industries. We have an extensive events calendar, offering everything from seasonal soirées to business development seminars. Anything else you’d like to tell us? Among our recent awards we have won Bristol’s Best Workspace at the latest Bristol Property Awards; Coworking Space Provider of the Year at the Corporate Livewire Innovation and Excellence Awards, and Best Coworking Environment 2025 at the SME News UK Enterprise Awards. We were also named as the eighth best workspace in the UK at the 2025 Tallys Awards. n www.squareworksbristol.com
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Day passes have landed Join us for your most productive day Some days, you just need somewhere to go. Not a coffee shop where you’re silently expected to leave after one fl at white. Not a kitchen table surrounded by everything you were supposed to do last week. Somewhere that actually feels like a place to work. Good light, good energy, and a bit of space to think.
Get in touch to book a day pass: gather-round.co/contact
GIFT B OF THE JAB
Meet ASEL SARTBAEVA of EnsiliTech, a world-class company with West Country roots – and a mission to save lives… Words by Paul Marland Photographer Narrated Frames
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ack in 2010, I’d just given birth to my first daughter,” says Dr Asel Sartbaeva. “So I took her to be vaccinated. The doctor takes the vaccine from the fridge and – very naively – I ask: Shouldn’t we warm it up first…? The doctor looks at me like I’m insane. ‘What? It would spoil completely.’ And that’s when I started asking: why?” Asel is an academic by background, at the time living in Oxford on a much-coveted research fellowship from the Royal Society. She’d been working on silicabased materials called zeolites, but vaccines kept nagging away at her. “The majority of traditional vaccines are made out of viruses themselves, built from hundreds of proteins tightly folded together. It’s when they physically unfold that breakages occur, and you can’t refold them. Keeping vaccines cold stops the unfolding, but it’s expensive. So I started wondering whether there might be another
way to go. What if I could create a shield, almost like a bespoke Armani coat, on the surface of the protein – might that help?” It’s this breakthrough that became her ‘ensilication’ process, the tech that EnsiliTech revolves around. Since then, things have been moving pretty fast. “Our first working experiment was in 2014, our first patent in 2017. We’ve been growing ever since.” This takes money, of course: not always easy to get, but it’s come. “First was £40,000 from winning the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Emerging Technologies Competition. Innovate UK promised £300K, which was huge. In the end we closed the first round at £1.2 million.” They then got a big grant for £1.7 million – “administered through Innovate UK, but it’s Department of Health money, in preparation for the next pandemic” – and, more recently, deep-tech investors like QantX and Science Angel Syndicate came onboard. A story that started at the University of Bath, and continues
NETWORK
Asel was the guest speaker at a recent EntreConf Dinner, held at The Granary on Welsh Back in partnership with Bishop Fleming
at their head offices at Science Creates in Bristol, has become an international success story. Ensilication can be applied to all sorts of vaccines and antibody therapies, but EnsiliTech doesn’t make its own – and never will. “We’re essentially a B2B business,” Asel says. “We need to partner with others, who license our tech and apply our methods to their vaccines. Initially we’d thought our main customers would be the procurement companies that buy vaccines, but – because our method needs to be applied early – we’re actually dealing with the biopharma firms themselves. A lot of my time is spent getting to know the right
people, and they all ask: ‘Will this make our production more expensive?’ “Actually, no – it’ll make it cheaper. What really matters is whether you have to add or remove formulation steps. And it turns out many of the standard ones aren’t necessary with ensilication. We can make production cheaper by 60% – and, of course, transportation and storage is cheaper and faster too. When I tell people this, they suddenly start listening! “Sure, some think it sounds too good to be true – but, in fairness, that’s what I first thought too. But then we ensilicated our first vaccine in Bath, and shipped it
using normal post – no refrigeration or anything – to Newcastle. It took three days to arrive, and that particular vaccine produced the same immune response as a normal one would. We’d shipped an untreated vaccine in parallel, and that, of course, was spoiled.” While Asel’s ideas had originally been about saving human lives, animal vaccines have become an exciting arena too: these also have to be refrigerated, but as the testing processes are less rigorous, ensilicated versions can get to market faster. “Our competitors are also trying to create thermally stable vaccines,” Asel says, “but virtually none of them will work in the animal space, because they use expensive technologies that add steps, whereas we’re removing them, so we’re a lot cheaper.” Asel’s own story is almost as fascinating as her company’s. She was born in Kyrgyzstan during the Soviet Union era, “a backwater country the size of the UK but dominated by mountains, with just seven million people. The bigger countries – Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan – looked down on us; we had no minerals or gas or oil. “I’m Kyrgyz ethnically, but studied in Russian schools, so always felt a minority. And when I went to university to study mechanical engineering I was a double minority, as a woman and as Kyrgyz. But being female I choose to think of as
“WHAT IF I COULD CREATE A SHIELD, ALMOST LIKE A BESPOKE ARMANI COAT, ON THE SURFACE OF THE PROTEIN?” a superpower, not a disadvantage: at least they’ll remember me!” Later, in the UK, she studied mineral physics, becoming a reader in chemistry, one step below full professor. And in recent years, more change: going from academia to entrepreneurship. “Many entrepreneurs are outsiders,” she says. “We come at things from a different perspective. And it turns out I can apply my academic principles to entrepreneurship too. Both require problem-solving, thinking outside the box. But in academia we’re taught to gather all the evidence before postulating something, whereas a business person has to work a lot faster. So starting a small business has been very exciting, as is leading it as a cofounder – one of four, so I’m never on my own. My co-founders give me the strength to think: Okay, it’s possible. I can do this.” For more: www.ensilitech.com www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 77
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NETWORK NEWS THE £20BN VISION
The West of England has stepped up its campaign to secure official New Town status for Brabazon and the wider West Innovation Arc, arguing the project could unlock £20bn of economic growth while delivering 40,000 homes and 40,000 jobs. Political leaders, business figures and government representatives gathered in Westminster to back the bid, led by West of England Mayor Helen Godwin alongside Bristol City Council, South Gloucestershire Council and developer YTL. Supporters say New Town designation would accelerate investment in housing, transport and infrastructure, with plans including the region’s first Mayoral Development Zone, a transformed Bristol Parkway station and improved links to Bristol & Bath Science Park. The area is already benefiting from major investment, including the new Brabazon railway station due to open later this year. The government is now considering Brabazon among the next wave of nationally significant new towns. For more www.brabazon.co.uk
PASTURES NEW
Bristol’s steak restaurant group Pasture has secured a £4.5m refinancing package from Barclays as it prepares to open its first overseas restaurant. Founded by chef Sam Elliott in 2018, the business has grown from a single Bristol steakhouse into a hospitality group spanning Cardiff, Bristol and Birmingham, with ventures including its own farm, vineyard and butcher’s shop. The new funding will support further investment across the existing estate while paving the way for an opening in Barcelona. www.pasturerestaurant.com
NEWS IN BRIEF
Rolls-Royce is investing £100m in a new research, manufacturing and assembly centre at Filton dedicated to next-generation combat aircraft technology. Construction is due to begin later this year, with the company saying the facility will help secure the future of its historic Bristol site while supporting advanced military aerospace programmes. www.rolls-royce.com Thrings has been ranked the South West’s third most-recommended law firm in Legal 500’s latest client survey. The independent research, based on almost 11,000 client responses, recognised the firm’s strong customer satisfaction, while the latest Legal 500 guide also awarded it 17 departmental rankings, including Tier 1 recognition for agriculture and family law. www.thrings.com Commercial law firm Bevan Brittan has reported record annual revenue of £101.2m, the first time it has topped the £100m mark. Headquartered in Bristol, the firm increased revenue by 17% and profit to £22.1m, extending a remarkable run of 13 consecutive years of growth. Strong performances in energy, housing and local government helped drive the results as the business embarks on a new five-year growth plan. www.bevanbrittan.com
EASY, TIGER
Same magic, new name: Bristol’s immersive attraction Wake the Tiger has announced it will now be known as The Dream Factory. Wake the Tiger remains the name of the parent company behind future experiences, including sister attraction Wake the Tiger: Absurd City, opening in London. Since launching in St Philip’s in 2022, the venue has grown to more than twice its original size and welcomed over half a million visitors. Founder Graham MacVoy says the rebrand better reflects the fantastical world visitors step into, while allowing future attractions to develop their own identities under the wider Wake the Tiger banner. www.wakethetiger.com
QLO UP
Never afraid of a bit of quirk, Yeo Valley Organic has teamed with newly opened UNIQLO in Bristol to launch an exclusive collection inspired by life on the Somerset farm. Available through UNIQLO’s in-store
custom-printing service, the range features playful illustrations of cows, chicks, tractors and wellies, alongside the Bristol phrase ‘gurt lush.’ Customers can also personalise clothing and tote bags with embroidery through the UNIQLO studio www.uniqlo.com; www.yeovalley.co.uk
Offices in: Henleaze, Whiteladies Road Clifton Village, Shirehampton 0117 962 1205 www.amdsolicitors.com
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BUCKLE UP! Get ready for Germany’s growing interest in Bristol
B
ristol has an honorary consul for Germany who spends his working week untangling construction disputes, whilst drafting and negotiating construction and engineering contracts. Kai von Pahlen, recently appointed partner in the construction and engineering team at law firm Buckles, is bilingual in English and German, sits on the committee of the Bristol German Saturday School, and has even written a beginner’s guide to learning German with Anglo-German history. It’s an unusual combination, but one that puts him and Buckles Law right at the centre of a trend the city is starting to notice: German businesses are again looking seriously at the UK, and at Bristol in particular. The evidence is already on the ground. German space company OHB, which opened a new UK subsidiary at Bristol and Bath Science Park in 2025, recently announced it will create up to 100 highly skilled jobs in Bristol after being awarded a £20 million contract for the largest mission to Venus in the history of space exploration. It’s the kind of high-value investment that regional growth strategies are built around, and it didn’t choose Bristol by accident. The city’s aerospace and engineering credentials, its universities, and its position within the wider West of England cluster are exactly what German firms are considering as they look beyond their domestic market. The latest German-British Business Outlook, produced annually by KPMG and the British Chamber of Commerce in Germany, shows
a marked shift. Back in 2021, nearly 70% of German companies surveyed had no plans to invest in the UK at all, but that figure has now fallen below 50%, with a growing number considering significant inward investment over the next three years, numbers that weren’t on the table twelve months ago. The reasons cited include an unpredictable US trade environment and heightened security concerns across Europe, both of which are pushing German firms to look again at closer ties with the UK and its skilled workforce. For businesses making that move, the legal groundwork matters as much as the site selection. Setting up a UK subsidiary, or navigating a contract dispute far from home, calls for lawyers who understand both the language and the legal landscape. That’s where von Pahlen’s practice sits. He was the lead lawyer for a contractor in the significant 2024 Supreme Court case Abbey v Simply, which clarified the circumstances in which a collateral warranty will not be a construction contract for the purposes of the Construction Act. It’s the kind of expertise German manufacturers and engineering firms will need as they establish or expand their footprint here. The Buckles Law construction and dispute resolution team operates nationally, so the firm’s reach extends well beyond von Pahlen’s Bristol base. He is also liaising with colleagues across Buckles to offer German-speaking clients a wider range of legal services, reflecting the fact that German investment in the UK will require support across corporate, commercial, employment, real estate, dispute
resolution and other legal disciplines. Von Pahlen is also working with the German Business Hub to establish a German Business Stammtisch in Bristol, giving German, British and internationally minded businesses in the region a regular forum for networking and discussion. He is currently looking for a suitable Bristol venue to host the event. As more businesses like OHB look to the UK, Bristol may find it has an unexpected advantage: a legal partner who can bridge both sides of that relationship fluently, while drawing on the wider expertise of Buckles to support German-speaking clients across their UK operations. For further information, please contact Kai von Pahlen at Buckles Law: Kai.VonPahlen@ buckles-law.co.uk.n
Visit www.buckles-law.co.uk to find out more. Queen Square House, 18-21 Queen Square, Bristol, BS1 4NH. 0117 332 9540 www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 81
PROPERTY
STONE LOVE Are there two more romantic words in the property lexicon than ‘old mill? Words by Ursula Cole
T
he quiet, picturesque Gloucestershire hamlet of Woodford is found just south of the historic town of Berkeley. It may not technically be within the agreed boundary of the Cotswolds, but it’s not difficult to picture Jilly Cooper’s Rivals cast converging here every April for the annual point-to-point races, hosted against the backdrop of Berkeley Castle – one of the oldest and most fascinating of all Britain’s ancient buildings. Slightly less venerable, but still with buckets of period charm and character, is Stone Mill within this hamlet, on the Old Bristol Road. As it’s a mill, a waterside setting naturally comes as standard – but first of all let’s explore the house itself. Technically on the first floor, a spacious entrance hall takes you into both the kitchen/dining room and the living room. The former has been specifically designed to maximise the house’s connection with the surrounding landscape, with large windows framing views of woodland, while the green paint of the units, with their rich dark wood accents, provide a pleasing echo of the natural palette beyond. There’s ample room here for a large table, and in one of the home’s most unique features, circular glass viewing panels set within the floor offer a fascinating glimpse of the old mill workings below. The large living room is no less bright and inviting, thanks to full-height windows offering yet more green and pleasant views. Exposed beams add country charm, and there’s a woodburning stove for cosiness. In this tall and impressive house, five large bedrooms occupy the top
86 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk
PROPERTY
two floors, along with an office, a particularly beautiful contemporary family bathroom and two shower rooms, one of them the sole province of the master suite, which also has a dressing room. If four bedrooms is enough for your needs you may wish to follow the current owners’ example and continue to use the fifth as a family cinema room; something that may well seal the deal for any movie buff. On the ground floor there’s a huge amount of storage, making it ideal for a workshop or wine cellar. We promised you, if not a rose garden, then one befitting a former mill, so let’s head outside, where the old stone and brick building, with its pitched tiled roof, has a picturesque riverside position complemented by mature trees and beautiful views across the surrounding HOUSE NUMBERS countryside. The gardens have been Where? thoughtfully landscaped, including a Woodford, near Berkeley fabulous, large stone-paved area; beyond, Offers over: £1m the Little Avon river burbles alongside the property, creating an idyllically Receptions: Living room; open-plan kitchen/diner tranquil setting. Woodford itself, packed with charm Bedrooms: 5 and desirable homes, is surrounded Bath/shower rooms: 3 by countryside; as such it offers a Outside: Beautifully peaceful village lifestyle while remaining landscaped gardens leading conveniently connected to Bristol, with the down to the Little Avon river market town of Berkeley supplying all your Call my agent: Fine & Country everyday needs. We’d struggle to think of a South Gloucestershire more persuasive reason to make 2026 the 0117 251 2222 year you moved to the country. www.fineandcountry.co.uk
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Corporate Strength – Client Focused Approach – Tailored Solutions
Block & Estate Management Corporate Strength – Client Focused Approach Tailored Solutions
DNA Property Management St Brandons House, 27-29 Great George Street, Bristol, BS1 5QT Email: info@dnaproperties.co.uk Tel: 01179 200141
www.dnaproperties.co.uk Transparent property management offering genuine cost savings with no compromise on service level standards
BRISTOL BUSINESS
“Broadmead is stil the beating heart of Bristol” Blossoming, in partnership with Compass Presents, had young people writing a Love Letter to Broadmead and animating empty shops over a bank holiday weekend. Global celebrated the Global Goals Centre’s International Cultural Festival and highlighted the entrepreneurial businesses that co-exist with global brands. By amplifying the positive contributions made, we resisted the narrative of decline. One of the greatest pleasures of working with contributors was hearing their stories.
GIVE OUR REGARDS TO BROADMEAD
ANNA FARTHING of Bristol BID reflects on the partnerships, projects and people that are helping to revive the shopping quarter
T
he start of my role as interim head of place coincided with three existing Business Improvement Districts unifying into a singular Bristol BID”, says Anna. “My priorities have been supporting that change, and developing placemaking partnerships.”
Tell us about the Love Bristol, Love Broadmead programme
The old Broadmead BID had built relationships of trust over 20 years, but this period in Broadmead’s history was defined by factors beyond local control: the promise of transformational future development, major infrastructure works and transport changes. To support the area, the new Bristol BID would need to collaborate and convene with levy payers, with stakeholders, and with the wider community. Through consultations, the character of Broadmead revealed 90 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk
itself as a neglected relative, but nonetheless a valuable member of the Bristol family. We decided that whatever the future held, what Broadmead needed right now was some love. Looking back, which moments best capture the impact of the programme?
The Big Broadmead Spring Clean kicked off the programme. The first professional overnight deep cleaning for a decade was supported by 250 volunteers who gave over 500 hours, accompanied by live entertainment. We soon realised that energetic groups of people not only spruced things up, but also drove back anti-social behaviour. We curated programmes of what we called ‘pro-social behaviour’ with local partners. The Care and Repair Festival, delivered over Easter with Sparks and John Wesley’s New Rooms, gave over 2000 people a chance to make, do and mend.
Why is Playful Broadmead an important next step for Bristol BID?
Playful is the final chapter. It includes summer holiday activities, a newly invented Urban Fairy Door project and a legacy artwork. Playful reframes the area through the lens of imagination: to see beyond what is, to what might be. People are invited to look above and below the shopfronts, find surprises and invent new stories for this place that we may be stuck with for some time. What’s the story behind the Urban Fairy Doors?
Urban Fairy Doors is a new project that taps into the generosity, talent and ambition of creative communities in a new way. More than 30 venues in Broadmead and Cabot Circus have signed up to hide a six-inchhigh door somewhere on their premises. The doors themselves represent the skills and interests of their many makers, from fantasy to film references, and from miniature shops to 3D printed scale models. They have been gifted by professional model makers, hobbyists, construction workers, dolls house enthusiasts, students, school children and a pottery club. While door-hunting, families, visitors and workers will have fun seeing the city in new ways.
But I also hope that placemaking professionals will understand and appreciate the value of artists who, whatever scale they are working on, perceive obstacles as opportunities and constraints as inspiration. Tell us about Glass and Colour Works
This is a new artwork by local artist Edward Rhys Jones, commissioned by Bristol BID and produced in collaboration with Upfest Projects. Inspired by the John Hall and Sons coloured glass factory that occupied Broadmead from 1788 until the Blitz, it uses transparent film in magenta, cyan and yellow on existing glazing at The Galleries. In response to sunlight, it beams dancing patterns across surrounding surfaces. Stone balls nearby have been repainted with the same pops of colour. We hope that this temporary public artwork, in place until the site is redeveloped, will inspire multigenerational conversations about how colour and light interact to produce the full spectrum. What has this year shown you about what makes Broadmead special?
It’s reinforced that Broadmead’s greatest strength is its people. Behind the headlines, it’s a place where long-established family businesses sit alongside market stall start-ups, meanwhile spaces, national retailers and the many people who keep the area running every day and night through cleaning, restocking and security. What do you hope people will take away from Playful Broadmead and the wider Love Bristol, Love Broadmead programme?
Broadmead is still the beating heart of Bristol. Like a grandparent full of memories, or a playful child with new ideas, Broadmead deserves more love. For more www.bristolbid.co.uk