Bristol Life - Issue 318

ISSUE 318 / JUNE 2022 / £3

THE FE L LI BRISTODS ’22 AWAHERHIGHLIGHTS

LET’S GET OUT OF IT

HERE COMES THE SUN!* LET’S ALL DINE AL FRESCO…

ALL T THAT EPIC FROM GHT NI

COSTUME DRAMAS

ISSUE 318 / JUNE 2022 / WILD AT HEART

CHARLOTTE MITCHELL ON DRESSING THE OUTLAWS (AND LOADS OF OTHER TV CHARACTERS, TOO)

(*subject to availability)

WHERE THE

WILD THINGS ARE BRISTOL ZOO GARDENS: ONE FINAL SUMMER

THE ONLY SPRAY IS UP

THE BEST OF UPFEST

BRAVE NEW WORLD

HOW BRABAZON IS SHAPING UP (AND A SECRET GIG

BY QUEEN AT YTL)

EDITOR’S LETTER

10 W

Thanks for the aviaries . . .

. . . and the Aquarium, Gorilla Island, the Twilight World, the Seal and Penguin Coast and the Meerkat Lookout.

Thanks for all the creatures great and small – including those which, according to Cary Grant here, were ‘this big’. Thanks for being part of our lives for as long as most of us can remember, Bristol Zoo Gardens . . .

e mostly tend to look forwards, in this magazine. We’re all about the new beginnings.

New housing. New Arena. New festivals, new restaurants, new arts venues, fresh new ways of thinking and acting and being.

However, this issue finds us in atypically reflective mode. On 3 September, one of the city’s most venerable institutions – Bristol Zoo Gardens, whose education and conservation programme has elevated it far above a mere animal attraction, with successes in both fields going a long way to combat any queasiness over the notion of wild animals in captivity – closes its Clifton site to the public forever. It’s not the end for the Zoo, of course – in 2024 a brand new one will open at Wild Place – but as the existing one bids us a final farewell, with a bunch of special summertime events, we thought we’d take a look at some of the standout moments from its 185-year history.

That’s just one of three big features in this issue. As the sun* peeps daringly from behind the clouds, we’ve optimistically compiled our annual guide to al fresco dining. And with The Outlaws back on our screens, we duck behind the scenes to bother costume designer Charlotte Mitchell, who explains how she created the sartorial look for Stephen Merchant’s motley crew, along with the characters of many other TV dramas.

Thirdly, we have a special 10-page review of a little shindig we threw at Ashton Gate last month. That would be the Bristol Life Awards 2022, which saw nearly 700 guests turned out in all their finery to toast this year’s winners, finalists and, ultimately, Bristol as a whole. Proper job. What a city. * Subject to availability

DERI ROBINS Bristol Life editor Follow us on

@BristolLifeMag;

@BristolLifeMag

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 3

18

Issue 318 / June 2022 COVER Bristol Zoo Gardens: a celebration; see page 10

HISTORY

10 BRISTOL ZOO Where the wild things are (but not

for much longer)

ARTS

18 ARTS INTRO Go bare if you dare 20 WHAT’S ON Summer shenanigans 26 FILM “The appeal is telling a story through the

costumes”: Charlotte Mitchell on dressing The Outlaws, Villanelle, Eve and others 32 BRISTOL HEROES The only way is Upfest

FOOD & DRINK

36 AL FRESCO Let’s get out of it 46 FOOD & DRINK Tasty round-ups 49 CAFÉ SOCIETY Order coffee; they’ll plant a tree 51 RECIPE Fishy on a little dishy from Jonny Burnett of

Conscious Food Co

SHOPPING

26

56 EDITOR’S CHOICE Life’s a beach 59 FASHION Jean genie

BRISTOL LIFE AWARDS

63 10-PAGE REVIEW Winners, guests, and how it all went

down on the night

BUSINESS

81 BRISTOLWORKS White-collar Bristol

PROPERTY

90 SHOWCASE Brave new Brabazon world

REGULARS

6 SPOTLIGHT 9 BRIZZOGRAM 98 BRISTOL LIVES Tony Benjamin

10 Editor Deri Robins deri.robins@mediaclash.co.uk Senior art editor Andrew Richmond Graphic design Megan Allison Cover design Trevor Gilham Contributors Colin Moody, Stan Cullimore, Jonny Burnett, Milly Vaughan Commercial manager Neil Snow neil.snow@mediaclash.co.uk Business development manager Craig Wallberg craig.wallberg@ mediaclash.co.uk Business development manager Jake Horwood jake.horwood@mediaclash.co.uk Production/distribution manager Sarah Kingston sarah.kingston@ mediaclash.co.uk Deputy production manager/production designer 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, Carriage Court, 22 Circus Mews, Bath, BA1 2PW 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, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter. 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 Arena

GOD SAVE THE QUEEN No, we’re not talking about Her Maj this time; we’re talking Queen + Adam Lambert, only one of the biggest music acts in the world right now, who on 23 May performed a top-secret gig for 100 privately invited people at the YTL Arena. The unique mini-concert was designed to offer a glimpse into what the finished Arena might offer, and was a key milestone in the Brabazon hangar’s transformation into a top-five global music arena.

It was 45 years to the day since the original Queen performed at Bristol Hippodrome, and the band’s appearance at YTL was the culmination of five days of production rehearsals at Brabazon in preparation for their Rhapsody Tour. Making use of the vast space at the venue, which will provide both rehearsal and performance facilities for major touring acts, the band confirmed they would have been delighted to perform a Bristol show on their epic tour, had YTL Arena been fully operational.

“Over the past week we have accommodated one of the largest touring productions with ease,” said YTL Arena’s CEO, Andrew Billingham. “With 40 artic lorries parking on site, and more than 200 production crew in attendance, everybody has said what a fantastic venue the new Arena will be, and predicts it will become one of the busiest in the UK.” “We’ve been made to feel very welcome by YTL, and the Rhapsody Tour would have loved the opportunity to play Bristol if this fantastic venue had been open,” said the band. Brian and Roger also fitted in a tour of Aerospace, sat in the Queen’s (naturally!) favourite seat on Concorde and had a play on the flight deck. The band also placed personal items into a time capsule, which will be built into a glazed Walk of Fame running 100 metres across the event floor, from the stage to the Runway Bar at the opposite end of the building.

For more: ytlarenabristol.co.uk

Brian gets his Concorde geek on

Putting the gig together at YTL

Public art

Street art

The World Reimagined is a UK art education project that aims to transform how we understand the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans, and its impact on all of us.

The project will see trails of large globe sculptures in cities across the UK between 13 August-31 October, created by artists to bring to life the reality and impact of this history.

Bristol is a host city, and the trail will consist of 10 globe sculptures; one for each of the nine themes of the Journey of Discovery, with a tenth Globe designed by Bristol artist

Were you at this year’s Upfest? Mega, wasn’t it? They’ve brought out a new book, too, published by Tangent Books; Upfest IV is (you guessed it) the fourth in the series, bringing you the best pieces from the past few years. We’ll try to bring you more details in a further issue; in the meantime, you can buy this lovely thing for £19.95 at upfest.co.uk

JUST REIMAGINE….

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Michele Curtis in collaboration with local groups, ensuring that the trail is steeped in place and community.

Most of the trails will be 90-120 minute walking tours, taking visitors, literally, on a journey of discovery.

For more: theworldreimagined.org

SPRAY FOR BRISTOL

SPOTLIGHT

UPFEST 2022

Some of the best pics we’ve seen, of this year’s best pieces. “If you are not from Bristol then street art might be a little alien . . .”

@david.multicapture

@rogerturner6

@david.multicapture

@aishling_jana

@indigoblubath

@aishling_jana

@craigderrick40

@bristolpictures

@bristolpictures

@richlorri

@rogerturner6

@colinmoodyphotography

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WI THI

LD BRISTOL ZOO

NGS This September, Bristol Zoo Gardens will close its Clifton site forever.

Let’s take a nostalgic look back at its incredible 185-year history. . .

BRISTOL ZOO

O

n 3 September, the gates to Bristol Zoo Gardens will close to the public for good – but before this chapter comes to an end, it will spend one final summer celebrating a rich and varied story that dates back 185 years.

You’re allowed to feel a little misty-eyed, but don’t overdo it; this is by no means the end of the Zoo’s story, as its work will live on through Wild Place Project and the opening of the new, wholly contemporary Bristol Zoo in 2024.

In the spirit of this final summer of celebration, we take a look at some of the highlights from down the years.

1836: Bristol Zoo, originally known as Clifton Zoo, opens for the first time; one of its original shareholders is Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

Today, it’s the fifth oldest zoo in the world.

1928: The Monkey Temple opens; a modern method of retaining animals in an environment that reflects their natural surroundings (monkeys often hang out in temples in their natural habitat). The Temple’s still there, although the monkeys left in the late 1980s.

1930: Alfred the Gorilla – the only living gorilla in Europe – arrives, and the Zoo becomes known for its primates. A few years later the Zoo celebrates the birth of a chimp named Adam – the first conceived and born in Europe. By this time the Zoo had earned a reputation for being a credible scientific institution. In 1935, ‘research’ was added as a section to the animal reports.

1851: A Reptile House is built, housing eight pythons, six boas and various lizards. There’s also a new bear pit with a wooden pole, which the bears climb to take food from visitors.

1936: The Zoo celebrates its centenary with a Midsummer Carnival, featuring 56-yearold daredevil Peggy – a one-legged man who dives from a height of 33 metres, enveloped in flames, into a tank 1.5 metres deep.

1884: The first giraffes turn up. A pair of zebras are imported a few years later, and a foal is born in 1898. The young foal is given a young donkey as his companion.

1937: Rosie, a Sri Lankan elephant, moves in, and becomes famous for taking young visitors for a ride along the Terrace – it’s estimated that she gave 80,000 rides in all.

1900: A new Lion House is built; at the time, it’s considered the most des res of digs for big cats. Two years later Britain’s first outdoor accommodation for monkeys is opened.

1939: World War II begins, and all places of entertainment, including zoos are closed – although this only lasted 14 days. Animals

are transferred away from Bristol due to fear that they might escape if the city was bombed. The Zoo is spared the worst of the air raids although incendiary devices fall on the site, and one high-explosive bomb falls in the gardens.

1950s: By now the Zoo has established a worldwide reputation for captive breeding of difficult species. In 1959 the first black rhino born in Britain arrives, and the same year sees the birth of a polar bear cub called Sebastian, and a king penguin chick.

clockwise: A zebra foal born in 1898 was given a donkey as his companion; Zebi the elephant was renowned for removing and eating straw hats; the Monkey Temple; the main avenue in the 1900s

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clockwise: Roger, the first black rhino born in Britain; Wendy and Christina on the Clifton streets; 150th anniversary celebrations; how big, Cary Grant? inset: Alfred the Gorilla

BRISTOL ZOO 1960s: The BBC programme Animal Magic fronted by Johnny Morris starts broadcasting, with Bristol Zoo as the centrepiece for the vast majority of shows.

1961: Christina, an African elephant, and Wendy, an Asian elephant, arrive at the Zoo after Rosie dies. Elephant rides cease, but Christina and Wendy can often be seen walking the streets of Clifton until 1965.

1965: Cary Grant is photographed at Bristol Zoo while on honeymoon with his fourth wife, Dyan Cannon. When his daughter is born, Cary makes a point of bringing her to the Zoo to make up for his own unhappy childhood.

1967: The Zoo is now famous far beyond the city, particularly for its white tigers, the first of which, Champa and Chemeli, had arrived a few years earlier and were the first known pair outside of India. During the 1960s the Zoo regularly attracts1 million visitors per year.

1971: Zookeepers celebrate the arrival of a baby gorilla, the first to be conceived and born in the UK. 1980s: As the Zoo integrates itself

clockwise: Keeper John Partridge; Animal Magic; Adam, the first chimp born and conceived in Europe

with global conservation strategies, its aims and ambitions evolve into the renowned conservation charity it is today.

1986: The Zoo celebrates its 150th anniversary. The World of Water opens, with the first walk-through tank in the UK – a feature now commonplace in modern aquariums.

1989: The Zoo becomes increasingly aware of the space restrictions at its Clifton site, and starts to phase out a number of larger mammal species – over time, black rhinos, polar bears and the giraffes all leave the site. A few years later, the big cat enclosures were reduced from five to two, and then eventually down to one – the home of the Zoo’s Asiatic lions.

1996: The former Ape House is transformed into Twilight World.

Bug World is opened by Michaela Strachan and Howie Watkins of the Really Wild Show. Two years later, Gorilla Island opens, and construction begins on the Conservation Education Centre.

2005: The Zoo welcomes Kintana, the first aye-aye in the world to be handreared from birth.

2009: ZooRopia, the first high-level rope walkway in a UK zoo opens.

2011: The Zoo celebrates 175 years, while the Wow! Gorilla trail raises almost £500k for charity. Also this year, a new meerkat enclosure and the Walk of Fame both open.

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2012: Kamran and Ketan, two lion cubs, are born, and hand-reared by keepers.

2013: A new Gorilla House sees the facility doubled in size, with an atrium glass lobby.

2013: Wild Place Project, near junction 17 of the M5 Motorway opens. Wild Place will stay open to visitors until it becomes the home of the new Bristol Zoo in 2024.

2015: The Zoo opens the Institute of Conservation Science and Learning.

2016: A Western lowland gorilla is born at the zoo by emergency caesarean; one of only a few cases of this happening worldwide.

2017: Dinomania, 11 life-sized animatronic dinosaurs, pitch up for the summer.

2018: A new aviary for rare and endangered birds opens.

2020: Bristol Zoo Gardens reopens postlockdown, after the longest closure in its history. Its longest serving keeper, John Partridge, retires after 45 years.

2021: Red panda, Pan, arrives to join the Zoo’s female in the hope the pair will breed.

2022: Bristol Zoological Society will continue to evolve, to protect its future, its animals and its vitally important conservation work. And there are plans for the Bristol Zoo Gardens site – free admission to the gardens, natural play areas for children, an outdoor theatre space for cultural, educational and community groups to use, a café, as well as the Clifton conservation hub and new homes.

In the meantime, maybe we’ll see you in Clifton for the Zoo’s grand final summer of celebrations? n For more information on events at Bristol Zoo Gardens this summer, visit bristolzoo.org.uk

Photos of the animals have improved in recent years; by Andre Pattenden (except bottom right, Jordan Jones)

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

I FLOWER PEOPLE 18 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

n the summers of 2017 and 2019, Tom Hunter set up a makeshift photobooth at Glastonbury festival. Channelling the 1960s Summer of Love, Tom asked festivalgoers to reimagine the liberation of that era, and to embrace the freedom of nudity. The result is Where Have All the Flowers Gone, a new exhibition that shows this month at Martin Parr Foundation, to coincide with Glastonbury 2022.

Tom is known for his social documentary projects, investigating alternative communities, contemporary music and experimental cultures in London and across Europe. This particular series was inspired by photos taken by his mum, Sheelagh Hunter, on her Box Brownie; a selection of these will be included in the exhibition, along with Sheelagh’s memories of the era-defining Isle of Wight festival of 1970.

Tom’s aim was to create a contemporary vision of today’s festival culture, while evoking a nostalgic, historical view. In his small photobooth made of MDF sheets, he used a medium-format film camera in the classical tradition of the 19th-century portrait photographers.

“I’ve never taken photos while naked before, but it had to be done”

In 2017 he based himself in the Shangri-La field, where assistant Hanna Wiebe ventured into the crowds to invite participants to the booth. Two years later he returned with Claire Loussouam to portray those who frequented the Lost Horizon sauna, a nudist area in the Green Fields of the festival. This time, in keeping with the spirit and environment of the project, both Hunter and Loussouam were naked themselves. By the act of setting up the camera and tripod in the field, freshly steamed festival goers were driven to the camera by curiosity.

“I’ve never made photographs naked before, but it had to be done in the Lost Horizons sauna field, where everyone else was naked; it would have been unnatural to be wearing clothes. The only drawback was the harsh Somerset sun, which meant no mad dogs and English men at midday,” said Tom. “We have seen many photographs taken at Glastonbury festival over the years, but none as memorable as Tom Hunter’s nude portraits,” says Martin Parr. “They are literally quite revealing, but also convey a great sense of dignity, pride and joy in those they depict.”

Those wishing to witness the full Monty – ie the photos without the decorous flowers shown here – should head to Martin Parr Foundation between 23 June-10 July.

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WHAT’S ON 10-30 June 2022

EXHIBITIONS Until 12 June

HOLDING THE BABY Photographic work by Polly Braden, creating a portrait of the resilience of single-parent families facing austerity. At Arnolfini; arnolfini.org.uk CAFÉ ROYAL BOOKS: DOCUMENTARY, ZINES AND SUBVERSION Exhibition celebrating the work of publishing house Café Royal Books, which has produced weekly publications focusing on postwar documentary photography. At Martin Parr; martinparrfoundation.org

Until 19 June

ME, MYSELF, I Our most venerable gallery, RWA, reopens with a new exhibition of artists’ self-portraits; rwa.org.uk

Until 17 July

TANOA SASRAKU A new commission sees the artist rendering monoliths and megaliths in thread-bound newsprint. Spike Island, spikeisland.org.uk

Until 21 August

INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION 163 The world’s longest running photography exhibition;105 works by 60 photographers are on display at RPS Gallery; rps.org/ipe163

Until 4 September

GRAYSON’S ART CLUB Artworks chosen by Grayson and Philippa Perry and guest celebs during the TV series of the same name; at Bristol Museum, bristolmuseums.org.uk VAN GOGH IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE Step into over 300 of Vincent’s drawings, and paintings, via floorto-ceiling digital projections, VR headsets, roomsets and more; at Propyard, vangoghexpo.com

Until 18 September

ERIC BAUDELAIRE & ALVIN CURRAN: WHEN THERE IS NO MORE MUSIC TO WRITE Documentary installation exploring Curran’s life and work against a backdrop of radical

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political movements during the ’70s; Spike Island, spikeisland.org.uk

SHOWS

Until 31 December

OFFSIDE Four women from across the centuries live, breathe, and play football... with punchy storytelling, lyrical poetry and dynamic physicality, Offside is back for a third and final tour; TFT, tobaccofactorytheatres.com

LEBOHANG KGANYE: LEAVE THE LIGHT WHEN YOU LEAVE FOR GOOD The Georgian House was once home to a sugar trader and his enslaved staff; now Lebohang reflects on the legacy of colonialism as a shared history, at the same site; bristolmuseums.org.uk

11-19 June

UWE SHOWCASE Over 500 graduates from 25 UWE Bristol courses, spanning art, design, animation, fashion, media, performance, photography and filmmaking, show us what they can do; at City Campus, showcase.uwe.ac.uk

18-19 June

BS9 ARTS TRAIL 88 local artists show work in a wide range of media in their Henleaze, Stoke Bishop and Westbury-on-Trym ’hoods, in group venues and home studios. bs9arts.co.uk

14-17 June

14 June-2 July

MAMMA MIA! The effusive rom-com musical with the poptastic ABBA tunes returns to Hippodrome; take your mum and/or daughter, and forget about being cool; atgtickets.com

17-19 June

IBT: WILDNESS A brand new In Between Time programme; through public artworks, forest diving, workshops and community gatherings,you’re invited to ignite the wildness that exists in all of us. Various venues; inbetweentime.co.uk

WHAT’S ON 18 June-2 July

CATASTROPHE BAY A new musical by Kit Buchan and Jim Barne, set in a tiny Cornish fishing village inhabited by a curious gaggle of misfits. Inspired by a vast language of British and European folk songs, it’s all as rich and hearty as a night in a candlelit tavern while storms rage outside; at BOV, bristololdvic.org.uk

21-25 June

opposite page: Great Scot – Paolo’s at Sounds; this page, from top: Ruth McKeand’s Favourite Billboard at UWE; Nish can’t even at Comedy Garden; Richard Hawley still wants you, at Rivertown

OH MOTHER Family means everything you want it to mean. What a transformative thing it can be to take care of someone else, completely. How it rearranges you. How you will definitely yearn for a break...

RashDash and their mums explore motherhood at TFT; tobaccofactorytheatres.com

22-25 June

HENRY VI: DAYS OF REBELLION A bold new adaptation of Parts 1, 2 and 3, inspired by modern tragedies Succession and House of Cards and the current political landscape. A whirlwind thriller of greed, ego and big business, brought to you by BOVTS at BOV; bristololdvic.org.uk

22 June-20 August

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM Mad, bad lovers, warring fairies, rude mechanicals and the most famous donkey in theatre: Insane Root brings Athens to Eastville Park Swimming Pool in the most alluring, immersive way; insaneroot.org.uk

23-25 June

VANITY FAIR BOVTS takes on Thackeray’s satirical roustabout of intrigue, survival and sexual politics, at BOV; bristololdvic.org.uk

24 June-5 July

LOAM Singing plants, menacing treekickers, armpit moss and useless executives collide in a timely utopian eco-comedy by the BOVTS grads, at BOV; bristololdvic.org.uk

28 June-2 July

JANE EYRE A bold and theatrically inventive adaptation of the Brontë classic by the Kelvin Players, Bristol’s largest non-professional theatre company; at TFT, tobaccofactorytheatres.com

MUSIC

Until 12 June

FOREST LIVE Rag’n’Bone Man, Keane, Madness and Texas are the crowd-pleasers playing the beautiful forest setting of Westonbirt; forestryengland.uk

Until 26 June

FESTIVAL OF VOICE St George’s new month-long celebration of the power, beauty and universality of the human voice, with a mix of internationally renowned artists, grassroots choirs and everything in between. stgeorgesbristol.co.uk

11 June-1 August

RIVERTOWN Back for the first time in three years with its rootsy, country music; with Lee Fields, St Paul & The Broken Bones, Richard Hawley, Martha Wainwright and many more playing multiple venues; bristolbeacon.org

19 June

MAMA’S BROKE Powerful folk duo Amy Lou and Lisa Maria have a raw, harmonic synergy; formed by multi-instrumentalists, their compositions draw on their Canadian roots while channelling a nomadic transience. Brought

by Bristol Beacon, at Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com

22 & 26 June

ELTON JOHN The unique, insanely talented, wildly entertaining Elton brings his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour to Ashton Gate; ashtongatestadium.co.uk

22-26 June

BRISTOL SOUNDS Our favourite urban music fest returns with a storming line up: Noel Gallagher’s High-Flying Birds (22nd); Paolo Nutini (23rd); Elbow (24th, Jungle (25th), and First-Aid Kit on the 26th. Boom. bristolsounds.seetickets.com

COMEDY Ongoing

CLOSER EACH DAY The world’s longest improv comedy soap – coming up for its 20th anniversary! – continues to bubble away twice a month at Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com

10-11 June

THE SHADE PULLERS & LASH STACKERS SOCIAL CLUB

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WHAT’S ON Drag-cabaret wrapped in a theatre show at a working man’s club; dress anywhere between Tom Jones to Grace Jones, and don’t forget your ticket for the meat raffle... at The Wardrobe; thewardrobetheatre.com

11 June

WORLD COMEDY CLASH London’s premier comedy clash show comes to Redgrave, with a “star-studded, action packed lineup”, they say. redgravetheatre.com

12 June

LUKE KEMPNER: MACHO MACHO MAN Part of a season of comedy stars premièring their latest work-inprogress prior to Edinburgh. In his new show, Luke tries to work out what masculinity really means, with the help of Louis Theroux, the cast of Downton Abbey and Jürgen Klopp... at The Wardrobe, thewardrobetheatre.com

13 & 27 June

BUFFOON With headliner Jeremy Flynn on the 13th, a ‘naturally funny’ Bristol comic who’s been a feature on the circuit since early 2015. Then it’s Will Robbins and Ben Cohen on the 27th; Will’s from Somerset and knows about the locals, Ben’s a Jewish LOL machine, Bristol Fringe, headfirstbristol.co.uk

15-19 June

BRISTOL COMEDY GARDEN Al fresco, up on the Downs; plenty of big-name headliners, including James Acaster, Alan Davies, Nish Kumar, Aisling Bea etc. bristolcomedygarden.co.uk

22 June

SOPHIE DUKER: HAG Another Edinburgh première; Sophie’s in town to tell jokes, break hearts and marinate her new show, at Wardrobe, thewardrobetheatre.com

23 June

IVO GRAHAM & RHYS JAMES And another one! In fact, another two; in My Future, My Clutter, Ivo discusses three years of heavyduty pranking, parenting and procrastinating, while in Work-inProgress Rhys doesn’t beat about the bush – he really needs to write a new show... thewardrobetheatre.com

24 June

TOM SKELTON & TOM GK Two Toms for the price of one; Tom S somehow finds the funny

side in going blind, while Tom GK has decided to record the greatest album of all time; at Bristol Improv Theatre, improvtheatre.co.uk CATHERINE BOHART: THIS ISN’T FOR YOU Catherine Bohart loves control, hates change and is a serial planner. It’s been an interesting couple of years… at Wardrobe, thewardrobetheatre.com

30 June

SEANN WALSH: BACK FROM THE BED Post-lockdown lols at the Hen & Chicken, as Seann dwells on the past year, in which millions of decent people tragically lost their lives to TikTok. henandchicken.com

OTHER Ongoing

BRISTOL FILM FESTIVAL The almost-year-round fest, with a something-for-everyone remit.

Screenings at a wide variety of Bristol locations; bristolfilmfestival.com

Until 19 June

BRISTOL RUN SERIES 15K Whatever your running experience, you are invited for one, two, three or all four of the virtual events in the University of Bristol Run Series 2022; shop.bris.ac.uk

Until 26 June

FILMIC Watershed’s annual celebration of the relationship between film and music, from Psycho to Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, A Streetcar Named Desire and more, along with illustrated talks; watershed.co.uk

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clockwise from top left: Glad to be LGBT+ at Pride; the Rocketman’s final (maybe) trip; Knockin’ on heaven’s door with Pat G and the Kid

Until 29 September

SHOW OF STRENGTH The highly infotaining theatre walks; choose from Blood & Butchery in Bedminster, Blood, Blackbeard and Buccaneers, Crime & Crinolines in Clifton, Saints & Sinners in St George’s and more; showofstrength.org.uk

Red Lodge; 1904bristolarts.org

25 June-12 July

10-11 June

BRISTOL PRIDE Back with the Dog Show, Comedy Night, Circus Night, Theatre Night and Queer Vision Film Festival, all culminating with the March and big old party on the Downs on 9 July. bristolpride.co.uk

10-18 June

THE CIDER SALON A major tasting event, with 20 producers pouring 60 speciality ciders; at Trinity. cidersalon.co.uk

CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL A weekend celebrating all things beer, with street food, music etc, at Lloyd’s; bristolcraftbeerfestival.co.uk FESTIVAL OF NATURE The UK’s largest free celebration of nature brings its annual programme of nature walks and talks, wildlife workshops and digital events to Bristol and Bath; bnhc.org.uk/festival-of-nature

24 June

CALEB PARKIN The Bristol Poet Laureate comes to

28 June-3 July

30 June

ENTRECONF An online, dynamic insightpacked event to inspire our region’s entrepreneurs; speaking this time are St Pauls Carnival chair and food entrepreneur Levi Roots, and videogames guru Phil Harrison; more on page 81. hopin.com/events/entreconf-2022 n

Lady Gabby ‘grams her Stella McCartney denim in The Outlaws

COSTUME DRAMAS FILM

The second season of The Outlaws is currently screening, and it’s time to discover what Bristol costume designer Charlotte Mitchell has lined up for the gang’s latest wardrobe…

N

Words by Deri Robins

“The way someone wears an item of clothing really tells a story, so it’s important to get it right”

ot only have The Outlaws, Killing Eve, Harlots and The Pale Horse been among the most purely pleasurable TV shows of recent years, but thanks to the extraordinary costumes worn by the cast, they’ve also been a feast for the eyes. For this, we have to thank Bristol costume designer Charlotte Mitchell.

It was Charlotte who dressed Jodie Comer in that pink tulle Molly Goddard number for Killing Eve; not to mention that Dries Van Noten multi-printed power suit, that Pop-Art set of PJs, that Jason Wu long emerald satin coat and – perhaps our favourite – that pink Rosie Assoulin blouse teamed with a fuchsia vintage skirt and vintage Christian Lacroix earrings.

It’s all Charlotte fault that we spent hours scouring eBay for something similar; ditto for Eleanor Tomlinson’s vintage gold bolero in The Outlaws.

But as Charlotte explains, there’s a lot more to choosing an outfit for a character than selecting a great-looking set of threads . . .

Charlotte began her career as a fashion designer after leaving art college with a fashion degree. Like so many Bristolians, it turned out that she was too much of a maverick to be contained by a single brand or style. “I loved clothes, but didn’t enjoy designing for a brand, to fit their style,” she says. “Costume Charlotte meant I could still work with clothes, but work with Mitchell multiple styles to suit different characters from different backgrounds. The appeal is telling a story through the costumes, and not being restricted by fashion – the former is much more creative.”

Charlotte has now worked in costume for 15 years, during which she’s styled wardrobes for big BBC dramas as well as those of other

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FILM

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: The Outlaws showcased both Jane Kenney’s Arnie necklace and Diana Porter’s silver sibyls; RIGHT: Christopher Walken, all American swagger and faded glory; Eleanor Tomlinson’s Lady Gabby was a dream to dress

channels. Sometimes her agent puts her forward; in the case of The Outlaws, the producers requested her directly.

The creative process always begins with the script. “I break it down into characters, and how many story days it spans. From this I work out how many costumes are needed, and the tone and colour palette required; each character may have their own individual colour palette and silhouette. Armed with this information, I discuss my thoughts with the director, and check they’re happy.”

But while her first thoughts about a character’s wardrobe are guided by the script and early conversations with the director, her ideas are always changing and progressing, depending on who’s cast in the role.

“My original vision of the character may be very different from the actor, and so I have to adapt. Once we begin the fitting process, the costumes may change again. The way someone wears an item of clothing really tells a story, so it’s important to get it right. Sometimes what you think will look a certain way on an actor may look completely wrong once you’re in the fitting, and throw you down a different path.”

It’s also essential, she says, to have a strong mental picture of the whole show; knowing how the characters are going to work together, and look good next to each other.

“With these ideas, I then work with the individual actor to keep my overall vision, while listening to what they are hoping to bring to the story. It’s important I don’t lose their thoughts for their character, but still keep my vision for the show.”

Do the actors ever ask to keep their costumes? “Yes, because they either want them to wear, or for nostalgia. It’s a huge compliment.”

Because Charlotte puts so much into the production she’s currently working on, her favourite is always the most recent one.

“I never thought I’d find designing contemporary costume that interesting until I was designing Killing Eve; and I hated the thought of 18th-century costume until I designed Harlots, then that became my favourite! I love period costume, because I’m interested in the history, but then if there’s an interesting character who has a lot of style, such

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FILM as Villanelle or Lady Gabby, then I love contemporary. Designing Liv Tyler for Harlots was incredible. Sourcing the fabrics and trims to make each 18th-century dress gave me a lot of freedom. Her character was wealthy, and this opulence led to exciting designs. Also, Liv was a dream to work with.”

Earlier, Charlotte alluded to the fact that what a character wears helps to tell their story.

“Yes; through understanding their character comes a colour palette and silhouette. In Killing Eve, Villanelle is tailored with bright, attention-seeking colours; everything she wears is considered to provoke a reaction, while Eve wears layers giving a cluttered silhouette, to show a busy energy; she’s far too busy chasing Villanelle to consider fashion.”

Presumably the character-driven The Outlaws must have been a gift, with a cast ranging from aristocratic Clifton beauty Lady Gabby, a vision in vintage mixed in with Moschino, Stella McCartney, Isabelle Marant and Yves Saint Laurent, to Box Hill crime lords.

“Lady Gabby was great fun. We were creating a character from scratch, with few boundaries. Eleanor Tomlinson and I enjoyed seeing how far we could push the character’s expensive looks, without moving into the ridiculous. I loved the final look for Season One. A little more ‘dress up’, but with Eleanor completely on board, we were able to take it this far.”

And then there’s Christopher Walken as Frank; all American swagger, padded shoulders and wide-boy collars.

“Frank wears clothes which he’s owned for years, from a time when he was a ‘player’, giving an aged feel,” says Charlotte. “Old ’80s suits and retro prints. He had to have a sense of faded glory.

“I was keen to show the difference between the Brook Hill gang and Christian, played by Gamba Cole. Using colour, I created a darker look for the gang, compared to a colourful, friendly look for Christian and his sister Esme, while wearing the same urban youth-culture fashion. They had to look like they belong to the same tribe, but the added colour gives a subtle indication as to who the good guys are.”

Yes, about that. It must be tricky navigating the thin line between ‘depicting character’ and ‘stereotyping’…

“I think my process starts with stereotyping. Then you go deeper to ensure the looks are real. I always think when designing the costumes for the whole show – the look of the show – it’s like painting a picture.

By this I mean considering how all the costumes work together. I pick out the biggest or most important scene, a scene in which a lot of the characters will be on screen together. Then I choose what the characters will wear, based on that scene. By doing this I get a good colour balance and ensure there’s not two characters standing together in the same colour or pattern.”

When it came to The Outlaws, there was another consideration: this most Bristol of shows needed to have a very Bristol look.

“That was very important. I wanted to make nods to Bristol designers and key pieces – for example, The Diana Porter sibyl necklace worn by character Myrna. I also used pieces from up-and-coming designers, such as Jane Kenney’s golden dog necklace worn by Gabby, and from other wonderful designers sold at independent jewellery shop, Clifton Rocks. It was also really important to use independent local clothing shops such as Grace and Mabel, Make, Cooshti and Kimono Kimono, along with Bristol costume services who hire pre-worn clothes to the film and TV industry.”

While sustainability is rarely an issue when it comes to sourcing period costume and vintage, when it comes to contemporary dramas there’s often no alternative to raiding the hight street chains. However, Charlotte is one of an increasing number in her industry aiming to address the climate emergency through more eco-aware shopping.

“Sometimes you’re forced to use quick fashion options, such as Asos with its next day delivery, or running to the high street to grab clothes; maybe because an actor is cast late, sometimes the night before they’re due on set. It’s also needed if the script changes at the last minute and they write in a scene which dictates the costume. But I try to be as sustainable as possible to counteract this. I attempt to have 60-75 per cent of the costumes from sustainable sources, by either buying second-hand, hiring, or buying non-fast fashion and independent, local clothing.”

So when The Outlaws airs this month, laugh at the jokes, thrill to the cliffhangers but also pay close attention to the threads, and what they’re trying to say –because if the adage ‘you are what you wear’ is true, it’s even more on-point in drama than in real life… ■

“I think my process starts with stereotyping. Then you go deeper to ensure the looks are real”

Jodie Comer as Villanelle, rocking that Molly Goddard pink dress

Season Two of The Outlaws is currently on iPlayer; bbc.co.uk Follow Charlotte on Instagram @charlotcostume

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THE ONLY SPRAY IS UP If you paint it, they will come…

Words and pictures by Colin Moody

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PHOTOGRAPHY

aybe one day you will get into space, and see the sun set through the thin layer of the atmosphere, creating beads of beauty so divine that it moves you and your life is changed forever.

Or maybe you can find a beauty even thinner to inspire you. That tiny stream that leaves the aerosol Kobra can at a fraction of a fraction of a millimetre. Controlled by the artists who descend on Upfest weekend each year, spraying beauty all over the walls of Bedminster. This festival is back proper-job style this year.

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It’s my great pleasure to shoot some of the work for press, as artists like Nol here get to it.

Look at the pleasure that free-art expression can give you. Sometimes the uber-joy in the art is writ large on the face of the artist. Two pieces down; then can drop, and off for lunch.

Upfest. The colour of life.

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Everyone get on the floor and walk the dinosaur.

Upfest again. Andy Council at work again. But you have to be quick; this guy is fast. One of the old school, but I’m feeling that at Upfest, the generations – the newness in some and the fresh paint from the older folks – blend and we all ascend. Growing forwards together.

One thing’s for sure; it’s better than when I had to walk the dog back home in Surrey as a kid, when the only backdrop was the rusty school fence and the overcreosoted high perimeter fences of the cul-de-sacs. I’d have taken a giant orange Bedminster dinosaur over any of that

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Oh, let’s stay at Upfest.

A bit longer. ’Cos it was a wise person who said once that if you build it, they will come. Upfest has hundreds of art interventions over walls and barricades, so that a whole world of communities just has to come. First wave, you get the wannabe shooters with the nice cameras; some with no manners. Then the tourists. And just a few days out, the tours start. Don’t know if this is a local rambler collective here, but it just shows that this level of art and culture writ large on walls has an ageless appeal.

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Ah, that’s not Upfest. That’s tagging!

No, no; pay attention. That’s not tagging. That’s just an outline. It’s filled in, so it’s wildstyle.

Down East Street with a mate, and Kev, I believe, is willing to park just so for me, so we can get a shot entitled ‘urban-style bigger splash’.

That used to be Argos behind him there. It’s just a big hole in the ground now. Ladies on the corner were chattering about whether it will be a shop or just expensive flats.

Art heroes can come when they park blue mobility scooters for framed moments of beauty.

Love this city.

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If Picasso can stick a bicycle seat up in an art gallery and call it a bull’s head, if Dali can get us going gaga over a lobster phone, art can be anything! Can’t it?

Well, no. It has to reflect the times it is in, has to reflect the idea, the spirit of the artist, and is completed as work in the mind’s eye of the art lover who brushes in to the gallery to see it.

But Upfest always throws up some art surprises. Did not expect the dynamic energy of Robert König, aka Tape, over at the empty Barclays Bank end of East Street.

Wow! Whacked on plastic tape, then cut and removed pieces to reveal the art left in place. I’m thinking about saying something deep about how the art comes only when something is taken away, reflecting our times… nah, can’t force it.

He moves like a ninja as he flips, rips and cuts. Now excuse me, gotta go; my lobster is ringing, and more artists need to be photographed.

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Sophie Mess. Biggest wall of her career.

Makes you think. Wonder what her smallest work was?

Next time you pass the store by Tobacco Factory, you might feel the urge to pick up a bunch of flowers. Her 50ft irises might have been a subtle head plant.

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Rosie Woods at Upfest takes a step back, and a few more, to check her progress.

Don’t know why billboards make me sad. They don’t feel real any more; not sure they ever did. All those equity smiles. But the side of a house emerging as a new piece from a talented artist comes over as solid gold reality Maybe I’m odd. But it’s how it feels.

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“Art. Can you make it? Yes, you can. So go on then; if not now, when?”

OK; so we can all be artists. Thanks Upfest.

Feeling that.

But whoever did this on the wall near Sainsbury’s is either a genius or summink.

Kind of expresses a hollow pride, maybe worried about getting caught being into England stuff. Three blobs on my chest! Feel the pride.

I’m thinking book cover for a look, a big hard look, at ourselves.

Art. Can you make it? Yes, you can. So go on then; if not now, when?

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

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CALL ME AL

As the sun makes its signature stop-start appearance in the Bristol summer skies, we all go mad for al fresco…

Words by Deri Robins

AL FRESCO

“Outside Arnolfini: so iconic it has its own hashtag”

S

o; which is your favourite Al? Al Green? Al Pacino? Als Jarreau, Johnson or Gore? Capone?

Ours is Al Fresco. For some scientific reason we can’t explain, although we bet some boffin at UWE could enlighten us, food and drink taste far better out of doors. It makes us feel like we’re on our holidays; and at a time when many of us are still reluctant to risk the stress of airport delays, dining al fresco at one of Bristol’s terraces, courtyards or roof gardens may be the closest thing to an European break we’re going to get this year. Here’s where you’ll find us this summer, if you need us...

THE APPLE, Welsh Back When life gives you apples, make cider Say what? Laidback cider bar on Bristol’s floating harbour; applecider.co.uk

The opening of Boxhall will attract foodies to Welsh Back like wasps to a picnic next year; but don’t wait until then to visit this stretch of the harbour, where you’ll find beloved Bristol institution The Apple.

A cider pub occupying two floors of a moored boat, with extra seats on the cobbled quayside, The Apple doesn’t serve food, but it’s more than happy for you to bring or order in meals to enjoy with your cider. There’s plenty of space for groups; bag one of the XL umbrellas with heaters on colder days.

Fun fact: The Apple boat is a 1930s Dutch barge, which until 2017 was racily named Il Bordello – ‘the brothel’ in Italian.

ARNOLFINI CAFÉ BAR, 16 Narrow Quay #Outsidefini Say what? So iconic that it even has its own hashtag, this corner of Harbourside is the ultimate summertime hangout – especially now that the Arnolfini Café is run by Bristol Beer Factory; arnolfini.org.uk/cafe-bar The covered, tented area is linked to a sun terrace for soaking up the rays; there’s a fully stocked outside bar, while food highlights feature vegan ice cream and (they do say) the best filthy fries in town. The extensive all-day brunch menu ranges from Turkish Eggs to a full English.

Fun fact: The Arnolfini was nearly called the Unicorn Gallery, but the founders thought better of it and named it after a Dutch masterpiece instead.

AVON GORGE BY HOTEL DU VIN, Sion Hill Views for days…

Say what? Historic Bristol hotel, reinvented with typical Hotel du Vin élan.

On the basis of the view alone it’s a strong contender for the premier terrace in Bristol; theavongorgehotel.com It’s vast. It practically hangs over the Avon Gorge. It has the Suspension Bridge for background interest. Foodwise, the renowned Goram & Vincent restaurant has gone over to the smokehouse side, with an open kitchen providing fire, smoke and theatre. There’s even a private terrace for hire.

Fun fact: RAF officers used to toast newly qualified pilots from the terrace as they flew under the Suspension Bridge.

BAMBALAN, Beacon Tower Let’s get this party started Say what? Relaxed all-day dining in the colourful restaurant on the first floor of Beacon Tower; bambalan.co.uk Absolute summertime vibes on the huge outdoor terrace, which hosts frequent Summer Sessions featuring international DJs. The menu’s as vibrant as the décor, starring Middle-Eastern babs – homemade flatbreads piled with salads, grilled meat or veggie options – while the weekend brunches are summer on a stick. There may not be a party going on every day at Bambalan, but it always feels as if there is.

Fun fact: Bambalan means ‘lazy bum’ in Puerto Rican.

BOCABAR,Paintworks & Finzels Reach Good day, sunshine Say what? Two quirky indie bars and restaurants famed for their Boca Pizzas, locally sourced specials and cocktails; bristol.bocabar.co.uk

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CHLOE MOORE PHOTOGR APHY

“Each cabin is diffenrently themed, with memorabilia from Bristol Old Vic’s 256-year history”

AL FRESCO

Bocabar at Finzels Reach: think piazza glam-meets-boho vibe, with one of the city’s most spacious all-day-sunshine terraces: add pizza, heated jumbrellas and a stretch tent, and you could be on the Med. Bocabar at Paintworks: urban beach shack hangout terrace, offering sunset views of St Philip’s industrial edgy skyline..

Both offer 30 different pizzas; this summer there’ll be new, white-based pizzas including Milzola and Coppacabana; small plates, salads, cocktails and an excellent range of eclectic Bristol brewed beers.

Fun fact: You can spot Bocabar Finzels in new TV series Flatshare, screening this autumn.

BRISTOL CHEESEMONGER, Unit 8 Cargo Cheese, Gromit….

Say what? Cargo’s little piece of turophile heaven; bristol-cheese.co.uk All the restaurants, cafés and bars at Wapping Wharf are an al fresco delight, but this one’s offering is delightfully niche, offering outdoor cheeseboards based both on seasonality and the taste of individual customers. All cheeses are from small producers, and wines selected based on how well they pair with cheeses. The staff are hugely knowledgeable about cheese, so come armed with some esoteric questions…

Fun fact: Oli, the co-director of the company, used to be a cheesemaker.

BRISTOL OLD VIC, King Street Cabin fever Say what? Adorable beach-style huts, each seating six, inspired by the colourful terraces of Totterdown, spilling out from Bristol Old Vic onto the cobbles of King Street; bristololdvic.org.uk The cabins were originally created during lockdown by the Bristol Old Vic carpenters; we particularly love them in their new, summery, garlanded garb. Currently only serving drinks and snacks, but that may well change as the summer progresses.

Fun fact: Each cabin is differently themed, with memorabilia drawn from the theatre’s 256-year history – from Peter O’Toole’s 1950s Hamlet to the theatre’s more recent productions.

COTTO, 29-31 St Stephen’s Street Through a glass, sunnily Say what? Honest, rustic cooking at the Bianchi group’s cosy new little cantina on St Stephen’s Street; cottowinebarandkitchen.co.uk We were looking for an excuse to go back to the newly-opened Cotto, and now we’ve found one: the new pavement terrace, where you can enjoy spritz and nibbles in glorious sunshine. Even if the weather’s overcast, everything looks sunnier through a glass of Aperol, right?

Fun fact: Cotto simply means ‘cooked’ or ‘done’ in Italian.

FLOURISH FARM SHOP & CAFÉ, Glenavon Farm, Saltford It’s fresh; exciting…

Say what? A fresh-thinking, friendly place to eat and drink, while shopping for exceptional quality food and drink; flourishatglenavon.co.uk The lovely outdoor terrace is open throughout the summer, with regular live music sessions; outdoor heaters keep you cosy on chilly evenings.

Breakfast offers such delights as brioche French toast and the Full Flourish, lunch ranges from Chicken Caesar flatbreads to beef burgers and salads, with stone-baked Italian pizzas until 7pm.

On 25 June Flourish is holding a food festival to celebrate its first birthday, with tastings, a doggie snack bar, sausage-making demos and ` live music.

Fun fact: At this most sustainable venue, all outdoor tables are made from repurposed materials such as reels from electrical cables. Loos are flushed with rainwater, solar panels help with energy and they’re using special technology to track and cut down on food waste. Thumbs-up emoji.

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AL FRESCO GAMBAS, Unit 12, Cargo Para bailar Las Gambas…

LUCKNAM PARK, nr Chippenham Equine romance

19 outdoor tables, with no reservations needed, possibly the best Harbourside views available at the Wharf, lovely, happy staff and incredible sunsets add up to peak summertime Bristol. If you cleverly time your visit to coincide with one of the concerts at Lloyds, you’ll even get a free gig with your meal.

Fun fact: Tapa means ‘top’, and harks back to when snacks such as tortita de camarones, bread, jamon or cheese were placed over your drink to stop the flies getting in. We love the priorities here…

Afternoon tea is served on the front terrace, gazing across to the one-mile drive lined with ancient beeches and limes. There’s another terrace at the The Brasserie, too, where you can dine on the full, classic English menu along with wood-fired pizzas. Tables at both are offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Fun fact: In the stables, 35 horses are available for a range of equine experience packages.

Say what? Another Cargo favourite, and a Michelin Plate-holder; combine the authentic Spanish tapas with an outdoor spot on a sunny day, and pretend you’re in Andalucia; gambasbristol.co.uk

GRAIN BARGE, Hotwell Road Moor is more

Say what? Boat with a large open-air deck with harbour views, taking in the ss Great Britain and Underfall Yard; grainbarge.com What’s better than dining al fresco on the waterfront? Dining on the deck of an actual boat, obviously. Every table in Grain Barge comes with an incredible view, but the top deck has the best; here, you can lazily watch all the boating activity and the little flotillas of SUP boarders as the sun goes down.The menu of sustainable seafood and greens includes small plates, Five Acre Farm pies, fish or vegetarian mains, plate of the day and barge tacos; the lunch menu includes the ever-popular fish finger bun.

Fun fact: You can travel to Grain Barge by boat, or paddleboard, or any other floating vehicle; just moor up outside and hop on.

LIDO, Oakfield Place The one with the killer USP

Say what? The only place in Bristol where you can dine next to a restored Grade-II Victorian outdoor pool; lidobristol.com The strong Spanish and Mediterranean feel of the menu adds to the holiday atmosphere here; the open kitchen, blazing Italian clay oven and bespoke charcoal grill all contribute to the drama.

Fun fact: You can, of course, book for a pre-prandial swim;but we’re reliably informed that merely watching the swimmers in the pool burns calories, so you can always have pudding.

Say what? Old-school luxury at an elegant country hotel within a listed Palladian mansion,just a 30-40-minute drive from Bristol; lucknampark.co.uk

THE SPOTTED COW, 139 North Street Southern exposure

Say what? A Bedminster stalwart, with one of the largest pub gardens in Bristol; it’s south-facing; so gets every drop of sun from morning right through to evening; thespottedcowbristol.com With room for over a hundred people outside, in the height of summer the Spotted Cow takes on a festival feel. The menu changes daily, guided by the seasons and what’s been delivered that day. In the summer, more salad-based dishes are added to the classic gastropub offering and famous Sunday lunch. Head chef Iain Webb draws on great ingredients sourced from the best local suppliers; inspired by the likes of St John in London, he’s a strong believer in nose-to-tail, but is also a big seafood fan, making the most of fresh deliveries from Cornwall. The Cow’s own own rooftop garden supplies herbs and veg for use in the kitchen.

Fun fact: The pub is over 200 years old and was the old coaching house on the road to Bath; part of the garden would have been the stables.

“You can travel to Grain Barge by boat, paddleboard or any other floating vehicle; just moor up and hop on”

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AL FRESCO TOBACCO FACTORY CAFÉ, Raleigh Road Factory settings Say what? Beloved Bemmie hub, with its colourful Yard Bar and Upfest art on the walls; tobaccofactory.com/cafe-bar There’s loads of outdoor space, with a new marquee covering part of the garden. It’s famously family- and dog-friendly, with great veggie food made from locally sourced ingredients, much of it from the café’s own farm in Backwell. Breakfast classics run alongside fun alternatives such as a BBQ buns with gochujang hash browns, scrambled chickpeas, bacon and BBQ sauce; mains range from small plates to soup of the day, Five Acre Farm pies and homemade plant-based burgers.

Fun fact: On the side of the building, after dark, a projection by Limbic Cinema tells the history of the Tobacco Factory.

WAPPING WHARF

If we listed every Cargo restaurant with outdoor tables, many of them with killer harbourside views, we’d have no room for anything else in the magazine. We’ve picked out a few in the main feature, but we also wanted to give a shoutout to…

Box-E: Elliott Lidstone’s brilliant Michelin Bib Gourmard food Salt & Malt: Josh Eggleton’s elevated fish & chippie Tare: Modern-English; a Michelin Plate award-holder Root: Rob Howell’s mostly plant-based food; another Bib Gourmand Cargo Cantina: Mexican flavours from the same group as Gambas and Bravas And there’s loads more!

Check out the full list at wappingwharf.co.uk

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WOKY KO, Cargo Bao wow wow Say what? Authentic Asian food from chef Larkin Cen; wokyko.com There are four Woky branches in the city, but for al fresco head to Wapping Wharf, where the original ground-floor Woky Cargo unit has picnic seating to enjoy classic, umami-packed ramen; upstairs, Woky Rooftop has a huge outdoor terrace with twinkling lights under canvas; order classic cocktails with a Woky twist and the best baos in the city, from hot and spicy to delicate and fresh, and even crispy hash browns.

Fun fact: Their Korean Fried Chicken Katsu is the fourth most ordered item on Deliveroo in Bristol…

ZERODEGREES, 53 Colston Street The three Degrees Say what? The freshest craft beer served straight from the tank, with pizza and seafood, served on a choice of three different terraces; zerodegrees.co.uk Within a historic tramshed right at the top of Colston Street, the building has been designed to stand out while being sympathetic to its surroundings and celebrating the onsite working brewery; it won an Architectural Design Award for its efforts. Its balconies include one overlooking the city, one you walk through to enter, and a third one tucked away, which is a real suntrap. Handmade pizzas, Italian plates and fresh seasonal salads are served to mop up all that lovely beer.

Fun fact: Zerodegrees got its name from its first site in Blackheath in London, where the site sits on the meridian line.

Apologies to all the many other amazing Bristol venues with lush outdoor spaces that we’ve missed off this time; we’d have needed ten times more pages to do you all justice… n

The Apple brings you the world’s finest range of ciders & perries on a beautifully converted Dutch barge in the heart of Bristol’s Old City.

Great student deals!

Bring your IDs

The Apple theappleciderboat Appleciderco

FOOD & DRINK S N A P S H O T S O F B R I S T O L’ S F O O D S C E N E We’ve made some weird and wonderful creations in our time, from Amber Ales,

created to use surplus bread, to beers made with cardamom, ginger and even beetroot. We love to experiment, but we’re always looking for an uncompromising flavour profile that’s balanced, refined, and ultimately tastes good.

Not all flavours work! We brew a pale ale, using all New Zealand hops, called Kiwi Lilt. A lot of people thought that the name signified the beer was brewed with kiwi fruit, so naturally we gave it a go to see what it was like. It was a resounding failure, though it’s a delicious beer without the fruit.

This summer we’re moving our main production site into a new brewery and

TAKE FIVE Independent craft brewery Wiper and True have long been based in St Werburgh’s; now, very excitingly, they’re expanding into Old Market. . .

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iper and True focuses on creating refined, utterly delicious and carefully considered beer for everyone, whether it’s your first time necking a pint or you’re a beer obsessive. Let marketing manager Alice Howells tell you more . . .

The business started in 2012 as three friends

creating homebrews on their kitchen stovetops.

After an incredible reaction from friends, local landlords and other beer producers, we spent the next few years producing beer nomadically, brewing at other breweries across the country, often over weekends or through the night when kit wasn’t in use. In 2015 we built our own brewery in St Werburgh’s.

We brew most of our beer on York Street,

where our original taproom is also based.

This is where we produce our flagship pale ale, Kaleidoscope, alongside a whole range of other beers, from our rich, vanilla-sweet Milk Shake stout, to regular seasonal releases such as our recent Rhubarb Margarita cocktailinspired beer, Sunset Dreams.

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taproom in Old Market, while maintaining our home in St Werburgh’s. It’s a colossal, 500-capacity venue, with food from some of Bristol’s finest chefs, a beautiful beer garden, and, inside, incredible views directly onto the brew kit. As well as over 20 lines of the freshest beers brewed on-site, we’ll also be serving natural wines, premium soft drinks and locally sourced spirits. We’ll be announcing details of brewery tours soon; the perfect gift for any Bristol beer lover.

The new Old Market tap room is due to open this summer; wiperandtrue.com @wiperandtruetaproom

Our second site, the Barrel Store, is devoted to barrel-ageing beers and working with more unusual ingredients, such as wild yeast strains and foraged ingredients.

We have something for everyone to enjoy at the taproom, regardless of whether

they drink beer or not. We work with local wine expert Tim Price of Monty Wines in St Werburgh’s to offer a curated selection of natural and biodynamic wines; we’ve got premium cider from Pilton on draft; we have canned cocktails, luxury soft drinks, and alcohol-free beers. We have regular street-food pop-ups, where some of Bristol’s best-loved chefs park up to serve the tastiest food during special events and long weekends.

Our most enduringly popular beer is Kaleidoscope, a 4.2% pale ale that’s brewed with an exceptional trio of hops: Citra, Simcoe and Mosaic, for a bright, refreshing and harmonious flavour profile. Our own team’s favourite beer changes week on week, depending on what we’re brewing. There’s always something in tank that gets our brew team really excited, often calling the rest of us down to try the freshest batch.

from top: The St Werburgh’s taproom; the new, heavily fruited, kettle soured Cherry Bomb beer

FOOD & DRINK Pizzarova: it all began with a Landy...

More tasty bites…

CALLING GLORIA Late-night cocktail bar Blame Gloria is set to open on Small Street in late June. Gloria’s eccentric and opulent dècor takes inspiration from 1980s groupie culture (their words), acting as a fantasy playground for the rockstars of the era.

Gloria – it’s the group’s third

branch, after Covent Garden and Clapham – will take over the former Timbuk2 site, whose low arched ceilings give a sense of intimacy for up to 400 guests; extensive list of cocktails include the signature Sugar Daddy and the colour changing Karma Chameleon.

For more blamegloria.co.uk

SUNDAY, MUDDY* SUNDAY

THE LATEST PIZZA THE JIGSAW

Our favourite sourdough-botherers, and past Bristol Life Award-winners, Pizzarova, are opening a new branch south of the river.

The company began almost a decade ago as a festival pop-up, serving pizzas from a Land Rover Defender; they’ve gone on to open restaurants on Park Street and Gloucester Road, as well as a pop-up at Cargo.

The third Pizzarova will open at 237 North Street this month, serving their trademark handmade sourdough pizzas made with locally sourced ingredients from Shipton Mill, Brue Valley Farm and Longman Cheese. The fit-out is in collaboration with innovative social enterprise The Bristol Wood Recycling Project.

For more pizzarova.com/north-street

(* Only if it rains, though we’re sure it won’t).

How does a new series of mini-food fests, featuring top chefs from Pony Chew Valley, Pump House and Root sound to you? Fancy a multi-course farm-to-fork menu, served with live music, fabulous views, inspirational talks on sustainable farming, and a glass of Pimms?

All for 39 quid a head?

You’ve missed the first of the Sunday Sessions at Story Farm (sorry), which took place on 5 June, but many more are planned for the future. On this occasion, food was cooked by Josh Eggleton, Toby Gritten and Rob Howell, using the farm’s produce, cooking over fire within the spectacular giant tipis overlooking Chew Valley Lake. For more thestoryfarms.co.uk

NEW BREWS Spicer & Cole have been busily expanding, too. Following four successful branches, on Princess Victoria Street, Queen Square, Gloucester Road, and Finzels Reach, they’ve recently opened a fifth cafe within the newly refurbished RWA. Expect “lots of lighter breakfasts, cakes, pastries, salads, tortillas, tarts and all the delicious counter food we’re known for,” they say.

Three tantalising words at the top of the website homepage also reads “picnics coming soon...”

For more spicerandcole.co.uk

AMUSES BOUCHES… Despite retaining its Michelin star, Casamia is closing in August; the Sanchez-Iglesias family say it will reopen, hopefully this year, with a new name, offering casual Italian dining. . . . One of the most famous venues in Bristol is for sale. The 120ft floating barge most recently occupied by Fish, but more famously home to The Glassboat, is being marketed by burstoncook.co.uk;£POA . . . The Source Roadshow brings regional, artisanal products and innovative equipment to Ashton Gate on 16 June, allowing producers to share their knowledge and expertise with buyers from the city. The show also helps Hospitality Action, the national charity offering help and advice to those working in the industry. For more thesourcetradeshow.co.uk

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

CAFÉ SOCIETY STAN CULLIMORE

Stamping ground

Stan finds more than one reason to keep returning to Spoke & Stringer . . .

T

his week’s coffee shop of choice is Spoke & Springer, outside Clifton Down Shopping Centre on Whiteladies Road.

There have been two other branches of Spoke & Stringer; one in Temple Quay, the other on Gasworks Lane, though my little birds tell me that the latter is soon to be Harbour Hub, run by the team behind Dhamaka and Rocksalt. I haven’t visited them all, so have no idea if they’re all equally good, but what I can say with complete confidence is that the Clifton Down edition ticks all the café boxes you could possibly ask for, in this caffeine connoisseur’s humble opinion.

For a start, the staff are lovely and friendly, with more smiles than a Cheshire Cat’s home

“The staff are lovely, with more smiles than a Cheshire Cat’s home at Christmas after catnip has been served”

at Christmas after catnip has been served. As well as that, the ambience inside is distinctly delightful. Just right for a spot of restful relaxing, while the food is top-notch and the coffee is as tasty as the most discerning tastebuds could wish for.

If that wasn’t enough, they even have copies of Bristol Life strewn around whenever I drop in, which is always a good thing. Means there is always something pleasant to feast your eyes upon (he says, modestly.) There are also some great people-spotting possibilities, especially if you sit up on the window seats – a great place to watch the world go by.

Now, all of the above are splendid things, very much so. Any establishment should be mightily pleased with itself to have such a long list of big ticks in its pocket.

But none of them were the reason my coffee companion and I chose to visit the place. Oh, no, that was something else entirely.

You see, like many coffee shops these days, they have a loyalty card scheme. Most marvellous it is too.

It’s the usual drill: buy a bunch of coffees, get a stamp every time

you do so, and then, at the end, get another one on the house. Free.

Gratis. Huzzah!

But these folks took it one step further than most. They had a deal, whereby first you got a free coffee, then, if you kept on coming back to buy more of the same, you got a free sandwich or wrap.

And, dear reader, my companion and I were in possession of a fully stamped-up card.

So we handed in the card, took the free food, along with our coffees, then had a look at the new loyalty card we had been given.

This one changed the rules a bit; now. instead of free food, the café promises to plant a tree for you.

Which is nice. I, for one, am very happy to dream of a tree quietly growing away to itself, thanks to yours truly drinking coffee.

So there; if you’re in the market for a spot of loveliness on the Whiteladies Road, with the chance to get involved with a bit of long-distance forestry on the side, you know where to go. n Former Housemartins guitarist Stan is now a journalist and travel writer stancullimore.com

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

RECIPES JONNY BURNETT

This issue, we welcome Jonny Burnett of The Conscious Food Co – a Bristol Life Awards 2022 finalist, which delivers sustainable fish to Bristol from Brixham and Cornwall

THAI MONKFISH CURRY “This curry is a fabulously fragrant fishy delight, and a brilliant spring and summer evening meal,” says Jonny. “Brixham monkfish is a beautiful fish; the meaty texture lends itself superbly to curries, as it soaks up all the aromatic flavours. It’s also dairy- and gluten-free.”

Serves 2 Ingredients 2 monkfish tail fillets.

2 peppers (red, orange, or green) sliced 1 white onion (chopped) 2 cloves garlic (chopped) 1 thumb ginger (chopped) 1 stick lemon grass (chopped) 1 red chilli (chopped, I kept seeds in for heat) 7 baby corn (halved) 1 spring onion (chopped) 1 handful of fresh coriander (chopped) 1 400g tin coconut milk 2 tsp of ground coriander 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp chilli powder

2 tsp turmeric 1 lemon (zest and juice is needed) Vegetable oil Salt Rice (basmati or wild rice are the two I would use) Method 1. Heat some oil in a large pan, and when hot add your onion, garlic, ginger, half of the chilli, and the zest of half a lemon. Don’t worry about going over the top with chopping your onions, they can be roughly chopped.

2. Add a good pinch of salt, sweat for five minutes, then add the spices, sliced pepper, and lemon grass, cook for a further five to seven minutes. Give it a good mix every minute or so, make sure it does not catch and burn.

3. Add 250g of the coconut milk, along with the juice of half a lemon, and simmer for around 15-20 minutes. You should see the colour become pale yellow; this is the colour you want.

4. Now is a good time to start cooking your rice, follow the instructions for whatever type you are cooking.

5. Add a further 100g (or the rest) of the coconut milk to the pan. Add the halved corn and remaining chilli, remaining lemon juice and a pinch of salt, and cook for a further 15 minutes on a simmer.

6. When there’s 10 minutes left for the curry base, add half of your coriander (roughly chopped).

7. Put another pan on the heat (non- stick, ideally), get it nice and hot, and then drizzle in some veg oil. Add the monkfish to the pan.

8. Fry for three to four minutes on one side, turn and repeat. You can add the monkfish to the curry at the end after cooking, if you would like it to soak in all of the flavour. I did not, as I wanted to present mine with the whole monkfish tail on top of the curry.

9. Dish the curry onto a plate, and pop the monkfish on top, garnish with the rest of the coriander and spring onions, and serve with the cooked rice.

For more: consciousfoodco.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 51

TRUE BREWS

Who’s brewing, roasting and distilling the best-tasting (and most sustainable) drinks in the South West?

SPONSORED CONTENT

ZERO DEGREES

53 COLSTON ST, BRISTOL BS1 5BA TEL: 0117 925 2706 ZERODEGREES.CO.UK Right in the heart of the city, at the top of the Christmas Steps, with panoramic Bristol city views, sits Zerodergees Microbrewery Restaurant. The historic building is a old tram shed that has been lovingly restored, with two bars, an openplan restaurant, luxurious Tank Lounge and private dining room with its own personal balcony and mini-bar. When you walk into the venue, you are welcomed by the on site microbrewery where they brew an ever-changing array of beers. They host a selection of three core beers available all year round, including a pilsner, pale ale and mango fruit beer, as well as a constant rotation of seasonal and unique beers throughout the year.

BOONA BOONA COFFEE ROASTERS UNIT 17, STATION ROAD WORKSHOPS, BS15 4PJ TEL: 07817 920998 BOONABOONA.CO.UK

Boona Boona began life in a garden shed in Totterdown, but now roast coffee at their roastery in Staple Hill. Keen to encourage more people to enjoy speciality coffee, Boona Boona source a wide variety of beans roasted to different levels to suit a range of tastes. They believe coffee should be fun, and their colourful packaging features illustrations that celebrate the people and culture of the countries that produce the beans.

Boona Boona was founded to promote speciality coffee and to do some good in the local community, and they donate 10% of profits to Avon Needs Trees; a charity which creates new woodlands in the South West.

THE INCREDIBLE BREWING COMPANY

212-214 BROOMHILL ROAD, BRISLINGTON, BRISTOL BS4 2PS TEL: 07780 977 073 INCREDIBLEBREWINGCOMPANY.COM

WIPER AND TRUE

UNITS 11-15 CITY BUSINESS PARK, EASTON ROAD, BRISTOL, BS5 0SP. TEL: 01179 412 501 WIPERANDTRUE.COM

“Our beer is a modern expression of place and tradition. A gift from time-honoured cultures.” The Incredible Brewing Company is an authentic craft brewery based in Bristol which has been in production since 2013; its ethos is to combine timeless methods of traditional brewing with modern ideas and experimental flavours. It creates fresh, bold, adventurous beers that are bursting with passion and flavour. They are naturally produced and use no additives or clearing agents, so are suitable for a plant-based diet. They are brewed seasonally, depending on available ingredients, and are matched perfectly with wide-ranging dishes throughout the year.

The freshest pints, brewed metres away from your seat. Local spirits, natural wines and dreamy street food. A plant-filled oasis of a beer garden and a friendly, inclusive venue with a big emphasis on accessibility and a safe, welcoming atmosphere for everyone. That’s what’s waiting at Wiper and True’s stunning new brewery and taproom in Old Market, opening this July.

Wiper and True are a Bristol-based craft brewery creating refined, carefully considered beer, founded by three homebrew-making friends back in 2012. The team spent several years producing nomadically at other breweries, before opening their own brewery in St Werburghs in 2015. The cosy St Werburghs taproom will remain open even as Wiper and True’s new headquarters opens in Old Market later this summer.

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

SPONSORED CONTENT

6 O’CLOCK GIN

UNIT C6, ASHVILLE PARK, SHORT WAY, THORNBURY, BS35 3UU. TEL: 0145418046 6OCLOCKGIN.COM 6 O’clock Gin is a family-run craft gin brand with over 30 years’ experience in the spirits industry. We patiently distil strikingly smooth artisan gins in small batches, using traditional skills and only the best natural ingredients. Proudly British, we are very clear about our values.

The 6 O’clock Gin name was inspired by a long-held family tradition of indulging in the first G&T of the evening at 6 o’clock; a very British custom with colonial roots, still enjoyed at the distillery and shared by ginlovers all over the world – after all, it’s always 6 o’clock somewhere.

Our intention has always been to build a well-thoughtout core range of classic gins that will stand the test of time. This selection is led by our flagship London Dry, which serves as the spirit base for the rest of the range.

Our Damson and Sloe are notable for having at least twice the maturation time of other similar gins on the market, and our exquisitely engineered Brunel packs a warming, spicy punch. Our deliciously moreish Mango, Ginger & Lime gin was added to the range in 2020 in collaboration with Romy Gill MBE. To find out more and for an unparalleled behind-thescenes look at everything we do at 6 O’clock Gin, book yourself onto a distillery tour by heading to our website.

THATCHERS CIDER

MYRTLE FARM, SANDFORD, SOMERSET, BS25 5RA TEL: 01934 822862 THATCHERSCIDER.CO.UK

BRISTOL TWENTY

2 THE POLYGON, FOURTH WAY, AVONMOUTH BS11 8DP TEL: 0843 557 4669 BRISTOL-TWENTY.CO.UK When we started Bristol Twenty Coffee Company, we knew that we wanted quality and responsibility to define us. But when we took the leap to roasting our own coffee in 2014, that idea of responsibility became paramount. We had to decide how to maintain a focus on quality coffee while being responsible members of the complex supply chain that is coffee. It was through researching this that we decided on direct trade. We’re now even prouder to have achieved 100% traceability across all of our coffees.

This is something that has influenced every aspect of the business.

Our philosophy is simple: we want to help you serve the very best range of hot drinks possible in the most sustainable way we can.

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

We are a family run cidermaker with our home in Sandford, Somerset. Our ciders, all full of natural apple character, are crafted here at Myrtle Farm. We’ve been making cider for four generations, so pride in our heritage is at the heart of everything we do. Our knowledge and passion for apples is reflected in our ciders: authentic, full of flavour and with a distinct character that reflects Somerset cidermaking at its best.

A warm welcome awaits you when you pop into our Cider Shop at Myrtle Farm. You’ll find all our Somerset ciders, including our brand-new Blood Orange cider, our limited-edition Cider Barn range, gifts and other produce from the local area.

CROYDE SURFERS

BY JENNY URQUHART, £35-£55 If Jenny’s not painting her home town of Bristol, she’s capturing her other passion: the beach From Jenny Urquhart jennyurquhart.co.uk

99 PROBLEMS... ...but the beach ain’t one. Bring all that nautical niceness home, with coast-inspired homeware, jewellery and knick-knacks

FERNANDO THE FISH CLOCK, £POA George Nelson originally designed this clock in 1965 for Vitra, who have seen absoolutely no reason to change it ever since From Oskar Furniture 47 Whiteladies Road oskarfurniture.co.uk

FISH TOTEM ORNAMENT, £25 (REDUCED FROM £50) A bit like those pebble stacks people like to pile up on the beach. But with fish From Cox & Cox; coxandcox.co.uk

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

WHALE STORAGE BOXES, TWO FOR £45 Made from felt, and unapologetically whimsical From Cox & Cox coxandcox.co.uk

PILGRIM AKI COWRIE SHELL SILVER ANKLET, £24.99 Silver-plated anklet + cowrie shells = beach-baby chic From Mon Pote, 217 North Street monpote.co.uk

OCTOPUS CANDLESTICK HOLDER, £35 Octopus here is putting four of his tentacles to good use, holding up to four candles. There’s a matching wine bottle holder too, if you really want to up the cephalopod ante From Graham and Green 92 Walcot Street grahamandgreen.co.uk

ED’S CHOICE CUDDLY OCTOPUS, £22 From the Jellycat range, needless to say, with all the soft, cuddly quirk that this brand excels in From Vinegar Hill 46 Queens Road vinegarhill.co.uk

BELIZE CORAL SCULPTURE, £45 Swerve coral harvested from endangered seabeds; instead, choose this polyresin representation of these mystical, fascinating ocean invertebrates From Bo Concept, 51-53 Merchant Sreet boconcept.com SHELL CANDLE, £16 Handmade from natural soy wax, in a range of pretty pastel colours From Mon Pote, 217 North Street monpote.co.uk

BLOOMINGVILLE TOY BOATS, £25 Nostalgic little wooden boats for you to wheel about, arrange on a windowsill, or what have you From Maze Clothing 26-28 The Mall mazeclothing.co.uk

MADAM STOLTZ GLUGGLESTYLE VASE, £22.50 Light green fish vase made from stoneware, with intricate scale detailing From Fox + Feather 41 Gloucester Road foxandfeather.co.uk

GULL & CHIPS

BY ALEX LUCAS, LIMITEDEDITION PRINT, £200 This is how we like our gulls: in a print, safely away from our fish and chips From Clifton Fine Art 12 Perry Road cliftonfineart.com

DONNA WILSON, FINN HOT WATER BOTTLE, £56 Look, those early summer evenings on the patio can be chilly, that’s all we’re saying From Grace & Mabel, 32 The Mall graceandmabel.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 57

WANTED We buy for cash

SCRAP GOLD & PLATINUM Simply bring your old jewellery to our showroom in Bristol or send it in to us by special delivery.

(Please give us a call for more details) On your behalf, we can also sell re-saleable, unwanted jewellery items in our windows on a sale or return basis.

Photo ID required in all circumstances.

KEMPS OF BROADMEAD 33 Union St, Broadmead, Bristol BS1 2DJ T: 0117 926 4888 | www.kempsltd.co.uk Email: kempsbroadmead@gmail.com

Weekend Maxmara Luana dress, £285, Grace & Mabel

WINDOW SHOPPING MILLY VAUGHAN

Mads Norgaard jumpsuit, £125, Movement Bboutique

Chloé Flared midi skirt, £1,135, Harvey Nichols

Kenza dress, £58.50 (was £78), Fox + Feather

Arizona Love Trekky sandals, £110, Harvey Nichols

Indigo dreams Miners first wore denim jeans when panning for gold. Nick Kamen found fame removing a pair in a launderette.

And while it’s never really gone away, this summer denim is back in force…

T

he denim dress is back, people. This summer, everyone from the girl next door to the granny next door will be wearing some incarnation of this indigo dream. There will be a sea of denim-clad bodies out there, trying to squeeze two missed summers into this one.

The good news is that denim is super-hardwearing. On the

downside, it can feel like you’re wearing a starched tablecloth, and you’ll be longing for your trackies.

Essentially, denim was born into the world as a tradesman fabric due to its hardiness. It was first produced in the French city of Nîmes; the word denim is an English mash-up of the French term: ‘de Nimes’.

It first became popular in the USA during the 1853 Gold Rush,

“I still believe – either on a man or a woman – that a good pair of well-fitting jeans can be the sexiest item of clothing ever”

b.young Kelsey waistcoat, £49.99, Fox + Feather

Selected Femme Ally Shirt, £65, Maze Clothing

when one Levi Strauss opened up a shop in San Francisco selling durable pants for miners with big pockets for storing gold. Eventually, Strauss began mass-producing them, helping them evolve from something worn exclusively by working men to a mainstream fashion item that became the cornerstone of relaxed American styling.

Since then, it seems that in every decade a little more elastane is added, as it evolves into everlighter, more comfortable versions of itself. So when you’re shopping, shop on the soft side.

For me it was the Levi’s launderette advert, in which Nick Kamen strips down to his undies to the soundtrack of The Clash, when the humble pair of jeans became hot. I still believe − either on a man or woman − that a good pair of well-fitting jeans can be the sexiest item of clothing ever.

It’s the opposite of trying too hard, which is why it works.

Conversely, denim dungarees are often put at the opposite end of this sexy jean scale, but I can’t not mention them, despite dividing an audience as readily as Marmite-flavoured peanut butter.

I’m sure some people probably think you should stop wearing them roughly at the same age as

you’re out of nappies, but I pray that I will still have the courage to be wearing mine in my sixties.

I’m still longing for them to come back into fashion for the average man; not even mechanics like Scott from Neighbours wears them any more. It’s a denim tragedy!

This summer there will also be a vast spectrum of shades, from bleached-out lights to dark indigo hues, including the super-chambray fabrics that can fall under the denim umbrella, although the hardcore denim enthusiasts might not agree.

As well as denim dresses, which will come in all shapes and sizes to cater for every kind of body, look out for gilets and tiered skirts to update the denim quota in your wardrobe.

I recently heard that launderettes were slowly going out of business across the country, with fewer than 1,000 remaining.

Perhaps we should secretly plant Levi’s male models in denim dungarees among them, and watch the fervour for this lewk surge again. ‘Denim, denim everywhere, but not a drop of grease in sight . . .’ ■ @millyvaughan on instagram camillapettman@mac.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 59

SPONSORED CONTENT

CHRONIC PAIN MANAGEMENT James Scrimshaw of CURA CLINICAL explains how new technologies are providing effective answers to people’s pain and suffering

A

t CURA we’re always striving to find new ways of effectively treating people’s injuries. After working for 26 years with people in pain, I identified a significant lack of options for many people for whom hands-on care/rehab was ineffective, yet who weren’t ready for, or suited to surgery or other invasive procedures.

In my search to solve this problem, my practice has adopted several cutting-edge non-invasive technologies that initiate healing, improve function and manage pain in the most chronic of conditions, be it arthritic, old injury or post- surgical pain.

We use a combination of MBST cell regeneration from Germany, Class IV Laser from the States, and new to market painmanagement device Biowave to provide a multilayered approach to healing and painmanagement. ■

CASE STUDY 2 Rachael was suffering from significant pain and restrictions relating to OA of her left knee. She’s really active, a really keen golfer. She’s now 8 months post MBST for knee cartilage and has just got back from a golfing holiday, playing 11 times with no pain! It’s had an amazing effect on her. She’s off pain killers, no night pain and full mobility. Well done Rachael.

CASE STUDY 1 I am delighted with the result for Lesley’s knee. 9 months after receiving MBST for her cartilage, she’s 90% better.

Walking faster and for much longer. Her quality of life is much improved as she’s not in pain any more. MBST helps to initiate a healing process within specific tissues. It’s completely non invasive, safe and over time gets really good results in 80-90% of our patients.

CASE STUDY 3 I treated Zoe, who is a Pilates instructor, for her arthritic thumbs in February this year: This is her take on MBST: “Just 4 days into the 9 day course I honestly felt as though I could already notice improvement, my thumbs felt different. By day 7 I was full of hope and by the end of it I was jumping for joy! I am now 3 months on and am completely pain free in one thumb and 90% more comfortable in the other (which had been significantly the worse). I can peg out laundry without feeling like the guy on the Skittles advert and hardly notice if I get kicked in the pool! I have recommended many friends and clients to James, I truly believe in it. James himself is kind, personable and fun. If you have joint pain- look no further”.

# LOVE2SHARE Welcome to Koocha, a friendly, cosy escape that brings a taste of Persia to Bristol.

Experience plant powered food as you never have before. Vegan or not, you’ll love our fresh, colourful and creative dishes. Step inside for a taste of mouth-watering Persian mezze and a signature gin cocktail.

Serving lunch and dinner and everything in between, come visit us for good times and great food!

Walk ins are always welcome, but we recommend booking a table for groups of 6 or more.

203B Cheltenham Rd, Cotham, Bristol BS6 5QX koochamezzebar.com | 0117 9241301

© @JONCR AIG_ PHOTOS

BRISTOL LIFE AWARDS

BRISTOL LIFE AWARDS 2022 The city’s finest assembled at Ashton Gate on 18 May for this year’s Bristol Life Awards. Over the following pages we take a look back at an extraordinary evening...

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 63

CELEBRATE GOOD TIMES – COME ON!

T

he party’s over. Hangovers have receded.

Winners have been rewarded, and golden trophies fashioned in the shape of Brunel’s bridge have been put on display across the city for all to admire. Now let’s look back and celebrate a night to remember...

The Bristol Life Awards are never less than spectacular, but the 2022 edit felt extraspecial. It’s been a tough few years; despite this, or maybe because of it, this was a night of unbridled celebration, with people from every sector coming together to show each other love and support; here, in this most collaborative and mutually supportive of cities, the sense of joy and camaraderie was palpable. Because this year’s Awards weren’t merely about rewarding success; they were about honouring resilience, determination, and our amazing community.

During the ceremony, our host – that legendary compèrewithout-compare, Mr Mark Olver – held the room and stopped us all getting too rowdy; after the Awards the party merely had to transfer itself next door to the Ashton Gate Sports Bar to take the celebrations up a further notch.

The highlight of the evening was, naturally, the Awards

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

ceremony itself. Collecting the Platinum this year – the bestin-show, if you like – were Technology & Innovation winners Hubboo, described by our judges as “a standout star in the Bristol firmament”. And while every winner and highly recommended finalist received warm applause – in the case of Big Jeff Johns, a standing ovation – there was special love for Charity winner Children’s Hospice South West, which in its 30th anniversary year aided thousands of children and carers when it mattered most.

These Awards made us feel even better about working and living in Bristol, a city we’ve championed in Bristol Life for over 18 years. On this evening of shimmering beauty, of whooping and surging emotion, of generous backslapping and coming together, ultimately there was one winner: Bristol itself.

We’ve devoted a whopping 10 pages to mark this extraordinary night. To all who entered, judged, sponsored, partnered,

entertained, filmed, aftershowed, hosted, fed and watered us all, thank you, too. We know we say this every year, but these were the very best Awards yet.

And next year? It’s started already. Get involved.

With love, thanks and slightly self-conscious high-fives from

Deri, Steph, Claudia, Jane, Greg, Neil, Jake, Craig and Kirstie.

© A ARON GEIS PHOTOGR APHY

BRISTOL LIFE AWARDS

Through a glass, uberglamorously . . .

Photos by Mrunal

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

CATEGORY WINNERS

ARTS

Sponsored by

WINNER:

VANGUARD

BUSINESS SERVICES

Sponsored by

CHARITY Sponsored by

WINNERS:

WINNER:

GHYSTON

CHILDREN’S HOSPICE SOUTH WEST

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

PHOTOS BY @JONCRAIG_PHOTOS

BAR

WINNER:

KASK WINE BAR

CAFÉ

WINNER:

Sponsored by

BURRA BRISTOL

CIVIC

WINNER:

Sponsored by

BRISTOL BOOKS

BRISTOL LIFE AWARDS

CREATIVE Sponsored by

EVENT

WINNER:

STUDIO GIGGLE

WINNER:

VALLEY FEST

FOOD/DRINK PRODUCER

WINNER:

CALEÑO DRINKS

EDUCATION

WINNER:

RAZZAMATAZ THEATRE SCHOOLS

FINANCIAL

WINNER:

HARGREAVES LANSDOWN

Sponsored by

HAIR & BEAUTY

WINNER:

NUALA MOREY www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 67

BRISTOL LIFE AWARDS

HEALTH & WELLBEING

LEGAL

Sponsored by

WINNERS:

FIRST AID BRISTOL

WINNER:

BEVAN BRITTAN

HOMES & INTERIORS

LEISURE & TOURISM

Commercial Property Consultants

NEW BUSINESS Sponsored by

WINNER:

LOKI POKÉ

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

PEOPLE SERVICES

WINNER:

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It’s the city’s business

BRISTOLWORKS Levi Roots

Phil Harrison

The Big Number

38M

Fast-growth businesses in Bristol secured £38 million in venture capital investment in the first three months of this year, despite the uncertain geopolitical and macroeconomic environment.

The figures from KPMG’s Global Venture Pulse Survey found that year-on-year deal volume remained the same, with 15 deals completed during the first quarter, but the aggregate value fell from £75.8 million to £38 million.

For more assets.kpmg

The future is unwritten

O

Big up the West; learn from the best ne of the freshest new conference and networking events on the South West block, Entreconf returns for an online edition on 30 June – and tickets are now available.

The South West teems with entrepreneurs; many of them stars in the making, looking for advice, inspiration and partnerships. Many working towards exits. Most below the radar at the moment.

Enter EntreConf; a dynamic insight-packed event, designed to inspire the sector. The aim is to bring together some of the most exciting companies of this time, who will be among the

most valuable businesses in the future.

After last year’s success, EntreConf is back on 30 June, offering practical advice and brokering valuable new relationships. We’ll also be unveiling The EntreLeague: the region’s leading entrepreneurial businesses, as chosen by a panel of experts.

To increase its reach and make the greatest impact, the next EntreConf will once again be run as a virtual event, with a further networking dinner taking place in September.

One of the two big speakers for the 30 June event is Levi Roots, currently the chair of St Pauls Carnival. A multi- talented businessman, food writer and musician, Levi found national fame in 2007 when he appeared on BBC’s Dragon’s Den, pitching the Dragons the Reggae Reggae

Sauce he’d been selling at food fairs and Notting Hill Carnival for 16 years. And yes, he clinched the deal; you can still watch him charming the room on YouTube. Levi’s fusion expertise in music, food and carnival culture, combined with his experience as a businessman, made him the perfect choice for the St Pauls Carnival board.

The second speaker is videogames guru Phil Harrison, VP and general manager for Google, running its games activities. Paul formerly led Xbox games development for Microsoft, and prior to that was president of Sony’s PlayStation games studios worldwide.

Sponsors to date at this virtual event are Burges Salmon, Lombard Odier and the University of Bath.

For more: entreconf.com

BRISTOLWORKS

STOP PRESS...

Nick Hounsfield

BELOW RIGHT: The Wave

CLUB CLASS The latest Bristol Life Business Club took place over lunch at the Harbour Hotel on 24 May. The guest speaker was Nick Hounsfield, founder and CVO at The Wave, the inland-surfing destination in north Bristol where anyone and everyone can surf on perfect waves, all year round.

The Wave opened in October 2019, with ambition to revolutionise the sport and bring health and lifestyle benefits to millions of people across the world.

Nick previously worked in healthcare, and realised that so many of the physical and mental health issues people were battling came about due to inactivity, a

disconnection from nature, and a breakdown in connections between people. He dreamed of a place that would inspire people to get active.

Read the full report in our next issue – and book for our next event on 12 July, with keynote speaker Luke Martin, project manager at Socius, who is leading on the construction of the £175m redevelopment of Soapworks in Old Market, with its new homes, workspace, food hall and public space.

Luke is also leading on the planning application for St Christopher’s, an extra care facility to deliver homes for older people.

For more: eventbrite.co.uk

Nancy Medina

AHR Architects’ UWE Bristol School of Engineering has won a RIBA Award; the new academic building has been designed to support the university’s vision of promoting multidisciplinary collaborative learning.

Bristol gardener Jane Porter, who we featured in our last issue, has taken gold at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

Congratulations, Jane!

Harbourside; always an on-demand filming location

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Bristol Old Vic has announced that Nancy Medina has been appointed as its new artistic director. Nancy will take up the role full-time in spring 2023, following Tom Morris who is stepping down after 12 years in the role.

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Three stories just in – more details in our next issue!

THE WRITE STUFF Channel 4 has launched a new scheme designed to identify and support new TV drama writers in the West and South West of England. The scheme has been devised by Channel 4’s Bristol hub in collaboration with Bristol UNESCO City of Film and its partners BFI NETWORK, delivered regionally in the South West by Watershed, UWE Bristol and The Bottle Yard Studios.

Opening on 16 May, the new C4 TV Drama New Writers Scheme (West and South West) invites applications from new and emerging writers based in the region, with a particular focus on diverse perspectives. The scheme is open to unrepresented writers looking for their first writing credit, and writers who are working on developing their own original series.

For more: careers.channel4.com

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

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BRISTOLWORKS

CHARITY

It’s the wrong trousers, Gromit…!

As The Grand Appeal’s Wrong Trousers campaign celebrates its 25th year, director and co-founder NICOLA MASTERS explains the charity’s unique, ongoing relationship with Aardman Animations, and how we can all get involved this year

T

he first Wrong Trousers Day took place in 1997.

“I remember it well, with thousands of people in Bristol wearing mismatched and specially designed trousers to support The Grand Appeal,” says Nicola.

“At the time, we were two years into a fairly new partnership with Aardman, who kindly allowed us to use the Wallace & Gromit characters to spearhead the Grand Appeal’s fundraising for the new children’s hospital building in Bristol. The Wallace & Gromit film The Wrong Trousers was released in 1993, so we took it as inspiration for our own Wrong Trousers Day in Bristol.

“We are now 27 years into our partnership with Aardman, and our relationship is still going strong. Nick Park donned an actual pair of Wrong Trousers for the first event in 1997,

“DESMOND TUTU WORE A PINK TUTU, AND MET WALLACE & GROMIT AT DOWNING STREET”

all fundraisers and supporters. We have a huge team of people cycling from London to Paris, brave souls throwing themselves out of planes, schools and companies taking part in Wrong Trousers Day and hundreds of supporters organising events for the Appeal, from running in the Bristol Half Marathon and Bristol 10k, to tea parties, BBQs and group cycling events. We’re also really fortunate to have our flagship Gromit Unleashed shop at The Mall at Cribbs Causeway.

We extend our thanks to each and every one of our fabulous supporters – whatever they do to help us.”

Getting involved in this year’s Wallace & Gromit’s Wrong Trousers Day is easy. Schools, companies, families, friends are all welcome to join – just dig out some wacky legwear and raise money for Bristol Children’s Hospital. It’s as simple as that!

and he was joined by a whole group of rooms and facilities for families just a staff from Aardman in Queen Square moment’s walk from the hospital. in Bristol to launch the event “We fund music, arts, play and “We’ve seen some amazing other comforts for patients and wrong trousers over the last 25 years. families; life-saving equipment that Ainsley Harriott wore a special pair is often groundbreaking for the of fish-style trousers a few years ago, treatment of babies and children, and Desmond Tutu wore a pink tutu, and cutting-edge medical research – here met Wallace & Gromit in Downing in Bristol – to support new treatments, Street; but some of the best creations and medical developments to help have been from people who took the save lives. time and trouble to design their own “We’ve had a busy year at The Visit wrongtrousersday.org.uk for more trousers from scratch. We’ve had Grand Appeal, and we’re grateful to schoolchildren go wild with glitter and paint, as well as adults wearing culottes, space trousers and 1970s flower-power flares …

“Our fundraising directly helps babies and children in Bristol Children’s Hospital. They have very particular needs. Often their childhood is taken away through repeated or extensive hospital stays, or perhaps they live outside Bristol, and need their family close by through treatment. That’s where Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal steps in.

“Of course, it’s the responsibility of the NHS to provide the day-to-day treatment and care, but The Grand Appeal works in partnership with the children’s hospital, and the neonatal intensive care unit, by operating three family accommodation houses, ABOVE: Wrong leg forward; TOP: Desmond Tutu – admittedly, in this shot, not actually to provide comfortable en-suite wearing a tutu. That came later . . .

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 85

WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBOURHOOD You’ve seen the CGIs. You’ve picked up on the hype.

But what are the new homes at the new Hangar District at Brabazon actually like?

Words by Ursula Cole

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

PROPERTY

WHERE BRABAZON GETS ITS NAME . . .

The Bristol Brabazon was years ahead of its time; an airliner with a cocktail bar, it paved the way for the modern era of aviation

I

n case it’s somehow slipped your notice, Brabazon is the huge new community – practically a mini-town – springing up at the old Filton airfield site.

There are new homes; hundreds of new homes. But it’s also a hub for culture and creativity, with the muchanticipated new Arena at its heart. Buy a home here now, and in a few years’ time you could be strolling to see gigs by global superstars.

Many of Bristol’s freshest attractions are already right on your doorstep, whether it’s standing nose-to-nose with Concorde at Aerospace Bristol, paddling out at The Wave, or connecting with the natural world at Wild Place Project – destined to be the new Bristol Zoo in 2024. Need to fit out your home with all the essentials? It’s a doddle to get to Cribbs Causeway

and Ikea. Need to leave the neighbourhood? A new train station is scheduled to open in 2023, connecting Brabazon to Bristol Temple Meads in under 15 minutes.

Bristol is a city that has always pushed the boundaries, and now, so much that’s new and exciting in the city is happening up at Brabazon,. Soon, you’ll be able to wander around independent stores, dine at new restaurants, attend major cultural events and hang out in leafy parks and public squares.

With a name chosen to honour a pioneer of engineering brilliance – the Bristol-build Brabazon was a plane way ahead of its time – this is a place that, according to its developers, dares to be different.

“A thriving new neighbourhood, that brings together all the energy and edge of Bristol to set new standards for modern city living, Brabazon is the playground for Bristol’s next generation,” they say. “A place for enjoyment and entertainment. A centre of learning,

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 91

PROPERTY

IT’S ALL IN THE DETAIL…

See the shape of the rooflines (page 90)? The unusual angle is inspired by the profile of an airplane’s tailfin, while the south-facing aspect orientates solar panels towards the sun.

and a launchpad for business. A centre for industry and invention, with a beating social heart.”

And it’s at the Hangar District where Brabazon begins; a collection of new homes, set among peaceful, tree-lined streets across a south-facing hillside, with a commitment to quality and sustainable living. Complementing them, and enhancing the area, is 16U, a historic aircraft hangar reborn as a social hub, with a café spilling out onto the green space, picnic spots and playground in Brabazon Park. There are also allotments, and a heritage trail honouring the site’s rich history.

Built of solid red brick, and designed by awardwinning architects Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, the houses here are up to 25 per cent larger than other new builds, compared to the national minimum space standards, as well as being light, warm and welcoming.

OK, so much for the bigger picture; now let’s zoom in and take a look at one of the first homes to be released to the market.

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 93

PROPERTY

Bird’s eye view of how the neighbourhood will look; left: The Pullman – House 100 has both a large open plan living/dining/kitchen area and a separate sitting room

HOUSE NUMBERS Guide price £615,000 Sq ft 1,470 Bedrooms 4 Bathrooms 3 Receptions 2 Show home viewings available seven days a week.Contact Savills to make an appointment: 033 0123 4207 or 033 0123 4207; savills.com

The Pullman – House 100 At Brabazon This home has an enviable end-of-terrace position, fronting onto the heritage trail that runs through the heart of the district.

No surprise that this most contemporary of homes has a modish open-plan living space filling much of the ground floor, with a kitchen, dining and living space; there’s underfloor heating beneath oak-engineered timber flooring, while the kitchen features Silestone worktops and integrated Siemens appliances.

Less typically for a modern home, the first floor offers a tremendous amount of space, including a second sitting room with tall ceilings and a Juliet balcony. The three double bedrooms are fully carpeted, there are three bathrooms, two en-suite; a single fourth bedroom could also be a study.

French windows from the kitchen open to a south-facing back garden; there’s also covered off-street parking with an electric car-charging point, and solar panels to the roof.

More than a new home, The Pullman offers a unique opportunity: to join the next generation, shaping the future of the most exciting new city district in the South West.

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 95

BURSTON COOK RAISE OVER £16,000 AND COUNTING FOR CHARITY

Burston Cook set themselves a charity challenge by taking on the three highest peaks in England, Scotland and Wales. Burston Cook climbed Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon…

23 miles of mountains… a total decent of 10,052 ft… in just 24 hours!

Travelling and climbing through the night, with very little sleep, the team were up against snow, wind, and rain, testing their mental and physical limits…

Each team member chose a charity close to their hearts and so far, with your help, have raised in excess of £16,000.

Burston Cook are Bristol’s leading commercial property consultants and we continue our commitment to raise as much money as possible to support a number of fantastic charities.

Please visit our JustGiving page www.justgiving.com/team/BurstonCook • Sales/Lettings

• Development advice

• Acquisitions advice • Investment

Julian Cook FRICS

Jayne Rixon MRICS

Charlie Kershaw MRICS

Finola Ingham MRICS

Tom Coyte MRICS

Holly Boulton BSc(Hons)

Vicki Grimshaw BSc (Hons)

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BRISTOL LIVES

“It’s the one event shared by all of Bristol’s varied communities” Blue Aeroplanes; Bristol’s great bhangra band RSVP; and Ashton Court Festival favourites, Doreen Doreen. We have great female DJs – an under-acknowledged Bristol achievement – with Ruffneck Ting’s Dazee, Queen Bee and DJ Gill, who was a Dugout Club regular until those Wild Bunch boys muscled in.

Looking to the future, we have up-and-coming singer-songwriter Samantha Lindo, the awesome Madly, and Snazzback, Bristol’s latest cutting-edge party band.

TONY BENJAMIN Tony’s been curating the Harbour Fest music stage for almost two decades.

He’s seen a few things in his time…

A

bit of a legend on the local music scene, Tony worked for Venue magazine in its latter years as food and jazz editor, which led to his original involvement with the Harbour Festival – as well as a stint programming the Jazz Lounge at Glastonbury.

This year, the Harbour Fest clocks up 50 years, and Tony has been there for quite a few of them. So how many years are we talking exactly, Tony…?

I’m not exactly sure, but I think it was in 2005 that I was

asked to help with programming what was then the Colston Hall stage in Queen Square, and I’ve done it ever since.

There are so many great memories. I particularly

remember Ska Cubano playing on a steaming afternoon, when their singer Natty Bo had missed the train. We fetched him from Temple Meads while the band

started, he changed on the train and ran through the crowd to get on stage. Dawn Penn singing No No No to a rammed Queen Square was pretty magic. And the atmosphere for Roni Size’s DJ set was amazing.

DJ Derek played his last-ever set at the Harbour Festival. He

was the first act I ever booked for consecutive years; I think he did four in a row for us. He was such an unlikely figure, but he had a true love and respect for the culture he’d grown up with in St Paul’s, and he was a great DJ for working with the crowd.

His tragic disappearance was an awful shock and a great loss to all of us.

We wanted the whole of this year’s Harbour Festival to

reflect back over the 50 years since it started. We have many acts from Bristol who are also celebrating big anniversaries, including the legendary Black Roots reggae band; the mighty

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

What makes it Bristol’s quintessential festival is partly

its central location – literally at the heart of the city – and the fact that it’s free; this brings people in, and once they see the great range of things on offer they come back for more. It’s been great that the Council has continued to support it. I do feel that it is the one event that is shared by all aspects of Bristol’s varied communities, and I’m immensely proud to be associated with it.

I often tell people how forbidding the docks area was back in the ’70s; all derelict

warehouses and dodgy alleyways.

The early years of the festival were pretty much all about the boat-owners, and I remember busking on the quayside; it was all a bit ramshackle. Obviously the whole harbourside area has been transformed since then, and now it’s somewhere people flock to all year round.

It’s been so heartening to see the Bristol music scene

revive after lockdown; I’d say it was very much alive and well.

Bristol has an excellent tradition of generating real quality music locally, and there are venues all over the city that regularly showcase brilliant stuff, often for free. Just look around!

There are so many venues I love, depending on the type of

music. I am really pleased about the new venues, post-pandemic, like Strange Brew and Jam Jar.

Best-ever gig I ever saw in Bristol? David Bowie at the

Anson Rooms? Ornette Coleman at the Colston Hall? Probably Carla Bley’s Big Band at the Arnolfini in the early ’8 0s.

I still write about jazz, and work at a number of music festivals through the summer, and programme music for the occasional Night Markets in Corn Street.

I lived in Bedminster for decades, but a few years ago I

moved – for love – to Bishopston, just off Pigsty Hill. My heart is still in South Bristol but I do love the brilliant food shops on Gloucester Road. My local is The Grace on Gloucester Road – a friendly place that does good beer and great food.

If I had out-of-town friends visiting and wanted to show

them the best of Bristol? It’s hard to get past the Gloucester Road, St Paul’s and Stokes Croft, isn’t it?

My most regrettable habit is

procrastination and deadlinedodging – unforgivable sins in a journalist.

Secret skills? There was a time

when I was a folk fiddler…

I once spent a night in jail

with a man called Martin Felix Oddsocks McWeirdo El-Tooty Fruity Farto Hello Hippopotamus Bum…

The 2022 Harbour Festival runs 15-17 July. For more: bristolharbourfestival.co.uk