The Bath Magazine March 2022

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ISSUE 229 | MARCH 2022 | thebathmag.co.uk | £3.95 where sold

SPRING RETHINK

green shoots, home and garden improvements and re-discovering the city

PLUS...

S O M U C H M O R E I N T H E C I T Y ’ S B I G G E S T G U I D E T O L I V I N G I N B AT H

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Contents – Mar.qxp_Layout 1 25/02/2022 18:29 Page 1

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Contents 5 THINGS

66 March 2022

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Great things to look forward to this month

THE CITYIST

Once a Victorian railway booking office, people are still thronging to its successor, the Green Park Brasserie

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DEFENDING THE POSTMASTERS

We chat to Terry Mitchell about his life in Bath and why he loves being a Mayor’s Guide

NOTES ON A SMALL CITY

HOW THREE BECAME THIRTY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

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Journalist Nick Wallis talks to us about the serious miscarriage of justice that is the Great Post Office Scandal

Richard Wyatt finds a pub in a church and two famous ledger stones

TOURING THE CITY

BRIDGERTON’S BACK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Upside-down angels, light-fingered aunts and goings-on in the Crescent – Daisy Game takes a Mayor’s Guide tour of Bath

Melissa Blease tantalises our tastebuds in expectation of Series 2 of our favourite period drama: new characters, new storylines, new gossip

ELECTRICAL VIBES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

WHAT’S ON

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Celebrating its 60th anniversary, Moss of Bath has seen seismic changes in the consumer electronics industry and has taken them all on with initiative and flair

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BOOK LUST

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Our monthly guide to what’s happening in and around the city

RATTLE IN TIME

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Emma Clegg quizzes Sir Simon Rattle about how he fell in love with classical music and performing with the LSO at Bath Forum

SISTERHOOD AND GRIEVING

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The Guardian’s Chief Theatre Critic, Arifa Akbar, talks to Emma Clegg about her moving memoir, Consumed

ARTS AND EXHIBITIONS

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To admire, inspire and delight – here’s our monthly round-up

The winning entries from a photographic competition celebrating Chinese culture at the Museum of East Asian Art

Follow us on Twitter @thebathmagazine

More content and updates discover: thebathmag.co.uk

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COME WALK WITH ME

issue 229

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Andrew Swift takes the atmospheric Slow Coach Road ..............

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Learn about home style: what’s in, what’s out, what’s available in Bath and how to cope with interior challenges

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DANCING DREAMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40

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Saskia Hayward from Topping & Co. advises on some engrossing reads

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Emma Clegg falls in love with the oils, egg tempura and fresco works of Jean Rose, whose exhibition at Victoria Art Gallery opens this month

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INTERIORS: PRODUCTS, TRENDS & ADVICE

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THIS ROSE MIGHT A PILGRIM BE

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ON THE COVER

Flowers in a White Jug, egg tempura on board by Jean Rose (see page 36)

Follow us on Instagram @thebathmagazine

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Editors Letter Mar.qxp_Layout 1 24/02/2022 17:08 Page 1

Photograph by Andréas Brun on Unsplash

FROM THE EDITOR

Editor photograph by TBM

T

here are so many questions to be answered. How will Lady Whistledown protect her identity from those closest to her? Will Regé-Jean Page be making a cameo appearance? What will be the name of the future Duke of Bedford (it definitely begins with A)? And why has Anthony shaved off his sideburns? We’ll start to find out on 25 March when Series 2 of Bridgerton hits our screens, courtesy of Netflix. It has vexaciously been filmed in a few other places apart from Bath, but we’re possessive about this period drama and so we asked our journalist scandalmonger Melissa Blease to find out some more about the upcoming Regency goings-on – see page 18.

Sir Simon Rattle is coming to the Forum on 14 March with the London Symphony Orchestra, and he answers a few of our questions on page 28. This includes an explanation of what inspired the programme selection for the orchestra’s forthcoming performance and his evaluation of the difference between an English orchestra and a German one (the answer involves wine metaphors).

When it comes to the British Post Office scandal, it’s journalist Nick Wallis who has been asking the important questions – since 2010 – about how 738 subpostmasters were sacked, taken to court, and ruined by the Post Office’s faulty software system Horizon.

I spoke to Nick (page 46) and asked him about the book he’s just brought out with local publishing house Bath Publishing.

The Mayor’s Guides – who have offered free walking guides in the city since 1934 – like answering questions, too, and they are adept at providing answers if it’s anything to do with their favourite subject, Bath. They even have a six-month training before they start the tours. Daisy Game joined Colin’s tour and discovered some intriguing things, such as an upside-down angel, a light-fingered aunt and rumbustious parties at a house in a certain crescent. Read more on page 48, and on page 10 where another Mayor’s Guide, Terry, answers yet more questions.

I also chatted to theatre critic Arifa Akbar about her book Consumed, a story focusing on sisterhood, grief and art and the emotional journey she took after losing her sister. Arifa will be at the Bath Festival in May – see page 30.

Our cover this month features the painting Flowers in a White Jug by Jean Rose, who studied at The Bath Academy of Arts in the 1940s. Still painting regularly (at the age of 92), her enchanting exhibition at Victoria Art Gallery, which opens on 5 March, shows work that she has produced over the last two years. See page 36.

We also have a rich array of interior inspiration, with problem-solving design ideas, stylish products old and new, and a must-have listing of local specialists, so if you have an interior question, you can find the answer here (starting on page 66).

That’s rounded that off nicely then, don’t you think?

MARIE CURIE NEEDS VOLUNTEERS

End of life charity Marie Curie is urgently calling for volunteers in Bath to give just two hours of their time to hand out the charity’s iconic daffodil pins in return for donations.

Volunteers will be supporting the charity’s annual flagship fundraiser – the Great Daffodil Appeal – which was forced to cancel its public collections for the past two years due to the pandemic. This year collections are going ahead in Bath and Marie Curie is urging new and existing supporters to come forward to help the cause.

Last year Marie Curie provided direct support to more than 69,000 people – a 15% rise on the previous year – which is more than ever before.

The charity is dependent on public donations so that its nurses can continue working on the frontline caring for people at the end of life in their own homes. Donations also support its Information and Support line, which provides a listening ear to anyone dealing with any aspect of death, dying and bereavement.

Sign-up as a volunteer to collect for Marie Curie’s Great Daffodil Appeal by visiting mariecurie.org.uk/collect

Emma Clegg 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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ZEITGEIST

things to do this

March

Set sail with the pirates

Get Lost in Music Let Entertainers take you on a musical journey straight to the heart of ‘70s Disco with their touring concert show, Lost in Music. Relive some of the greatest songs of all time, from artists such as Donna Summer; Gloria Gaynor; Earth, Wind & Fire; Sister Sledge and Chic. Boasting a sensational live band, incredibly talented cast and stunning vocals, this show is sure to have you dancing in the aisles –so come dressed to impress for this celebration of the golden age of Disco. It’s the feel-good show of the year. Saturday 12 March at The Forum, Bath. Tickets £27 plus booking fee, available from bathforum.co.uk

Visit other worlds Sir Simon Rattle and the London Symphony Orchestra return to Bath Forum this spring, with a concert that will transport you to other worlds.

From Hannah Kendall’s 21st-century classic The Spark Catchers, through Dvořák’s playful American Suite, to Schumann’s most personal symphony, this programme will take you on a fantastic emotional journey. Monday 14 March at The Forum, Bath. Tickets £10–£55, with limited £10 tickets for under 26s. bristolbeacon.org

Image credit: Mark Allan

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The Fulltone Orchestra is one of the most exciting orchestras on the scene. Along with The Invitation Theatre Company and Bath Gilbert and Sullivan Society, the orchestra present Pirates of Penzance, set to be the most brilliant and fantastic evening of piratical fun. So rarely played with a full orchestra, this concert version – with Simon Moss narrating and Sergeant played by Graham Stone – is going to be an evening to remember. The show will take place in the stunning surroundings of Bath Abbey on Friday 11 and Saturday 12 March. Tickets from £15 (excluding booking fee), available to purchase from the Bath Box Office website. bathboxoffice.org

Explore a museum The doors have reopened at No.1 Royal Crescent and at the Herschel Museum of Astronomy. Also reopening for the first time since it closed due to the pandemic is Beckford’s Tower and Museum, which will welcome visitors from 5 March. Having been closed for two years, it will be a great opportunity to visit the Tower before it temporarily shuts its doors in October for significant repairs and the installation of a new museum; an exhibition will showcase potential new stories that may form part of a new museum at the Tower. bath-preservation-trust.org.uk

Raise your heart rate At the fully accessible £35 million Team Bath Sports Training Village, based at the heart of the University of Bath campus, there lots of ways for you to stay fit – and have fun in the process. You can make Saturday or Sunday your swim day, with public pool sessions available from 12–3pm. Every Monday to Thursday. The Training Village also keep their indoor court 8 free for public use. Plus, there are gym and fitness classes open week-round for all abilites. It’s a world-class multisport training environment, full of helpful people. Advance booking is available. For more information, visit teambath.com

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The city

ist

THE BUZZ

THE BUZZ

FESTIVAL NEWS

A festival hub in Queen Square, publishers’ proof parties and three new Bath-themed walking tours are among the innovations at this year’s Bath Festival, from 13–21 May. The Bath Festival, celebrating music and books, begins on Friday 13 May with the Party in the City in Bath city centre which sees dozens of acts, from choirs and jazz ensembles to well established rock favourites and rising stars of the local music scene, put on free musical entertainment.

For the first time a festival hub will be set up in Queen Square for the opening weekend of the festival, featuring food and drink traders, a stage and a marquee hosting free arts and crafts activities for children. This will be a great place to meet friends between events.

There are three commissioned festival walks. One looks into the devastation and long-term effects of the Bath Blitz in 1942, the second offers a behind-thescenes look at the city as a screen location and the third explores Bath’s evolution as one of the great spa towns of Europe.

And there will be an exclusive chance to bag tickets for one of the publishers’ proof parties. Meet and greet authors, hear about their work and leave with a copy of an as-yet unpublished book.

Bring your friends to The Forum for Women on Top – The Big Night Out on 20 May to see five furiously funny women in an evening of confessions, comedy and chaos. Another opportunity to team up with friends comes with comedian Marcus Brigstocke at Komedia dissecting the week’s news stories with author and campaigner Dr Rachel Clarke, Channel 4 News journalist Symeon Brown and comedian Rachel Parris.

Popular TV presenter Davina McCall tackles the once taboo subject of the menopause in her no-holds-barred book, Menopausing. She will be sharing the truth about menopause, its symptoms and treatments in what promises to be a life-affirming event at The Forum.

Tickets go on general release on 11 March; bathfestivals.org.uk

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My BATH

Born and bred in Bath, Terry Mitchell has been a Mayor’s Guide in the city for 33 years, doing the 10.30am tour shift on Tuesday mornings. Born in the city, he spent some time living in Devizes but came back to the city as soon as he could. Appropriately for a Mayor’s Guide he is very proud to be a Bathonian Where do you live in Bath?

I live on the southern outskirts of the city in Kingsway. From my driveway I can see the Royal Crescent and the hills behind it. From my rear bedroom window I can see Lansdown from the Royal School right along to the racecourse. Further around I can see Twerton Roundhill. We have two regular local bus services into the city, and direct road access to Bristol, Radstock, Frome and Warminster.

There are also country walks within minutes to Englishcombe village and surrounding areas.

What three things do you like about the city?

I was born and bred in this beautiful city. I was one of six children and we lived in a cottage in Kingsmead Street where Rosewell Car Park is now. I was two years old when we were blitzed. My older sisters and brother told me various stories about how 17 families were killed in the same street. Eventually we were re-housed in Southdown, where I lived until I got married in 1967. My wife came from Devizes so we bought a house in Trowbridge, which was halfway between. We spent so much time travelling to Bath so we moved back to Bath in 1971 where we still live. This is 1000 yards from where I grew up. We have two daughters, one now lives near Yeovil and the other near Reading. They both still love coming home to Bath.

What led you to become a Mayor’s Guide?

I love the very interesting history of Bath and the geographical location which is surrounded by seven hills. Nearly all of the city is built in the locally quarried Bathstone and on a beautiful sunny day the city glows.

What was the process of becoming a Guide?

Having lived nearly all my life in Bath I considered becoming a Mayor’s Guide for a couple of years. I applied in 1989 and was allocated to be trained by an existing Guide, who was very knowledgeable and experienced. Although I had lived in Bath for many years, I had a great deal to learn. After six months my tutor put me forward to be tested. This involved a test walk and an interview, which I passed. I have recorded all my walks in my diaries and so far I have completed 1,342 tours. There are many things

about being a guide that are very rewarding. I love meeting people and telling them about my city, and of course the excercise is good.

I have also been doing the job of Mayor’s Officer for 20 years. This involves leading the Mayoral Processions on civic occasions from the Guildhall to Bath Abbey and also giving presentations on the history of the treasures in the Mayor’s Parlour.

What was it like having an enforced break in lockdown?

Having to stop our walks due to Covid was disastrous for me, but we had to adhere to the lockdown rules. When the situation became more relaxed our Tuesday morning team of four met up and did various walks, usually with a takeout coffee. It was a great relief when we were up and running again and we were given lists of names booked on the tours.

What qualities make a good Mayor’s Guide?

The most important things about being a Guide is having accurate facts, safety awareness, a good sense of humour and the ability to listen and deal correctly with any questions. Of course it is also advisable to be enthusiastic.

What time of year do you prefer taking tours?

Our tours go out in all weathers, but the best time is in the spring and the summer on a bright sunny day.

What is your best fact about Bath?

How John Wood the Elder introduced town planning as we know it today. Prior to the 18th century, Bath was a walled city with windy little streets with open sewers. Since the 18th century we have the Georgian city including Queen Square, The Circus, The Royal Crescent and many other beautiful buildings and streets. One of the best views is from the Alexandra Park viewpoint.

What advice would you give to someone interested in becoming a Guide?

For anyone who is interested in taking up guiding I thoroughly recommend it. I have personally really enjoyed every aspect of being involved as a Mayor’s Guide. ■ bathguides.org.uk

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CITY | NOTEBOOK

Richard Wyatt: Notes on a small city Columnist Richard Wyatt finds a pub in a church and some famous ledger stones, and tells the story of two small museum artefacts that he took under his artistic wing

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Iain Cotton at work on one of the Woods’ ledger stones in St Mary the Virgin, Swainswick

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Calling last orders for those drinking in the nave was a new one on me

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can see the connection between a church and holy orders – it’s how the clergy are ordained after all – but calling last orders for those drinking in the nave was a new one on me. I had stumbled upon a group of people supporting a community fund-raising project at Upper Swainswick, just outside Bath.

They proudly boast that their little parish church was the first in the region to become a pub, if only on the first Friday of every month.

St Mary the Virgin has called the faithful to prayer for around 700 years in a village that historically doesn’t seem to have ever had room for an inn. Now those who support ‘Pub Swainswick’ help swell the church coffers and support an historic building that boasts a Grade II* listing. I first chanced upon this gem of an English country parish church, which dates from the 12th century, during lockdown when I walked a daily early-morning circuit. I couldn’t resist such a place and was pleased to find the door unlocked. Imagine my surprise when I discovered it is the last resting place of the architects of Georgian Bath John Wood the Elder and Younger, along with members of their family. John Wood the Elder died in Queen Square and his son at Eagle House in Batheaston, but we don’t know why the Woods ended up where they did.

Locally based sculpture and stone engraver Iain Cotton – who carved the engraving in front of Bath Abbey’s west door, which marks the start of the Cotswold Way – has been carefully restoring the lettering on the Woods’ two ledger stones, a delicate job funded by the Bath World Heritage Enhancement Fund.

I have poked my nose in to support the church in persuading archaeologists from Bristol University to do some ground radar when things settle down. It might give some idea, without doing any damage to the stones, of what lies below. I’ve done a bit of geophysical surveying myself, helping those more qualified than me from the Bath and Counties Archaeological Society on the Royal Crescent lawn and on top of Little Solsbury Hill.

When ITV cut all regional production apart from news and us programme-makers were made redundant, I went to Bristol

University to do an MA in History of Art. My dissertation was on ‘Museums and Modern Marketing’, illustrating my desire to see such places and the objects they contain as ‘windows to history’ and living centres for debate and discovery.

A couple of years ago I took part in a project organised through the Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution in Queen Square.

I was one of several people invited to ‘guest curate’ an object in their collection. I got a little bottle which bore the label ‘Part of the liquor in which the body of Lord Nelson was preserved – after the Battle of Trafalgar.’ This national nautical hero was brought back to England in a large water barrel filled with brandy to preserve it. It took 44 days to tow what was left of his flagship HMS Victory home. The item was owned by a local man who, as a 17-year-old Naval lieutenant, had watched the ship, flying its battle-torn flag at half mast, return to home waters.

Little curiosities would appear to be my forte. While living in Totnes I became involved with the Elizabethan House museum and was fascinated by the collection’s tiniest treasure, the Lee Ring. This was one of two matching 17th-century gold and painted-enamelled thank-you tokens presented by the town to the daughters of a local merchant who had stumped up the cash to build a trading place for local businessmen. The beautiful object had the figures of local merchants painted in miniature around its band. They didn’t know where the other one was, but I managed to track it down to London’s Victoria & Albert Museum. Curators there had no idea of the ring’s provenance or that it was one of a pair. With some pride I witnessed the V&A giving permission for the two rings to be temporarily re-united for the first time in 400 years and displayed in the Totnes museum for the season. I’ll raise a church pub glass to that!! n Richard Wyatt runs the Bath Newseum: bathnewseum.com

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MORE TIM

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Follow us on Twitter @thebathmagazine

See more online www.thebathmag.co.uk

Contact us: Publisher Email:

Steve Miklos steve@thebathmagazine.co.uk

Editor Tel: Email:

Emma Clegg 01225 424592 emma@thebathmagazine.co.uk

Financial Director Email:

Jane Miklos jane@thebathmagazine.co.uk

Assistant Editor/Web Editor Daisy Game Email: daisy@thebathmagazine.co.uk Production Manager Email:

Jeff Osborne production@thebathmagazine.co.uk

Contact the Advertising Sales team tel: 01225 424499 Advertising Sales Email:

Liz Grey liz@thebathmagazine.co.uk

The Bath Magazine and The Bristol Magazine are published by MC Publishing Ltd. We are an independent of all other local publications

The Bath Magazine is delivered free, every month to more than 15,000 residential addresses as well as businesses throughout Bath and the surrounding area. We also have special distribution units in many of Bath’s supermarkets

2 Princes Buildings, George Street, Bath BA1 2ED Telephone: 01225 424499. Fax: 01225 426677 www.thebathmag.co.uk © MC Publishing Ltd 2022 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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CITY | FASHION

Spring’s style reset

The Whistles Spring Summer ’ 22 collection brings us a unique and unwavering collection with a newfound sense of freedom. Relaxed in essence, the collection’s silhouettes and fabrics create a sense of comfort and sophistication, adorned with texture, colour, and print to deliver bursts of optimism. Discover the Whistles new season collection below…

Right (left): Tori Stripe Cotton Voile Dress, £149; Renzo Suede Sandal, £159; Cord Cap, £39; Statement Chain Necklace, £29 Right: Sun Hat With Tie, £49

Below: Marie Slipon Mule (left), £135; and Renzo Suede Sandal (right), £159

Above (left): Denim Jacket, £99; Ella Essential Trousers, £99; Ren Woven Sandal, £115

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Above (right): Shibori Dress, £169; Ren Woven Sandal, £115; Eames Chain Bag, £139; Molten Drop Earring, £35

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Above (right): Patchwork Crochet Jumper, £149; Lucy Flared jean, £109; Nessie Slouchy Cube Bag, £145; Bodie Double Buckle Slide, £125

whistles.com

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HOMEFRONT - INTERIORS -

Homewares Interiors Gifts ANTIQUE JEWELLERY REPAIRS AND REMODELLING

Cards & Prints Handmade / Local Artists Ethical / Sustainable Products T: 01225 571711 E: info@homefrontinteriors.co.uk 10 Margaret’s Buildings, Bath, BA1 2LP homefrontinteriors.co.uk | trouva.com

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CULTURE | WHA’T’S ON

The Regency thrills are back

The global phenomenon that is Bridgerton returns this month. With Series 2 described by writer Chris Van Dusen as “romantic, fraught, charged, and transporting”, with new characters and a love story, plenty of steamy dances and with each episode averaging around 90 costumes, how can we resist? asks Melissa Blease

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ust off your ballgowns, powder your wigs, double-lace your corsets and prepare to swoon: Bridgerton – the super-steamy, super-sumptuous Regency-era high society drama series that gave us more melodrama and gossip than any other period-setting TV series before or since – is back for a second season this month.

Based on American author Julia Quinn’s multi-million selling novels, the first series of Bridgerton became the most-watched on Netflix at the time of its premiere, and remains the second mostwatched on the platform with a viewership of over 82 million households. Can the second series break new records?

Picking up where we left Lord Anthony, Lady Danbury, the Featheringtons and all the other related (or are they...?) lords, ladies and licentious tittle-tattlers hanging, and introducing several intriguing brand new characters to the labyrinthine, behind-the-scenes machinations that keep those high society wheels rolling, the odds are that the second series of Bridgerton could be brighter, bolder and even more addictive to watch than the original one was... As an extra-added bonus for those of us who live in the West Country, you’ll spot many familiar locations (including the Holburne Museum in Bath and many more of the city's highways, byways and historic squares) all given a Bridgerton makeover to offer a living, breathing glimpse of our heritage and surroundings in a way that we've never seen them before.

Jonathan Bailey describes Anthony Bridgerton as a victim of a patriarchal system in which men weren’t encouraged to talk about their feelings – cue practice duelling in the garden of the family estate

Anthony Bridgerton’s outfits are a lot darker this season; Kate Sharma dresses in the dual colours of India and the ton

Without giving too much away, the second series follows English nobleman Lord Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) Bridgerton’s search for a suitable wife. Things aren’t going too well for Lord A until Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley, Sex Education and Broadchurch) and her younger sister Edwina (Charithra Chandran) arrive from India. But when Anthony begins to court Edwina, Kate discovers the true nature of his intentions (which we have no intention of revealing here) and does everything in her power to stop the union. But in doing so, Kate and Anthony’s verbal sparring matches take a very interesting turn.

Meanwhile, on the other side of Grosvenor Square, the Featheringtons must welcome the newest heir to their estate – and we all know that that won’t be a task that comes without all manner of challenges.

Alliances are forged, vows are made and swiftly broken; secrets are revealed and swiftly covered up again; frocks and breeches are flung off faster than they’re laced up; tongues are wagging in all the places that tongue-wagging really shouldn’t happen... but rest assured, narration courtesy of the scandal-hungry, infamous gossip columnist ‘Lady Whistledown’ will once again keep us all up to date at the back.

“I love the fact that you can enjoy Bridgerton on many different levels,” says Adjoa Andoh, who we all know and love as the series’ indomitable dowager Lady Danbury. “If you like a good costume drama, or love a historical romp, or are thrilled by a romantic will they/won’t they saga, it’s for you. But if you want to look for elements that are more reflective, you can. There are many different races represented, and gay love affairs, and women who want to do things other than get married; it’s a broad remit that says to everybody, ‘come on in, you’re welcome!’” And this time around, that all-inclusive welcome is even warmer.

“We’ve done a couple of extra special, amazing things that I think fans will be excited about this season,” says Shonda Rhimes, one of Bridgerton’s three Executive Producers. “The glamour of the balls, the beauty, the stunning hair and make up – all the things that everybody has come to expect from the show is all there. But we’ve upped our game a little bit in terms of how we’re telling this story. In the first season, we had to introduce everybody to the Bridgerton world; now, people know what this world is, so our goal is to bring them in even deeper, give them more of a sense of what’s going on, and let them really see how this world works – and that’s exciting.” Indeed it is.

How has the experience been for Jonathan Bailey (yup, Lord Anthony Bridgerton himself)? “Coming back together for a second season as the Bridgerton ‘family’ has been amazing,” he says. “Right now, there’s a sense of calm, like being in the eye of a storm. It just feels nice and safe with everyone here, so that’s been really lovely.

And for me, knowing that this season was going to go straight into Anthony’s story... he’s really honed in on his decision to find a wife!

He makes his decision, he knows exactly what he’s going to look for, and he’s thinking about the future of his lineage. But he’s going to make sure that love plays no part, because he’s seen how distressing losing his father was for his mother. And he’s got a new haircut and shaved off his chops!”.

But Jonathan has delved far deeper into his character’s personality to bring much more than an update of that all-important Regency image to the role. “It was clear from the beginning that Anthony was incredibly complicated and had a rich psychological landscape,” he says. “There’s a lot of unpacking for him to do this season, but he’s a victim of a patriarchal system in which men weren’t encouraged to talk about their feelings. But I think Anthony’s ultimately very kind and full of love.” And Anthony’s going to have to make sure that he has enough of that love to go around when sisters Kate and Edwina enter the Bridgerton fray...

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New characters Kate (Simone Ashley ) and her younger sister Edwina (Charithra Chandran) Sharma arrive from India.

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Now people know what this world is, our goal is to bring them in even deeper, give them more of a sense of what’s going on...

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“As a South Asian actor, to be offered a role like this has been incredible,” says Simone Ashley, who plays one of the season’s new characters, Kate Sharma. “That’s really down to our incredible writers and showrunner Chris Van Dusen, who was adamant about encouraging a diverse writers’ room. I’m really grateful for that, because it just shows that having a thought, an idea, that ripples out has led to me sitting here today. And I love Kate! She’s incredibly smart, and she’s got her priorities figured out. She’s also wise and has humility; she knows she’s not perfect, and doesn’t always steer the ship perfectly; I really like that about her, too.”

“I think every actor in Bridgerton brings something of themselves to any given character,” says Adjoa Andoh. “I love Lady Danbury’s appetite for life because I salute people who don't get wearied or downcast but remain hopeful and optimistic, which can be quite a challenge. And I’m playing Lady Danbury as a black woman, so I think about the challenges that a woman and a woman of colour would have had in the Regency period. She understands that world, she has status in that world, and she navigates that world very well.

But she knows the bohemian side of the world she lives in as well – the artists, and the drinking clubs, and all that goes along with that.

And she’s fun! She likes a good party, and she likes a good frock, and she likes knowing what’s going on, and she can put her shoulder to the wheel if she wants things to happen, or change; she’s an absolute delight to play. I guess, overall, I just want Lady Danbury to celebrate sturdy women – and she most certainly does that!”

The celebrations, on so many levels, are poised to begin! Ballgowns dusted, wigs powdered, corsets laced? We’re more than ready to swoon over Bridgerton, all over again. n

The Featheringtons welcome the newest heir to their estate while Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) continues to navigate the ton while keeping her deepest secret from those closest to her.

The Royal Crescent in Bath is reimagined as Mayfair¹s Grosvenor Square

Bridgerton Season 2 will be released on Netflix on 25 March 2020 2010 THEBATHMAG.CO.UK THEBATHMAG.CO.UK THEBATHMAG.CO.UK march 2022 | |january | nOVember

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16 Pierrepont St, Bath BA1 1LA | Tel: 01225 464433 www.kathrynanthony.co.uk

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LOCAL | EVENTS

What’s on in March Chris Wood at Chapel Arts

The Art of the Stonemason and Conservator talk at Bath Pavilion

ARTISTS’ SHOWCASE Throughout March n Out of the Blue Gallery A beautiful gallery right in the heart of Bath is showcasing some of the best British artists and ceramicists. Set across two floors, the gallery is packed with great pieces. outofthebluegallery.com HOW THE BIBLE CAN HELP IN TIMES LIKE THESE 1 March, and on the first Tuesday of each month, 7.30–8.30pm n New Oriel Hall, Larkhall, Bath Pastor Pete Dickens from Bible Believing Church has agreed with Bath Bible Institute to visit Bath to talk about how the Bible can help you in times like these. Pete is a missionary from the USA who studied under Peter Ruckman at Pensacola Bible Institute and teaches at his independent, fundamental Baptist King James Church in Dorset. Pete believes that the Bible can help anyone find peace and purpose. The group is small and very friendly. Tea and biscuits provided. testimonykjv.com ANIMAL FARM 1–5 March, 7.30pm, plus matinees n Theatre Royal Bath The animals of Manor Farm drive out the farmer and run the farm themselves. A revolution. And then what? Then freedom.

George Orwell’s world-famous fable tells the story of a farmyard revolution and its aftermath. Re-imagined by an awardwinning creative team, this is a dynamic, daring and contemporary take on a timeless story. Tickets from £25. theatreroyal.org.uk

U3A: THE ART OF THE STONEMASON AND CONSERVATOR IN THE 21ST CENTURY 3 March, 10.30am n Bath Pavilion, North Parade Road Find out from stonemason Andrew Ziminski what skills are needed today to keep yesterday’s buildings standing: stone carving and restoration, decorative plaster work, letter cutting, the use of lime mortar and much more. Admission to the talks is free for members and asks for a donation of £2 for non-members. u3ainbath.org.uk JAMES WEBB: THE NEW GENERATION OF HUBBLE TELESCOPE 4 March, 7.30pm n BRLSI, 16 Queen Square Bath, and online The Hubble Space Telescope has become an icon of astronomy and it is now more than 30 years old. The new, more powerful James Webb Space Telescope will soon extend our frontiers of observation.

Professor Martin Ward has been involved in this exciting project for many years, and in this lecture he will give you a flavour of what is to come £2–£5. brlsi.org THE INVISIBLE WOMAN 5 March, 8pm n Rondo Theatre After decades in the spotlight Charlotte Palmer is now invisible. As far as the world was concerned, it seemed that Charlotte had disappeared. What had Charlotte done? She had the nerve to turn 50. This hilarious one-woman show is a moving, sometimes angry exploration of women over 50 who find themselves overlooked,

The Invisible Woman at the Rondo Theatre

ignored, disregarded. By the end, you might even be able to see her. Tickets £16, concs £12. rondotheatre.co.uk HEAVENLY HELLEBORES 6 and 13 March, 2–4pm n Kapunda, Southstoke, Bath Juliet Davis has been a specialist propagator of Hellebores since 2003 when she fell in love with these captivating plants. Her garden puts on a wonderful display each spring and there is always the chance to gather up one of her special plants. She has been written up in many magazines and appeared on BBC Gardener’s World. Entry £5, proceeds supporting two local charities. Tea and cakes available. kapundaplants.co.uk LARA MELDA & BATH PHILHARMONIA 8 March, 7.30pm n Bath Forum A grand 19th-century tour through musical Europe, from the rugged beauty of the Scottish Highlands to the sophistication of Paris, ending in the Mediterranean heat of southern Italy. Bath Philharmonia performs musical postcards including the stormy shores of Mendelssohn’s Fingal’s Cave and the riotous Tarantella dance of his 4th Symphony. This concert features Lara Melda, the 2010 BBC Young Musician of the Year, performing Frédéric Chopin’s Piano Concerto No.1, a musical love letter and one of the most delicate and sensuous concertos in the repertoire. Guiding us through are composers Frédéric Chopin, Felix Mendelssohn, and Clara Schumann. Tickets: £35/£30/£25/£5. bathboxoffice.org.uk Continued page 24

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LOCAL | EVENTS

How to Save the Planet at the Egg Theatre

Lara Melda & Bath Philharmonia at Bath Forum. Photo by Emrah Bostan

Lou Sanders at Komedia

CHRIS WOOD 9 March, 8pm n Chapel Arts, Lower Borough Walls, Bath Chris Wood is an uncompromising writer whose music reveals his love for the unofficial history of the English speaking people.

He weaves the tradition with his own contemporary parables. His most recent album So Much to Defend has received wide critical acclaim. £15. chapelarts.org U3A OPEN MORNING 10 March, 10.30am–12.30pm n Bath Pavilion, North Parade Road If you are retired from full-time employment and would like to meet new people and learn new skills, or join others in a creative or leisure activity then come to the u3a in Bath Open Morning and see what u3a has to offer. Free admission. u3ainbath.org.uk CHLOE RITCHIE 11 March, 8pm n Rainbow Casino, Explore Lane, Bristol This March and April, Rainbow Casino are supporting the best local talent, from guitarists and jazz soloists to a saxophonist.

Chloe is a powerhouse vocalist singing everything from Jess Glynn to ABBA. Based in Weston Super Mare, Chloe has performed all over the UK and in London’s theatres.

Membership is required – it is free and can be done upon entry with a valid photo ID. rainbowcasino.co.uk BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL 17–26 March, 7.30pm, plus matinees n Theatre Royal Bath Beautiful tells the inspiring true story of music legend Carole King’s rise to stardom, from being part of a hit songwriting team with husband Gerry Goffin, to her relationship with fellow writers and friends Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, to becoming the successful popular music solo act.

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JOSHUA BURNELL BAND 18 March, 8pm n Chapel Arts, Lower Borough Walls, Bath Singer-songwriter and storyteller, Joshua Burnell now resides in York, but everyone assumes he’s from Rivendell. At some point, English folk, prog, contemporary classical, and vintage pop-rock all got mixed up and everyone had a great time so he decided to make a career of it. Joshua and his band will premiere new and unreleased material and tried and tested favourites. £15. chapelarts.org THE HANDFUL: TOWARDS THE LIGHT 19 March, 7.30pm n St Mary the Virgin, Bathwick BA2 4EB Kodály’s magnificent Missa brevis, once performed to the accompaniment of distant gunfire during the siege of Budapest while the composer took refuge in the cellars of the opera house, frames a programme of luscious Lenten music ranging from Lotti’s famous 8part Crucifixus, with its luxuriously long and indulgent suspensions, to the world premiere of Via Crucis by Peter Relph. Commissioned

by The Handful as part of its commitment to supporting new works, it's a setting of the Stations of the Cross designed as a meditative procession, with melodies inspired by medieval plainchant, Cumbrian folk song, and contemporary classical music.

The Handful will be joined by Peter King, Organist Emeritus of Bath Abbey, and by composer Peter Relph who will give a short talk about his commissioned piece after the interval. Tickets £15 (£5 for under 25s, free for under 16s) through bathboxoffice.org.uk; thehandful.org NATASHA SOLOMONS FOR I, MONA LISA 21 March, 7pm n Topping & Co. Bookshop, Friends Meeting House, York Street I, Mona Lisa is a deliciously vivid, compulsive and illuminating story about the

lost and forgotten women throughout history. Within her talk, Natasha will reveal the mysteries she unearthed while researching her new novel – beginning at the heart of Leonardo Da Vinci’s Florentine studio from the moment of Mona’s creation and into the twentieth century. £14.99 including book. toppingbooks.co.uk LOU SANDERS: ONE WORD WOW 23 March, 7.30pm n Komedia, Bath It’s time for a little get together; so pull up a chair, get all cosy and let Lou Sanders (aka Dr Giggles) take the evening on. She’ll bring her skates, you bring your wallet and you can all take some piccies. Perhaps this show is the real vaccine? tickets £16. komedia.co.uk CAPPELLA NOVA: IF MUSIC BE THE FOOD OF LOVE 26 March, 7.30pm n St Luke's Church, Hatfield Road, Bath Bath-based chamber choir Cappella Nova in a concert of choral music on the theme of love and romance. The evening starts with the 16th-century madrigals of Josquin and Lassus, and moves via Elgar and Finzi to songs by contemporary composers John Rutter, Eric Whitacre and Ola Gjeilo. Selected readings will complement the music. This concert, promoted jointly with the Bear Flat Association, is in aid of Voices for Life, a charity providing fun opportunities for primary school children to express themselves through music and singing. Tickets £12 via eventbrite.co.uk; cappellanova.org.uk TOM – GUITARIST 26 March, 8pm n Rainbow Casino, Explore Lane, Bristol Rainbow Casino have invited Bath singer, songwriter and guitarist Tom, known for his unique and personal take on covers from every era of music. Membership is required – it is free and can be done upon entry with a valid photo ID. rainbowcasino.co.uk

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MOTHER’S DAY MUSEUM VISIT 27 March, 10am – 5pm n American Museum & Gardens, Claverton Manor, Bath Celebrate Mother’s Day and enjoy the early Springtime in the museum’s reopened gardens. Every visiting mother (grandmothers included!) will receive a complimentary cream tea from the Garden Café. Advance booking required. Normal admission applies. americanmuseum.org HOW TO SAVE THE PLANET 29 March, 1pm and 7pm n The Egg Theatre, Theatre Royal Bath What do you do when you can’t afford solar panels on your house and can’t skip school to attend a protest? A solo show with loads of fun, music, raw emotions and the rush of taking climatepositive actions into your own hands. Tickets £10. theatreroyal.org.uk THE STATUS-QUO OR A MAVERICK? FRENCH PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS 2022 29 March, 7.30pm n BRLSI, 16 Queen Square Bath, and online In April 2022, the French electorate will go to the polls in the first round of voting for the presidential elections. Macron’s bid to re-secure the Elysée is, however, far from certain. In this talk, Dr David Lees, Associate Professor of French at the University of Warwick, considers the range of candidates standing in the 2022 French presidential elections and examines whether the French are more likely to opt for the status-quo or for a maverick. £2–£5. eventbrite.co.uk; brlsi.org

LOOKING AHEAD: MR HANDEL’S JUBILEE CELEBRATION 2 April, 7.30pm n Bath Abbey Join Bath Minerva Choir at Bath Abbey, for a Jubilee Celebration as only the great Mr Handel can provide: three of his magnificent Coronation Anthems, including Zadok the Priest, his celebrated Hallelujah Chorus and the epic final chorus from Messiah, plus a selection of his most ravishing solo arias for female voice. With Bristol Baroque providing stylish accompaniment and two extraordinary soloists on the verge of major careers, this will be an uplifting and truly celebratory paean to Her Majesty in this, her Platinum Jubilee year. Tickets bathboxoffice.org.uk; bathminervachoir.co.uk U3A: FROM BARROW TO BAGHDAD AND BACK AGAIN 7 April, 10.30pm n Bath Pavilion, North Parade Philip Caine will describe his fascinating career, beginning with him leaving school and ending with the writing of his first novel. He has worked in the hotel industry and on offshore oil rigs. At the end of the Iraq War in 2003, Philip went to Baghad where he directed the operations and project management of multiple accommodation bases for the American Coalition. Admission to the talks is free for members and asks for a donation of £2 for non-members. u3ainbath.org.uk

Please confirm with organisers that events are running. See our website for updates and new events added throughout the month: thebathmagazine.co.uk

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SPONSORED CONTENT

You’re welcome in!

T

he doors are open again at No. 1 Royal Crescent, the Herschel Museum of Astronomy and for the first time since closing due to the pandemic, Beckford’s Tower and Museum.

At the Herschel Museum of Astronomy we are commemorating the 200th anniversary of the death of William Herschel. Working with many partners across the UK, there will be exhibitions, activities, trails, workshops and events. Thanks to a National Lottery Heritage Fund Grant, this work will be delivered in Bath, Slough and online with new digital content. Claire Dixon, Director of Museums for BPT said “2022 is a really important year for the museum and an opportunity to showcase the home of the Herschels and the place where William discovered the planet Uranus and Caroline discovered many comets. We are looking forward to working with our partners to reach new audiences and inspire young people to engage with science and astronomy.”

Beckford’s Tower will also re-open at weekends from March until October and during this time, exhibition content will showcase potential new stories that may form part of a new museum at the Tower, due to open in 2024 subject to successful fundraising. Claire said “this year will provide us with an important opportunity to invite visitors back to the museum and tell us what they think about our plans. We want to know if they are interested in the stories we plan to tell and get as much

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feedback as possible, before we commit to our final interpretation strategy.” The Tower is also a popular venue for weddings and events and Claire went on to say “We work hard to ensure a good balance between cultural and commercial activity, to ensure public access to the Tower and Museum whilst also generating sufficient income to be sustainable.” Having been closed for two years, it will be a great opportunity to visit the Tower before it closes again in 2023 for significant repairs and the installation of the new museum.

At No. 1 Royal Crescent visitors can experience a variety of immersive visitor experiences, with ‘The Georgians at Home in Bath’ running daily, except on the last Friday of every month, when visitors can enjoy ‘Jane Austen in Bath’. New for 2022, a museum guide is available on a new App for smart phones, with borrowable devices also on site. This will help visitors to find out more about the house, dressed rooms and collections whilst still enjoying the immersive story. The museum will also have new resources for families and those with access needs, thanks to a new trail and sensory bags. Later in the year a new interactive will enable audiences to find out more about the characters in the experience and there will be fully accessible house tours available on tablet devices, for those who cannot physically visit the full house. All of these experiences are due to Cultural Recovery Funding secured in 2021.

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CITY | MUSIC

Keeping time

Dvorak’s American Suite and Hannah Kendall’s The Spark Catchers are two of the pieces being performed by Sir Simon Rattle and the London Symphony Orchestra at the Bath Forum this March. Emma Clegg asks Sir Simon about the programme, encouraging young musicians, and the difference between the musical styles of England and Germany What events stand out from your time as Music Director of the LSO? The tour of Latin America in 2019, which was the first time to this area for the LSO and for me. We visited Colombia, Peru, Chile, Uruguay and Argentina, five countries in two weeks! Audiences were hungry for the music, and so appreciative, and we felt honoured to have been invited.

I am particularly thrilled by the success of East London Academy project, which despite every attempt by COVID-19 to put a spanner in the works, is thriving. The LSO East London Academy, launched in 2019, aims to identify and develop the potential of young East Londoners between the ages of 11 and 18. Through the provision of free, inspirational coaching delivered by world-class musicians from the London Symphony Orchestra, the Academy offers high-level training and mentoring to young musicians who show exceptional promise, accelerating their instrumental learning, confidence and aspirations.

The LSO East London Academy aims to represent the diversity of east London, particularly encouraging young musicians from backgrounds under-represented in professional orchestras to take part and continue their instrumental learning, including those who have financial, cultural and practical barriers – a step towards facilitating wider diversification of the professional classical music sector. There have been special moments along the way, most notably when the strings section joined the orchestra on the stage for our BMW Classics

outdoor concert in Trafalgar Square last August. The musicians performed the wonderful Ayanna Witter-Johnson’s composition DreamCity to the thousands watching in the square and online.

What inspired the programme selection that you are playing at the Bath Forum in March (Hannah Kendall’s The Spark Catchers, Antonin Dvorak’s American Suite and Schumann’s Symphony No 2)?

These are works the orchestra and I know well, and all of them are special. What I love in creating programmes is throwing pieces into the mixing bowl of the concert and seeing how subtle relationships emerge in the playing. I love to cook, and creating a concert programme is like putting together a dinner menu. During lockdown, when we were reduced because of social distancing to a maximum of 70 players gathering together, the restrictions encouraged us to explore a new repertoire which was in many ways liberating. Dvorak’s American Suite was a piece we played during this time, and it was terrific, so we want to share it again.

How important has it been for you to play 20th century and modern as well as established classical works?

Music never stops evolving, and human nature is such that artists respond to the moment as well as the past and that’s what keeps us fresh, innovative and properly stretched as musicians.

Hannah Kendall’s The Spark Catchers depicts the working lives of women who worked in the Bryant and May match factory. Can the listener pick up the correlations between the music and this story?

Absolutely – I’ve conducted Hannah’s piece a few times already, both with LSO and City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) for their centenary. I’m doing it again because I think it’s a knockout piece that makes no concessions and which always grabs orchestras and audience by the lapels and never lets go!

It has established itself in the repertory. Hannah is such a powerful composing talent and I love the fact that she has found inspiration for her piece in a real event and an unusual one. I am interested in how a musician responds creatively to events going on around them.

You started off as a child playing piano, violin and percussion.

What was your first experience of conducting?

I began playing percussion and piano as a kid, at age 11. I played percussion with the Merseyside Youth Orchestra and took up conducting, making my debut with my own orchestra in Liverpool when I was only 15. In 1971, I entered the Royal Academy of Music in London on a piano scholarship, but it was conducting that drew me. Conducting never comes naturally; I never stop learning from composers and from fellow musicians. It’s this daily challenge that keeps me stimulated and working. It makes no difference if it’s a piece I know well or a new work; every time you play these creations you find something new to explore or refine.

You have always aspired to present classical/orchestral music to a broader audience. Why is this important?

What we have with music is evolutionary, as different cultures develop their voice and find the means to share their indigenous sounds. And as technology challenges and enhances how we make musical sounds, so new musical genres emerge. They add to the mix that’s on offer to music lovers. In the end there’s room for everything, and there’s more out there for audiences to encounter.

Your route to music may be through pop, rock, rap or jazz, but it may well lead to classical, and that’s fine with me.

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For me the Berlin Philharmonic will always be a deep, dark, rich red wine, and the LSO will always be a stunning white wine

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You grew up in Liverpool and describe yourself as having been surrounded by music of all types. What was it on your journey that drew you to particular styles of music?

I suppose it must have been the early experiences I had through school and youth orchestra, or going to concerts and being bowled over by what I heard and saw.

I grew up in Liverpool in the 1960s when they were doing the first Mahler full symphony cycle in the UK, at a time when Mahler was having a real rebirth, led by Leonard Bernstein, a hugely influential figure in the music world at that time who espoused all Mahler’s symphonies. It is extraordinary to think that was the middle of the sixties, but nobody had played all the symphonies with one conductor; it had only been done in Utah. One forgets how offcentre Mahler was in the time before Bernstein.

I remember hearing all kinds of bits, but actually the Symphony No. 10 was one of the first I heard live. Of course, the thing that completely knocked me sideways when I was 11 or 12 was hearing the Symphony No. 2 – that’s the reason why I am a conductor today.

It was a time when all this came to the forefront and so Mahler has been part of my life forever.

If you wanted to educate someone who knew very little of classical orchestral pieces, what composers and works would you suggest they started with?

Oh that’s a tough question; it’s impossible to say. I remember being introduced to certain pieces of music because it was felt that they were important, recognised as masterpieces, but then found that one’s response to music is much more personal and visceral, influenced by the moment you hear it for the first time, or the circumstances in which you encounter it. So, I really don’t believe that there are any rules that need to be adhered to – just to keep an open mind.

What musical figures would you have liked to have met?

I have always said I would love to have met Haydn; his music is so expressive, varied, accomplished and infused with wit – and of course he was prolific. He would be a great dinner companion.

In 2023 you will take up the role of Chief Conductor of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in Munich. Will you be based there?

I live in Berlin and that’s where I intend to stay. My work requires a concert hall, and preferably one within reasonable distance from home. I have made the decision that I would like to be closer to my family for longer stretches of time. But I remain committed to the wonderful orchestra family that is the LSO and look forward to many musical adventures together in the future.

Can you compare the musical tastes of German and British audiences?

I will try to explain the difference between the two orchestras, one German, one British, and this might apply to audiences too. For me the Berlin Philharmonic will always be a deep, dark, rich red wine.

And the LSO will be a stunning white wine. There are national characteristics. There is a weight of sound in Berlin which comes from the bowels of the earth, which is particularly German. Then there is a kind of silvery, wonderful flexibility of many different types of character which is a particularly English thing. The characteristic I have always loved in England and which attracted me is that they will try anything. They will always talk about the future.

Added to which is English humour about more or less everything.

With the LSO I am working with an orchestra that has an extraordinary 115 years history, but absolutely will not admit to the idea of looking back to anybody. They look forward. They say, ‘What’s next, what can we do that’s new?’ And this is the most extraordinary refreshing and moving thing.

What piece of music do you never tire of?

Where to start? Well, let’s just say that the LSO’s 2022/23 season which is my final one as Music Director has given me the chance to explore some of the works I particularly wanted to revisit and also some new pieces, which are so stimulating. We announce at the end of March, so you’ll just have to wait and see what’s in store. n London Symphony Orchestra with Sir Simon Rattle performs at Bath Forum on 14 March, 7pm. Sir Simon Rattle will take up a lifetime role as Conductor Emeritus from 2023 onwards 2020 2010 THEBATHMAG.CO.UK THEBATHMAG.CO.UK THEBATHMAG.CO.UK march 2022 | |january | nOVember

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CULTURE | BOOKS

A sister’s story

The sibling bond is a powerful one, but it’s not always straightforward. Emma Clegg talks to The Guardian’s chief theatre critic Arifa Akbar, who is coming to the Bath Festival in May, about her moving memoir about sisterhood, grief and art

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marriage and so my sister became the collateral damage.”

The idea of writing a book about her sister had not appealed initially: “At the beginning grief left me quite speechless and not articulate at all. I couldn’t think of anything worse than to write about my sister’s death. So I resisted writing the book to begin with, but actually I didn’t want to write a book around the pain of grief; I felt that there had been so many books that had mined rich experiences about grief that I wouldn’t be able to offer anything more.” Arifa’s research around tuberculosis had started to bring ideas together, and then an exhibition of Fauzia’s artwork at Camberwell College (where she had been studying for a BA in Fine Art) was arranged, suggested by her art tutor, and this started to shape the idea of writing. “Her tutor asked me to write a short essay as part of the exhibition programme.

My heart sank a little, but of course I did it because it was important to mark my sister’s achievements in art. It was hard and it had catharsis, but more than this it began to interest me, this narrative.

“So these various strands came together in a hybrid idea to write a memoir about my sister’s life and the two of us as sisters, to write about her love of art and my own love of words and art and combine it with a medical story.”

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At the beginning grief left me quite speechless and not articulate at all. I couldn’t think of anything worse than to write about my sister’s death

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S

ibling relationships can be complex and challenging, but often in the canon of literature and cinema and arts they are romanticised. The Guardian’s chief theatre critic Arifa Akbar, who last year published her book Consumed: A Sister’s Story, a memoir about sisterhood, grief and the healing powers of art, felt it was important to be honest about this. “I wanted to talk about my sister and about our relationship, the starker, edgier, more difficult side, which I feel often isn’t written about. We think of books featuring siblings, like Louisa M. Alcott’s Little Women, which describes all the ways in which sisterhood is wholly positive. And of course it is – it doesn’t mean that because there is estrangement and arguments and disagreements that there is any less love – but sisterhood and siblinghood is actually very complicated, very fraught, and I wanted to describe that honestly,” Arifa explains.

In 2016 Arifa’s sister Fauzia, aged just 45, suffered a fatal brain haemorrhage. Just a day after this, when Fauzia was on a life support machine and after months of not being able to diagnose what was wrong with her, the hospital told her family that she had tuberculosis.

Coming too late, the support machine was switched off the next day, but if it had been diagnosed earlier, a simple course of antibiotics would have cured her. “We were astounded because this was a leading North London teaching research hospital and none of us thought that this was life-threatening”, says Arifa.

The shock of her sister’s death, and the hospital’s inability to diagnose the condition in time, acted as a spur to Arifa to find out more about TB, which she had thought was a fully understood and historic one.

“The trauma of losing her made me want to understand what had killed my sister and to understand this disease, connected to poverty and overcrowding, but also romanticised and mythologised in the 18th and 19th centuries, where the upper classes tried to emulate the palefaced look of tuberculosis.” Arifa then discovered with surprise that TB had been classed as a pandemic in a Lancet report in 2019.

Fauzia and Arifa were close in age (Fauzia the elder by two years) but their early family experiences were markedly different. Their father had been married before, to a German woman, but his family forced him to divorce her and marry a much younger Muslim woman, her mother. Fauzia was born in Lahore, Pakistan when her father was in London preparing for the family to come and join him there and when she first met him, at the age of one, she was frightened of him and they did not connect. This feeling grew, but when Arifa was born, her father adored her unwaveringly, but continued his negative relationship with Fauzia, criticising and belittling her constantly. Arifa now acknowledges that this was emotional abuse. “This was the hardest part of the book,” Arifa explains, “My father was a good father to me but he was a very different father to her, and I didn’t realise that when I was very young – it was only when my sister and I shared a room in our teen years that she told me and when I thought back I could understand that.”

Fauzia went on to suffer severe depression and had various eating disorders that dominated her life and while there were many strands to the story, including their experience of migration, Arifa feels there is a strong connection between her sister’s depression and relationship with food and her childhood experiences: “My sister felt the favouritism – she felt marked by it. Her depression came in her teens and I think it was connected to the family dynamics. It was certainly part of the upset she felt as a teenager growing up.

“My father brought all that complication to the marriage. I explore this in the book, and while there is all sorts of responsibility and blame you could assign, I don’t want to judge people, because everybody was stuck in the wrong relationships. This is just the humanness of families.

And my father had incredibly complicated feelings towards his

After Fauzia died, Arifa discovered a suitcase full of her handembroidery. “We had argued on and off in the last years of her life so I hadn’t seen a lot of her art. When I began to really look at it I found fascinating things – there was this discovery of her in it, things that I hadn’t wanted to see, things I hadn’t seen properly, things I had misjudged about her. It was powerful and wonderful to see parts of her in her art. There was this torrent of work and it was so beautiful, full of colour and life and wit and character and I was astonished at how much she’d done. They are pieces of her. ” The two sisters had been very close in their teens and the connecting factor had always been the arts. “When we were growing up books, stories, films and TV, and for her visual art, paintings and drawings were really important – they were vital to our sense of understanding of the world. The world opened up in these forms. She would spend hours describing things, and a lot of my passions around the arts and culture were first shaped by her introducing me to them.”

Arifa had made various revelatory journeys in homage to her sister and as part of her research. This included seeing Puccini’s La Bohème in Tuscany (where the narrative features a tubercular woman); visiting the Sistine Chapel in Rome where Fauzia had gone as a 19-year-old, an uplifting experience that had lifted her depression; going to the Keats– Shelley Memorial House, also in Rome where Keats died in 1821 of TB; and seeing Edward Munch’s painting of his sister on her deathbed in Bergen, Norway. These stories, all woven into Arifa’s book, are what makes it so exceptional, the intense diversions into the medical history of TB, the appreciation of her own sister’s artwork and the visits she made to feel close to her sister and understand her better.

“It was surprising how much power these experiences had,” says Arifa. “And how much reflection. It drew me to my sister’s death but it

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also drew me to life and love and death and families and the way they love each other and harm each other. This has helped me channel a lot of the feelings that I might not otherwise have wanted to face. I might not have wanted to face my grief over my sister, but seeing Munch’s sister on her deathbed made it somehow safer to connect. It gave me a sort of communion.”

As well as appearing at the Bath Festival in May to talk about her book, Arifa is a guest curator at the festival and has commissioned strands in connection with the themes in her own book relating to sibling love, grief, childhood memory, depression, body image, art, identity, migration and illness. The strands include Ali Smith talking about her life and work alongside dramatised readings of selected poems that hold significance for her; Abdulrazak Gurnah and Elif Shafak in conversation about migration and identity and poet Jay Bernard talking to writer, journalist and campaigner Shon Faye about gender, identity and transformation with a performance of their spoken word poetry. Mark Hadden, author of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time will also be discussing the mental health challenges of the pandemic and Christina Patterson is in conversation with Arifa on their respective family memories and the ethics of putting real life and loss on the page.

Ethics aside, Arifa’s written journey seems to have helped her through the anger and shock of her sister’s death. “It’s alsmost as if these paintings and books are holding my hand through those difficult dark feelings, emotions and memories,” she says. That’s a power to cherish. n

Consumed: A Sister’s Story by Arifa Akbar, Sceptre, £16.99 “It’s a searing, brilliant, dazzling memoir of sisterhood, mental illness, art and grief.

Heartbreaking and beautiful.”

Christina Patterson Arifa Akbar will be talking about her book at the Bath Festival in May. Full details of all Arifa’s curated events and the full programme is available from early March bathfestivals.org.uk

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ART | EXHIBITIONS

ARTS & EXHIBITIONS The Holburne Museum, Great Pulteney Street, Bath

People Make Museums, until 2 May A celebration of the importance of people in museums, who charge them with stories, memories, and ways of seeing.

Mick Peter: Old Ghosts, until 15 May Old Ghosts takes a wry and affectionate look at the idea of history as an industry. In several surprising interventions, inside and outside the Holburne Museum, visitors will encounter amusing tableaux which appear to be cartoons that have come to life.

The Tudors: Passion, Power and Politics, until 8 May Come face-to-face with the five Tudor monarchs – Henry VII, Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I and other significant figures of the time (see also page 38)

holburne.org

Exhibition, Woolverton Gallery, Bath BA2 7RH, until 30 March The Woolverton Gallery welcomes art lovers to its exhibition featuring the work of the gallery’s six resident artists. You’ll find wonderful new creations from Ray Jones, Lynn Baxter, Brian Baxter, Amanda Bee, Alex Howell and David Wilkey. bathartsales.com

Study for Little Trinity No 2, 1977, by George Dannatt

Landsape Obervations by George Dannatt David Simon Contemporary 37 High Street, Castle Cary BA7 7AW 12 March – 16 April George Dannatt (1915-2009) was an outstanding and inspirational figure in the story of the St Ives School. He represented a rare breed of cultural polymath: music critic, practising artist, connoisseur, and collector of modern art. His career as an artist spanned more than five decades. The paintings in this exhibition are a retrospective selection dating from 1961–2007, rooted in his observation of the landscape of Wiltshire, Somerset and Dorset. davidsimoncontemporary.com Victoria Art Gallery, Bath

52nd Street by Ray Jones

Rumba by Lynn Baxter

Exhibition, Frome Gallery, Frome BA11 1EE, until 30 March The Frome Gallery at 22 Christchurch Street, West Frome BA11 1EE is a new gallery from Bath Art Sales featuring works from the six artists exhibiting at the Woolverton Gallery in a beautiful contemporary environment. bathartsales.com

Wildscreen’s Community Exhibition; Protecting our Planet, Central Gallery, Royal United Hospitals Bath, until 21 April

From Hogarth to Hodgkin: Our Best Prints

Bristol-based charity Wildscreen are featuring a series of vibrant photographs from indigenous people across the world focusing on the theme of ‘Community’.

Curated in collaboration with If Not Us Then Who, their network of artists have provided their powerful and emotive work, with photography from Edgar Kanaykõ Xakriabá, Elizabeth Swanson Andi, Irati Dojura, Morena Pérez Joachin and Pablo Franceschi and Adrielle Priscila da Silva Tavares.

Please check current restrictions before visiting the RUH. artatruh.org

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Jean Rose: People, Parks and Plants Victoria Art Gallery, Bath 5 March – 4 May This show demonstrates the painterly energy of artist Jean Rose, once a student at Bath Academy of Art and, now in her 90s, still producing a painting a week. (See also page 36.)

Victoria Art Gallery, Bath 5 March – 4 May This showcase of the best of the gallery’s print collection features prints by old masters such as Cranach and Durer, right up to present day works by Grayson Perry and Paula Rego victoriagal.org.uk

Bird in Apple Tree by Jean Rose

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Behind Closed Doors ArtBar, Abbey Hotel, Bath Until 31 March

David Ringsell: Bath Scenes

An exclusive collaborative exhibition by Bath creatives Jason Dorley-Brown and Emma Taylor celebrates Bath’s historic buildings and gives an insight into the life and stories behind their doors. Beautifully created images recounting a slice of Bath history are entwined with contemporary art. The hotel is donating 35% of sales to the charity Bath Mind. Free entry to the exhibition via Abbey Hotel Bath entrance. abbeyhotelbath.co.uk

Image: Queen Charlotte Ballroom

Swimming Amongst Waterlilies, Adam Gallery, 3 Northumberland Buildings, Bath 30 March -21 April

Richard Cartwright aspires to create art that is spiritual, transcendent and mysterious. He has long believed that a picture requires a melody of colour, light and form, evident in his landscapes, nocturnes, nudes and interiors. Working predominantly in pastel – an unusual medium for such large paintings – each piece is characterised by an intense feeling of colour and atmosphere radiating from the careful layering of the medium. adamgallery.com

Local painter David Ringsell’s work is being exhibited at The Artery Art Café in Richmond Place and at The Claremont Pub, 5 Claremont Road, Bath. He also has prints available at The Art Cohort, 13 Chelsea Road, Bath.

David loves to share his artistic impressions of Bath, his home city. His unique and contemporary art prints of Bath show a different, sometimes darker side of the city and his paintings of the architecture relish the stained stonework and peeling paint. Custom prints are available in a range of sizes – see the website: real-images.com

Image: A Modern British Shopping Experience.

A masked man struggles past the shops in a familiar Bath street.

Despite the rain he will get what he needs. This painting is on display at The Artery Art Café.

Swimming Amongst Waterlilies at Nightfall by Richard Cartwright

Dress to Redress: Exploring Native American Material Culture The American Museum & Gardens, Claverton Manor, Bath 19 March – 3 July

Stewart Edmondson and Adam Buick, Beaux Arts Bath 12-13 York Street, Bath Throughout March

The American Museum & Gardens presents Dress to Redress, an exhibition of the work of contemporary Anishinabe artist Celeste PedriSpade. Featuring a series of spectacular wearableart pieces, personal artefacts and photography, alongside historical items from the Museum’s collection, the exhibition will demonstrate the continuing legacy and profound importance of visual and material culture.

americanmuseum.org Photograph by Linda Roy

Now You Are Free by Stewart Edmondson

Beaux Arts Bath launch their spring exhibition programme with two artists whose work reflects their deep physical connection to their surroundings.

Stewart Edmondson’s paintings are a homage to the wild beauty of Dartmoor, where he lives and where on any given day of inclement weather he can be found out drawing and painting. West Wales ceramicist Adam Buick was trained as a geologist and incorporates local clay and stone in his moon jars.

COMING SOON Let There Be Light, Bath Abbey 18 April – 31 May An exhibition of over 20 pieces by local artist Shelley Ashkowski, celebrating the history and beauty of churches, cathedrals and abbeys. Each piece is inspired by the stunning architecture of these buildings, and there are also intricate studies of stained glass windows including one of Bath Abbey’s Great East Window which tells the story of Jesus’ life. Much of the collection uses acrylic gouache paint, chosen for its high pigmentation and matt finish to provide vibrant colours.

Visitors will be invited to make a donation at the door.

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Bath Abbey’s Great East Window by Shelley Ashkowski

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CITY | EXHIBITIONS

People, parks and plants

A walk in the park, a moment of repose in a tea shop, a lady feeding the pigeons – does art that records everyday cameos such as these qualify for critical evaluation? Certainly, says Emma Clegg, when in the hands of artist Jean Rose, whose work in oils, egg tempura and fresco is coming to Victoria Art Gallery this month “When [Jean Rose] shifts from oils to egg tempera, or to print-making or the ancient technique of fresco, which requires painting on a wet plaster ground, she knows full well that the timbre of the image must change too. For instance, quick drying egg tempera requires clarity and precision, whereas oils permit a greater range of methods in the search for expressiveness. This ability to adjust her style in accordance with subject matter and choice of medium gives to her art an invigorating flexibility and freshness.”

These words by art historian and critic Frances Spalding, from the catalogue of the exhibition at Victoria Art Gallery, Jean Rose: People, Parks and Plants, set the scene for the work of an accomplished artist whose painting media is varied, rigorous and technical. The fact that Jean Rose is now 92 and still actively painting does not make this show a sentimental restrospective; rather it is a testament to a noteworthy artist who continues to document the world around her in her own idiosyncratic style. The paintings were largely produced over the last two years, many of them in lockdown, when Jean was confined to her home on Sydney Place where she took inspiration from the day-to-day activities in Sydney Gardens opposite.

The scenes that Jean captures are intense, lively observations of the everyday – a woman in a blue dress feeding pigeons; children running under trees, their bright outfits pulsing through the leaves; a lady watering the flowerpots in her courtyard; a group picnicking on a rug in the shade of arching trees; a group of frenzied dogs chasing squirrels; ducks mooching on the river; mundane street scenes and shops reinvented as lustrous, radiant backdrops; and vibrant, stylised jugs of flowers, slightly – magnificently – askew. The textures and colours, sometimes soft, sometimes uber-bright, sing out boldly and expressively – you can feel the warmth of the sunshine on the grass, the cracked and flaking mossy bark of the tree and the breezy nodding of the luminous daffodil flower heads.

Jean studied at the Bath Academy of Arts at Corsham Court in the 1940s, working under the supervision of principal Clifford Ellis,

Jean Rose: People, Parks and Plants is at Victoria Art Gallery from 5 March – 4 May; victoriagal.org.uk

Flowers in a White Jug, egg tempera on board

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painting master William Scott and sculpture master Kenneth Armitage. Jean remembers her time there fondly: “Clifford Ellis was marvellous. We had weekly criticism – he always talked about my work and always found interesting things to say – that encouraged me so much.” One of Jean’s tutors in Corsham Court was colourist Peter Potporowski who took her with a group of students to Paris. Jean says, “A new professor came from Poland called Peter Potporowski and he had wonderful colour sense and his style of painting really influenced me. He took us round the galleries in Paris and I came across Édouard Vuillard who has been a terrific influence on me.”

Vuillard had worked with the fast-drying aqueous thinning medium casein that Jean also adopted, and his subjects captured the hazy, shadowy magic of the quotidien, sometimes with abrupt flashes of colour. “This was the time when I started to use casein paint,” explains Jean. “I tried different things – Vuillard used a strange medium which I tried to imitate but egg tempura was the one that seemed closest to it. I developed egg tempura from that time onwards.

The main thing with it is that it takes a long time to dry really well.”

Jean’s artistic sensibility was also enriched by the fin-de-siecle French interior genre painting of Denis, Bonnard and the Nabis, the postimpressionist French painters.

Jean began her painting career in Cambridge, where she and her husband Jasper Rose were founding members of the Cambridge Society of Painters and Sculptors in the late 1940s and ’50s. She exhibited at the Portal Gallery and at the Whitechapel Art Gallery in London before moving with her family to America, first to Houston in Texas and then Santa Cruz in California where Jasper took up a university teaching post, during which time Jean was asked to exhibit at the Ankrum Gallery in Los Angeles. Artist and art critic Peter Davies says in the catalogue, “This was Steinbeck country and a hub for West Coast musical ‘cool’ ... Against this mood music background Rose’s work took a ruralist route and with it a gentle lyrical poetry in sync with the idealist, even utopian, mindset of those halcyon days.”

Returning to England after Jasper’s retirement, Rose and Jasper settled in Bath, appropriately at 99 Sydney Place, once the home of Bath School of Art before its transfer to Corsham. Both Jasper and Jean painted daily and exhibited regularly, and after Jasper’s death in 2019 Jean has continued to work in oils, casein and fresco.

The fresco technique is an urgent process, requiring completion within a maximum of two days per small section of ‘intonico’. “I have been very influenced by the frescoes of the old masters in Pompeii,” says Jean. “The process involves working on wet plaster with wax mixed with ammonia which becomes a liquid. And then you mix that with your dry pigment and press it into your intonico, the plaster surface on which you paint.”

“Jean’s natural predilection for process made her a natural fresco painter,” says her son and artist Inigo Rose. “The fine detail of her stucco lucidos (the burnished fresco technique of Pompeii) and the myriad layers of colour creating these windows into her vision I have not seen produced by any of the great fresco painters.”

About to move to Wells, Jean lives in expectation of her new subjects: “I’m looking forward to the gardens in the Bishop’s Palace and the market which comes three times a week. That will be a big stimulus.” Jean has no plans to stop painting: “I think that art gives you energy,” she says firmly. I would suggest that looking at it does the same. n

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Woman Feeding Pigeons, oil on board

❝

I’m rather fond of the heron on the canal. I like the forest ones with people running through. Oh and the girl feeding the pigeons. I’m fond of quite of a lot of them. And the trees with the bark. I love the bark on the trees, you see – that was the one reason I did the picture, the bark on the trees was so beautiful.

Children Running Amongst Trees, oil on board

JEAN ROSE

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Debunking History Say it with flowers this Mother’s Day

DUNCAN CAMPBELL Antique silver specialist

A piece at a time

O The Wild Meadow Collection

ffering a valuation on someone’s family heirloom might sound like a plain vanilla type of task for anyone in my line of work. In practice such jobs are rarely so simple.

ENGAGEMENT AND WEDDING RINGS HANDMADE BESPOKE JEWELLERY REPAIRS AND REMODELLING

9 Abbey Churchyard, Bath BA1 1LY Website: www.jodycory.co.uk Email: jody@jodycory.co.uk Telephone: 01225 460072

For a thing to be classed as an heirloom, there is an implied continuity of family ownership, which further suggests that it is not for sale. Since it is impossible to replace an object of sentimental value, trying to insure it to cover the cost of a “replacement” is also impossible.

Not being in a position to turn down work, if asked, I will always give a valuation but I wonder how useful that figure is. Sometimes it may be better not to know.

First, there is the obvious dilemma of finding out that a much treasured family object is worth a significant amount of money. Do we sell it or do we keep it? This is a fairly high quality decision to have to make, but I still feel a pang of guilt if I have demoted a loved relic into a disposable asset.

The other and much more delicate situation is that the heirloom is worth only a fraction of the assumed value, or worse still, it just isn’t what oral family history has handed down.

More than once I have had to tread on eggshells while looking at a fully hallmarked - and dated - 20th century piece of silver, at the same time as the family story is being told about how the piece was given to an ancient ancestor in the 18th century and has been handed down ever since.

When the story is better than the object, it might be better to be ignorant. To paraphrase the infamous art forger Elmyr de Hory, when it hangs long enough, it becomes right. This sounds pretty self-serving coming from a criminal forger, but when applied to an heirloom, I can’t help thinking that it’s true. n beaunashbath.com; 01225 334234

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2nd. Shop Now Open at 28 Brock Street

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CITY | EXHIBITIONS

TOP LEFT: Micro World by Wen Dong, highly commended for ‘Water’ category. A drone picture of water farms where the patterns formed by the nets look like cells BOTTOM LEFT: Seasonal Sea by Yang Tongyu, category winner for ‘Environment’. Every summer, a green algae called Enteromorpha floats on the sea or rushes to the shore, often covering several square kilometres, creating a natural spectacle.

Seeking by Huang Jianjun, category winner for ‘Water’. Taken in Yeqing, Wenzhou, China, 2016

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TOP RIGHT: Steaming Buns by Huang Jianjun, highly commended for ‘Work & Play’ category BOTTOM RIGHT: Grandpa’s Old Birdcages by Wu Wei, highly commended for ‘Home’ category. “ Every morning, Grandpa would go bird-walking through the street garden. When I passed by on my way to school, I’d roll down the window and yell ‘hello’. He would be looking for the bus early on, and never missed me.”

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CITY | EXHIBITIONS

Dancing dreams

An exhibition at the Museum of East Asian Art (MEAA) shows the winning entries from an international photographic competition celebrating Chinese culture. We have chosen some of our favourites to include here – and you can head to the museum in Bennett Street to see the full selection of winners

A

n image entitled The Dancing Dreams of a Mountain Girl depicts a young mountain girl dancing for her grandmother while she works making toy tigers in a small rural village in China. This is the overall winner of an international photo competition celebrating Chinese culture. The judges felt the image by Chinese photographer Li Huaifeng captures “a moment of joy – almost other-worldly vision of the child in the sun’s rays. It is as if Grandma is watching the child in a hologram.”

They added, “The image is highly atmospheric and a well-caught moment, contributing to giving us, the viewers, a privileged place inside a home that’s doubtless very different from our normal experience.”

The winning images from the competition will be exhibited at the Museum of East Asian Art in Bath, the only museum in the UK solely dedicated to arts and culture from East and South East Asia, until 14

May. The Awards, in association with the Lau China Institute, King’s College London, invited photographers to tell Chinese stories, imagining, interpreting, and inspiring connections between Chinese culture and the rest of the world, and received almost 2,000 entries from professional and amateur photographers from any location, background and nationality.

Now in their second year, the Awards launched four new categories including ‘Water’, as 2022 is the Year of the Water Tiger and water is integral to Chinese culture through the religions of Confucianism and Taoism.

The remaining categories were ‘Home’, ‘Work & Play’, and ‘Environment’. The other category winners were: Family Stuff – The Golden Anniversary Couple by Huang Qingjun, Seasonal Sea, an environmental image by Yang Tongyu and Seeking by Huang Jianjun.

Yintong Betser, founder of the Global SinoPhoto Awards, said, “We are delighted

by the number and quality of the entries in this, only our second year. The entries represent a diverse snapshot of Chinese culture, enriched through the creative and innovative lenses of our talented entrants.

In addition, we were delighted by the high level of entries to the ‘Water’ category from many non-China locations, as this element represents the ultimate life source according to Chinese philosophies and is a way for all cultures to share their inspiration and delight for this element.”

The images will be exhibited at other locations throughout the year including at the World Architecture Festival China in Chengdu in November, which is the China branch of the World Architecture Festival, the British company EMAP, as well as at the Lau China Institute, King’s College London. n The Winners of the Global SinoPhoto Awards 2021 exhibition is at the Museum of East Asian Art in Bennett Street, Bath until 14 May.

Dancing Dreams of a Mountain Girl by Li Huaifeng, overall winner of the Global SinoPhoto Awards 2021

Casablanca Mono Decor Porcelain tiles by Mandarin Stone

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Selling Vintage Wine...

Interest in wine as an investment has never waned and continues to show remarkable appeal at auction.

Nowadays, coverage on the internet ensures that anyone interested can easily find out about wines coming up for sale and with good cataloguing they don’t even have to visit the saleroom, which is especially useful for faraway markets.

The red wines of Bordeaux have some great wines that can command huge prices but it isn’t all about France... some Penfold wines from Australia and some Robert Mondavi wines from California also have a following and can too command high prices, and one must not forget vintage port which consistently sells for good prices.

Wine is a fascinating subject, out of perhaps half a million vineyards worldwide only a few hundred will command an investment or high quality drinking premium. The skill is determining that which is investment wine which may never be drunk but could be drunk, and that which is drinking wine but could be laid down for investment purposes.

Condition for achieving a high price also depends upon its recent and past storage. A cool cellar partially or wholly underground, facing South which has not been disturbed is ideal.

Lawrences Wine Expert Chris Chanter has emptied garages, lofts, stables and even a piggery that produced wines that fulfilled storage criteria that enabled bidders to be confident that the wine was in good condition. In ideal conditions wines can keep for 50 years and in the case of fortified wines much more.

As always, knowledge is key so dust off those wine bottles or dig out your cellar and let Lawrences Wine Expert, give you free advice and valuation.

T: 01460 73041 E: enquiries@lawrences.co.uk FREE VALUATIONS AVAILABLE: In Person | Online | Email | Phone | WhatsApp Home visits available on request.

Lawrences AUCTIONEERS The Linen Yard, South Street, Crewkerne, Somerset TA18 8AB.

lawrences.co.uk

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CITY | BUSINESS

Booking hall to brasserie

In the beginning there was a Victorian railway station with a booking hall. Then the trains disappeared and the building was left derelict, surrounded by ugly 1960s buildings. Later Andrew Peters arrived and turned the shabby restaurant in the old booking hall into a brasserie. He planned to stay for three years, but the business has just got to a record 30.

Emma Clegg finds out how it all happened...

“

I

t’s very easy when you’re starting out in the restaurant business to have something very small and then be forever chained to it.

The problem is that restaurants often have a husband and wife team, one back of house, one front of house and 30 covers and then it’s hard to make enough money to let other people run it.” Andrew Peters, who set up Green Park Brasserie 30 years ago this year, is explaining to me the challenges of running a restaurant business.

Andrew had previously specialised in restaurant start-ups or turnarounds, and had run successful London restaurants such as the Soho Brasserie and Tuttons in Covent Garden. In 1991 he was looking for a location for a new restaurant when he came across a venue in Green Park, then called Station Park Restaurant. In the depths of the recession, the area was desolate, bleak and rough and the restaurant was surrounded by ruthless 1960s architecture, including the farfrom-uplifting DHSS building opposite.

Green Park Station was originally Queen Square Station – built in the 1860s it operated as a working station until the 1960s when changes to British Rail led to services being slowly wound down, and the doors were finally closed in 1966. The derelict site was restored as a retail and market space in the 1980s which is when Andrew found the building that had been the booking hall of the station.

Imagination and positive thinking must have been required. “At that

We are not only here to provide memories – we are battery rechargers, we want people to come here to feel good and to leave feeling more energised

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time this had been a restaurant for about five years, but there had been five restaurants, and all five had gone bust,”Andrew explains. “In those days the licensing laws were much more strictly controlled than now – you had to have a licenced practice to sell alcohol and as a restaurant you had to sell alcohol with a substantial meal. My predecessors had run the place illegally as a bar and the manager had been prosecuted for selling cocaine – it was a heaving bar and very successful, but the police closed them down.”

Not an auspicious prospect, you would think, but Andrew had a vision, although his original plan was to set up the restaurant and run it for two to three years before moving on. “I had been creating restaurants or turning them around, and this is a whole different skill to running one, which is about the grind, working out how you extract a profit from the business.” That’s the journey that Andrew, who was joined by his son Alex in 2016, took on. Although Andrew says his skill is in creating rather than running restaurants, he clearly has some ability in the latter category – and he can certainly make a good cappucino because he’s been practising since 1992.

So what was the concept underlying the new restaurant? “My whole cultural mindset is French-based – French wine and food is a strong influence and that was the whole idea of being a brasserie. But I wanted to combine this with modern British cuisine which has become more fusion-led, absorbing food inspiration from across the world.”

What made the difference to the potential of this restaurant was the cosmetic turnaround of the area in the 1980s, which Andrew saw the potential of. It was also the size of the building – having been the station booking hall, it had generous proportions and high ceilings and unusual architectural features: “This room would have been full height – now shortened by the floor it would have continued another five metres to the ceiling,” says Andrew of the main restaurant area. “There is definitely an element of stewardship of the building – this is a fantastic space and when we collaborate with others, such as Film Bath or Bath Festivals, it’s about adding value to the city as a place to live and work.”

There have been plenty of challenges on the way, not least in cash flow – the stable break-even point didn’t come until 2005 – and constantly refreshing the food and entertainment offering and innovative thinking have been crucial, but consistency has also been a factor. “I’m a great believer in stickability,” says Andrew. “It’s always tantalisingly close – the idea of taking another 10% is often the immediate aim and that’s just the way restaurant economics works.

Once you get beyond the break-even line you should be able to make some money. We would do everything: Christmas parties, tour groups, all kinds of different things to try and get there.”

The launch of sister business the Bath Pizza Company in 2016, when Alex became involved, was a significant development. The casual dining pizza place – seating up to 150 on tables on heated terraces in the Old Green Park Station – offers not only delicious-tasting pizzas, but live music and entertainment within the scenic station architecture.

“Eating out has become a very different experience – it used to be a special occasion and now it’s just an everyday thing. People are not only concerned about the food in front of them, but also about the ambience and the overall experience. We want people to come and have a good time. We are not only here to provide memories – we are battery rechargers, we want people to come here to feel good and to leave feeling more energised,” says Andrew.

With a team of over 30, many of them full-time, Green Park Brasserie has an excellent record of maintaining staff and they are closely involved with all stages of the business. This includes company secretary Liz Gilbert of 29 years, group general manager Alex Pitts, and head chef of the Bath Pizza Co Jonah Pole. The ingredients for both the Brasserie and the Pizza Company are sourced locally – including from Castle Mead Poultry, Bath Soft Cheese, Terry & Son Butchers and steak from Newton Farm – and they are passionate about supporting that local economy in this way.

“We are not a chain, we are a human being,” says Andrew. “This place is almost a reflection of your personality. We care a lot about what we do, and we can be rapid in our decision making. As a business we are now in a really solid place and how do we take it on from this?

By keeping it exciting.” Watch this space. n greenparkbrasserie.com 2010 THEBATHMAG.CO.UK| NOVEMbEr THEBATHMAG.CO.UK | jaNuary 2020

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Andrew Peters in 1983 celebrating the first anniversary of Green Park Brasserie

The disused Green Park Station in the 1970s

Green Park Brasserie in the 1990s

Co-directors Andrew and Alex Peters

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CITY | BOOKS INTERIORS

A book about a scandal

One miscarriage of justice is bad enough, but 738 is more than we’re capable of comprehending, says Nick Wallis.

Emma Clegg asks him about his new book, the definitive account (to date) of the Great Post Office Scandal

Postmasters celebrating outside the Rolls Building on 16 Dec 2019 – at the end of a long-running series of civil cases, the Post Office agreed to settle with 555 claimants

who, when the scandal started to break aided and abetted the Post Office to try and suppress the scandal. You also had a supine, corrupt union, the National Federation of Subpostmasters, who were effectively corporately captured by the Post Office – they felt that it was easier to believe the Post Office’s lies that a minority of their members were criminals than it was to take their side and properly challenge what was happening.” It has even been established that some crucial documents were ordered to be shredded by a senior Post Office manager so they could not be used in evidence.

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The Post Office point blank refused to hand over the relevant information and they traded the legal system to their advantage...

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etween 2000 and 2015, 738 people were prosecuted by the Post Office for theft, false accounting and fraud. The prosecutions used evidence from Horizon, the Post Office’s software system that threw up duplicate entries, lost transactions and erroneous calculations.

Subpostmasters were forced to settle the discrepancies with their own money, with some amounts stretching to tens or hundreds of thousands of pounds. Those unable to pay were taken to court. Respected local figures were stripped of their jobs and many were forced into bankruptcy or borrowed money to give the Post Office thousands they did not owe. The really unlucky ones were sent to prison.

Journalist and broadcaster Nick Wallis first encountered the story in 2010 when a taxi driver told him that his pregnant wife had gone to prison for a crime she did not commit. Since then, Nick has recorded interviews with victims, insiders and experts, uncovering hundreds of documents to build up the story, which he has now told in The Great Post Office Scandal, recently published by Bath Publishing.

The Horizon IT system, developed by Japanese firm Fujitsu, was rolled out in 1999. But the system was plagued by glitches, and many subpostmasters complained that Horizon was wrongly reporting shortfalls. Those affected were told by the Post Office that no-one else was having any problems with Horizon, and that therefore it was their own fault. This line of defence was maintained for 19 years.

“There was a culture of denial,” says Nick. “There is no doubt that it was policy within the Post Office to tell postmasters who were having accounting problems that they were the only ones. So the subpostmasters were lied to by their employer. Told that it wasn’t the computer system, they started to doubt their own sanity and this had extraordinary mental health repercussions.”

The Horizon system worked 99% of the time, so the Post Office maintained that it was “robust” and that the shortfalls were created by people who were seen as criminal subpostmasters. “There was a cultural snobbery at the Post Office that postmasters are not to be trusted, that they are all potentially thieves on the take, so they thought that Horizon was catching criminality in the act,” says Nick.

The lack of cooperation from the Post Office, both in terms of supporting their employees with accounting problems and in responding openly to the legal battle over their convictions – they refused for years to provide any records relating to Horizon – has meant that it has taken two decades to get the cases reconsidered. Over this time many had served time in prison, and had lost their homes, friendships and marriages. For some the stress was so overwhelming that the experience resulted in premature death through stress-induced illness or suicide.

This is an example of a massive company riding roughshod over small players: “The Post Office point blank refused to hand over the information and they traded the legal system to their advantage, using their institutional fire-power and limitless resources,” explains Nick.

The government and the sub-postmasters union are also implicated: “The Post Office was supported by the government as a shareholder

Alan Bates, however, was not to be crushed. Sacked from his role as subpostmaster in Craig-y-Don, north Wales in 2003, he started as a lone public voice of dissent but went on to beat the Post Office in two of the highest courts in the land and win some redress for the victims. Nick says, “Alan was ruined by the Post Office in 2003 and he vowed he would get justice. It took 16 years before he could stand on the steps of the high court as part of a massive multi-million-pound group litigation.

It was March 2019 and it was the first time anyone in authority had sided with his perspective. That takes absolute gargantuan, heroic levels of tenacity and stubbornness. That’s what he had as a leader.”

So why was the Post Office so unwilling to recognise the shortcomings of Horizon? Nick explains, “They had spent over a billion pounds setting up and rolling out this system and they were utterly dependent on it working perfectly to attract new business from third party clients, so they had to hide the scale of the problems.”

Nick has worked tirelessly to get to the truth of the story, helping to spread awareness about the miscarriage of justice. He broadcast his first investigation for the BBC and took the story to Private Eye in 2011.

He subsequently made two Panoramas, a Radio 4 series, and raised thousands of pounds to crowdfund his own court reporting for the Post Office Trial website. He makes it clear that his role has been primarily about uncovering the truth: “I’m not a campaigner. I’m not on the postmasters’ side, as it were – I’m just reporting everything as I see it.”

But with so many victims, so much corporate obfuscation and such a complex, long-drawn out story and legal battle, there is also the issue of compassion fatigue. “Trying to get across the scale of this scandal is really difficult because one miscarriage of justice is bad enough but more than 700 is something we’re not actually capable of comprehending,” says Nick. That’s where the book has a role because it is the first definitive account of the scandal.

No one who has had their conviction overturned has received full and final compensation, although the government has put aside two-thirds of a billion pounds, so the fight continues – for Nick a third Panorama is scheduled as well as an ITV drama series in 2023, People vs. Post Office.

I ask if something of this scale could ever conceivably happen again.

“There were confluences of events that made this unique. But these scandals keep happening – the infected blood scandal, the Hillsborough scandal, the Windrush scandal, the banking crisis. All these have hallmarks in common, the biggest of which is lack of accountability.

At the moment there has been no accountability in this scandal.”

Thank goodness for truthseekers like Alan Bates and Nick Wallis. n

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CITY | BOOKS

The Great Post Office Scandal by Nick Wallis (£25) is published

by Bath Publishing, which is donating 10% of its income from sales of the book to help Subpostmasters. This means £2.50 of every book sold directly from the site will go to the Horizon Scandal Fund. bathpublishing.com Nick is also reading excerpts from The Great Post Office Scandal on 2 March, 7.30pm at the Guildhall

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LOCAL | HISTORY

Come rain or shine

“1,000 years of history in about six seconds. coming up” – Daisy Game takes a whistle-stop tour of Bath, courtsey of The Mayor of Bath’s Corps of Honorary Guides

The Bath Abbey sone facade, complete with upside-down angel

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of guides. Each spends the few minutes we have to spare (morning tours begin at 10.30am sharp) attempting to convince me that his or her tour is by far the best of the bunch. There is a real sense of cameraderie: it’s as though I’ve stumbled into a school reunion of sorts. Which shouldn’t come as a surprise, considering how long some of the guides have known one another; a select few have been touring Bath for the best part of four decades. I’m introduced to the charismatic Terry (featuring in this month’s My Bath, page 10), who has spent the last 33 years showing visitors around Bath – and who is the most adamant that his tours are the cream of the crop. Just as I’m about to set off on my own walk – led by Colin – I feel someone nudging in next to me. “Good luck” Terry winks, sticking a thumb in Colin’s direction before disappearing into the misty morning. I begin to thaw a little.

Our route (which takes around two hours to complete) is a jam-packed one. After a whistle-stop tour of the Abbey’s exterior

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The tours are meant for anyone with an interest in - well, anything

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he streets of Bath are thick with a cool January mist. The clouds are heavy, the sun still in bed. I have to admit, I’m a little bitter that the morning on which I’m to take one of the Mayor’s Guides Tours of Bath is on the duller side of things: for the past three days, the skies have been a burning winter blue.

But this is to be an education, I reprimand myself. Bristol-based (something I later admit to a chorus of pro-Bath heckling), this city is new to me, and I’m looking forward to learning more about. Besides – I’m getting the more authentic version of things this way. City records suggest that since Alderman Sturge-Cotterell first established The Mayor’s Guides in 1934, the walks have stopped for nothing and no-one, taking place twice a day (once on Saturdays) every day of the year (all bar Christmas) whatever the weather – and whatever the war. Even as WWII bomber planes threatened to put an explosive end to the urban rambles, the Mayor’s Guides continued to usher visitors along the streets of Bath: keen to show off their city, no matter what world-altering event was taking place. Until the coronavirus pandemic, that is, when any trip which took you beyond the parameters of your living room was dubbed Strictly Off Limits.

Shuffling my way through the damp and into the Bath Abbey Courtyard (the starting point for all tours) I’m met by a jovial group

The haberdashers-turned-Ecco-shoes store from which Jane Austen’s aunt stole

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(points awarded to anyone who can spot the upside-down angel engraved into its facade), we make our way toward The Cross Bath: an open air thermal bath fed by one of the town’s three hot springs. Peering in through the glass windows, we get a glimpse of the steamy waters which, Colin informs us, were once believed to possess healing powers.

Well, they certainly worked for Mary of Medina, who – after months of failed pregnancy attempts with husband James II – is said to have emerged from the water with a babe in the belly. A neat (if somewhat alarming) trick.

From here, we take a turn up Milsom Street, making our way toward John Wood The Elder’s Circus and John Wood The Younger’s Royal Crescent beyond, before looping back to end where we began: in the shadow of the Abbey. Despite successfully rattling through the majority of Bath’s landmarks, our pace is gentle and considered; no walker is left behind, and there is plenty of time to ask questions. Colin assures us that the tours are meant for anyone with an interest in – well, anything.

In fact, those wanting to delve into a particular part of Bath’s history are more than welcome to get in touch with the Mayor’s Guide Group and ask if a tailormade tour might be run. The Guides have a wide variety of interests, Chair of the group Andy tells me: so if Jane Austen’s your thing – there may well be someone keen to tell you

John Wood’s Circus, with acorns carved into its stone design

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LOCAL | HISTORY

The Mayor’s Guides on the Tuesday morning shift, among them Colin (front right) and Terry (front centre)

a thing or two about Bath’s literary heroine.

Or if Bridgerton is more your (steamy) pace, you might just meet a Mayor’s Guide who is equally thrilled to discuss the petticoats and parties of the Netflix hit –much of which was filmed in Bath. Colin could even be the man for that job: as we cross Pulteney Bridge, he makes sure to point out the Holburne Museum, which played a starring role as Lady Danbury’s ‘modest’ mansion.

Colin is not alone in his enthusiasm for Bath. With 83 guides trained and ready to tour, and seven more currently undergoing their six-month training, there are plenty of Bathonians willing to chat about their UNESCO World Heritage home. Which is lucky, considering the popularity of the walks: in peak summer, it’s not unusual for up to 180 visitors to gather expectantly in the cool shade of the Abbey. Even on a cold January morning, I am one in a group of around 20. Demand, it seems, matches supply.

The number of guides posted each day depends on the number of visitors who have booked on to the tours using the new online system, which was recently introduced. Other than this digital development, however, everything remains traditional. Just as they were in SturgeCotterell’s day, the Mayor’s Tours are led on an entirely voluntary basis: Guides can’t accept cash rewards, even from the most determined of tippers.

While many tour-takers are from out of town, Andy tells me that he’s keen to see

more locals taking the opportunity to learn about their city. Whether you’ve lived or worked in Bath for one year or 50, there’s always something new to learn, the Chair stresses. It’s true: while some of the names and locations mentioned may be familiar to those in the know (Ralph Allen, The Roman Baths, party boy Beau Nash and so on) other stories are a little more underground. Colin tells us an amusing tale about Jane Austen’s shop-lifting aunt, who once decided to steal some fabric from the haberdashers which, 250 years later, has been been replaced by an Ecco shoes store. “On the surface, it’s all elegance. But going on in the background are all sorts of fascinating stories”, Colin muses.

He takes particular relish from exposing the seedy underbelly of Bath’s Regency period; from riots, to financial scams, to public hangings, Bath may look pretty, but she played dirty. As we pause to take in what is perhaps the town’s most recognisable landmark – the Royal Crescent – Colin draws our attention to door No.2, behind which one Mrs McCartney once resided.

McCartney was a real (Georgian) party girl: wealthy enough not to have to concern herself with tiresome affairs such as suitors and children, McCartney instead spent her days – and her dollar – throwing huge parties for Bath’s best. Were one to receive an invite, it would be foolish to refuse: this lady had the power to ruin your reputation in an instant. Colin tells us about one particuarly raucous evening in 1781 when, after several disgruntled guests found

McCartney’s wine cellar to be locked, the soiree ended with a food fight (chicken wings were chucked) and what local papers referred to as a ‘dust up’. After a two-year party-ban, a night at Mrs McCartney’s doesn’t sound half bad to me.

When it comes to the places in which we live and work, we never really take off the school uniform. For out of towners, tours like this are a wonderful way to get a taste of Bath’s long and elaborate history. But for locals, the tours act as a reminder never to stop asking questions: why is that house raised higher than this one? Why is there an acorn carved into this stone? And what’s going on behind the closed door of No. 2? n

THEMED TOURS In addition to their daily walks, the Mayor’s Guides lead themed tours.

On 8 and 12 March (2.30pm and 2pm respectively) in celebration of International Women’s Day, the Mayor’s Guides are running their ‘Your Very Good Health’ tour, which will pay tribute to the women of Bath’s contributions to medicine and healthcare. Between May and September, the Guides will also lead balmy summer strolls through the Pulteney Estate. bathguides.org.uk

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Moss of Bath.qxp_Layout 1 25/02/2022 18:02 Page 1

CITY | BUSINESS INTERIORS

Electrical vibes

It was the year that Marilyn Monroe serenaded President Kennedy on his birthday, when Marvel’s Spider-Man superhero made his first appearance and when the oral polio vaccine was first rolled out. It was 1962 – also the year when Moss of Bath first opened its doors. We ask Tim Moss about those 60 years...

What is the background to Moss of Bath?

My father Frank Moss was a pharmaceutical rep, selling into GP practices and chemists. Fed up with being away from his young family at home and with an interest in amateur radio and early technology, in 1962 he started his own business. Now run by its three directors, Moss of Bath is still a ‘family’ business with its roots firmly tied to Bath.

What are your memories of the first shop?

The first shop was in The Avenue, Combe Down. This is where I was based with my father prior to opening our city centre store in 1984. It was a thriving business and an important education for me in the art of retail. We had a small workshop where he undertook repairs to faulty products. I have fond memories of my father sitting outside the shop in quieter moments listening to the cricket on an old Roberts Radio.

What were popular products across the decades?

My father originally concentrated on small domestic appliances – kettles, toasters, irons, as well as vacuum cleaners, food mixers and blenders. Electrical hardware items were also stocked: batteries, lamps, vacuum cleaner bags, cables and accessories. As cashflow permitted, my father would stock one or two black and white televisions, and with enviable foresight he registered the business as F. H. Moss (Colourvision) Limited. People were hungry to embrace new technology. Innovations such as colour TV, video recorders and compact discs signalled the start of the home entertainment boom.

The 1970s saw dramatic changes in the CE (consumer electronics) industry. New products were launched, such as colour televisions, music centres, cassette players, pocket calculators and clock radios, and it was the start of foreign manufacturers such as Sony, Japanese Victor Corporation (JVC) and National Panasonic entering the UK market.

Prior to this the majority of products were manufactured in the UK. The 1980s saw the affordable launch of the video cassette recorder and compact disc player, both significant milestones.

The Moss of Bath showroom in the mid 1980s and below, Frank Moss and Tim Moss in the Combe Down showroom around 1982

Frank Moss in 1982 and, to the right, an early advertisement

When did you open the city centre store?

We opened the new store in 1984, in the location previously occupied

by Eric Snook, where we were able to expand the television and video displays and set up two dedicated hi-fi listening rooms. We expanded into the adjacent store in 1989, providing additional display space for televisions. As CRT televisions became bigger and heavier, by the mid90s we moved storage and servicing off-site to Brassmill Lane.

Have you always offered installations and servicing?

Yes, and this in-house facility differentiates us from most other electrical retailers. In the early 80s, I sent out a mail-shot to pubs, restaurants, hotels and clubs within a 25-mile radius, promoting the installation of quality foreground and background music systems. We immediately picked up many large contracts resulting in the purchase of the business’s very first Moss of Bath van, a Bedford Rascal! Prior to this deliveries had been undertaken in my father’s Volvo estate.

In 1997, Moss of Bath was the first retailer in the UK to invest in a wall-mounted flat panel television. The demand for wall mounting of televisions continues today, and two out of the six Moss of Bath fleet of vans are dedicated to wall mounting televisions.

How has the consumer electronics business changed?

Trading within a constantly changing industry can present challenges and we constantly review the goods and services. Our staff regularly attend manufacturer training sessions to keep abreast of the latest technologies. We do not fear change; we embrace it. We are convinced that there is always a better way and we are constantly looking for it.

One of the most significant changes was the move from bulky CRT televisions to the flat-screen ones we mostly display today. We redesigned our television showroom to reflect this and are now presented with another challenge, how to display the increasingly larger screens of 75 and 85 inches and more.

We now operate a single brown goods store with all stock, administration and a service centre housed in one site over five floors of a Georgian building. There are two television showrooms, a dedicated hi-fi demo lounge and a Smart Home lounge on the first floor with a wi-fi network throughout the building; essential for music and video streaming demonstrations.

My role within the business has changed dramatically too, spending a considerable part of my working week visiting architects, developers, interior designers, builders and private clients for site visits.

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What are some of your fondest memories?

My fondest memories will always be about the people I have met in my 43 years. From the genuine relationships with so many clients to the extraordinary way our teams have been prepared to go the extra mile. In 2017 I was thrilled to be presented with the ERT ‘Special Achievement’ award for services to the Consumer Electronics industry, particularly special because it was an endorsement from fellow peers in the industry.

How do you see the industry developing?

I think the future for the independent electrical retailer is bright, as long as we continue to offer the goods and services demanded by the consumer. Manufacturers are addressing the price differential between online and in-store, meaning that the price of products are now moreor-less the same wherever purchased. Retail is worth £321 billion to the UK economy and the existence of a strong and diverse independent sector on our high streets is essential to ensuring its continuing success. As for the future, the CE (Consumer Electronics) industry has a history of innovation, producing products that will entice, excite and deliver experiences.

Tim Moss

What is the secret of Moss’s success?

We recognise that the demands of customers are changing faster than ever before and embrace the opportunity to change and adapt to those evolving needs. Selling great product, focusing on great brands and providing a clear customer journey from ‘quotation to completion’ is key to our continued success and longevity. We won’t ever try to be a small version of a big multiple – we aim to be the ‘go-to local experts’ in sound and vision for the 21st century (and beyond!). n The Moss of Bath showroom today

Moss of Bath, 45 St James’ Parade, Bath; 01225 331441; mossofbath.co.uk

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CITY | NEWS

CITYNEWS NEW JOINERS AT STONE KING Bath-headquartered law firm Stone King is delighted to welcome two new joiners in February. Graeme Beattie has joined the firm’s International and Cross-Border team as a Solicitor. He is based at Stone King’s Bath office, in Upper Borough Court, and supports the team’s clients on matters related to international

succession, cross-border planning and overseas probate work, primarily for individuals and charities. Partner Dan Harris, who heads up the International and Cross-Border team, says: “We are pleased to welcome Graeme to Stone King and the Cross-Border team. His valuable Swiss experience will help our rapidly growing team to continue supporting and serving our clients as we get into another busy year.”

Rowenna Warburton has joined the Commercial Property team, based at the firm’s London office. She joins Stone King as a Senior Associate from the South London

Legal Partnership and will be primarily working in the education property sphere.

Head of the Commercial Property team, Partner Caroline Taylor, says: “We’re delighted for Rowenna to join and strengthen our team at what is an exciting time in the education property arena. Her skills and experience in the sector make her a strong and valued team member.”

Stone King is a national law firm with a continuous working history in the City of Bath for more than 230 years. stoneking.co.uk

Daniel Harris

FUNDS FOR CLIMATE EMERGENCY energy efficiency. A £150k investment in green infrastructure includes the development of a Nature Recovery and Delivery Plan and a £800k matching contribution towards new City Region Sustainable Transport Infrastructure projects.

This comes on top of more than £11m previously allocated in the council’s five-year capital programme to tackle the climate and ecological emergency. The council will continue to work this year with its communities, partners, local, regional and national government to further cut emissions. bathnes.gov.uk/climateemergency

The drive to achieve net zero across Bath and North East Somerset has received a big boost with B&NES Council committing to invest more than £38m over the next five years to tackle the climate and ecological emergency, including new funding of £27.4m.

This breaks down into an additional £9.2m investment in the new state-of-the-art Keynsham Recycling Hub. A budget of £14.2m will be used for modernising waste services to further improve recycling, £754k to expand the council’s green vehicle fleet, and £2.3m to refurbish the council’s Commercial Estate, addressing the repair backlog and planning

NEW OWNERS ABBEY HOTEL London-based property investment firm Castleforge has announced the acquisition of the Abbey Hotel in Bath. The historic boutique hotel occupies three Georgian houses in the centre of Bath and now operates as a Tribute Portfolio Hotel, one of Marriott International’s collection brands.

The 65-room hotel boasts newly renovated guest bedrooms, a terrace patio for al fresco dining and two dining and bar venues, the Abbey Hotel Kitchen and ArtBar. Castleforge has also secured an option agreement to acquire to two adjoining buildings, with future plans to add 15 large bedrooms to the hotel later in the year.

This is the fourth hotel investment Castleforge has made since launching its strategy to develop its hospitality portfolio.

In 2021, Castleforge acquired the Bruntsfield Hotel in Edinburgh, the Hilton Hotel in Cardiff and the Crowne Plaza in Edinburgh. castleforgepartners.com

BUSINESS RECOVERY FUND

TRUESPEED DIRECTOR Truespeed, the Bath-based full fibre broadband provider, has announced the appointment of Melanie HunterYell as its new Director of Marketing & Sales. Melanie will focus on enhancing the brand and engaging with customers as Truespeed continues the expansion of its ultrafast network to underserved communities across the South West.

Melanie, who joins with over 24 years’ experience in the telecoms and technology industry and has previously worked for O2, Microsoft and Truphone, will spearhead Truespeed’s sales and marketing strategies and direction. With experience in both top London agencies and corporate roles, Melanie has developed and executed business plans and disruptive marketing strategies for some of the biggest telco and consumer brands in the world. truespeed.com 52 TheBATHMagazine

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For the second year running, The Studio in Bath, Bath Spa University’s research and innovation hub, has launched a fund to help B&NES-based creative technology micro-businesses, freelancers, and third sector organisations recover from the detrimental effects of the pandemic. This £25,000 fund will be split into grants ranging from £1,000 and £5,000.

Supported by Bath Spa University’s Centre for Cultural and Creative Industries (CCCI), the fund’s key areas of focus are inclusion, environmental sustainability, and innovation. These link with the recovery ambitions of the West of England Combined Authority (WECA). All proposals will need to focus on at least one of these areas.

Projects can be either research-based or business-led.

Examples of this include but are not limited to, creating a research paper, a prototype or product, a business plan, a marketing strategy, or profile-raising activity. Proposals need to be submitted by 5pm on Monday 21 March.

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Important changes to Inheritance Tax for deaths on or after 1st January 2022 HM Revenue & Customs have changed the reporting requirements in respect of estates from the 1st January 2022. Private Client Partner David Hill discusses the changes and who will be affected.

Previous legislation If no inheritance tax was due in respect of the estate of someone who died before 1st January 2022 (an “Excepted estate”), then an “IHT205 Return of Estate Information” form had to be submitted to the Probate Registry by the executor or administrator for the estate (“the Personal Representative”).

The requirements for an “excepted estate” were, as follows: • The value of the estate was less than the Nil Rate Band Allowance (£325,000); • On the death of a surviving spouse or civil partner, the value of the estate was less than twice the Nil Rate Band Allowance (ie £650,000); • The deceased left their whole estate, worth less than £1,000,000, to their spouse, civil partner, or other beneficiary who was exempt from inheritance tax (for example to charity); • The deceased benefitted from assets held in trust, worth less than £150,000; • The total value of gifts made in the seven years prior to the date of death was less than £150,000; • The deceased person lived permanently outside of the UK, died abroad, and the value of their assets in the UK was less than £150,000.

What exactly has changed?

For deaths after 1st January 2022 the following changes apply: • There is no need to complete the IHT205 Return of Estate Information form for all estates classed as excepted; • The spousal/civil partner/charity limit for an excepted estate has increased from £1,000,000 to £3,000,000; • The limit of the value of assets held in trust has increased from £150,000 to £250,000; • The limit on lifetime gifts has increased from £150,000 to £250,000; • The new rules remove the excepted estate status for those living permanently outside of the UK. What does this mean for me?

The increase in limits will mean more estates will be treated as excepted estates and, as a result, the Personal Representative will be required to complete less forms.

However, it is still vital that the Personal Representative understands the rules, completes the correct forms and pays IHT when required.

ocl A C C O U N TA N C Y

141 Englishcombe Lane, Bath BA2 2EL Tel: 01225 445507

www.oclaccountancy.com

The tax implications of topping up a director’s personal pension fund We have a number of clients that are a husband and wife team providing services through a company in which they have equal roles and equal shareholdings.They take a small, tax efficient, salary each year augmented by dividends. Often this approach means that significant profits are still left in the company, and a common decision is to use some of those to pay into personal pension funds. A very tax efficient way to do this is for the company to make employer pension contributions and to get a corporation tax deduction.

The costs a company incurs in carrying on its business are only tax deductible where they are “wholly and exclusively” paid for the purpose of its trade and this applies to pension contributions. If there is a nontrade motive for pension contributions they won’t qualify for a deduction and if a shareholder is not a director or employee of a company, a contribution paid by it to their pension fund will not be tax deductible, and can be treated as a distribution in the same way as a dividend.

HMRC generally accepts that payment of a pension contribution (even a large one) by a company is a legitimate way of paying a director shareholder and so will qualify for a tax deduction from its profits, although its internal guidance on the matter is confusing. The guidance suggests that there can be a non-business motive for paying a large pension contribution, or a relatively large one based on the company’s financial position, for a director shareholder and therefore it doesn’t qualify.

Contrary to its own guidance referred to above, elsewhere in the HMRC Business Income Manual it says (and clarifies) “Controlling directors are often the driving force behind the company. Where the controlling director is also the person whose work generates the company’s income, then the level of the remuneration package is a commercial decision and it is unlikely that there will be a non-business purpose for the level of the remuneration package.” In simple terms, the level of remuneration in this context (including company pension contributions) shouldn’t usually fall foul of the wholly and exclusively rule and so will be tax deductible.

If therefore a company pays a large contribution for a director who is not “controlling director” HMRC might challenge the tax deduction for their remuneration, if the payment looks excessive for the nature of the director’s job. HMRC will compare what a normal employee would be paid for doing the same work as the director shareholder. However, where your company is paying pension contributions for a (controlling) director shareholder out of profits, HMRC has no reasonable grounds for refusing a tax deduction for them.

For tax saving tips contact us – call Marie Sheldrake, Matt Bryant or Samantha Taylor on 01225 445507

If you have any questions about the changes, please contact David Hill on 01225 750 000 or email david.hill@mogersdrewett.com are here to help.

Call Marie Sheldrake, Matt Bryant or Samantha Taylor on 01225 445507 to arrange a no-obligation meeting

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EDUCATION

EDUCATION NEWS LEADERSHIP SKILLS The University of Bristol is offering a part-time Masters programme in Strategy, Change and Leadership. This part-time programme is for aspiring senior managers and is designed to fit around the demands of a busy job.

Today’s leaders are facing Programme Director the most challenging Helen Ballard operating circumstances for a generation. The University of Bristol has recognised this and designed a bespoke Masters degree in Strategy, Change and Leadership aimed at providing senior managers with the tools and techniques they require in order to navigate their organisations through such demanding times.

Programme Director, Helen Ballard says “I am delighted that we are able to offer this type of programme. Excellent leadership is critical in this challenging climate, and high performing organisations are recognising the need to further develop their managers. This practical Masters degree will offer a return on investment from day one.”

• For those looking to find out more about the programme, the course leaders are hosting an open evening at the University and Literary Club on Tuesday 15 March from 6pm – 8pm. Please contact Cheralyn Dark for details: mgmt-scl@bristol.ac.uk. bristol.ac.uk/management/mscstrategy-change-and-leadership

TREE FOR THE JUBILEE Children at King Edward’s School Pre-Prep and Nursery have planted a very special tree as part of The Queen’s Green Canopy, a unique initiative which invites people across the UK to ‘Plant a Tree for the Jubilee’ as part of a UK-wide tree planting project to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee.

Everyone from individuals to Scout and Girlguiding groups, villages, cities, counties, schools and corporates have been encouraged to plant trees from October 2021 when the tree planting season begins, through to the end of the Jubilee year in 2022.

Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Somerset Annie Maw, joined the children as their special guest to help plant a Flowering Cherry Tree, which was kindly donated by Bath & North-East Somerset Council. After the planting took place, Annie Maw said: “It is such a pleasure to plant trees to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee because they will last for many years into the future. Our nation has grown during Her Majesty’s reign just as this tree will do, in future years these children will feel proud that they planted it.” kesbath.com

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Successful, well-established year-round language school in the centre of Bath requires

HOMESTAY HOSTS IN BATH to host both short-term and long-term students.

We teach adults and teenagers, and need both single and twin-room accommodation.

For further details, including rates of payment, please contact our Student Services Manager:

Sarah Wringer Kaplan International Languages Bath, 5 Trim Street, Bath, BA1 1HB Direct Line (01225) 448840 Email: sarah.wringer@kaplan.com

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BOOKS

Bookseller favourites

Looking for a new book? Saskia Hayward, in consultation with her fellow booksellers at Topping & Co., comes up with some ideas based on their own reads...

Maisy recently read Almond by WonPyun Sohn. She describes it as “A heart-wrenching, poignant, and subtle book that gives a fragment of an idea of what it’s like to live with an invisible illness. It’s incredible to experience Won-Pyung building a world that is so vivid even when so far removed from the reader. A book to re-read and reflect on as time changes and years pass.”

HarperVia, £10.99

I’ve been really enjoying diving into the work of Marlon James, prior to our event with him on 3 March. Marlon won the Booker Prize in 2015 for A Brief History of Seven Killings. He joins us to talk about the second book in his revolutionary Dark Star series, Moon Witch Spider King, drawing on a rich tradition of African mythology, fantasy and history to imagine a mythic world, a lost child, a 177-yearold witch, a deadly regal chancellor, and a mystery with many answers…”

Hamish Hamilton, £20, publishes 3 March.

Inspired by a brilliant article in a newspaper, I started reading Michel the Giant: An African in Greenland.

It’s a piece of literary travel which tells the true story of Tété-Michel Kpomassie. As a young boy in Togo, Kpomassie stumbled across a book with a photograph of the Inuit people on its cover. Completely transfixed by the image, in 1965 he left his home country to travel across continents and begin a new life in Greenland.

Penguin Classics, £9.99

Rafe has been reading Objects of Desire by Clare Sestanovich, a brilliant debut collection of short stories centred around women’s interior worlds and lives. In these stories, thrilling desire and melancholic yearning animate women’s lives – from the brink of adulthood, to the labyrinthine path between twenty and thirty, through middle age.

Picador, £14.99. n toppingbooks.co.uk

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JOIN OUR DISTRIBUTION TEAM – PART TIME DELIVERY JOBS IN BATH

Every Month, usually the last week of the month, we deliver copies of The Bath Magazine directly to select residential areas across the city. The Bath Magazine is one of the best things our readers receive through their letterbox.

We currently have a few areas that have become available and can offer a minimum of 5 hours work for individuals looking for a little work. Depending on the area – the average number of magazines is around 500. Each area takes around 5 – 8 hours to complete.

The magazines can be quite bulky, so you will need to be fit and active as well as trustworthy, and very reliable.

You will need to have use of a car, and a mobile phone.

You will also be based in or very near Bath.

We currently pay £8.91 per hour – (rising April) which is taxable depending on circumstances – and we do include ‘drive time’

Additionally – we are always interested in hearing from husband and wife, or family teams prepared to cover larger areas or work longer hours.

Sorry no children.

CALL STEVE on 012 2 5 4 2 4 4 9 9 o r e m ail:

steve@thebathmagazine . c o . u k

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SALE CONTINUES

LIGHTING SPECIALIST 8 BATH STREET, FROME. TEL: 01373473555 WWW.FIATLUX.CO.UK TUESDAY – FRIDAY 9.30AM – 5.30PM, SATURDAY 9.30AM – 5.00PM

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SHOPPING | SHOW MUM SOME LOVE

Always my mother, forever my friend Mothering Sunday is on 27 March - show her some love and appreciation.

She’ll say “don’t bother spoiling me”– but for once, you probably know best

❶

❷

❸

❺

❻

❹ ❾

❼ ❽

1. Bitter Mandarin Cologne 50ml RRP - £76 (100ml RRP - £112) by jomalone.co.uk 2. Alex Blanket UK designer Anna Lisa Smith (Libertys of London, Tate Edit Series) Prices from £225, visit: artisanhomeware.co.uk 3. Summer Blossom necklace - £70, Summer Blossom Earrings - £35, from thesilvershopofbath.co.uk 4. Zing Silk Scarf - £90 from cherrybizarre.com/store 5. 18ct Rose Gold Turquoise, Quartz and Diamond Pendant - £1800, from mallory-jewellers.com 6. Personalised 9ct Gold 3 Link Family Name Necklace with Birthstones - £305, from honeywillow.com 7. Persol Folding Sunglasses with Polarised Lenses - £280, from ellisandkillpartrick.com 8. Silver ’S’ Bangle made from 9mm oval Sterling silver - £205, available from nicholaswylde.com 9. 18ct Rose Gold Moonstone, Quartz and Diamond Earrings - £1435, visit mallory-jewellers.com

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Nuffield.qxp_Layout 1 24/02/2022 16:56 Page 1

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Getting you back to your winning ways If you have a sports-related injury, Nuffield Health can oversee your complete recovery, from treatment through rehabilitation

Nuffield Health’s fitness and wellbeing gym in Stoke Gifford can support your recovery following hospital treatment

I

n recent years, more and more people of all ages have come to realise that the key to a long and healthy life is, quite simply, exercise. While this can offer considerable benefits to our health, for some there may be a price to pay; an injury related to their chosen sporting activity.

There are two kinds of sports injuries: acute and chronic. Acute injuries occur suddenly when playing or exercising. Sprained ankles, twisted knees, and various fractures are acute injuries. Chronic injuries tend to happen after you exercise over a longer period of time, and include most painful tendon conditions, but also stress fractures.

What’s so special about sports injuries?

While there are injuries that are very specific to certain sports, in general there is nothing particularly special about sports injuries compared to those that occur outside the sporting environment. In the vast majority of cases, the damage that occurs is exactly the same, and quite often the treatment will also be the same. There may be circumstances where treatment would be different in high level athletes, but your consultant at Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital will apply the same principles when considering what type of treatment would be most appropriate.

Is there anything people can do to prevent sports injuries?

• Choose a sport that is right for you. Be realistic about your body shape, your strength, and how flexible you are.

• Always warm up before you play any sport.

• Learn how to do your sport the correct way, get some lessons, especially in the more technically challenging sports, such as swimming and tennis.

• Use safety gear where appropriate.

• Make sure you have the right equipment for

your sport. For example, the wrong racket can contribute to you developing tennis elbow. Inappropriate shoes can contribute to painful conditions such as plantar fasciitis, shin splints, and other overuse tendon problems.

If you are participating in sports that involve a lot of landing from a jump or a lot of pivoting movements, like netball and hockey, it may be worthwhile seeing a physiotherapist who can teach you the correct landing techniques. This will minimise the risk of serious knee injuries, such as patellar dislocations, and anterior cruciate ligament ruptures.

Also, avoid excessive hill running (both up AND down) as this tends to significantly overload the front of the knee.

track record in the rehabilitation of upper and lower limb sports injuries, and as well as the hospital, you can also book an appointment to see a physiotherapist at a Nuffield Health fitness and wellbeing gym.

Our family of gyms includes two Bristol sites – in Clifton, just a short walk from the hospital, and Stoke Gifford, near Bristol Parkway station. In addition to physiotherapy, our Bristol gyms have personal trainers whose specialist knowledge in strength and conditioning can aid members in overcoming pain and discomfort post-injury, and return to training freely, while Pilates classes with instructors qualified in clinical Pilates are also available.

Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital

Know your limits Build up your exercise tolerance levels gradually. This will not only decrease your chances of getting injured, but also make it much more enjoyable. There is not much joy in exhausting yourself in your first ever session, only to find that you have to take two weeks off to recover.

If you have a medical condition that may interfere with certain sporting activities, talk to your GP, your physiotherapist, or your consultant.

Why choose Nuffield Health?

Nuffield Health is the UK’s largest not-forprofit healthcare provider, and we’re committed to our purpose of building a healthier nation. The consultant team at our Bristol Hospital not only includes a number of orthopaedic surgeons who specialise in the treatment of sports-related injuries, but also two specialist physicians in Sport and Exercise Medicine: Dr Stuart Miller and Dr Guy Evans.

A pioneer in the field of sports medicine, Dr Miller has worked with the GB Olympic and Paralympic teams, while Dr Evans is currently the team doctor for Bath Rugby.

Our physiotherapists have an excellent

For more information about the full range of services available at Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital, including physiotherapy and treatments for sports-related injuries, visit www.nuffieldhealth.com/hospitals/bristol or call 0117 911 5339 to book an appointment.

Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital 3 Clifton Hill, Bristol BS8 1BN nuffieldhealth.com/hospitals/bristol

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SPONSORED CONTENT

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Quality care in Bath you can trust

When a family is thinking about care for a loved one, they want the best - they want to know that the care home they choose will put their loved one’s safety, happiness and wellbeing first.

W

e have some great news – Rush Hill Mews, formerly Gracewell of Bath, is now managed by award-winning provider Care UK - one of the UK's most highly successful care home operators* with over 40 years' experience of delivering high quality care to older people. The home continues to be run by the same trained and experienced team who take pride in offering the best residential, dementia and respite care.

Living at Rush Hill Mews is all about quality of life. Every colleague in the home is passionate about enabling residents to enjoy a fulfilling lifestyle, tailored around their unique needs and preferences. The lifestyle team organises a huge variety of group and

one-to-one activities, with plenty going on each day.

With the extra support that our care home offers, new residents are often surprised at what they can do, whether that’s being able to continue with an activity they’ve enjoyed in the past, or even discovering new hobbies with our daily activities.

The purpose-built home is designed for enjoying a luxury lifestyle, with en-suite rooms and facilities including a cinema, bistro, hair and beauty salon, and comfortable lounges and dining rooms. The home also boasts stunning gardens with wheelchair friendly pathways – the perfect place to spend some time when the weather allows.

Whether your loved one enjoys a quiet cup of tea in bed before starting the day, loves going for strolls in the landscaped grounds, or enjoys a chat over a beer, the team at Rush Hill Mews will spend time to enable them to continue living life the way they want to.

Rush Hill Mews care home Clarks Way, Bath, Somerset, BA2 2TR 01225 685678 Careuk.com/rush-hill-mews *As rated by the Care Quality Commission in England and the Care Inspectorate in Scotland.

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THE | WALK

The view over Luccombe Bottom

The Slow Coach Road

Andrew Swift takes us to a place that has changed very little in 300 years - you can even imagine one of Thomas Hardy’s literary underclass heroes on the atmospheric Slow Coach Road, he explains

F

or over 250 years, anyone wanting to get from Bath to Salisbury will almost certainly have gone via Warminster. In the early 18th century, however, a very different route was popular enough to have a regular stagecoach service. Part of it was even turnpiked.

This route started with a stiff climb up Widcombe Hill, before crossing Claverton Down and dropping down Brassknocker. From there it continued through Limpley Stoke, Freshford and Lower Westwood, across Trowle Common and down Cock Hill into Trowbridge. You can still drive this route today, although much of it lies along narrow lanes. Beyond Trowbridge, though, the road has been downgraded to a bridleway known as Green Lane before the tarmac returns to lead south through Steeple Ashton to Tinhead, now part of the village of Edington.

From here the road climbed steeply onto Salisbury Plain and headed south for 12 lonely miles before dropping down to Stapleford, where it joined the road along the Wylye valley. This section – known as the Slow Coach Road – was never turnpiked and remains much as it was three centuries ago, a rough track across the plain, with a series of monolithic milestones marking the distance to Bath and Sarum – or Salisbury as it’s known these days.

Much of the Slow Coach Road is now off limits, as it runs through land commandeered by the army for manoeuvres, but the northern part forms part of this month’s walk, which starts in Edington.

Edington lies four miles east of Westbury on the B3098, although the quickest way to get there from Bath is to head for Trowbridge and then follow a minor road through West Ashton. There is a large car park just north of the B3098, by Edington Priory Church (ST926532) – although if it happens to be full you can park further along the lane to the east.

The priory church – dedicated to St Mary, St Katherine and All Saints – is one of the finest in Wiltshire, while the Priory, to the north of it, incorporates part of the former monastic buildings. Today, the Priory’s grounds are private, but in the early 20th century they were popular pleasure gardens, with boats for hire on what was originally the Priory’s fish pond.

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To start the walk, go into the churchyard, turn left, go through a gateway and head along a path. At the end, turn left and then right

by Boxwood Cottage. After passing a succession of thatched cottages, turn left along Greater Lane for 50m before following a footpath sign through a kissing gate (KG) on the right. Go through another KG, climb a few steps and turn left alongside the hedgerow. Follow the hedge as it curves along the south side of the field, and, when you come to a gate, go through a gap beside it, cross the main road, turn left and then right to follow a footpath signposted to the Plain (ST922528).

This is Sandy Lane – although mud may be more evident than sand as you climb up a steep holloway. After going through a KG, you emerge into the open, passing a reservoir on your right.

As the track curves uphill, the views open up westward over Bratton Camp and Bratton Village. The conical hill rising above you on the left is known as Picquet Hill, while the vast natural amphitheatre scooped out of the downland below you on the right has the vaguely ribald name of Luccombe Bottom.

Follow the track as it curves round the lip of the bottom, through a landscape dotted with neolithic burial mounds, to start heading south. Carry on through a gate and, 250m further on, after going through another gate, turn left alongside a fence (ST927520).

Carry straight on past two large sheds, ignoring paths branching right and left. At the end, go through a gate and turn right along a lane. After 900m, when you come to a junction, follow the lane as it bears left (ST938514). (The leafy byway winding onward, tempting though it may appear, comes up against the army exclusion zone only a little way along.)

After passing the turning to Tinhead Hill Farm, the lane degenerates to a stony track as it climbs past Tottenham Wood, at 226m one of the highest points on Salisbury Plain. As the views open up eastward, the track descends before rising to meet the Slow Coach Road at the sort of bleak spot where you might expect a character from one of Hardy’s novels to be set down at twilight from a carrier’s cart.

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This lonely place hasn’t changed that much in the last 300 years, and as you turn left to head back to Edington, it doesn’t take that much imagination to visualise a rickety stagecoach appearing over the brow of the hill. Confirmation that you’re on the Slow Coach Road comes after 100m in the form of a huge milestone on the left (ST 945529). Although the inscription has nearly worn away, you may just be able to make out: XIX Miles from SARUM, XVII to BATH, 1763.

The views northward from here are superb, but, after, passing a track branching off to the left, the road soon dips down into a holloway, which grows ever steeper as it descends. It’s hard to believe stagecoaches ever struggled up here, and trying to keep control of them as they jolted downhill doesn’t bear thinking about. It’s easy to see why this came to be known as the Slow Coach Road – and why it fell into disuse.

As you approach Edington, tarmac and buildings reappear. At the main road, cross over and head up Charlton Hill, which soon dwindles to a footpath. At the bottom, head across a patch of grass and turn right for 25m to a building now called Mulberry House, but originally the George Inn, where coaches between Bath and Salisbury stopped to change horses. The road between here and Brassknocker was taken over by the Tinhead Turnpike Trust in 1752, but, when the road through Warminster was improved a few years later, it soon became clear that the road over the plain could not compete and the trust was wound up in 1768.

Head along a footpath to the left of Mulberry House and when you come to a lane carry on in the same direction for 300m. At a T junction, turn left along the lane to return to the car park. n

View northward from the Slow Coach Road

Fact file n Starting point: 3.5 miles; 4.5 miles with optional visit to amphitheatre. n Length of walk: 5 miles n Level of challenge: Generally straightforward, with no stiles and mostly on well walked tracks n Map: OS Explorer 143 n Refreshments: Three Daggers Inn (with microbrewery and farm shop) on the B3098 at Edington (BA13 4PG; ST 932533)

Many more walks can be found in Andrew Swift’s Country Walks from Bath, published by Akeman Press; akemanpress.com.

AN AWARD WINNING PRACTICE, CREATING UNIQUE CONTEMPORARY & TRADITIONAL INTERIORS. WOOLFINTERIOR.COM

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01225 445670

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STUDIOS IN BATH & LONDON

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HOMES & GARDENS | S/S 2022 GUIDE

Rooms for improvement

It’s time to get your house in order. Our spring/summer guide features all the best trades and services to help spruce up your home and garden. Whether it’s a small decorating touch or an ambitious major project, this directory offers a great range of expert services to make all those home, interior and garden ideas become reality

SCHMIDT BATH 1 Park Road, Bath BA1 3EE Tel: 01225 337276 Web: schmidt-bath.com Schmidt have been creating bespoke made-to-measure interiors in Bath for more than 35 years. From luxury kitchens to bathrooms, bedrooms and home offices, its team of designers can make use of even the smallest space. Formerly Interior Harmony, Schmidt Bath is headed up by Leroy McKenzie and with highly skilled in-house fitters you can be sure that your project runs smoothly, and with established installation partners, Schmidt now offer complete home renovation projects including extensions. The team can help you create your dream kitchen, advising on the best layouts and appliances from high-end brands including Siemens and Miele. If you’re looking to upgrade your home, give them a call to book your free quotation or make an appointment via video or phone call and have an informal chat with a designer or visit Schmidt in-store to see a full range of beautiful possibilities.

WOODHOUSE & LAW

AVONVALE CARPETS

4 George’s Place, Bathwick Hill, Bath BA2 4EN Tel: 01225 428072 Web: woodhouseandlaw.co.uk

37 Kingsmead Street, Bath BA1 2AA Tel: 01225 427057 Web: avonvalecarpets.co.uk

Woodhouse and Law is a well-established full service interior and garden design partnership. From the showroom and studio on Bathwick Hill, the company offers every component necessary in the delivery of a project from concept to completion, ensuring the highest quality throughout. The unique service combines the expertise of inhouse interior and garden designers with that of a highly skilled team of local craftsmen and technicians. So, whether your project is residential or commercial, the team at W&L can help with a wide range of services to transform your space. From making up soft furnishings to a full design service and project co-ordination, everything is delivered with exceptional attention to detail. To arrange an initial consultation, get in touch or pop in to meet the team.

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Your choice of flooring is vital in transforming any room and the range of options can sometimes overwhelm.

Fortunately, Avonvale Carpets is on hand to assist. It has served homeowners and businesses throughout the city of Bath and Wiltshire for almost 50 years, providing an excellent choice of flooring, indepth expertise and perfect fitting. An independent, second-generation family-run business, Avonvale Carpets has its own professionally-trained fitters and deals directly with major manufacturers, offering customers a great selection of quality flooring solutions that’s second to none – laminate, LVT, natural, stain resistant, vinyl, wood, wool and tailormade options too. You’ll be amazed at the variety on offer in the shop, located just off Kingsmead Square. Pop in and see.

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HOMES, INTERIORS & GARDENS | S/S 2022 GUIDE

THE HOME METHOD Tel: 07796 422609 Web: thehomemethod.co.uk

BEFORE

AFTER

The Home Method is a Bath-based, professional organising and decluttering service. Business owner Elly offers friendly, nonjudgemental advice and hands-on help to transform your home.

The process will help you consider your living space and lifestyle to set manageable goals for what you would like to achieve. Services include home-styling, organising house moves, assistance following bereavement, and wardrobe decluttering. Other specific requests are always welcome. Get in touch today for a FREE 30-minute initial consultation to discuss your needs and take the first step towards an organised, practical and beautiful home.

BONITI Dunsdon Barn, West Littleton, Wiltshire SN14 8JA Tel: 01225 892200 Web: boniti.com Run by Giles and Simon Lunt, Boniti is a high-quality interiors (and exteriors) business. The showroom is a destination for all types of natural stone, porcelain and timber flooring as well as decorative tiles, stoneware, Kadai firebowls, and the highly desirable Everhot range cookers and stoves. For large and small projects, the Boniti team are masters of their profession and it shows in every detail.

The showroom is easily reached from J18 of the M4.

GARDEN AFFAIRS Trowbridge Garden Centre, 288 Frome Road, Trowbridge BA14 ODT Tel: 01225 774566 Web: gardenaffairs.co.uk Create space for home working, hobbies, a growing family or even a new business venture with a cost-effective, versatile, fullyinsulated garden room. Garden Affairs offer a huge range of high quality, sustainable garden buildings and will help you get the design, the installation, the quality and the price spot on. Visit their extensive display centre at Trowbridge Garden Centre in Wiltshire to see garden offices, art and craft studios, teenage dens, granny annexes as well as a range of ‘posh sheds’ and summerhouses.

JIM LAWRENCE 114 – 116 Walcot Street, Bath, BA1 5BG Tel: 01225 430691 Web: jim-lawrence.co.uk Over the past 20 years Jim Lawrence has built up a reputation for making high quality lighting and home accessories using traditional handcrafted techniques. The business has come a long way since starting out on Jim’s farm, but the ethos to nurture British craftmanship remains the same. Today the company employs a skilled team of 150 engineers, welders, painters, seamstresses, designers, lampshade makers and technicians, alongside a full cohort of support staff in the Suffolk workshop. View Jim Lawrence’s extensive homeware collection in the beautiful new Bath showroom - set in a unique Georgian building nestled right at the heart of Walcot Street.

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HOMES & GARDENS | S/S 2022 GUIDE

BEN ARGENT KITCHENS Dunsdon Barn, West Littleton, Wiltshire SN14 8JA Tel: 01225 892270 Web: benargentkitchens.co.uk Award winning creators of bespoke contemporary kitchens that successfully combine functional design with elegant simplicity. Ben has a background as a designer/maker and has extensive experience in the specialist furniture industry.

He launched the company in 2007 with a clear understanding of the subtleties and technicalities required to achieve sophisticated and highly individual contemporary kitchens. Their beautiful showroom is conveniently located near M4 J18 with plenty of free parking. Please contact them to arrange a viewing.

ETONS OF BATH Tel: 01225 639002 Web: etonsofbath.com Etons of Bath is a specialist interior design and architecture practice focused on refurbishing and renovating period homes. Their team of 14 interior designers and project managers can help you plan, design and deliver classically inspired interiors that add value, turn heads and improve the use of space. From their studio in Walcot Street, the team covers projects of all shapes and sizes from large townhouses and country estates to luxury apartments. They combine specialist knowledge, creative flair and project management skills to deliver luxury and complex projects on time and budget.

CATRIONA ARCHER Tel: 07823 884945 Web: catrionaarcher.com Interior design should be accessible to all and needn't cost the earth – From one day consultations and hands-on styling to complete home renovations: Catriona provides creative, working solutions and inspiration to compliment your home and personality. Catriona understands where to start by making the most of your existing furniture and space. This is a wonderfully quick and inexpensive way to refresh and update an interior, and effectively identifies where further investment could be focused.

Simply contact Catriona for a friendly and professional interior design experience.

HOMEFRONT INTERIORS 10 Margaret’s Buildings, Bath BA1 2LP Tel: 01225 571711 Web: homefrontinteriors.co.uk Homefront Interiors is a homewares store that follows a simple ethos to source ethically made and sustainable products. With a clever mix of work by local artists and makers, displayed alongside handmade fair-trade products from around the world, Homefront aim to support the small producers. The shop may be small, but it is a treasure trove of beautiful things - handmade, fair trade, recycled, or made from sustainable materials.

If you are looking for a great selection of all those hand-picked and important finishing touches for the home then Homefront is a great destination store to visit.

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CLAIR STRONG INTERIOR DESIGN 5 Argyle Street, Bath BA2 4BA Meetings by appointment.

Tel: 01225 426905, Mob: 07855 797311 Web: clairstrong.co.uk Clair Strong Interior Design Ltd is a friendly, boutique business based in Bath, providing a range of interior design services for residential and commercial projects.

With over 15 years experience, Clair and her team work with a trusted network of professionals and Photography by nicksmithphotography.com trades offering complete design and refurbishment. From city centre apartments and retail units to large Georgian houses, her portfolio includes projects of all sizes. The company ethos is to take a collaborative approach with clients, working with them to create spaces that meet their needs, improve their lives, and exceed their expectations. Call or email Clair to arrange a consultation.

JOEL BUGG FURNITURE & SPACES Tel: 01225 583520 / 07779 236242 Web: joelbugg.co.uk Joel Bugg Furniture & Spaces designs and creates elegant, bespoke fitted furniture and interiors, which are architecturally thought through to seamlessly fit and suit your property. Joel and his team offer a fully managed service from initial space planning and concept designs, using teams of skilled cabinet makers in their manufacture through to final installation. They will also recommend, source and provide lighting, flooring and other finishing touches as required. Their expertise spans all interiors from kitchens and bathrooms to libraries and boot rooms, and as well as working directly with clients they work collaboratively with architects and interior designers to deliver a truly tailored solution.

MARMALADE HOUSE Tel: 01225 445855 Web: themarmaladehouse.co.uk

BATH RECLAMATION Tel: 07983 556 757 Web: bathreclamation.co.uk It was a sad day when Walcot Reclamation and Walcot Architectural Salvage had to move out of Bath, but the good news is that former manager Cary Morgan, is now the owner of Bath Reclamation, based just outside Bath in Newton St Loe. Bath Reclamation stock and source all types of reclaimed materials, with a special focus on building materials such as Bath stone ashlar, paving, flooring, roofing and bricks. All other types of salvaged materials and salvaged items – from windows to sleepers, curbs and resawn pine – are kept in stock when available. A visit to its helpful, new website is a must.

Marmalade House is an award-winning, professional furniture painting and design company, based in Bath. It specialises in French and Gustavian finishes that include the layering of colours, distressed paintwork and lime-washing as well as gilding, colourwashing for ageing and waxing services. The focus is all about colour and style and how that fits into a customer’s home. The team of trained interior designers also offer a design and styling service that brings together the client’s style and aspirations for change. For those who prefer to do everything themselves, the company also offers popular training courses on how to paint furniture to professional standards, and the use of colour within your home.

Run by Vanessa, Marmalade House is an established, friendly company that has its clients’ interests at heart, whatever changes they would like to make, and at whatever scale.

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ASPECT WINDOW STYLING 1 Saracen Street, Bath BA1 5BR Tel: 01225 469559 Web: aspectwindowstyling.co.uk Aspect Window Styling is a small local business that specialises in high-end made-to-measure window furnishings. These include blinds, powered blinds, shutters, curtains and awnings. Based in the centre of Bath, the team provides a full design, measuring and fitting service for both small and large design projects across the south west. The showroom is full of the latest products and its highly experienced staff are on hand to provide expert advice both for design and technical queries. Aspect Window Styling understands every window is unique, and aims to provide its customers with specialised solutions to bring out the best in their home

ANNA DESIGN BESPOKE FABRIC COMMISSIONS Tel: 01373 473122 / 07779 951691 Web: anna-design.uk Anna Fraenkel has been fulfilling textile commissions since she was 17 and for the last decade has been working with national interior design company Jayne Clayton. She specialises in textiles for the home and events. Whether you’re looking to transform a village hall into a beautiful wedding venue, want something really unusual, or simply need some curtains, blinds or cushions for your home, Anna will visit, advise and bring your ideas to life.

MANDARIN STONE 15–16 Broad Street, Bath BA1 5LJ Tel: 01225 460033 Web: mandarinstone.com Renowned for its comprehensive natural stone collection, Mandarin Stone has gained quite a reputation for its on-trend and beautifully designed porcelain. Ranging from tiles that cleverly mimic materials such as wood, concrete and marble to striking glazed and patterned tiles, the collection has endless surface design possibilities. Established for over 25 years and with 10 inspirational UK showrooms, it offers dependable specialist knowledge as well as technical expertise. Almost the entire natural stone and porcelain collection is held in stock in the UK, so lead times are short.

HOLLOWAYS OF LUDLOW 37 Milsom Street, Bath BA1 1DN Tel: 01225 258874 Web: hollowaysofludlow.com Holloways of Ludlow represents the very best in highend, design-led furniture and lighting. Since it was established in 1985 in the market town of Ludlow, it has evolved into one of the UK's most respected multibrand retailers. Offering a network of over 400 international designers and brands, Holloways of Ludlow showcases a broad range of products that spans 20th century iconic designs to future classics from contemporary talents. Its largest store yet is now open in Bath, bringing together some of the best European and Scandinavian designs from leading brands including Hay, B&B Italia and Flos.

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TR HAYES 15–18 London Street, Walcot, Bath BA1 5BX Tel: 01225 465757 Web: trhayes.co.uk TR Hayes has been selling furniture in Bath for over 100 years and has a reputation for good quality and good service. The large store features many well-respected brands including Stressless, Vispring and Ercol, with an amazing array of furniture of all types on display – sofas and chairs, dining and living room furniture, beds and mattresses. Styles range from classic to contemporary, with ranges to suit all budgets.

There are also highly respected carpet and curtain departments.

Carpets and wooden flooring can be fitted, made-to-measure curtains and blinds provided, and advice on poles and accessories is available.

With friendly and knowledgeable staff to help guide you, and excellent aftersales care, you can rely on TR Hayes.

GRAHAM & GREEN

SOFA WORKSHOP

92 Walcot Street, Bath, BA1 5BG Graham and Green Outlet, Unit 1, Bumpers Way, Chippenham, SN14 6LH Web: grahamandgreen.co.uk

21 Milsom Street, Bath, Avon, BA1 1DE Tel: 01225 442 586 Web: sofaworkshop.com

In 1974, Antonia Graham opened the doors of Graham and Green's first store in London's bohemian Notting Hill. Since then, the family-run independent brand has become synonymous with eclectic furniture, hand-picked homeware and unique gifts sourced from artisans across the globe. With a mission to share the pieces that inspire them on their travels, husband and wife duo Jamie and Lou Graham passionately continue the legacy of over 45 years to bring carefully curated designs to the modern home. Step into Graham and Green's Bath store on Walcot Street or discover perfectly imperfect treasures at the Chippenham Outlet.

Discover your perfect sofa at the Bath branch of Sofa Workshop. The Spanning 4,900 square foot showroom is brimming with the most beautiful, handcrafted sofas, footstools, chairs, beds, and home accents. Everything is made by hand using time-honoured techniques in the brand’s own workshops, swathed in an array of rich, authentically hand-finished leathers and tactile fabrics. Pop by for a warm welcome and let the expert Sofa Masters help you create your dream interior.

Pictured here, Rebecca, Store Manager, Bath.

SELBY LANDSCAPES Tel: 01225 571350 Web: selbylandscapes.com Selby Landscapes is the leading landscape gardening company based in Bath with an excellent reputation for crafting beautiful and enduring outdoor spaces.

Selby Landscapes offer a turn-key solution to your landscape requirements including landscape design and construction, garden design, planting and garden maintenance.

Frequently working alongside other garden designers in the Somerset region, as well as offering an in-house garden design service, every garden project Selby Landscapes create, from city courtyards to large country gardens, is crafted to give a lifetime of pleasure.

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GARDEN REQUISITES Tel: 01225 851577 Info@garden-requisites.co.uk Web: garden-requisites.co.uk Based in Bath, Garden Requisites produce high quality, hand-made zinc galvanized products such as porches – as shown, door canopies, window boxes and trellis panels. Specialising in weaving wire, each piece is created locally and made to order. Standard sizes or bespoke designs in solid steel or wirework can be created and despatched nationwide and worldwide. Visitors to the Batheaston showroom are very welcome. Established almost 20 years ago to cater for the discerning gardening world, Garden Requisites now not only produce arches, trellis panels and planters but also door canopies, window boxes and fireguards for wood burning stoves. Due to the sustainability and longevity of hot dip zinc galvanized steel, any Garden Requisites’ product will last a lifetime, eliminating the need to be replaced or maintained so reducing the carbon footprint and removing any waste from the product life cycle – a truly sustainable solution. For more information or to place an order, get in touch.

HEIDI REIKI BALANCING ENERGY AND FENG SHUI Tel: 07776 255875 Web: heidireiki.com Does your home need an energy boost? Home is a tranquil place, a sanctuary full of joy and nurturing energies. The flow of energy through your home ideally feels in synchronicity with the rest of your life. When you and your living space are in harmony you naturally feel joy and that is reflected in the energy of your home. Living spaces are mirrored reflections of our lives. If your home environment is out of sorts and doesn’t feel in flow, it can influence how you’re feeling and the reverse is true too. If you feel you or your home doesn’t have that zing about it, perhaps you’d like to consider an energy make-over? A home energy clearing can help rejuvenate you and your home, emotionally and physically. Heidi can help bring a sense of joy and harmony to you and your living spaces. Using her expertise of over 15 years of experience enabling people, their homes and workspaces to become nurturing inspiring places. Heidi’s experience of Reiki, Feng Shui, and energy clearing gives her the knowledge of how to help bring about these positive changes in your unique home, for you and those living with you.

Find out more contact Heidi Lerner Rearden: heidi@heidireiki.com

MARDAN REMOVALS AND STORAGE Tel: 01225 313233 / 07899 847857 Web:mardanremovals.co.uk Mardan work with both home and business owners directly and all work is of the highest standard, reliability being paramount. The team are highly experienced in moving fine arts and antiques giving you the confidence that your most prized possessions will be moved safely and carefully. All your effects will be packed to European standards. Mardan offer a full packing service and all packing materials are free of charge with every move. The company also provides secure storage hire in Bath with around-the-clock access and CCTV security and with flexible rental periods and storage size at competitive rates. Whatever your reason for needing storage, if you’re looking to store all your household goods or just a couple of items, look no further. Mardan Removals can take the stress away and arrange it all for you in Bath.

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KELLY MARIE KITCHEN INTERIORS 8 Pulteney Terrace, Bath BA2 4HJ Tel: 01225 481881 (Mobile: 07796 554466) Web: kellymariekitchens.com

Image: Pete Helme Photography

Kelly Marie has more than 15 years experience in the kitchen design industry. She has had the pleasure of working on many luxury kitchen projects in the Bath area and now owns her own unique and creative business based on a constant list of word-of-mouth recommendations.

Her technical designs with intrinsic creativity allow spaces that are functional yet beautiful. With a vast portfolio of luxury German kitchen projects, Kelly works with each client’s budget, providing personalised attention throughout the design process.

Kelly believes that it is all about the little details and her approach combines purposeful variations of colour, textures and finishes. The careful selection of these elements endow the home with a sense of harmony, while reflecting the individual style of the client.

COOPERS HOME APPLIANCES 13–15 Walcot Street, Bath BA1 5BN Tel: 01225 311811 Web: coopershomeappliances.com Coopers Home Appliances is a highly acclaimed and awardwinning kitchen appliance retailer with over 70 years of continuous trading and for many years running, a popular entry in our ‘Best of Bath’ list. Its large showroom in the centre of Bath has recently undergone an exciting transformation and displays an extensive array of range cookers, refrigeration, laundry, dishwashing, built-in appliances, small appliances, and much more from the best manufacturers in the market. Coopers has created a space that gives customers the opportunity to experience live appliances before they buy them. The store holds regular demonstrations and events, and the expert team is always on hand to help you choose the right product. Competitively priced and offering flexible delivery installation service, this is independent retailing at its best – value-driven with superb customer service – a tonic to the spiritless online experience.

HOUSE OF RADIATORS 22 Wellsway, Bear Flat, Bath BA2 2AA Tel: 01225 424199 Web: houseofradiators.co.uk House of Radiators sells traditional and designer radiators that can be offthe-shelf sizes/finishes or bespoke sizes and colours. This popular, family-run business opened its Bear Flat showroom in 2011 and not only sells to Bath areas but throughout the UK and overseas. Following a major re-fit, there are over 100 radiators on display and due to increasing popularity the traditional cast iron and column radiator range has expanded. With over 45 years experience in the heating and radiator industry they offer a friendly and high level of customer service. This is key in helping customers choose the right radiator for their home that will not only look amazing but will heat their room and do its job. Because the team work with leading manufacturers and distributors in the radiator industry, there’s always something to suit all budgets and styles. Locally the company are able to offer an at-home consultation where they’ll measure up and work out the correct heat requirements and size up radiators accordingly.

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ARTISTIC PLASTERCRAFT 4 Lyndhurst Mews, Bath, BA2 3FZ Tel: 01225 315404 Web: artisticplastercraft.co.uk Artistic Plastercraft was formed in 1985, with the senior member having worked as an ornamental plasterer since 1967. His son and grandsons now form part of the company. The tradition of Ornamental Plasterwork is centuries old and most of the patterns available reflect past styles and forms. Whenever possible the team reproduce original patterns to ensure sympathetic blending with existing properties. These patterns extend from the Tudor period, through the Georgian and Victorian periods up to the Art Deco of the 1930s. The company produce and supply a large range of ornate and plain cornices, ceiling centres, corbels, niches, wall plaques, panel moulds, dados and arched openings in a range of designs all manufactured at the Artistic Plastercraft studios.

FIAT LUX 8 Bath Street, Frome BA11 1DH Tel: 01373 473555 Web: fiatlux.co.uk Let there be light... Fiat Lux opened its Frome showroom in 2003, and since then it has been the go-to place to see a huge range of superb lighting, from traditional fittings and shades to the most upto-date trends in contemporary lighting designs. For interior lighting projects there are fixtures and fittings, bulbs, coloured cords and cables in every possible combination, as well as a full display of exterior lighting ideas. Fiat Lux works with leading manufacturers and is an established favourite with property developers, architects, interior designers and all lighting aficionados, professional and domestic. Whatever your style, mood or interior desire, then a trip to Fiat Lux will really light up your ideas.

BEAU NASH BATH 28 and 31 Brock Street, Bath BA1 2LN Tel: 01225 461 483 and 01225 334 234 Web: beaunashbath.com For a city like Bath it would be unthinkable not to have some good antique shops. Beau Nash are specialists in both antique silver and decorative period furniture with a range to suit most budgets. At both of their shops on Brock Street (connecting the Circus to the Royal Crescent) Beau Nash pride themselves on offering both quality antiques and the friendliest possible service. The team at Beau Nash aren’t intimidating, as some specialist antiques businesses can be and, since it's their favourite subject, they’re delighted to talk antiques anytime. Do pay them a visit - you won’t be bored.

SUMMIT CHAIRS HOME OFFICE CHAIRS Aintree Avenue, White Horse Business Park, Trowbridge, Wiltshire. BA14 OXB Tel: 01225 777 844 Web: summitathome.co.uk The Chair Your Back Has Been Waiting For. With the rise in flexible working, Summit Chairs - based in Trowbridge - has launched its ergonomic home office chair range online. Handmade in the UK and delivered direct to your door, the collection offers a choice of ergonomic British made, bespoke office chairs with a host of wellbeing features. Specially designed with your wellbeing in mind, features include Summit’s Body Balance Mechanism which enables you to constantly adjust your position as you work. Also the company’s patented Twin Air Cell technology allows you to inflate and deflate air in the seat pad to maximise your support, height adjustable inflatable lumbar support for your back, memory foam options for additional comfort, as well as a host of adjustable settings for arms, height, back tilt and headrests.

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BATH KITCHEN COMPANY 7–9 North Parade Buildings, Bath BA1 1NS Tel: 01225 312003 Web: bathkitchencompany.co.uk Established in 1990, Bath Kitchen Company is an award-winning, well-regarded family business based in Bath. With vast experience, the company takes pride in its close attention to detail and its understanding of what each client requires.

Whatever an individual client’s tastes, the team will find a bespoke kitchen that strikes a perfect balance between aesthetic and practical requirements.

Consequently every kitchen is unique, beautifully designed and perfectly functional. Handmade using premium materials and to the highest standards, a beautiful kitchen can be carefully crafted to make the most of available space, existing features and the latest technology. Whether designing for Bath’s oldest private homes or cutting-edge city apartments, the principle is the same – Bath Kitchen Company will create a place that enhances your lifestyle.

DAVIES OF BATH RABART DECORATING CENTRE 19A Monmouth Place, Bath BA1 2AY Tel: 01225 423749 Web: rabart.co.uk Rabart Decorating Centre is a family run business of 11 stores throughout the South West. There is a Rabart branch right here called Davies of Bath who have a huge range of paint brands, woodcare products and wallpaper for all decorating needs. Davies stock a fabulous range of designer paint by Farrow and Ball, Little Greene, Dulux Heritage, Paint and Paper Library and Mylands. The staff are knowledgeable and readily on hand to give you the very best advice for your next project. At the showroom there’s also a colour consultant who can help you choose colours in store or visit you at home. It’s Bath’s destination store for all professional and domestic decorating requirements.

LOLA SWIFT INTERIORS Tel: 07971 106546; Email: lola@lolaswift.co.uk Web: lolaswift.co.uk Interior designer and colour consultant based in Bath, Lola Swift offers a creative and comprehensive design service, seamlessly combining style with practicality whilst integrating personality, colour and texture in your home or workspace. Whether you have moved house, are looking to restyle a room or office space, let Lola remove the stress by creating a beautiful design scheme that reflects your style and budget. Services include residential and commercial spaces, from concept and space planning to room styling and implementation.

ORIENTAL RUGS OF BATH Bookbarn International, Hallatrow Business Park, Bristol BS39 6EX Tel: 01761 451764 Web: orientalrugsofbath.com Situated in the rolling countryside between Bristol and Bath, Oriental Rugs of Bath is home to a wonderful collection of handcrafted carpets, rugs, runners and kilims from the Middle and Far East, where these crafts have sustained their peoples for centuries. Unique furnishings such as Turkish kilim upholstered sofas and silk suzani cushions pair perfectly for any interior design project. Personalised on approval services are available and expert advice is provided for bespoke orders and specialist cleaning and repair enquiries. Open 7 days a week with free nationwide delivery, visit the website to buy online and feel inspired.

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WOOLF INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN Tel: 01225 445670 Web: woolfinterior.com WOOLF is an award-winning Interior Design & Interior Architecture practice with studios in Bath and West London. With 25 years of industry expertise, sensitively designing historic and contemporary interiors, WOOLF are accredited designers of historic, period, listed houses and hotels. Their cheerful team of interior architects and designers deliver detailed design, space planning, procurement, art curation and project management. WOOLF create completely unique client focused interiors, valued by their clients for their individual, beautifully tailored design.

WOOLF have re-imagined and tailored projects to compliment contemporary lifestyles and the personalities of their clients. They bring a richness and elegance to the interior design of homes and hotels.

THE BATH FRAMER

NEWMAN’S JOINERY

14–15 Walcot Buildings, London Road, Bath BA1 6AD Tel: 01225 920210 Web: thebathpictureframer.co.uk

6 Locksbrook Court, 88-89 Locksbrook Rd, BA1 3EN Tel: 01225 318378, Web: newmansjoinery.co.uk

The Bath Framer, owned

by Kelly, is a friendly boutique picture framers that has a beautifully quirky front of house and an amazing naturally lit workshop. Both are a joy to work in and to visit for customers wanting to see how frames are created.

Since opening, the business has gone from strength to strength, building a client list of local residents and businesses based in Bath, Bristol and beyond. A bespoke framing service, tailored to suit all individuals’ needs runs alongside a gorgeous selection of cards, gift wrap and stationery.

In April 2015, Roland Newman took over the thriving Hulin & Hudson joinery firm following the retirement of Mike Hulin.

Based in Widcombe, the joinery shop was a wellestablished local business providing high-quality joinery for houses in Bath and the surrounding areas.

Chris, the foreman, worked with Mike for almost 20 years and continues to run the workshop, so the wealth of experience and local knowledge has been retained. The company deals with everything from timber windows, staircases, doors and frames to alcove cupboards, panelling, timber conservatories and shop façades and they have a specialist knowledge in listed buildings. Contact Newmans for a free, no-obligation initial visit to discuss your requirements.

KINDLE STOVES Glenavon Farm, 331 Bath Road, Saltford BS31 3TJ Tel: 01225 874422 Web: kindlestoves.co.uk At the heart of your home should be the perfect stove. Kindle Stoves is a local specialist in clean burning, Eco Design Ready stoves approved for burning wood in Bath, with a wood-burner to suit every home and every style. The team stock the super-efficient Woodwarm, Contura and Rais models as well as many more, offering a full installation service – from fireplace alterations, to slate hearths and stone fireplaces. The lovely showroom, situated just outside Keynsham, has one of the largest displays of wood-burners in the South West and is open six days a week. Pop in for advice and brochures or to book a home survey. Seasoned logs and the Big Green Egg outdoor cooker are also available.

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BATH CARPETS AND FLOORING 4 Kingsmead Street, Bath BA1 2AA Tel: 01225 471888 Web: carpetsandflooringbath.co.uk Supplying and fitting flooring throughout the South West since 2004. Bath Carpets and Flooring (BCF) offers a wide selection of carpets, all made from a variety of different materials including wool, polypropylene, nylon and sisals. With the combined experience of more than 100 years, the team’s extensive knowledge and expertise puts you at ease as they match your needs with the perfect flooring solution. BCF pride themselves on only giving impartial advice and hassle-free measuring and estimating, so there will never be any sales pressure or confusion. As the city’s largest Karndean flooring specialist, BCF’s luxury vinyl tile showroom will give you the freedom to create impressive floors, where the only limit is imagination. With showrooms over two floors offering an even greater selection of homely carpets, vinyl’s, LVT’s and modern rugs. Commercial flooring from all leading manufacturers is available through Bath Contract Flooring Ltd. So if it’s flooring for your home or your business BCF have got it covered.

HOMESTEAD SOUTH WEST EASIGRASS Tel: 01225 684517 Web: my-homestead.co.uk Homestead South West specialises in the professional supply and installation of Easigrass – a top-of-the-range artificial grass solution for residential and commercial needs throughout Somerset. If you’re looking to rejuvenate a lawned area in your garden or are considering artificial grass as part of a larger garden design project, maybe a clean play area for the kids or even a development – this company will find the perfect synthetic grass solution and guide you through every step of process.

With over 30-years’ specialist experience using Easigrass natural-look grass range is designed using some of the most advanced technology in the market and enjoys an outstanding reputation with expert guidance and advice, all backed by a 10-year warranty on your quality artificial lawn. More households are opting for artificial grass as an exceptionally low-maintenance and durable alternative to natural grass.

From drainage base and weed barrier preparation, to final brush and finish, everything is taken care of – leaving you with an instantly stunning year-round garden transformation.

NATURAL STONE CONSULTING Unit 4 Ebdon Bow, Ebdon Road, Wick St Lawrence, BS22 9NZ and at: Unit 7 Riverpark Industrial Estate, Ampere Road, Newbury, Berkshire, RG14 2DQ Tel: 0333 444 8899 Web: naturalstoneconsulting.co.uk Natural Stone Consulting is a family-run business with a passion for natural materials. Its collection of stone flooring, tiles and paving features an everevolving range of modern, contemporary, aged and rustic options, which remain affordable for homeowners, designers, architects and trade customers alike. Its products include something to suit any setting and if you can’t find what you are looking for, the team will use their expertise to create or source it directly for you. Materials they supply include limestone, slate, marble and terracotta. Natural Stone Consulting has a showroom in Wick St Lawrence, just off of M5 junction 21. This is operated by appointment to ensure each client gets their undivided attention.

The Bath Magazine Homes, Interiors & Gardens Guide can also be found on our website: thebathmag.co.uk

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Lighting up Milsom Street Holloways of Ludlow are a contemporary high-end design and lighting retailer.

The good news is that they have just opened a showroom in Milsom Street.

CEO Mark Holloway explains the company’s design philosophy and product emphasis and gets our attention with an alluring selection of products...

H

olloways of Ludlow was founded in 1985, built from a passion for products that effortlessly combine design and materials. CEO Mark Holloway took over the family business in 2002 and attributes a childhood steeped in a world of antiques and restoration for honing his appreciation for well-made products and their value, as well as an instinct for understanding fine quality design.

In the early years of Mark’s involvement, there was a focus on lighting with an industrial twist. Furniture was added to the mix in 2015, which Mark explains was a natural addition to the range: “We’re equally as strong in the furniture sector now. As we were opening larger showrooms, we needed to style them so I began looking at furniture brands that would sit well alongside the lighting. In addition, many of the lighting brands that we supply already did furniture, so it was an easy expansion in that regard.”

The company established an early digital presence, having had a website for almost 20 years, and is soon to relaunch its digital offering with an enhanced website, featuring an updated look and improved functionality. There is also, however, a significant emphasis on its showrooms. “We’re continuing to open larger physical spaces, with Bath the biggest showroom to date. While our digital business is key, interacting with people and design in person is crucial,” says Mark.

“One thing that we’re sure will change is the desire to shop locally.

Previously, if you lived in Bath you might have gone to London to shop the bigger purchases. Now, you’re more likely to shop in your local town, which is great. Most of the country has been very underserved with high-end design furniture, so my thinking is about having great design closer to home.

“I believe that if you’re making a big purchase like a sofa, you still want to sit in it, you still want to see fabric samples and interact with our team of experts in person. We’re brilliant at sourcing and managing budgets and logistics so that’s another reason we’ve really committed to our stores. Our showrooms are beautifully considered spaces and my well-informed team are able to inform and support our discerning clientele.”

Holloways of Ludlow is approaching the future with an emphasis on the importance of these showroom spaces while continuing to innovate as an online retailer, “We’re trying to get the best practice around all aspects of bricks and mortar as well as online. It’s a good balance. It’s paramount that Holloways of Ludlow continues to be known as the best place for high-end, design-led furniture and design.”

Holloways of Ludlow, 37 Milsom Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 258874; hollowaysofludlow.com

Left: HAY Pao glass table lights, 30.5 x 35cm, from £415

Below left: Northern Daybe Daybed, from £1,525; Dokka Pendant, £249; Mass Side Table, from £499

Below: HAY Quilton sofa, from £3,219

Naoto Fukasawa’s Pao lighting collection for HAY is inspired by the soft, glowing shape of illuminated Mongolian Pao tents.

The sofa transforms to a comfortable bed with its detachable backrest. Winner of a gold medal at the 1954 Milan Triennale, the pendant has recently been relaunched.

Quilton is available in a variety of modular elements, with further corner sofa and ottoman modules available upon request.

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Heat Metal Mesh Pendant in brass and steel, 30 x 55cm and 60 x 80cm, from £752 Gleaming brass mesh was the starting point for this pendant lamp, which the designer artistically transformed into a glowing cloud of fire. Once the light is turned off, the ‘fire’ disappears, giving the shade a cloudy appearance. Heat was born out of the designer’s experiments with clashing materials, and the inspiration to create a large pendant light characterised by contrasts.

CH24 Wishbone Chair with a black-stained finish exclusive to Holloways of Ludlow, by Hans J. Wegner for Carl Hansen & Son, from £508 Inspired by portraits of Danish merchants sitting in Chinese Ming Dynasty chairs, the Wishbone Chair offers comfort and stability as well as a distinctive aesthetic and beautiful form. The chair features an intricate hand-woven paper cord seat and a characteristic Y-shaped frame which combine for durability and comfort.

In continuous production since its introduction in 1950, the Wishbone is viewed by many as the perfect chair, expertly capturing the essence of modern Danish design HAY Pandarine 3-seater sofa, with oiled oak base by Paris-based Inga Sempé, from £3,599 Pandarine fuses the luxurious comfort of a bed with the versatility of a modular sofa. The armrests come either in a cylindrical form, or with a reclining design that can be adjusted individually in the same way as the metal hinged backrests. This enables Pandarine to transform into a mattress-like surface where the backrests serve as soft pillows.

Northern Nest hanger, a container and a coat hook in one, 20 x 14cm, £55 Like birds feathering their nests with tiny twigs, humans wing home with coats, keys and other small items in their pockets. Quick and easy storage helps keep them at hand, which is why Northern Nest provides a container and a coat hook in one.

The holder is sized to contain urban essentials such as keys, change, tokens and cards, providing a hideaway where pockets can be emptied of small items that need to be quickly retrieved.

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Beaux antiques at Beau Nash

The uber-exciting news is that Scandi is out and antiques are back. Beau Nash’s new shop in Brock Street – next door to their established antique silverware store – has reinvented the antique shop of old into a trend-reflecting interiors haven

W

hat have you done with your dark wood furniture during its forgotten years? If it’s been swept aside in favour of distressed Scandi-chic cupboards, dressers, tables and everything else pared back, it’s time for some rigorous reassessment, if you want your home interior to be taken seriously. That’s because dark wood antique pieces (sometimes demeaningly labelled as ‘brown furniture’) – which have been out of vogue for decades – are seriously, ever-so back. And it’s not just about bringing those family treasures that you never quite had the heart to get rid of out of attics and spare rooms (and thank goodness for that hoarding instinct, if so) – people are actually, truly buying it. Yes. Some antique dealers are even saying that they can’t get enough Georgian card tables and can’t give away Scandi-style sideboards. Who would have believed it?

Well, this news means that the Beau Nash team (Duncan Campbell and Ron Pringle) in Brock Street is now in its historic element, because their enduring philosophy is based around antiques. They are so enthusiastic about this refreshing turnaround that they have decided, with new partner Cynthia Wihardja, to open a new Beau Nash shop next door to the existing one, selling fashionable Georgian and period antiques, providing tantalising retail choices for buyers to select in order to enhance their Georgian, period (or otherwise) interiors.

The shop had been a chemist since the late 19th century, so was mercifully untouched by modernisers and converters. So once Beau Nash committed to the building, and started the process of preparing it, they – thrillingly – discovered that the formica partitions defining the chemist’s retail area revealed beautifully proportioned Georgian spaces, with intact fireplaces complete with decorative tiles, original doors and wooden floors. What is more, the large downstairs basement room – on initial inspection barely accessible, with decades of piled up clutter – had further delights.

The rubbish was cleared to reveal a sturdy flagstone floor, a doublesize Georgian cooking range with drop-down fire bars complete with wall-mounted wooden poles for rotating the spits. On the wall opposite there is authentic wooden shelving, deep and wide, until recently storing coloured and labelled jars and bottles from the chemist and now sporting china platters, serving dishes and plates.

“The great thing about this building is that it has been largely untouched for centuries. We didn’t have to add much – all we had to do was clear everything and add some paint to bring this wonderful space back to life”, says Ron. While the new outlet is focused around creating a Georgian experience for houses of the same period in Bath, creative flexibility is also at play, with pieces from other historical periods and parts of the world – including Venetian, Syrian, Asian, Indian – selected simply because they sit comfortably with the overall interior decor.

There are spindleback Windsor chairs, low tripod tables, walnut writing desks, commode chests, elaborately decorated trunks, fireplace fenders, mahogany cellarettes (for keeping wine cool during meals), portrait mirrors with candleholders, inlaid writing slopes and large painted portraits, among many other things.

Now the main transformation is complete and the shop has opened, this extensive space has positioned itself with a clear sense of intent: antiques for fashionable interiors. You see, this is not the stale, higgledy-piggledy antiques store of old where you searched through packed-in and piled-up furniture for your must-have item.

Rather it takes its lead from the leading London antiques scene on Pimlico Road, say, where interior decor is king, trends are made and

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We look to London-based businesses who are forward-looking for inspiration. We need to focus on the up-and-coming trends

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followed and style is driven by outstanding period artefacts.

“We want to keep up with what people want, rather than what we happen to have in stock. We need to focus on what the up-andcoming trends are, and what is in the interiors magazines.” adds Duncan.

Cynthia takes up the profile: “The reason we call ourselves Beau Nash is that we’re trying to encapsulate and revive the spirit of Beau Nash, the leader of 18th-century fashion – and in this spirit we are saying you don’t have to have a traditional type of antique shop.

“We are also on a mission to bring back the beauty of Brock Street – we want to restore this street and to work together with others in Margaret’s Buildings and Brock Street to make it a Bath shopping destination.” These like-minded businesses include Berdoulat at 8 Margaret’s Buildings, run by Patrick and Neri Williams, offering a collection of restored 18th- and 19th-century furniture, kitchenware and tableware. Also Tobias Vernon’s 8 Holland Street at 23 Brock Street with its collection of modernist European furniture, artwork and design.

Ron makes it clear that there is no stuffiness about the new venture: “We are setting up to offer a service. We’ve got lovely antiques, but when people come in they are looking to decorate their houses, not to have a historical lecture.”

The shop is happy to look at antique pieces that are brought in for possible sale, and for residents this will be an open and honest discussion with the idea of achieving a sale and not using high markups. “We’re not here to take money from Bath residents – this will be part of the service”, says Ron. Cynthia has the last words on the new enterprise: “Ultimately it’s about fashionable antiques and a warmth of spirit. We want the variety and professionalism of a London shop with the hospitality of Bath. That’s the spirit of Beau Nash.” n

.

Beau Nash, 28 and 31 Brock Street Bath (fashionable antiques and silverware); beaunashbath.com

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Problem solving for interiors

It’s relatively easy for homeowners to make their own interior decor decisions rather than consulting the specialists, but not all rooms offer comfortable, light-filled spaces with good proportions. Decorating around dark or small rooms or ones with awkward features is more challenging, and it can therefore be helpful to seek a professional design perspective.

Three of our local interior gurus offer insightful advice... small spaces on landings or under stairs. Sourcing smaller sanitaryware or creating wet rooms help to work with these awkward spaces.

Bathrooms don’t have to be period to fit into a Georgian house. I encourage my clients to have contemporary bathrooms or be playful with their choice of sanitary ware. In the bathroom shown opposite (above right) from a Georgian maisonette, we chose a statement bath from Brissi which is a fun nod to the tin baths of earlier centuries.

Period properties often have high ceilings which needn’t be a problem. The serene proportions of Georgian properties take strong and vibrant colours well. In the property in the Royal Circus shown opposite (below left), the original rooms on the ground floor had been divided into several smaller rooms and false ceilings installed. The ground floor rooms were reinstated back to the two original rooms and the stunning Georgian ceilings exposed. I decorated it in a palette of blues from Farrow & Ball with the lower part of the room in Inchrya Blue and the upper part of the walls in Oval Room Blue.

Georgian families didn’t live like we do now. Bigger families had servants living in the home, children were seen and not heard, and they liked lots of rooms for separate entertaining. Nowadays people want open-plan living which may not be possible in a listed properly where you are not able to knock down walls, add attic extensions or a conservatory. I often suggest looking at whether the internal space can flow better. Moving a door or two to enhance the flow of bedrooms into a bathroom or swapping a sitting room from the front to the back of the house where it is often quieter can be simple things that change the way you use your house. clairstrong.co.uk

North-facing rooms Woodhouse & Law Green planting beyond a window reflects cooler wavelengths into a north-facing room

The challenge of Georgian buildings Clair Strong Interior Design

The Georgian buildings of Bath are defined by symmetry and clean line – square rooms, big sash windows and typically high ceilings are sought-after features. However, they also present their own interior design problems.

Basements, which were often a jumble of rooms used for food storage, cooking and baking, coal and animal feed, have often been converted into large open-plan rooms like kitchen diners, and need careful design consideration to bring light into the space. Painting the walls in light colours, using pale flooring, keeping the window dressings simple to let as much daylight in as possible and making sure you have plenty of light sources for after dark will help keep awkward darker basements looking light and spacious.

Where kitchens have been moved to the ground floor, they can often occupy large featureless rooms. The trick is not to be afraid of the space but to have fun with it – use bold colours and embrace wallpaper. In a large kitchen dining room space on the ground floor of a maisonette, I complemented a sleek modern kitchen painted in a stunning blue with a graphic Chinoiserie by designer Adam Calkin.

The wallpaper helps give character to the large square room and brings the ceiling height down.

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The nature of light in a north-facing room is often one to be embraced rather than challenged. This indirect light, and the shadows it casts, tends to be more subdued, more diffuse, creating an air of calm that south-facing rooms may not naturally have.

The light in such spaces however is reflective, so is very much dependant on what sits outside those windows. Deep green planting nearby can reflect cooler wavelengths into our homes, but we are lucky that the golden tones of Bath stone on our homes does counter this by reflecting a warmer light into even our darker rooms.

The classic Georgian proportions of this room in the Royal Circus were reinstated by removing partitions and false ceilings. Scheme by Clair Strong Interior Design

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Architectural features however can be flattened by the more subdued light and muted shadows; artificial light is key therefore to best emphasise these features. This should be integral to a considered lighting scheme that also offers layered lighting, combining wall, table and spotlights. We tend to opt for warmer white LED bulbs, particularly in rooms such as living rooms and bedrooms where a calm, relaxed ambience is key. Colour temperature on lighting is measured on the Kelvin scale, with most home lighting ranging quite widely from 2000 to 6500 Kelvins; the more atmospheric and intimate warm white bulbs are at the lower end of this scale. We’d highly recommend checking the colour temperature of all products before investing in any light fittings; this can really make or break a space. woodhouseandlaw.co.uk

Making a small room look bigger Jackie Hoyte, designer at Decorbuddi

There is a lot that you can do to make a small room seem bigger, even if it is just a tiny attic room at the top of the house. Keeping clutter to an absolute minimum is essential, so start by reviewing your storage.

Streamlined wall-to-ceiling wardrobes and cupboards are the perfect solution for small rooms. Spend time on the configuration of the internal design to suit your possessions. How much hanging space do you need compared to drawers and shelves? Tailor-made, built-in wardrobes are a worthwhile investment when budget allows. Adapting the doors of a ready-made carcass to fit the shape and height of your room is an excellent compromise.

Paint your cupboard doors the same colour as the walls and ceiling to maximise the sense of space. Don’t be nervous about taking the colour up onto the ceiling as the variation in light and shade will change the way it looks in different areas of the room.

Lighting is also crucial to get right in small rooms and it is perfectly possible to achieve fabulous lighting in a loft with low ceilings. Avoid pendant or surface-mounted lights that restrict your headroom and make the ceiling feel even lower. A grid of evenly spaced spotlights across the ceiling is a popular solution but will create a flat, bright light that doesn’t look great and can feel quite exhausting. Much better to angle your spotlights to wash light up and down the walls. This will provide a good source of general lighting and create a more interesting mix of light and shade, making the space feel lively and appealing.

Jackie Hoyte at Decorbuddi; decorbuddi.com

Dark hallways Lola Swift, interior designer and colour consultant

First impressions matter when it comes to hallways, and you can play with light and angles to present it at its best. In this Victorian cottage I designed a colour scheme to harmonise and create warmth. Built-in cupboards

with decorative door mouldings add character, painted in light and dark colours to bounce the light.

Skimming Stone from Farrow & Ball is is used throughout the downstairs to tie the colours and to help elongate the hallway. Adding Borastapeter wallpaper in the alcove breaks up the wall and helps the light dance through the pattern. We also added a vintage mirror to reflect and allude to a bigger space and bring a lived-in feel. A handy seat to put your shoes on was part of the furniture build with the addition of a soft seat cushion in a textured warm blush. The Designers Guild Manipur hexagonal pink velvet fabric makes the light bounce off the pattern of the weave and the metallic threads. lolaswift.co.uk

The Georgians didn’t have internal bathrooms, so they need to be created for the modern home; this contemporary statement bath is an in-keeping solution, referring to the tin baths of yore. Scheme by Clair Strong

One option with north-facing rooms is to embrace the more subdued quality of light, creating an air of calm.

Scheme by Woodhouse & Law

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www.thekitchenpartners.co.uk

THE

KI TC HEN PAR TNER S DESIGN STUDIO

102 Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2QY 01179 466433

Founders and Lead Designers - Fiona & Clinton

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GARDENING

In Victorian times, when there was a whole language using flowers as symbols, the primrose was a flower for lovers. It meant: I can't live without you

Early risers

Warmer days are we hope on the horizon and Elly West looks forward to the first flowering perennial of the season, the primrose, a sure sign that the garden is about to come to life

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The Primrose opens wide in spring; her scent is sweet and good: It smells of every happy thing in sunny lane and wood

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S

pring is finally on its way and, to prove it, we see the first flowering perennials, our much-loved primrose, or Primula vulgaris. I love this time of year for spotting the plants that mark the changes of the seasons. They are few and far between so all the more noticeable and enjoyable. When the primroses come out under the magnolia tree in my garden, I know that the fun is starting for the year. Primroses are easily recognised as one of our common native wildflowers and are seen beneath hedgerows, in woodland clearings and on grass verges across the country. Their cheerful creamy-yellow flowers are an important nectar source for butterflies and early foraging bees and they have a simple beauty that calls out for a closer look.

As a child I used to love Cicely Mary Barker’s book, Flower Fairies, which was a collection of flower mythology and plant lore. I also loved the colour yellow so Barker’s Primrose Fairy was a firm favourite. It reads: “The Primrose opens wide in spring; her scent is sweet and good: It smells of every happy thing in sunny lane and wood.” Confession: I’m still a fan today.

The name primrose is derived from the Latin prima rosa, or ‘first rose’, although it's not actually related to roses at all. However, the primula family is a large one, encompassing native cowslips, as well as all the more ornate and colourful cultivated forms found in garden centres and nurseries, including candelabra varieties, beautiful auriculas in jewel-like colours and dusky rare forms with exquisite markings that are highly collectable.

In Victorian times, when there was a whole language using flowers as symbols, the primrose was a flower for lovers. It meant ‘I can’t live without you’. Primroses can be found across the centuries in poetry and literature. John Donne wrote The Primrose, equating the flower

with womanhood. Shakespeare’s plays use the primrose as a symbol for youth, femininity, but also early death. In Irish folklore, primroses in the doorway protected the home from fairies, and in 1881 a whole day was named after the spring flower – Primrose Day, held on 19 April, commemorates the death of British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli. The primrose was his favourite flower and Queen Victoria sent a wreath of primroses to his funeral.

Primulas are tough little perennials that are easy to grow and care for, and also easy to buy at this time of year, found en masse among the bedding displays in trays in garden centres, as well as outside supermarkets and greengrocers. Whether you choose the traditional pale-yellow flowers, or some of the many brightly coloured forms, they are ideal for giving an instant boost to containers, hanging baskets and window boxes, or at the front of a border, under deciduous trees or along the edge of a path. Once planted, they will merrily self-seed and spread themselves around, coming back year after year. They grow in sun or shade and they’re not too fussy about soil type, preferring slightly damper soils.

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GARDENING Flowers appear from February to May and leaves are often evergreen through winter, although they may die back in exposed, colder areas. Once planted, they don’t need much attention, although some of the cultivated forms will benefit from a diluted solution of tomato fertiliser to give flowering a boost, particularly if they are growing in pots and have been there for a while. Start feeding them as soon as you see the first buds forming, every ten days or so until the first flowers open, then deadhead them regularly to keep them coming.

Growing the cultivated varieties of Primula auricula, often known simply as auriculas, can become addictive, as there are so many colours and forms from which to choose.

There are literally thousands of auricula hybrids, and variations include double petals, green-grey edges, borders and stripes. Auriculas were first recorded in England in the Elizabethan period, but became more popular in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries when collectors and breeders were constantly trying to outdo each other in their search for the perfect flower. ‘Auricula Theatres’ became a thing, as a way to show off the plants – each in a small, individual pot and displayed in rows on shelves. These theatres are still popular today and a quick Google search reveals lots of ‘how-to’ guides, if you fancy making one yourself. A specialist nursery or rare plant fair is a good place to try if you want to start a collection. The next one in Somerset is on 20 March at the Bishop’s Palace in Wells (rareplantfair.co.uk).

Also worth a mention is that the flowers and leaves of primroses are edible. Add them to salads for something a bit different, or crystallise them for Mothering Sunday or as Easter decorations for cakes. n

Plant of the month: Magnolia Magnolias come out in full force in early spring, and the pure white Magnolia stellata, although less showy than some of the larger varieties, is an ideal choice for smaller spaces with its beautiful starry flowers. Also known as ‘star magnolia’, this variety is slow-growing and eventually forms a deciduous shrub up to two metres tall. The buds are amazingly tactile, covered in downy fur, which then open into large, multi-petalled flowers appearing on bare branches before the leaves. Plants prefer sun or partial shade, and neutral to acidic soils, although they can also do well on alkaline soil as long as it’s not too dry. Grow this magnolia as a specimen plant in a pot, in the centre of a lawn or as part of a mixed border, underplanted with small spring bulbs such as Iris reticulata, Narcissus 'Tête-à-tête' and grape hyacinths. Choose a sheltered spot, preferably away from strong winds as the flowers are short-lived at the best of times, and can disappear overnight in a storm.

Avoid over-pruning, as you might ruin the shape, but if you do need to keep the size in check, cut it back in summer when it’s in full leaf. Also be sure to remove any damaged, diseased or crossing stems.

• ellyswellies.co.uk

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the directory

to advertise in this section call 01225 424 499 House & Home

Electricians

M&J

Building Services

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Health, Beauty & Wellbeing

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House & Home

Jewellery

Nigel Dando WE BUY Gold, Silver & Platinum in any form or condition.

Nigel Dando 11 Pulteney Bridge, Bath BA2 4AY Tel/Fax: 01225 464013 www.nigeldando.co.uk

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Visit our Showrooms bath carpets and flooring

4 Kingsmead Street,

For your Home: www.carpetsandflooringbath.co.uk

Bath, BA1 2AA 01225 471888

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Your Karndean Specialist Carpets

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Bath “Founded in 2011 by Marcus Spanswick, who already had 20 years’ experience in the industry, Mardan Removals and Storage Ltd is a, family run, professional full service removals and storage company based in Bath. Marcus wanted to build a company that he and his team would be proud of. The key to the company’s success is providing a personalised service, treating each customer as an individual to ensure they get an excellent removal service. Mardan have a fleet of vehicles allowing them to offer; commercial moving, local to international moves and storage”.

Reclamation

Originally of Walcot Reclamation and then former Co-Director of Walcot Architectural Salvage Ltd, Cary Morgan has over 30 years experience in the Reclamation and Salvage business.

Based just outside of Bath in Newton St Loe, Bath Reclamation stocks and sources all types of Reclaimed materials, focusing in particular on Traditional Building Materials.

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St Peters, Devizes 25 highly specified homes with stunning views of the Kennet & Avon Canal.

Show home open.

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PROPERTY | HOMEPAGE

A

n imposing 19th century former Victorian rectory set in approximately two acres of parkland garden. Currently operating as a small hotel The House has permission for change of use back to a residential property.

Woolverton House has been family owned and run since 2006 and the former rectory is modelled on the Gothic Revival style of the 1860’s and built on the grounds of a former Carthusian Monastery.

The high ceilings and large windows make the public rooms very bright and welcoming and there are eleven double en suite bedrooms with slight Asian touches - and all with a view!

The two acre parkland gardens are just fabulous and nature is allowed to run its course as it is left quite wild. There is also a full size petanque piste for boules enthusiasts. It was the formal garden for the rectory hence the wonderful selection of trees, and the current owners have created a wildflower meadow so no one knows what will pop up the following year.

There is a brook and a pond at the bottom of the garden and the water comes from a nearby spring where the monks reputedly brewed their beer hundreds of years ago.

The property now has planning permission for a change of use to residential. The house would provide a stunning property with elegant rooms and superb views over the countryside to the rear.

It should be noted that there is an option to purchase the adjacent two/three bedroom cottage which will be sold separately.

Woolverton House, Bath • Stunning views • Sought after village location • 11 bedrooms, all with en suites • 2 acre parkland gardens • Brook and pond • High ceilings

OIEO £1,750,000

Cobb Farr, 35 Brock Street, The Circus, Bath. Tel: 01225 333332

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Eveleigh Avenue, Batheaston £675,000

An impressive 5 bedroom end of terrace town house with immaculately presented accommodation, a large garage and a pretty well stocked garden, located in an attractive residential development on Bath’s eastern fringes.

• • • •

•

Five bedrooms, 3 ensuite

South facing decked balcony

Deceptively spacious, immaculately presented Large garage

Attractive elevated end of terrace position,

01225 333332 | 01225 866111

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Camden, Bath £325,000

An impressive one bedroom first and second floor maisonette, with a beautiful balcony enjoying stunning panoramic southerly views, located in a fashionable residential location within 15 minutes walk of Bath city centre.

•

Two floor maisonette

•

Ensuite shower room

• • •

South facing decked balcony Panoramic views of the city

Located in fashionable location

01225 333332 | 01225 866111

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What could 2022 have in store for Bath landlords?

Peter Greatorex, managing director of The Apartment Company

T

he Bath rental market has been extremely busy, yet that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been a long-term impact caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. As a landlord, you may be wondering what the year has in store and what may impact your plans and goals. You may be looking to slim down your property portfolio due to increasing regulation, or expand it due to demand in the private rental sector. Before you make any big decisions, it may be beneficial to understand what 2022 could have in store for Bath landlords.

Should you buy or sell?

According to a Covid-19 impact report by Simply Business, only 7 per cent of landlords plan to expand their portfolio in the next few months. This is within a rental market that is seeing rising rental prices and increasing demand. Bath is a city that offers the best of both worlds, which is no doubt why it has retained its popularity as a wonderful place to live. The city is vibrant and yet still retains the feel of a town with its boutique stores and picturesque streets. Countryside is in abundance and only a short distance away. It can meet most people’s needs in terms of lifestyle, which is why, as a city, we have not seen people move away but, in fact, more renters moving into the area.

“Demand for rental properties is currently the highest it has EVER been. This demand has, as you would expect, pushed up rental prices. These two factors alone are why we are supporting our landlords to expand their portfolios and encouraging new investors into the market,” expresses Nicola Wilkes, The Apartment Company’s Lettings and Property Investment Manager. Nicola’s expertise in thoroughly understanding the right properties for the future rental market has seen many of our landlords successfully expand their portfolios. To find out more, call Nicola on 01225 303870.

What will happen to rental prices?

Let’s begin with what is predicted to happen nationally: “2021 ended with an imbalance between supply and demand, and this is a trend that we are expecting to continue into 2022. This trend will almost certainly lead to a continuation of rental price growth as the year develops,” said Andy Halstead, Chief Executive Officer at HomeLet & Let Alliance.

We can certainly confirm that demand has not ceased for rental apartments in Bath; as soon as we list them we are inundated with requests for viewings, and they are quickly let.

This demand has, too, seen the price of private rentals rise, and there does not seem to be any sign of this ceasing soon. But what is essential is that, if you are looking to expand your portfolio, you choose a property that will be attractive to tenants in all markets, and you can cover your costs should rental prices start to fall in the future.

It keeps evolving As with all property markets, nothing is absolutely certain, which is why it is essential that you have plans in place for any unexpected events that may arise, like a pandemic, for example.

We would encourage all new and experienced landlords to have a conversation with Nicola, as she can help you to protect your portfolio and make sure you are in a strong position, not just this year but also in the years to come.

The Apartment Company 01225 471144 | www.theapartmentcompany.co.uk

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From our office just off Pulteney Bridge we have recently let these properties and more. Pop into our office to discuss any aspect of the property market.

Our office has over 50 years of experience of selling and renting property in Bath assisted by a network of almost 100 offices in London and around the country.

For a free, no obligation market appraisal in sales or letting please do not hesitate in contacting us 01225 829000

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Alexandra House

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£575,000

· Modern apartment · Two double bedrooms · Second floor apartment · Fabulous riverside views · Bathroom and en suite · Close to Elizabeth Park · Lift access, bin and bike storage · Allocated gated parking · Approx. 897 Sq. Ft. · EPC B rating

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Haygarth Court · · · ·

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£360,000

2 bedroom self-contained apartment · Ground floor kitchen Reception room · Shower room · Private parking space Communal gardens · Lovely views · Close to City of Bath centre Easy access to M4 · EPC D rating

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Cleveland Place West

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£275,000

· Georgian · Grade ll listed · Top floor apartment · Two bedrooms · Central location · No onward chain · Share of freehold · Approx. 530 Sq. Ft. · EPC C rating

SALES

01225 471 14 4

LETTINGS

01225 303 870

sales@theapartmentcompany.co.uk

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Catherine Place

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£1,300 PCM

· Furnished · Suitable for professional person · Council tax band C · Central location · Lovely Georgian Features · Residence parking permit · Highly Recommended · No pets · Available 17th March 2022 · EPC D rating

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Great Pulteney Street

£1,950 pcm

· Unfurnished · Three double bedrooms · Central location · Private garden · Immaculately presented · Residence parking permit · Council tax band E · EPC Rating D

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St James Square

£1,150 pcm

· Prestigious location · One double bedroom · Private roof garden · Access to St James’ Garden · Short walk to City Centre · Lovely Georgian features · Council tax band D · EPC Rating E

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Cavendish Place · · · ·

£1,300 pcm

Unfurnished · One double bedroom Spacious 820 sq ft · Immaculate throughout No Students · No Pets · Council tax band D EPC Rating C

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Camden Crescent · · · ·

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£1,750 PCM

Unfurnished · Permit parking · AVAILABLE from 8th April 2022 No pets · Council tax band D · Two double bedrooms Close to transport links · One single bedroom/Study Video Viewing available · EPC C rating

www.theapartmentcompany.co.uk

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