➻ BEAUTY Folio_Cover216.indd 11
FASHION WHAT'S ON INTERIORS PROPERTY FOOD 12/19/2012 7:00:57 PM
p2.indd 1
12/18/2012 3:09:26 PM
JAN 2013
HAPPY NEW YEAR! HAPPY NEW YOU? The remorseless logic of publishing deadlines means that I’m writing this during that stress-filled but timelessly thrilling build up to Christmas, while you’re reading it when the pine needles clog up your Hoover and you’re wondering just when the refuse collectors will come and remove your mountain of post-festivity detritus. The days are short, the weather unrelentingly British, and the next credit card bill a ticking time bomb. It might feel tough to be optimistic right now, but we’re hoping that Folio’s January edition will put a smile back on your face. Alongside our usual celebrations of all the best bits of life in Bristol and Bath, we’ve put together a massive preview of the year’s most exciting events (starts page 4), highlighted the internationally acclaimed but distinctly local Slapstick Festival (page 12) and even grabbed a few words with the national treasure that is Rowan Atkinson (page 16). We’ve also relaunched and expanded our film coverage (page 20) and brought in a new travel section (page 67). Expect further improvements over the next few months as Bristol and Bath’s longest-running lifestyle magazine continues to lead the way. And as if all that weren’t enough, this month we bring you Resolutions, a supplement packed with inspirational features designed to fine-tune your body, sharpen your mind and even re-direct your career. Folio and Resolutions: the perfect combination and the ideal antidote to those winter blues. Have a splendid new year.
FEATURES 4 12 16
Join Melissa Blease on a whistlestop tour of what the shiny new year has in store for us Funny girls of the silver screen hog the spotlight at this year’s Slapstick Festival. In a rare foray into the world of theatre, comic superstar Rowan Atkinson is appearing at only two venues outside London - and Bath’s Theatre Royal is one of them.
WHAT'S ON 18 20 22 24 25 26
What to do in January In our newly expanded film section, Robin Askew previews January’s major releases An update on the local art scene Theatrical and comedy highlights this month Top gigs and concerts for January Too many kids, too little money? Anna Britten finds you some frugal new year fun
4 THE YEAR AHEAD
COMPETITIONS 39 WIN pampering spa vouchers or a meal for four at the Clifton Sausage
EATING OUT WEST 32 36 40 41 43 44 46 48 50 51
Melissa Blease looks at last year’s big hitters and 2013’s rising stars Time to eat your way into a healthier 2013? Tony Benjamin promises not to preach Restaurant review: Gourmet Burger Kitchen Restaurant review: Source Restaurant review: Jimmy’s World Grill & Bar Restaurant review: Strada Recipe of the month Pub of the month: The Curfew Shop of the month: Southville Deli What’s cooking: news and markets
16
Rowan Atkinson interview
54 Savvy fashion tips for chic austerity
LIFESTYLE 54 58 60 62 64 67
Dave Higgitt Acting Folio Editor
Fashion: there’s more to style than spending loads of money, says Suzanne Savill Shops of the month: Victoria Art Gallery and the Fashion Museum Beauty: teeth whitening at the Orangery Motoring: the third-generation A3 Education: spotlight on Colston’s Travel: we visit Dusseldorf
HOMEFRONT Cover image: WE INTERVIEW ROWAN ATKINSON PRIOR TO HIS APPEARANCE AT THE BATH THEATRE ROYAL. SEE PAGE 16
@folioeditor
@eatingoutwest
70 74 78
Country classic design, indoor gardens, wool carpets and more… Bathrooms: traditional doesn’t have to mean old-fashioned Property showcases: two stunning local houses
40
In search of the ultimate burger
Subscribe to Folio! Just send a cheque for £24 (payable to Folio) to our Bristol address or phone with credit/debit card details and you’ll get the next 12 issues sent to your home, or 6 issues for £13 – the only way to guarantee you’ll get every copy of the West’s fastest-growing lifestyle magazine. Ffi: 0117 934 3741 Folio Bristol Bristol News & Media, Temple Way, Bristol, BS99 7HD tel 0117 942 8491 fax 0117 934 3566 email dave.higgitt@b-nm.co.uk or editor@foliomagazine.co.uk Folio Bath Bath News & Media, Floor 2, Westpoint, James West St, Bath BA1 1UN tel 01225 429801 fax 01225 447602 Editor Rachel Nott Acting Editor Dave Higgitt Art Editor Sarah Malone Sub-editor Jo Renshaw Commercial Director Becky Davis Studio Manager Cath Evans Publications Co-ordinators Ruth Wood, Emma Gorton Advertising Bex Baddiley, Adam Burrows, Ellie Pipe, Ben Wright Distribution Simon Butler Ring us now for details of how to reach our 75,000 readers – and if you’re a reader, contact our advertisers now! Do please let them know where you read about their services. Thank you. Folio articles preceded by the words ‘Folio Profile’ have been supplied by a third party, and the information contained within them does not necessarily constitute a direct recommendation by the publishers. However, we only accept submissions from bona fide companies whom we know from long experience to provide quality goods or services.
80 Check out this Clifton gem FOLIO/JAN 2013 3
Contents 215.indd 3
12/19/2012 5:58:22 PM
eam;
ath bot-
ade
FEATURE
In with the NEW
Clockwise from this picture: Sign of the Times – Blood Brothers at Bath Theatre Royal; Marti Pellow narrates Blood Brothers at Bath Theatre Royal; Lenny Henry in Fences at Bath Theatre Royal; Midnight Tango at Bath Theatre Royal; Nice at the Egg Theatre; JK Rowling – starring at the Independent Bath Literature Festival; Steptoe and Son at the Bristol Old Vic
Put the kettle on, grab that 2013 diary and join Melissa Blease on a whistlestop tour of what the shiny new year has in store for us
PIC: DEBRA HURFORD BROWN
tre nry at tival;
4 FOLIO/JAN 2013
Upfront_preview 216.indd 4
12/19/2012 6:00:04 PM
PIC: AUGUST WILSON
FEATURE
I
t’s January - pretty much always the coldest, dullest, brokest month of the whole dirty dozen. But don’t let such dispirited feelings take the shine off a brand new year. There’s so much to enjoy in Bristol and Bath over the next 12 months that, one day in the not-too-distant future, you’ll look back on these first four weeks and wonder why you ever felt so gloomy. Don’t believe us? Join us as we take a peek at what we’ve got to look forward to, as the year for which the Mayans couldn’t even be bothered to create calendar space gets a grip. Before you buckle up for the ride, though, take note of our terms and conditions: our forecast is by no means exhaustive, and there could well be a diary date that we’ve missed out. But space is at a premium, and not all the events gods and goddesses have got their 2013 diaries up and running yet. So, if we appear to have provided seemingly sketchy details of something spectacular, rest assured that we’ll be revisiting all the happenings highlighted here, and many more besides, as the months roll along, updating the news, reminding you about what’s going on and making sure that you keep up with the times in style. ➻ FOLIO/JAN 2013 5
Upfront_preview 216.indd 5
12/19/2012 6:00:44 PM
FEATURE
Theatre ➻ Bristol Old Vic (www.bristololdvic.
Top left: Mavis Sparkle at the Egg Theatre; top right: Tom Morris (centre) collaborates with old chums Handspring on Old Vic’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream; bottom right: Moscow City Ballet’s Swan Lake at Bath Theatre Royal
org.uk) are letting loose with a big, bold fanfare to promote their spring season, forecasting that this stunning, much-loved theatre will continue to put Bristol on the international theatrical map. You can peruse their forthcoming attractions by visiting the website, but we’ve selected three highlights to whet your appetite. First up, prepare to reacquaint yourself with infamous father-and-son duo Steptoe and Son courtesy of a Kneehigh theatre production adapted from the legendary scripts of Galton and Simpson (23 Jan-9 Feb). Next up, a host of highly acclaimed artistic heavyweights have joined forces to create a new interpretation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the result of a collaboration between Tom Morris and the Handspring Puppet Company, the team responsible for award-winning work on War Horse. The production will open at the Old Vic on 28 Feb before touring the globe. Book your tickets now - this one will sell out fast. And as the blossom trees begin to flourish, fans of awardwinning theatre company Complicite will be thrilled to hear that the world premiere of Lionboy - the company’s first ever show specifically designed for families and young people - will take to the Old Vic stage from 29 May. Over at the Tobacco Factory (www. tobaccofactorytheatre.com), ‘Oliver Reed’, Sean Hughes, Mark Thomas, John Shuttleworth, Lee Hurst, the ‘Duke of Windsor’ and the ‘Count of Monte Cristo’ will all be making appearances over the coming months, and the theatre is already geared up to welcome the return of the
Shakespeare Festival (14 Feb-4 May, www.sattf.org.uk), kicking off with director Andrew Hilton’s Richard III. Elsewhere, Bristol’s contemporary theatre festival Mayfest (www. mayfestbristol.co.uk) dominates the agenda (and suitably theatrical venues across the city) from 16-26 May, while Starlight Express, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Hairspray and Dolly Parton: The Musical are set to keep fans of musical theatre emoting wildly while tapping their toes at the Bristol Hippodrome (www.atgtickets.com/venues/bristolhippodrome) as the year rolls along. The Theatre Royal Bath (www. theatreroyal.org.uk) will no doubt be packed to its historic rafters when Rowan Atkinson stars in playwright Simon Gray’s quintessential English drama Quartermaine’s Terms (14-19 Jan). And the UK premiere of August Wilson’s award-winning drama Fences opens in Bath prior to a West End run on 20 Feb and stars none other than Lenny Henry in the role of Troy Maxson, a once-gifted athlete denied his chance at the big time by the policies of segregation - fascinating stuff. There are yet more sparkling TRB highlights to look forward to as life in the Heritage City takes a startlingly dramatic turn and the new year gets going, including Agatha Christie’s world-famous Mousetrap (21-26 Jan), former Wet Wet Wet frontman Marti Pellow in Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers two days later, a visit from Moscow City Ballet in March, an
invitation to attend Abigail’s Party in April and Strictly Come Dancing superstars Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace doing their Midnight Tango thang just as the darling buds of May start pirouetting on the breeze. Just around the corner from the main house, TRB ‘studio’ the Ustinov is looking forward to introducing audiences to Frankenstein as they’ve never met him before in February, finding out about Richard Greenberg’s American Plan in March and travelling 4000 Miles courtesy of acclaimed playwright Amy Herzog in April/May. Little people have lots to look forward to when they visit the TRB block in 2013, too, from Rapunzel (19 Jan) to something very Nice in April by way of The Queen’s Knickers (part of the Egg’s fabulous Family Theatre Festival, 9-23 Feb), Dogs Don’t Do Ballet, Mavis Sparkle and much, much more.➻
6 FOLIO/JAN 2013
Upfront_preview 216.indd 6
12/19/2012 6:01:29 PM
FOLIO/JAN 2013 7
p7.indd 2
12/18/2012 3:13:15 PM
FEATURE
This pic: hoofer extraordinaire Darcey Bussell appears at the Independent Bath Literature Festival; inset: author Kate Mosse, also starring at the Bath Lit Fest; bottom: don’t miss the fabulous Bath Fringe Festival
Music of live music are very well provided ➻Fans ➻ Fans of live music are very well for in Bristol and Bath, not least of all provided for in Bristol and Bath, not courtesy of easy access to a vibrant festival least of all courtesy of easy access to a scene. But don’t overlook our lovely, lively vibrant festival scene. But don’t overlook permanent venues in your search for our lovely, lively permanent venues in concert tickets to make your heart sing. At your search for concert tickets to make crystal ball HQ, we predict that the your heart sing. At crystal ball HQ, we following tickets will become this year’s predict that the following tickets will hottest properties as winter gives way to become this year’s hottest properties as spring: Bournemouth Symphony winter gives way to spring: Orchestra Hollywood Blockbusters (15 Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Feb), maestro of movie music Ludovico Hollywood Blockbusters (15 Feb), Einaud (13 April), Moscow State maestro of movie music Ludovico Symphony Orchestra (16 May) and Einaud (13 April), Moscow State the Bristol Ensemble Beethoven Series (2 Symphony Orchestra (16 May) and July), all at Bristol’s Colston Hall (www. the Bristol Ensemble Beethoven Series colstonhall.org) … Caitlin Rose (26 Feb), (2 July), all at Bristol’s Colston Hall Space (8 March), The Beat (12 April) and (www.colstonhall.org) … Caitlin Rose Chas and Dave (8 May), all at The Fleece (26 Feb), Space (8 March), The Beat (12 (www.thefleece.co.uk) in Bristol … The April) and Chas and Dave (8 May), all at Moody Blues (23 June) at Bristol The Fleece (www.thefleece.co.uk) in Hippodrome (www.atgtickets.com/venues/ Bristol … The Moody Blues (23 June) at bristol-hippodrome) … Philip Glass (14 Bristol Hippodrome (www.atgtickets. May) at St George’s Bristol (www. com/venues/bristol-hippodrome) … stgeorgesbristol.co.uk) … Justin Currie (25 Philip Glass (14 May) at St George’s Feb), Hawkwind (3 April), The Levellers Bristol (www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk) … (13 May) and Midge Ure (17 May), all at Justin Currie (25 Feb), Hawkwind (3 Komedia Bath (www.komedia.co.uk/bath). April), The Levellers (13 May) and ➻Midge Ure (17 May), all at Komedia Bath (www.komedia.co.uk/bath).➻
This pic: Caitlin Rose; top: Midge Ure gets a hug from his old mate Bob
Festivals: Bath It’s all change at the helm in 2013 for three of Bath Festivals’ biggest annual events… ➻ The Independent Bath Literature
Festival (1-10 March, www.bathlitfest.org. uk) is artistic director James Runcie’s fourth and final word-waltz with Bath before he leaves to take up a full-time post as head of Literature and the Spoken Word at London’s Southbank Centre - but he’s waving goodbye in style. JK Rowling, Hilary Mantel, Sandi Toksvig, Helen Dunmore, PD James, Kate Mosse and former ballerina (now Strictly Come Dancing judge) Darcey Bussell have all signed up to join the party. Over at Bath International Music Festival (22 May-2 June, www.bathmusicfest.org. uk), Alasdair Nicolson - a young composer with a strong Scottish heritage - is the latest in a long line of extremely highprofile, illustrious musicians (including Yehudi Menuhin, Michael Tippett, William Glock and, most recently, Joanna MacGregor) who have all variously curated the Bath Music Festival since 1948. This year’s musical feast will feature a variety of related genres, from classical and opera to cabaret, jazz and folk, with vocal performances a particular feature. A strong theme informs the whole programme, and several artists will be seen performing in more than one event, creating a ‘repertoire’-style festival for the first time in Bath.
Last but not least, the Telegraph Bath Festival of Children’s Literature (27 Sept-6 Oct, www.bathkidslitfest.org.uk) welcomes brand new guest artistic director David Almond. Twice winner of the Whitbread Children’s Book Award, as well as the Carnegie Medal and the prestigious 2010 Hans Christian Andersen Award, Almond is perhaps best known for his novel Skellig - and he’s already very excited about this year’s kiddie-focused lit shebang. “This great festival celebrates the fact that children’s literature sits right at the heart of our culture,” he tells Folio. “It’s a real thrill and honour to be at the helm for 2013.” And don’t miss Bath in Fashion (15-21 April, www.bathinfashion.co.uk) or Bath Fringe Festival (24 May-9 June, www. bathfringe.co.uk) - 17 days of live performances from local, national and international musicians, as well as dance, theatre, art exhibitions and children’s events). Bath Film Festival (www.bathfilmfestival. org.uk) runs from 14-24 Nov, the Jane Austen Festival (www. janeausten.co.uk) from 13-21 Sept, and the Great Bath Feast (www.greatbathfeast. co.uk) from 1-31 Oct.
8 FOLIO/JAN 2013
Upfront_preview 216.indd 8
12/19/2012 6:01:59 PM
p9.indd 1
12/18/2012 3:14:01 PM
FEATURE This pic and inset: style is the name of the game at Milsom Place; bottom: Made in Bristol
Festivals: Bristol Our pick of the city’s top 10 festivals for this year… ➻ Slapstick Festival 24-27 Jan (www.
Shopping ➻ While it would be impossible to forecast all the openings, closings, comings and goings likely to dominate the retail-therapy scene this year, it’s safe to say that, despite the economic doom and gloom, we’ll still be going shopping in Bristol and Bath. Our city centre shrines to Mammon continue to thrive, with Bristol adopting a joined-up thinking approach by introducing the concept of the Bristol Shopping Quarter to the local dialect: now that all the major rejuvenation work is done, Broadmead, The Galleries and Cabot Circus no longer exist in their own little disparate bubbles, and a healthy influx of vibrant independent ventures are balancing the faceless franchises and chains. Work is now complete at Bath’s SouthGate shopping centre, too, with the latest new kids on the shiny new block(s) largely comprising food outlets that act as fast, convenient pitstops during any given bout of plastic-flexing (see Eating Out West for lots more tasty news on this score). But one contemporary shopping trend has slowly but surely altered our perception of shopping: temporary ventures proliferate these days, making full use of discounted start-up costs offered by local councils keen to fill the ominous gaps in our high streets. Bristol-based entrepreneur Bryony Morgan is one of the busy brains behind both temporary emporium Paper Scissors Stone (Quakers Friars, Cabot Circus) and Made in Bristol (www.handmadeinbristol.co.uk), a collective that coordinates a wealth of arts and crafts events, exhibitions and pop-up shops in various venues across the city. “As the number of empty shops in Bristol grew as a result of the tough economic climate, it
felt like an opportune time to try and support the amazing locally grown talent based in the city on a more longterm basis,” says Bryony, of her inspired idea. You go, girl! In Bath, Milsom Place has become the place to go to discover the next generation of designers keen to showcase their work in suitably stylish - if temporary – surroundings. Some of them may be a blinkand-you’ll-miss-em prospect, but many more prove to be so successful that they linger long enough to become an established destination for fashionistas in search of uniquely chic outfits and accessories. The future, however, isn’t necessarily clear for the pop-up revolution in 2013 - ominous changes in national legislation and city councils suffering increasingly frozen budgets may not bode well for all involved. But we can do more than keep our fingers crossed that the temps won’t disappear for good; this year, our vibrant independents rely on our support more than ever before - we urge you to think local when you set sail for the January sales.
slapstick.org.uk) • Silent and classic comedy. Bristol Jazz & Blues Festival 1-3 March (www. bristoljazzandbluesfest.com) VegFest 24-26 May (www.bristol. vegfest.co.uk) • Celebration of all things vegetarian. Dot to Dot 25 May (www.dottodotfestival. co.uk) • An absolute must for fans of live indie music. Festival of Nature 15-16 June (www. bnhc.org.uk) Big Green Week 15-23 June (www. biggreenweek.com) • Nine days of talks, workshops, film screenings, etc, all on an ecofriendly/sustainable theme. Bristol Harbour Festival 20-22 July (www. bristolharbourfestival.co.uk) Bristol Balloon Fiesta 8-11 Aug (www. bristolballoonfiesta.co.uk) Bristol Puppetry Festival 30 Aug-8 Sept (www.puppetplace.org/festival) BrisFest Sept (www.brisfest.co.uk) • Music, comedy, street theatre, circus and art. ...And do we really need to remind that you the Glastonbury Festival (26-30 June, www. glastonburyfestivals.co.uk) is back from its mini break this year, or that Womad (27-29 July, Charlton Park, Malmesbury, www. womad.org/festivals) never went away?
IN, OUT, SHAKE IT ALL ABOUT! Last year vintage. This year: upcycled Last year Downton Abbey or The Paradise. This year The Ark or Mr Selfridge Last year Skyfall. This year: The Great Gatsby Last year London, London, London. This year local, local, local! Last year luxury tents. This year: mobile chalets Last year Twitter. This year: Pheed Last year “Totally!”/“Totes!” This year “Agile!”/“Ag!” Last year chalk paint. This year: glazed walls Last year Fifty Shades of Grey. This year Delta of Venus Last year Royal Wedding. This year Royal Baby
10 FOLIO/JAN 2013
Upfront_preview 216.indd 10
12/19/2012 6:02:57 PM
Voted in the Top 50 antique shops in Great Britain 2010 by The Independent on Sunday
OLD BANK ANTIQUES CENTRE 14-17 Walcot Buildings, London Road, Bath
Retro g Clothinble Availa
Situated on the London Road (A4), just a short walk from the top of Walcot Street. Old Bank Antiques Centre is the largest retailer of antiques in Bath, without being stuffy and too grand. This is how antiques shops used to look: a hoarder’s paradise. fifteen dealers spread through lots of showrooms in four shops with everything from 17th century to 1970s retro. Experienced and professional advice is always available. Customer parking is at the rear, accessed via Bedford Street. Deliveries can be arranged anywhere in the UK or the rest of world, at cost price. Furniture restorer on premises. Open seven days a week Visit our website: www.oldbankantiquescentre.com Tel: 01225 469282 & 338813 Email: alexatmontague@aol.com
FOLIO/JAN 2013 11
p11.indd 2
12/19/2012 12:23:46 PM
Left: Anna Sten in The Girl with the Hatbox; this pic: Harold Lloyd – one of the greats; right: Buster Keaton in College
FEATURE FEATURE
JUST FOR A
L
Funny girls of the silver screen hog the spotlight at this year’s Slapstick Festival. Robin Askew can’t keep a straight face
Right: Aardman’s immortal Gromit; above: a very early picture of the Goodies; left: Kneehigh’s Steptoe and Son; inset, above: Lucy Porter; left, above: Victoria Wood, host of this year’s Silent Comedy Gala
12 FOLIO/JAN 2013
Upfront_Slapstick 216.indd 12
12/19/2012 4:13:34 PM
FEATURE
T
This pic: Colleen Moore – originator of the bob haircut; below: June Whitfield – woven into the DNA of British comedy
hink of the great silent comedians: Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, Laurel and Hardy… Anything strike you as odd about that list? Yes, they’re all men. So were women really not very funny during the silent era, or has their contribution simply been overlooked? We’re about to find out. Bristol’s Slapstick Festival, which always provides plenty of welcome cheer in bleak old January, focuses this year on ‘Funny Ladies’ - both on film and as guests. Festival director Chris Daniels cites Marion Davies as “a great comedienne and someone who doesn’t get the credit she deserves. We wanted to dust down her two finest films, which are King Vidor’s The Patsy and a lovely film called Show People, which is going to be screened at Bristol Old Vic. Lucy Porter seemed like the perfect host. We’re also celebrating Colleen Moore, who famously originated the bob haircut, even though Louise Brooks gets all the credit.” Another gem to watch out for is the recently revived Russian film The Girl with the Hatbox, starring Ukrainian-born Anna Sten, who’s name-checked in Cole Porter’s Anything Goes. “This is also a creative way of getting rare films - films that you can’t get on DVD - to be screened to a new audience during the festival,” notes Chris. Slapstick watchers will have noticed a slight change in emphasis as the festival has grown and developed over the past nine years. Today it’s billed as ‘celebrating silent and classic comedy’, in recognition of the fact that many Pythons and Goodies are now taking part although Chris is quick to point out that more silent comedy is being shown this year than ever before. To mark this evolution, Slapstick is launching a new award in conjunction with Aardman: The Comedy Legend, which takes the form of a golden Morph. (The annual Visual Comedy award ceremony has been postponed until early summer and we’re sworn to secrecy about the identity of the recipients.) In keeping with the female slant of this year’s festival, the first winner is the great June Whitfield, who’ll be at the Old Vic for a special celebration of six decades of her work. Those who know her only from Terry and June, Last of the Summer Wine, the Carry On… films and as Edina’s mum in Absolutely Fabulous may be surprised to learn how deeply she’s woven into the DNA of British comedy history, having performed with the likes of Benny Hill, Frankie Howerd and Tony Hancock (as the nurse in the classic Blood Donor episode). The festival also promises plenty of
traditional silent comedy fun, with Private Pike (Ian Lavender, for it is he) introducing Buster Keaton in College, Bill Oddie celebrating his favourite Laurel and Hardy talkies, and film historian Kevin Brownlow sharing stories about Harold Lloyd. Dinner Ladies' star Victoria Wood hosts this year’s Silent Comedy Gala at the Colston Hall, whose programme includes the Harold Lloyd classic The Kid Brother and the UK premiere of the brand-new tinted restoration of Georges Méliès’ A Trip to the Moon with narration by Paul McGann. All three Goodies - Graeme Garden, Tim Brooke-Taylor and Bill Oddie - are reuniting for an archive-plundering Lost Goodies, evening that promises much rarely seen material. One fan is travelling all the way from the USA for this event alone. Nick Park and Peter Lord of Aardman team up for Slapstick Animation, making the case that animation has now cornered the market in visual comedy. And in a special Slapstick co-promotion at the Old Vic, Kneehigh Theatre are bringing Galton and Simpson’s Steptoe and Son to the stage. Next year is a big one for silent comedy. Not only is it Slapstick’s 10th anniversary, but it’s also the centenary of Charlie Chaplin’s The Tramp. Any plans to push the boat out? “It all depends on how we’re doing financially and how many tickets we sell this year,” says Chris. “The Stand Up for Slapstick benefit in June raised £12,000, without which we’d have had to cut back on this year’s programme. Attendances are increasing every year, but costs are going up, too. Having said that, we’d certainly love to do a big Chaplin gala at the Colston Hall next year.” SLAPSTICK FESTIVAL 2013 24-27 JAN AT WATERSHED, COLSTON HALL, ARNOLFINI & BRISTOL OLD VIC. FFI: WWW.SLAPSTICK.ORG.UK
Above: Patsy star Marion Davies – a great comedienne; right: Paul McGann – on narration duties
FOLIO/JAN 2013 13
Upfront_Slapstick 216.indd 13
12/19/2012 4:14:34 PM
Wonderful wildlife at Brown's Folly nature reserve. This pic: robin; below, sparrowhawk; bottom: greater horseshoe bat
FEATURE
LIFESTYLE
BROWN'S
FOLLY Look out for bats, sparrow hawks and roe deer as you wander through this history-rich nature reserve near Bathford
COLONELS & CAVES
A roe deer relaxing at Brown's Folly nature reserve
DARIN SMITH
Stone quarried from the Brown’s Folly reserve was used to build the facade at
Buckingham Palace. The folly, meanwhile, known locally as ‘Pepperpot Tower’, was built in 1848 by Colonel Wade Browne, who wanted to keep his workers occupied during the agricultural recession, and the caves were used as an underground ammunitions store during World War Two. Just don’t forget your boots, and be careful to keep away from the old blockedoff mines and rock surfaces which are now home to greater horseshoe bats and invertebrates. “Brown’s Folly is a beautiful site,” says Joe Middleton, Avon Wildlife Trust’s Reserves manager. “The view is incredible, the history is incredible, and so are the woodland and wildlife - it has so much appeal to so many people.”
DARIN SMITH
W
hile most woodland, grassland and meadow plants become dormant and mammals conserve their energy during the harsh winter months, there are many wintry delights at Brown’s Folly nature reserve, on the edge of Bathford and Monkton Farleigh. The reserve, which is managed by Avon Wildlife Trust, is truly unique, providing important wildlife habitats, stunning views across Bath and a fascinating history. It’s a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), 40 hectares in size and home to many wildlife species that depend on the limestone grasslands, ancient woodlands and cave systems. It was also the first reserve to be bought by the charity, back in 1980. Favourite wintertime wildlife to spot at Brown’s Folly reserve include roe deer, sparrow hawks, squirrel dreys (nests), holly berries and old man’s beard.
BATS & BERRIES
Take the path from the car park and follow the track north. To the right is a coppice, which is good for woodland plants - during winter, look out for berries (and return in the summer for common twayblade orchid, white helleborine and Bath asparagus). The pathway has been widened to encourage breeding birds and foraging bats. Further on, look to your left and behind the trees, to see the oolitic limestone known as Bath stone. Take the left-hand path up onto the grassland, which is full of common spotted orchids, salad-burnet and wild thyme in summer. There are spectacular views of Bath from this point, and behind you, on the ridge, is the folly. Follow the path back out of the grassland, through another metal kissing gate and into the woodland, passing several grilled-off caves - with access for bats only! AVON WILDLIFE TRUST OUR WALK COMES COURTESY OF THIS LEADING LOCAL CHARITY WORKING FOR PEOPLE AND WILDLIFE. FFI: 0117 917 7270, WWW.AVONWILDLIFETRUST.ORG.UK FFI FOR A FREE COPY OF ‘BROWN’S FOLLY NATURE RESERVE, A UNIQUE PLACE TO EXPLORE’, EMAIL SCHOOLS@AVONWILDLIFETRUST.ORG.UK OR VISIT THE AVON WILDLIFE TRUST WEBSITE FOR INFO ON THE CHARITY’S RESERVES, ‘WILD SCHOOLS’ & MEMBERSHIP
HOW TO GET THERE Take the minor road from Bathford to Kingsdown, taking a steep righthand turn to Monkton Farleigh. The car park is near the brow of the hill on Prospect Place.
14 FOLIO/JAN 2013
Upfront Walk_Brown's Folly 216.indd 14
12/19/2012 4:33:38 PM
p15.indd 1
12/18/2012 3:14:43 PM
FEATURE
PIC: MATT CROCKETT
A
IT’S NOT FUNNY! In a rare foray into the world of theatre, comic superstar Rowan Atkinson is appearing at only two venues outside London - and Bath’s Theatre Royal is one of them. Folio finds out more
few years ago, the man behind comedy big-hitters Mr Bean and Blackadder played Fagin in a West End revival of Oliver! Before that, he hadn’t done any kind of theatre run since the 1980s. But Rowan Atkinson’s appearance in a new revival of Simon Gray’s tragicomic play, Quartermaine’s Terms - a humorous but ultimately moving account of several years in the lives of seven teachers - is even worthier of note. For the first time in his career, Atkinson, one of the most renowned comic talents of his generation, will not be trying to make his audience laugh. At least, not all the time. In Gray’s quintessentially English drama, with its characteristic incisive wit, Atkinson plays St John Quartermaine, a teacher at a Cambridge language school for foreign students. His various colleagues lead proactive if rather chaotic lives, but the contemplative St John seems to have no kind of hinterland at all. An almost permanent feature in the staff room, he’s always available to listen to the problems of his self-obsessed colleagues. And though he’s kind, pleasant and agreeable, he’s utterly hopeless as a teacher. He’s as much a tragic figure as a comic one colours that Richard Eyre, former National Theatre artistic director, will be sure to coax out of Atkinson. What drew you back to the stage? I was asked by Michael Codron, a producer with whom I worked previously in the 1980s - he was the person who first brought me into the West End, with a show that Richard Curtis and I did in the then Globe in 1981, Rowan Atkinson in Review. We worked together again in a set of a one-act plays by Chekhov in 1989, and though we’ve bumped into each other on the odd occasion since, we haven’t worked together. I think, rather oddly, Michael saw me being myself in a documentary about Blackadder - there was some moment when he saw me walking across a castle esplanade and, for some reason, it made him think I’d be suitable casting for St John. Were you moving in mysterious ways? I feel as though I should sit Michael down in front of a TV and ask him which bit of the walk brought Quartermaine to mind! Maybe he was just reminded of my presence in life rather than any particular
16 FOLIO/JAN 2013
Upfront_RowanAtkinson 216.indd 16
12/19/2012 4:28:07 PM
FEATURE
quality from the walk. Maybe he perceived a hint of loneliness or selfcontainment. My producer and I were simply wandering around Alnwick Castle in the hope that it would encourage thoughts and conversation about the making of the Blackadder series. I suppose the aimless wandering was what grabbed Michael. What appealed to you about the part of Quartermaine? There’s definitely something about the character that interested me. He’s such an empty, vague, dreamy figure, and quite difficult to get your hands on. Most of the characters I’ve played - and I’d include Mr Bean tend to be rather singular, lonely, self-centred people. I suppose it fits in that mould. I tend not to play characters who are the heart of the party. They tend to be rather singular, stand-offish figures. I don’t know whether that’s indicative of my personality or not. Could be… Why are you drawn to play that type of character? I suppose I think I know how someone like Quartermaine works. I think maybe I share with him a capacity to be sitting in a room for 10 minutes and doing absolutely nothing apart from staring at the wallpaper. That ability to let your mind wander is something I’m quite good at. That’s certainly the way Quartermaine moves and works. But I think variety is the spice of life, and the main variety that Quartermaine will provide for me is that he’s not overtly comic. There’s comedy in the way he behaves and interacts with others, but he’s certainly not a joke teller. The jokes come out of his rather singular and vague attitude. So you won’t be looking for laughs in this performance? I’m sure we’ll try to maximise the comic effect, but it must never be at the expense of the truth of the piece. It’s an ensemble piece, and definitely about seven characters, not one. What’s fun is to watch the interaction of them all. It’s tragicomic, with emphasis on the tragic. And that’s fun to me. What do you get from acting in front of a live audience that you don’t get elsewhere? What’s great is the autonomy you enjoy on stage. You’re in complete command of your performance, whereas in film or TV there’s lighting, editing, direction and many other manipulators of your performance and how you come across. In a theatre you’re in absolute control, for the duration of your time on stage. And that’s very
pleasing from the point of view of someone who likes to be in control, like me. And in the end, I’ve discovered with Oliver! that I feel quite comfortable on stage. I think I understand live theatre and live audiences, with my background in student revue and tours and the West End. Will you be tempted by other opportunities in the theatre? I think I would be. Maybe I should see how this one goes. I’m looking forward to the job of rehearsing it, which is always the fun bit. The performance is just the justification for everyone’s wages… QUARTERMAINE’S TERMS 14-19 JAN, THEATRE ROYAL BATH, SAWCLOSE. FFI: 01225 448844, WWW.THEATREROYAL. ORG.UK
HALL OF FAME ➻ From John Mills and
Charlton Heston to Derek Jacobi and Maggie Smith, the Theatre Royal Bath have an illustrious reputation for pulling in the stars…
Lauren Bacall Sweet Bird of Youth (May 1985) Kenneth Branagh Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It & Hamlet (June 1988), King Lear & A Midsummer Night’s Dream (July 1990) Joan Collins Private Lives (Sept 1990), Moon Over Buffalo (Oct 2001), Full Circle (June 2004) Lenny Henry One-man show (Nov 1985, June 1990, Nov 2004), Othello (April 2009), back in Fences in Feb 2013 Anthony Hopkins The Lonely Road (March 1985) Spike Milligan One-man show (Oct 1996) Peter O’Toole The Apple Cart (Feb 1986), Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell (Oct 1989), Our Song (Oct 1992) Vanessa Redgrave Orpheus Descending (Nov 1988), Antony and Cleopatra (Oct 1995), Lady Windermere’s Fan (Feb 2002), The Year of Magical Thinking (Sept 2008) Omar Sharif The Sleeping Prince (Nov 1983) David Tennant Look Back in Anger (Feb 2005) Emma Thompson King Lear & A Midsummer Night’s Dream (July 1990) Norman Wisdom One-man show (Oct 1996)
THE MAN WITH
THE RUBBER FACE ➻ For many viewers around the world, Rowan Atkinson’s star turn as Mr Bean was the highlight of Danny Boyle’s London Olympics Opening Ceremony. Atkinson’s performance as a bored, daydreaming, one-note-playing orchestra member of the LSO, under the baton of Simon Rattle - landed Mr Bean as one of Twitter’s biggest trending topics. Now a globally adored comic talent, Atkinson first came to national attention in the late 1970s in The Secret Policeman’s Ball and satirical BBC sketch show Not the Nine O’Clock News. In the 1980s he found a winning formula in the BBC sitcom Blackadder, which followed different generations of the Blackadder family from the 15th century to the WWI trenches. Atkinson’s most famous character, the gormless, facepulling, stuttering Mr Bean, has been screened planet wide. In addition to the Bean feature films, Atkinson’s movie roll-call includes Never Say Never Again, The Lion King, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Johnny English and Love Actually. So it looks as though the Theatre Royal Bath have pulled off a pretty impressive coup, bagging a six-day run of Quartermaine’s Terms before it heads off for a short 12-week showing in London’s West End. The Theatre Royal’s 900-seater Main House and Brighton’s Theatre Royal are the only two places outside the capital to welcome Atkinson in this rare theatrical outing.
FOLIO/JAN 2013 17
Upfront_RowanAtkinson 216.indd 17
12/19/2012 4:28:18 PM
WHAT’SON
FILM DAYS OUT THEATRE ART MUSIC FILM DAYS OUT THEATRE ART MUSIC
➻ WHAT'SON
WHAT TO DO IN...
Jan
BIKE RIDES, FUN RUNS, ROBOTS,
SEAHORSES AND STARGAZING… MAKE A DATE FOR THIS MONTH’S HOT TICKETS
2
LIGHT FANTASTIC
There are still a few days left to catch artists Martin Richman and Charlie Kerr’s Circuit: A Light Labyrinth installation, which is on display in the back garden of Bath’s Holburne Museum. Stroll through the delicate, coloured, glowing strands in a web-like maze of light, surrounded by an aural tapestry of sounds, snatches of conversation and music - an ideal antidote to the dark days of January. CIRCUIT: A LIGHT LABYRINTH UNTIL WED 9 JAN, HOLBURNE MUSEUM, BATH, WEEKDAYS 4-6PM, WEEKENDS 4-7PM, (CLOSED 1 JAN), £2. FFI: WWW.HOLBURNE. ORG
1
GOT TO DASH!
Sponsored walks and fun runs are everywhere these days, so St Peter’s Hospice have come up with a new way to drum up a bit of fundraising challenging people to race up the 415 steps of Bristol Rovers’ Memorial Stadium as fast as they can! The Hospice does valuable work with patients with lifelimiting illnesses and gives practical support to their families. The vast majority of their funding is from public support, which makes events like this vital. The Stadium Dash record is 3 minutes, 15 seconds, and the Rovers boys will be there to do their best, but will anyone beat it? Will you?
ST PETER’S HOSPICE STADIUM DASH CHALLENGE SUN 3 FEB, 10AM, ENTRY £10 - AS MUCH SPONSORSHIP AS YOU CAN. ENTRY FORMS FROM OUISA ON LOUISA.JAMES@STPETERSHOSPICE.ORG OR VIA WWW.STPETERSHOSPICE.ORG
3
REACH FOR THE STARS
Winter’s a magical time to try stargazing, but it’s so much more satisfying when you have at least some idea of what you’re actually looking at. At this beginner-friendly session, Allan McCarthy from the Bristol Astronomical Society explores the night sky in an interactive talk designed to provide you with enough basic knowledge to go out and start stargazing yourself. FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: AN INTRODUCTION TO STARGAZING FRI 11 JAN, TYNTESFIELD, WRAXALL, 11AM, £5 (INC HOT DRINK), BOOK IN ADV. FFI: 01275 461900, TYNTESFIELD@NATIONALTRUST.ORG.UK
18 FOLIO/JAN 2013
What's on_January 216.indd 18
12/19/2012 3:16:30 PM
WHAT’SON
4
SHARK LIFE
The country seems to be disappearing underwater anyway, so you might as well get friendly with the fishes at Bristol Aquarium. If you’ve not been yet, it’s a great way to escape the miserable January weather and marvel at colourchanging octopuses, gracefully swooping rays and tiny seahorses. There are themed bits including a life-size sunken ship, a Bristol harbour scene and a (reassuringly solid) wooden footbridge over the open-top coral seas display, where the sharks live... BRISTOL AQUARIUM MILLENNIUM SQUARE, WEEKDAYS 10AM-4PM, WEEKENDS 10AM-5PM, £13 ADULT, £9 CHILD, £38.50 FAMILY TICKET. FFI: WWW.BRISTOLAQUARIUM.CO.UK
5
AYE, ROBOT!
Bristol is a world leader in robotic technology, and this month Professor Alan Winfield, director of UWE’s Science Communication Unit, explores the developments that the Bristol Robotics Laboratory (BRL) are making in the very sci-fi-sounding areas of biological robotics, humanoid robotics and swarm robotics, and their shared interest in intelligent autonomy and robot safety. Why not go for some noodles in the futuristic land of Cabot Circus afterwards to complete the Blade Runner experience? THE ROBOTS OF THE BRISTOL ROBOTICS LABORATORY THUR 10 JAN, TYNDALL LECTURE THEATRE, HH WILLS PHYSICS LABORATORY, TYNDALL AVE, BRISTOL, 7.30-9PM, FREE. BOOK IN ADV ON 0117 922 3571 OR EMAIL GENERAL.MUSEUM@ BRISTOL.GOV.UK. FFI: WWW.BRISTOL.GOV.UK/ PAGE/WINTER-LECTURES
6
CHEERS!
7
SEASIDE RIDE
Join the friendly adventurers of Cycle Bristol CTC on an easy-paced 28-mile ride to Clevedon for coffee and cake at Scarletts cafe, overlooking the seafront and the glorious Victorian pier. The ride rolls out through the winter wonderland of Ashton Court and on through Backwell, returning through Portbury and Failand. The perfect way to burn off all those mince pies?
CLEVEDON RIDE SAT 5 JAN, MEET STABLES COURTYARD, ASHTON COURT, BRISTOL, 9.30AM, FREE. FOR DETAILS PHONE GEOFF CARTER ON 07980 469758. FFI: WWW.CYCLEBRISTOLCTC.ORG.UK
Avon Wildlife Trust’s ‘Feed Bristol’ is an inspiring food-growing project based on several acres of wildliferich land in Stapleton. The aim of the place is to help Bristol’s people to learn how to grow food and have more direct contact with the natural environment. Everyone who helps out gets to take away some tasty, freshly grown grub, too. To celebrate the coming year, they’re holding a wassail later this month. Wassails are (frequently boozy) rituals, usually held in orchards, aimed at ensuring a good apple crop. The word comes from the cheery Old English greeting ‘wæs hæl!’ (‘good health!’) and the hot mulled cider drink known as ‘wassail’ which traditionally lubricates such proceedings. Feed Bristol’s wassail includes jolly celebrations, folk music, bird-box making and pruning workshops. And probably a splash of mulled cider, too. FEED BRISTOL WASSAIL SAT 26 JAN, FEED BRISTOL, JUNCTION OF FRENCHAY PARK RD & STOKE LANE, STAPLETON, 11AM-4PM, FREE. FFI: WWW.AVONWILDLIFETRUST.ORG.UK
8
PARK LIFE
Eaten a bit too much over Christmas? Make it your new year’s resolution to lose the Christmas wobble by signing up for (and actually coming along to) ‘parkrun’ - a series of friendly, free-to-enter 5k runs that loop every Saturday through Bristol’s majestic Ashton Court estate. You can run at your own pace, so they’re suitable for everyone, but there’s an accurate timing system so that you can see how you’re improving week on week. PARKRUN EVERY SAT, ASHTON COURT ESTATE, BRISTOL, 9AM, FREE. YOU NEED A SPECIAL BAR CODE TO ENTER, SO SIGN UP IN ADV AT WWW. PARKRUN.ORG.UK/ASHTON-COURT
FOLIO/JAN 2013 19
What's on_January 216.indd 19
12/19/2012 3:17:11 PM
WHAT’S ON FILM
SCREEN STEALERS Robin Askew picks some highlights from this month’s cinematic crop
GANGSTER SQUAD OPENS 11 JAN Zombieland director Ruben Fleischer is very keen to encourage comparisons between his ‘gangster movie for a new generation’ and The Godfather and The Untouchables. Sean Penn stars as real-life Brooklyn-born mob boss Mickey Cohen, who controls all the rackets, guns, drugs and prostitutes in 1949 LA. Most of the cops and corrupt local politicians are in his pocket, while hordes of goons are on hand to supply muscle where needed. Josh Brolin and Ryan Gosling head the handpicked, hush-hush LAPD crew assembled to bring Cohen down - by any means necessary. (15)
LES MISERABLES OPENS 11 JAN This isn’t yet another adaptation of Victor Hugo’s novel, but the first big-screen version of the enduringly popular stage musical. It’s been in the works since 1988, when Alan Parker was attached to the project. With Tom (The King’s Speech) Hooper at the helm, Les Mis was filmed on location in England and France. The impressive cast includes Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean, Russell Crowe as Inspector Javert and Anne Hathaway as Fantine. Its USP is that the performers all sang their parts live rather than miming to a pre-recorded soundtrack. (12A)
DJANGO UNCHAINED OPENS 11 JAN Having done WWII in his own inimitable style with Inglourious Basterds, Quentin Tarantino tackles slavery with this spaghetti-style western inspired by 1966 cult film Django. It’s a couple of years before the Civil War, and slave Django ( Jamie Foxx) is given his freedom by bounty hunter Dr King Schultz (Christoph Waltz). Together, they set out to track down Django’s wife, Broomhilda (Kerry Washington). Their quest leads them to Candyland, a plantation owned by dastardly villain Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio).
LINCOLN
ZERO DARK 30
OPENS 25 JAN Prestige biopics don’t come much more prestigious than Steven Spielberg’s film about the 16th president of the United States, with Mr Method himself, Daniel Day-Lewis, donning the iconic stovepipe hat. Rather than doing the usual birth-to-death thing, Spielberg’s film focuses on Lincoln’s battle to pass the 13th amendment to the US Constitution, outlawing slavery before the Civil War ends. Not one for fans of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, then. Already a modest box-office hit across the pond, Lincoln is expected to feature strongly in the Oscar nominations announced on 10 Jan. (12A)
OPENS 25 JAN The Oscar-winning Hurt Locker team of director Kathryn Bigelow and writer Mark Boal have already attracted plenty of US controversy for this new project. A fictionalised account of the hunt for Osama Bin Laden, it stars Jessica Chastain as CIA agent Maya, who doggedly tracks down the world’s most wanted man. The action spans the years from 9/11 to Bin Laden’s death at the hands of Navy Seals in May 2011. The controversy? Obama’s opponents accused the administration of leaking classified information to Bigelow to boost his popularity prior to the 2012 election. (15)
FOR MUCH MORE FILM, VISIT WWW.VENUE.CO.UK 20 FOLIO/JAN 2013
What's on_Film.indd 20
12/19/2012 3:31:24 PM
WHAT’S ON
WHO’S SINGING NOW? Robin Askew delivers his verdict on Dustin Hoffman’s directorial debut, and ushers in the awards season
Argo: Ben Affleck's excellent thriller
GOLDEN GONGS Maggie Smith: on impressively imperious form
QUARTET ➻ It used to be said that more, erm, mature
cinema-going audiences were being overlooked by film-makers in their single-minded struggle to relieve teenagers of disposable income by means of explosions and shouting. But then the money men noticed that, while older punters don’t generate headline-grabbing figures by racing to opening weekends, they do keep on coming. Earlier this year, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel quietly notched up UK ticket sales of £18m over three months - more than many here-today-gone-tomorrow blockbusters. Now Dustin Hoffman’s directorial debut is poised to bring the same audience flocking back, especially as it boasts Best Exotic…/Downton Abbey star Maggie Smith on impressively imperious form. Adapted from his own stage play by safe pair of hands Ronald Harwood, who wrote the screenplays for The Pianist and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Quartet is a light comedy set in an idyllic retirement home for classical musicians. Each year, the residents of Beecham House (actually Hedsor House in Buckinghamshire) put on a fundraising concert to mark Verdi’s birthday. Directed by the pompous, exotically attired Cedric (Michael Gambon, thoroughly enjoying himself), its stars are good-natured
yet forgetful Sissy (Pauline Collins), frisky Wilf (Billy Connolly) and mournful Reginald (Tom Courtenay), who seeks only “a dignified senility”. Enter reluctant new resident, Jean (Smith). The fourth member of their formerly renowned operatic quartet, she’s also Reg’s ex-wife. More Classic FM than Radio 3, Quartet boasts a plot last seen in The Muppets, which hinges upon whether the bickering old gang can reunite for an important show to save their historic building. Rigoletto takes the place of the Oscar-winning Man or Muppet? - but apart from that, the similarities are striking. Hoffman directs with competence rather than flair, and everybody plays their expected part, with Connolly supplying the risqué comedy relief and Smith giving it the full diva. This is not a film that takes a rigorous Amour-esque approach to the misery of ageing, but it does succeed in delivering the required twilight-years feelgood laughs. And in case you’re wondering how it’s going to deal with the fact that its principal cast can’t actually sing, the solution Harwood has come up with is both elegant and a bit of a cheat. Stick around during the informative closing credits and you may be surprised to learn how many of the supporting players are genuine stage stars of yesteryear. (12A)
LIVE AND KICKING… ➻ There are plenty of live and
recorded theatre and opera events broadcast in high definition in cinemas this month. From New York’s Met Opera comes Berlioz’s epic Les Troyens (5 Jan) and David McVicar’s production of the second of Donizetti’s Tudor operas, Maria Stuarda (19 Jan). The Royal Opera House serves up John Copley’s definitive
production of Puccini’s La Boheme (15 Jan), while the National Theatre’s NT Live season continues with fast and furious Victorian farce The Magistrate (17 Jan, pictured). If ballet is more your bag, the Bolshoi’s La Bayadere arrives on 27 Jan. Local cinemas likely to show all or some of these are the Cinema De Lux and both Vues in Bristol, and the Little Theatre and Odeon in Bath.
➻ It’s never an exact science, but if the Golden Globe nominations are any indication of which films are on course for Oscar glory, Steven Spielberg should start clearing even more room in his trophy cabinet. His biopic Lincoln leads the pack, and Daniel Day-Lewis is being seen as a shoo-in for Best Actor at every major awards ceremony between now and February. The other big contenders include Ben Affleck’s excellent thriller Argo and Quentin Tarantino’s violent yet remarkably wellreceived Django Unchained. The King’s Speech director Tom Hooper’s Les Miserables has picked up four Globe noms. But this is a gong show that uniquely recognises musicals and comedies, which tend to get overlooked at the Oscars. Paul Thomas Anderson’s acclaimed The Master got fewer Globe nods than anticipated, but is doing very well in other awards, so don’t write it off just yet. Other Oscar hopefuls include Kathryn Bigelow’s Zero Dark Thirty, which may prove too politically controversial to repeat the success of her The Hurt Locker. Life of Pi is likely to be rewarded with a nomination for director Ang Lee, if nothing else. But big blockbuster hits like The Dark Knight Rises and Skyfall seem destined to come away empty handed this year. Here’s the full awards calendar: 9 JAN Bafta nominations announced 10 JAN Oscar nominations announced 13 JAN Golden Globes awards ceremony 10 FEB Bafta awards ceremony 23 FEB Golden Raspberry (‘Razzie’) awards ceremony 24 FEB 85th Oscar ceremony
FOLIO/JAN 2013 21
What's on_Film.indd 21
12/19/2012 3:33:05 PM
WHAT’S ON ART SCENE
PICTURE THIS
From Chinese ink painting to Jacobean portraits, Steve Wright rounds up the best exhibitions and events
REIGNING CATS AND DOGS BRISTOL The Royal West of England Academy sees in the new year with a lovely-looking show that examines our relationship down the ages with our closest companions. Reigning Cats and Dogs (11 Jan-15 March) unites a broad range of portraits of sitters and their domestic pets, and includes work by well-known names from Bristol and beyond including Rose Sanderson, David Inshaw and former RWA Emerging Artist award winner Ben Hughes (Jim and Charlie, pictured). Media range from painting, printmaking and photography to sculpture, postcards and ephemera. “From Ancient Egypt to the Chapman Brothers and Jeff Koons, images of cats and dogs appear throughout the history of art,” explains the show’s curator (and contributor), renowned Bristol artist Peter Ford. “This show features both historical and contemporary images, sometimes imbued with satirical and sentimental intent. From inconsequential intrusions to starring roles, cunning cats and dutiful dogs act as vehicles for an exploration of historical, functional and imaginative themes.”
GALLERY PICKS
MONEY AND MUSH ➻Bristol’s Spike Island this month
FFI WW.RWA.ORG.UK
KOON WAI BONG
ROGER MAYNE Victoria Art Gallery boasts the first museum show in more than two decades for one of the UK’s major photographers. Aspects of a Great Photographer (opens 26 Jan) features striking images by Roger Mayne, a documentary and portrait photographer perhaps best known for his portraits of 1950s west London street scenes, but who has also photographed fellow artists including Henry Moore, Terry Frost and Gillian Ayres (pictured). BATH
FFI WWW.VICTORIAGAL.ORG.UK
BATH The fascinating Museum of East Asian Art brings a series of ink artworks by established Hong Kong artist Koon Wai Bong. Koon’s art is rooted in traditional Chinese ink painting, but he’s also opened up his style to encapsulate media and styles from other cultures. Transpose (opens 26 Jan) features works on paper and fabric, inspired by the MEAA’s permanent collection, and embracing themes including insects, water, flowers and bamboo.
FFI WWW.MEAA. ORG.UK
KA-BOOM! BRISTOL This group exhibition at the ever-adventurous View Gallery explores the relationship between art and the comic format. Ka-Boom! (opens 24 Jan) features artworks in a wide range of media, all inspired by the comic form and, more broadly, by the timeless art of storytelling, from the Greek myths onward. Find mysterious cities, unnerving fictional characters, racy neon works and eye-catching 3D sculptures: expect colour, excitement, intrigue and some dark undertones.
FFI WWW.VIEWARTGALLERY.CO.UK
features an exhibition of work by Uriel Orlow, a London-based Swiss artist who produces beautiful, thought-provoking art in various media. The Spike show (opens 26 Jan) includes Remnants of the Future, a multi-work installation inspired by a ghost city in Northern Armenia and ruminating on time travel, architecture, Armenian identity and the collapse of the Soviet Union. The ghost town in question is Mush (pictured above), a vast housing project that was constructed to accommodate the people displaced by a major earthquake in 1988. The building of the housing project was curtailed by the break-up of the Union, leaving the reconstruction of Mush in stasis - as one critic puts it, ‘a hollow concrete exoskeleton haunted by the spectres of failed state capitalism and the neglect of free markets’ (www.spikeisland.org.uk). Over in Bath, the Holburne Museum’s Painted Pomp (opens 26 Jan) features nine full-length Jacobean portraits by William Larkin, painted from 1613-18 and on loan to the museum from English Heritage. The portraits (depicting relatives of Thomas Howard, the first Earl of Suffolk) will be displayed alongside rare survivals of Jacobean dress in an exploration of art and fashion in the era of Shakespeare and James I. Their most striking features are the breathtaking costumes, recorded by the artist in painstaking detail to reflect the huge wealth and status of the sitters (www.holburne.org).
FOR MUCH MORE ART VISIT, WWW.VENUE.CO.UK 22 FOLIO/JAN 2013
What's on_Art 216.indd 22
12/19/2012 3:34:39 PM
FOLIO/JAN 2013 23
p23.indd 2
12/18/2012 3:16:41 PM
WHAT’S ON PERFORMANCE
STEALING THE SHOW Grab a seat in the front row for Steve Wright’s hot tickets from the world of THEATRE, CIRCUS, COMEDY & OPERA
Spoken Nerds: Steve Mould, Helen Arney & Matt Parker
COMEDY ROUND-UP
STEPTOE AND SON We’re always thrilled by the return to these parts of Kneehigh, the inimitable theatre company who turn out wonderfully inventive, physical and beautifully soundtracked theatre from their home in a series of barns off the south Cornwall coast. Over the past 10 years, shows like The Bacchae, Hansel and Gretel and Brief Encounter have been among the very best and most exciting theatre that Bristol and Bath have hosted: playful, dramatic stuff, shot through with a wonderful love of storytelling. And the very good news is that Kneehigh are back in town this winter with Steptoe and Son at the Bristol Old Vic. It’s a stage show of 23 JAN-9 FEB
➻ In Bravo Figaro (Tobacco
the much-loved TV comedy, adapted from Ray Galton and Alan Simpson’s original scripts. Bound together by birth, business and bloody bad luck, Cockney rag-and-bone men Albert and Harold Steptoe wake up every morning to the same old, sickening sight of each other. Joined at the hip and heart, they bother, bicker and banter their way through life - but do they even notice the world turning as they cling on? Kneehigh founder Mike Shepherd stars as the gap-toothed, leering Steptoe senior. FFI WWW.BRISTOLOLDVIC.ORG.UK
22 JAN-2 FEB This one-man touring show, which visits Bristol’s Tobacco Factory Theatre later this month, is a portrait of the toughguy actor and legendary hellraiser. From the boyhood excitement of learning that he was a descendant of Peter the Great, through the success of Oliver!, boozy adventures with Keith Moon and disastrous chatshow appearances, Rob Crouch’s solo show retraces a life well lived.
FFI WWW. TOBACCOFACTORYTHEATRE.COM
FFI WWW. BRISTOLHIPPODROME. ORG.UK
PIC: SEAMUS RYAN
OLIVER REED: WILD THING
22 JAN-24 FEB And talking of Oliver!… Cameron Mackintosh’s hit production of the Lionel Bart musical is heading out on a UK tour - and it starts right here in Bristol. Neil Morrissey (Men Behaving Badly, Skins) stars as Fagin, while Samantha Barks (soon hitting our cinema screens in the star-studded Les Miserables), plays Sikes’ long-suffering partner Nancy. Limber up those vocal chords for Food Glorious Food, Consider Yourself and all those other gems.
PIC: GRAHAM BURKE
OLIVER!
THE DOLPHIN CROSSING 30 JAN-2 FEB At Theatre Royal Bath, Bristol’s Blue Brook Productions stage Jill Paton Walsh’s children’s thriller about two boys who join the 1940 Dunkirk evacuation effort, crossing the Channel in their small boat to rescue some of the 340,000 British and French troops from the Pas de Calais beaches. At the heart of the tale is the friendship that forms between the two heroes - Pat, an evacuee from London, and John, a wellto-do boy from Kent.
FFI WWW.THEATREROYAL.ORG.UK
Factory, Bristol, 31 Jan-2 Feb), veteran comic Mark Thomas eschews his usual political fare to pay a heartfelt tribute to his father. First commissioned, extraordinarily, by the Royal Opera House, Bravo Figaro tells the true tale of this self-employed builder’s love of opera and his subsequent degenerative illness - and muses on how to stage an opera in a Bournemouth bungalow (www. tobaccofactorytheatre.com) ... Just up the street, Southville’s Comedy Box welcomes Elis James (25-26 Jan), a likeable Welsh comic who spins charming stories about his own daily mishaps (www. thecomedybox.co.uk) ... We like the sound of Festival of the Spoken Nerd (24 Jan, Rondo Theatre, Bath), in which ‘stand-up mathematician’ Matt Parker, geek songstress Helen Arney and experimenter Steve Mould present an evening of comedy, science, music, maths and interactive experiments, addressing such seminal questions as: How can you use a parabola to set stuff on fire? And indeed, how does the angler fish make love? (www.rondotheatre. co.uk) ... Across town, Komedia have their usually packed line-up of Saturday-night Krater Comedy sessions: three top circuit comics plus MC each night. Our pick of the January line-ups is the 19 Jan session, featuring Daliso Chaponda, a much-travelled Malawian who mixes politics, romance and religion into his confident sets (www.komedia.co.uk).
FOR MUCH MORE PERFORMANCE, VISIT WWW.VENUE.CO.UK 24 FOLIO/JAN 2013
What's on performance216.indd 24
12/19/2012 3:37:50 PM
WHAT’S ON MUSIC
THE BAND PLAYED ON From dazzling solo piano to country and yesteryear punk, Julian Owen picks this month’s top gigs and concerts
Weary Band: their beauteous harmonies will be a Bristol Acoustic Music Festival highlight
A MONTH IN BRISTOL
NELL BRYDEN FRI 25 JAN Brooklyn born and raised she might be, but, like many American performers before her, it’s here that Nell Bryden made her name. “I’ve had this dream since I was five, but it seemed to be in the hands of people who didn’t share it,” she says. Hence upping sticks and self-releasing her Shake the Tree album: “My father reminded me that I’ve never been the sort of person who sits around passively waiting for things to happen - I’m the kind who shakes the tree and makes the apple fall.” Things are certainly happening now. Lead single Buildings
and Treetops has been Smooth Radio’s mostplayed song of the year, while she’s starred at GuilFest, Radio 2’s Friday Night is Music Night, even the Olympics. Occasionally a little bit country, a little bit folk, always more than a little bit pop, with her lightness of voice and straightforward, soft-edged AOR arrangements, Bryden sounds something of a next-generation Judy Tzuke. Expect the intimacy of her date at Bristol’s Louisiana to be an unrepeatable treat. FFI WWW.THELOUISIANA.NET
GWILYM SIMCOCK
MITSUKO UCHIDA You don’t get awarded one of the classical world’s very top honours - the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Gold Medal - without being quite extraordinarily virtuosic. Nor, as a rule, do you get to be made a Dame by the queen without boasting broad appeal. Thus, impressive twin feats from Japanborn naturalised Brit Mitsuko Uchida, the pianist heading to St George’s Bristol. FRI 11 JAN
FFI WWW.STGEORGESBRISTOL.CO.UK
WED 23 JAN To walk the border between jazz and classical music is a tricky path to navigate. At least, it is if you want to take anyone along with you. Not so when the guide is brilliantly accessible pianist Gwilym Simcock, whose wonderful lyricism transcends all notions of WED-THUR 16-17 JAN Nine studio a ‘difficult’ listen. The albums? How on earth is Ronan former winner of Best Keating touring his ninth studio Instrumentalist at the album? That was a rhetorical BBC Jazz Awards, and question. The former Boyzone the man described by man is touring with a support Chick Corea as “a act once widely considered his creative genius”, band’s chief rival: Brian comes to Bath's McFadden, of fellow boyband Michael Tippett chancers Westlife. The Fires Live Centre. tour burns up Bristol’s Colston FFI WWW. Hall.
RONAN KEATING
MICHAELTIPPETT CENTRE.ORG
FFI WWW.COLSTONHALL.ORG
➻ We’ll give you the name, you tell us the genre. Okay, go: Cory Chisel... Yes, of course he’s a country singer, all set to ramble over to St Bonaventure’s on Wed 23 Jan. Actually, we’re cheating a bit: he’s also a blues singer, gospel, lashings of rock‘n’roll - everything, essentially, you’d expect to find in the promotion of an album recorded in Nashville and named Old Believers … Speaking of which, fans of yesteryear punking are in for a treat on Fri 11 Jan, when Peter and the Test Tube Babies bring their tongue-in-cheek tuneage to the Fleece. Moving along: Spin Doctors. Currently residing in the Where Are They Now file? Actually, no they’re sharing space with Peter and friends in the About to Play the Fleece file. Specifically, on Sun 27 Jan, to remind us why, in 1992, tracks like Two Princes and Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong briefly made them just about the biggest nongrunge band in the world … The first festival of the year is just around the corner and, as ever, takes the form of the Bristol Acoustic Music Festival, celebrating its 10th anniversary at St George’s Bristol from 18-20 Jan. Top draw for our money is the Weary Band, whose beauteous harmonies headline Saturday night. If you’re making a day of it, make a date for glorious homegrown country aces The Shrinks at 3.15pm.
FOR MUCH MORE MUSIC, VISIT WWW.VENUE.CO.UK FOLIO/JAN 2013 25
What's on_Music 216.indd 25
12/19/2012 4:29:09 PM
WHAT’S ON
DAYS OUT
BORN FREE
Both pics: fowl play at the Windmill Hill City Farm
Too many kids, too little money? Anna Britten finds you some frugal new year fun
Y
ou may have spent January’s pay packet by Christmas Eve, but there’s still plenty to do as a family this month without spending a penny (or, at least, not as many pennies as it would cost to take them all to see The Hobbit). Here are a few suggestions to eek things out until payday.
ORGANISE A GARAGE SALE FOR CHARITY
YOU’LL NEED a table, some old toys/books/etc, charming sales patter. COST free. Declutter, teach the kids economics, get them out of the house and raise money for a good cause in the process. ‘How?’ you cry. Simple. Gather together any unwanted Christmas presents, and toys
or books that the kids have grown out of. Lay them out for sale on a little table - or coffee table, or row of upturned shoe boxes - in the front garden, or on the pavement (if you’re fortunate enough to live in an area where pavements are used for walking on and conversing pleasantly with your neighbours). Get the kids busy painting an eye-catching sign explaining what the enterprise is, setting prices and making price tags - then set them out into the world of business. You’ll be amazed by how long kids can sit still when there’s a whiff of money on the horizon. Take the sting out of the fact that all proceeds are going to charity by letting your little entrepreneurs choose which local one to give it to - scroll through the options on www. charitychoice.co.uk/charities/ south-west. Yes, they’ll choose the donkey sanctuary.
TAKE A BUS TRIP YOU’LL NEED bus tickets, snacks, willingness to say ‘No, really…’ a lot when people ask what you’re planning. COST around £10 for a parent and two kids. Bear with us. We’re well aware that, for an adult, bus travel ranks alongside smear tests, laparoscopies and parents’ evenings in the ‘things no one in their right mind would do for pleasure’ stakes. But for today’s kid - usually chauffeured around in a car - busses are wondrous things. They’re huge, lumbering metal beasts! You can sit where you want! Without a seatbelt! There are huge windows and loads of other people to look at! Pick a crosscountry route, with something nice at the end (big park, friend, cake shop), avoid rush hour, and get on board. Two bus trips that Folio has enjoyed with nippers are Bath to Frome and
back, through strolling countryside and cute villages, and Bristol to Portishead, which ends with a look at the boats in the marina. Look up routes at a bus-stop near you or via www. firstgroup.com/ukbus/bristol_ bath and www.faresaver.co.uk. It all just got a little bit easier, too, with the launch of www. travelwest.info which uses the latest technology to bring you real-time bus info and mapbased travel information. VISIT A CITY FARM YOU’LL NEED warm clothes, snacks, a liberal attitude to farmyard smells. COST gratis (but it would be very bad form not to leave a donation). Bristol and Bath’s city
26 FOLIO/JAN 2013
What's on_Daysout 216.indd 26
12/19/2012 3:14:16 PM
WHAT’S ON farms supply many an urban nipper with their first-ever view of country life, offering a range of livestock and oneoff kids’ events and schoolholiday play schemes. All are free to get into, but please give them a donation as they operate on a shoestring. BATH CITY FARM KELSTON VIEW, WHITEWAY, BATH, BA2. FFI: 01225 481269, WWW. BATHCITYFARM.ORG.UK HARTCLIFFE COMMUNITY FARM LAMPTON AVE, HARTCLIFFE, BRISTOL, BS13. FFI: 0117 978 2014, WWW. HARTCLIFFEFARM.ORG LAWRENCE WESTON COMMUNITY FARM SALTMARSH DRIVE, LAWRENCE WESTON, BRISTOL, BS11. FFI: 0117 938 1128, WWW.LWFARM. ORG.UK ST WERBURGHS CITY FARM WATERCRESS RD, ST WERBURGHS, BRISTOL, BS2. FFI: 0117 942 8241, WWW. SWCITYFARM.ORG.UK WINDMILL HILL CITY FARM PHILIP ST, BEDMINSTER, BRISTOL, BS3. FFI: 0117 963 3252, WWW. WINDMILLHILLCITYFARM.ORG. UK
TRY GEOCACHING
YOU’LL NEED smartphone, warm clothes, snacks. COST zip. It’s the humble treasure hunt rebooted for the 21st century. Log onto a geocaching website or download an app (there are a few to chose from). Follow the GPS co-ordinates to find a ‘cache’ near you. This is a watertight container - anything from a Tupperware lunchbox to a 35mm film canister - inside which you’ll find a daft little trinket (something like a Christmas-cracker toy, Top Trumps card, button, unusual coin, CD, book) and a log book. The phone will bleep when you get within about 15 metres of the ‘cache’, and your ingenuity will do the rest. You then write a little note (eg ‘TFTC’, or ‘Thanks for the Find’), take the trinket, and leave one of your own of equal of higher value. Suitable for all ages, 24/7, geocaching can be simple enough to do with small kids, or adventurous and complicated enough (you can end up on mountainsides or in underwater caves!) to keep teenagers absorbed for hours.
FFI TRY GEOCACHING FOR FREE WITH THE NATIONAL TRUST: WWW. NATIONALTRUST.ORG.UK/VISIT/ ACTIVITIES/GEO-CACHING. TO FIND OUT ABOUT GEOCACHES NEAR YOU: WWW.GEOCACHING.COM, WWW. OPENCACHING.ORG.UK
LINGER IN A MUSEUM
the ability to handle a clipboard and pencil, snacks. COST nada. Bristol City Council’s free museums are doing a great job. The Bristol City Museum & Art Gallery, Georgian House, Blaise Castle House Museum and Red Lodge are all fascinating and totally gratis, and - in addition to permanent child-oriented guides and trails - many of them organise terrific family and children’s events on an ad hoc basis, particularly during school holidays (visit www. bristol.gov.uk/museums). In Bath, admission to the council-run Victoria Art Gallery is free, and there’s a permanent collection that includes big-name painters, a kids’ colouring corner as well as a gallery for visiting exhibitions. Be sure to get yourself a free Discovery Card (01225 477785, www.bathnes.gov.uk) - this gets you into the Roman Baths and Fashion Museum for free, and entitles you to big discounts at a lot of other local heritage attractions. YOU’LL NEED
SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY
YOU’LL NEED a library card, or recent proof of address. COST nothing. Aside from all those adorable vintage must-haves known as books, libraries nowadays offer free internet access and regular kids’ events. During the summer holidays they really pull out all the stops, with storytimes, workshops, entertainers (magicians, puppet shows, etc), Q&As with interesting local bods like vets, firefighters and police officers, and much, much more.
FFI WWW.BRISTOL.GOV.UK/LIBRARIES, WWW.BATHNES.GOV.UK/LIBRARIES
RUN ABOUT IN A PARK, PLAYGROUND OR GARDEN
YOU’LL NEED warm clothes, snacks, tissues for making wet swings dry. COST zero. Have you checked out some of the region’s best council-funded parks lately? Bath’s downright wonderful and award-winning Royal Victoria Park Play Area, for starters. As well
Above: a warm welcome is assured at the Georgian House; below: Bristol City Museum & Art Gallery - fascinating
as a big draw for locals, it’s well worth a trip along the A4 for Bristol parents (the rather nice Hop Pole pub opposite is another draw). And don’t forget Alice Park on the eastern edge of town, with its tennis courts, mini road layout for cycling, and lovely cafe. In Bristol home to more than 450 diverse parks and open spaces - Blaise Castle Estate, Brandon Hill and Hengrove Play Park also offer hours of energetic fun, for zero pence. They host over 250 events and activities each year, from family fundays and music concerts to guided walks and practical activities (call the council’s Parks division on 0117 922 3719 for further info, or visit www.bristol. gov.uk/parks). FOLIO/JAN 2013 27
What's on_Daysout 216.indd 27
12/19/2012 3:14:42 PM
28 FOLIO/JAN 2013
p28.indd 1
12/19/2012 1:01:56 PM
COMPETITIONS
WIN A MEAL FOR FOUR AT THE CLIFTON SAUSAGE
If there’s been a single West Country establishment responsible for transforming the role of the sausage from humble, almost apologetic accompaniment into gastronomically audacious, tastebud-firing main event, that place must surely be the Clifton Sausage. Dazzlingly imaginative varieties include beef & Spitfire ale and hickory smoked pork & maple, plus dozens more - the whole range is an utterly sizzling delight. And this month you’ve the chance to take a whole team of tasters along, as Clifton Sausage offer the chance to enjoy a three-course meal for four people. Note that even if, for some extraordinary reason, sausages aren’t quite your thing, you’re still wonderfully catered for: take pan-fried calves’ liver, parsnip mash, braised red cabbage and smoked bacon, for example. Or, if you’re veggie inclined, how about English wild mushroom, thyme and shallot tartlet, and sauteed potatoes with chestnuts and truffle? And did we mention that they’re even throwing in a couple of bottles of wine? Our tip: start with that fresh and floral white, the Flagstone Viognier. Then, for mains, switch to Pinotage, and the earthy, smoky tones of Flagstone Writer’s Block. THE CLIFTON SAUSAGE 7 PORTLAND ST, CLIFTON VILLAGE, BRISTOL. FFI: 0117 973 1192, WWW.CLIFTONSAUSAGE.CO.UK
TO ENTER ➻ MEAL FOR FOUR AT THE CLIFTON SAUSAGE
Just answer the following question: Clifton Sausage offer a sausage made from beef and what kind of aircraft-themed ale? Email your answer, with ‘Clifton Sausage’ in the subject line, to: editor@ foliomagazine.co.uk by Wed 16 Jan. Entries after this date will not be counted. Winner will be picked at random and notified by week commencing 21 Jan. Please include your full contact details (name, address, postcode, email, mobile, landline).
WIN A MEAL FOR 4
fabulous COMPS
Enter today to be in with a chance of winning these great prizes!
➻ VOUCHERS WORTH £200 FROM SPABREAKS.COM
Just answer the following question: How many packages do Spabreaks.com offer at any one time? Email your answer, with ‘Spabreaks.com’ in the subject line, to: editor@foliomagazine.co.uk by Wed 16 Jan. Entries after this date will not be counted. Winner will be picked at random and notified by week commencing 21 Jan. Please include your full contact details (name, address, postcode, email, mobile, landline). Terms and conditions: bookings subject to availability; vouchers valid for six months from date of issue. LAST MONTH'S WINNERS Traffic People Christmas Party Dress Congratulations to Sophie Chippindale from Bath who won an £82 dress from Traffic People boutique, Milsom Place, Bath. Mall Winter Wonderland Family Skating Passes Congratulations to Robert Moore of Broomhill, Gabrielle Chambers of Bath, Maxine Earl of Hanham, Jeanie Thurlow of Montpelier and Helen Sawyer of Horfield who each won a family pass to the outdoor ice rink at The Mall at Cribbs Causeway’s Winter Wonderland.
WIN PAMPERING SPA VOUCHERS
WIN £200 SPA BREAK
Christmas was supposed to be a holiday, right? But if you’ve had to endure the company of some of the most awkward people in the world, just because you share a couple of genes in common, it no doubt felt like hard work. So here’s a sheer, unadulterated treat the promise of relaxation to make 2013 a happy new year indeed. Spabreaks.com are giving you the chance to win £200 of spa vouchers to spend at one of more than 500 venues around the world. It’s a chance to leave behind your role as eternally patient diplomat and step straight into a fluffy white robe; a towelling gateway to a world where it’s all about what you want. And you can’t possibly fail to find what you want - as the UK’s largest spa-booking agency, Spabreaks.com boast more than 2,000 packages on offer at any one time. Give them a call, or have a nose at their website to drink in the huge range of treats on offer and indulge in that wave of relaxed anticipation. SPABREAKS.COM FFI: 0800 043 6600, WWW.SPABREAKS.COM
FOLIO/JAN 2013 29
Competitions 216.indd 29
12/19/2012 4:25:35 PM
NEWS REVIEWS RECIPES TOP TENS FEATURES NEWS REVIEWS RECIPES TOP TENS FEATURES
➻ EATINGOUTWEST
PUNK BEERS, ELECTRIC TAKEAWAYS, VENETIAN CICCHETTI AND MORE… NEW OPENING
MAKING HISTORY
➻ Train passengers arriving at Bath Spa will have noticed the earlier arrival of what appears to be the snazziest station buffet in the entire UK rail network. The bright and stylish new neighbour is, in fact, Graze - the latest flagship of the Bath Ales empire, and their biggest enterprise to date. Purpose-built as part of the new Bath Spa ‘food quarter’ development, the bar combines a smart drinking area with a dining space offering a ‘seriously meaty’ British chophouse menu that makes full use of a Josper charcoal super-oven. You can even see the steaks dry-ageing in Graze’s own meat hanging room, though less carnivorous customers will be relieved to know that, as well as a range of smallplate tapas-style dishes, they also serve fish, seafood and vegetarian main courses. But what’s getting the real ale fraternity excited are four little woodclad brewing vats in the corner of the bar, the visible part of Bath Ales’ first in-house microbrewery, producing limited-edition craft ales as part of the Graze project. It’s a historic development, not least because ever since the brewery company registered the name of Bath Ales in 1995, they’ve never actually brewed a drop in Bath itself, though that was always the plan. Their first premises - the old Smiles brewery in Henstridge - did at least have a BA postcode, but they moved from there to Siston, outside Bristol, and thence to their ever-growing stateof-the-art premises in Warmley. So when the Graze microbrewery finally produce their first Bathbrewed pint, it’ll mark the end of 18 years of anticipation while also registering the shift in taste from earthy English traditional real ales to the crisp sophistication of US-style craft beers. So… fat steaks, stylish ales and smart surroundings - but where will the trainspotters put their anoraks? GRAZE BATH 9 BRUNEL SQUARE, BATH. FFI: 01225 429392, WWW.BATHALES.COM
CELEBRITY CHEF
ZILLI MONEY ➻
With its elegant decor and oldschool presentation, Italian restaurant San Carlo is the last reminder of a time when Bristol’s Corn Street was actually quite a smart part of town, where people went out to celebrate in smart surroundings. Easily spotted by the distinctive flaming torch over the door, the always busy San Carlo offers an easy formality and sense of occasion as waiters in bright red braces quietly speed nicely presented contemporary Italian food to your table. It would have been a case of ‘ain’t broke, don’t fix it’, had the San Carlo group not had an offer they couldn’t refuse from Italian celebrity chef Aldo Zilli (pictured here with general
manager Tony DeDomnici), famed in particular for the seafood dishes at his Zilli Fish seafood restaurant in London’s Soho. The great man has become ‘chef consilere’ to the familyowned group’s 12 restaurants up and down the country, working with their executive chefs to share some of the skill, knowledge and passion he brings to his cooking. He’s particularly keen to develop ‘cicchetti’, a small-plate style of eating that originates from the bars of Venice and offers the kind of intense flavours and textures for which Zilli has always been renowned. SAN CARLO 44 CORN ST, BRISTOL. FFI: 0117 922 6586, WWW.SANCARLO.CO.UK/ BRISTOL
30 FOLIO/JAN 2013
EOW dps 216.indd 30
12/19/2012 4:10:51 PM
EATINGOUTWEST BURNS NIGHT
GREAT SCOT
MAVERICK BREWERS
HAIR OF THE DOG ➻ They make killer beer with names like
Tactical Nuclear Penguin, Punk IPA and Christmas Paradox. Their End of History brew ran out at a record-breaking 55% ABV and sold for £500 in a limited edition, with each bottle packed in the stuffed dead body of a small animal. They claim to use an ‘anti-business business model’ and so annoyed the mighty Diageo company that the corporate booze giant tried to prevent them winning Bar Operator of the Year at the 2012 British Institute of Innkeeping awards (even though their name had already been engraved on the trophy). Real ale buffs may have always taken their tippling pleasures very seriously, but the young turks behind BrewDog seem not to take anything seriously at all. Armed with only a bank loan, Martin Dickie and James Watt set up their Fraserburgh independent craft beer
business in 2007, just before the credit started to crunch. Four recessive years later, BrewDog’s beer production had risen 26-fold, and more than 5,000 people had taken advantage of their Equity for Punks online share offer. The money raised (some £2.2m) enabled them to open eight bars, spilling their anarchic message - ‘Walk tall, kick ass and learn to speak craft beer’ - south from Aberdeen and arriving in Bristol at the end of 2012. The brewing is the one thing they do take seriously, as devoted customers will quickly aver, and their ales already scoop awards in the world’s craft beer competitions. Astonishingly, Dickie and Watt have yet to hit 30, so it’s no wonder that Diageo are worried. BREWDOG 58 BALDWIN ST, BRISTOL. FFI: 0117 927 9258, WWW.BREWDOG.COM
➻ It was his appearances on Scottish TV that got award-winning chef Dougal ‘Dougie’ Bonar dubbed the Kilted Chef, and it seemed only appropriate to re-use the moniker for the restaurant he and his partners opened in Bath. The place’s instant success owes much to Bonar’s commitment to the freshest seasonal produce and a creative flair with ingredients as to the unhurried ethos of ‘long dining’ - they anticipate you spending a relaxed couple of hours over your meal, and you’re offered a choice of multi-course taster menus alongside the ALC. Naturally they’re planning a splendid Burns Night special for 25 Jan. THE KILTED CHEF 7A KINGSMEAD SQUARE, BATH. FFI: 01225 466688, WWW.KILTEDCHEF.CO
HOME DELIVERY
GOURMET TO GO ➻ Whoever it was who said that eating in is the new eating out probably wanted to sell cookery books. Enterprising environmental researcher Dotun Olowoporoku has taken the idea further, however, by launching FoodCouriers, a new service linking good-quality Bristol restaurants with hungry home-bound customers. Thanks to FoodCouriers, you can enjoy the fruits of the kitchens of Kathmandu, Myristica, Creole Brasserie and others, or even order fresh fish from the Fish Shop on Gloucester Road. Best of all, given Dotun’s green credentials, most deliveries
within two miles are done using electric bikes rather than cars. It’s an ingenious way for restaurants to link to a wider customer base, and a great new opportunity for quality home dining. Since launching in 2012, the scheme has really taken off, so this year Dotun has plans to extend it to individual chefs cooking from home, too. And all you have to do is order from the website and wait for the doorbell. FOODCOURIERS FFI: WWW.FOODCOURIERS. COM
FOLIO/JAN 2013 31
EOW dps 216.indd 31
12/19/2012 4:11:14 PM
EATINGOUTWEST
Left: The Hare & Hounds received a refreshing revamp; above and right: Bath’s acclaimed newbie Allium Brasserie; below: The Curfew got a welcome makeover
LIP SMACKINGLY
GOOD Above: the gleaming new Gourmet Burger Kitchen; below: laidback glamour combines with locally sourced British sensibilities at the Roman Baths Kitchen
In our new year round-up of the local foodie scene, Melissa Blease looks at last year’s big hitters and 2013’s rising stars
This pic and right: part of Bath’s chain invasion – Carluccio’s
32 FOLIO/JAN 2013
EOW Feature_WHATS NEW216.indd 32
12/19/2012 4:33:27 PM
EATINGOUTWEST
T
Its original reputation may be built on an illustrious history, but time in contemporary Bath doesn’t stand still for long - certainly not in restaurant terms, at least. Few new openings, however, cause as big a stir as our favourite newbies did when three superchefs opened their doors to three of the best restaurants in the city, all within a couple of months of each other… Step forward, in order of appearance, Gordon Jones (Menu Gordon Jones, Bear Flat), Chris Staines (Allium Brasserie, North Parade) and Dougie Bonar (The Kilted Chef, Kingsmead Square), who between them amassed a staggering 29 stars out of 30 on our review pages and continue to delight, amaze and enthrall all who followed in our footsteps - and not a single link in any kind of chain between them. Elsewhere in the independent world, lively watering hole (and, bizarrely enough, nail bar) Rhubarb flourished in the Grove Street nest vacated by Fubar earlier in the year, Nonna’s brought an authentic taste of Italian home cooking to Gay Street, former Michelin-starred chef Rob Pearce gave the careworn
Curfew a welcome makeover (see Pub of the Issue, page 48) and the duo responsible for both the Marlborough Tavern and Chequers took former carvery-and-meal-deal yuk-spot the Hare & Hounds (Lansdown) under their competent wings and treated it to a thoroughly refreshing revamp. Abbey Ales, meanwhile, waved a similarly stylish wand over the Trinity Inn (James Street West), the Roman Baths Kitchen combined laidback glamour with locally sourced modern British sensibilities to great effect on Abbey Churchyard and Sam Moody regained a Michelin star for the Bath Priory… Quite a lot to digest already, yes? But the main course is yet to come. A veritable chain invasion got a grip on Bath in 2012, with Brasserie Blanc (Queen Square) and Carluccio’s (Milsom Place) paving the way for the imminent arrival of Mexican chain Chimichanga, set to open any day now on Sawclose (there’s also a brand new Cowshed venture coming soon to Bladud Buildings/The Paragon, but two branches does not a chain make). At the other end of town (right next to the railway station, to be precise), businesses based at The Vaults - the final piece in the jigsaw that is the SouthGate development - opened
just as the old year came to a close, bringing a branch of Bath Ales’ Graze Bar & Chophouse, a gleaming new Gourmet Burger Kitchen and a third Bertinet Bakery to the Bath food fight. Fortunately, though, fighting wasn’t on the agenda at either the second Bath Good Food Awards or the Big Bath Feast, a month-long timetable of events that brought all Bath’s eateries and a handful of visiting celebrity chef superstars together in one big, glorious celebration of local food. The BBF is all set to do it all again in October 2013, by which time - if dear old Lady Bath continues to keep taking whatever vital vitamins she’s on Bath will have more restaurants per capita than Bristol and London combined. Bristol, meanwhile, went its own less conventional way in 2012, establishing trends that are set to continue long into the new year. Street food is the buzzword on every fashionable foodie’s lips, and a glorious celebration of the art of the moveable feast, courtesy of Josh Eggleton (Pony & Trap, Chew Magna) and Tipi Events mastermind Luke Hasell, kept us munching merrily for 12 days in May when the Eat Drink Bristol Fashion shebang transformed ➻ FOLIO/JAN 2013 33
EOW Feature_WHATS NEW216.indd 33
12/19/2012 4:34:40 PM
EATINGOUTWEST
SO LAST YEAR…! ➻ Fashionable new-season food… the lowdown on what’s hot and what’s not
Above: new Bath Ales venture Beerd; top right: haven of exotica – Namaskar; inset: Bertinet Bakery
Queen Square into one big prandial party. Will they do it again this year? Here’s hoping. Also worthy of a big, tasty shout-out for taking decent food to the streets, Eating Out West applauds Nathan Muir (Robin Hood’s Retreat hob god) for bringing his Stray Dogs - the tastiest ‘haute’ hot dogs you’ll ever encounter to the Bank, Stokes Croft, as well as roaming gourmet buttie brigade Meat & Bread (www.meatandbread.co.uk) for reinventing the tired old sarnie. Will the new faces on the fast-food scene put an end to dodgy takeaways for ever in 2013? It’s quite possible. Folk who prefer their gourmet-to-go experiences to come to them took to both Housebites (a collective of real chefs eager to cook real food and deliver it to your real home: www. housebites.com) and Food Couriers (www.foodcouriers.co.uk) with gusto. Blimey, it’s a wonder the ‘traditional’ restaurant world hasn’t wound down altogether in Bristol! But it most certainly hasn’t. New kids on the Bristol block include utterly gorgeous contemporary bistro Wilks (formerly Markwicks) on Chandos Road, the unique (around these parts, anyway) Louisianathemed Creole Brasserie at Clifton Down Shopping Centre, the haven of exotica that is Namaskar Lounge on
Welsh Back and the cheerful Cherry Duck just around the corner. Elsewhere, Roosters Piri Piri rather cheekily chirped their way into premises next door to Nando’s on Park Street and Zizzi (The Triangle, Clifton) underwent a spiffing refurbishment and totally transformed their dining room with artwork courtesy of local graffiti artist Silent Hobo. Real ale fans, meanwhile, who like to view their dish of the day through beer goggles, will doubtless make new Bath Ales venture Beerd (a glorious craft beer and pizza bar on St Michael’s Hill) their new second home - if, that is, they manage to tear themselves away from the bar at the vibrant BrewDog, the ultimate specialists in rare, eclectic brews on Baldwin Street. As we go to press, we’re eagerly awaiting confirmation regarding a brand-new Hugh FearnleyWhittingstall/River Cottage venture on Whiteladies Road (and keeping our fingers crossed that, should it come to fruition, it lasts a bit longer than their Bath Komedia collaboration). But whatever happens, one thing is guaranteed: the food scene in Bristol and Bath is set to be tastier than ever before in 2013 - tuck in!
LAST YEAR THIS YEAR
salted caramel chilli popcorn
LAST YEAR THIS YEAR
shank and cheek shin and Barnsley chops
LAST YEAR THIS YEAR
sourdough
LAST YEAR THIS YEAR
foraging. urban bee-keeping
LAST YEAR THIS YEAR
artisan sausage rolls. gourmet Scotch eggs
LAST YEAR THIS YEAR
macaroons alfajores
LAST YEAR THIS YEAR
set menu no menu
LAST YEAR THIS YEAR
drizzles and smears ‘sands’ and ‘dusts’
LAST YEAR THIS YEAR
crusted quail’s egg slow-poached duck egg
LAST YEAR THIS YEAR
black pudding boudin noir
LAST YEAR THIS YEAR
the takeaway street food
soda bread
34 FOLIO/JAN 2013
EOW Feature_WHATS NEW216.indd 34
12/19/2012 4:15:33 PM
FOLIO/JAN 2013 35
p35.indd 2
12/19/2012 2:54:35 PM
EATINGOUTWEST
These three pictures, and bottom: Riverford can deliver all manner of healthy food to your home
THE GOOD
LIFE
Time to eat your way into a healthier 2013? Tony Benjamin promises not to preach
36 FOLIO/JAN 2013
EOW Review_HealthyEating 216.indd 36
12/19/2012 4:23:16 PM
EATINGOUTWEST
Left: fine dining and strictly vegetarian - demuths; above & below: sushi is delicious and healthy
T
hat’s it then. All too soon the party’s over, and after a few desultory rows about which exactly is Twelfth Night, the whole ‘holidays’ thing can be packed away for another year. You’ll have got a few nice presents to show for it, plus some pleasant (if hazy) memories and then, if you’re realistic, a lingering sense of what you’ve just put your poor longsuffering body through. Again. Now far be it from us to get all preachy - there’s too much potential for pot’n’kettle irony regarding our own lifestyles to try that one - but in the spirit of spring cleaning, we just thought that you might like to share a few thoughts on cleaning up the old dietary act a bit. So, without once mentioning the dreaded new year ‘r’ word, here they are…
BOXING CLEVER
Whether or not you can rustle up the full five-a-day, there’s no doubt that
getting more fresh fruit and veg into your system makes you a healthier proposition. Signing up for a weekly veg-box delivery means a supply of fresh, seasonal and organic stuff brought to you year-round. If you opt for the bigger suppliers like Devonbased Riverford Organic Farms, they can offer a whole range of fruit, veg, salad and meat boxes in a variety of sizes. Don’t worry about being landed with something you can’t cook, either, as their website offers recipe ideas for everything from kale to kohl rhabi. There’s a range of local boxers, too, like Bath’s JP Organics, the Better Food Company-linked Community Farm in the Chew Valley, and Leigh Court Farm, just across the Avon Gorge from Bristol. THE COMMUNITY FARM FFI: WWW. THECOMMUNITYFARM.CO.UK JP ORGANICS FFI: WWW.JPORGANICS. CO.UK LEIGH COURT FARM FFI: WWW. LEIGHCOURTFARM.ORG.UK RIVERFORD ORGANIC FARMS FFI: WWW. RIVERFORD.CO.UK
FISHING FOR COMPLIMENTS
It’s all about the omega-3, right? Not only are fish low in the bad stuff that you’ll pick up from those bacon butties, but oily fish also has the magic omega-3 oil that sorts out your arteries, reduces depression and, if the somewhat unreliable Bertie Wooster is FOLIO/JAN 2013 37
EOW Review_HealthyEating 216.indd 37
12/19/2012 4:23:39 PM
EATINGOUTWEST
to be trusted for once, is deucedly good for the old grey matter, what? And according to research in Mauritius, children who eat more fish are less likely to become criminals. Plus it can be pretty delicious, not least in the hands of a Japanese sushi chef, so let’s eat more of that teriyaki salmon, tuna sashimi and nigiri - the average Japanese person eats half a pound of fish a day and, sumo wrestlers aside, there’s a lot less obesity over there. Bath’s splendid Yen Sushi is a great place to start, while central Bristol offers Obento and Masa, with Clifton’s Noa Japanese a real touch of classy dining. Then there’s the grab-andflee Yo! Sushi bars in every shopping nexus - Cribbs Causeway, Cabot Circus, Milsom Street - and you can even get a sushi breakfast from 6am at Bath Spa Station’s Dashi Sushi. MASA FFI: WWW. MASAJAPANESERESTAURANT.COM NOA JAPANESE FFI: WWW.NOAJAPANESE. CO.UK OBENTO FFI: WWW.OBENTO-BRISTOL. CO.UK YEN SUSHI FFI: WWW.YENSUSHI.CO.UK YO! SUSHI! FFI: WWW.YOSUSHI.COM
MEATING LESS
Above & top right: the impressively vegetarian Cafe Maitreya; eat your five-a-day - you know it makes sense!
Whatever the health gurus say, many people are deeply wedded to the idea that a meal starts with meat. For them, it’s a case of the more the merrier - “A 24oz rib-eye? Does it come any larger?” - with some stodgy carbs and, maybe, if there’s room on the plate, a garnish of something more vitamin-bearing. It’s a deeprooted part of our culture that has a lot to do with our collective supersizing and arterial sludge levels, as well as making life more expensive. Persuading the meatminded to try something meat-free has never been easy, not helped by the traditional willingness of some vegetarians to live on bland and uninviting (but wholesome) stodge. It really doesn’t have to be that way,
though, and a visit to demuths, Bath’s vegetarian fine-dining restaurant, has opened the eyes of many a carnivore, thanks to a reputation for luxurious and delicious meatless dishes. Maitreya Social in Bristol has a similarly impressive track record, while the truly daring can even go vegan happily at the ever-bustling Cafe Kino in Stokes Croft. The animal-free menu at the Porter in Bath has always been much-loved, too. CAFE KINO FFI: WWW.CAFE-KINO.COM DEMUTHS FFI: WWW.DEMUTHS.CO.UK MAITREYA SOCIAL FFI: WWW. CAFEMAITREYA.CO.UK THE PORTER FFI: WWW.THEPORTER.CO.UK
HEALTHY NOT EATING
And finally, of course, there’s the somewhat grimmer prospect of what it might be healthier not to eat those dietary disasters we all think of as pick-me-up treats lurking in the desk drawer, dashboard or handbag that just help to pass the time. Is it
out of the question to maybe leave them out from time to time? Or switch to the old five-a-day alternatives? We promised not to get preachy, so we won’t, but in return you could maybe promise not to drive to the shops for those - the walk just might do you good.
38 FOLIO/JAN 2013
EOW Review_HealthyEating 216.indd 38
12/19/2012 4:24:00 PM
wilks
restaurant
Champagne & Perigord truffles £65 per person
glass of champagne velvety chestnut veloute ~ truffle cream
indulgent
pan seared Cornish scallop ~ shellfish & truffle emulsion
from land & sea
fillet of wild brill ~ cepes, potato gnocchi & mushroom broth
a classic revisited
haunch of wild Exmoor venison ‘Rossini’ ~ Madeira & truffle jus
refreshing mulled wine sorbet
in winter
Prize draw New Years menu Each couple who book are automatically put into a draw to win their dinner and glass of champagne for two on the house.
a snowball ~ textures of almond, vanilla...
organic
Finn soft cow’s milk cheese ~ truffle, apple & fennel
Optional wine pairing £30 per person (5 glasses) Vegetarian 7 course tasting menu with truffles & Champagne also available
1-3 Chandos Road, Redland, Bristol BS6 6PG | 0117 9737 999 | info@wilksrestaurant.co.uk
FOLIO/JAN 2013 39
p39.indd 2
12/19/2012 12:28:41 PM
EATINGOUTWEST
(Review)
GOURMET BURGER KITCHEN
Melissa Blease is impressed by the good food, unique environs and unfussy service at the Bath branch of this upmarket burger chain
A
decent burger is a thing of beauty to behold, not least of all to scoff. Few people can resist the allure of a slab of freshly chargrilled, real meat (or the veggie alternative: I discovered plenty of excellent face-free options at this month’s restaurant-of-choice), wedged between two halves of a real bun, with all the classic accompaniments (mayo, onion, tomatoes, dill pickles, cheese, etc) readily available should you wish to indulge in a bespoke experience, as straightforward or as messy-to-eat as you wish. A burger is the treat I’m most likely to order when out and about on a non-reviewing jaunt - for any even half-decent chef, creating a proper burger should be a given, not a test of mettle. So, when a brand-new (to Bath, at least) burgerspecific haven opened its doors in my very own ’hood, the prospect of reviewing a diner that’s more or less already decided what I’m going to eat before I even set foot in the place gave me a winter mission to really look forward to. Many people are already familiar with the Gourmet Burger Kitchen concept - the Bath incarnation is the 55th in a chain of identical ventures throughout the UK (including two in Bristol). But the GBK isn’t familiar to me - and not just because there hasn’t, until now, been a branch on my doorstep. I make no bones about the fact that I generally eschew chains, but several have of late invaded the Heritage City which have proved to not only exceed my expectations but alter my perceptions, too. Responsible sourcing has at last started to replace how-low-can-we go ingredients, and while one link of each chain
“My Taxi Driver burger came with American cheese, crispy onion ring, spicy Cajun relish and dusky smoked chilli mayo, teamed with sweet potato fries” may be pretty much identical to any of the others in the gang, Bath - home to a myriad of characterful, historic, protected locations - can force the identikits to present a far less faceless personality than their related ventures in other UK cities. And the GBK is a stunning example of the new face of the replicated chain. Not only are sourcing policies impeccable, but the restaurant itself is wholly unique, situated as it is in one of the recently exposed, refurbished vaults adjacent to Bath Spa Railway Station. I thoroughly enjoyed sitting at a table under ancient, curved arches, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel more than 170 years ago, which were forced to spend most of their modern history hidden
away beneath a tatty car park. I heartily approved of the efficient, unfussy service strategy (peruse the straightforward menu, take advice as and when you need it from wellinformed and friendly staff, go forth and order at tills next to a buzzing open kitchen). And lo, it came to pass that a boisterous burger-feast arrived at our table before we’d stuffed our faces on the complimentary monkey nuts or began to bicker over the last piece of griddled halloumi that we’d ordered as a while-you-wait. My ‘Taxi Driver’ burger came topped with American cheese, crispy onion ring, spicy Cajun relish and dusky smoked chilli mayo (£9.45), teamed with sweet potato fries (a highly recommended option). He,
meanwhile, tucked into the ‘Bah Humbug Bundle’: £14.95 for a burger stack loaded with smoked cheese, bacon, mustard mayo, crispy shallots and pickle, which he chose to accompany with ’slaw instead of a bun so that he could do proper justice to the heap of skinny fries that came with the aforementioned Bundle. We also ordered corn on the cob, because... well, just because - and that was faultless, too. Got a burger urge to satisfy? You know where to go.
CONTACT
GOURMET BURGER KITCHEN 8 BRUNEL SQUARE, BATH. FFI: 01225 471057, WWW.GBK.CO.UK
THE VERDICT HHHHHHHHHH
A modern chain that fully lives up to its name, with an extra portion of good stuff on the side
40 FOLIO/JAN 2013
EOW Review_GBK 216.indd 40
12/19/2012 3:19:29 PM
EATINGOUTWEST
(Review)
SOURCE
Fantastic ingredients rub shoulders with skilled cooking and great service at this gem of a place in St Nick’s Market. Tony Benjamin tucks in
W
hen, at the end of the evening, I push away another well-
Hoovered plate, I think: ‘Everybody should know about this.’ It’s been a quiet night at Source and outside it’s bitterly cold. Hardly anyone has walked past, and the one passer-by who did pop their head round the door was actually (and noisily) looking for Wetherspoon’s. Inside, by contrast, was warmly friendly with the murmur of genial conversation and the sounds of appreciation of excellent cooking. But there were empty tables, too, so someone should be telling people what they’re missing. The evening hadn’t started well. First, I lost my phone. Then, after a series of futile, freezing, crosstown journeys through the endless rush-hour, I finally found it, only to discover a succession of missed calls and texts that amounted to my being dumped for the evening. Nobody dumps a restaurant review! If you’re not going to write it up, it’s as near as you’ll get to a free lunch. But dumped I was, thanks to a plumbing disaster or some such flimsy excuse, so cue Tony-no-mates skulking off to St Nick’s. Once inside, however, I was greeted and seated with such easy warmth that my self-pity began to thaw, and by the time a crisp glass of Picpoul de Pinet arrived, with a basket of interestingly mixed breads, I was starting to count my blessings. Faced with an evening with neither forced polite conversation nor deeply engrossing political debate/ gossipy intrigue, I was free to really concentrate on the food. And having no companion to whom to defer in the choice of dishes meant I could have exactly what I wanted
“Pink roasted mallard breast on a perfect square of gratin dauphinoise came in a lake of red wine sauce, topped with a blob of quince compote” for once. Trouble was, I simply couldn’t make up my mind about the starter. Frankly, all five sounded appealing, though I got it down to two before asking the waitress for guidance - butternut squash and amaretto ravioli, or Cornish sardines with spiced aubergine? She confessed to a fondness for the aubergine, so I wisely followed her lead. The rich aubergine and tomato dish was like warm chutney with a Moroccan aftertaste that offset the swimming freshness of the plump ‘plancha’ fried fish and the dusky coolness of saffron yoghourt. Perfectly thought out and executed, it was a dish to eke out with strategic sips of the lemony wine. I don’t usually enjoy eating alone, so it was exhilarating to find myself so unselfconsciously absorbed in the food that I’d barely noticed time passing. The
same was true when my main course arrived: neatly arranged slices of pink roasted mallard breast on a perfect square of gratin dauphinoise in a lake of red wine sauce, topped with a blob of quince compote. I’d ordered a side-dish of buttered cavolo nero, and though it turned out that the meat concealed a pillow of steamed shredded cabbage, the contrast of flavour and texture between the two greens made the duplication all right. The dauphinoise was superb, a potato mille-feuille of ultrathin slices creamily compacted under a golden crust, and the just-suppressed tartness of the quince added a salivating touch, but it was the gamey pungency of the mallard meat that ruled the dish. Almost mushroomy in its richness, it set the pace for more slow ruminations and careful enjoyment of a glass of robust red
Saint Guilhelme-le-Desert. Once again the company of my dinner had more than made up for the empty seat opposite; the same was true for warm ginger cake with poached Autumn fruit and creme fraiche, and a toe-curlingly intense espresso that rounded things off. At £35 it wasn’t a cheap meal, but that’s a reasonable price to pay for so skilled a treatment of such great ingredients, coupled with the friendly and helpful service. I’ll be back. See you there?
CONTACT
SOURCE FOOD HALL & CAFE 1-3 EXCHANGE AVE, ST NICHOLAS MARKET, BRISTOL. FFI: 0117 927 2998, WWW.SOURCE-FOOD.CO.UK
THE VERDICT HHHHHHHHHH
Who needs company when the food’s this good? FOLIO/JAN 2013 41
EOW Review_ Source216.indd 41
12/19/2012 3:20:53 PM
42 FOLIO/JAN 2013
p42.indd 1
12/19/2012 12:30:44 PM
EATINGOUTWEST
(Review)
JIMMY’S WORLD GRILL & BAR Bath’s good-value, all-you-can-eat buffet chain with a global menu and a non-corporate feel
I
t’s 6pm on Saturday and the whole family have endured a day at the January sales. Mum wants Thai green curry or ‘something Chinesey’. Dad craves a jalfrezi. The tallest kid wants a fajita (preferably with chips), the fractious tween is screaming for pizza, and the baby is emitting the kind of screams that can only be calmed by something sweet… This is definitely not the time to start browsing the Eating Out West directory in search of the nearest chilled-out gastropub, then. It is, however, time to head for Jimmy’s World Grill and Bar (yes, mum and dad - a bar!), where pretty much everybody can find pretty much everything they like to eat without limitations on how much of it you can manage - for an allinclusive price starting at £7.99 for lunch and maxing at £15.99
WHAT’S THE CATCH?
“I chose a mixed salad starter (tabbouleh, beetroot, Greek) and a chicken noodle combo cooked to order. He had a ‘very good’ rogan josh” for dinner (£13.99 Sun-Wed). Children aged 11 and under eat for half-price, and under-fours eat free. Sorted? The Bath branch of Jimmy’s is a well-established link in an ever-expanding national chain, occupying what’s surely the biggest dining room in the Heritage City. While it definitely couldn’t be described as an intimate place, there’s a noncorporate, personalised feel to the whole experience, thanks largely to the friendly, welcoming staff who bring drinks to order, clear plates after every buffet visit you make and offer advice on the multiple options available.
TABLE TALK
And that advice is well worth taking. Thailand, China, Japan, India, Mexico and Italy come together on an array of hotplates and woks, with a salad station and dessert buffet ensuring that all bases are covered. As long as you avoid the classic buffet blunder of over-zealous amalgamations (few pizzas sit well with a side-order of beef in black bean sauce), you’re in for a bespoke feast. I followed my mixed salad starter (tabbouleh, beetroot, Greek) with a chicken noodle combo cooked to order at the stirfry station. He followed his chicken caesar salad with a
“very good” rogan josh sidecarted with freshly baked tandoori bread, pakoras and chickpea chat. We shared fresh fruit, Indian rice pudding and mini tiramisu for pud, so no, we didn’t go full blowout - but you could, should you so wish. On the night we visited, legions of cheerful Bathonians were fulfilling that wish in droves. Were you among them? After a day at the January sales, you probably will be. (Melissa Blease)
CONTACT
JIMMY’S WORLD GRILL & BAR 6-8 DORCHESTER ST, SOUTHGATE, BATH. FFI: 01225 426802, WWW. JIMMYSWORLDGRILL.CO.UK
THE VERDICT HHHHHHHHHH
A fast, filling, family-friendly refuelling opportunity
➻ When mop-topped sleb chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall started his Fish Fight in January 2011, it proved a resounding success. He focused on ‘discards’ - edible fish caught by trawlers that can’t be landed because of EU quotas, meaning that half the fish caught in the North Sea were being thrown back dead. A hideous waste but, thanks in part to Our Hugh’s campaign, EU government ministers agreed in June 2012 to start lifting the discard ban. Cue much celebration round the River Cottage kitchen table, despite criticism from Greenpeace EU that the change ‘bankrolled overfishing’. Obviously, they pointed out, the better way to avoid waste would be not catching too much in the first place, but it turns out that, on that front, elements of our local fishing industry were already ahead of the game. A report - Catch Quota Trials 2012, published in November by the Marine Management Organisation, the official quango for monitoring fishing - showed that, thanks to use of larger mesh nets and careful choice of fishing areas, their closely monitored sample of UK fishing boats had managed to reduce the discard rate for cod from an average of 38 per cent to just 0.2 per cent, with discards of sole half of that again. Cue rejoicing at kitchen tables everywhere, then, because that means that if we buy locally caught fish from Cornwall or Devon we can be pretty sure that not only are they really fresh, but they’re also as near to sustainable as it gets. Tartare sauce, anyone? (Tony Benjamin, Food & Drink editor) FOLIO/JAN 2013 43
EOW Review_Jimmysworld 216.indd 43
12/19/2012 4:37:11 PM
EATINGOUTWEST
(Review)
STRADA
Regional flavours keep the new menu buzzing at the Clifton branch of this well-established upmarket Italian
T
10 OF THE BEST
ime was when Italian food in the UK was mainly found in little familyrun backstreet trattorias, gelaterias and coffee bars. Then, as the British public warmed to the scents of oregano and garlic, we opened our collective heart to proper pasta and the all-conquering pizza (notwithstanding the fact that the latter came in various American interpretations). So far, so (largely) downmarket, but the past ten years have seen a steady growth in smarter Italian eating that’s brought highly successful chains such as Prezzo, Zizzi, Ask and Jamie’s to Bristol. Strada were an early arrival,
ORGANIC SHOPS
“Perfectly pan-roasted sea bream, with lemon and thyme, is a less-ismore success story, as is often the case with the best Italian cuisine” their long, glowing window in Clifton showcasing a stylish contemporary interior, with a comprehensive menu of classic and modern dishes that pulled in the punters. But in a crowded marketplace you need to stay ahead, so the relaunched Strada menu introduces more regional flavours, evident to us from the outset in the fat Sicilian Castelvetrano olives and aromatic Trentino speck in our generous antipasto platter. It’s a lazy choice but effective, allowing us to quickly allay our hunger and enjoy a tangy glass of soave, though the size of our main courses would happily satisfy a starving man. I chose strozzapreti pugliese, a chilli-warmed dish of wormy pasta twists with the colourful
combination of broccoli, red pepper, diced pancetta and morsels of luganica sausage. It tastes as eclectic as it looks, and it looks pretty good. Across the table, surrounded by green salad and roast new potatoes, sits orata al forno, a healthy-sized sea bream perfectly pan-roasted and embellished with lemon and thyme, giving a full aroma to the fresh flesh. It’s a less-is-more success story, as is often the case with the best Italian cuisine. We British may have adopted those deliciously gloopy ragout sauces but much Italian food is plain cooked with just a touch of herb or spice. With an understated glass of pinot grigio from the mountains above Venice, that orata is perfect, as is my classic affogato
dessert’s combination of hot, bitter espresso and nougat semi-freddo. I’m less keen on the super-richness of bunet piemontese, a chocolate crèmestyle pudding with crushed hazelnuts, amaretti biscuits and amaretto liqueur, although my dining partner - a dessert specialist – is almost speechless about it. The service was effective and friendly from the minute we arrived, bringing a muted calm to what seemed a busy evening, and the bill, drinks included, came to £68, a reasonable price for a consistently enjoyable taste of Italy. (Ellie Pipe)
CONTACT
STRADA 34 PRINCESS VICTORIA ST, CLIFTON VILLAGE, BRISTOL. FFI: 0117 923 7224, WWW.STRADA. CO.UK
THE VERDICT HHHHHHHHHH
Good to see a chain taking on new ideas
BATH BAKERY Moorland Rd, Oldfield Park; Chelsea Rd; High St, Upper Weston; Bradford Rd, Combe Down, Bath • The mothershop feeds the other three Bath outlets with scrumptiously freshly baked handmade organic bread and cakes. BETTER FOOD COMPANY Sevier St, St Werburghs & Whiteladies Rd, Clifton, Bristol • Take your pick between their original higgledy-piggledy St Werburghs place or the smart, shiny Clifton food hall. Both offer great choice across the organic food, supplements and health range. EARTHBOUND Abbotsford Rd, Cotham, Bristol • Treasure-trove of organic everything, with friendly and informative service always a given. HARVEST Walcot St, Bath & Gloucester Rd, Bristol • You’ll find the Essential Foods label on good stuff in most local shops, and the Harvest shops are the local collective’s own retail outlets. NEWTON FARM FOODS Newton St Loe, Bath, BA2 • This award-winning family farm rears splendidly happy meat and sells it alongside a cavalcade of other locally sourced organic products. RADFORD MILL FARM SHOP Picton St, Montpelier, Bristol • Pioneers of the organic movement who’ve been bringing their Mendip-grown produce to Bristol for 35 years. SEASONS George St, Bath • Wellestablished fount of wholesomeness combining daily kitchen essentials with a comprehensive range of healthfoods. SHEEPDROVE ORGANIC FARM Lower Redland Rd, Bristol, BS6 • Their Bristol shop is the city’s only fully organic butcher, selling the meat from the Berkshire farm. Organic honey, fruit, veg and wine, too. SOUTHVILLE DELI North St, Bristol, BS3 • Thriving source of healthy organic food and drink, with an impressive choice of biodynamic wines. WILD OATS Lower Redland Rd, Bristol, BS6 • One of the most comprehensive displays of organic and planet-loving foods and supplements hereabouts - they even have chemical-free candles!
44 FOLIO/JAN 2013
EOW Review_Strada 216.indd 44
12/19/2012 4:38:46 PM
The Best Guide to Eating Out
in Bristol, Bath and the Surrounding Area
OUT NOW!
ORDER YOUR COPY NOW, CALL 0117 934 3741
£4.95
FREE P
&P
FOLIO/JAN 2013 45
p45.indd 2
12/19/2012 12:36:45 PM
EATINGOUTWEST
RECIPE
of the month
RESTAURANT PROFILE
WILKS
ADDRESS: 1 CHANDOS RD, REDLAND, BRISTOL BS6 6PG TEL: 0117 973 7999 WEB: WWW.WILKSRESTAURANT.CO.UK
T
his modern, vibrant restaurant opened just a few months ago but has already established a reputation for fine food at affordable prices, along with attentive, knowledgeable service from friendly staff and a relaxed, informal dining room. The philosophy of owners James Wilkins and Christine Vayssade is centred on offering choice and value - menus are flexible, with sharing dishes and tasting menus as well as the regular a la carte. They also offer a set menu (two courses £16, three £19) at lunch and for early dinner (6-6.45pm). With many of the dishes taken straight from the a la carte menu, this offers exceptional value for money. The cooking at Wilks is creative, light and modern, with an emphasis on clean flavours and seasonal ingredients. Menus feature products that are traceable and homemade, with much of the produce sourced locally from farms around Bristol and the South West. The current menu features the likes of
scallops, venison, partridge, wild brill, dry aged West Country beef sirloin and fresh périgord truffle risotto, to name but a few of the high-quality ingredients you’ll find. The wine, like the food, is all about sharing and conviviality. Many are produced by small wineries, some are biodynamic, and all are well-made and traceable to source. The majority of the wines, from all over the world, are inexpensive, young, fresh and elegant, and help to accentuate the style of cooking. With many available by the glass or 250ml carafe (two glasses), you can sample several wines throughout your meal, making it easier to explore the list and try something new and adventurous.
➻ Wilks are offering Folio readers a complimentary glass of the house aperitif, orange spiced wine, throughout Jan and Feb 2013. Just mention Folio when making your booking.
OWNER PROFILE
JAMES WILKINS & CHRISTINE VAYSSADE James and Christine have travelled the world, working in five-star hotels and Michelin-starred restaurants in London, France, Japan and Istanbul. James worked in London with the likes of Stefano Cavallini and Chris and Jeff Galvin, before moving to France to work with Richard Neat and Michel Bras. With 20 years’ experience each, the duo recently returned to the UK to realise their dream of running their own restaurant together. “Working for Michel Bras and his family was the most fabulous experience,” says James. “He’s achieved more than most chefs dream of, and is one of the most hardworking, humble, respectful people you could hope to meet. He greatly influenced the way I think about food, kitchens, how to create new dishes. The single most important thing for me in cooking is that the food must be delicious. You can use old or modern cooking techniques, eccentric new flavour combinations or classical ones, conventionally plated dishes or the most painstaking, labour-intensive creations that look like works of art… but it must be delicious, or you have nothing at all.”
46 FOLIO/JAN 2013
EOW_Recipe DPS 216.indd 46
12/19/2012 4:24:58 PM
EATINGOUTWEST INGREDIENTS OLIVE OIL MOUSSE ● ● ● ● ●
30g sugar 55g water 1 leaf gelatine 45g good-quality olive oil 125g cream
ORANGE COULIS
1 whole orange 100g sugar ● 500ml water (or enough to cover the orange) ● ●
POACHED FRUIT ● ● ●
Banana sliced into 1cm pieces Apple diced into 1 cm pieces Pineapple diced into 1cm pieces
SYRUP FOR POACHED FRUITS ● ● ● ● ● ●
200g sugar 400ml water ¼ cinnamon stick 1 star anise ¼ vanilla pod 1 small peel of orange zest
RECOMMENDED JURANCON CLOS UROULAT, CHARLES HOURS 2010 ➻ Produced near Pau in the
SWEET OLIVE OIL MOUSSE WITH WHOLE ORANGE COULIS & POACHED FRUITS TO MAKE OLIVE OIL MOUSSE ➻ Place the gelatine leaf in cold water to go soft. Mix sugar and water in a pan and heat over a low heat until it boils. In a blender, place the hot syrup and the softened gelatine leaf and blend together. Whilst it’s still mixing, add the olive oil. Leave it blending in the machine while it slowly cools down. In a bowl, whisk your cream until it starts to form soft peaks. Take the now warm (not hot) olive oil mix and add a quarter of it to the cream. Whisk this together, then add the rest and fold together until fully
incorporated. Spoon this cream into two bowls or glasses.
ORANGE COULIS ➻ Wash the whole orange and place in a high-sided pan with the sugar and water. Make sure the water covers the orange. Heat over a low heat until the syrup is slowly boiling. It’ll need to cook for at least an hour, or until the orange is soft through to the middle. If you need to, add some more water to make sure the orange remains covered during cooking. Once cooked, place the orange and the syrup together in the fridge to go cold. Once it’s cold, mix the orange in the blender with enough syrup so it forms a
thick coulis. You’ll probably only need about 200ml of the syrup. Pass the coulis through a sieve.
POACHED FRUITS ➻ Place all the ingredients in a pan and bring to the boil. Add the diced fruits and leave the syrup on the side to go cold.
DRESSING ➻ Take the glass or bowl with the mousse and put 1 or 2 big spoons of orange coulis on top. Drain off the syrup from the poached fruits and heap a large spoon of them atop the mousse and coulis. This dish can also be served with ice-cream if you wish.
foothills of the Pyrenees in France, this sweet wine (the grape is 100 per cent petit manseng) has tropical fruit flavours such as mango and apricot, superbly balanced by a pure acidity. It can be enjoyed as an aperitif or with foie gras (it’s very similar to a sauternes), but also with desserts prepared with fruits. It has a naturally great length in the mouth and is a perfect match for the Provencal flavours of the olive oil mousse and the orange cream.
FOLIO/JAN 2013 47
EOW_Recipe DPS 216.indd 47
12/19/2012 4:25:37 PM
EATINGOUTWEST
FEEL THE
PUB of the month
BUZZ
The Curfew’s star is on the rise thanks to its new owner’s Michelin pedigree and proper ale house sensibilities. Melissa Blease pops in
A
s is typical of many of the Heritage City’s even most tucked-away buildings, the Curfew inn comes with a rather illustrious history. The building was designed by Henry Edmund Goodridge, the 19th century architect whose other work includes Bath’s first shopping arcade (The Corridor), characterful folly Beckford’s Tower and Cleveland Bridge,
the neoclassical work of art just down the road from the pub itself. The building was originally a bookshop, which was taken over by a wine merchant in 1837 and eventually segued into a pub in 1960. But as popular as it may have once been, the years hadn’t been kind to the Curfew’s reputation: situated on a busy main-road thoroughfare, the pub became, well, if not exactly neglected, then certainly overlooked by all those who passed by on their way to a hostelry more suited to today’s tasteful sensibilities. “The Curfew earned a reputation for being a bit of a sports bar,” says Rob Pearce, who took the pub over last September and has spent the time since tirelessly restoring and reinventing his new baby. “We’ve changed it back into a proper ale house downstairs, serving Wadworth bitters and a great selection of wines, and we’ve restored the upstairs dining room into a welcoming space that more suitably reflects the grandeur of the original building.” Rob is being a little bit evasive here… could one also say that the new-look dining room provides a suitable backdrop for his own history, too? Rob is a former Michelin-starred chef who comes to Bath straight from a stint at the hob of the Ragged Cot in Minchinhampton,
Inset: Rob Pearce: "I cook for real people"
and spent his formative years working at various kitchens in France and the UK. He isn’t, however, aiming to bring star-spangled acclaim to his little corner of Bath. “I don’t cook for awards any more, and I wouldn’t want to aim for a star at the Curfew,” he explains. “It would ruin the relaxed atmosphere and, I believe, scare people away. I cook for real people, showing them how you can use local food all year round to create delicious, interesting dishes. I get a real buzz from happy customers, and love it when a guest asks for a recipe or shows a real interest in the origin of the food they’re eating. I get a similar kick when I try doing something new that, on paper, shouldn’t work, but where the end results are fab.” Rob’s version of fab at the time we paid him a visit translated into goodies such as oxtail faggots, mutton shank and Barnsley lamb chops, gracing a menu that runs a crowdpleasing gamut from Deli Board and Fruits de Mer starters to an indulgent, sticky date & brandy pudding - just the thing to warm you up on a chilly winter’s night, at prices that won’t freeze anybody out. “Value for money is the key to success during these difficult times,” says Rob - and he means it: set lunches during the week come in at two courses for £12.95. Or visit on a Monday evening and you can take advantage of a Supper Club deal, with three courses for just £16, in a relaxed, candlelit environment of which we reckon Mr Goodridge himself would heartily approve. THE CURFEW ALE HOUSE & DINING ROOM 11 CLEVELAND PLACE WEST, BATH. FFI: 01225 313747, WWW.THE-CURFEW-DINING-ROOM.CO.UK
48 FOLIO/JAN 2013
EOW_Pub of the Issue 216.indd 48
12/19/2012 4:32:28 PM
Beautifully marbled local steaks dry-aged
here
on
the
bone
Selection of continental & English sausages made using local, free range pork Pork pies by Mark’s Bread Aw a r d w i n n i n g S a n d r i d g e Farmhouse Dry Cure Bacon
250 North Street Bedminster Bristol 0117 966 3593
iBake large cakes or cupcakes cake for any occasions • birthdays • christenings • weddings • easter • christmas • novelty cakes
call Nicky to discuss your requirements on
07925 381042 FOLIO/JAN 2013 49
nicky cake ad.indd 1 p49.indd 2
9/26/2012 12:53:08 PM 12/19/2012 12:39:03 PM
EATINGOUTWEST
Shop
VILLAGE
of the month
PEOPLE
Tony Benjamin grabs himself a cappuccino and joins Southville Deli’s loyal fan base
T
he street-side tables under Southville Deli’s sheltering awnings are rarely all empty, even in the chilliest months. Among the shop’s loyal regulars there’s always someone who’ll be sipping a cappuccino and reading the paper, waiting for the next familiar face to pass by and perhaps stop for a chat as they grab some soup or sandwiches for lunch. If North Street is the heart of Southville village, then the Southville Deli is pretty much its village pump, an invaluable supplier of the good things in life to a discerning clientele. These days the road is, of course, a busy bustle of shops, bars and cafes, but when owner Paul Wick first opened the doors of the deli 12 years ago, things were very different. “We were one of the first new shops to open for quite a long time. I was living just around the corner and we loved the local shops but we couldn’t buy all the stuff we needed. It felt as though we made a good triangle, with the greengrocer,
the butcher and us. I knew what I wanted to sell but not who would buy - it’s been very diverse, and the customers have guided us. We always try to get what people ask for, and that introduces new things that other people really enjoy, too.” There’s a rich choice available, with a fine selection of local and other cheeses, half a dozen different olives, organic produce of all kinds, serve-yourself hoppers for the basics such as rice and muesli, and a full range of Essential beans and grains in bags. You’ll find teas and coffees, including freshly roasted
Southville Deli: an invaluable supplier of the good things in life
beans, which they’ll grind to order, Herberts bread and rolls, and fresh cakes. All the wine is organic, apart from the locally made fruit wines, and local brewers Bristol Beer Factory and Bath Ales are both popular on the booze front. One aspect about which Paul is pleased is the choice of gluten- and lactose-free products that he can offer. “When we started selling them they were few and far between, and the quality was sometimes not very good, but the range available has really grown and it’s getting really good - anyone would enjoy them!” He was less enthusiastic, however, when he was first approached by cosmetic company Lavera. “None of us knew anything about cosmetics,” he admits, “but we were impressed by their methods - no petroleum products or synthetic ingredients.” So they started selling the range of make-up and skincare products designed for sensitive skin, and it proved popular, with regular customers coming from further afield just to stock up. The shop also offers environmentally friendly cleaning products, including refills of Ecover products and gel-free disposable nappies and other babycare sundries. Importantly, though, Paul is never really sure what they’ll be selling next. “It’s constantly changing because these days you have to be quite diverse to keep your customers’ interest. We do listen to them and follow up on their suggestions, and that way we’ve found lots of great new things.” It’s probably that sincerely customercentred approach that explains the loyalty of those hardy souls sipping frothy coffee on the chilly pavement.
CONTACT
SOUTHVILLE DELI 262 NORTH ST, BEDMINSTER, BRISTOL. FFI: 0117 966 4507, WWW. SOUTHVILLEDELI.COM
50 FOLIO/JAN 2013
EOW_Shop of the Month 216.indd 50
12/19/2012 3:25:16 PM
EATINGOUTWEST
(News)
WHAT'S COOKING
Our monthly round-up of news from the foodie world This pic and inset: haggis'n'tatties'n'bagpipes are all on the menu for Burns Night
SUPER MARKETS
➻Forget those trolleys and barcodes and check out one of the West’s vibrant markets to catch the local harvest at its freshest… BATH FARMERS’ MARKET Green Park Station, Bath, 9am-1.30pm, every Sat (www.bathfarmersmarket.co.uk) STROUD FARMERS’ MARKET Cornhill Market, Stroud, 9am-2pm, every Sat (www.fresh-n-local.co.uk) WHITELADIES ROAD FARMERS’ & FAIR TRADING MARKET Outside auction rooms, corner
I
t’s a new year and, hereabouts, that means… cider! The annual brace of winter cider festivals is set to cheer up the midwinter gloom with applebased haze. The Bristol Winter Cider Festival will be in its traditional spot in the Brunel Passenger Shed, Temple Meads on the weekend of 25-26 Jan, with over 100 ciders and perries on offer, and equally traditional entertainment from Wurzel tributeers The Mangledwurzels, then the whole shebang decamps to the Bath Pavilion as the Bath Cider Festival (8-9 Feb) for more Scrumpy’n’Western mayhem. It’s best to book, and advance tickets are available from www.clstickets.co.uk. Expatriate Scots and poetry lovers alike will, however, have other plans for Friday 25, what with it being Burns Night. The Hotel du Vin in Bristol are not only putting on the traditional haggis’n’tatties dinner (with piper’n’poems, of course), but they’re also offering a Scottish Whisky tasting to kick things off, led by a Mr Johnny Walker (www. hotelduvin.com). The great Scots versifier is also being celebrated in Bath that night with a feast at the Roman Baths, followed by a ceilidh with Scottish country dance band Dalriada (Searcy’s, 01225 444477). And there’s a full pipe band on Sat 26 at Marco Pierre White’s place in the Cadbury
of Whiteladies Rd & Apsley Rd, Clifton, Bristol, 8.30am-2pm, 1st & 3rd Sat of month (www.sustainableredland.org.uk) WESTON-SUPER-MARE FARMERS’ MARKET
House Hotel, Congresbury where they’re holding their Burns Night. “We want as many guests as possible to wear kilts,” manager Colin Badcock has reportedly said (www. cadburyhotelbristol.co.uk). Finally, the month rounds off with a decidedly English flavour at the Source Food Hall in Bristol’s St Nicholas Market on Thur 31 when chef Ross Wills will rustle up a special five-course cheese feast featuringBBC award-winning Somerset cheese maker Tom Calvey from Westcombe Dairy and ales from Evercreech-based Wild Beer (www. cheeseschool.co.uk).
High St, Weston-super-Mare, 9am12.30pm, 2nd Sat of month. KEYNSHAM FARMERS’ MARKET Ashton Way car park, Keynsham, Bristol, 9am-1pm, 2nd Sat of month (www. somersetfarmersmarkets.co.uk) WESTBURY-ON-TRYM MARKET Medical Centre car park, Westbury Hill, Bristol, 9am-1pm, 4th Sat of month. HARBOURSIDE MARKET No.1 Harbourside, Canons Rd, Bristol, 11am-4pm, every Sat & Sun (www.no1harbourside.co.uk) TOBACCO FACTORY MARKET (pictured above) Raleigh Rd, Southville, Bristol, 10am-2.30pm, every Sun (www. tobaccofactory.com) SLOW FOOD MARKET Corn St, Bristol, 10am-3pm, 1st Sun of month (www. stnicholasmarketbristol.co.uk) BRISTOL FARMERS’ MARKET Corn St, Bristol, 9.30am-2.30pm, every Wed (www. stnicholasmarketbristol.co.uk) BRADFORD ON AVON FARMERS’ MARKET
Westbury Gardens, Bradford on Avon, 9am-1pm, third Thur of month. BRADFORD ON AVON COUNTRY MARKET
St Margaret’s Hall, Bradford on Avon, 10am-11.30am, third Thur of month.
FOLIO/JAN 2013 51
EOW Whats cooking216.indd 51
12/19/2012 4:31:45 PM
FASHION JEWELLERY BEAUTY SHOPPING FASHION JEWELLERY BEAUTY SHOPPING
➻ LIFESTYLE
BAMBOO SOCKS, HAND-TIED BOUQUETS, SHOPPING COURSES AND MORE… SHOPPING
SURVIVE THE SALES! ➻ Navigating the January sales can inspire ripples of anxiety, but help is at hand as John Lewis come to the rescue with a complimentary crash course in successful sales shopping. The department store’s expert fashion advisors will host appointments and be on hand to help customers to select the most wearable and desirable sales pieces to enhance their wardrobes - for a snippet of the price. “Sale shopping needs to be strategic,” says John Lewis fashion advisor Debbie Ling. “You need to think about what’s going to stand the test of time and enhance your existing wardrobe. We encourage women to approach the sales with a wish-list of investment pieces, such as a wool blend coat, tuxedo jacket or timeless brogues. That way, they can immediately take a more focused approach. During our ‘Survive the Sale’ appointments, we’ll be guiding women to consider their body shapes and personal style - not just the ticket price!” Before you hit the sales, advises Debbie, go through your wardrobe to see if you’re missing any key pieces - a classic tailored blazer, or winter boots? Make a list of things you feel you need, to avoid splurging on impulse buys. “If you’ve been dreaming of a great leather biker jacket, the sale is the time to buy one. And make sure you only buy things that suit your style and fit properly. In the sales, size and fit is vital. It’s pointless buying something simply because it’s been reduced.” Why not think about investing in some great accessories? “Sales offer the perfect opportunity to buy some really great jewellery or a classic leather tote.” And Debbie’s final tip? “Arrive early to get the best sale buys, and look out for price-matching offers online to get the best bargains.” JOHN LEWIS THE MALL AT CRIBBS CAUSEWAY, BRISTOL. FFI: 0117 959 1100, WWW.JOHNLEWIS.COM
FASHION
BRAVE NEW WORLD ➻ January is the perfect time to
detox and cleanse. And, of course, time for that inevitable wardrobe reassessment. Out with the old, and in with the new, and what better way to make a start than by creating a new capsule wardrobe that reflects the new you? Mimi Noor, Bath’s luxury casualwear and premium denim boutique on Milsom Street, make it easy for you. With premium brands such as J Brand, James Jeans and MiH, it’s never been easier to find a pair of jeans that make the new you feel fabulous every day. With gorgeous organic
cashmere from ethical brand Chinti and Parker, cute and quirky T shirts from Wildfox and chic silk shirts from Equipment, creating a capsule wardrobe will feel effortless. Mimi Noor offer a complimentary consultative service, working one to one with you to find that perfect outfit. And with their annual sale on, you have no excuse not to throw away those old jeans and treat yourself to a new, perfect pair. MIMI NOOR 25 MILSOM ST, BATH. FFI: 01225 571518, WWW.MIMINOOR.COM
52 FOLIO/JAN 2013
Lifestyle 216.indd 52
12/19/2012 4:18:46 PM
EBERJEY, AVAILABLE AT ARIA, BATH
LIFESTYLE
LINGERIE
LUSCIOUS ECO FASHION
socks and underwear, and has appeared on Sky 1’s entrepreneurship programme, The Angel. For the pop-up shop, Edward has joined forces with Aymo, who sell handmade leather satchels and shoes, and he hopes to open a dedicated store in Bristol towards the end of the year. “Bristol is probably the most forwardthinking city in the UK when it comes to ethical and eco retail. And sustainable retail isn’t just about the materials in the clothing, but also about helping to sustain our high streets, which are in real decline. We decided to open in The Galleries to help reinvigorate and breathe new life into the area.”
➻ The Christmas rush is now behind us, and yet the chilly nights continue. So the Aria girls of Bath are eyeing up the new nightwear ranges due in this month from Eberjey: “The much-loved Lady Godiva range will be in this rich berry-and-gold combo, guaranteed to get the new year off with a bang!” Or perhaps you’re already planning your summer escape? “The new swimwear collections are just beginning to arrive, with many styles stocked in F and G cups. Come and banish the winter blues!”
ECO POP-UP SHOP UNTIL 14 JAN, THIRD FLOOR, THE GALLERIES, BROADMEAD, BRISTOL. FFI: WWW. MABBOO.COM, WWW.AYMOWORLD.COM
ARIA, THE LINGERIE BOUTIQUE 3 GEORGE ST, BATH. FFI: 01225 447700, WWW.ARIALINGERIE.CO.UK
LOCAL HEROES
➻ Bristol-based eco-fashion company Mabboo
have opened Bristol’s first pop-up shop dedicated to ethical and sustainable fashion. On the third floor of Broadmead’s Galleries shopping centre, ECO (Ethical, Creative, Organic) will be open until 14 Jan. Mabboo was started by Southville local boy Edward Cheney in 2009, when he came across bamboo clothing while living in China. Bamboo is more environmentally friendly than cotton - growing 100 per cent organically and incredibly fast, it requires no irrigation, unlike water-intensive cotton. Edward saw huge potential for this wonder material to transform the apparel industry, and started selling bamboo T-shirts at Bristol’s Tobacco Factory Market. After two years of hard graft at markets and festivals, he’s expanded his range to include hoodies, vests,
FLOWERS & GIFTS
PETAL POWER ➻ Lloyds Flowers have been part of Clifton Down Shopping
Centre for more than 10 years, and owner Tina Lloyd, from one of the oldest retail families in Bristol, has a long history of shopkeeping. Starting out with a small shop in Clifton Village, Tina moved her floristry business to Whiteladies Road in 1992, continuing her family’s tradition there. Lloyds Flowers pride themselves on presentation, and devote as much care and attention to a small bunch of flowers as to more expensive gifts. Their new premises in Clifton Down Shopping Centre have been refitted to make them spacious and customer friendly. They’ve added gifts and cards to the extensive selection of hand-tied bouquets and arrangements, and a beautiful range of glass and ceramic vases and plant pots complement the floristry. Current ranges include toiletries from Somerset, gorgeous handmade Dorset chocolates and ornate retro photo frames.
LLOYDS FLOWERS CLIFTON DOWN SHOPPING CENTRE, WHITELADIES RD, BRISTOL, BS8. TEL: 0117 973 1155
FOLIO/JAN 2013 53
Lifestyle 216.indd 53
12/19/2012 4:19:35 PM
FASHION LIFESTYLE
Savvy
SHOPPING
There’s more to style than spending loads of money, says Suzanne Savill
A
t this time of year, when many people are watching their pennies after Christmas, going shopping for clothes might seem counter-intuitive. But think again. The ‘Sale’ signs that have gone up on shop windows mean that opportunities now await for anyone who’s yearned to wear designer style but has baulked at the price tags. In Bristol and Bath, stores that once seemed to contain rails full of clothing that could only be dreamed about will be briefly transformed into hunting grounds for fashionistas keen to do some investment dressing. While some will be able to make their way to the cash desk clutching armfuls of bargains, other canny shoppers will complete the look by teaming their discounted designer purchase with other sales bargains. Other useful ‘austerity chic’ tricks include adding items from stores that already provide budget prices, or finishing an outfit off with some affordable yet eyecatching accessories.
LK Bennett will be further reducing some items that were on sale before Christmas
INVESTMENT DRESSING… Discounted outfits by top designers make it well worth a trip to the sales. Watch out for the Harvey Nichols Bristol sale, which is now on, with up to 50 per cent off designer brands. Womenswear reductions include Helmut Lang, Paul Smith Black, McQ by Alexander McQueen, Joseph, Peter -Pilotto and Stella McCartney. Monsoon shirt, £49 In menswear, collections on sale feature Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci and Polo Ralph Lauren. And don’t forget to check out the discounts in accessories, where you can find Christian Louboutin, Jimmy Choo and Ugg. Nearby at Garment Quarter, the sale will showcase outfits from Vivienne Westwood, Victoria Beckham, and the McQ label from Alexander McQueen. LK Bennett, with branches in Bristol and Bath, will be making further reductions on some of the items that went on sale before Christmas.
Harvey Nichols, who offer designer fashions such as these by Michael Kors, will have discounts of up to 50 per cent in their sale
54 FOLIO/JAN 2013
Fashion216.indd 54
12/19/2012 6:09:11 PM
LIFESTYLE
FASHION
Garment Quarter will have discounts on designs from Victoria Beckham, McQ by Alexander McQueen, and Vivienne Westwood
ACCESSORIES Can be an affordable way to add your personal style to a designer outfit bought in the sales, without having to max out your credit card.
Red shoes from Brantano, £28
Floral lace pencil skirt from Primark, £10
Blouse from George at Asda, £12
Colour-block dress from Bon Marche, £22
BUDGET STYLE Studded red shopper from Primark, £12 Rose and lace print scarf from Accessorize, £12
CONTACTS ACCESSORIZE BROADMEAD & CRIBBS CAUSEWAY, BRISTOL; YATE SHOPPING CENTRE; UNION ST, BATH. FFI: WWW.ACCESSORIZE.COM BON MARCHE BEDMINSTER & KNOWLE, BRISTOL; YATE. FFI: WWW. BONMARCHE.CO.UK BRANTANO AVONMEADS, EMERSONS GREEN RETAIL PARK & STATION RD, FILTON, BRISTOL. FFI: WWW.BRANTANO.CO.UK GARMENT QUARTER PENN ST, CABOT CIRCUS, BRISTOL. FFI: WWW.
Can be a stylish solution if worked well with leading labels, if you can’t afford to splash out on head-to-toe designer wear. Just mix leading labels in clothing and footwear with items from stores renowned for their low prices. GARMENTQUARTER.COM GEORGE AT ASDA BRISTOL: EAST ST, BEDMINSTER; CRAVEN WAY, LONGWELL GREEN; WALMART, CRIBBS CAUSEWAY. FFI: WWW.ASDA.COM HARVEY NICHOLS QUAKERS FRIARS, CABOT CIRCUS, BRISTOL. FFI: WWW. HARVEYNICHOLS.COM LK BENNETT BRISTOL: QUAKERS FRIARS, CABOT CIRCUS; HOUSE OF FRASER, CABOT CIRCUS; PARK ST, CLIFTON. NEW BOND ST, BATH. FFI: WWW.LKBENNETT.COM PRIMARK THE HORSEFAIR, BRISTOL. FFI: WWW.PRIMARK.CO.UK
FOLIO/JAN 2013 55
Fashion216.indd 55
12/19/2012 6:09:37 PM
Email ~ info@boutique33.co.uk Tel ~ 01179 739570 33 Regent St, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 4HR.
BOUTIQUE 33
THE WEST’S BEST
lifestyle
MAGAZINE FOLIO BRISTOL & BATH
FREE TAKE ONE!
WIN
THE WEST’S BEST LIFEST YLE M AG
A NIGHT FOR TWO AT CADBURY HOUSE!
SEPTEMBER 2012 l No. 212
GET THE LOOK... AW12 FASHION & BEAUTY TRENDS
CAFÉ SOCIETY
WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE AT THE HOTTEST HANGOUTS IN TOWN
PLUS
32 PAGE
WEDDING GUIDE
Kitchen DRAMA 17 PAGES OF IDEAS & INSPIRATION TO CREATE THE HOME OF YOUR DREAMS
➻
BEAUTY FASHION WHAT'S ON INTERIORS PROPERTY FOOD
Folio_Cover212.indd 3
8/29/2012 6:52:13 PM
56 FOLIO/JAN 2013
p56.indd 1
12/19/2012 12:40:24 PM
HOW TO WEAR...
All wrapped up… Niki wears: Topshop military coat £95, H&M polo-neck jumper £7.99, last year’s shoes from KG
LIFESTYLE
FASHION
MILITARY FASHION Personal stylist and image consultant Niki Whittle joins the ranks
W
e all need a little order in our wardrobes, and what better way to do this than by adding a couple of military-inspired pieces? For years, designers have been inspired by military style detailing, strong lines, khaki colours - so it’s no surprise that, this season, military fashion is a hit once again. Ditch the army-surplus-store style from seasons past and march to a different beat: we’re talking grownup, sophisticated and even a little chic - think brass buttons, smart silhouettes and neat detailing. It’s always been a great one for me and my shape. The epaulettes, double-breasted buttoning and pockets are perfect for pear shapes as they broaden shoulders and balance hips, but it’s not just pear shapes who can work this trend - we all can. Apple shapes should embrace the belted coats that enhance their waist. Column women will find the detailing and strong structure perfect for creating curves, and hourglass lovelies can highlight their fabulous curves with strong silhouettes (but should avoid too much detailing across the bust). I’d normally advise steering clear of pricy items when it comes to fashion pieces, because they date quickly, but a trend like this is such a familiar one that you’ll get plenty of wear out of it. This coat from Topshop will be a firm favourite of mine for years to come. For less impact on your wallet, opt for a blouse like the one I’m wearing here, which gently nods towards the trend with its little brass buttons and pocket detailing. With something to suit every budget and all styles, we can all be marching stylishly into the fashion battlefield this winter. FFI WWW.NIKIWHITTLE.COM, WWW.HIPSHAPESANDBRISTOLFASHION.BLOGSPOT.COM
Fighting stance… Niki wears: Oasis blouse £30.40, Zara trousers £35.99, Accessorize necklace £6, ring from House of Harlow and shoes from NW3 both two years ago FOLIO/DEC 2012 57
Fashion Column 216.indd 57
12/19/2012 6:34:20 PM
SHOPPING LIFESTYLE
SHOPS OF THE
“We’ve discovered two of the most stylish ‘hidden secret’ shops in Bath”
MONTH
Melissa Blease heads off the beaten retail track to find two gifty treasure-troves
T
here’s far more going on behind the scenes at our favourite museums and art galleries than the traditional reputation of our beloved cultural institutions would initially suggest. To brighten up your new year shopping forecast this month, we’ve discovered two of the most stylish ‘hidden secret’ shops in the Heritage City, in itself a highly regarded destination for all those in search of stylish retail therapy opportunities. The Victoria Art Gallery is home to a cornucopia of art-inspired gifts courtesy of the welcoming shop at the heart of the arty action. The gallery’s changing, diverse exhibition programme means that the behind-the-scenes team are always on the look-out for the next interesting book, greeting card or fabulous piece of jewellery to complement the work on show - and January offers some really unique treats. An exhibition of prints courtesy of the Society of Wood Engravers’ 75th annual exhibition runs all the way through until 23 Jan and features over 150 engravings, woodcuts and linocuts from some of the finest printmakers in the UK and abroad. The sheer variety of styles, from highly detailed black and white to large-scale colour images, makes this show a must for any fan of beautiful and highly original crafts, and the gift shop is a must for those keen to take a little bit of the gallery home with them. You’ll find jewellery made from real leaves,
wooden postcards that can be sent using a first-class stamp, woodland-inspired tea-light holders, a lovely range of books featuring the work of renowned printmakers, and what’s surely one of the best collections of art greetings cards in Bath, not to mention inspiring creative books for children. Meanwhile, for fashionistas, the Fashion Museum at the glorious Assembly Rooms is home to a world-class collection of contemporary and historical dress, and has recently been voted one of the top 10 fashion museums in the world by CNN. If you’ve yet to indulge yourself in the delights of a museum that offers the ultimate in historical frock experiences, you’ll most definitely be donning the gladrags in readiness for a visit this year when the museum celebrates its 50th anniversary with a special display showcasing 50 of the most glamorous dresses in the collection - all those in search of the wow factor are set for a tantalising, inspirational treat. To complement the richness of this collection, the shop - long renowned as the retail epicentre of all things fashionable - is featuring a range of beautiful printed silk scarves alongside delightfully curious and glittering bee rings, peacockfeather bangles and glowing crystal necklaces. There’s also an exceptional selection of fashion-related books, carefully selected by an expert team, while a fabulous range of contemporary fashion accessories, quirky gifts, historic fashion greetings cards and creative kits for kids make it a don’t-miss
Jewellery made from real leaves from the Victoria Art Gallery (above)
destination for students, local visitors, international visitors and all lovers of fashion. VICTORIA ART GALLERY BRIDGE ST, BATH, BA2. FFI: 01225 477233, WWW.VICTORIAGAL.ORG.UK FASHION MUSEUM BENNETT ST, BATH, BA1. FFI: 01225 477712, WWW.MUSEUMOFCOSTUME.CO.UK
A selection of goodies available from the Fashion Museum
58 FOLIO/JAN 2013
Shop of the Month 216.indd 58
12/19/2012 4:24:59 PM
SHINE HAIR SALONS
25% DISCOUNT WITH NEW STYLISTS. Nina Romeu (EGO) Ashley Barry-Symonds (DR SWEDE HAIRDRESSING) Trudi Williams (BOJOBROWNS)
Quote Folio when booking. Offer valid through to 2013.
WE CARE • WE LISTEN • WE ADVISE MON Appointment Only TUES 10am-5.30pm WEDS 12.15pm-7pm THURS 10am-6.15pm FRI 10am-8pm SAT 9am-5.15pm
18 St Nicholas Street | Bristol | BS1 1UB | 0117 929 9749 www.shinehairsalons.co.uk p59.indd 1
12/19/2012 12:41:13 PM
BEAUTY LIFESTYLE
THE ORANGERY Ellie Pipe is all smiles after a visit to Bath’s independent laser and beauty clinic
B
ad teeth have always been accepted as being quintessentially English, like pots of tea and red phone boxes. Until now, that is. The coffee revolution has taken over, phone boxes are nothing more than a novel antique, and a posh accent accompanied by a murky smile may not get you quite as far as it used to. Thus, it came to my attention that the coffee and the red wine may have started to take their toll on my not-so-pearly whites, and that it might be time to do something about it. The Orangery Laser and Beauty Clinic is a well-established local clinic in the heart of Bath. Its excellent reputation precedes it, making it the perfect choice for a teethwhitening sceptic such as myself. I’d heard some horror stories about teeth whitening (mouth clamps, peroxide and the like), so this
wasn’t something that I would undergo lightly. But the lovely ladies at the Orangery assured me that technology has greatly advanced and that they could promise a pain-free experience. Indeed, approaching the Orangery seems more akin to entering a fairytale world than a horror story. It was a cold December morning as the Orangery’s sophisticated twinkly lighting and warm glow beckoned me into the fold. Each teeth-whitening treatment takes just 20 minutes, but the Orangery book out slots of 45 minutes to give clients ample time to relax and talk through any concerns. I wasted no time and sat happily sipping a coffee (might as well do the damage beforehand), while quizzing beauty therapist and laser technician Hannah on this latest technology - which apparently does what Colgate has never been able to. ‘Amazing Smile’, as used in the Orangery, is the very latest in teeth-whitening technology from America, naturally. It uses a safe LED light that makes it non-intrusive and completely safe. It really is also pain-free, and fine for use on sensitive teeth and veneers. And there are no mouth clamps, peroxide or other scary torture devices in sight! No, I was passed simply a humble mouthguard with some rather pleasanttasting minty mouthwash stuff in it. Hannah sat me comfortably on the bed, with mouthguard and protective eyeglasses in place, and Amazing Smile was positioned to do its stuff for 20 minutes. The hardest part of the whole process was not talking for a whole 20 minutes while the LED light worked its magic. Obviously, I should appreciate a few rare moments of quiet contemplation but, for me, a TV would have been a welcome distraction - in fact,
“I was assured that the latest teeth-whitening technology really is pain-free”
Teeth bleaching shade guide Ellie's teeth were eight shades whiter after treatment
LEFT - prior to treatment BELOW whiter and brighter
this is something that the Orangery is addressing in the near future. Before the treatment took place, Hannah had done a shade match of my teeth, so I could see exactly how much whiter they had become. Eight shades of white is the amount my teeth had brightened by - a more than satisfying result! Such was the success of the teeth whitening that I was tempted into trialling another treatment on offer at the Orangery: Cavislim. This is a non-intrusive fat-busting treatment that uses ultrasonic waves to target fat in certain areas of the body and break it down into liquid for the body to dispose of. Perhaps not an alternative to good old-fashioned exercise, but a really rather relaxing treatment all the same - and perfect for that stubborn extra inch just stopping you from fitting into your dream dress.
CONTACT THE ORANGERY LASER & BEAUTY CLINIC 2 KINGSMEAD ST, BATH. FFI: 01225 466851, WWW. THEORANGERYLASERANDBEAUTYBATH.CO.UK
60 FOLIO/JAN 2013
Salon spy 216.indd 60
12/19/2012 3:12:15 PM
Moroccanoil stockists products are used in the Salon 6 Rockleaze Rd, Sneyd Park, Bristol BS9 1NF Tel: 0117 9682663 www.carlohairandbeauty.co.uk
FOLIO/JAN 2013 61
p61.indd 2
12/19/2012 12:43:11 PM
MOTORING LIFESTYLE
The latest A3: at the £20,000 price point nothing else can match it
INSIDE
STORY I
Is the third-generation A3 everything that Audi promised? Ask Jonathan Crouch
f the concept of a premium compact car means anything to you, then it’s probably Audi’s A3 that comes to mind. This is the third of three generations in a line that dates all the way back to 1996, when the idea of moving a car upmarket in class and appeal without increasing its size was new and challenging. Cynics dismissed it as a way of dressing up ordinary family hatches and charging more for them. Customers, though, loved the idea, and nearly a quarter of a million mk2 A3s were pounding global roads by the time this third-generation model arrived in the autumn - to find a much tougher market awaiting it. Audi’s response was to give the A3 a subtle new suit, disguising the revolution that’s taken place beneath the bodywork. Stiffer and more cost-effective to produce than before, it promised better ride and handling - and freed up funds for an interior with quality and technology previously unseen at this price point. The result, we were promised, would be the definitive compact premium car. So, is that what we’ve got here? Well, first up, because a lot of the stuff you can’t see is lighter than before, the car immediately feels more lithe and agile, even on a short drive. True, real driving enthusiasts will still prefer the rear-wheel-drive reactions of a BMW 1 Series or the fine front-driven tactility of
a Ford Focus. But everyone else should enjoy this Audi just as much, thanks to lovely technical touches such as an electronic limited slip differential that helps the car turn more sharply into bends. Engine-wise, there’s a petrol 1.8 TFSI option and a 2.0-litre version of this engine in the 300PS S3 hot hatch - but almost all British A3 buyers will choose either a 1.4-litre petrol variant or a diesel. The 1.4 petrol comes with 122PS or, if you go for the 140PS derivative, clever ‘Cylinder on Demand’ technology that cuts out two of the four cylinders at low-to-medium engine speeds for greater efficiency. Diesel-wise, there’s a 105Ps 1.6 or a 2.0litre TDI unit with either 150 or 184PS. What sets this car apart, though, is the feeling you get from sitting behind the wheel. Quite simply, nothing else at the £20,000 price point
can match it, the cabin dominated by an electrically extending 5.8in colour screen centrally positioned atop the dash, via which you can marshal the many functions of a redesigned MMI infotainment system. That £20,000 will, in truth, buy you little more than an entry-level 1.4-litre TFSI petrol with a few modest options. The bulk of the range sits at around £25,000 - comparable to the A3’s two closest rivals, the BMW 1 Series and Mercedes A Class. Though choice between this trio will come down to personal preference, the fact that you can have, say, an A3 2.0 TDI on the same fuel and tax terms that would give you a feeble 1 Series or A-Class diesel will be a powerful incentive. And whichever three or five-door A3 model you choose, you’ll find it decently equipped. Even the least expensive SE variants get 16-inch alloy wheels, heated powered door mirrors, driver information system with on-board computer, air conditioning and the aforementioned infotainment display screen. In the search for a compact car that’s also a premium purchase, there are more charismatic choices than this A3, but few better ones. Light in bulk, heavy in technology, it’s a logical evolution of the breed that’s already one of Britain’s favourite company cars, but the interior is where this design really strides apart. You could be in a luxury car. And of course, in many ways, you are. Cool, class-less and clever, the new A3 is desirably definitive.
CONTACT
BATH AUDI ROMAN WAY, BATH BUSINESS PARK, PEASEDOWN ST JOHN. FFI: 01761 441352, WWW. WWW.BATHAUDI.CO.UK BRISTOL AUDI LYSANDER RD, CRIBBS CAUSEWAY. FFI: 0117 314 9308, WWW.BRISTOLAUDI.CO.UK
62 FOLIO/JAN 2013
Motoring 216.indd 62
12/19/2012 6:35:20 PM
MARK SIMMONS PHOTOGRAPHY Tel: 0117 9140999 Mobile: 07778 063 699
Natural Weddings “Mark Simmons has both the skilled eye and craftsmanship to make your wedding album come alive every time you turn the pages. Frozen action and classic art are merged to create an emotional trip down memory lane. Mark’s documentary style is energy filled, fun and delivered with an ever reassuring calmness for even the most camera shy family member. Moreover, Mark is a joy to work with and has a winning formula.” Tina and Garry Tabor
www.marksimmonsphotography.com
you... WE WANT TO HEAR FROM
Tell us about your big day or wedding plans; let us know all about the gorgeous dress you discovered or about that perfect venue. Ask us any questions you have about planning for your nuptials or share some useful tips of your own. Email the editor at westweddings@venue.co.uk and you could be gracing the pages of our next edition.
Hear from you_HP.indd 1
p63.indd 2
FOLIO/JAN 11/27/2012 2013 2:47:03 63 PM
12/19/2012 12:56:43 PM
EDUCATION LIFESTYLE
SPOTLIGHT ON…
COLSTON’S SCHOOL ➻
Colston’s School in Stapleton, Bristol, have high expectations of all their students. Pupils are encouraged to develop and extend their talents, and to try new things. Colston’s also place great store by the concepts of community and service that underpin the life of the school. “We have a broad mix of pupils from different social backgrounds,” says Upper School head Peter Fraser, “and we believe that this naturally encourages tolerance, understanding and an appreciation of others. Boys and girls are recognised as individuals and benefit from our strong pastoral care a recognised strength of our House system.” Colston’s is large enough to provide a wide range of activities at the highest level, but small enough for each boy and girl to actively contribute to the life of the school. Entrance exams and assessments for the Upper School take place on Sat 12 Jan, and entrance assessments for the Lower School on Sat 26 Jan. There are also Lower School Open Mornings on Fri 18 Jan and Fri 3 May. “There is, of course,” says Peter, “no substitute for a visit to the school, and I would cordially invite you to come and see Colston’s for yourself. At Colston’s, every day is an Open Day, and we would be delighted to meet you.” COLSTON’S SCHOOL FFI: 0117 965 5207 (UPPER SCHOOL), 0117 965 5297 (LOWER SCHOOL), WWW.COLSTONS.BRISTOL.SCH.UK
Find the right chemistry at Colston's
AWARD
DON’T PANIC ➻ A student from Taunton School received the red-carpet treatment recently… and came away with a coveted Bafta. At a glittering ceremony in London, Charlie Hutton-Pattemore rubbed shoulders with star names including Harry Potter and Hollyoaks actress Anna Shaffer (pictured here, with Charlie), who presented him with the Bafta. The Bafta Young Game Designers initiative, now in its third year, aims to inspire the game designers and game makers of the future by giving young people aged 11-16 the chance to design and create their own video game and develop it with industry professionals. With his winning game, Vacuum Panic (aka Suck It Up), 15-yearold Taunton School pupil Charlie will now get to work with experts from the University of Abertay Dundee. He’ll also visit the Sony Computer Entertainment London Studio, makers of the Bafta Award-winning EyeToy and SingStar franchises. Vacuum Panic requires players to vacuum a series of rooms before their mum gets home, while avoiding various hazards that trigger timewasting mini games. The winners’ entries were chosen from hundreds across the UK by a jury of games industry professionals, educationalists and celebrity gamers. The jury, chaired by Harvey Elliott, MD & COO at Marmalade, and chair of Bafta’s Children’s and Games Committees, describes Charlie’s game as “a stylish design to make the mundane into a fun, rewarding experience”. TAUNTON SCHOOL FFI: 01823 703703, WWW.TAUNTONSCHOOL.CO.UK
RESEARCH
SHHH!
➻ Research by scientists at the
University of Bath is being used to help inform new EU legislation on levels of underwater noise, with the aim of reducing the impact of noise pollution on marine wildlife. Shipping, seismic surveys for oil exploration and even the installation of offshore wind turbines all produce underwater noise that’s been shown to increase the stress levels of wildlife. This can affect the longterm health of marine animals, in turn creating a negative impact on the marine food chain and the fishing industry. The researchers at Bath, in collaboration with Ocean Networks Canada, looked at different statistical methods of measuring underwater noise and assessed which method was most relevant to measuring potential impacts on marine life. The new legislation will be used to set standards to reduce the levels by 2020.
BATH UNIVERSITY FFI: 01225 388388, WWW.BATH.AC.UK
64 FOLIO/JAN 2013
Education 216.indd 64
12/19/2012 4:30:39 PM
.CO.UK
FOLIO/JAN 2013 65
p65.indd 2
12/19/2012 1:05:19 PM
Ideal for weddings, private parties, corporate events, club nights and festivals!
To hire our booth for your special day contact us at
enquiries@itsyourbooth.com or visiting our website itsyourbooth.com
p66.indd 1
12/19/2012 1:06:48 PM
LIFESTYLE
TRAVEL
LIFE IS
SWEET
Simon Fry is bowled over by the hustle, bustle and recession-busting elegance of Dusseldorf in western Germany
F
ollowing his four-day visit in 1811, Napoleon dubbed Dusseldorf ‘a little Paris’. The comparison remains valid two centuries later, with this vibrant German city exuding elegance, importance and affluence. Located within the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region, wherein live 11 million people, the Eurozone’s recession is conspicuous by its absence, with a counter in Marktplatz recording the seconds since the city became debt-free, and families eating out en masse, even on Monday nights. They do so in the 250 bars, pubs and restaurants of the Altstadt (‘old town’) in a district sometimes referred to as ‘the world’s biggest bar’. The variety on offer is extraordinary, with Mexican, Lebanese, Japanese, Thai, Spanish, Korean, Chinese,
Above, left to right: cartwheeling sculpture; the mightyRhine, with the Rhine Tower left - it's a rotating restaurant and the world's biggest digital clock; view from the Rhine Tower Right: The Dox bar's decadent smoking lounge
Italian and fish restaurants within a 60-second stroll along Berger Strasse alone. Ale aficionados are similarly treated, with Altbier, a dark beer of North RhineWestphalia (Germany’s most populous state, of which Dusseldorf is capital) brewed onsite at brewpubs like Im Fuchschen (Little Fox) on Ratinger Strasse. The etiquette is engaging, with blue-clad köbes (waiters) notching how many 25cl glasses you’ve drunk by marking your beermat. Empty glasses are replaced automatically with full ones until you place your mat atop your empty or take it to the teller’s leaded window for payment. Ask politely, and you can take away a small stack of mats for natty souvenirs. Elsewhere in the Altstadt, Hafenstrasse’s Zum Schiffchen (Little Boat) bar and brewery, dating back to 1628, has a corner commemorating Napoleon’s drinking there. A photo marks Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy’s 2008 visit. Decidedly more modern is the Hyatt Regency Hotel’s Dox bar and restaurant in the city’s Media Harbour, a converted docks incorporating architecture by Frank Gehry. Around 140 wines adorn a spectacular list, and there’s a decadent smoking lounge. These two districts are joined by the Rheinuferpromenade beside the mighty Rhine, upon which is staged Dusseldorf’s annual cartwheel tournament (look out for lanes marked on the Tarmac). Around 700 children from several countries will compete in July 2013. The city’s emblem is a cartwheeling child, with the symbol conveyed in a fountain, sculpture and even
manhole covers around town. At the promenade’s southern end stands the Rhine Tower (Rheinturm), with the world’s biggest digital clock (see its dots ‘tick’ by night) and a rotating restaurant, 172m up, serving main courses for around £18-£28 (admission is a further £4). Shoppers will love the Konigsallee boulevard’s boutiques, while September 2013 will see the opening of the six-storey Ko-Bogen retail and office complex, designed by architect Daniel Libeskind, masterplan architect for the World Trade Centre site’s reconstruction. And there’s an annual funfair, attended by more than four million people. Dusseldorf’s Kraftwerk connection is less conspicuous, even though the electro-pioneers hail from here. Getting around town, meanwhile, is easy, with a £14 ‘welcome card’ providing unlimited citywide bus, tram and rail travel for 48 hours. Whenever you visit, Kurfurstenstrasse’s Sir Astor hotel, one of Dusseldorf’s first to reopen after world war two, in 1948, is the perfect place to stay. Guests today enjoy a privately owned home-from-home providing surprisingly affordable, cosy and trendy rooms popular with singers and film stars seeking privacy when in town.
CONTACT DOX FFI: WWW.DUSSELDORF.REGENCY. HYATT.DE DUSSELDORF MARKETING & TOURISM FFI: WWW.DUESSELDORFTOURISMUS.DE/EN IM FUCHSCHEN FFI: WWW. FUECHSCHEN.DE KLM FLY REGULARLY FROM BRISTOL TO DUSSELDORF. FFI: WWW.KLM.COM RHEINTURM FFI: WWW.GUENNEWIG. DE/DRHEINTU SIR ASTOR HOTEL FFI: WWW.SIRASTOR.DE ZUM SCHIFFCHEN FFI: WWW. BRAUEREI-ZUM-SCHIFFCHEN.DE
FOLIO/JAN 2013 67
Travel 216.indd 67
12/19/2012 3:36:04 PM
Your local Travel Agent for Latin America creating tailor-made holidays and unforgettable experiences. Whether you want adventure, trekking, wildlife or relaxation we will create your perfect Latin America itinerary. We have great ideas for couples, small groups, families and honeymooners. Our holidays combine great value with consistent high quality and a very personalised service. Come in for a chat or sign up for our newsletter to hear about local events where you can learn more about what Latin America has to offer. Destinations Peru | Ecuador & Galapagos Islands | Brazil | Argentina | Costa Rica | Chile | Nicaragua | Antarctica | Bolivia | Colombia | Panama
Into Latin America 25 Backfields Lane Bristol, BS2 8QW, UK 0117 230 5446 www.intolatinamerica.com info@intolatinamerica.com 68 FOLIO/JAN 2013
p68.indd 1
12/19/2012 1:07:55 PM
LIFESTYLE
TRAVEL
CIRENCESTER
COTSWOLD CHARMER
➻ If Christmas was a time for the kids, make
LATIN AMERICA
STORYTIME…
➻ Into Latin America (ILA) was founded in
2009 by Stephanie Kitchin - after living and working in the region for six years, Steph decided to make Bristol her home and put to good use the knowledge and experience she’d gained. All ILA holidays are tailormade, so no two are the same. The company pride themselves on being able to cater for every individual request and preference, so that you can make the most of your time in Latin America. Equally, ILA are keen to ensure that the region benefits from the experiences of those who travel with them. They use small, locally owned and run hotels and service providers, and brief their passengers on responsible travel. ILA also support successful local projects, which you can visit when you’re there. Latin America is a hugely diverse continent, bringing incredible landscapes, culture, food and history. Whether you want
to hike in the world’s most beautiful mountain range, explore ancient ruins, spot the jungle’s wildlife, relax in a spa hotel or enjoy a local festival, Latin America always delivers. One ILA traveller who recently returned from hiking the Inca Trail says, “The trip was wonderful. Mystical and magical are the only words to describe it. I felt as though I’d fallen into a storybook or film. Peru is just beautiful…” Since ILA are a small company, a personal service is guaranteed – you’ll deal with the same person throughout the booking process, and they will always be on hand to provide answers and advice. ILA are Atol and Travel Trust bonded; get in touch with them to start planning your trip and let them inspire you. INTO LATIN AMERICA FFI: 0117 230 5446, WWW. INTOLATINAMERICA.COM
the new year a time for grown-ups - at least for one night - with an evening in an historic hotel in a region renowned for its well-connected inhabitants. Barnsley House, grade II* listed and built in 1697, nestles in the charming Cotswold village of Barnsley, four miles north-east of Cirencester. Once home to internationally acclaimed garden designer Rosemary Verey, who advised the likes of Prince Charles and Elton John on their green spaces, this luxury hotel now offers 18 beautiful letting bedrooms, most of which overlook or open onto gardens that include the much-photographed Laburnam Arch. Tucked away in the secluded grounds, a short stroll down a winding path from the main house (passing a Gothic summerhouse and private 30-seater cinema along the way), the Garden Spa features five treatment rooms, a steam room, sauna, relaxation room and lounge area, while its garden features a reflecting pond with waterfalls. A night’s B&B costs from £140pp (based on two sharing); children under 14 are not accepted. BARNSLEY HOUSE HOTEL & SPA BARNSLEY, CIRENCESTER, GLOS. FFI: 0800 089 3929, WWW.PRIDEOFBRITAINHOTELS.COM
BRISTOL AIRPORT
TAKE A SEAT
➻ There’s lots of good news coming from
Bristol Airport this month. It’s become the world’s first airport where passengers in its bars and restaurants can order food and drinks via their smartphones. You can download the new QikServe app free of charge, place an order and have your food served to your table without having to queue at the bar. What’s more, the Blue Islands airline is significantly increasing seat capacity on its Bristol-Jersey route. The remarkable success of the service, launched 18 months ago, means that more seats are required to meet increased demand. Capacity will increase by 140% in February 2013 when the 48-seater ATR-42 aircraft replaces the 19-seater Jetstream aircraft.
And as part of the airport’s ongoing focus on improving its facilities for business passengers, the boarding gate most commonly used by full-service airlines (including Air France, KLM and Brussels Airlines) has been redecorated and fitted out with new furniture and fittings. Work has also started on a £600,000 project to create a new lounge in the terminal; the current executive lounge will be relocated, resulting in a 50 per cent increase in space. The new Aspire by Servisair lounge will offer greater levels of comfort and service when it opens in spring 2013 and should appeal to both business and leisure passengers. FFI WWW.BRISTOLAIRPORT.CO.UK
FOLIO/JAN 2013 69
Travel 216.indd 69
12/19/2012 3:35:29 PM
KITCHENS BATHROOMS HOME IMPROVEMENTS SHOPPING GARDENING PROPERTY
➻ HOME FRONT
COUNTRY CLASSIC DESIGN, INDOOR GARDENS, WOOL CARPETS AND MORE… FURNITURE
STAYING PUT
➻ With an unpredictable housing market and the soaring cost of socialising, we’re increasingly choosing to make the most of our homes. If you’re looking for a new centrepiece to add ‘wow’ to your interior, or need to furnish an entire home, Quarter on Bristol’s Cheltenham Road is the go-to place for beautifully designed solid furniture and eye-catching accessories. Set over two floors, the shop displays an array of bedroom, dining and occasional furniture, from solid oak beds, stylish chests of drawers and mango-wood coffee tables and bookcases to intricate mosaic mirrors, modern cube storage units and practical extending dining tables and chairs. There are also smaller items such as clocks, picture frames and some gorgeous lamps. Quarter’s January sale promotion offers 20 per cent off everything, as well as some clearance pieces at half-price. With 20 years’ retail experience, owner Andy Spiers has an understanding of what his customers like and expect. “The UK furniture industry is worth £13bn a year, but much of that is mass-produced and relatively disposable. I source high-quality solid furniture that’s reasonably priced and delivered quickly, and which can be used and loved for many years to come.” You can also expect some good old-fashioned service at Quarter. Free home delivery is standard and arranged for a time that suits you. Deliveries are to the room of your choice, with the packaging taken away and recycled, and everything left fully assembled and ready to use. “It’s encouraging to see that more and more consumers are turning their backs on the giant multiple chains, as a result of murky tax affairs and poor customer service,” says Andy. “It allows us independents the opportunity to show the customer a pleasant shopping experience while they support the local economy.” QUARTER 188 CHELTENHAM RD, BRISTOL, BS6. FFI: 0117 924 7777, WWW.QUARTERFURNITURE.CO.UK
DESIGN
HOME FROM HOME ➻ Bath-based interior and garden design
company Woodhouse & Law have just completed work on one of several local holiday home projects. Offering a dedicated service for the interior and garden design of holiday homes, they’ve just been commissioned to work on such a project at Constantine Bay in Cornwall. And their latest project is a stone’s throw from National Trust property Dyrham Park - one of a series of farm outbuildings and barns converted to a very high standard by Harmac Construction. The brief on this project was to create a real ‘home from home’, somewhere welcoming for all ages. The property takes its influences from the beautiful rural surroundings, using natural fabrics and materials such as wool and wicker, creating a
real sense of country classic. To add a feel of the eclectic, John Law has introduced a touch of industrial chic using accessories such as distressed metal cabinets, while contemporary retro print fabrics provide splashes of soft greens, grey-blues and aubergine. The open-plan living area looks out onto the property’s own boules court and hot tub, and borders of ornamental grasses and herbaceous perennials. Sleeping eight people, the house is available to let as a holiday home (www. holidaylettings.co.uk). WOODHOUSE & LAW DUNSDON BARN, DUNSDOWN LANE, WEST LITTLETON, WILTS, SN14. FFI: 01225 892054, WWW. WOODHOUSEANDLAW.CO.UK
70 FOLIO/JAN 2013
Homefront 216.indd 70
12/19/2012 4:16:29 PM
HOMEFRONT
FLOORING
ON TERRA FIRMA ➻ “It’s going to be a great year for home
improvements, and there’s no better place to start than the January sale at Disney Flooring! There’s something for everyone here,” says Lee Disney, “whether you’re on a tight budget or looking for luxury. You’ll find a fantastic range, excellent prices and the security of knowing your floor will be installed by experts.” Among the bargains are 100 per cent wool carpets from £9.95 per square metre - “and when they’re gone, they’re really gone!” – or, if you’re looking for plain carpets, quality hard-wearing twists from £15.95/sq m. Not to mention topof-the-range sisals, while stocks last, at £30/sq m, instead of the usual £65-plus. Carpet not your thing? Have a look at wood flooring - again, special offers abound: 150mm-wide engineered oak from £29.95,
189mm multilayered boards from £45/sq m. For something softer on top of your floor, consider a bespoke rug. “There are thousands of combinations to choose from, but if you see a rug in store that you like, you can just take it away with you, along with a minimum discount of 50 per cent off the RRP.” And if you think wood flooring will be too expensive or too much of an upheaval for you, their new Moduleo range has “all the charm and character of real wood and tiles, but is supereasy to install and keep clean”. Prices start at less than £20/sq m. DISNEY FLOORING 11 ZETLAND RD, REDLAND, BRISTOL, BS6 (0117 942 4949) & ALBERT AVE, WESTON-SUPER-MARE, BS23 (01934 615005). FFI: WWW.DISNEY-FLOORING.COM/2013
PLANTS
TOP TIPS ➻ Some expert advice for ‘inside
gardens’ this month from Felicity Down at Cleeve Nursery. “Mist over the tops of houseplants regularly,” she says, “especially in centrally heated rooms. Water carefully - let plants dry out between waterings, then give a thorough soak, rather than small amounts regularly. Clean leaves with leaf shine, as dusty leaves struggle in winter’s low light, and feed indoor plants monthly, first making sure the root ball is wet - if not, water first! Finally, keep citrus cool unless they’re actively growing.” And if your living room’s looking bare without Christmas decorations, liven it up with a gorgeous houseplant from Cleeve Nursery! CLEEVE NURSERY CLEEVE, BRISTOL, BS49. FFI: 01934 832134, WWW. CLEEVENURSERY.CO.UK
FRAMING
HANG IT!
➻ Here’s Bath’s award-winning Framing Workshop advice on how to put
your pictures centre-stage. First up, pick the right frame: “The choice of mounts and frames is wider than ever before,” says Martin Tracey, “and some art should be protected for future generations. We’ll advise you on the most appropriate framing, and how to make even a modestly priced print look its best.” Second, ask a professional - Fine Art Trade Guild members commit to a code of ethics and high standards. Third, advises Martin, “Extreme changes in temperature cause paper and wood to warp and dry out - don’t hang framed pictures above radiators or in humid conditions where damp can cause pictures to ripple and encourage fungal growth.” And Martin’s last tip: “Most pictures are designed to be viewed at eye level. When hanging pictures of different sizes together, consider aligning the top edges. Groups of pictures need not be hung in symmetrical patterns, but should follow some sort of overall design.”
THE FRAMING WORKSHOP 80 WALCOT ST, BATH. FFI: 01225 482748, WWW. THEFRAMINGWORKSHOP.COM
FOLIO/JAN 2013 71
Homefront 216.indd 71
12/19/2012 4:16:39 PM
ADVERTISING FEATURE FEATURE
72 FOLIO/JAN 2013
Homefront 216.indd 72
12/19/2012 7:09:17 PM
ADVERTISING ADVERTISINGFEATURE FEATURE
FOLIO/JAN 2013 73
Homefront 216.indd 73
12/19/2012 6:55:34 PM
INTERIORS INTERIORSHOMEFRONT HOMEFRONT
In small spaces, built-in baths can be tiled or tongue-and-grooved (Oxford collection at Imperial Bathrooms, www. imperialbathrooms.com)
PURE
CLASS
Traditional doesn’t have to mean old-fashioned, says interior designer Lesley Taylor
I
f you take a look at the latest trends in the interiors market, you’ll see a definitive steer towards traditional styling and a more nostalgic theme throughout the home. This doesn’t mean to say that modern minimalism is now old hat, and while contemporary design can still make a great impression if used in the right setting, it can often lack in comfort and personality. And there’s no better place to embrace traditional styling than within the bathroom. Not only is a heritage look being applied to living areas by replacing existing wallpaper, soft furnishings and
accessories, but major projects that require a significant investment, including the kitchen and bathroom, are also following suit. Now that bathrooms are far more than purely functional spaces, we’re spending more attention and money on their design. Whether you want a long, hot soak in the tub or a refreshing power shower, it’s important that the bathroom scheme creates a luxurious, grand ambience that you’ll be reluctant to leave. A traditionally styled bathroom will create a truly lavish experience and is an ideal way to extend the scheme throughout the entire home. You may worry that a classic theme could look outdated after a short period of time. And, yes, if you try to follow this trend by incorporating a traditional bathroom in a modern home, it will soon date. But, if you’re applying this scheme to a traditional home, it will remain a timeless design. Traditional design as we know it has actually developed over the years. No longer does it have to involve dark shades of colour and gloomy burgundy, dark green and blue tiles. It now means a fresh, neutral backdrop that allows fixtures and fittings to take centre-stage. Using a pared-down colour scheme will still enable your bathroom to have a dramatic effect, but the overall finish will be enhanced through the addition of beautiful accessories and elegant brassware. Opt for marble or ceramic tiles, which won’t age and will retain a timeless appearance. If space is on your side, you can introduce richer tones into your decorating scheme - deep purples, ➻
74 FOLIO/JAN 2013
Interiors 216.indd 74
12/19/2012 3:23:47 PM
the
wooden blindcompany
bespoke shutters & blinds
Expertly measured & installed by us, We are a local, family business, With over a decade of experience. Contact us now to be inspired!
t: 0117 960 6289 www.thewoodenblindcompany.co.uk
cleevenursery.co.uk/blog/
FOLIO/JAN 2013 75
p75.indd 2
12/19/2012 1:09:42 PM
INTERIORS HOMEFRONT
for example, for a more glamorous appearance. Depending on how far you want to take this scheme, wall panelling can add interest to the room and incorporate a decorative touch, and it will provide the room with a sense of authenticity. When it comes to choosing your bathroom suite, remember that the bath is often the focal point of a traditional scheme. For luxurious indulgence, a free-standing roll-top bath is just the thing. It’s no longer all about heavy and expensive cast-iron designs; the market is now flooded with acrylic alternatives that look just as beautiful, yet are lighter, durable and easier to maintain. You can be fairly flexible in your bath choice because, although it will need to be in keeping with the sanitaryware, it can be independent of the overall design - by
Above: Create a focal centrepiece (Imperial Bathrooms roll-top bath, www.taylorsetc. co.uk) Above right: Oversized Victorian showerhead (Lefroy Brooks, www.taylorsetc. co.uk) Right: For authenticity, every element should tie in with the traditional theme (Vogue UK’s Elizabeth BJ radiator, www. vogueuk.co.uk)
choosing a different colour, for example, in order to make a statement. If you’re tight on space, a built-in bath will also work well, whether it’s surrounded by tiles or tongue-and-groove wood panelling. If you’re more of a shower person, there are plenty of ways to incorporate a quality shower experience while still embracing a traditional theme. If your budget will allow, create a tiled wetroom area and install an oversized Victorian showerhead that provides a rainshower effect. Opt for an oversized pedestal basin for a luxurious country-house appearance, and for a really authentic look, choose a WC that’s of a low pan and high-level cistern design with a long chain. To give your bathroom a long lifespan, a white ceramic suite will stay looking fresh for years to come. The
brassware will also contribute to the overall look - invest in high-quality products that won’t corrode over time. If you have a fairly plain suite, choose a decorative brassware collection, or if your sanitaryware is already detailed, a plain, crosshead design would be more suitable. With a traditional bathroom, there’s plenty of opportunity to add finishing touches along the way. An antique mirror is the perfect accessory, adding charm and making the room feel more spacious. Dressing your window with wooden shutters is another great addition that not only looks great, but is practical, too. If you’re looking for a slightly more contemporary feel, try not to add too much glamour, as this can run the risk of looking outdated. A classically styled bathroom decorated in a modern way screams elegance, luxury and sophistication.
CONTACTS BATH CONTRACT FLOORING 4 KINGSMEAD ST, BATH. FFI: 01225 471888, WWW. BATHCONTRACTFLOORING.CO.UK GARDINER HASKINS STRAIGHT ST, BRISTOL, BS2. FFI: 0117 929 2288, WWW.GARDINERHASKINS.CO.UK/ ONLINE/BATHROOMS IPLUMB BRISTOL FFI: 0117 939 3542, WWW.BRISTOLIPLUMB.CO.UK KELLAWAY BATHROOMS 172-174 KELLAWAY AVE, HORFIELD, BRISTOL, BS6. FFI: 0117 942 6050, WWW. KELLAWAYBATHROOMS.CO.UK MANDARIN STONE 15-16 BROAD ST, BATH (01225 460033) & 15 REGENT ST, CLIFTON VILLAGE, BRISTOL (0117 973 1552). FFI: WWW. MANDARINSTONE.COM
76 FOLIO/JAN 2013
Interiors 216.indd 76
12/19/2012 3:24:27 PM
FOLIO/JAN 2013 77
p77.indd 2
12/19/2012 1:10:41 PM
PROPERTY HOMEFRONT
SET IN
STONE
Head up Bathwick Hill with Sam Andrews to find this landmark listed building
78 FOLIO/JAN 2013
Property_Batwick terrace216.indd 78
12/19/2012 4:39:59 PM
HOMEFRONT
PROPERTY
I
f the ionic columns, rusticated masonry, stone balcony and gorgeous arched window don’t tempt you, perhaps the cinema room and wine cellar will. Yours for a cool £1.5 million, this substantial grade II-listed five-storey townhouse on the lower slopes of Bathwick Hill used to form the main part of a commercial HQ. Grand is the name of the game, as are the views - out over Bath and the surrounding countryside. First impressions impress: the central reception hall comes with a cantilevered stone staircase set with a mahogany handrail. The theme continues through the rest of the building, all high ceilings, ornate ceiling coving, large sash windows with shutters, and original fireplace surrounds in the main rooms. Either side of the ground-floor reception hall, you’ll find the kitchen and dining room, with the ensuite master bedroom and drawing room up on the first floor. There are four more bedrooms (and a WC) on the second floor, and another bedroom, storage and two attic rooms on the third floor, with potential for a third-floor bath/ shower room. Down on the lower-ground floor, there’s plenty of room to make your mark. In the past the whole floor has been used as a self-contained apartment - with kitchen, utility room, bedroom, study (currently being used as a cinema room-cum-office) and large vaulted cellars. There’s access to a pretty courtyard garden area, with views across the allotments, and the whole property stands safely behind electric wrought-iron gates, with its own large designated parking area. Out front, the lawned garden is surrounded by a lavender hedge to keep the bees happy. It’s a hop and a skip to central Bath and the train station, or just wander down to the local parade of shops on Bathwick Hill, or the canal behind it. At the top of Bathwick Hill is Bath University, with its fabulous sporting facilities, and the Bath Skyline Walk through National Trust grounds. Schools? You’re spoiled for choice. Take your pick from the likes of the Paragon, Prior Park, Kingsdown, King Edward’s, the Royal High, Monkton Combe and Hayesfield Girls’.
1 BATHWICK TERRACE BATHWICK HILL, BATH. GUIDE PRICE £1.5M
FFI CARTER JONAS, 5-6 WOOD ST, BATH. FFI: 01225 747250, WWW.CARTERJONAS.CO.UK
FOLIO/JAN 2013 79
Property_Batwick terrace216.indd 79
12/19/2012 4:40:52 PM
PROPERTY HOMEFRONT
TOP OF THE
WORLD Josie Drummond soaks up the views from this Georgian townhouse in Clifton
80 FOLIO/JAN 2013
Property_KnightFrank216.indd 80
12/19/2012 3:38:33 PM
HOMEFRONT
PROPERTY
P
ush open the working shutters that cover the full-length, original windows in this light and airy five-storey, fivebed Clifton des res with playroom, decked terrace and roof garden, and lose yourself awhile in the glorious views across Christchurch to the front and Dundry to the rear. Inside, period features go large, from the ceiling cornicing and coving to the staircase. From the lobby with tessellated floor and windows, a stained-glass door leads into the main, panelled hallway with cloakroom, with double doors opening into the kitchen/breakfast room with its separate dresser, freestanding central island and granite work surfaces, as well as a generous helping of luscious wall and base units. Smeg fans will appreciate the fitted dishwasher and gas cooker with griddle. Through another set of double doors, you’ll find a decked terrace area, and through an archway, the dining room with fireplace, overlooking the front. The staircase up from the main hallway brings you to a first-floor mezzanine with long sash windows overlooking the green. Double doors from the landing lead into a seriously impressive drawing room with fireplace with gas fire, long sash windows and views to Dundry. The sitting room, again with a fireplace, has windows with working shutters, and a balcony looking over Christchurch Green. Up on the second-floor mezzanine with its long sash window, the grand master bedroom, with double sash windows and fireplace, overlooks the rear, and its ensuite bathroom comes with a bath, low-level WC, twin basins, wetroom/shower area and tiled. For your guests? An ensuite bedroom overlooking the front of the property. And it doesn’t stop there! Climb the stairs to find a roof terrace with fabulous views across Christchurch and towards the Suspension Bridge. You can access the double garage with roller doors via the lower-ground floor, which has a utility room with storage, sink and plumbing for white goods. A door leads to the front courtyard with storage space, and steps go back up to the front of the house. And not forgetting the kids, there’s also a playroom overlooking the courtyard, which is currently used as an office.
11 GLOUCESTER ROW CLIFTON, BRISTOL. GUIDE PRICE £1.5M FFI KNIGHT FRANK, REGENT HOUSE, 27A REGENT ST, CLIFTON, BRISTOL. TEL: 0117 317 1999, WEB: WWW. KNIGHTFRANK.CO.UK
FOLIO/JAN 2013 81
Property_KnightFrank216.indd 81
12/19/2012 3:39:11 PM
PHOTO: SARAH VIVIENNE
BRISTOL LIVING
PIECES OF ME
MARTI BURGESS
Bristol-based lawyer, among other things
WORDS: SUZANNE SAVILL
PIC: MARK SIMMO
NS
M For Marti, shopping at Soukous with her daughters is pleasure, while Lakota is (family) business
arti Burgess was a key figure in the campaign for Bristol to have an elected mayor. She worked on securing a ‘yes’ vote with Jaya Chakrabarti and Christina Zaba, and then joined with them to establish the Bristol Manifesto. Marti, who’s married to acclaimed chef Chris Wicks and has two daughters, is a lawyer with the corporate and intellectual property team at Bristol-based Gregg Latchams. She also lectures on music law at modern music college BIMM Bristol, is on the board of the Bristol Music Trust, and helps to run Lakota, the nightclub owned by her family.
My favourite part of the morning... is when I first get up. I wake very early usually before 6am - and so I like this time to myself to read and have a coffee and relax before the children get up and the manic time before school ensues. My favourite aspect of my work... is the final completion meeting. I mainly act for clients doing corporate deals with other businesses. I like acting for sellers who’ve built a business up from scratch and have got to the point in their life when they want to sell. I really enjoy the meeting when the papers are all signed and the clients are really happy.
the activity outside while having a beautiful meal. Despite the area changing, I still know loads of people and always end up waving to various people who spot me as they walk past. My dream shop in Bristol... I hate shopping, but love going to the pink shop on Cotham Hill, Soukous, with my daughters. They get really excited about buying girly stuff and usually leave happy after only spending a few pounds. My most memorable place in Bristol... I have great memories all over the city. I love Campbell Street in St Pauls - it brings back my first memories of going out and dancing in the street at the St Pauls Carnival. In the 80s, the Wild Bunch used to play on that street for carnival. I love Clifton, as I went to school there, and I have loads of memories of hanging out all over it, particularly of being up near the Observatory. My future hopes for Bristol... are for it to be a city that becomes proud of what it really is and all the people that are here. We have so many good things going on here and we should be boasting about them and stop moaning. We also need to start appreciating Bristol’s greatest resource - the Bristolians who just get on with it and love living here and, like me, probably still live five minutes from where they were born.
My perfect cafe in Bristol... is Spicer and Cole, just off Queen Square.
Bell's Diner: obviously Marti's favourite restaurant!
My ideal venue for lunch or dinner... has always been Bell’s Diner, and not just because my husband is the chefowner! I’m from Montpelier and still feel that Montpelier is my patch. I love sitting in Bell’s and watching
Some of Marti's earliest memories are of dancing at the St Pauls Carnival
82 FOLIO/JAN 2013
Pieces of Me 216.indd 82
12/19/2012 3:22:18 PM
p83.indd 1
12/19/2012 1:12:12 PM
p84.indd 1
12/19/2012 1:13:10 PM