The Bath Magazine July 2013

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ISSUE 130 • JULY 2013 £3.00 where sold

LAURA ASHLEY Bath celebrates her floral legacy WIN

A TWO NIGHT STAY AT A TOP COUNTRY HOUSE HOTEL

THE MAGAZINE FOR THE CITY OF BATH

www.thebathmagazine.co.uk

THE MAN FROM

MULBERRY Roger Saul’s retail revolution BATH’S BEST

LITTLE SHOPS This year’s list of the city’s finest CIDER HOUSE RULES

ORCHARD PIG On Somerset apples FLOWER MILES

BUY BRITISH A home grown success story MICHELIN DINING At the Manor House Hotel

ON THE MARKET: B AT H ’ S F I N E S T P R O P E RT Y O N S H O W

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CONTENTS BATH July:Layout 1

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contents

July 2013 84

70

28

16 56 6

FIVE OF THE BEST

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THE CITYIST

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Larkhall’s Rebecca Langbridge shares her favourite places and things to do in Bath

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NEW

MRS STOKES

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16

LAURA’S LEGACY Fashion Museum’s tribute to the designer

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SUMMER FASHION Dresses and accessories for sunny days

20 INDEPENDENTS’ DAY

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COMPETITION

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CELEBRITY PROFILE Roger Saul on his latest venture

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A GOOD READ Books to enjoy on holiday

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HEALTH & BEAUTY A round-up of fresh summer products

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THE WALK In the footsteps of St Alphege

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INTERIORS A Cotswold farmhouse revitalised

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BRITISH FLOWERS Somerset grown beautiful bloomers

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GARDENING Jane Moore revisits Tyntesfield

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PROPERTY Find your next home in the city or country

@ thebathmagazine

RESTAURANT REVIEW The Manor House Hotel, Castle Combe

FOOD HEROES

ON THE COVER

Why Orchard Pig is the pick of the crop

58

Win a two night stay at Llangoed Hall

28

ART & EXHIBITIONS What the local galleries are showing

Celebrating Bath’s best little shops

WIN

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FACE THE MUSIC Police commissioner Sue Mountstevens picks her favourite pieces of music

BATH AT WORK Neill Menneer’s photographic tribute to the Twerton chippy

TREASURE HOUSE The story behind the founding of the Museum of East Asian Art in Bath

Our new columnist on the Twittersphere

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WHAT’S ON Highlights from Bath’s busy calendar

Things to do and see in July

A DAY AT THE RACES Having fun with hats, horses and lunch too

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FAMILY FUN Things to do with the children

The Badminton Game by David Inshaw, on show at the B&NES run Victoria Art Gallery this summer

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EDITOR’Sletter

L

ike many other women I have a soft spot for Laura Ashley. I wore her pretty floral sprigged print dresses as a teenager and later as a young mum-to-be, complete with frilly pie-crust collar, in imitation of Lady Di’s style. The most memorable item of my Laura Ashley collection was an Edwardian style dress with a high collar, long sleeves and a full length skirt that I wore at my mother’s second wedding. It’s so demure that today’s young women would eye it as a curiosity. I share this bit of personal fashion history as this month sees the opening of a new exhibition at the Fashion Museum in Bath celebrating the 60th anniversary of British design house Laura Ashley and I am sure that many visitors will have a pang of nostalgia, as I did, when they see some of the clothes and photos from the 1960s and 70s on display. Lindsey Harrad looks at Laura’s fashion legacy on Page 16, where you can also see a model wearing that demure dress of my youth.

There’s a lot more going on in Bath this month, which we’ve tried to squeeze in to this issue. We’ve had a re-jig of our What’s On pages and decided to run events in date order, which we hope will be useful to anyone planning what to do with their free time.

We’ve applied the same chronological order to the Family Fun events, so parents can look for entertainment for the long school summer holidays.

We’re all now very much aware of food miles and the need to consume locally grown produce rather than, say, beans that have been flown in from Africa. And by the same token there’s a growing movement to persuade us to buy flowers that haven’t racked up a huge carbon footprint. Somerset grower Georgie Newbery, featured on Page 84, is a great ambassador for British flowers, growing some truly beautiful native blooms to adorn our homes, with zero flower miles to worry about.

The Bath Magazine is a good read any month, we reckon, but especially so this month. Those nice people at Topping & Co bookshop have selected some books you might enjoy reading on holiday, while Roger Saul talks about why, despite international success with Mulberry, his latest business venture is still in his home county of Somerset. The first elected police commissioner for Avon and Somerset, Sue Mountstevens, talks to Mick Ringham about how she’s rising to the challenge of her new role, and about the importance of family in her life, in our Face the Music slot.

Melissa Blease profiles those nice guys at Orchard Pig, who make cider and soft drinks from locally grown apples, and I spent an idyllic few hours in Castle Combe, with lunch at the Michelin starred Manor House Hotel and a tour of the gardens where the vegetables and salad leaves are grown for the kitchens. We celebrate the 20th anniversary of one of Bath’s smallest museums, the Museum of East Asian Art, explore the historic gardens of Tyntesfield and step out to the Saxon settlement of Deerhurst, where Bath’s own Saint Alphege used to preach.

Pour yourself a long, cool drink, seat yourself in the dappled shade and, please, enjoy our July issue as much as we’ve enjoyed creating it.

Georgette McCready Editor

All paper used to make this magazine is taken from good sustainable sources and we encourage our suppliers to join an accredited green scheme. Magazines are now fully recyclable. By recycling magazines, you can help to reduce waste and contribute to the six million tonnes of paper already recycled by the UK paper industry each year. Please recycle this magazine, but if you are not able to participate in a recycling scheme, then why not pass your magazine on to a friend or colleague.

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Crafting beautiful homes In and around Bath

01225 79115 5

ashford-homes.co.uk JULY 2013

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ZEITGEIST

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things to do in July

Read

Celebrate Pack a rug or some chairs and head up the hill to Claverton on Thursday 4 July for a free evening celebrating the anniversary of American independence at the American Museum in Bath.

There’ll be barbecue food, soft drinks and ice cream on sale and music from 1950s style band, Kabinrock, who’ll transport visitors back to the rock’n’roll era of Gene Vincent, Elvis, Chuck Berry and Eddie Cochran. Gates open at 5.30pm, wagons will roll home at 8.30pm.

As the schools break up for summer children will have more time to enjoy reading – and for reluctant readers parents can offer the incentive of the possibility of meeting an author face to face, as tickets go on sale for this autumn’s 2013 Telegraph Bath Festival of Children’s Literature. The Big Red Chair of the festival will be in town from 27 September until 6 October, bringing story-telling, author events and workshops to readers of all ages. Under the new directorship of award-winning writer David Almond – author of Skellig among other hugely successful titles – the emphasis is on young people as creators. Bath schoolchildren will be actively involved in helping to make the festival a success and proving that reading is very much alive and popular. Visiting writers include Children’s Laureate Malorie Blackman, author of Noughts and Crosses; Judith Kerr, who wrote The Tiger Who Came To Tea; and former Poet Laureate Andrew Motion. There are a whole host more, along with old friends like Spot the dog. Tickets go on sale from 1 July. Visit: bathfestivals.org.uk. And have a happy summer’s reading!

Sign up

Visit The doyenne of British baking and now a television personality, Mary Berry returned to her home city to cut the ribbon on the newly revamped No 1 Royal Crescent museum. The museum, which accurately depicts what life would have been like in Georgian times, has been extended with the purchase of the neighbouring building, the house’s original servants’ wing. A new and stylish link between the two buildings has also been created. Visitors will be able to see rooms ‘below stairs’ where the servants would have organised the smooth running of the house. No 1 is run by the Bath Preservation Trust and the museum’s makeover has been partially funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. Admission is £8.50 for adults, but Bath residents with a Discovery card are offered a 30 per cent discount.

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BESTSELLER: Emily Gravett’s illustration for the 2013 Telegraph Bath Children’s Literature Festival programme

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There’s a once-in-a-lifetime oppportunity to learn from the south west’s King of Sax, Pee Wee Ellis, who is going to lead lessons in jazz funk in Bath this autumn. The American musician, who has made his home in Somerset, will teach students between the ages of 16 and 25 at the University of Bath from October until Christmas.

Auditions are now being organised for people who play drums, bass, guitar, horns or saxophone to at least Grade 8 level. Successful candidates will develop their own jazz and funk groups. To find out more email: ICIAinfo@bath.ac.uk.

Out of town The nation’s favourite fictional dog, Gromit is carrying out a canine invasion of Bristol this summer as more than 80 painted models, each five feet tall, go on show in public places across the city. Visitors can follow the Gromit Unleashed trail, admiring the individual artwork which has been created by artists and designers including Cath Kidston and Quentin Blake. The trail is to raise funds for children’s charity Wallace and Gromit’s Grand Appeal.

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THE CITY

One city . . . one month

The buzz

My

BATH

We ask Rebecca Langbridge manager of Langbridge Home Hardware, Larkhall, what she’s doing this month What brought you to Bath?

I’m a Bathonian born and bred, my parents and grandparents are all from Bath, and our family business has been in Larkhall since 1958.

What are you reading?

Currently re-reading The Celestine Prophecy

by James Redfield, given to me years ago by a good friend. It really makes you question life and think about things in a new way.

Shop

We’ve fallen for these sexy little green numbers, part of Duo’s 70s inspired range for autumn/winter, which will be in the Milsom Street shop from this month (yes, we know and summer’s barely on us). Beau ankle boots with 13cm suede covered platform heel, £150, in peacock green or black.

Challenge

If you and your colleagues fancy a real piece of active team building, how about signing up for the gruelling sounding Mission 424 over the weekend 2022 September? Billed as part adventure race, part mind game, this military themed challenge will test both body and mind, on foot and by bike on the wilds of Salisbury Plain. Teams of four pay £125 per person to camp or £145 for barracks accommodation.

They’re tasked with raising at least £1,200 for the Help for Heroes charity. To sign up visit: mission424.org.uk or tel: 01725 514106.

Escape from Broadmoor: The Trials and Strangulations of John Thomas Straffen

By Gordon Lowe. Published by The History Press, paperback £12.99 In Locksbrook Cemetery stand two little stone angels, gravestones for a pair of schoolgirls, murdered in Bath in July 1951 by a man who was to go on to earn notoriety throughout the country. Retired laywer Gordon Lowe has painstakingly pulled together the story of John Straffen, the serial killer with a mental age of ten

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What is on your MP3 player?

My man has really got me into Lindsey Stirling. She’s an amazing artist, especially the track Radioactive. Otherwise my iTunes is a real mash of Mumford & Sons, Queen, Beyonce, 80s and tracks from adverts or the radio. If you spot me belting out a song in my car I do apologise.

Which café or restaurant takes your fancy?

Recently I’ve been craving a great steak so Hudsons is on the to-do list soon. Also Thai Basil on Walcot street will certainly be getting a visit, well worth a try if you haven’t. Yummy.

Which museum will you be visiting?

I’m visiting the Fashion Museum with some girlfriends to see the 50 Fabulous Frocks exhibition and the Glamour evening wear.

Maybe we’ll be inspired to do some shopping afterwards, it would be rude not to…

who went on to become Britain’s longest serving prisoner. Straffen’s teenage years in Bath saw him in trouble with the police, among his more repugnant crimes being the strangulation of five chickens. He showed the same lack of remorse later after strangling five-year-old Brenda Goddard behind Camden Crescent and nine-yearold Cicely Batstone at the Tumps off Bloomfield Road. As we follow his lumbering footsteps round the streets of Bath it’s eerie to visit these familiar sights in this rather macabre light.

Incarcerated in Broadmoor, Straffen managed to

What hobbies or interests will you be pursuing?

I’m currently training with an amazing guy Chris Vick (chrisvickpt.co.uk) but when I have a night off – and can actually move – I love nothing more than going to the movies or dinner with my man, or catching up in one of Bath’s bars with good friends.

What local outdoor activity or event will you be doing or visiting?

The Bizarre Bath Comedy Walk. It’s been a few years since I last went but I remember the wit of the guide is hilarious. Plus a hit of fresh air and a stroll around our beautiful city with good company and lots of laughter.

Film or play?

Film for sure! I’m a total cinema nut. This month I’ll be seeing The Hangover Part III with my fella and The Great Gatsby with the girls. Keeping a keen eye on the Theatre Royal for the return of Avenue Q too.

There’s lots going on with us at the moment, great prices, deals and offers galore. Home delivery for the local area is just £2 and we have an ever expanding hire fleet. Call in or drop by our Facebook page facebook.com/Langbridge.co.uk. Visit: www.langbridge.co.uk, tel 01225 313848. ■

escape and go on the run – with inevitable tragic consequences. Lowe’s writing is clear and concise and he has an analytical eye for detail, so the characters involved, from the young victims to the police and Straffen himself, are brought to life. This is a book that a lot of Bathonians, brought up on the real-life tale, will want to read.

We’re following @mysadcat, an elderly black cat owned by writer Tom Cox. Sample tweet: ‘My cat is sad because he is just a cat, staring at you beseechingly through a hole in a box, asking you to love him.” The photos are funny and cute.

GMc

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Follow us on Twitter @thebathmagazine Contact us: Editor Tel: Email:

Georgette McCready 01225 424592 georgette@thebathmagazine.co.uk

Deputy Editor Email:

Samantha Coleman sam@thebathmagazine.co.uk

Editorial Assistant Email:

Rosie Parry rosie@thebathmagazine.co.uk

Production Manager Email:

Jeff Osborne production@thebathmagazine.co.uk

Commercial Production Lorna Harrington Email: lorna@thebathmagazine.co.uk Publisher Email:

Steve Miklos stevem@thebathmagazine.co.uk

Contact the Advertising Sales team tel: 01225 424499

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Advertising Sales Email:

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2 Princes Buildings, George Street, Bath BA1 2ED Telephone: 01225 424499. Fax: 01225 426677 www.thebathmagazine.co.uk © MC Publishing Ltd 2013 Disclaimer: Whilst every reasonable care is taken with all material submitted to The Bath Magazine, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to such material. Opinions expressed in articles are strictly those of the authors. This publication is copyright and may not be reproduced in any form either in part or whole without written permission from the publishers.

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Mrs Stokes

©www.robbiddulph.com

takes a sideways look at life in Bath . . .

The etiquette of the modern day Tweeter

I

’m no technophobe. When I left London for Bath, most of my friends stayed in the big bad city, but I didn’t feel lonely, seeing as I was able to keep up with their latest shoes/baby/Pret a Manger on Facebook, Instagram and Skype. And then there’s Twitter, although strangely my friends aren’t so into that, maybe because it works better in smaller communities where everyone knows everyone’s sister’s brother’s cousin and shares the same outrage. This means that a) you don’t need to waste your precious 140 characters going into great detail about what you’re talking about and b) your followers will instantly understand why you’re so cross there’s a 4X4 blocking Milsom Street at 4.15pm.

Yes, Twitter’s the 21st century equivalent of whispering behind dance cards in the Assembly Rooms and given this city’s heritage, I’m not surprised that everyone’s @ it. Bath’s the spiritual home of middle-class chitter-chatter after all, alive and well since long before Jane Austen whiled away her afternoons here over tea.

My first proper experience of using Twitter en-masse was when I watched Dorset-death-drama Broadlands, at the same time as reading other viewers’ comments rolling on my iPhone. I enjoyed meeting new ‘friends’ in Newcastle, Leicester and Clacton-on-Sea, all bonded in the pursuit of the whodunnit. That was the kind of appointment to view – TV and Twitter – that I like, all fun and no commitment. But in the last few weeks I’ve noticed my breath tightening in my chest when I log in. It’s no longer a joy. Why? Twitter Hours (TH).

What are they? Well, in case you’re still blissfully unaware of the Twittersphere, these are set times when people tweet each other about a shared interest. For example, love Bath? Then log on Tuesdays 9-10pm and use the hashtag (you guessed it) #bathhour. Frustratingly (or handily, depending on how you look at it) it’s on at the same time as #brizzlehour

Twitter’s the 21st century equivalent ❝ of whispering behind dance cards in the Assembly Rooms ❞ for fans of everything Bristolian. Then there’s #handmade hour, Mondays 8pm-9pm, which has lots of south west makers sharing their new projects, also #somersethour, #southwesthour, #wiltshirehour, #weddinghour, #vintagefindhour. It is now possible to schedule your social life around Twitter and I know people who actually write these times on their calendars (virtual or otherwise).

Not all of these hours are successful though. #BtolMarketshour (Bristol Markets Hour) used to happen on Tuesdays 8.30-9.30pm, but I read that it stopped because they said it was ‘poorly attended.’ This doesn’t come as a shock, because, clearly we do still have some human needs left, like eating and sleeping, so something’s gotta give. What’s more, if you start ‘going’ to some of these hours and then you stop, people will very sweetly guilt-triptweet you into coming back, which can be annoying when all you really want to do is watch Corrie, so you might start avoiding Twitter altogether.

Once I tried pre-programming my tweets so I could look as if I was joining in when I was really reading a book, but I was rumbled when someone asked me a question and I didn’t respond – there is no room for fakers.

Nope, if you want to use Twitter these days you’d better forget just being part of the conversation, clear your diary and show up for your meetings.

Or try and find the next big thing in social media you enjoy, until that too becomes organised into time slots. Or maybe we should just go back to meeting up for real. Except that would mean actually leaving the house. ■

@mrsstokeschina

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Bath@Work

engell

bespoke jewellery shop

Our series of photographic portraits by Neill Menneer shows Bath people at work

Margaret and Michael Thoules Twerton Chippy argaret and I have always been in catering. I used to manage the catering for the MOD in Bath, at Foxhill, Warminster Road and Ensleigh plus the local satellite units. That was the most enjoyable and challenging period in our lives. Creating a substantial meal within tight budget restraints at high profile functions was quite a challenge. But success led to us being asked to manage the south west region with more than 15 restaurants. Then we realised the hours needed completely took over our lives. Time together for Margaret and me is everything and being a married couple means we love everything about being together.

So we sought out a business that we could operate together, being more interested in the business and trusting the bank to finance our first joint venture together. We missed the small point of the point – decimal in this case. So 8.9% interest on a fixed short-term loan became 89%. Oops. This was 1988. The bank wanted its pound of flesh and wouldn’t change the rate; a position supported by the law, so away went house, home, business and all.

Fortunately, just as we arrived penniless on the street, bank manager Mr D supported us in our new venture at the Twerton Chippy. So the answer to the question how did we arrive at the chippy is through the banking system, warts and all.

So arrival here was, to say the least, unexpected. And 25 years further on it is still invigorating, and more importantly than anything else is the fact we are still enjoying each other’s company, loving everything about being together. Our passion is classical music, sitting in the concert hall soaking in the passion created by a full orchestra and choir is breath-taking, whether it is the Bath Abbey or the Royal Albert Hall. We share a passion for Sibelius with the great late Sir Colin Davies and relive the time we watched him live with our LSO CD. Society is so different from the early 60s when Margaret and I first met. Business now in the food industry is all about eating on the move; so much is cooked to-go and no longer collected from the local chippy, taken home and served on a plate for all the family with bread and butter and a cup of tea.

We have three grown-up children and the most beautiful and intelligent grandchildren. Just to hear the magic words ‘Grandma and Granddad’ brings a smile to our faces.

Families and family spirit is the way forward. It is families that make for a contented society where neighbours live in harmony, a smile will always achieve more than a frown, we remind our children and now our grandchildren to enjoy life’s journey.

Through all life’s trials and tribulations, ending the day with a smile will ease the burdens of tomorrow.

M

tina engell 29 belvedere, bath ba1 5hr 01225 443334

www.tinaengell.com

PORTRAIT: Neill Menneer at Spirit Photographic www.capturethespirit.co.uk Tel: 01225 483151

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VINTAGEfashion

THE ROMANTIC HEROINE A major new exhibition comes to Bath’s internationally renowned Fashion Museum celebrating the work of designer Laura Ashley.

Lindsey Harrad looks at the impact her floral prints had on women in the 1960s and 70s PICTURE: James Arthur Allen Model: Harriet Bone Photographerʼs assistant: Hannah Ashby Ward

I

t represents a golden moment in fashion history,” says Rosemary Harden, curator of the Fashion Museum, talking about the new Laura Ashley exhibition opening on 13 July. “A lot of people can’t believe these dresses are already in a museum collection, but Laura Ashley was a rarity and nothing else can touch her in this early period from the late 1960s into the 1970s. Many of her designs still look very fresh today, especially as we’re at the tail end of a bohemian movement in fashion.” Laura Ashley: The Romantic Heroine has been in the works for a couple of years. Rosemary explains: “A few years ago I became 16 THEBATHMAGAZINE

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aware that 2013 was going to be the 60th anniversary of Laura Ashley and it really took me by surprise. I think, like a lot of people, I associated Laura Ashley more with the 1970s. When I started doing some research, I discovered that the company established itself in 1953, and it was an incredibly successful print house for about 15 years before the first Laura Ashley dress was even launched in the late 1960s.”

Laura and Bernard Ashley started printing fabric on their kitchen table in London in 1953, following a Women’s Institute exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum on traditional handicrafts. Laura wanted to make

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VINTAGEfashion

VINTAGE DRESSING: main picture in Hedgemead Park, Bath, Harriet wears an Edwardian style Laura Ashley dress with leg of mutton sleeves from 1975 Above, left to right; image from the late 1960s of Sara Freeman and Emma Ashley; centre, white on emerald cotton floral sprig print halter neck sundress, about 1975 and right, Laura Ashley dresses and smocks on Cheyne Walk, Chelsea in the 1970s Above, all images from the Laura Ashley archive

patchwork quilts, but couldn’t find any suitable fabrics in the shops, so they decided to try producing their own. A £10 investment in wood for a screen, dyes and some linen, along with many trips to libraries to learn everything about fabric printing, and they soon started producing small squares with geometric patterns. Audrey Hepburn’s headscarves in Roman Holiday had sparked a new trend among Italian girls, which the Ashleys spotted when they were on holiday. They realised that they had the means and ability to produce small scarves themselves, and within a short space of time, were selling in great quantities to shops including John Lewis and Heal’s, along with a range of homewares such as tea towels.

However, by the late 1960s and into the 1970s, Laura Ashley became more closely associated with a distinctive brand of demure, romantic, historically-inspired fashion. Even the words ‘Laura Ashley dress’ have become fashion shorthand for a very particular look, and one that most of us will be instantly familiar with. Flick through almost any family photo album of the 1970s and you’ll spot mothers or daughters wearing one of Laura Ashley’s multi-tiered or frilly-collared cotton frocks. Often the memories women share of the dresses are special because they were worn during pregnancy, or to family picnics and parties, or bought for special occasions, evoking recollections of happy times.

Realising the importance of these dresses in modern fashion history, the Fashion Museum had already been collecting Laura Ashley dresses from the 1970s and had around 30-35 pieces, so the anniversary felt like an ideal opportunity to put them on display and tell their stories. As Rosemary says, the individual memories behind each piece have been particularly important for curating this show. “A Dior exhibition, for example, just wouldn’t create the same sense of personal affinity. So many people have a memory of owning a Laura Ashley dress, because her designs were accessible and wearable.”

“One lady is lending a dress to the exhibition that she wore to her wedding in 1973, it was not a wedding dress but it was from Laura Ashley,” says Rosemary. “She said it suited the informal style of her wedding. She married young and what she really wanted was to pick flowers from the fields but she was forced to have a formal bouquet. I think that sums up the romantic, rural style of the brand. You have to remember too, that there weren’t many Laura Ashley shops back then, and it was actually cool to go into the shop and buy one of her dresses.”

It seems appropriate to stage a 60th anniversary exhibition in Bath, which was home to the first stand-alone Laura Ashley shop outside London, ensuring that women who have lived here for most of their lives will almost certainly have memories of shopping there in its heyday. In 1971, a Laura Ashley shop

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opened at No 12 New Bond Street, which is currently home to Brora. With its beautiful 1890s shop frontage and wonderful floor mosaics, the original store was considered to be a rather exciting destination.

So who was the typical Laura Ashley customer? “I don’t think women would have been walking down Carnaby Street in Laura Ashley dresses back then,” says Rosemary, “But they would have been worn to parties, for outings in the countryside, and they were particularly popular with students and young married women, the latter of which were probably buying antiques and second-hand furniture for their first homes too. That romantic, vintage look was very popular, especially the influence of Victoriana and the strong sense of traditional femininity.”

Although we often associate florals with Laura Ashley, her early designs were typically derived from medieval and Victorian motifs, and the historically-influenced dress styles evoke everything from Victorian nighties to milkmaid’s dresses and high-necked Edwardian frocks. “If you look at the earlier prints there were not many florals,” says Rosemary. “There were lots of heraldic and medieval influences, with motifs such as hunting dogs, or another one with pelicans. There was a strong hint of Lancelot and Guinevere, a real sense of medieval romance. There was a revival of interest in William Morris and Aubrey Beardsley around this time, which were being reinterpreted for the late 60s and early 70s, so Laura Ashley picked up on this trend too.”

Laura got a lot of her ideas from library books, and was especially inspired by Victoriana. She once said that not everyone wants to go to nightclubs all the time and that what a lot of women wanted were gardens and families. Consequently, her designs were rooted in her own sense of idyllic Welsh rural life and a love of history.

Rosemary has fond Laura Ashley memories of her own. “I used to come on the train to the Bath shop, I bought fabric by the yard and made a rather strange quilted jacket, with heraldic griffins on it. I used the offcuts from the fabric, plus offcuts of my friends’ school dresses (we all made our own dresses when we went up into the sixth form) and I made them into a patchwork quilt, while I should have been revising. It’s now in my office, but it’s full of wonderful memories of all my old friends.” ■ Laura Ashley: The Romantic Heroine, 13 July – 26 August in The Ball Room at the Assembly Rooms, Bennett Street, Bath. The Fashion Museum is producing a booklet of personal memories of Laura Ashley, £5.99. Visit: www.museumofcostume.co.uk. To discover or share personal recollections of vintage Laura Ashley dresses, visit: www.facebook.com/lauraashleyofficial. The new Heritage Home collection of fabrics and wallpaper is inspired by Laura Ashley’s early designs, the brand has re-issued the original Pelham scarf for AW/13. Visit: www.lauraashley.com JUNE 2013

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SUNNY DELIGHT: 1: A line skirt, £110, from Hobbs, Milsom Street; 2: stripe shirt, £32.50, from M&S; 3: colour block envelope clutch, £27, from Accessorize; 4: printed paisley trousers, £175, from Jaeger, www.jaeger.co.uk; 5: flower garland, £6, from Accessorize

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SUMMER STYLE: Pink heart dress, £65, from Next

A perfect picnic

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Look chic this summer with this pick of garden party essentials,

by Verity Clark

COLOUR BLOCK: Lollipop Dress, £199, and Sunglasses & Ice Cream Necklace, £75, both from Mulberry

STYLISH ACCESSORIES: Freeda wide brim hat, £29, from Dune; Evelina Hobo bag in Marshmallow White, £355 from Mulberry; BIBA tortoise shell sunglasses, £89, Jolly’s, Milsom St, www.houseoffraser.co.uk

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Ugg espadrille wedge, £120, from Harvey Nichols, Quakers Friars, Bristol

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Country garden tableware collection dinner plate £3, side plate £3, bowl £3, mug £3, cake stand £15, hi ball £2.50, all from Marks and Spencer

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BESTlittleSHOPS

BATH’S BEST LITTLE SHOPS .

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Bath is renowned as a ‘golden city paved with shops’ offering one of the best shopping experiences outside London. With TBM’s extensive local knowledge we are proud to celebrate some of the lovely independent little shops which make our city such a unique and vibrant shopping experience. This month we salute the wonderful emporia which are simply some of the best little shops of Bath

Kindle Stoves

Great Western Wine

2 Sussex Place, Widcombe, Bath. Tel: 01225 332722

Wells Road, Bath. Tel: 01225 322810

Family run Kindle Stoves are specialists in a new generation of wood burning and multi fuel stoves that are high efficiency, clean burning, and are approved for use in Smoke Control Areas. Now we are all able to benefit from carbon neutral energy and a real log fire at the heart of our homes – and can save money on fuel bills too. Kindle Stoves offer a full supply and installation service, with stoves to suit everything from a modern apartment to a Georgian family home. The showroom has three rooms to explore with stoves from well-known brands such as Clearview, Aga and Burley as well as Bath stone fireplaces, locally woven baskets and lovely fireside accessories.

Great Western Wine’s shop is an Aladdin’s cave of over 1,000 of the world’s best wines and an eclectic range of rare, small batch spirits.

Old-fashioned service is matched with modern, award-winning wines, as recognised by the International Wine Challenge, who voted GWW the Best Wine Merchant in south west England. A selection of wines is always open for tasting, and enthusiastic, experienced staff encourage visitors to linger and browse while helping to find the perfect wine. Prices at every level are competitive. A mail order service is also available and the same attention to detail and personal advice is available by phone, email or through the website: www.greatwesternwine.co.uk. Regular wine tasting events and dinners sell out quickly, at GWW and at some of Bath’s best restaurants which are supplied with its wines.

Silvershoon 11 Upper Borough Walls, Bath. Tel: 01225 469735 Silvershoon offers a veritable feast of footwear delights. In Bath for more than 20 years, Shoon’s very first shop (there are now ten across the south of England) can be found on the corner of Upper Borough Walls and New Bond Street Place. Stepping into Silvershoon is akin to finding a hidden gem – stylish and comfortable footwear styles supported by friendly and knowledgeable staff. Silvershoon’s ranges are sourced from around the world – an eclectic mix of well-known and harder-to-find brands alongside some specially selected SHOON shoes. What they all have in common is the attention to detail, quality, materials and, most importantly comfort, which will leave you looking and feeling good. Mix in some well-chosen accessories such as handbags and scarves and you’ve a treat in store.

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BESTlittleSHOPS The Piano Shop Bath

1 and 2 Canton Place, London Road, Bath. Tel: 01225 427961

Bath’s best little independent piano shop is situated on the London Road and is one of the largest piano retailers in the area, with over 60 selected pianos in stock. On display are a beautiful and extensive selection of upright, grand and digital pianos arranged over two floors and starting from £599 upwards. The Piano Shop Bath is manned by a small and friendly, well resourced and experienced team which includes tuner technicians and piano teachers. They can service any enquiry from a simple tuning to a full restoration of a prestigious concert grand piano. Inside the showroom visitors are encouraged to enjoy unhurried browsing at their leisure and the team are always happy to help. For absolute beginners through to advanced pianists, The Piano Shop Bath has an experienced team who are on hand six days a week including Sundays, and always happy to help.

Teahouse Emporium

22A New Bond Street, Bath.

Tel: 01225 334402

Coopers - Electrical Superstore 13 /15 Walcot Street, Bath.

Tel: 01225 311811 A visit to this independent electrical store is the perfect antidote to the white goods superstores. Coopers sells all the best brands – many of which are usually in stock, and there’s always a great selection on display.

The staff have a great ‘can-do’ attitude, they are knowledgeable, interested and above all, helpful.

They also pride themselves on their excellent delivery service. For a new fridge, cooker, washing machine and more, go to Coopers first – great low prices and a reassuringly good, traditional customer service.

The British Emporium 15 Cheap Street, Bath.

Tel: 01225 335486 Opened last October, The British Emporium offers beautiful items made in the British Isles. It’s a great place for finding gifts for friends and loved ones, or for treating yourself. The owner, Rianna Pritchard, a Bath resident since 1999 said: “I started my professional career in the world of corporate law, but it wasn’t my cup of tea. Having grown up in a family business, I’ve always been passionate about business and became eager to open a shop in Bath. However, I knew that it had to be more than just a money making exercise and had to have a real purpose behind it. So, when The National Trust shop shut in April 2012 and this shop became available, I thought ‘let’s go for it’ and open a shop showcasing the beautiful things that are made in Britain. I’m so glad we did it, as the response has been excellent. Our products allow customers to support British producers and choose quality products that have a very low carbon footprint. It’s exciting being part of the independent shopping scene in Bath – which is all about offering Bath residents an interesting shopping experience and real choice.”

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Husband and wife team, Tim and Lenka, specialise in tea, travelling to tea plantations all over the world selecting the best brews and inspecting farming methods. Visitors can try any of their 130 teas or coffees in the 18th century cellars all served with homemade cakes. Customers can also purchase a packet to take home.

In store, browsers can explore the full range of teas and coffees along with tea related accessories, sniffing the various blends from the display of handmade glass jars. With a team of highly trained staff to help customers find the perfect tea from a full range of green teas, black teas, herbal teas and everything in between whether it be Indian, Chinese, Japanese or a regular English breakfast. For health or for happiness the Teahouse Emporium can find the perfect tea for everyone.

Shannon - Original Scandinavian Design 68 Walcot Street Bath.

Tel: 01225 424222 Shannon occupies an old town house on Walcot Street and has possibly the best collection of real, iconic, Scandinavian designer furniture and lighting to be found outside London. And there’s nothing quite like the real thing; with an impressive line up of products from acclaimed designers such as Hans Wegner, Arne Jacobsen, and Fritz Hansen, you will find the shop is jam-packed with furniture, fabrics, lighting and wonderful, colourful gifts from Marimekko, Klippan, Moomin, and Iittala. Owner Sue Shannon opened the store in 2000 and has built up a superb reputation with architects and interior designers from all over the UK who rely on her knowledge to source and deliver classic pieces of timeless design and of the highest, authentic quality. Best buy this month... the Marimeko shoulder bag.

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BESTlittleSHOPS Independent Spirit of Bath

7 Terrace Walk, Bath. Tel: 01225 340636

Independent Spirit of Bath prides itself and indeed is driven on by, the passion of owners Christian Morrish and Chris Scullion to showcase a whole new world of spirits, whisky, liqueurs, wines and beers to the people of Bath.

Christian says: “We are very proud of our spirits range, a perspective we have from many years in the cocktail trade. We aim to demystify the world of mixology for our customers who want to dabble at home. Specialist cocktail grade spirits you won’t find in your supermarket aisles, equipment to help you create the most balanced of drinks and of course our cocktail classes and masterclasses.” A dedicated whisky and cigar room in the shop focuses on the more diverse and unique styles of whisky from around the world. Anything from independent bottlings from the best Scottish single malt distilleries to craft distilled eau-de-vie-de-beer from the UK. A unique service they offer is to track down unique bottlings to match birthdays, ages, closed distilleries or even something as simple as flavour profiles. Their tastings focus on specific topics such as whisky regions, ages or styles, as well as tastings on rum, gin, craft beer and many more. All the tastings are bookable as private events for both private groups or corporate clients. Why not go along to one of the scheduled internal or external events and meet some of the other customers who share their passion.

Uttam 12-13 The Corridor, Bath.

Tel: 01225 442227

A mixture of contemporary and timeless classics, Uttam’s clothes and accessories are designed to meet the tastes and fashions of the UK market. The collection is enhanced by Uttam’s partners, who add their ideas, know-how and local materials to make them the comfortable, beautiful and original items that they love to sell. Their input and the radical designs are what make the products unique and differentiate them from the high street chain stores. In-house clothing brands include Yumi, Uttam Boutique, Uttam London and Mela Loves London. The boutique also sells cutting-edge accessory brands including Irregular Choice, Poetic Licence and Disaster; from bags to shoes, jewellery to printed tights. Uttam offers a truly unique and friendly shopping experience. With two main collections each year, many injection lines are also added throughout the season. Other items are added as they become available and some prices reduced to help shoppers find that perfect bargain. This Bath business has succeeded because its customers like what it does. The partners welcome the chance to talk about what shoppers want from independents like this one.

Mallory Sofa Workshop 21 Milsom Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 442586 Sofa Workshop has been at the top of Milsom Street in Bath for 20 years and is Bath’s first port of call for anyone in search of a very comfortable sofa. All the sofas are handmade in Britain and are available in the greatest choice of fabrics on the high street, including all the best known design houses. Visitors can find a wide choice in the spacious showroom with sofa styles ranging from contemporary to traditional. The experienced team at Sofa Workshop are there to help customers through the process ensuring that they choose the sofa that’s right for them.

1 – 5 Bridge Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 788800

Mallory’s is Bath’s destination jeweller, and has a long history in the jewellery trade, having traded in Bridge Street, Bath for over 115 years. The business encompasses everything one would expect from a traditional jewellers, with jewellery and watchmaking workshops, together with the best in world famous names, such as Patek Philippe, Rolex and Omega. The imposing frontage may look daunting but the offering encompasses luxury accessories to suit all pockets, such as Longchamp, Smythson, Baccarat and Lalique. The service and knowledge is the foundation of the business and no job is too small whether it be a simple sizing of a favourite ring, or a bespoke designed piece of jewellery, Mallory’s expertise will not disappoint.

Dorothy House 37 Broad Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 444991 The visually dynamic, ever changing window displays in Broad Street, entices passersby into this light, airy and stylishly arranged boutique shop. This vintage clothing and book shop, opened by Dorothy House Hospice in 2011, is a really impressive and unique charity retail gem and is well worth a visit. A dedicated vintage and retro section offering bespoke clothing and accessories can be found at the back of the shop providing customers on the look out for something special, a chance to stand out from the crowd with a unique purchase. The shop also has a stock of in excess of 4,000 secondhand books with a strong focus on antiquarian, making the browsing experience a nostalgic pleasure.

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BESTlittleSHOPS CoralQuay Fairtrade Shop and Cafe

8/9 New Bond Street Place, Bath. Tel: 01225 446362

Independent and full of character, this unique world shop and café buzzes with colour, good food, music and the skilled craftsmanship of Africa, Asia and Latin America. Explore a wide selection of ethically traded jewellery, crafts, homeware, textiles and fine art, with new lines being added frequently. There’s fine silver jewellery from Mexico, with styles to suit all ages. Silver link-bracelets, large hammered silver cuffs, organic and creatively shaped silver pendants, dangly silver earrings and exquisite opal and silver three-piece sets are among the most popular jewellery lines. Each piece, beautiful and eco-friendly, and made by local artisans with traditional skills in communities around the world, is a work of art, classic and timeless for everyday wear or a particular special event. Be inspired by ingeniously recycled sweet wrapper bags; intricately crafted waste metal tin cars, CoralQuay printed newspaper bags, Mexican tin and tile mirrors, Indian bangle frames, green leaf notebooks, hand-blown recycled glassware and colourful recycled tin animals. A recent addition to the eco-collection is the Green Glass recycled beer bottles, made into new drinking vessels complete with original branding. Labels such as Corona, Grolsch, Carlsberg as well as more feminine designs such frosted glass fishes, gekos, shells & swirls make a wonderfully original gift and help save the planet. They are sold in sets of two.

Up to Seven

Precious Love 22c New Bond Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 444123

6 Pulteney Bridge, Bath. Tel: 01225 422333 Have you visited Up to Seven in its gorgeous shop on Pulteney Bridge? Following a roller coaster year of uncertainty this much-loved children’s brand has re-opened and is happily installed in a new shop on Pulteney Bridge. The store has an exciting mix of children’s clothes for this season, with dresses, sunhats, appliqued t-shirts and baby clothes, as well as its famous strawberry hats, many of them made right here in Bath, or by small manufacturers from across the country. Up To Seven places an emphasis on supporting British businesses but also stocks a range of items from around the world, all carefully vetted to make sure they are fairly traded and sold to help the local communities that make them. If you’re looking for a gift for a new baby, a frock for a special occasion or clothes for your kids to be comfy in, pop in to Up To Seven.

Seasons Natural Health 26 George Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 469 730 Seasons Natural Health Store is an independent family run business in the centre of Bath. Run by Peter and Annie Bassil since 1989, this specialist store is one of Bath’s leading destinations for all things health related. Offering an extensive range of nutritional supplements and herbal remedies from leading brands, including Solgar, A Vogel and Lamberts, Seasons prides itself in supplying quality products from the best health brands on the market. There is a wide range of gluten free products, a huge selection of herbal teas and organic foods to choose from, as well as gorgeous skincare ranges from Jasons, Pukka and Antipodes. Annie and her team have extensive experience in nutritional advice which is offered free in-store and on the lower ground floor the therapy rooms provide a tranquil and relaxing environment for clients to enjoy various treatments. Therapies include massage from Polly at The Bath Massage Company, Alexander Technique by Mike James, Colonic Hydrotherapy by Veronica Bolton, and digestive solutions and food intolerance testing with Annie.

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Located in fashionable New Bond Street Precious Love offers the latest in affordable but chic brands and own designed silver jewellery.

All designer brands carried including Daisy of London, Kranz&Ziegler, Story, Virtue, Lovelinks and others are unique to Bath, including award winning brands Lucy Q and Sheila Fleet. New ranges and offerings come in every month. Men’s jewellery is not forgotten whether it’s a smart bracelet, cufflinks or pendant you’re looking for. The boutique also offers a small but elegant range of chic but affordable bags and scarves. The staff are knowledgeable and the presentation and packing makes a purchase ideal for presents or just a treat – there’s something at every price point. Precious Love runs loyalty card programmes for both frequent shoppers and a specific bonus card system for Lovelinks charms and Story elements. With nearby parking at the bottom of the street in the Podium centre car park, it makes this gem worth a visit.

Rickards of Bath 11 Northumberland Place, Bath.

Tel: 01225 464107 For over 100 years Rickards of Bath has specialised in providing the largest selection of luggage and bags in the south west and has been owned by the same family for the last 60 years. In the early days Rickards had its own factories in Bath producing leather luggage, bags and trunks, supplying other business up and down the country. Over the three floors visitors will find products to suit every budget including suitcases, travel bags, backpacks, business bags, school bags as well as handbags, purses and wallets.

Brands include Samsonite, Antler, Kipling, Jump, Eastpak, Jansport, Briggs & Riley and many more.

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BESTlittleSHOPS

Eton Design 108A Walcot Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 639002 If you’re starting off a redecoration project, make sure you head for Bath’s artisan district on Walcot Street and pop in to Eton Design’s impressive showroom at No 108. These guys offer arguably the largest range of designer fabrics, wallpapers and trimmings in Bath and are happy to help you find exactly what you are looking for or maybe suggest an idea you had not considered before. Their knowledge, contacts and supplier library open up a vast resource for unusual lighting, furnishings and floor-coverings.

Whatever your interior needs, the Eton Design team will gladly offer you professional and friendly advice and source that one item you just can’t find anywhere else. For outstanding customer service, handmade curtains and blinds (made in their own workroom) but above all inspiration – visit Eton Design.

Nicholas Wylde 12 Northumberland Place, Bath.

Temporary address: 6/7 Old Bond Street, Bath.

Tel: 01225 444980 A recent fire at his showroom in Northumberland Place has not deterred the spirit of goldsmith Nicholas Wylde who has been designing original, high quality jewellery since the early 80’s. Within two weeks of the fire Nicholas had set up a temporary shop at 6/7 Old Bond Street, but at the time of going to press, it looks as if he will soon be back in his fully refurbished showroom. A graduate of the prestigious School of Jewellery in Birmingham, Nicholas opened his Bath store in 1987 and has built up a superb reputation for designing outstanding jewellery, from one-off commissions to larger corporate orders, all handmade, with great passion, in the workshop on the premises. For timeless designs, great service and a knowledgeable and helpful team, Nicholas Wylde is a great destination for anyone looking for a special piece of jewellery.

Woodhouse and Law Bathwick Hill, Bath. Tel: 01225 428072 Woodhouse and Law have recently opened a showroom and studio in Bathwick Hill. This new space allows them to showcase a beautiful and stylish selection of homewares alongside their working studio, on hand to offer helpful design advice, should you need it. Customers are free to browse the showroom’s hand-picked range of furniture, decorative lighting and accessories including Woodhouse and Law’s Botanical Collection fragranced candle range. Also on hand is an extensive range of fabrics and wallpapers by well-known known names such as Zoffany and Colefax & Fowler, alongside designs by fledgling British designers for those in search of the unusual or quirky.

The in-house open studio has a design team on hand to offer friendly advice or to discuss interior or garden design projects you have in mind, from colour or planting schemes to the designing and renovating of large properties and gardens.

Not Just Pets 8/9 St James’ Parade, Bath. Tel: 01225 461461 and at 3 Lambridge Buildings, Larkhall, Bath. Tel: 01225 447216 Not Just Pets has lots of small, furry creatures, including lovely rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, rats, gerbils, mice, chinchillas, birds and fish, with the chance to be interactive with the animals where possible. The new shop has some great new aquariums for fish, glass animal enclosures and a reptile room with some new exotics, including chameleon. The store also stocks a huge range of pet feeds and pet accessories. Not Just Pets is a group of three, family-run, friendly pet shops in Bath, Larkhall and Frome. The pet shops in Bath and Frome have been established for many years and the Tozer family have been running them since 2004, priding themselves on offering customers the size, choice and value of a superstore with the first class service of a traditional pet store. Staff pride themselves on customer care and actively encourage responsible pet ownership.

The team of experienced and qualified staff provides excellent, friendly customer service and is always willing to spend time to advise customers.

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BESTlittleSHOPS

Vintage to Vogue 28 Milsom Street Bath.

Tel: 01225 337323

Total Fitness

3 Saracen Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 444164

Total Fitness sells everything an athlete needs to race and train for a triathlon along with bikes, clothing and accessories for mountain biking, commuting and leisure riding. This includes bikes, bike accessories, run shoes, triathlon and bike clothing, nutrition, swim accessories and goggles and wetsuits. The store also caters for children with some great balance bikes as well as helmets and gloves. The shop offers a full workshop facility to customers, with services ranging from changing an inner tube through to the full custom build of a dream bike. A wide range of cycle to work schemes are available and Total Fitness offers 0% finance on bikes above £250.

A gold mine of vintage treasures Vintage to Vogue is a sartorial outlet of the very highest quality, situated just off Milsom Street in Bath.

One of the city’s most loved vintage shops, it stocks a vast collection of vintage clothing spanning from the 1900’s right up to date.

Its speciality is carefully selected quality men’s and women’s clothing and accessories from bygone eras, all the way through to items from the classic designers of today. The shop has an impressive range of vintage ladieswear, a dedicated menswear department, accessories, footwear and even a shed selling vintage and retro home ware. Whether you’re a vintage clothes collector seeking a rare original, have a special event to dress for or you love a classic designer piece, Vintage to Vogue has something to suit everyone. Friendly advice and tips on styling is also available.

The Framing Workshop

Pietra – Floor and Tiling Centre

80 Walcot Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 482748

1 Mile End, London Road, Bath. Tel: 01225 444049

“Our best selling products are our service, knowledge and passion for what we do,” explains Martin Tracy, proprietor of the Framing Workshop on Walcot Street. “It is a source of great pride that we are considered to be one of The Best Little Shops of Bath – testament to our wide range of skills and the quality and high specification of materials we use. All our framers are Fine Art Trade Guild qualified commended framers. This means we not only set the highest standards of presentation, we also pay regard to the long term preservation of your valued artwork. We provide glass that protects from harmful UV rays and glass that removes reflections whilst retaining water white clarity.” Recent projects have included the Norman Parkinson exhibition; the sourcing and framing of artwork for all 65 Bath Music Festivals since 1948 and the refurbishment of framed pictures for the re-opening of the refurbished No 1 Royal Crescent Museum.

For many years The Tile and Flooring Centre on London Road has been a popular and well-known destination for ceramic wall and floor tiles, stone, carpet and vinyl. Now, having joined forces with natural flooring specialists Pietra, which has its headquarters in Holt and a showroom in Fulham, the newly refitted signature showroom offers a vast and really beautiful range of flooring options in natural wood and stone, featuring all the latest trends. The service is knowledgeable and trusted, and with an employed tiler on the team, they are able to ensure any project runs as smoothy as possible with a professional fitting service. If you have not been there for a while then the new look showroom is jaw-droppingly good and a must for anyone sourcing interior wall or flooring products.

Itchy Feet

4 Bartlett St, Bath. Tel: 01225 442618

With over 14 years experience in the travel and outdoor clothing industry, Itchy Feet travel and outdoor store prides itself on combining real, practical, travelling knowledge with the best possible service for all its customers. Set up in 1998, the business is located in Bath and online. Itchy Feet aims to kit people out for travel. All staff are professional, well-educated and well travelled. They ensure customers get the best possible service and advice for their needs. Itchy Feet offers free advice and free packing lists for popular destinations like The Inca Trail, African Safaris, trekking in the Alps and the Himalayas, gap year travel, and many more. The company sources a comprehensive range of travel and outdoor clothing and equipment from all the best brands, including RAB, Patagonia and Icebreaker. All the clothing and equipment Itchy Feet sells is backed by a 100% guarantee. It’s proud of its excellent customer services and offers a very flexible returns policy.

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BESTlittleSHOPS Bath Cake Company 14 Fountain Buildings, Lansdown Mews, Bath. Tel: 0783 4270198 Situated between the artisan quarter of Walcot Street and design strong Bartlett Street, Bath Cake Company shop is becoming well known to those who like their cakes ready made and those who like to create their own. There are award-winning cupcakes available everyday.

Celebration cakes, baked with the finest ingredients are made to order, and novelty cakes and wedding cakes are a speciality. Bath’s only specialist sugarcraft shop, it stocks pastes, moulds, rollers, impression mats, tools, sugar flowers, cake drums and boxes.

Established and innovative new suppliers are used to ensure the stock is excellent quality and inspirational.

Whether a customer is looking for the icing on the cake, birthday candles or a gift, there is something to catch their eye. Many who have attended cake decorating classes in the shop have booked for another class or given vouchers to friends and family as gifts.

Roman Baths Shop

Stall Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 477785

The Roman Baths, Winner of Visit England’s Silver Award for Excellence (Large Visitor Attraction) has a fabulous shop opening onto Stall Street in the heart of Bath. The Roman Baths shop has proved a magnet for local and international customers alike is search for the unusual and beautiful gifts. It is a treasure trove with a wide range of merchandise from classically inspired jewellery from contemporary and designer in gold and semi-precious stones such as labradorite and green amethyst. There is also locally produced Wiltshire honey and luxurious bathing products such as the Somerset range of handmade soaps, body creams and body washes infused with high quality essential oils and plant extracts. Raise a smile by giving someone a charming Roman centurion bath duck as a souvenir of our beautiful city.

Magpie and Bear 14 Milsom Place, Bath. Tel: 01225 466983 Magpie and Bear is constantly striving to find the best quality, on-trend accessories for women. From London and Paris Fashion weeks to graduate shows and the media the team are always looking for great pieces. The customer can find items ranging from £10 to £700 in a collection that cannot be found anywhere else on the high street and are only stocked here in limited numbers.

The boutique has several exclusive lines such as Bodhi bags – the only stockist in the UK. Magpie and Bear also stock French handbag label, Delage design and, from August, the Olsen twins’ new handbag range under the brand Elizabeth & James. Katie Rowland’s contemporary, edgy yet feminine jewellery is also about to grace the boutique. From time to time designer events are staged, where VIP customers and students can enjoy hearing from a current designer that is stocked and ask questions.

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BATH’S BEST LITTLE SHOPS Bath Cake Company The British Emporium Coopers CoralQuay Dorothy House Eton Design The Framing Workshop Great Western Wine Independent Spirit of Bath Itchy Feet Kindle Stoves Magpie and Bear Mallory Nicholas Wylde Not Just Pets The Piano Shop Bath Pietra – Floor and Tiling Centre Precious Love Rickards of Bath Roman Baths Shop Seasons Natural Health Shannon Silvershoon Sofa Workshop Teahouse Emporium Total Fitness Up to Seven Uttam Vintage to Vogue Woodhouse and Law

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WIN A STAY IN A COUNTRY HOTEL

MOST COVETED

OUT OF TOWN RETAILER

The Original Mulberry Factory Shop

To mark the opening of the Laura Ashley exhibition at The Fashion Museum in Bath, the designer’s former home, Llangoed Hall hotel is offering two nights with breakfast plus dinner one evening for one lucky reader and a partner

S

et in the picturesque Wye Valley with views of the Black Mountains, Llangoed Hall is a luxury, magical retreat. A recent refurbishment has further elevated Llangoed Hall to one of the most beautiful hotels in the British Isles. The immaculate design and timeless, elegant style of the hotel follow the philosophy of former owner Sir Bernard Ashley, husband of Laura Ashley. Her fresh and light interiors combine with richer fabrics creating a quintessentially British country house.

Each of the 23 spacious bedrooms offer views of the surrounding Welsh countryside. The individual style of each bedroom complements the beauty and tranquillity of the unspoilt outdoors. Inside the hotel visitors are made to feel at home. Enjoy afternoon tea in the magnificent drawing room with its chandeliers and a grandiose fireplace, or settle down with a book in the oak-panelled library in the oldest part of the building dating back to 1632.

Enjoy too the vast art collection which adorns the walls, including work by Whistler, Herman Dudley Murphy and James Cowie.

Welsh cuisine is celebrated at Llangoed Hall. Leading a team of seven chefs, head chef Nick Brodie’s menus make creative use of seasonal Welsh produce. Llangoed Hall is also home to an organic kitchen garden which delivers a selection of fruit, vegetables and herbs throughout the year.

Dishes on the menu include Welsh black beef and local Radnorshire lamb.

Our prizewinner will go with their partner, at a mutually convenient date, and enjoy a two-night stay, with breakfast. They will also be entertained with dinner for two one evening as part of this VIP package.

Before leaving – or on their return – they’ll be able to take a tour of the Romantic Heroine exhibition at The Fashion Museum in Bath, with a pair of complimentary tickets and a catalogue.

To enter, simply answer this question: In which street in Bath can the current Laura Ashley shop be found?

Send your answers, with your name and full contact details, by noon on Friday 26 July to Laura Ashley Competition, The Bath Magazine, 2 Princes Buildings, George Street, Bath BA1 2ED or email: competitions@thebathmagazine.co.uk Terms and conditions: Please indicate if you’re happy to being contacted

by Llangoed Hall about future promotions and offers. Subject to availability, the stay must be booked in advance and is non-transferable.

Alcohol, other drinks and other meals are not included. Travel also not included. Certain blackout dates apply. Must be taken by April 2014. The prize is based on two guests sharing. Any extras consumed must be paid for before leaving the hotel. Upgrade subject to availability. Reader offer can be withdrawn at any point. ■

Mulberry’s heritage is steeped in luxury leather craftsmanship.

Founded in 1971 and nestled among the rural towns and rolling fields of Somerset, Mulberry has built a reputation for balancing creativity and modernity with a foundation of traditional leather craft.

Beautifully crafted leather bags are why Mulberry is now internationally recognised and desired. From early leather classics, a signature for understated, practical luxury was developed. At Mulberry’s flagship factory, The Rookery, a highly skilled team work to produce these bags with the highest attention to detail and quality. It is also home to a renowned apprenticeship programme, training the next generation of craftsmen and women to carry on the Mulberry craft legacy. A second British factory will open close to The Rookery in late 2013.

Tucked away in the heart of the Somerset countryside is The Original Mulberry Factory Shop. It resides in an old school building and carries a wide selection of Mulberry accessories and ready-to-wear from past seasons, as well as limited edition samples.

■

The Original Mulberry Factory Shop, The Old School House, Kilver Street, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, BA4 5NF. Monday-Saturday, 9.30am-5.30pm Sunday, 10am-4pm Bank Holidays, 10am-4pm

LLANGOED HALL READER OFFER

The Bath Magazine readers can experience staying at the hotel over two nights, from £300 based on two people sharing and including breakfast. Quote The Bath Magazine when booking for an upgrade and this offer. To book, tel: 01874 754525 or visit: www.llangoedhall.co.uk

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The retail revolutionary Roger Saul, founder of the global success story Mulberry talks to Sarah Merson about his latest vision and why his heart – and his latest venture – are rooted in Somerset

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efined quality and top craftsmanship are attributes you might expect of any luxury goods brand but certainly of iconic British brand, Mulberry. Founded in 1971, by Somerset-born designer, Roger Saul along with his mother, Mulberry was then and is today, the epitome of top notch design and superb quality. And, in summer 2011, Roger brought his sense of style, and love of luxury and high standards, along with his entrepreneurial spirit to Shepton Mallet when he launched a regeneration scheme to turn a former Somerset woollen mill into a designer shopping destination.

Roger has transformed Kilver Court with its retail outlets including British favourites Toast, LK Bennett, Jack Wills, Jayne Clayton Interiors and Hawick Cashmere into a unique shopping experience for visitors. Not

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only the shops but the quintessential British Harlequin Café (where afternoon tea is served in Her Majesty’s Coronation mugs), ballroom (currently hosting about 30 weddings a year), new Sharpham Park Pantry and farm shop, add to the rural lifestyle ideal.

The factory shop ethos isn’t anything new but it was Roger who developed the idea of the Mulberry Factory shop, which opened in 1980 as the first designer factory outlet, and is still there today, just two minutes up the road from Kilver Court. In the 1980’s, Roger was behind the concept of in-corner concessions, which gave a mini presentation of a brand, and it’s this concept, which formed the heart of Kilver Court’s original designer village.

Roger tells more of the Kilver Court story: “In July 2012, Phase 1 of the regeneration project saw us opening the designer emporium, which acts as

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FORWARD THINKING: Roger Saul hasn’t rested on his Mulberry laurels – Kilver Court in Shepton Mallet is his latest ambitious project Picture courtesy of Tyson Sadio DESIGNER SHOPPING: left, staff from the various outlets at Kilver Court join Roger Saul in promoting the centre as a destination Right, the gardens at Kilver Court are a delight

a sort of department store space hosting labels such as Myla, Aubin Wills (elder sibling to the Jack Wills label), Miller Harris, Beatrix Ong, Margaret Howell, MiH, Celtic Sheepskin, Links of London, Isabella Oliver and Cabbage & Roses.

“Privy to the success of the Mulberry Factory shop, Margaret Howell was the first to come on board. We launched with a grand sale, which we invited other brands along to and things quickly took off enabling us to move onto Phase 2 of the project; the opening of individual shops to create a mini village.

“From a designer’s point of view, Kilver Court is like a safe place to be along with other respected brands. In that sense, we’re a bit like the custodians of their brand image. And, from the customers’ point of view, who come from a 30 to 40 mile radius, there’s the opportunity to buy quality designed products at between 30 –70% discount. I call it, ‘smart shopping.’ The grand sales concept remains central to the development of Kilver Court; we hold them once a quarter, giving brands the opportunity to test the market.”

So, why Shepton Mallet and why Kilver Court in particular?

Well, despite his international career with Mulberry, Roger grew up less than five miles away in the village of Lottisham and while he had apartments in London and New York, Somerset remained his primary home. He famously married Dior model, Monty, in 1977 and they raised their three boys at their family home, Sharpham Park, near Street.

from the customers’ point of view, who come ❝ from a 30 to 40 mile radius, there’s the opportunity to buy quality designed products at between 30 and 70 per cent discount

❞

“Back in the 70s when I started Mulberry, we were in that ‘anything is possible’ period. And, while the goal, via Kilver Court, is to eventually take this model of a British designer outlet village off around the world, the reality is that we’re living in very different times now,” he says. “Not to say that I don’t love the process of heading off into the unknown but one of the things that most excites me now is regenerating an old building like Kilver Court. From buildings to brands, Kilver Court is all about restoration, regeneration and renewal.”

Kilver Court dates back to the 1500s when it was a textiles mill. During the Industrial Revolution, wool production was superseded by silk in the 1800s for which Kilver Court became especially well known as Queen Victoria’s wedding dress was made here. Later, in the 1900s, Kilver Court was bought by the Showerings drinks company and in 1947 became the home to Babycham.

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With a history of commercially successful restoration, Roger first set about his own restoration when he bought the property in 1996. “As we started peeling back the layers, we found all these amazing industrial features, which as well as reflecting the history and heritage of the building, are also the perfect backdrop for the village. Last year we continued to give acknowledgment to the heritage of Kilver Court by rebuilding Silk Lane now the main avenue of shops,” enthuses Roger.

The garden and lake also have their own story to tell.

Dramatically framed by the Charlton Viaduct, which was built in 1874 to take the Somerset and Dorset Railway across the valley, it was Ernest Jardine, who in the late 1800s re-designed the mill pond as an ornamental lake, complete with rowing boats, to be enjoyed by the workers. The garden, which was opened to the public in 2008, has been lovingly preserved and is based on George Whiteleg’s 1960s Chelsea gold medal winning design.

More recently, the raised bed plant nursery has been opened to visitors too. The newest addition at Kilver Court is the Sharpham Pantry serving spelt based dishes, developed at the 300 acre Sharpham Park estate, Roger’s home and other business with its own dedicated organic spelt mill. The spelt is largely grown, harvested and stone ground to retain natural oils and goodness, on the estate. Roger is as passionate about the health benefits of spelt as he is about the virtues of traditional milling methods.

It came about because of a personal connection: “My sister, Rosemary, was diagnosed with stomach cancer and her doctor advised her to eat spelt for its natural digestive properties. We couldn’t find British grown spelt anywhere though so we decided to experiment with it at Sharpham Park. That was in 2004, and with sustainability at the core, I’ve pursued an organic spelt farming practice ever since.”

More recently Roger has been working closely with Bowel Cancer UK to help raise awareness of how, by eating whole grains and fibre (of which spelt is a great source), we can stack the odds against developing bowel cancer. “We launched the Great British Spelt Recipes, which are recipes donated by celebrity chefs including Sophie Dahl, Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall and The Fabulous Baker Brothers. We’ve had food demos in Fortnum & Mason and we’re making more noise in support of Bowel Cancer UK by holding a fundraising dinner, also at Fortnum & Mason.”

So what’s the ultimate plan for Kilver Court? Roger smiles: “The dream is for the village to have 40 shops, three or four restaurants and a hotel, then eventually, we’ll take the concept off around the world.” There’s still a long road ahead but one thing’s for sure, his undeniable enthusiasm and business savvy will likely take him that extra mile. ■ Visit: www.kilvercourt.com, www.sharphampark.com & www.greatbritishspeltrecipes.com JULY 2013

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WHAT’S ON in

July The Bath Magazine is running July’s What’s On in chronological order to try and give the best service to our readers planning their leisure time

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Fun, sociable events from Creativity Works at Vegetarian Cookery School, Bog Island, Bath Feed your Imagination: Create-Think-Eat, Tuesday 2 July, 6.30pm Jewellery making, Tuesday 9 July, 6.30pm To book tel: 01225 438852. www.creativityworks.org.uk.

Creativity Works is dedicated to making Bathonians feel good, with a sociable, and creative programme of events. Artist/chef Jo Ingleby will lead these workshops, the first dedicated to painting and drawing followed by supper together, the second to learning to create something new from old or broken jewellery. Places from £30, profit is put back into the community.

Candida by GB Shaw at the Theatre Royal Box office tel: 01225 448844

Wednesday 3 July – Saturday 20 July David Troughton, Frank Dillane and Charity Wakefield star in Shaw’s romantic comedy directed by guest summer director Simon Godwin of London’ Royal Court Theatre.

David Haig is King Lear

La Vie Parisienne, Iford Music Festival Friday 5 July – Tuesday 16 July Iford Manor, Wiltshire. Tel: 01225 448844. www.ifordarts.org.uk Partygoers can enjoy picnics on the lawns in this most romantic of English country settings, before enjoying an intimate opera performance in the Italianate cloisters. Be warned, these occasions are generally a sell-out.

Bath Pageant of Motoring

★ Editor’s pick

David Haig in King Lear at the Theatre Royal Bath Thursday 25 July – Saturday 10 August. Box office tel: 01225

Bath grown soul at Komedia

448844.

Anyone who witnessed David Haig’s hugely sympathetic performance of a king losing his mind in The Madness of King George when it played in Bath, will be fighting to get tickets to see how he tackles the role of King Lear, another monarch wrestling with inner demons. Director William Dudley has elected to set the tragedy in modern dress, which will give it fresh resonance. Haig is one of our finest British actors and it will surely be performances such as this that we’ll remember him, rather than the recently panned The Wright Stuff TV sitcom.

Soul City Foundation, Komedia, Westgate Street, Bath Friday 5 July, 7.30pm

Focus on poetry at the Holburne

To book, visit: www.komedia.co.uk/bath Bath born soul recording artist Clyve and his funky band Soul City Foundation have written the opening anthem for the 2013 Special Olympic Games which open in Bath in August. His new single is out now on itunes and the band promises to get the audience dancing on the ceiling to its own brand of classic yet unique soul grooves.

Eye Miniatures: a poetry workshop, the Holburne Museum, Bath Saturday 6 July, 10.30am – 4pm To book, tel: 01225 388569 Taking inspiration from the current small exhibition of eye portraits, Ruby’s Room at the museum by photographer Bettina von Zwehl and jeweller Laura Lee, this workshop will focus on the art of the sonnet. Led by poets Frances-Anne King and Lesley Saunders. Tickets £30/£20 concessions.

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The Jane Austen Spa Experience All summer To celebrate the 200th anniversary of Pride and Prejudice, Janeites can recreate tea with Mr Darcy and then bathe in Bath’s natural spa waters, as they did in the 18th century. The package is £58 and includes entry >>

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WHAT’Son into the Jane Austen Centre, afternoon tea at the Regency Tea Rooms and a two-hour spa session at Thermae Bath Spa. Visit: www.visitbathshop.co.uk or tel: 0844 8475256.

Dancing at Lughnasa, Rondo Theatre, Larkhall Wednesday 3 July – Saturday 6 July Box office tel: 01225 463362. www.bathboxoffice.org.uk It’s 1936 and five sisters are living in rural Ireland at a time of great change. This production of Brian Friel’s evocative family drama is brought to the intimate setting of the Rondo by Bath company Core Theatre Productions.

Also at the Rondo this month . . .

Jane Eyre, Wednesday 10 – Thursday 11 July Charlotte Bronte’s tale of the heroine with a miserable childhood who grows up to fall in love with the man who employs her as a nanny.

Oxygen, Saturday 13 July Given Bath’s close links with the Suffragettes and that this is the centenary of the Great Suffrage Pilgrimage to Hyde Park, this play will be shedding new light on the women of 1913.

Frome Festival Friday 5 July – Sunday 14 July Box office tel: 01373 455420. www.fromefestival.co.uk Maybe it’s because The Times named the town as one of the coolest places in Britain to live, or maybe it’s just that the festival organisers are very persuasive. Why else would household

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names such as Jo Brand, Phill Jupitus and Cockney duo Chas’n’Dave be beating a path down to Somerset to appear at this gloriously diverse festival? Events include walks and talks, children’s activities, opera, feasting, yoga and writing. Something for pretty much all tastes.

Bath Pageant of Motoring, Walcot Rugby Ground, Lansdown, 6 – 7 July, from 10am Get a close look at more than 400 classic and vintage cars and motoribikes, and watch parades, exhibitions, demonstrations and enjoy car rides.

Organised by Bath Rotary Club in aid of Wizzybugs, electric wheelchairs for disabled children. Admission, £10, adults, £5 for age 5 – 17. To enter your veteran vehicle visit: www.bathpageantofmotoring.com.

Open gardens at Stanton Prior

Stanton Prior open gardens Sunday 7 July, 2 – 5.30pm Six private gardens in this tiny village will open to raise funds for St Lawrence Church and Stanton Prior Village Hall. Highlights include a new wildflower meadow, a shepherd’s hut, cream teas and a plant stall. Admission, £5 for all gardens (under 15s free).

Free guided walk, Bath Skyline Tuesday 9 July For more details tel: 01225 833422. Organised by the National Trust Meet at Bath Tourist Information Centre in Abbey Churchyard for a free guided six-mile walk of Bath’s skyline. Bring lunch and drinks.

There will be views . . . and hills. >>

Phill Jupitus at the Frome Festival

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WHAT’Son Double bill: The Recruiting Officer and Our Country’s Good, The Mission Theatre, 32 Corn Street, Bath Wednesday 10 July – Saturday 20 July Tel: 01225 463362 www.missiontheatre.co.uk Next Stage is tackling two dramas, George Farquhar’s classic English Resoration comedy and Our Country’s Good by Timberlake Wertenbaker, a 1988 play set in 18th century Australia. See the plays separately (£11/£9 concs) or buy a joint ticket (£18/£14 concs) to enjoy the links.

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Glengarry Glen Ross, Ustinov Studio, Bath Thursday 11 July – Saturday 13 July Sawclose, Bath. Box office tel: 01225 448844. www.theatreroyal.org.uk David Mamet’s slickly written drama sees four salesmen locked in a competition with high stakes. The winner gets a Cadillac, the loser gets the sack. Performed by the all-male company Engage. Tickets, £10 (£7 concs).

Arrangements in Black and Grey at Lacock Until 22 October, daily 10.30am – 5.30pm Upper Gallery at the Fox Talbot Museum www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lacock Black and white photography in the 21st century from six British artists who work in monochrome – from using a pinhole camera to an iPhone.

Normal admission prices apply. NT members and under 5s go free.

Christine Bovill – First Ladies of Jazz Friday 12 July, 7.30pm Versailles by Nettie Edwards taken on an iPhone, on show at Lacock

Chapel Arts Centre, Lower Borough Walls, Bath. Tel: 01225 463362 www.chapelarts.org Award-winning singer songwriter Christine Bovill sings the songs of Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughan. Tickets, £12 advance, £14 on the door.

★Editor’s pick

Mark Thomas, Rondo Theatre, Larkhall Friday 26 July

Box office tel: 01225 463362. www.bathboxoffice.org.uk A lucky Bath audience will be treated to comedian Mark Thomas’ latest project, 100 Acts of Minor Dissent, before he takes the show to the Edinburgh Festival. He specialises in troublemaking and bad behaviour – to great effect.

Flog It’s Paul Martin

City of Bath Rhythmic Gymnastics Competition, University of Bath Training Village 13 – 14 July, from 10am Gymnasts from the London 2012 GB Olympic Rhythmic group will be among elite gymnasts from all over the country come to compete against the Bath gymnasts. Spectators are welcome to come and go throughout the competition. Entry is £6 adult, £2 child/concession.

Rick Stein talking and cooking Indian cuisine Wednesday 17 July, 7.30pm Next Stage, pictured at the Minnack, will be heading inland for The Recruiting Offcer

St Mary’s Church, Bathwick, for Topping & Co bookshop Tel: 01225 428111 Part of Topping & Co’s festival of food writing, the original fish chef from Padstow, turns his attention to India for his new book, Rick Stein’s India.

Flog It! at Longleat Thursday 18 July, 9.30am – 4pm

Rhythmic gymnast Tiola Gleeson

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Edinburgh bound: Mark Thomas

Longleat House, Longleat, Wiltshire BA12 7NW The popular daytime antiques and collectables series regularly attracts more than two million viewers, so there’s sure to be an orderly queue waiting when the crew visits Longleat in search of valuable and curious objects. Take along up to three items and the lucky ones may be chosen to go forward on to the auction. Valuations are free. >>

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Dyrham Park, near Bath. To book: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/events Tel: 0844 249 1895.

Bring a picnic and enjoy an evening in the West Garden relaxing to some lazy jazz. £5 adult, £2.50 child. Visit: www.nationaltrust. org.uk/events or tel: 0844 249 1895.

The Village Pump Festival, White Horse Country Park, Westbury Friday 26 July – Sunday 28 July www.villagepumpfestival.co.uk Tel: 01225 463362 The Proclaimers, Steve Knightley and Kate Rusby are the three headline acts at this year’s Village Pump. Full weekend tickets, includes camping, a great line-up of live, largely folk, music including Steeleye Span, ceilidhs, workshops and family activities. There’ll be food stalls, beer and cider too. Weekend tickets have been frozen at last year’s price of £110. Day tickets from £30.

Somerset Chamber Choir, Wells Cathedral Saturday 27 July, 7pm Box office tel: 01823 336344, or: www.somersetchamberchoir.org.uk Mozart’s Requiem and Ave verum corpus, James MacMillan’s Seven Last Words from the Cross and In splendoribus sanctorum with Somerset Chamber Choir, Southern Sinfonia, Ruby Hughes (soprano), Helen Sherman (mezzo-

soprano), Andrew Tortise (tenor) and Callum Thorpe (bass), under conductor Graham Caldbeck.

Kate Rusby at the Village Pump

Jazz at Dyrham Saturday 20 July, 6 – 8pm

Bath Running Festival Sunday 28 July www.relishrunningraces.com Described as fun, friendly and hilly. It’s a celebration of off-road running. Enter the 5k, 10k, half marathon or full marathon routes, which all use the University of Bath as the base.

Sushi Masterclass Wednesday 31 July, 7.45pm Topping & Co bookshop. Tel: 01225 428111.

Makiko Sano is an expert on Japanese food, having run the sashimi counter in Selfridges and in her book Sushi Slim she shares her superfood ingredients and tips.

Planning ahead . . .

Bryan Ferry and orchestra Sunday 11 August

www.glastonburyabbey.com It’s comes as little surprise that a man who looks so good in a tuxedo is drawn to the music of the 1920s. Ex-Roxy Music frontman turned jazz crooner will be performing in the grounds of Glastonbury Abbey for a show next month. Tickets are £35 for adults, £95 for a family.

Old smoothie: Bryan Ferry in concert

Enjoy the tranquillity of the Kennet and Avon Canal, on the oldest electric launch in existence.

Built in 1890, Lady Lena is believed to be the oldest electric launch in existence and still powered by electric.

If you are looking for something truly memorable or unique, private charter of this magnificent historic boat is ideal for up to 10 people, year round. journey anywhere from Bath to the beautiful Limpley Stoke Valley • trips tailored to your own needs • complimentary glass of champagne on arrival • bring your own picnic or our caterer can provide • cream teas available to find out more about Lady Lena tel: Jenkyn: 07963 834828 Helen: 07791 511611 01225 834250

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THEBATHMAGAZINE THEBESTOFBATH PERFECTLYCOVERED BATHSBIGGESTMAGAZINE PERFECTLYDELIVERED TOADVERTISETEL: 01225 424499

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One man’s passion is city’s gain Behind a Georgian facade in central Bath lies one of the most remarkable collections of Asian art in the UK. Georgette McCready meets its founder, Brian McElney who’s celebrating its 20th anniversary

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here are probably more museums per square mile in Bath than any city outside London, so it’s with some shame that I admit that this is my first visit to the Museum of East Asian Art in Bennett Street until now. I have bought plenty of gifts at its excellent shop, but never quite got round to paying the modest entrance fee and exploring the three floors of treasures inside. Now, as the museum celebrates its 20th birthday, I was lucky enough to enjoy a private tour with the museum’s founding father.

Behind the Georgian facade lies one of the best collections in the UK of beautiful objects from China, Japan, Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. Here you can get close to exquisitely carved bamboo sculptures, brightly painted dishes and delicately glazed vases.

For me it brought home vividly how sophisticated Chinese design, manufacture and ingenuity was hundreds and hundreds of years before the Europeans achieved anything like the same level of skills. At the back of one case is a small, seemingly insignificant piece of greenish metal, but once you read the caption, which explains it’s a Chinese crossbow mechanism from the third century BC – the Europeans didn’t use crossbows until the time of the Battle of Hastings in 1066 – it makes you realise just how advanced this empire was.

The museum wouldn’t be in Bath if it wasn’t for the lifelong passion and dedication of its founder, Brian McElney, who started collecting in the 1950s and admits that he still keeps his eye out for beautiful acquisitions. It is his enviable and comprehensive collection that he donated which enables the museum to exist today.

Brian McElney was born in 1932, attended Marlborough College and then trained as a lawyer. It was as a student in 1955 that he was captivated by a little gilt brass Buddha from a Tibetan temple that he spotted in a shop tucked away between Brompton Road and Earls Court Road. That statuette still has a special place in Brian’s affections as it sits alongside more recent acquisitions in the museum.

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working as a highly successful lawyer in Hong Kong. He says: “I’ve always been a collector, from when as a boy I collected stamps. I also collected art, not as investment, but because I loved the pieces. Too many people today view art as an investment but I don’t think that’s the right way to buy it – although if it does prove to gain in value that’s a nice biproduct.”

And so, over the years Brian’s collection of Chinese paintings and beautiful objects grew. He picked up pieces at auctions, in private sales and even in street markets. One delicate Canton enamel container, painted in remarkable detail with little figures in colours that don’t appear to have faded over the centuries, Brian picked up for a few pounds in a market, but spent many hundreds more having it repaired. You can still see the damage, it’s just not as obvious.

THE COLLECTOR: clockwise from top left – a rare red sandalwood box from the late 16th century; pink soapstone smiling figure by Yang Yuxan, a leading 17th century carver; inside one of the museum galleries; Brian McElney, and the white jade sheep from the Northern Song dynasty (960 1127)

Brian found the tiny carved white ❝ jade sheep from the 11th century, in the unlikely setting of a souvenir shop in an Australian hotel

❞

There are all kinds of objects which will interest visitors of different tastes. The bamboo carvings collection is among the best in the world (in Europe) and I don’t suppose most of us will have seen this many jade pieces gathered together before. Again, a lot of these little carvings have a story to tell. Brian found the tiny carved pale green jade sheep from the 11th century, in the unlikely setting of a souvenir shop in an Australian hotel.

The museum’s collection has been swelled over the last 20 years by generous gifts from private individuals, so much so that there are now nearly 2,000 sets of items and not enough room to display them all at once. Until recently Brian worked tirelessly at the museum as a volunteer, but now the museum’s charitable status, its endowment fund and a board of trustees, has enabled him to step back a little, safe in the knowledge that his life’s work is safe for future generations.

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FAVOURITES: left, pair of porcelain saucers imitating cloisonné. Qing dynasty, Guangxu mark and period (1875-1908). The interior has decoration of Indian lotus, bats, swastikas in colourful enamels.

Right, jar with brown pattern echoing its shape.

Late Tang dynasty, 9th century

The new curator, Nicole Chiang has been busy choosing pieces to show in the 20th anniversary show which opens on 13 July.

She is determined that, in addition to the legions of tourists and students of history, Oriental art, design and ceramics who already frequent the galleries, more Bathonians will discover this box of delights. She has started overseeing an aural history project, Eastern Voices, interviewing people in Bath’s vibrant Chinese community.

The plan is to record them talking about what brought them to Bath, and what personal treasures they brought with them. This fascinating, new approach for the museum will be shown next year.

The museum continues to delight scholars and children, who come to workshops to make arts and crafts for events such as the Chinese New Year, but Nicole is also planning talks for adults.

On Friday 2 August a lecturer from the University of London, will come to talk about masterpieces of Chinese art in the National Palace Museum in Taipei, Taiwan. Tickets are on sale

for that evening talk, also for a lecture on 13 September about the Jesuit artist, Giuseppe Castiglione who was court painter for the Qing emperors.

As the visitor browses among the glass shelves of beautiful crafted items, some dating back to 5,000BC, you can see the influence Asian design has had on European culture.

Nicole says: “One of the things that seems to delight many of our British visitors is that here you can see some Ming vases.

People like to make jokes about having one at home.”

Just don’t take Granny’s old vase along to Bennett Street in the hope of an Antiques Roadshow type moment of revelation.

While the museum is happy to make appointments for scholars to come and touch the special handling collection, it is unable to offer valuations, although it does welcome people (by appointment) to take their objects so they can be identified. ■ The Museum of East Asian Art is open Tues – Sat, 10am – 5pm, Sundays, 12 – 5pm. Admission, £5 adults, £4 pensioners, £3.50, students, family ticket, £12 for two adults and two children (6-18).

Free Jewellery, Silver & Watch Valuations at Clevedon Salerooms

£3,400

£19,600

£41,500

£7,600

Clevedon Salerooms Specialist Sales have an enviable reputation for selling jewellery, silver and fine watches for the highest prices to bidders located around the globe. On Tuesday 23rd July & Tuesday 20th August our Specialist Jewellery & Silver Consultant John Kelly, Fellow of The Gemmological Association, will be providing free verbal no-obligation sale estimates on all jewellery and silver. Watches will be appraised by Marc Burridge. No appointment is necessary.

Free Jewellery Valuations Tues 23rd July & Tues 20th August 9.30am – 5pm

WWW.THEBATHMAGAZINE.CO.UK

£4,600

Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers The Auction Centre Kenn Road, Kenn Clevedon, BS21 6TT AMPLE FREE PARKING

Tel: 01934 830111 www.clevedon-salerooms.com

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FACEtheMUSIC

A sense of fair play Sue Mountstevens, the first elected Police and Crime Commissioner for Avon and Somerset Constabulary talks to Mick Ringham about her challenging new role, her change of career and her pride in her supportive family

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or someone who grew up most mornings with the aroma of fresh bread and the sight of trays of jam filled doughnuts in the familyrun bakery, being elected as Avon and Somerset Constabulary’s first independent police commissioner is, by any stretch of the imagination, a heck of a career change.

But Sue Mountstevens seems to be the type of person who takes this kind of transformation in her stride. Sue was the fifth generation to join the family business, the Mountstevens bakery chain, after attending Bristol polytechnic. She started in the bakery, as she says: “From the bottom, putting the cherries on the Danish pastries.”

She rose to become director of the business and 20 years later, after the company was sold, she dedicated herself to family life as well as becoming involved in the criminal justice system. She was appointed as a local magistrate, a position she held for 15 years before becoming a member of the police authority.

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When, last year, the government decided to hold elections to appoint police and crime commissioners throughout the UK, Sue decided to stand – she was the only woman candidate in the election and the only independent one, not affiliated to a political party. She was elected by a convincing majority and became the area’s first independent commissioner, liaising between the general public and the police covering the entire Avon and Somerset area.

She said: “It is such an incredibly worthwhile job, which takes in all aspects from anti-social behaviour to major crime and also making sure that victims get satisfaction from the justice system. As well as protecting the vulnerable in society, there is also the issue of helping to reduce reoffending.”

She talks with genuine passion about her new post, where she freely admits the greatest challenge facing her today is police services being cut and here she has promised to ‘harangue’ government ministers over the force’s budget.

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DEDICATED: Sue Mountstevens is at her desk by 7am SONGS OF SIGNIFICANCE: left to right, Phil Collins’ Another Day in Paradise, Simon and Garfunkel’s Bridge Over Troubled Water and the Pointer Sisters’ Jump for Your Love

The average day sees Sue behind her desk by 7am sharp and sometimes returning home late in the evening. With the backing of her team, who she describes as “stunning” she offers advice to the public on all sorts of issues. Sue also clocks up hundreds of miles each week, visiting the six policing districts, talking to the police and listening to the concerns of residents.

With a demanding work schedule which would surely challenge the capacity of most people, I asked her if she had any time to relax and if so how? She said: “I do enjoy jogging, or as one of my children describes it, a quick plod around the village where I live. I also find the English tradition of mowing the lawn rather therapeutic.”

She is the proud mother of three grown-up children, Richard, Katie and Jamie and is happily married to husband Stephen. As for her musical tastes, they are continually up-dated on her iPod with recommendations from family and friends and if there was one person in the musical profession she would choose as a dinner guest, she answers without any hesitation: “Paul McCartney, I grew up in that generation and those songs are still relevant today as they were then.”

As I walked back to my car after my interview with Sue, I noticed a parking ticket secured neatly to my windscreen.

Looking down at the single yellow line, I realised my mistake, oh well as they say – it’s a fair cop!

also marrying into our small community. This song sums up how important our community is to us both.

Sue’s top ten:

● Tina Turner – Simply the Best One of the things my Dad would often say was ‘do the things you enjoy and you will succeed.’ I have tried to keep to those words all my life. I’ve loved most of my jobs and have tried to do them to the best of my ability, otherwise there’s no point in attempting them.

● The Eurythmics with Aretha Franklin – Sisters are Doing it for Themselves This song really empowers me and I also love dancing to it.

Sometimes I feel that we women are our own worst enemy, by that I mean, if we feel we can’t do something, some of us don’t try, however the reality of the situation is totally different. Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway is a book which I would highly recommend anyone to read as a confidence boost. ● Simon and Garfunkel – Bridge Over Troubled Water When I was a teenager, I used to listen to this while studying for my O Levels. I persuaded my parents that I could do the two things at the same time, which I am happy to say, I managed quite successfully. But, as you get older it doesn’t happen like that, and listening to music has to be more scheduled or out of hours to enjoy. ● Phil Collins – Another Day in Paradise This particular record makes me feel how privileged I am meeting others, especially young people that aren’t so lucky. I continually wonder how some teenagers succeed when the odds are stacked so much against them. It’s one of the areas that most concerns me. ● Vic Damone – On the Street Where You Live This is from the film version with Audrey Hepburn and is especially dedicated to Stephen my husband. We had this played at our wedding. I have lived in our village for many years and I think that he felt not only was he marrying me at the time but

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● Rod Stewart – You’re in My Heart I owe a great deal to Stephen. He’s had to put up with an awful lot in me doing this very full-time job. He’s behind me and backing me all the way and I wouldn’t be able to do this without him. I love the lyrics of this number – it’s so desperately romantic. ● The Beatles – The Long and Winding Road To be honest this really describes my CV. I’ve had a hardworking but very joyful life and it’s been incredibly enjoyable.

All the things I’ve done in the past, are now contributing to my present job. The old saying ‘you can’t buy experience’ is so true and if I can make a difference, then it will all be worthwhile. ● Tchaikovsky – Swan Lake I find this really poignant and each time I listen to it, it sends shivers down my spine. It’s one of those pieces of music that you can just lose yourself in and means various things to me at different times. I have seen this performed in the round at the Albert Hall which was absolutely wonderful.

● Pointer Sisters – Jump for My Love Seeing Hugh Grant in the film Love Actually start dancing to this, sums up what I try and do dancing round the kitchen. I love watching this film, particularly at Christmas with the kids and we turn the volume up really loud and all have a dance to this track. It’s full of power, drive and energy and I defy anyone to sit still when it’s being played. ● Gustav Holst – I Vow to Thee, My Country This was adapted from a poem by Cecil Spring-Rice.

“I vow to thee, my country, all earthly things above, Entire and whole and perfect, the service of my love: The love that asks no question, the love that stands the test, That lays upon the altar the dearest and the best; The love that never falters, the love that pays the price, The love that makes undaunted the final sacrifice.” My son Richard was a Captain in the army and was sent to Afghanistan and I found that during this emotional time, I just couldn’t listen to any music whatsoever. I felt my life was on hold and now listening to that hymn again, reminds me of all the anxiety and pain that all families are still going through today. I was lucky, he came back but I never will forget that traumatic time. ■ Contact the PCC via the website: www.avonandsomersetppc.gov.uk.

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ARTS&EXHIBITIONS

Summer exhibitions ▲

THE BADMINTON GAME

by DAVID INSHAW

Victoria Art Gallery, opposite Pulteney Bridge, Bath www.victoriagal.org.uk Run by Bath & NE Somerset Council

DASHEL

by SIMON CASSON Hilton Fine Art 5 Margaret’s Buildings, Bath. Tel: 01225 311311 www.hiltonfineart.com

6 July – end of 2013

To 13 July

The Tate Gallery is lending Inshaw’s 1972 painting of two young women playing badminton in a Wiltshire garden to the Bath public gallery for six months, where it will be free for visitors to view.

For many years the picture was hidden from public view as it was hung in 10 Downing Street. The painting’s original title was: “Remembering mine the loss is, not the blame,” taken from Thomas Hardy. The artist recalls working on the picture: “I had been living in Devizes for nine months when I began the picture and had got to know and understand the place a little. I was excited by the warm red brick of the Georgian houses in the town, against the early morning spring skies. . . I tried to paint them (the two girls) beautifully and in strong sunlight, as if they were being blessed by the sun in the clear, early air.” Also on show are other works and styles. Although, due to the recession, the gallery is having to charge visitors for special exhibitions, admission to the Victoria Art Gallery’s upper floor will remain free to visitors, as will the small gallery with changing exhibitions by the shop. An annual pass for £10 allows people to come and go to all temporary shows.

Within Light is awardwinning Philip Ciolina’s first solo show in Bath and follows a successful stint at The Thackeray Gallery in Kensington.

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Saturday 20 July – Saturday 10 August Simon Casson’s intriguing and romantic show takes its title, Dashel, from an old Somerset word which means threshold. The artist mixes classical imagery with west country folklore.

BATH SOCIETY OF ARTISTS 2013 EXHIBITION Victoria Art Gallery, opposite Pulteney Bridge, Bath www.victoriagal.org.uk Run by Bath & NE Somerset Council

6 July – 31 August The annual summer exhibition at Victoria Art Gallery is eagerly anticipated by gallery visitors and artists alike, gathering together as it does the very best of artistic talent in the south west.

Artists will be competing for a number of prizes, including the Bath Society of Artists Prize of £1,000 and the Harry Walker RWA Young Artist Prize for entrants aged 18 to 25. Perhaps most fun can be had from visiting the show and picking out your favourite for the People’s Choice Award.

Admission will be £2, to include a catalogue.

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ARTS&EXHIBITIONS NASCENT MURMUR By PIPPA YOUNG

JACK DOHERTY

Gallery Nine 9b Margaret’s Buildings, Bath.

Tel: 01225 319197 www.gallerynine.co.uk

Detail from Nascent Murmur

BEAUX ARTS 12 – 13 York Street, Bath Tel: 01225 464850

Until 26 July

www.beauxartsbath.co.uk

The tactile surface of Jack Doherty’s pots are created by the fusion of fire and soda, leaving behind a subtle palette of smoky grey, lemon, russet and turquoise. He was the lead potter and creative director of the Leach Pottery.

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Established artists, including Nathan Ford, Andrew Crocker, Anna Gillespie, alongside artists of some promise who are new to the gallery – Pippa Young, Atsoku Fujii, Helen Simmonds, Natalie Martin among others.

JEWELLERY by KAREN PARKER

ROYAL COLLECTION WALCOT STEPS by NICK CUDWORTH

The Holburne Museum Great Pulteney Street, Bath.

Tel: 01225 388 569

Nick Cudworth at Dyrham Park Studio/gallery: 5 London Street, Bath.

Summer show: Dyrham Park, National Trust, nr Bath Tel: 01225 445221 www.nickcudworth.com

Throughout the summer Nick Cudworth has been invited several times to exhibit at The National Trust’s Dyrham Park House and returns again this year. He will be showing 15 prints of his original paintings of Bath and surrounding countryside and villages in his Bath and Beyond exhibition. The Bath and Beyond theme continues at Nick’s gallery in Walcot Street where visitors can watch him at work.

CRISP SPRING MORNING, HIGH TIDE

by NEIL PINKETT Detail from Still Life on a Table by Willem Claesz Heda

Until 29 September Rembrandt and His Contemporaries features paintings, lent by The Queen from the Royal Collection, explores the ways in which Dutch and Flemish artists of the 17th century revolutionised painting, looking at the world in new ways and developing new subjects and genres.

The show includes many masterpieces by the greatest artists of the period including Rubens, Rembrandt and Ruisdael. While entrance to the Holburne is free, there is an £8 admission charge to view the Queen’s Collection.

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Quercus Gallery 1 Queen Street, Bath.

Tel: 07738 929089 www.quercusgallery.co.uk

Until Saturday 13 July Quercus Gallery is a new gallery in Bath showcasing contemporary art across a range of media. The inaugural show, Introducing, presents ceramicist Matt Waite, jeweller Rhiannon Lewis, landscape painter Vanessa Gardiner, Bath jeweller Karen Parker, mixed media artist Michelle Thompson, painter and printmaker Chloe Steele and artist Robert Woolner – curated by director Evie Howard.

ANTHONY HEPWORTH

Bath Contemporary 35 Gay Street, Bath www.bathcontemporary.com Tel: 01225 461230

Anthony Hepworth fine art 16 Margarets Buildings, Bath.

Tel: 01225 310694 www.anthonyhepworth.com

Throughout July Friday 12 July – Saturday 3 August Neil Pinkett returns with a new work exploring the Cornish coastline, while ceramicist Peter Wills’ turquoise and emerald glazes echoes Pinkett’s palette.

A changing exhibition – including works by LS Lowry, W Russell Flint, Keith Vaughan, Avinash Chandra, Prunella Clough. Contact the gallery for July opening hours.

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nick cudworth at dyrham park

Dyrham Park Oil on canvas 108 x 87 cms

From 13 June throughout the summer, Nick Cudworth will be exhibiting his original paintings and prints of Bath and surrounding areas featuring an unusual painting of the back for Dyrham Park House at night.

The exhibition is entitled BATH AND BEYOND 5 London Street (top end of Walcot Street), Bath BA1 5BU tel 01225 445221 mob 07968 047639 email: gallery@nickcudworth.com www.nickcudworth.com

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ARTS&EXHIBITIONS ORIGINAL WORK by QUENTIN BLAKE

SILK CLOTHES by CAROLE WALLER

The Pound Arts Centre Pound Pill, Corsham Tel: 01249 701628

www.poundarts.org.uk To Saturday 20 July Quentin Blake’s much-loved illustrations form part of an exhibition dedicated to book illustration currently showing at the Wiltshire art centre. Blake brought many of Dahl’s stories to life in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda and James and the Giant Peach. Admission is free to The Art of Storytelling exhibition which has been curated by artist-in-residence Chris Dunn. He’s chosen illustrations from fairytales to comic books, from books for children of all ages. The collection will bring back many fond memories for adults, while children will enjoy being able to see the pictures close to. There will be framed original artwork for sale and a large collection of prints by the exhibiting artists available for sale. The Art of Storytelling is open Mon – Fri, 10am – 9pm, Saturdays, 10am – 4pm.

NEW GALLERY

MOVEMENT IN BLUE by FINN GLEESON

Lane House Arts 5 Nelson Place East, Walcot, Bath Tel: 07767 498403 www.lanehousearts.co.uk

44AD Gallery 7b Lower Borough Walls, Bath Tel: 01225 www.ruh.nhs.uk/art

Ongoing

Saturday 6 July – Sunday 14 July

One Two Five 125 Box Road, Bath.

Tel: 01225 858888 www.carolewaller.co.uk www.theteabowlcompany.com

Saturday 6 – Saturday 13 July Artist Carole Waller and ceramicist Gary Wood are hosting three other artists at their studios for their summer exhibition. They’re joined by carpet designer Morgan Ashard, metal sculptor Beata Host and jewellery designer Annie Beardsley.

Drop in between 11am and 6pm throughout the show.

ANIMAL PORTRAITS by BEN HUGHES

Leap into the Sublime group show of artists, from Japan, USA, France and England.

Detail from Luna by Ben Hughes

Small, but perfectly formed, is this new gallery opened by director Jenny Pollitt, which specialises in contemporary art, ceramics, sculpture and prints. Its first show includes work by the Chair of the Bath Society of Artists, Susanna Lisle, Batheaston based ceramicist Rachel Fixsen and introducing Bath student Huw Allen’s drawings.

Lane House also has sumptuous oil paintings by London based Beryl Robinson and beautiful handmade notebooks and sketchbooks by Wiltshire artist Julie Smith. Open, Weds to Fri, 10am – 5.30pm and Sats, 10.30am – 6pm.

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Ben Hughes Fine Art The Old Malthouse, Comfortable Place, Bath BA1 3AJ Tel: 07941 426071 www.benhughesfineart.co.uk The artists have stated their intent: “We’d like to use this exhibition to represent our collective views on the sublime nature of the world around us & leap into it as Yves Klein leapt into the void in 1960.”

To Sunday 14 July An exhibition of portraits and animal paintings in Ben Hughes’ distinctive contemporary style – the subject contrasted with areas of flat colour or pattern to dramatic effect.

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BOOKreviews

A good summer read

We asked the team at Topping & Co bookshop in Bath to recommend some holiday reading this summer Snapper by Brian Kimberling Published by Headline, £14.99 Reviewed by Nick

Chasing the Dark by Sam Hepburn Published by Chicken House, £6.99 Reviewed by Victoria

Snapper is my favourite book of this year. Very funny, very insightful and very human. It tells the story of professional birdwatcher, Nathan Lochmueller, a native of southern Indiana, whose thoughts are divided between the habits of the birds he surveys and the tantilisingly unattainable Lola. Kimberling’s sense of humour is rich with self-irony and introspection, and he brilliantly captures the conflicting feelings we have to the places and people of our past that make us who we are. It’s also a wonderful glimpse into the strange, idiosyncratic world of southern Indiana.

My choice for children this summer – a gripping, page turner that children will devour within hours. Sam Hepburn has written a stonking, traditional adventure/mystery with a heart that will appeal to both girls and boys aged 9 to 14, although I have no doubt the odd parent will delight in sneaking a read when their children aren’t looking. It’s that good.

Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter Published by Penguin, £8.99 Reviewed by Anna

Wow – just wow! Lottie Moggach’s debut novel is outstanding. Gripping and completely eye widening it will sweep you up into a world of internet chat rooms and society taboos and it will play with your emotions. The literary, psychological thriller of the year – this will catapult the author into the book charts. I look forward to more from her. The perfect read come rain or shine.

Destined to be the book of the summer. Passion, regret and secrets on the sun-drenched Ligurian coast, Beautiful Ruins is a sparkling heady tale of Hollywood with interwoven stories, characters and plots (even Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor get cameos). There are beautiful landscapes, elegant language and sentences that linger. Very much a sophisticated beach read.

Last Friends by Jan Gardam Published by Little Brown, £16.99 Reviewed by Kathleen Jane Gardam’s novels are intelligent, edgy, funny and completely addictive.

She is in her eighties; she often writes about the end of Empire; and I have always found her writing to be refreshingly modern ever since I read her fiesty, unsettling Flight of the Maidens more than ten years ago. Last Friends – the third book in the impressive Old Filth trilogy – is a novel about friendship, lost childhood and memory. Deliciously poignant and humorous.

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Kiss Me First by Lottie Moggach Published by Picador, £14.99 Reviewed by Victoria

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman Published by Hodder, £16.99 Reviewed by Saber The master of modern fantasy has written his most personal novel yet – whimsical, dark, intelligent and thoughtful. Gaiman is famous for his archetypal stories about myth, magic and the huge gulfs between childhood and adulthood. In The Ocean at the End of the Lane a middle aged man returns to his childhood home in rural Sussex and stumbles upon an old farmhouse that makes dark, menacing memories flood back. ■ Topping & Co, The Paragon, Bath. Visit: wwwtoppingsbooks.co.uk or tel: 01225 428111.

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FOOD&DRINK

Tasty bites ■ Acclaimed hotel group The PIG, which runs country hotels in the New Forest and Southampton, has taken over Hunstrete House near Bath. The Georgian manor house with deer park and walled garden, has been closed since April 2011 but is expected to re-open in its new guise by Christmas.

■ Congratulations to young head chef Leigh Evans at The Chequers in Rivers Street, Bath who has been selected for an Acorn award – given to only 30 people under the age of 30 each year who show exceptional talent in their field.

■ Fans of Italian food are spoiled for choice in Bath with lots of really excellent places to enjoy Italian cuisine. Now Martini restaurant, Sotto Sotto, Nonna’s, Carluccio’s et al have been joined by two more. There’s the independent Yammo in Walcot Street and Prezzo, part of a national chain, has also opened in Brunel Square next to Bath Spa Station.

■ If you pick up your copy of The Bath Magazine as soon it comes out, here’s a reminder that Milsom Place in central Bath is hosting a big Flavours of the West food and drink market on Saturday 29 June. Entrance is free.

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A fresh twist on a pizza to go The south west is a hotbed of talented food producers who display entrepreneurial skills – usually to the consumer’s benefit. One such is Pizza Monkey, aka Nick Higgs, pictured, who runs a mobile wood fired pizza oven serving up delicious, fresh pizza with a variety of toppings. You can catch Mr Monkey in action at the Love Food Festival in the grounds of Dyrham Park on Sunday 7 July. There’ll be lots of other stalls too selling produce from bread and chilli sauce to cider.

Loaves and fishes

TAKE THREE CHEFS: Sam Moody of the Bath Priory, Hywel Jones of Lucknam Park and Chris Staines of Allium Brasserie prepare for the Great Bath Feast PICTURE: David Tucker Photography

The magnificent Lantern of the West, Bath Abbey, is to be the setting for an ambitious charity banquet served by three top local chefs to launch the second annual Great Bath Feast in October. The feast is part of a programme organised by Bath Tourism Plus and Bath BID (Business Improvement District), aimed at working with local business to drive money into the city. Food establishments and producers are being urged to get involved by downloading a pack from: www.greatbathfeast.co.uk

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Manor House Hotel

Castle Combe, Wiltshire SN14 7HR. Tel: 01249 782206

REVIEW

Valley of earthly delights

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here can be few lovelier places to be on a summer day than the Bybrook Valley in Wiltshire, the trees in full leaf on the hillside, a cloudless blue sky and the silence only broken by the occasional wood pigeon making its hesitant call like a gentlewoman clearing her throat. The valley’s footpaths through woods and fields are an uplifting place to walk in all weathers, but now I can see that the valley is also a source of creative inspiration for the people who work here.

Two Welshmen – one a chef, the other a gardener – have joined forces in the valley, at the Manor House Hotel in Castle Combe, to form a beautifully harmonious relationship between the land and the people who enjoy spending time here. Michelin starred chef Richard Davies is well established in the kitchens at this award-winning hotel, and he’s making the most of great British seasonal produce, much of which is grown in the hotel’s extensive gardens by head gardener John Rowlands and his assistant Theresa.

If you enjoy good food, exquisitely cooked and as fresh as you could possibly wish for, then I’d urge you to treat yourself to a visit to the Manor House. We decided that Sunday lunch at the hotel’s Bybrook restaurant would be a celebration for my birthday, so we motored out from Bath (putting ourselves into stylish mood to make the most of the experience), admiring the white lace of the cow parsley flowers along the narrow lanes, before edging respectfully slowly into Castle Combe and then sweeping, like the film stars we momentarily imagined ourselves to be, up the drive to the hotel.

The setting has that quintessentially English country house wow factor, with manicured lawns running down to the Bybrook river and the house dominating the landscape, despite standing in the bowl of the valley. The building has its roots in the 14th century and in the welcoming entrance hall the old polished wooden floorboards creak reassuringly of age and grandeur. The staff made us welcome, and throughout our afternoon we could not fault the service, which was impeccable without feeling intimidating.

The Bybrook restaurant looks out across the gardens. It is a big baronial hall of a room with leather chairs and a pianist playing to give gentle background atmosphere. Sunday lunch comprised three courses, and an amuse bouche, for £35.

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Service is an optional 12.5%.

Everything we had was perfectly delivered, from the homemade cheese and chilli bread, the amuse bouche of celeriac and almond foam to the three little crispy courgette flowers on the top of my summer risotto. With the main course of braised shoulder of Wiltshire lamb tiny fried onion rings, not much bigger than wedding rings, reminded me of the humour shown by Richard Davies’ cooking in the BBC’s Comic Relief Masterchef that he’d shone in.

John’s starter of hen’s egg with beetroot, pickled mushroom and asparagus, provided one of those visually pleasing moments when the knife breaks into the egg to produce the perfect, bright golden runny yolk. The Scotch roast beef that followed (with Yorkshire pudding, although no roast potatoes) was equally pleasurable.

Wine connoisseurs will enjoy head sommelier Ben Porter’s wine list. We were happy to be guided to a glass to suit our tastes, mine a pale gold Spanish Bodegas Diez Siglo, John’s a Chianti Classico – far superior to what we’re used to.

Watching other people’s puddings arrive, looking so colourful and delicate, made choosing harder. Would it be the coconut panna cotta, its paleness offset by a sail of dark, crunchy chocolate tuile or a purple blackcurrant parfait with mango sorbet? I chose the tonka bean brulée, on the grounds I’d never tasted tonka bean. The creamy, faintly vanilla brulée was off-set by a bitter chocolate sorbet and walnut granola – a great mix of textures and flavours.

After lunch, do join a garden tour in the company of John Rowlands. He showed me the work they’ve done in restoring the 19th century Italianate gardens. We wandered the sunny pathways talking about plants and constantly admiring the views. John is passionate about his work, and that’s evident everywhere you look, from the clearing of ivy to his planting schemes. We visited the pigs he’s rearing and the hens who provided that fabulously fresh egg for John’s starter.

I most enjoyed seeing the productive vegetable gardens and polytunnels where John and Theresa produce micro salad leaves, tiny, sweet tasting young peas, and the courgette flowers – all of which we’d enjoyed with lunch. Talk about zero food miles – good food doesn’t come any fresher than GMc this. ■

INSPIRATIONAL SETTING: main picture, the view across the lawns to the historic Manor House Top, roast beef looking as good as it tasted Below, head gardener Welshman John Rowlands working on the vegetable patch which supplies the kitchen

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FOODheroes

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FOODheroes

TOP OF THEIR TREE: main picture, Orchard Pig founders Neil Macdonald and Andrew Quinlan Above, clockwise, the brand names invoke the party spirit; Gloucester Old Spots are the best judges of a good apple; bringing in the harvest in Somerset, and, finally enjoying the fruit of their labours

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pple-based liquid refreshment: it is what it is – isn’t it? Well no, not always. Find yourself at a bar that’s proud to stock the Orchard Pig range of thirst quenchers and everybody from designated drivers and the driest of teetotallers to south west ciderheads know they can expect to be served a party in a glass.

Would you like your apple juice Very Berried, Totally Minted or Deeply Rooted? Whichever you choose, you’re going to get a side order of sparkle with your alcohol-free sup of choice.

Meanwhile, modern day Wurzels are offered to align their own personality-profile with the labels on the pump. Are you a Navel Gazer, an Explorer, a Philosopher or a Reveller? Draft or bottled, it’s all going on – and the whole range is carefully crafted from a mix of over ten varieties of hand-graded apples, harvested from unsprayed and naturally maintained local orchards before being crushed, pressed, fermented and matured for at least six months.

Tales of carefree scrumping . . . have been ❝ handed down from generation to generation

❞

The Orchard Pig story began in 2004 just outside Glastonbury, when friends Andrew Quinlan and Neil Macdonald were enjoying their homemade cider at a hog roast with friends. “That was the point when inspiration hit,” says Orchard Pig brand manager Emmy Webster. “The whole idea was born out of Andrew and Neil’s shared passion for locallysourced produce and their respect for Old Spots pigs, who traditionally feast on the apples that make the best tasting cider.”

But a pursuit that essentially started out as a hobby almost got out of control as soon as the first samples were put out.

When Andrew and Neil got to the point where they were regularly producing 25,000 pints of cider in one go, they knew they had to either had to close the shed or make a professional go of it – and make a go of it they did. Today, thousands of litres of Orchard Pig ciders and soft drinks are still made using a variety of west country apples from Somerset orchards managed by the Orchard Pig Ground Force, and the team is hoping to celebrate brewing its one millionth pint of cider this year. Their entire range offers an authentic taste of the west country, and has garnered illustrious acclaim from the Great Taste Awards, the International Cider Challenge and the Quality Food and Drinks Awards. But really, OP popularity is all down to the WWW.THEBATHMAGAZINE.CO.UK

nation’s thirst for apple-centric fizz, with or without an alcoholic kick. But as a cider novice, how do I know which pint has my name on it? “It depends what kind of a drinker you are,” says Emmy. “We’ve noticed that people who drink our ciders are often quite promiscuous in their drinking habits, and will flit between categories. The high tannin levels in our dry cider means that it is often likened to wine – we’re the only cider to be listed by Laithwaites (Direct Wines); at one of their recent tastings it proved the most popular drink of the night. We’ve also got one of the lowest carbonation levels in the sparkling cider category, making it a perfect match for food. More apples mean less bubbles; less bubbles mean less bloating!”

And just as you can with wine, you can cook with Orchard Pig too – Emmy recommends using cider to hydrate couscous to give it a lovely fruity tang, or using it as stock when slowroasting a pork tenderloin to add a unique twist to the classic pork and apple pairing. But all told, nothing beats a pint of cider as the sun sets over the west country horizon. Share it with Rosie, sing about it with the Wurzels or even mull it over on a crisp autumn night – just make sure you’ve selected your brew from the cider house that rules.

For centuries, apples have been intrinsically woven into the tapestry of English folklore. Tales of carefree scrumping – a most innocent crime, otherwise known as helping yourself from a branch weighed down by Mother Nature’s bountiful harvest – on the walk home from school on an autumn afternoon have been handed down from generation to generation. An apple was as common a sight in lunchboxes and canteens as strawberryflavoured milkshake or chips-with-everything might be today.

Teachers graciously accepted a gift of a rosy red apple from the children of parents keen to encourage positive attention; grandmothers attached an almost mystical reverence to the fruit they believed would “keep the doctor away.”

So keen were household cooks to preserve the domestic harvest for the harsher months to come that many long hours were spent individually wrapping each apple in newspaper, to be stored in cardboard boxes in the driest, coolest place in the house. And then we discovered the art of cider making. We Brits have been turning apple juice into cider for over a thousand years – and it’s been produced in Somerset for centuries. Today it’s estimated that roughly 47% of the UK adult population define themselves as regular cider drinkers – and Orchard Pig is a clear snout ahead in the cider boom. ■ Find Orchard Pig in Bath at Jamie’s Italian, the Pump Rooms, the Roman Baths Kitchen, Marlborough Tavern, Pig and Fiddle, The Raven and Waitrose.

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ATtheRACES

FUN DAY OUT: left to right, horses, hats and delicious puds can all be found at Bath Racecourse

Everyone’s a winner Bath racecourse’s summer calendar of events provides the perfect excuse to gather friends and go up the hill to Lansdown to enjoy the excitement of a day’s racing. The Bath Magazine looks at how to make the most of your time, wining and dining while you cheer on your winning horses

H

ave you got your hat and dress ready for this summer’s Bath Ladies Day? It’s one of the great events of the city’s social calendar as women don their finery and men traditionally dig deep in their wallets to ensure that a good time is had by all on race day. The 2013 hat fest is being held on Saturday 31 August, but there are plenty of other dates on the racecourse calendar to enjoy the sport of kings.

On a sunny day there are few finer places to be than up at the Lansdown course under those big skies and with country views stretching out for miles below. There’s a light-hearted routine to going to the races, beginning with studying the form and kidding your companions that you’ve got insider knowledge about horses and riders. Then, once bets have been carefully placed, there’s the ringside vigil as you scrutinise the thoroughbreds while they go through their paces in the parade ring. This is a great chance to see some really beautiful horseflesh at close range and enjoy the drama as jockeys and their mounts prepare to give their all.

Then it’s a short dash down to pick the best vantage point to watch the race itself. You can’t always see the start of the race from the finish post, but there’s the palpable rise in excitement and noise levels as the horses approach. If you listen carefully you hear – and feel – the pound of their hooves just before they thunder down the home straight.

If you’re lucky enough to have a horse near the front of the pack, this is where you can start bellowing encouragement, drowning out the voice of the commentator. And, then, there’s the finish, as they cross the line to the roaring of the crowd. And it’s over. You turn, triumphant or crestfallen, to your companions and then there’s much crowing from the winners, while the losers shrug their shoulders and pretend they’re not bothered. It’s all a bit of fun.

But if you do find that either the high heels you’ve chosen or the chilly weather are too much for you, the racecourse’s latest offering might be just

what you’re looking for. The delightfully named Beau Nosh is a new restaurant, almost trackside, which offers a fresh three course menu each race day. For £65, including admission to the races, race-goers are guaranteed a table in the restaurant, a three course lunch and a quiet place in the warm, with the chance to watch the races on television if you don’t fancy venturing outside.

Diners can eat at their own pace – between races if they wish – while front of house manager Marsha Goodwin and her team provide a friendly and professional service. There’s even a mobile tote so you can sit, wine glass in hand, and place your bets in utmost comfort. Beau Nosh really creates a sense of occasion, with nice napery, cutlery and glasses and the knowledge that your belongings can be safely left while you pop in and out to watch the racing.

The menu includes a choice of three starters, four main courses, such as game pie, fish and chips or tuna steak with spicy pineapple salsa and either one of two puddings or a generous cheeseboard. This is followed by tea or coffee. The Beau Nosh makes a change from grazing on fast food, which is what tends to happen on race day and it seems a shame, if you’ve dressed up, not to make the most of the celebratory nature of the occasion.

And at the end of the meet, whether you’ve won or lost on the horses, you go home with a sense of having a treat. It’s worth noting that you can save a few quid on a taxi by taking the bus which leaves from the entrance gate ten minutes after the last race. Be prepared for some lively company on the journey down to the city centre as racegoers, some of them, shall we say, a little relaxed, are keen to share details of their afternoon’s adventures with their fellow passengers. ■

There’s even a mobile tote so you ❝ can sit, wine glass in hand, and place your bets in utmost comfort ❞

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There will be racing at Bath on Thursday 11 July, Tuesday 16 July and Thursday 26 July. Cider festival race night is on Friday 2 August and Ladies Day is on Saturday 31 August. To book visit: wwwbath-racecourse.co.uk.

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FIXED FEES – A FAIR DEAL FROM BATH’S INDEPENDENT FAMILY LAWYERS Crallan Family and Divorce Solicitors are an independent firm of specialists whose benchmark is to obtain a fair deal for their clients.

Divorce and separation are not just about the financial implications but the emotional toll it takes on couples and their children. Richard Crallan and his team recognise that fairness, efficiency and integrity are vital factors in supporting their clients and creating long term stability.

Crallans was the first law firm in the UK to offer fixed fees that cover the whole of a divorce case from start to finish. With the abolition of Legal Aid they can guarantee you the best deal on the market. With fixed fees starting from under £3,000 why sign a blank cheque?

Crallan Family & Divorce Solicitors are just a call away. Not only will you get the fairest price but your initial (one hour) consultation is free.

Certainty in uncertain times Crallan Family and Divorce Solicitors 01225 471094 www.crallans.co.uk reception@crallans.co.uk 1 Manvers Street, Bath BA1 1JZ

WWW.THEBATHMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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THE WINE COLUMN Angela Mount, wine and food critic, thinks pink for summer

I

’ve always been a fan of drinking rosé wines all year round – I don’t think they are just for summer, they are terrific food wines, which we should remember a little bit more through the winter. In fact my top choices for spicy Indian dishes are invariably New World rosé wines. But it’s at the height of summer that these wines come into their own, to conjure up visions of sunny beach days, in order to banish the blues caused by good old Blighty’s version of summer weather. Here’s my simple guide to getting the best out of your rosé this month: Chateau Sainte Marguerite Cotes de Provence 2012, GWW £13.16 The merest waft of wild strawberry aromas, and a glimpse of the palest, salmon pink colour is enough to transport you to a stylish beachside bar on the Riviera – we can but dream of the weather, but we can enjoy this enchantingly dreamy dry rosé, with its gentle flavours of wild rosehips and hedgerow fruits, enhanced by a delicate citrussy edge, and a crisp tang of rosy eating apples.

Perfect for canapés, leafy salads, or with simply grilled salmon and chargrilled prawns.

Le Pozzelle, Salice Salentino, Candido 2012, GWW £8.76 This is definitely a food friendly rosé, with its coral and rosehip coloured hue, and its savoury, textured flavours. From one of the leading wine producers in Puglia, in the deep south of Italy’s heel, this is a vibrant, characterful dry rosé, full of red cherry and crushed raspberry fruit, with a lovely hint of rose petals and dried flowers on the nose. It’s packed with wild thyme and rosemary aromas, and lots of crisp, fresh, crunchy red berry fruit flavours – try it with platters of antipasti, cured meats and chargrilled herb marinated chicken.

Mas Amor Barcelona Rosado, Spain 2012, GWW £8.76 I’ve written about this wine before, but I can’t do a column on rosé without including it. I fell in love with the colour of this wine before I even tasted it – a pure, limpid, rose pink pool of wine that beckons enticingly. As well as the colour, the label is eye catching also, with its hip graffiti art design, and then the name, more love as it translates; it all works, I’m hooked.

Embodying all that is fun, funky and stylish about Barcelona, this is the rosé that’s in my fridge at the moment– it’s crisp, tangy, vibrant, and mouth-wateringly juicy, with masses of character; not a shy rosé this one, but one that’s bursting with bright raspberry flavours, with a big squeeze of fresh lime. This is perfect with salmon steaks, chargrilled prawns, and Thaiinspired spicy marinades.

Skillogalee Rose 2011, Australia, GWW £11.40 A deep, almost crimson-pink in colour, and with typically Aussie boldness and vibrancy, this is a pink wine made to go with food. Made mainly from cabernet sauvignon, which gives it a rich, juicy, raspberry and redcurrant fruit intensity, the added richness comes from the malbec grape, which provides the summer-pudding exotic spiciness. Crammed full of almost over-ripe strawberry and loganberry aromas and flavours, it’s a star with anything with a hint of chilli or spice – barbecues, Thai, Indian dishes, they will all work.

Great Western Wine is at Wells Road, Bath BA2 3AP, tel: 01225 322810. Visit: www.greatwesternwine.co.uk.

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LEGALmatters

ADV ERT OR I AL FEATURE

FIXED PENALTIES EXTEND TO CARELESS DRIVING

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hilip Hatvany, specialist road traffic solicitor at Motoring Law Defence, comments on the implications of the new fixed penalties for careless driving.

From July 2013, the police will be able to issue drivers with on-the-spot fixed penalties of three penalty points and a £100.00 fine for minor careless driving offences that would previously have had to go to court. These include acts such as hogging the middle lane on the motorway, tailgating or even trying to eat or use a map whilst driving. The list of examples is not exhaustive. The most serious cases of careless driving will however still continue to go through the courts, where offenders may face higher penalties.

Is this a positive step?

On the face of it this could be seen as welcome news in the fight to reduce poor driving.

Also it may be thought to lessen the amount of work that the police and the Crown Prosecution Service have to do, in that rather than preparing a file and then a summons and the culprit having to go to court a fixed penalty notice can simply be issued.

However, the introducing of fixed penalties for offences of careless driving is a radical change in relation to their usage. Up until now fixed penalties for road traffic offences have been for “black and white” matters of objective fact. For instance where a fixed penalty is given for speeding it can often be stated categorically whether that person was breaking the speed limit or not. If a fixed penalty is given for a matter of no insurance it can normally clearly be established whether that person was insured or not. If a fixed penalty is given for using a mobile phone while driving again very often it can clearly be established whether that was the case.

Careless driving however is entirely different. It is a matter of judgement whether an episode of driving was bad enough to amount to careless driving. Many people believe that matters that require a judgement to be made are matters that should be brought to the court for that purpose.

Chris Hunt-Cooke chairman of the Magistrates Association Road Traffic Committee said in relation to fixed penalties for careless driving: “Police officers may have seen the incident themselves in which case they will be acting as WWW.THEBATHMAGAZINE.CO.UK

witness, prosecutor, Judge and jury deciding on guilt and then sentencing the offence”.

There is a real concern that even when drivers have been unfairly accused they may accept the fixed penalty for careless driving either because they don’t realise that it can be challenged or because they haven’t thought through the long term repercussions. If the driver disagrees that he was driving carelessly then he still has the option to refuse the fixed penalty and the matter can then proceed to court.

What difficulties could be caused by accepting such a fixed penalty?

Although a fixed penalty for careless driving is to carry the same amount of penalty points as a fixed penalty for a speeding matter, the adverse effect on the cost of car insurance premiums for the driver will almost always be much worse and could easily involve an increase of 50% or more.

strengthening the defence case by producing witnesses before the court that corroborate your belief that you were driving responsibly.

At Motoring Law Defence we provide representation for people accused of any road traffic allegation ranging from speeding through to death by dangerous driving. We represent clients both at the police station, the Magistrates Court and on occasion the Crown Court. We have an enviable trial success rate and are skilled at saving peoples licences. Philip Hatvany, a solicitor with over fifteen years’ experience, heads the road traffic team, and gives free initial telephone advice in relation to any motoring matter.

For further information contact Motoring Law Defence by telephone on 01225 442925 or via email at advice@motoringlawdefence.com

There is also the difficulty that by accepting a fixed penalty of three penalty points the driver is then in a more vulnerable position should further road traffic allegations be brought in the future. If ultimately their number of points should reach twelve or more, the law states that the driver must be banned for at least six months unless exceptional hardship is successfully argued.

What to do if a careless driving fixed penalty notice is received.

If you do receive a Fixed Penalty Notice for careless driving we would urge you to contact Motoring Law Defence immediately in order to discuss whether it should really be accepted. It may very well be the case that a lone police officer is simply incorrect in their assessment that you have been driving carelessly. In such a situation the offer of the fixed penalty could be refused and we can help prepare your court case. We could either make written representations to the Crown Prosecution Service that they should withdraw the matter through lack of evidence or if need be provide representation through a trial. This may involve cross examining the police officer in relation to their version of events and also it may involve

Philip Hatvany, Road Traffic Solicitor at Motoring Law Defence

3 Queen Square Bath, BA1 2HG T: 01225 442925 www.motoringlawdefence.com Motoring Law Defence is a division of Mowbray Woodwards Solicitors JULY 2013

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CITYpeople

National recognition for city’s community heroes It’s been a great few weeks for the heroes and heroines of Bath, who’ve succeeded in some amazing achievements, from being recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours to cycling the entire length of the country for the Bath Rugby charity foundation.

Headteacher Anne Bull, who has inspired thousands of children at Weston All Saints Primary School in her years of teaching, has been awarded an OBE, as has Adrian Tinniswood who has worked tirelessly for the Bath Preservation Trust. Musician Sheila Bunt, founder of the Bath All Comers Orchestra, has also been recognised, with a British Empire Medal.

Raising in excess of £92,500 for the Bath Rugby Foundation, which works with children and young people in the city, were the intrepid band of cyclists who pedalled

almost 1,000 miles in just nine days.

Among those tackling heavy rain and many hills in the John O’Groats to Land’s End Deloitte Ride, were former rugby players Lewis Moody, Danny Grewcock and David Flatman. They were joined by Geometry PR director Linda Donaldson and Olympic silver medallist Heather Fell on the epic journey, which was completed by 34 riders.

The Bath Rugby Foundation is an independent charity which focuses much of its work on disadvantaged young people. It helped 22,500 children last year alone.

Also working in the Bath community is the Zenith Youth Theatre Company, which has been recognised with a Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

Over the last 50 years the youth drama company has worked with

New arrivals

ROYAL INVITATION: the Zenith team, choreographer Julie Daimore, musical director Roy Page, rehearsal pianist Michelle Tucker and art director Scott Rogers

young people, bringing on new talent and increasing selfconfidence. Four members of

Zenith’s production team attended a royal garden party at Buckingham Palace as part of the celebrations.

Huge boost for arts scene as new centre planned A new arts centre has been given the go ahead for the University of Bath campus, part of a £100m improvement project for the city university. The four storey building, which will be clad in aluminium, will house dance

studios, a theatre and other performance and rehearsal space.

It’s due to open in autumn 2014 and will be of use not only to students but to audiences, theatre and dance groups and musicians right across the region. John

Struthers, director of the Institute of Contemporary Interdisciplinary Arts said: “With this investment we plan to establish the centre as a nationally recognised hub for contemporary arts.”

21st century design in Lansdown applauded ■ Property firm Carter Jonas has made three new appointments to its valuation team based in Wood Street, Bath. Rupert Williams, a fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, joins as a senior associate.

He began his career in Bath with the Valuation Office Agency but has recently been working with a surveying firm in Swindon. Zoe Sheppard, who is completing a master’s degree in real estate, joins as a graduate surveyor. The third newcomer is Bathonian Sera Beaumont who will be the team’s commercial administrator.

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An innovative new build house in Lansdown, designed by Bath architects CaSA has been awarded a regional award by the Royal British Institute of British Architects.

The house, Beacon Edge, was built into the hillside, replacing a bungalow on the site, which was demolished. To make the most of the views the building was designed upside down, with living space on the first floor and bedrooms tucked underneath.

It’s well insulated with a mechanical heat recovery system and a south facing roof for solar ARCHITECTURAL SKILL: the house at Beacon Edge, Lansdown designed by panels and has a secluded garden. CaSA Architects of Toll Bridge Road, Bath

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NEED ARTWORK? BROCHURES? PRINT? ADVERTISEMENT DESIGN COMPANY LOGOS FLYERS MENUS LEAFLETS BROCHURES FULL SERVICE, DESIGN + PRINT SOLUTIONS TEL: 0117 974 2800 EMAIL: STUDIO @ THEBRISTOLMAGAZINE.CO.UK

CREATIVE

DON’T LOSE OUT TWICE! DON’T WASTE YOUR TRADING LOSSES We have recently handled tax returns for clients who have been filing their own returns BUT have failed to claim for losses that they had suffered in earlier trading periods – and also for the ‘capital’ expenditure that could have reduced their tax bills (such as vans, tools & office / workshop refurbishment costs).

We are now re-filing the tax returns for those previous years and getting refunds – but it’s much better not to pay too much in the first place, an area where we can help…

HAS YOUR BUSINESS GONE INTO LIQUIDATION? In another situation, we were able to relieve some of the misery for an owner/manager of a business that had gone into liquidation, by using the loss of the value of his investment to reduce his taxable income. As a result, he received a refund in excess of £15,000 You need to be aware that sometimes unhappy situations, such as trading losses (particularly in the early years of a business) or the liquidation of your company might have a few unexpected positives.

At OCL we have been looking afterSMEs (start ups to turnovers of £3 million) for more than twenty years; we would be pleased to meet you to discuss any tax, financial and accounting matters that would help you, including how we can help you save money.

See our website for more – and download our FREE guides

“OCL Accountancy always provide an excellent level of support in an extremely straightforward and user friendly fashion. Advice is sensible and constructive. It is much more of a partnership than a traditional client relationship which is particularly helpful."

Call Marie Maggs or Mike Wilcox on 01225 445507 to arrange a no-obligation meeting 141 Englishcombe Lane, Bath BA2 2EL

WWW.THEBATHMAGAZINE.CO.UK

www.oclaccountancy.com JULY 2013

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Book a Creative Indulgence with Creativity Works & give back to the community Feed Your Imagination: Create-Think-Eat Tues 2nd July, 6.30 - 8.30pm, The Vegetarian Cookery School An Evening of Jewellery Making Tues 9th July, 6.30 - 8.30pm, The Vegetarian Cookery School

Wild Ways to Writing – Creative Writing Workshop Thurs 11th July,10am – 3.30pm, Royal Victoria Park We can also work with you and your ideas to tailor-make creative activities to your wishes. Our bank of professional artists can provide all art forms from pottery to silk painting to help you explore your inner creative.

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Profits generated from these activities will be re-invested back into our valuable work with those living with mental health challenges or facing difficulties in their lives.

To book a place or find out more: 01761 438852 / info@creativityworks.org.uk or visit our website: www.creativityworks.org.uk/creativewell

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Land and Property Tax Are you minimising leakages?

If you are reading this article, you may own one property and whilst that may not require a need for specialist tax advice, if you own more than one property, then it is very likely that you may have to consider tax at some point. This article gives an overview of some of the issues that we come across and have advised on.

Income tax and corporation tax Where residential properties are let out, there are specific tax rules applying and perhaps the most marked recent change has been the loss of the “renewals” allowance for replacing free standing equipment such as white goods. The cost of replacing fixed equipment, however, still qualifies (e.g. boilers, fitted kitchen equipment).

This change impacts on properties which are let out as unfurnished and so if you incur significant expenditure on these items you may wish to reconsider your position, perhaps even considering letting it out on a furnished basis.

We mentioned in a previous article that hidden allowances may be available for “fixtures” in certain buildings, but note this does not extend to residential “buy to let” properties or your own home. However, for other types of properties we have been able to secure attractive tax savings for some of our clients, and after deducting all fees the taxpayer has been “cash positive”. We work closely with a firm of surveyors to deliver this service, and you pay nothing for an initial “no obligation” based visit.

Also, in some circumstances, if you operate your business through a company it may be possible to claim “Land remediation relief” if the business has incurred qualifying costs rectifying contaminated or derelict land.

Capital Gains Tax Where you are looking to sell a property used in your business, it is not automatically the case that you will only pay 10% capital gains tax.

The rate of tax that you will pay on any gain depends on a number of factors, such as if and when the trade ceased, whether the trade was operated through a sole trader, partnership or company and the timing of the sale. It is vital to plan ahead to ensure that you do not pay more tax than you have to. Also, renting the property to the business can restrict the amount of gain chargeable at the favourable 10% tax rate.

It is worth noting that where capital allowances have been claimed on fixtures (as mentioned WWW.THEBATHMAGAZINE.CO.UK

above) this does not reduce the deductible cost for capital gains purposes when the building is eventually sold.

Another topical area where we can help is if you own a second home and want to know how capital gains tax can overall be mitigated.

Inheritance Tax Often, if the business premises are owned by a trading business rather than the owner(s), the combined value of the business (or shares if a company is being used) and the property would qualify for 100% exemption from Inheritance Tax upon the death of any of the owners.

However, in cases where the trade is operated through a company (which might have certain tax benefits) and the owner(s) of the business wishes to hold the property personally, this can then result in Inheritance tax exposure on the property value and if certain conditions are not met it is possible that the whole property value could be taxable.

Depending on the circumstance, a pension scheme which the director can effectively control might be a viable alternative way of the company transferring the ownership of the property. This could result in some Inheritance Tax benefits being maintained, as well as other tax reliefs and benefits going forward, such as mitigating tax on future growth in the property and accumulation of rents in a tax free environment.

property is also being transferred, barter transactions (where no cash changes hands), and acquiring commercial properties all have specific VAT implications which need to be considered carefully in advance of the contract date. Also when acquiring a commercial building, input VAT may ultimately not be fully recoverable depending on what the building is used for.

If you are concerned about maximising your property reliefs contact Jon Miles on 01225325580 or jm@richardsonswift.co.uk

Stamp Duty Land Tax This tax is due by the purchaser of a property and it is now difficult to avoid in most situations where property is being acquired at a value in excess of the tax free threshold.

However, there are some transactions which can result in minimum or negligible tax, such as certain ones involving partnerships.

VAT issues Transfers of businesses where the trading

Jon Miles

www.richardsonswift.co.uk 11 Laura Place, Bath BA2 4BL 01225 325 580 JULY 2013

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MOTORINGcity

A smooth ride Alex Jenner-Fust test drives the new Mazda 6: sleek, sensible and one of the most fuel-efficient cars around

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f ever a car was likely to be found posing on a beach, it’s the Mazda 6. Fresh from an early-morning run, it hasn’t even broken a sweat and is ready to head home for a protein shake and a bowl of granola.

Keeping in tip top shape is vital to a car that’s competing for top spot in the fleet market. With company car buyers tempted by accomplished rivals like the Ford Mondeo and traditional superiors like the BMW 3 Series, the new Mazda 6 has its work cut out.

That’s why the engineers have put the old 6 out to pasture and given the car a Shane Warne-style overhaul. It looks sleek and groomed, and it has lost a serious amount of weight, making it one of the most fuel-efficient family cars around.

We drove the 6 in gangster spec (my term, not Mazda’s) which blinged up a pearlescent white range-topping Sport model with extra bodykit and shiny black alloy wheels. Perfect if you want to attract attention, less useful if you want people to let you into busy lanes of traffic. However, even in a more restrained guise it would add more sparkle to the daily commute than a Ford Mondeo.

Inside there are no surprises – the dash is smart but sensible, everything (except the digital clock lurking low on the centre console) is where you’d expect to find it. There’s even a new dial for real economy geeks which demonstrates how effectively the ‘intelligent energy loop’ system is storing the kinetic energy generated during deceleration. This energy is then used to power functions like the air-conditioning, reducing the power demands on the engine and the amount of fuel you’ll use.

If keeping bills low is a priority and you drive enough miles to justify the initial extra outlay, the diesel version is the best bet. Emissions of just 108g/km put it into the same low road tax band as BMW’s greenest 320d, and claimed fuel economy of 62.8mpg is impressive, too.

The 6 feels solidly planted on the road and it’s happy to flex its muscles and sprint when required. The 173bhp 2.2-litre diesel engine we tested is the strongest in the range; drivers with a closer eye on economy would be best served by the 148bhp version, while the petrol option is a 2.0-litre engine with either 143 or 163bhp.

The ride is a lot more forgiving than the 19-inch wheel rims would suggest and at steady speeds the car feels smooth and comfortable.

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speeds. It sounds great though.

The car feels roomy in the back, although the door pockets will only fit a small bottle of water. The roofline arcs well above the front passengers’ heads but those in the back will find it a tighter fit. The Mazda’s boot is slightly larger than that of a BMW 3 Series but the saloon styling demands similar care when reaching in for items from the back to avoid bumping your head or falling in.

The Mazda’s efficient metabolism makes it an appealingly affordable car to run, while its athletic performance and well-toned physique make it an enjoyable companion on the road, too. It’s enough to make one think about joining a gym. ■ With thanks to Bristol Street Motors, St Philips Causeway, Bristol BS4 3BD. Tel: 0117 311 5000, www.bristolstreet.co.uk/mazda

Three of the best... driving experiences The thrill of the open road has never been more elusive thanks to roadworks, speed restrictions and traffic congestion. Today the safest way to push your driving to the limit is at a dedicated venue, and we’ve found some of the best in the south west.

• Race track thrills: The race circuit at Castle Combe offers a huge variety of experiences, from racing round the track in your own car, in a single-seater or as a passenger on a white-knuckle ride in a Ferrari. www.castlecombecircuit.co.uk.

• Master the skid pan: Also in Castle Combe, Drive-Tech Ltd offers a skid pan experience as well as karting and off-roading. You’ll get to drive front and rear-wheel drive cars over a slippery surface that replicates an icy road, and learn how to manage a car that’s skidding.

There’s a focus on safety and it’s fun, too. www.drivetechltd.co.uk.

• JCB racing: If you’ve ever fantasised about a career in construction, take a trip down the M5 to Devon for a day out at Diggerland. Here you can drive and even race JCB diggers. www.diggerland.com.

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FAMILYfun

For the over 10s: Whoopi Goldberg’s fast-paced wise-cracking nun’s tale, Sister Act is showing in the open air in Keynsham

Sundae treat: Marshfield Farm has opened an ice cream parlour at weekends, just off the A46 north of Bath

School’s out for summer From singing nuns to making your own Wild West outfit we’ve rounded up some entertainment suggestions for children of all ages in the run-up to the school holidays

Sing-a-long Sister Act Keynsham Music Festival,The Park, Keynsham.

Visit: www.keynshammusicfestival.co.uk for full programme Friday 5 July, 10.15pm There are lots of musical happenings in the town throughout the 14th annual festival, which opens on 1 July. But perhaps the most joyful and silly is the alfresco screening of Sing-a-Long Sister Act. The audience will be encouraged to wear wimples. A £2 donation is invited.

Medieval manuscript making Lacock Abbey, village and Fox Talbot Museum, Wiltshire. National Trust. Tel: 0844 249 1895 Sunday 7 July, 10.30am – 4pm Join members of the Black Knight historic reenactment group to find out more about writing with quills on parchment.

Family steam train ride Avon Valley Railway, Bitton Station. National Trust. Tel: 0117 932 5538 Wednesday 10 July, 7.15pm This volunteer run steam railway is hosting a series of on board suppers. The Fish and Chips special leaves Bitton Station at 7.15pm. £15 adults, £10 children, to include supper.

Tackle the climbing wall Tyntesfield House, Wraxall, North Somerset BS48 1NX. National Trust. £4 per person.

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50 things to do before you’re 11¾. Vertical Extreme’s fake rock wall offers the chance to find out what climbing is all about. Graded for all ages and abilities. There may be queues.

Also at Tyntesfield . . .

Meet an owl Friday 26 July, 10am – 4pm If you’ve ever wanted to get close to a real life Hedwig, now’s your chance as family run business Avon Owls will have a small parliament of owls for visitors to watch and learn more about. There is a small charge to hold an owl.

The musical story of Noah’s Ark The Tithe Barn, Bradford-on-Avon Tickets through Wiltshire Music Centre Tel: 01225 860100 Friday 12 July/Saturday 13 July 7pm Local schoolchildren join professional singers for what promises to be an inspiring event at the historic tythe barn. Britten’s opera Noye’s Fludde involves a menagerie of animals, audience participation and stirring music.

Tickets, £18/£6 under 18s.

Make a fashionable bag Making light of it The Herschel Museum of Astronomy, New King Street, Bath www.herschelmuseum.org.uk Tel: 01225 446865 Wednesday 10 July – 16 December Find out about the art and science of light in the 18th century. The new exhibition looks at William Herschel’s work on the sun, infra red and telescopes.

School’s family playtime St John’s Catholic School, Oldfield Lane, Bath Friday 12 July, 6 – 9pm St John’s Catholic Primary School PTA is welcoming families to its annual BBQ in the playground to raise funds towards a new play area. Fidelis and Andrews estate agents, the Cooperative, Tesco and Sainsbury’s, have all contributed to the event. There’ll be fresh cooked food, stalls and a raffle with prizes including a hot air balloon flight.

The Fashion Museum, the Assembly Rooms Friday 19 July, 10am – noon A new set of activities for 11 to 16-year-olds.

This session is dedicated to print making and students will make a bag to take home.

Weekend family treat Marshfield Farm, north of Bath SN14 8LE Weekends, 10.30am – 5pm If you’re ever stuck in traffic on the A46, why not try a spot of bribery? The farm, which offers 23 flavours of ice cream, has opened an ice cream parlour. Sundaes are £4.

Summer art camp The Holburne Museum, Great Pulteney Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 388569 From Monday 22 July Workshops for five to 13-year-olds, creating art in different media inspired by the museum’s collection. Throughout the school holidays with different themes each week, from £35 a day. >>

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Acting up: Curtain Up theatre summer school

Hands-on history: toga fun at the Roman Baths

Colourful fun: Rosie Flo’s Swimming Party, designed in Bath

Yoga time: new classes in Bath

It’s toga time

Yogarillaz: Children’s Yoga Classes

The Roman Baths, Bath.

Monday 22 July, 10.30am – 1pm, 2pm – 4pm This is part of a series of drop-in family activity sessions held every Tuesday throughout the school holidays at the council-run baths. Free admission if you have a B&NES Discovery card.

Percy Community Centre, New King St, Bath www.yogarillaz.webs.com, tel: 07904 672874 Fridays from 26 July to 30 August Children explore yoga through stories, games, rhymes and songs. Three to 11-year-olds, times vary. £5 per class.

Wild West fun

Sherlock Holmes

The American Museum, Claverton Thursday 25 July, 1pm – 4pm Be inspired by the museum’s Gangsters and Gunslingers exhibition and make your own Wild West outfit: sheriff’s badges, bandanas, and fake moustaches or fans and feathered headpieces.

Prior Park Gardens. Tel: 0844 249 1895 Saturday 27 July, 5.30 – 7.30pm The great British detective Sherlock Holmes is brought to life in this children’s theatre adaptation from The Pantaloons, compiling Conan Doyle’s highlights into a new adventure.

Holmes and Watson set out to crack their most fiendish case, with the help of the audience.

Adult £12.50, child £7.50, family £35.

Gallery art club Victoria Art Gallery Friday 26 July, 10.30am – noon and 1.30pm – 3pm. £4 per session (you must bring an adult), booking essential. Tel: 01225 477244 Sessions for 5-11 year-olds at this popular council run gallery. The theme for this workshop is creating faces and figures.

Make Your Own Gromit At-Bristol, Bristol Harbourside From 25 July If you’re visiting Bristol to follow the Gromit trail then visit At-Bristol for model making workshops £3 in addition to standard admission price. Meet a real-life Aardman model maker, learn the tricks of the trade to make a Gromit then bring him to life in Animate It! There’s also the chance to meet Wallace and Gromit.

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Family and food festival with Heart FM The Manor House, Castle Combe Saturday 28 July, from noon The fabulous gardens at this luxury country hotel will be open, free, to families wih a hog roast, barbecue, live music, fun and games and cookery demonstrations. Heart FM radio will be there and proceeds will go the Have a Heart Appeal which supports children’s charities.

Curtain Up Summer School The West Wing Roper Theatre, Hayesfield School, Upper Oldfield Park, Bath BA2 3LA £140 per child, additional siblings £100 each Tel: 07974014490 Monday 29 July – Friday 2 August, from 10am

Who’re you looking at? Owls at Tyntesfield, North Somerset

Children aged 8 and older can spend the week rehearsing a brand new show from scratch.

They’ll learn skills, make friends and increase confidence. Families will be invited to see the final show at 5pm on the Friday.

Make a wish The Museum of East Asian Art, Bennett St, Bath. Tel: 01225 464640 Tuesday 30 July, 2 – 3.30pm Join the celebrations for the Japanese Tanabata (Double Seventh) festival by learning to make origami decorations to take home or hang in the bamboo outside the museum to make a wish.

Admission is free with museum ticket, but you need to book places.

Teddy Bears’ Picnic Lacock Abbey, Wiltshire. National Trust Tuesday 30 July, 11am – 2pm Take your much loved bears for a day out to the abbey (where scenes from Harry Potter were shot) and enjoy a picnic and other activities.

And staying at home www.rosieflo.co.uk, tel: 01225 447280 Rosie Flo’s Colouring Pool Party Award-winning Rosie Flo, made here in Bath, brings out her new colouring project just in time for the school holidays. Suitable for children over seven and contains 18 press-out figures to colour, along with ice creams and other accessories – no scissors required. Mums, be prepared to want to join in. The boxed set is £14.99.

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FIT&FABULOUS Happy Birthday! Green Street House

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reen Street House, a tranquil day spa in the heart of the city in Green Street, is this month celebrating its 10th birthday. It was set up by Betsi Hughes who identified a need for a city centre spa retreat after she became fed up with driving miles for her own beauty treatments. The business enjoyed an early brush with fame as Betsi’s struggle to turn her dream into a reality was televised by Channel 4’s Risking It All. Now, ten years on, occupying a beautifully restored Georgian house that spans across four floors, Green Street House is a thriving local business hosting six treatment rooms, a relaxation area and a shop selling beauty products, jewellery and accessories. Catering for men and women, the spa offers an extensive range of treatments, from holistic massage, body wraps and facials to waxing, manicures and organic spray tans, all in a relaxing atmosphere.

The Green Street House team Betsi says: “We aim to provide a genuine few moments of peace and tranquility to the outside the spa in Green Street busy lives of people who frequent the spa.” And as a thank you to her loyal customers and those who have supported the business over the years, Betsi will be hosting a celebratory birthday party with luxury treats and offers for guests.

“Celebrating ten years of business has got to be one of the happiest occasions of all,” says Betsi. “And a party is a great way to say ‘thank you Bath’ for supporting Green Street House since 2003. Also a huge thank you goes to my staff for making the business what it is today.

I am thrilled to still be here and hope to stay for many more years to come.”

As part of the celebrations the spa is offering some special deals, including a mini manicure and pedicure for £35 and a spray tan for £25. See the advert in this issue for a great money off voucher too. Green Street House is open seven days a week: 9am – 6pm, Monday to Saturday, and 10.30am – 4.30pm on Sunday. For further information and a full list of treatments, visit: www.greenstreethouse.com or to make an appointment, tel: 01225 Spa manager Kaye and owner Betsi 426000.

Fresh and fun ❶

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For a perfectly pretty pout, head to a bareMinerals counter this month, where the brand has just launched 42 empowering lip shades, including pinks, reds and purples.

There are lipsticks, glosses and liners to choose from and each glides on satinysmooth and lasts a whole evening, even with drinks. With a mix of vibrant colours and glistening shades, there’s sure to be one to suit you. From £13, available at Debenhams.

SKIN DEEP The latest health and beauty news and product reviews from Samantha Coleman

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If you’ve been in the sun, don’t forget that your foundation shade will probably be different, so make sure you get a new shadematch. We recommend the new Hello Flawless Brightening Makeup from Benefit (£25.50 at Boots). Not only does this liquid foundation come in nine shades, have an SPF 25 and contain vitamins to fight signs of ageing, it also helps plump the skin, is oil free and suitable for all skin types. You can achieve a light to medium coverage that creates a natural flawless finish in a flash.

For cool relief in the heat, try Origins’ No Puffery cooling roll-on for puffy eyes. A soothing treatment, it helps to reduce signs of puffiness and fatigue as the metal rollerball applicator gently massages the eye area to deliver a revitalising experience. Available from Jolly’s, £24.

To achieve sexy surf-style tresses on the beach, use Bumble and Bumble’s Surf shampoo and conditioner, designed to add body and a soft sea-breezy texture. After use, leave hair to dry naturally for that so desired but hard to replicate salty, sun dried windswept hair look. From £18.50 at Boots.

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Betsi, Kay and the team would like to thank all their past and present clients for their loyalty and custom over the past 10 years and look forward to welcoming you in the future

ÂŁ10 voucher

to be used on treatments over ÂŁ40, in October 2013

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REVIEW

MOST COVETED

SUMMER MUST HAVES

Just four steps to softer skin

Towelling tales

by Harry B

Georgette McCready tries a new body treatment that’s just arrived at the Bath Thermae Spa after getting rave reviews by customers in the States

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ove ‘em or loathe ‘em, hen parties are big business for Bath. Gaggles of excited women, some with the bride-to-be wearing a veil, others dressed in the same curious themed fancy dress (what was the thinking behind the dozen drunken bees in stilettos that I saw in Milsom Street recently?) descending on our beautiful city intent on pleasure. The more civilised of the hen parties will spend time at the Bath Thermae Spa, treating themselves to a pampering treatment session while they’re there.

We locals can easily avoid the hens if we wish by visiting the spa midweek and, because the spa employs some 30 therapists there’s a good chance of booking a treatment when you want one. Last year I had a Lumafirm facial, which I said at the time and still believe, was the nicest and best facial I’d ever had – for the husband to notice and comment is testament to its effectiveness. So, when I heard the spa had the very latest Pevonia treatment – which has received rave reviews in the States – using the same Lumafirm approach to the body, I was keen to try it.

Because the spa sees visitors from all over the world on a daily basis its team of therapists are very experienced at dealing with all kinds of personalities and are adept at welcoming clients and putting them at their ease. My therapist, Marie, is a Bathonian with a reassuring, friendly manner who made me comfortable on a bed in one of the spa’s private treatment rooms. She showed me the four bowls of Pevonia products that she was going to use on my skin. We began with the Lumafirm magic potion, which contains soy protein and sugar cane among its natural ingredients, smoothed into the skin all over the body.

The Lumafirm treatment unusually combines a thorough massage with a cocoon relaxation therapy. Marie managed to get rid of all the tension in my body. She skilfully banished the knots in my computer-bound shoulder and neck and even relaxed parts of me I hadn’t until then known were holding onto tension, such as my toes and hands.

The second stage was a beeswax based moisturiser which my skin gratefully soaked up, while in the third stage Marie applied the cool, hydrating body mask. She then wrapped me in a layer of plastic and towels, gently applying pressure to encourage the body mask cream to soak in. With a lavender eye mask on, I was all tucked up and cosy, soothed by music playing and Marie’s head massage, my only worry was whether I’d snore if I did drift off.

She removed the body mask with lukewarm towels – although there didn’t seem to be very much left on my skin, which by now felt ultra smooth and soft and gently scented with fresh lemon verbena. We finished the session with the application of moisturiser to lock it all in and I was ready to re-join the world, aches gone, muscles feeling toned and skin if not ten years ago, then certainly as good as it’s been for a long time.

If you are joining a hen party, get the mother of the bride to try this treatment, perhaps combined with the Lumafirm facial. Her skin will look brighter and, judging by my experience, she’ll feel amazing. ■

Ultimate Lumafirm Body Treatment, £89 (50 mins). To book a treatment at the Bath Thermae Spa, tel: 0844 888 0844.

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s any mother knows, getting children warm and dry after a day on the beach, an afternoon in the paddling pool, or just half an hour at a swimming lesson is akin to pursuing The Holy Grail. And like The Pursuit, is fraught with obstacles on the way – screaming shivering 3-year-olds, missing underpants and the obligatory wet, frozen mum all thrown in to the “unholy” mix.

With three boys under the age of 10, Harriet Bennett had been there, done that and ditched the soggy wet T-Shirt when she designed the HarryB range of towelling products for children and mums alike. This range is different from the rest, for a start, the towelling is 100% cotton which absorbs water quickly and second, being the creation of a textile designer who is also a mum, manages to combine the practicality of a 5 star hotel’s bathroom linen with a sense of fashion for mums and fun for children.

HarryB towelling shorts for girls and boys aged 4 to 13 years are nothing short of a godsend for mothers with wet cold children and not enough time to get them dried and dressed. Made from 100% 450gsm cotton, the shorts are finished with a choice of brightly-coloured appliqued water creature motifs.

With an elasticated waist, young children can pull them on by themselves, either over a swimming costume or having taken their swimming kit off. In minutes both legs and bottoms will be dry, warm and if they’re on the beach, sand-free, protected from the chill of the breeze and heat of the sun. The luxurious deep indigo dye shows no dirty marks. Price £25, machine wash and can be tumble or line-dried.

HarryB Beach Towels are generous, made from the same deep indigo heavy cotton towelling as the shorts and measuring 80cm X 160cm, one side is terry towelling and the other soft luxurious velour. As with the shorts, each child has their own choice of brightly-coloured appliqued water creature motif and contrasting coloured trim to distinguish their towel from everyone else’s in the family. For ease of drying and to keep them out of puddles in the changing room, there’s even a hook to hang them up. Price £25, machine washable and can be tumble or line-dried.

Not forgetting the all-important mums, HarryB Pompom Wraps are great for grown-ups. A delightfully fresh take on the shawl or sarong, this ample 90cm X 180cm rectangle of brightly coloured striped woven cotton, lined with 100% cotton terry towelling and finished with contrasting pompom trim is big enough to wrap around your shoulders or drape and tie around your waist. It’ll keep you warm, dry and is a mysterious contrast between ethnic and chic. Price £28.99, machine washable and tumble or line dry and for those with a penchant for the perfect – can be ironed too. ■

Enjoy the full range of Harry-B products at: www:harry–b.co.uk

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Have you ever considered IPL permanent hair reduction?

Have you considered Non Surgical Ultrasonic Liposuction?

IPL Hair Reduction is the most effective treatment for unwanted hair on the face and body with approx 6 sessions needed to achieve permanent hair reduction

A course of 10 treatments on 1 body area

• Very safe • Very gentle • Very effective Special offer

50% off

all IPL Permanent Hair Reduction Treaments

£199

A course of 10 treatments on 2 body areas

Teeth Whitening for Men & Women The latest technology in teeth whitening used in America

A course of 10 Ultratone treatments for inch loss, slimming and toning

£299

Zero Peroxide

£99

normally £199

All offers are only available until the 31st July 2013

Tel: 01225 466851

Ultratone

Zero Sensitivity • Zero Pain

Dentist approved BB Cool Technology

No.2 Kingsmead St. Bath.

£349

The Ultrasound and Ultratone treatments can be used in conjunction with each other for maximum results All offers are only available until the 31st July 2013

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Cosmetic doctor to the stars and leading aesthetics expert Dr Rita Rakus, introduces new, non-invasive technology for subtle, face and body transformations

Renowned as The London Lip Queen, Dr Rakus is also an expert in many aspects of non-surgical facial rejuvenation and body contouring. From her Knightsbridge clinic, Dr Rakus tackles common problems like poor skin tone, sun damage, open pores, lines and loose skin on the face and body.

At the forefront of cutting edge technology, Dr Rakus offers highly effective treatments to her A-List clients, the latest including Fraxel Dual®, a skin resurfacing procedure that treats pigmentation and other signs of ageing and Hydrafresh, which combines Hydrafacial with Fraxel Refresh – a musthave red-carpet treatment. Recently launched Ultherapy – one of Courtney Cox’s favourite treatments –is a unique targeted ultrasound treatment to smooth, lift and tighten skin on the face, neck and body with exceptional results.

Award-winning Exilis fuses ultrasound and radiofrequency to rejuvenate the face and body, and for non-invasive fat reduction the new-generation Liposonix Gen II treatment uses highly accurate high-intensity ultrasound to concisely target problem areas. In addition, Dr Rakus has introduced a stem cell serum and cream from the world-renowned dermatologist Dr Phillip Levy. Supercharged ArganCellActive complex is scientifically proven to boost the vitality of dermal stem cells and can repair skin ageing.

For more information about Dr Rita Rakus and her treatments please log on to: www.drritarakus.com 020 7460 7324 drrita@drritarakus.com Dr Rakus Clinic, 34 Hans Road, Knightsbridge, London SW3 1RW.

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after

One of Dr Rakus’s associate doctors visits The Orangery Laser and Beauty Clinic, to perform dermal fillers, facial volumisation, hand improvements, muscle inhibitors plus consultation for all the other major treatments that are available in London.

Please visit her website on www.drritarakus.com for information, or telephone The Orangery to make an appointment for your free consultation

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Tel: 01225 466851 No.2 Kingsmead St. Bath.

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OUT&ABOUT

Step back a thousand years July’s walk visits a pair of Saxon buildings, one of them a chapel where Bath’s homegrown Saint Alphege began his religious career. Andrew Swift plots a pleasant riverside amble

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n contrast to the demands of last month’s walk, this month we take a gentle three-mile stroll along one of the most scenic stretches of the River Severn, visit two of the oldest buildings in the country – one with an unexpected link to Bath – and stop off at a riverside pub. A pleasant jaunt for a fine summer’s day.

Devising walks, even relatively undemanding ones, can run into unforeseen problems, with circumstances conspiring to produce something very different to what was envisaged. The plan this month was to start at Deerhurst, south of Tewkesbury, walk alongside the Severn to a pub and return across the fields. The first problem was the pub, which was closed due to extensive flood damage. As for the walk back, the outward journey was so entrancing, while the fields – many full of cows – appeared somewhat less so, that we opted to return the way we had come. Retracing your steps may sound an anticlimax, but it is astonishing how often walking in the opposite direction yields new rewards – in this case distant views of the Malvern Hills, which had been behind us on the outward leg.

As for the pub, a sign announced that it would reopen in June, so by the time you read this it should be up and running again.

One final thing to bear in mind is that this area is notoriously prone to flooding, so if flood alerts are in force, you are strongly advised to postpone your trip.

two warring kings . . . met at ❝ Deerhurst to make peace and divide England between them ❞ The drive to Deerhurst is a relatively long but straightforward one. Head north along the M5 to junction 9 and turn left along the A438 towards Tewkesbury. After one mile, turn south along the A38 towards Gloucester for three miles, before turning right along the B4213 towards Ledbury.

After half a mile, turn right to Deerhurst, and, when you get there, turn right, following the sign for Odda’s Chapel, where you will find a car park.

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1056 by Earl Odda, it was later incorporated into the 17th century farmhouse next door. The nave became a kitchen, and a floor was built in the chancel to create upstairs and downstairs rooms. It was only rediscovered in 1865 after some canny detective work by a local vicar.

The other, much grander, building is a little way back along the lane.

Parts of St Mary’s Priory Church date back over 1200 years. It is one of the best-preserved Saxon buildings in the country, with many elaborate carvings and sculptures, and will richly reward leisurely exploration, both inside and out. It was one of the most important religious foundations in Mercia, and the place where St Alphege, born at Weston near Bath in 954, and later Archbishop of Canterbury, began his religious career.

Although now no more than a few cottages and scattered farmsteads, Deerhurst was once an important place. In 1016, two warring kings, Cnut and Edmund Ironside, met at Deerhurst to make peace and divide England between them. Later, during the reign of Edward the Confessor, it was the principal residence of Earl Odda, one of the most powerful men in the kingdom, who built the chapel as a chantry where masses could be said for the soul of his brother Aelfric, who died in 1053. With the Norman Conquest, Deerhurst’s glory days came to an abrupt end, and it became what it remains today, a remote, enchanted backwater, where, with little impetus to replace or rebuild them, buildings survived as if frozen in time.

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OUT&ABOUT

Opposite: HIGH SUMMER: cow parsley fringes the banks of the River Severn Inset, Odda’s Chapel, one of two Saxon buildings in Deerhurst BEFORE THE CONQUEST: medieval stained glass in the priory

After visiting the chapel and priory, there is the matter of that glorious riverside walk, for which directions are almost superfluous. From the car park, take the path towards the river, turn left along the river bank and, after several gates and stiles, you will arrive at the Coal House Inn. It was here that barges from the Midlands moored up to unload coal for the surrounding villages, and the inn, originally the White Lion, was renamed accordingly. Today it is not only popular for food – you’re advised to book, especially at weekends – but also for real ale, while children will find plenty to interest them watching the chickens and ducks in the garden.

From here, you can carry on alongside the river; you can even make your way back to Deerhurst across fields and along country lanes – although you will need a map. Or you can simply retrace your steps, as we did, on a leisurely return journey through pastoral England at its best. ■

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FURTHER INFORMATION ■ ■ ■ ■

Length of walk: three miles Approx time: two and a half hours Map: OS Explorer 179 The Coal House Inn (tel: 01452 780177): open noon to 2.30pm and from 6.30pm Thurs to Sat; all day from noon, Sun. Another splendid riverside pub (with its own brewery) is the Boat at Ashleworth (tel: 01452 700272), six miles to the south-west on the other side of the river, around 15 mins drive from Deerhurst.

Open 11.30am to 2.30pm Tues and Friday; from 6.30pm Tues to Friday; all day from noon weekends.

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COUNTRYinteriors

New chapter for old rectory Keri Gardner transformed a modest former Cotswold rectory into a contemporary home which works perfectly for family life, writes Kathy Hurst.

Photography by Brett Symes

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his Cotswold home, which Keri Gardner shares with her three young boys, is a lesson in how to blend the old with the new. Constructed some 200 years ago from local stone, the modest former rectory is every inch the rural dream: gabled, stone-mullioned windows; gently weathered clay roof tiles; and elegant chimneystacks that reach upwards to the skies. Keri says: “It’s what initially drew us to the house. I loved the period style and the original features.”

Yet, despite its antiquated origins, the property is no relic.

After months of painstaking work – overseen by Keri, who has a keen eye for design – the house has been transformed into enviable contemporary space where dramatic, decorative flourishes abound.

Bold, statement wallpaper is a defining feature throughout the house, cleverly employed as a means of introducing colour and pattern. In the vast, open-plan living area, there are numerous chic touches: from oversized lamps and elegant barstools in leather and walnut; to a beautifully aged console table and a cowhide rug, the latter bought from the roadside in Chamonix.

The extension itself – a light-filled, timber-clad space with bi-fold doors opening out onto landscaped gardens – has been designed to ensure that the living space is bright throughout the day.

The Gardner family lived in the property for four years before deciding to embark on the renovation. Keri says: “The house was in a good state when we moved in, just not to my taste, so I had the luxury of taking my time. It’s a very valuable lesson: if you’re in too much of a hurry, there will inevitably be regrets.”

As a result, Keri was able to understand the rhythms of the house, to see where light falls at particular times of the day and the best angle from which to enjoy the sunset.

“By the time I sat down with an architect, I had a very clear idea of what I wanted to achieve,” she says. “I’d taken time to research precisely which beams to use in the living area and exactly where to position the fireplace and the soft seating area.

Now I can sit and enjoy views in three directions – of the church, the gardens, and cows which graze in the fields.”

While the existing kitchen was serviceable and attractive, Keri felt that it was out of keeping with the contemporary extension.

“The old scheme had cream, painted Shaker units and wooden work tops, but as soon as we decided to knock through to create our new, open-plan living space, I knew we’d have to update it. It would have been an almost Alice in Wonderland experience walking from a small cottagey kitchen into this lofty, modern space.”

Keri was keen to create a seamless transition between the original house and the extension – opting for sleek, flat-fronted contemporary units and keeping handles on drawers and cupboards to a minimum. “The units themselves are a muted grey which are 60 per cent gloss and 40 per cent matt. They have a lovely sheen. I wanted to avoid high gloss which show every finger mark and tends to be a nightmare when you’re living with little people,” she says.

The kitchen is very much a family room and the palette has been softened with a variety of stylish touches: walnut worktops and open shelving; glass splash backs in a delicate duck egg shade; and a composite white quartz work surface, with subtle blue flecks.

Why quartz? “I find the quartz a much more practical option than black granite which can get quite watermarked – and I like the way it helps to reflect light around the room. I also installed 80 THEBATHMAGAZINE

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wooden flooring as I find it so much more calming and quieter than tiles. I can’t stand the sound of chairs being dragged across stone floors!”

Keri’s love of feature walls is clearly evident in this part of the house, in the form of Cole & Son’s Cow Parsley wallpaper – a wistful nod to the property’s countryside setting. “I felt that with the hard, grey units there were too many blocks of colour and I decided to break it up with some pattern. People thought I was mad to paper behind the Aga. But, despite the fact that the kettle’s often on the boil, it’s been absolutely fine – no peeling or stains whatsoever.”

THE BIG PICTURE: the family lived with a tarpaulin instead of a roof while improvements were carried out to the house

Children are notoriously bad at ❝ switching these things off and without the sensors I’d be forever following the boys around – or dealing with flooded bathrooms Much of the furniture was sourced from interiors boutiques and design shows. “When I came here I didn’t have many bits and pieces: it meant that when I came to style the house I pretty much had a blank canvas. I collected things over a three year period – during the build and after it was completed. It’s helped

❞

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COUNTRYinteriors

A FRESH TAKE: clockwise from left, the kitchen had a complete revamp – only the Aga remains; top, the old rectory; the big windows are like living works of art; Keri has kept the colour palette subtle

the house to evolve and to develop a slightly eclectic look.”

Luxurious purchases sit happily alongside rugs and vases from Ikea; the blue and white urns in the kitchen were found in a local antiques shop; and rattan seating (designed for outdoor use) was picked up from a stall at nearby Badminton Horse Trials.

As Keri points out, however, the most impressive feature is the view through the bi-fold doors. “It’s like a huge picture,” she says. “We’ll often have them wide open and the whole area is transformed into a room off the garden. And we’re in such a sheltered spot that, even into the autumn, the patio is warm and protected from the wind.”

Keri’s approach to the renovation was meticulous – from her sourcing of Glumlam beams, used in place of steel supports, to her decision to alter the location of the kitchen sink. “It’s commonplace in design to install a sink beneath a window, but, in this particular property, it was completely impractical. For a few hours each afternoon, the sunlight would be blinding. When I reconfigured this area, I shifted the sink along a metre or so: it makes tasks like washing up just that bit easier.”

She also opted for sensor-controlled lighting and taps – energy efficient and conducive to relaxed family life. “Children are notoriously bad at switching these things off and, without the sensors, I’d be forever following the boys around – or dealing with flooded bathrooms,” she laughs. “It’s one of those boring details, but something which works really well. It’s great to live somewhere which suits us down to the ground – right down to the location of the kitchen sink.” ● Design brief: “I’ve always liked the idea of barn conversions. When we came to renovate the house, I was keen to create an open, lofty feel with exposed beams and lots of light.” ● My favourite corner: ‘I love cosying up on one of the chaises longues. They’re a great place to sit and read, watch television or just gaze into the dancing flames of the fire. They’re an unusual choice, but make a real style statement. I find them so much more comfortable than a conventional sofa. The muted, checked fabric is very restful, and I’ve chosen soft furnishings in similar tones. As the nights

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start to draw in, the throws really come into their own – the children and I will snuggle up here for bedtime stories or I’ll come here to relax after they’ve gone to sleep.” ● What lessons have you learnt during the renovation?

“The whole project has really reinforced for me the importance of patience. The work overran by four months, but we’ve had no issues whatsoever with the build, not even a single crack in the plaster. Given the age of the original house, I find it pretty amazing.” ● Would you do anything differently?

“I probably wouldn’t coincide the start of the project with the arrival of a baby! I’m fortunate in that I’m very organized and had planned the renovation meticulously. It’s very important to have a clear vision and strategy – things are far more likely to go to plan.” ● What was the most difficult part of the build?

“The low point was undoubtedly when we took out the end wall of the house and had three steels inserted to support the chimney.

We lived here throughout the renovation and spent several months exposed to the elements, protected only by a piece of tarpaulin. It certainly makes me appreciate all the more the home we have now.” ● Interior inspiration: “My dream home is something akin to a boutique hotel – all crisp white sheets, bathrooms with clean lines, and dramatic wallpaper. The master bedroom, with its velvet, upholstered bedstead, always makes me feel that I’m on holiday. I’ve incorporated wallpaper into the scheme as it helps to give depth and personality. There are lots of low, sloping ceilings in the upstairs rooms which meant I wasn’t able to hang pictures behind headboards – instead, I’ve created focal points with pattern. I also think a papered wall allows you to keep other aspects of the room plain and simple: I’m not keen on too much clutter. I’ve used a restrained palette – soft greys, blues and greens – and, when it comes to furnishings, I’ve endeavoured to create a luxurious feel. I always use white linen, often with subtle detailing, and add colour and texture with silk bedspreads, embroidered cushions and throws.” ■ JULY 2013

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Beautiful homes begin at SALE NOW ON

15-18 London Street, Walcot, Bath, BA1 5BX 01225 465 757 www.trhayes.co.uk • FREE LOCAL DELIVERY • CUSTOMER CAR PARK •

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Nigel Lucas Professional Painter and Decorator

Email: Nigel.lucas24@gmail.com Mob: 07970 464670 Landline: 01761 233963 Web: www.nigellucas.org.uk

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BRITISHflowers

Fresh as a daisy Sarah Merson meets Georgie Newbery, whose business Common Farm Flowers specialises in growing native British beauties so her customers can fill their vases with blooms that have a lower carbon footprint than imported flowers

G

eorgie Newbery knows a thing or two about flowers. It’s not surprising perhaps given that she grows 250 varieties each year on her flower farm in Charlton Musgrove, near Wincanton. The thing about Georgie though is that she’s not a trained horticulturalist or florist. What she does have is a somewhat infectious passion for flowers, which coupled with an energetic fervour to succeed, is helping her business, Common Farm Flowers, evolve into a successful one.

Originally from London, Georgie worked as an author and later, in TV production before she met a man called Fabrizio in a tweed jacket and walking boots, from Somerset. She quickly moved in with him and they married.

She said: “Moving to the countryside was, of course, quite an adjustment but when, in 2004, we bought our house along with seven acres of land, it was a case of having to create a business of some kind. I’m a firm believer in doing what you love and what comes naturally to you.

There’s no point in starting a business in something which isn’t a part of who you already are, and hoping to succeed. It’s a bit like the cleaner whose own home is always dirty and messy.

“My grandmother and my mother were keen gardeners, and despite living in the city, I knew I’d inherited the gardening gene. I just loved flowers – from growing, to cutting, and arranging them in beautiful hand tied bundles, flowers were my thing.

“By this time, we had two young children and increasing our cash flow became a priority. I realised then, that the satisfaction I felt from growing sweet peas from seed and cutting them endlessly in order to keep them flowering until October, was a chore that most people don’t want. They do however, want a beautiful bunch of sweet peas on their kitchen table to give pleasure to the eye and to spread a beautiful scent around the home.

So, there it was – the seedling that was to become, Common Farm Flowers, a mail order, fresh cut floristry business, was planted.”

Georgie started by selling sweet peas to neighbours from a barrow outside her front door. Today she grows 20 different varieties of sweet peas, about 30 types of dahlia, and different types of cornflower, larkspur, delphinium, calendula, alliums, peonies, roses, sage and lavenders, as well as all sorts of shrubs, herbs, and biennials. Georgie also grows wildflowers 84 THEBATHMAGAZINE

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– including cowslips, campion, cow parsley, hogweed, buttercups, ox eye daisies, ragged robin, teasel, knapweed, ladies’ bedstraw, several wild scabious, ladies smock, sorrel and guilder rose – which Fabrizio brings on as plug plants.

“Throughout the spring and summer months, I’m out early each morning, scissors in hand, to cut the best of the blooms as they appear,” she said. “That’s the key to growing cut flowers as a business; you can’t be afraid to cut them! Unlike lots of gardeners, I’m not into having a beautiful display of flowers in the garden. Anyone visiting might be disappointed by the show of colour, or lack of it, on the farm. I’m much more interested in what the flowers look like when they’re cut, taken indoors and arranged to create beautiful, fresh, seasonal bouquets.

A cheap bunch of flowers bought from ❝ the supermarket on your way home on a Friday might very likely have come from three different continents and up to 15,000 miles

❞

“Sometimes customers will tell me if they don’t like a particular type of flower, or colour (usually orange) but often, they leave it up to me to come up with the goods.”

Common Farm Flowers is not certified organic but it works with nature and looks after its soil. As Georgie says: “It’s that age-old ethos of nature gives back what you put in. Our compost heap isn’t just for compost, it’s also somewhere for the grass snakes to live. We also keep bees but not for commercial use.” It’s this green-thinking that has gained a loyal customer base.

“I’d estimate that the flower industry is about ten years behind the food industry as far as public awareness goes, but this sort of sustainable practise is key to the success of the British flower farmer and most of our customers appreciate this,” says Georgie. “A cheap bunch of flowers

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BRITISHflowers

ZERO FLOWER MILES: main picture, naturally raised British flowers BUSINESS SCENTS: Georgie Newbery, centre, began by selling sweet peas at her garden gate

bought from the supermarket on your way home on a Friday might very likely have come from three different continents and travelled up to 15,000 miles. But because we cut fresh every day, we don’t have any wastage; there are no greenhouses full of cut flowers waiting to be sold on through the system. Our flowers are freshly cut, tied, boxed and posted that day. They then last about a week in water. It’s slightly different in the winter. We buy in from our trusted Cornwall flower farmer friends who we know will provide top quality flowers.”

Visit the website: www.commonfarmflowers.com and you’ll see the popular blog and social media element. “This is the vehicle we use to get ourselves out there and let people know what we’re doing here,” says Georgie. “I spend about half an hour a day blogging, tweeting or on Facebook. It pays off too; we have thousands of followers on Twitter, 850 on Facebook and our blog gets between 20,000 and 25,000 hits a month.”

She says: “There’s no point in tweeting about wedding flowers

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in the middle of the night. You’re far better off putting something on Facebook on a Saturday morning when brides are lying in bed with their boyfriends planning for their wedding day.”

Another arm to the business is the popular workshop programme covering everything from social media for businesses, propagating and garden design to cookery, making Christmas decorations and growing and arranging your own wedding flowers. Centered around the same big wooden table that I sat at while chatting with Georgie, I can just picture the laughter that’s generated at the workshops, not to mention the freshly baked bread which is served for lunch.

So, what’s next for Common Farm Flowers? “This year I’ll be concentrating on creating a cushion of mostly wild flowers with a white, blue and yellow palette.” What we can be sure of is that the flowers will be fresh cut, seasonal, exceptionally beautiful and of course, British. ■

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SUMMERgardening

A work in progress National Trust card in hand, Jane Moore revisits the grounds of Tyntesfield to see how this ambitious project to breathe new life into the 19th century gardens is developing

I

t’s been five or six years since I last saw Tyntesfield but it’s a place that has settled in my memory like few others. There is something so gloriously romantic about the house with its turrets and courtyards, its views over the Italianate formal garden and the parkland stretching off into the distance. Old fool that I am it conjures up images from Brideshead Revisited and those classic Merchant Ivory films, scenes of an England long since gone but still imbued in the very walls of Tyntesfield. It might be something to do with the fact that my brother used to collect yew clippings there, so my mum, who arranged the workload, was on chatting terms with the last Lord Wraxall, who charmed the socks off her with his old school manners.

But enough of my sentimental nostalgia and on to some hard facts. The history of Tyntesfield is fascinating as it charts the rise of the middle classes through the entrepreneurial William Gibbs who built a fortune on guano, seabird droppings from South America which became the must-have fashionable fertiliser for the eager Victorian gardener. He promptly obtained the fragrant trappings of a wealthy gentleman complete with house and park, until it finally culminated in a title for his eldest son.

In the late 1800s Lord Wraxall and Tyntesfield hit their heyday but from then on it was decline until the last Lord Wraxall, a single man, decreed in his will that the estate should be sold to the highest bidder and the proceeds go to his several nieces and nephews. By this time the house was falling into a sad state, with the park and gardens faring no better.

Cue the National Trust which stepped in and set about probably its most ambitious fundraising project ever. The Trust was desperate to secure the property rather than let it become a private house. (Andrew Lloyd Weber and Madonna were rumoured to be in the running to buy the estate.) In 2002 the Trust bought the house and 150 acres of park and garden and within a breakneck eight weeks it was open in part to the public. Truly staggering when you consider that the last time the Trust bought an entire 86 THEBATHMAGAZINE

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house it took them seven years to open it up. From the start the Trust wanted to take a very different approach, with the conservation and management of the house and garden to be transparent and highly visible and part of the whole experience. As a result for the time being Tyntesfield boasts one of the largest paid and volunteer staff of all National Trust properties, including many in the gardens and park.

The rolling nature of Tyntesfield’s parkland makes the most of its setting with far reaching views, wooded glades, long avenues and the whole shooting match in these 150 acres. It’s wonderful for picnicking, exploring, hiking and just generally getting lost. For gardeners the best bit is Paradise, the arboretum with some very unusual and mature specimen trees including a wonderfully decrepit, moss-strewn mulberry, a tree I have a soft spot for.

Five or so years ago the gardens had a long way to go and they still do.

There are bags of potential, not least in the magnificent kitchen garden, and it is slowly being realised although I was shocked by just how slowly.

The formal gardens near the house are home to herbaceous borders and classic Victorian bedding which I know isn’t to everyone’s taste. The thing with bedding is to make it flamboyant and Tyntesfield’s efforts were a bit muted – Bath’s Victoria Park does it with more gusto.

Sweeping away from the formal gardens the flagstone path takes you across the park to the kitchen garden and the orangery. When I last visited, the orangery was a crumbling wreck of its former glory, a sad reflection of the faded grandeur of the whole estate. It’s now been restored, in part by trainee stonemasons from local colleges, and you can see just how glorious it truly is with it magnificent arched windows of brick and Bath stone. I’d like to have seen some citrus trees inside but the azaleas that Lord Wraxall liked to have taken into the house gave it a personal touch.

With the late, cold start to the season the kitchen garden was just getting underway when I visited but should be stuffed full of produce by July and

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SUMMERgardening

SLEEPING BEAUTY: life is being restored in the old greenhouses and the walled vegetable gardens of Tyntesfield TIME TRAVEL: there is always the sense at Tyntesfield of stepping back in history Right, the box hedges and bedding plants in the rose gardens

August. Lovely old and new fruit trees span the warm brick walls, trained into fans, cordons and espaliers. One wall is entirely covered with glasshouses containing figs, peaches and probably apricots although sadly we weren’t allowed inside. We could saunter through what would have been the propagation glasshouses in the courtyard outside the kitchen garden which are set up as display houses for potted plants and bulbs. Like the house, the greenhouses are so beautifully intact and unmodernised, complete with the well oiled and maintained but unmistakably ancient mechanisms for opening up the vents.

If I had to analyse the magic of Tyntesfield it is this sensation of stepping back in time. The gardens are nice but nowhere near Hidcote or Stourhead, the house is interesting but it isn’t Montacute. But at Tyntesfield it’s the whole that counts, that all adds up to something rather special. Really the beauty of

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Tyntesfield is this otherworldly feel, that here time stood still. ■ Jane Moore is the head gardener at the award-winning gardens of the Bath Priory Hotel. Follow her on Twitter @janethegardener.

Yellow Book Gardens ● Bristol Botanic Gardens Sunday 7 July, 10am – 5pm, adults £4.50; children free. Teas and plant sales ● Bath Priory Hotel Tuesday 16 July, 2pm to 5pm adults £3; children free, teas for Dorothy House Hospice ● Tyntesfield Saturday 20 July, 10am to 6pm,adults £9; children £4.50. Teas and plant sales For more open gardens, visit: www.ngs.org.uk

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the directory

to advertise in this section call 01225 424 499 Baby Equipment

Health, Beauty & Wellbeing

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Baby Equipment Hire in and around Bath ENJOY A GREAT MAGAZINE WITH GREAT COFFEE

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House & Home

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Holly Woodward (MBAcC, Reg Nurse) is an experienced fertility acupuncturist, having worked for leading fertility expert Zita West.

Call Holly on 07759 684552 Address: The Practice Rooms, 26 Upper Borough Walls.

Situated above ‘Lush’.

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PROPERTYin FOCUS

W

eymouth House is a Grade II listed Regency townhouse, built around 1820. The house is set in a peaceful and very private setting and can be entered through a private gate into the rear garden or from an additional entrance on Beechen Cliff. As you would expect from this sought after location, there are glorious far reaching views across the city to The Royal Crescent and beyond. In keeping with the period, there are four floors of accommodation with many character features including deep skirting boards, cornicing and fire surrounds. On the ground floor there is a reception hall/dining hall and kitchen/breakfast room as well as a sitting room with those fabulous city views. The first floor offers an elegant more formal drawing room, two bedrooms (one of which has a shower cubicle) and a cloakroom. The master and second bedroom are on the top floor as is the family bathroom. The lower ground floor offers plenty of space for a busy family in the form of a large utility/playroom with French windows to the rear, an enviable walk in store room/larder, study, further store room and a cloakroom. Outside there is a beautiful walled garden with ‘evening’ sun terrace from which to admire those views, a garden room/store, a private driveway which provides parking for up to three cars as well as a single garage.This lovely house is in an extremely popular and convenient situation for families, with excellent access to schools, transport and the city centre and viewing is highly recommended.

WEYMOUTH HOUSE BEECHEN CLIFF ROAD • A handsome end terraced Grade II Listed Regency townhouse • Four double bedrooms, • Flexible family accommodation • Spectacular city views • Walled garden • Off-street parking, garage • Popular location

Price: £895,000

Pritchards, 11 Quiet Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 466225 WWW.THEBATHMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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ADV ERT OR I AL F EATURE

NEW PROPERTY PARTNER FOR WITHY KING P

roperty expert, Fiona McNulty, has joined Bath law firm Withy King’s rapidly expanding Residential Property, Farms and Estates team from Thrings.

Fiona McNulty, Partner, Withy King

As the former Head of Private Property at Thrings, Fiona McNulty is well known in Bath, particularly among property owners, developers and agents. She has also developed a national reputation through her role as Legal Expert for the London Evening Standard Homes & Property, where she has a weekly column answering readers’ questions.

Fiona specialises in advising individuals, trustees, investors and companies on their residential property portfolios. She advises on freehold and leasehold transactions and has extensive experience in dealing with listed buildings as well as country and coastal properties. Fiona also deals with the refinancing of investment property for non-UK residents and offshore companies.

“I am passionate about property; it fascinates me,” said Fiona. “For the vast majority of people their property is their most valuable asset. I believe that clients should receive not only accurate legal advice but sensible and practical advice too so that they can make informed decisions. My intention is always to become a trusted legal advisor to my clients so that they will think of me when they want legal advice whether or not it relates to property.”

“We have seen a 25 per cent increase in instructions across a broad spectrum of property work compared with this time last year – a sure sign that confidence is returning,” commented Angus Williams, who heads the property team based at Northumberland Buildings, Queen Square.

“Lenders are taking longer to conduct property valuations and respond to enquiries which can be frustrating – but also a sure sign that they are lending and more people are able to borrow again, further fuelling the Bath market. It is also encouraging to see so much developer activity.

“The property market outside of Bath, in surrounding market towns, villages and rural locations, is less buoyant, but we are seeing positive signs there too which indicate an upward trend.”

More new faces Property solicitor, Beth Heley, will be joining Withy King from Corsham law firm, Goughs. She will be focusing on new build and plot sales as well as residential property work in market towns and villages in Wiltshire.

Beth will be assisted by another new recruit, Kylie Dover, who also has extensive conveyancing experience.

Expansion in line with Bath market We are here to help Withy King’s Residential Property, Farms and Estates team is investing in the breadth and depth of services it offers to home-owners, landlords, investors, developers and tenants as the Bath property market continues to go from strength to strength.

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If you would like to get in touch with Withy King’s new partner Fiona McNulty to discuss a residential property issue, please call 01225 730100 or email fiona.mcnulty@withyking.co.uk

pritchard-partners.co.uk

Widcombe

Castle Combe

A stunning example of a semi detached Victorian property, positioned within a few minutes’ walk of the city with breathtaking views.

An exquisite example of a Grade II Listed double fronted period cottage set in the heart of this picturesque village. Int area: 1546 sq ft/144 sq m.

Kitchen/breakfast room, drawing room, dining room, study, five bedrooms, two bathrooms, utility, cloakroom. Mature gardens.

Approx int area: 2191 sq ft/203 sq m.

Kitchen, vaulted dining hall, lg living area with log burning stove & open fire. Master bedroom suite & en suite cloakroom/WC. Further double bedroom, family bathroom, mezzanine level and loft storage. Rear garden.

Currently run as a successful holiday letting business.

Guide Price: £1.2 million

Guide Price: £595,000

Bitton, Bath

Southstoke, Nr Bath

A stunning GII Listed, 3 bed barn conversion which enjoys a most idyllic position on a quiet lane adjoining miles of unspoilt countryside. Presented in excellent order throughout with fabulous galleried study/landing, pretty garden and off street parking for 2.

Sitting room opening onto the garden, kitchen/breakfast room, utility room, galleried study/ landing with exposed beams, master bedroom en suite, 2 further bedrooms & bathroom.

Int area: 1312 sq ft/121.9 sq m.

A recently refurbished 3 bed detached cottage which enjoys a most private position in this sought after village. Features incl. French doors opening on to decked seating area, pretty gardens, garage & parking.

Price: £539,500

Price: £469,500

Scan to access our Website Homepage

PRITCHARDS July.indd 1

Sitting room with open fireplace, dining room, kitchen, utility & boot rooms with cloakroom off, master bedroom en suite, 2 further double bedrooms & bathroom.

Approx int area 1270 sq ft/118 sq m.

11 Quiet Street, Bath BA1 2LB

Tel: 01225 466 225

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Winsley, the olde part, £695,000.

The Old Brewhouse is a period home with plenty of space & more character & personality than is strictly decent! We find very comfortable reception rooms; the sitting room has a fireplace and access to the garden via the conservatory – a perfectly relaxing space to read. The kitchen is well proportioned & easily large enough to handle a lengthy dining table – ideal for cooking, chatting, eating & making merry! You’ll spend a lot of time in here I suspect. We also find an intimate dining room, utility and cloak room. Upstairs are six bedrooms, (one is used as a study), bathroom & two ensuites; room for all the family and a few guests!

The garden is mostly to the rear with a beautiful stretch up to the entrance at the side of the house. At the rear we find a summer house with sheds & stores set about the lawn with various trees & bushes. Garage/workshop – gold dust.

☎ 01225 866747 27 Market Street, Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, BA15 1LL email: info@jeremyjenkins.co.uk • website: www.jeremyjenkins.co.uk

Lambridge A stylish and contemporary three bedroom penthouse apartment occupying the top floor of a recently refurbished Grade II Listed Georgian townhouse. Decorated throughout to the highest possible standard, the apartment has a unique English Rose kitchen and also benefits from a private balcony which enjoys treetops views across the countryside surrounding Bath.

Rent: ÂŁ1,950 pcm unique pink kitchen made from WWII aircraft grade aluminium | bright & spacious living room | feature fireplaces | 3 double bedrooms (1 en-suite) | contemporary bathroom | south-facing balcony with panoramic treetop views | communal gardens Reside Bath | 24 Barton Street Bath BA1 1HG | T 01225 445 777 | E info@residebath.co.uk | W www.residebath.co.uk

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The Circus, Bath

ÂŁ2,500 pcm

A delightful two / three bedroom apartment in one of the finest locations in Bath. Beautifully presented internally, this charming lower ground floor apartment has direct access onto a lovely mature garden and a parking space in a secure gated car park.

Victoria Bridge, Bath

ÂŁ1,450 pcm

A beautiful dual aspect fully furnished two bedroom apartment with large floor to ceiling windows and Juliet balconies that flood the interior with natural light set on the banks of the River Avon. Bath Riverside is one of very few residential developments that enjoys direct access to the riverside.

Bath Office

Lettings 01225 458546 | Sales. 01225 459817

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Fidelis

Midford

ÂŁ585,000

Attractive Grade II Listed Double Fronted Period Property With Four Double Bedrooms and Countryside Views Spacious Beamed Living Room | Inglenook Fireplace | Four Double Bedrooms | Master Bedroom En-Suite | Office/Snug | Country Style Kitchen | Bathroom | Utility | Garden | Off Street Parking | Views Across Midford Valley | EPC Rating D

www.fidelisproperties.co.uk

01225 421000

134 Wells Road, Bear Flat, Bath BA2 3AH Fidelis July.indd 1

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Fidelis

Timsbury

ÂŁ585,000

Beautiful Peaceful Location with Countryside Views plus Generous Accommodation Set within a One Acre Plot Four Double Bedrooms | Far Reaching Countryside Vistas | Requires Modernisation | Predominantly South Facing | Two Fenced Paddocks | Circular Driveway | Detached Double Garage | Off Street Parking for Multiple Cars | No Onward Chain | Opportunity to Acquire Up To a Further 10 Acres | EPC Rating E

www.fidelisproperties.co.uk

01225 421000

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Whatley, Somerset Whatley Combe House is a fine example of a perfectly proportioned Grade II Listed period home. This prominent house has been in the same family for decades and is now on the open market for the next generation to refurbish and create a most stunning and handsome family home full of period features and beautifully proportioned rooms.

Approximate gross sq.ft. 4,575.

Guide Price £1.25m • 7 Bedrooms • 4 Reception Rooms • Handsome Period Residence • Grade II Listed • Large Level Garden • Close to Babington House

Bath Office

Sales. 01225 459817 | Lettings 01225 458546

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Newbridge Hill, Bath

Guide Price £800,000

A handsome Edwardian semi-detached house situated in one of Bath’s most popular areas close to the local amenities and City Centre. Like many homes constructed in this era, the house boasts some fine architectural features including tall corniced ceilings and large bay windows and is beautifully presented throughout. The gardens to the front and rear of the house are laid to lawn with flower beds and shrubs and has parking to the front. This is a truly super family home. Approximate gross sq.ft. 2,411. EPC:E

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4 Bedrooms 3 Receptions Large Kitchen Period Features Level Garden Close to Good School

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BLOOMFIELD PARK

ÂŁ900,000

This beautifully appointed Edwardian semi-detached house has gracious and elegant accommodation that retains a wealth of period detail and features. Fantastic family location within easy striking distance of Bath's City Centre. This property is certainly one not to be missed!

Entrance vestibule, hall with central staircase rising to upper floors, drawing room, sitting room, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, utility room and downstairs bathroom. 4 first floor bedrooms and family bathroom. Attic level with 2 further bedrooms and open plan lounge area/bedroom 7.

Beautiful front and rear gardens, garage and off-street parking. Approximate gross internal floor area: 2,575 square feet / 239 square metres.

1 Hayes Place, Bear Flat, Bath BA2 4QW

01225 422 224

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NEWBRIDGE HILL

GUIDE PRICE ÂŁ650,000

This beautifully proportioned Victorian Semi could make a fantastic family home, once given some love and attention! Currently in need of major refurbishment and upgrading.

Potential layout of: Hall, drawing room, study, kitchen/dining room, utility, 6 bedrooms and bathroom, pretty gardens and off-street parking.

Approximate gross internal floor area: 2,560 square feet / 238 square metres.

www.mark-naylor.com

email: homes@mark-naylor.com

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Priston £1.5 million

A most attractive period farmhouse, situated on an open and neatly landscaped plot, in the highly regarded village of Priston and with the added benefit of a detached coach house. Set in a tranquil spot and enjoying views beyond the village rooftops from an elevated position, the house has been maintained and improved to preserve heritage and character, whilst integrating modern function.

Six bedrooms | Two bathrooms | Double garage | Separate coach house with potential for conversion | Generous reception space | Impressive family kitchen/breakfast room | Beautiful gardens | Thriving village community.

Colerne £1,450,000

A Grade II* Listed stone long house, beautifully preserved and improved, situated at the heart of this highly regarded village, with the added benefit of a stunning detached contemporary lodge. In all, the property provides up to six bedrooms and also includes a superb 22’ x 14’ family kitchen/breakfast room. The ‘stable’ part of the house provides breathtaking open space on two levels.

Impressive gardens and grounds of around ¾ acre with private terrace areas | Fascinating architectural history | Ample private parking.

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Lansdown £2 million

A distinctive, handsome detached house with beautifully appointed and well proportioned accommodation in a well screened, private location close to Lansdown Crescent. Built in the traditional style of the 1930’s, West Wing House has been expertly extended and occupies an elevated position with well planned landscaped front and rear gardens and excellent parking facilities.

Triple aspect sitting room | Stunning 26’ x 21’ open plan kitchen/dining room | 23’ family room | Stylish Varenna Poliform Italian kitchen | Four bedrooms | Three bath/shower rooms | 14’ x 13’ study | Outstanding garden with southerly aspect | EPC rating E.

Widcombe £750,000

A distinctive and elegant Grade II Listed Georgian House, backing directly onto the canal towpath and providing flexible, light and well proportioned accommodation, together with a lovely lawned and terrace garden.

Well preserved and restored period detail | Three or four bedrooms | Option for home office space | Attractive and screened gardens | Chain free sale | Perfectly placed for Bath Spa Station and all amenities at Widcombe.

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Castle Combe

“To find this substantial house built in Cotswold stone with so many features for a growing family was a delight. Its sizeable accommodation and spacious rooms were ideal, together with its outbuildings and large acreage of land.With loads of space for the children to enjoy and grow, and ample room to relocate the office for my business, plus external storage and plenty of parking - it was ideal. Features such as exposed stonework, beamed ceilings and an original 17th century stone fireplace give a warm ambience.We have the large kitchen/breakfast room and our huge yet cosy sitting room and a very large dining room where we often entertain up to 20 guests for friendly suppers or formal dinners.”

“Doors from the lounge open onto a

large patio which is a suntrap for the afternoon and evening, while the door from the utility room, leads to the rear terrace which flows into the landscaped gardens and then through to the sizeable pastures.”

“The house and garden were made for entertaining and we have had many memorable celebrations here. We recently hosted a party in the field for the village which included fancy dress, sports games, a BBQ and disco!”

PADDOCK BARN COTSWOLD STONE DETACHED BARN CONVERSION • 4 BEDROOMS • 2 BATHROOMS • 3 RECEPTIONS* OFFICE • DETACHED 2 BED STABLE CONVERSION • GARDENS • EPC RATINGS = E (MAIN HOUSE) AND D (COTTAGE)

Contact: 01225 320032

£1,150,000

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Bradford-on-Avon

This charming Bath stone cottage, built in 1725, sits in a sought-after location on the northern edge of the pretty market town of Bradford-on-Avon.The owners have updated the cottage by putting in a beautiful bespoke kitchen and the most fabulous contemporary staircase, made from oak with glass balusters.

“We have also worked hard to ensure that this house is now very economical to run.We installed a ground source heat pump.We have under floor heating downstairs which is perfectly compatible to the low-grade heat supplied by the heat pump. Upstairs we have highly efficient radiators with a wood burning stove in the living room for extra warmth and atmosphere after winter walks. A ‘warm roof ’ with rigid installation between

the eaves has also meant that the heat loss through the roof has been significantly reduced. The combination of traditional thick walls and modern insulation techniques means our heating bills are very low indeed.With the utmost empathy for the historic fabric of the house, we've future-proofed it as much as possible”

“Where possible we have restored the original features: some beautiful ceiling roses, and egg and dart moulding which had been hidden under layers of paint.”

BELCOMBE PLACE BATH STONE, BUILT IN 1725 • 4 BEDROOMS, 2 EN-SUITES • DOWNSTAIRS SHOWER ROOM • 2 RECEPTION ROOMS • GARDEN ROOM • GROUND SOURCE HEAT PUMP • VIEWS • GARDEN • PARKING • EPC RATING = D

Contact: 01225 320032

£750,000

Portland Place

Offers in Excess of ÂŁ380,000

Grade II listed apartment | Spacious accommodation | Impressive sitting room | Modern kitchen | Two bedrooms | Two bathrooms | Own entrance An impressive Grade II listed courtyard apartment in a highly sought after location. This two bedroom apartment has the advantage of its own front door leading to spacious accommodation that comprises: reception hall, fully fitted kitchen, impressive sitting room with feature fireplace and three large sash windows to front, master bedroom with en-suite bathroom, second double bedroom and main bathroom - all of which are presented in excellent decorative order. Highly recommended.

Marlborough Buildings

Offers in Excess of ÂŁ350,000

Grade II listed | Georgian | Sought after location | Two double bedrooms | Spacious living | Period features | Highly recommended This impressive two bedroom, second floor apartment is located in the highly sought after Marlborough Buildings. The accommodation comprises: bright and spacious sitting room with doors leading to a modern kitchen, two large double bedrooms and a contemporary bathroom. The property benefits from fabulous views and a short walk to the City Centre. This property is expected to generate considerable interest so early viewing is advised.

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Norfolk Crescent

Offers in Excess of £285,000

Grade II listed apartment | Spacious living | Modern kitchen and bathroom | Excellent storage | Three bedrooms | Fabulous outlook | Private terrace A beautifully presented second floor, three bedroom laterally converted Georgian apartment that has the advantage of its own private terrace and ample storage space. The apartment offers well balanced accommodation that comprises large reception hall, living room with three windows overlooking the green to the front of the crescent, modern kitchen, three double bedrooms and luxury bathroom. Highly recommended.

Edgar Buildings

Offers in Excess of £200,000

Georgian apartment | Central location | Excellent décor | Period features | City views | Highly recommended A beautifully presented one bedroom top floor Georgian apartment located in the heart of the city. The apartment affords well-proportioned accommodation comprising spacious living room with feature fireplace, well equipped kitchen with integrated appliances, double bedroom and bathroom, all of which presented in excellent decorative order and enhanced with gas central heating.

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Sydney Place

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Camden Crescent

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Portland Place

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£1750 pcm Royal Crescent

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£895 pcm Barton Buildings

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£1450 pcm Queens Parade

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£1500 pcm Gay Street

£875 pcm

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£1200 pcm Park Street

£1000 pcm

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£825 pcm Albion Terrace

£750 pcm

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Beckington A most appealing Grade II* Jacobean house situated in the heart of this highly sought after Somerset village | Reception hall | Drawing room | Dining room/sitting room | Rear hall | Breakfast room | Kitchen | Utility/boot room | Larder | 2 cloakrooms | 7 bedrooms | Dressing room | 3 bathrooms (1 en suite | Guest wing or studio | Detached coach house | 4 bay garaging | Pool with pool house | 2 workshops | Store | Beautiful gardens | Paddock | In all, 1.6 acres | Guide Price: £1,750,000

Crisp Cowley Ralph Allen’s Town House York Street Bath BA1 1NQ 01225 789333

www.crispcowley.co.uk

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Claverton Down A stunning Regency style detached house in secure level plot and grounds of approximately 0.25 of an acre.

High specification and beautifully presented accommodation approaching 3,000 sq ft. | Spacious hall | Study | Cloakroom | Beautiful sitting room | Large double glazed conservatory | Formal dining room | Spacious dining room/kitchen with fitted Smallbone kitchen | Utility | Master bedroom with en suite | Guest bedroom with en suite | 3 further bedrooms | Family bathroom with Jacuzzi style bath | Landscaped level gardens | Double garage | Guide Price: ÂŁ1,395,000

Crisp Cowley Ralph Allen’s Town House York Street Bath BA1 1NQ 01225 789333

www.crispcowley.co.uk

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Chelsea House London Road Bath BA1 6DB Tel 01225 447971 88 Whiteladies Road Clifton Bristol BS8 2QN Tel 0117 973 1144

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