The Bath Magazine March 2023

HEAVENLY MOVES

Meet soprano and conductor Barbara Hannigan

PAPER

POWER

Entrepreneur David Hawcock wins over the Dragons

CARRIE HOPE FLETCHER

The theatre star and musical sensation takes to the stage in Bath

CRISIS & CONFLICT

Photographs past and present from America

IT’S A FLOOR

THING

A straightforward guide to choosing the perfect floor

BAKE-OFF QUEEN

Introducing a brand new junior baking star

LET’S GET VERSA-TILE

The latest tiling looks and our S/S homes and interior services guide

PLUS... SO MUCH MORE IN THE CITY’S BIGGEST GUIDE TO LIVING IN BATH

5 THINGS

Great things to look forward to this month• 08

CITYIST We meet Jessica Stokes, gardener, writer and floral designer • 10

NOTES ON A SMALL CITY

Columnist Richard Wyatt finds out what The Fashion Museum is up to while it is without a permanent home • 14

POP-UP ENTREPRENEUR David Hawcock talks paper engineering, Paddington and the Dragons’ Den experience • 44

BAKING UP A STORM Meet Junior Bake Off star Immy who tells us all about her JBO experience • 48

BOOKS Daisy Game celebrates all things floral in this month’s reading selection • 52

INTERVIEW Emma Clegg talks to Carrie Hope Fletcher about the draw of the stage and the power of music • 16

KEEPING TIME Barbara Hannigan discusses conducting, thinking ahead of the music and performing premières • 22

WHAT’S ON Our monthly guide to all the things to enjoy in and around the city • 24

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR OUVs

A new series of lectures at BRLSI unravel the inscribed attributes in Bath’s World Heritage Site • 30

ARTS & EXHIBITIONS Here’s our monthly round-up of artistic goings-on• 32

THEN AND NOW A new photography exhibition at the American Museum & Gardens captures America in Crisis in the 1960s and the 2020s • 36

RECIPE Make a White Bean Prawn Saganaki courtesy of Dr Rupy Aujla for a nutritional boost • 40

INTERIORS SPECIAL

INTERIORS NEWS • 58

GUIDE TO FLOORING Engineered wood, stone, linoleum, tiles –what does it all mean? • 60

HOME & GARDENS DIRECTORY

Local suppliers and services that will help you bring your ideas to life • 66

BEING VERSA-TILE The latest tiling looks to welcome into your home • 80

GARDENING Elly West starts to think about colour, because the plant colours in your garden can change how you see a space • 86

Carrie Hope Fletcher who is bringing her new debut solo tour

Photograph by Michael Wharley

THE WALK Andrew Swift walks around the ancient hilltop town of Malmesbury and finds the tomb of King Athelstan • 84

FROM THE EDITOR

The thing about pop-ups is that they wow you every time. Traditional flat-page books might only get one full read, whereas a pop-up book is a guaranteed spirit-raiser to be brought out again and again. This month I talked to master of pop-ups David Hawcock. He’s a paper engineer and he can design things that will pop up dramatically and then pop down again. His latest enterprise is two pop-up games, including a chess set, which he recently took into the Dragons’ Den, with considerable success (see page 44). Our cover star this month is musical theatre sensation Carrie Hope Fletcher. She told me that the thrill of musicals comes from how music can be the soundtrack to everything we are feeling. She’s coming to Bath in June to appear in Carrie Hope Fletcher: An Open Book, performing a selection of her songs as well as telling some engaging stories about her life (see page 16). There’s more music, but of a different kind with conductor and soprano Barbara Hannigan who is performing her own musical magic with the London Symphony Orchestra at The Forum. See page 22. We also have a sweet treat in store because there is a new Queen of Baking in Bath. Her name is Immy and she took part in the most recent series of Channel 4’s Junior Bake Off. She started baking when she was two, would you believe, and her skills in the kitchen at the age of 9 are most impressive (see page 48).

As part of our interiors issue we’ve researched a nuts-and-bolts feature all about flooring, the different types and how to choose the best one (see page 60). This is bolstered by some expert perspectives on the choosing of tiles (see page 80), and our essential spring/summer directory of local interior suppliers (see page 66).

There’s also a piece on the new exhibition at the American Museum & Gardens (page 36) and a flavourful and nutritious White Bean Prawn Saganaki recipe (page 40). Our pages may be flat, but they are pop-ulated with unforgettable content!

Emma Clegg, Editor

fundraiser in the hope that this important part of Bath’s history can be saved.

Pumping station under threat

Bath’s original Georgian Pumping Station with a working 200-year-old waterwheel is at risk of never running again unless major repairs can be funded. Claverton Pumping Station has set up a Just Giving

On the Kennet and Avon Canal, Claverton Pumping Station is home to the giant 7-metre wide waterwheel, which used to power a beam engine capable of pumping over 2 million gallons of water into the canal each day. This water kept the canal functioning as a transport highway from Bristol and Bath to London. An electric pump does the work today, but the original waterwheel and pumping station is open as an attraction with hundreds of visitors each year. A team of volunteers maintain the site and give guided tours.

Earlier this year, cracks started to form on the cast iron frame, threatening its future –this means that the waterwheel can’t be run until the repairs are done.

Just Giving website link: justgiving.com/campaign/claverton-casting-repairs Claverton Pumping Station: claverton.org

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THINGS TO DO IN MARCH 5

Celebrate

Join trombone quartet Bones Apart at the Wiltshire Music Centre on 11 March as they shine a light on female composers, songwriters and historical figures in this Wonder Women Family Concert. A part of Women’s History Month, this exploration of women’s contributions to music and history will appeal to the whole family. The performance will even include some colourful portrayals of Boudica and Calamity Jane. There is also a 1pm Playshop, a great opportunity for kids to interact with the artists before the concert. Book early as places are limited. 2pm. Tickets £12 / £7. Wiltshire Music Centre, Ashley Road, Bradford-on-Avon BA15 1DZ; wiltshiremusic.org.uk

Explore

The spring season is off to an exciting start at The American Museum & Gardens. Come and enjoy 40,000 narcissus in bloom at the Museum’s Opening Weekend on 11–12 March, take a look at new photography exhibition America in Crisis (11 March –4 July), sample the menu at the new American Garden Deli and make some time for self care at the Yoga and Welleing Mornings from 20 March. Visit americanmuseum.org for a full list of spring events.

Shop till you drop

The celebrated Bath Decorative Antiques Fair returns to The Pavilion in Bath this month with a bevy of regular and debut exhibitors, who will fill their stands with decorative and country house furniture and accessories for the home and garden. There will be a preview on Thursday 9 March, followed by public opening from 10–11 March. Complimentary tickets and further information via the Antiques Fair website bathdecorativeantiquesfair.co.uk

Establish value

There’s an opportunity on 21 March to get expert advice from Elmwood’s auctioneers. Come to Bath Scouts in Bathwick where you can receive a free, no-obligation expert valuation for your fine jewellery, watches, designer handbags and fashion items. No fees for selling. Bath Scouts, 7 Grove Street, Bathwick, Bath BA2 6PJ, from 10.30am–6pm. valuations@elmwoods.co.uk elmwoods.co.uk

Listen

Herald the start of spring with Barbara Hannigan and the London Symphony Orchestra as they perform blissful visions of heaven from Mahler and Messiaen. Incorporating complex rhythms, harmony and melodies, Messiaen (1908–1992) is known for his unique composition style. His spiritually uplifting L’Ascension, which depicts the ascension of Christ into Heaven after the Resurrection, is no exception. Mahler’s 4th Symphony gets inside the mind of a child, with a wild ride through blue skies, jangling sleigh bells and rapturous visions. The concert takes place at Bath Forum on 13 March. Tickets from £15, bristolbeacon.org

The cityist

MY BATH

Jessica Stokes

Jessica Stokes was surrounded by flowers and plants from an early age. Later she used her allotment to teach herself the basics of gardening and growing cut flowers. She trained as a kitchen gardener in an organic walled garden and now has her own business as a gardener, writer and floral designer

I grew up in a little village on the outskirts of Cambridgeshire, the eldest of five siblings, in a flint-covered Victorian Post Office on the edge of a bluebell wood which I loved spending time in.

I first remember feeling a connection with gardening in my grandparents’ garden, which became our garden when I turned five. This was full of tumbling fruit trees, blackberry hedges, a vegetable plot, a rose garden and greenhouse. I liked to spend my time in the greenhouse watching Grandpa’s tomatoes grow, being wheeled endlessly around in his wheelbarrow, digging for worms, harvesting his prized green beans and picking and eating blackberries with my Nanna. We were always encouraged to get hands on in the garden, and I think that this had a real, lasting effect on me.

I dreamed as a child of being a vet or an archaeologist, but when I was a teenager it became clear to me that I wanted to be an artist. I went to Bath Spa University and graduated in 2014, with a First in Textile Design for Fashion and Interiors. I was so enamoured with living in Bath that I decided to stay. Once I realised I wanted to work in horticulture and floristry I did some work experience on my days off with a local garden designer and also evenings, after my day job in retail, with a local florist. I began my RHS Level 2 qualifications and I did a year’s placement with the WFGA (Women's Farm and Garden Association) before starting my own business.

My textiles degree has shaped my career in horticulture and floristry. It gave me time and space to explore using colour, shape, texture and composition. After my degree I stayed in Bath and dabbled in visual merchandising and styling. We lived in a tiny flat in Bath, and longed for a garden. I acquired an allotment space, and it all went from there. I discovered gardening, growing my own flowers and arranging them. I knew then that this was my way forward.

I was stuck in a retail job which I hated. Then I had the dream opportunity to work as a visual merchandiser for a company I was

besotted with, but the week I was to accept this position I was offered a very sought-after garden placement with the WFGA. I wasn’t able to do both, so I took a leap and chose horticulture. I am so happy I did.

My garden is my happy place, and it isn’t work for me. It is a place I can experiment with planting combinations, and it is left to grow wild and blousy in places. It is wholeheartedly me.

Using seasonal flowers is the most important part of what I do. It is so close to my heart that I only take on jobs which appreciate this value. I would rather have a handful of sweetpeas –highly scented and grown in a thoughtful, organic way –cut from my garden that will go over in a couple of days than anything else. The value of flowers is changing very slowly. Seasonality over endless choice, quality over quantity, organic over chemically enhanced. We must learn to appreciate the slight imperfections that come with growing flowers ourselves.

In my garden more is more. Every plant needs its space, but you can have so much fun with container gardening. Pots can be nestled closely next to other pots, clustered together for impact. I want to feel enveloped in scent and colour, I want wildness, not neatness. I want an environment that encourages birds and insects and humans. I like to experiment with bulbs in spring and annuals in summer. They are not permanent so can be closely planted together in containers for their short growing season. I like adding sweet peas on hazel teepees close to windows so that I can sit inside with a book and watch the birds eat the aphids.

If you want to work in horticulture you can make it happen if you are determined. Spend time playing around with flowers and experimenting with growing, be confident and put yourself out there. Ask if you can shadow others in the industry, or intern for a day –I have found lots of opportunities by doing this. If you don’t ask, you don’t get. ■

Jessica Stokes: flowerandland.com; @_flowerandland

Ammi majus (Queen Anne’s Lace), Cosmos, Gaura, Nigella, sweet peas and Phlox ‘Cherry caramel’

A container garden with tulips: Tulipa cairo, T. Slawa, T. Marilyn and T. Clusiana ‘Peppermint Stick’

Achillea, hollyhocks and fennel In Jessica’s garden

City updates

Voices for life

Bath-based charity Voices for Life recently launched the brand new singing and wellbeing project ‘Extraordinary!’ during children’s mental health week. The six original songs are written by Bath’s Jools Scott and Sue Curtis, and celebrate children’s uniqueness.

During the project children from Bath schools, the Voices for Life Bath Children’s Choir and Bath Young Carers will participate in workshops to understand their individuality and potential to achieve great things, while learning the music to Extraordinary! The project culminates with a performance in Bath Abbey on 29–30 June, a show which is sure to be full of energy and excitement.

Tessa Armstrong, Voices for Life founder and executive director said “We were thrilled to launch Extraordinary! during children’s mental health week. The Voices for Life team are excited to be able to get back into Bath Schools to boost our children’s confidence through this musical adventure.”

Workshops will be taking place with nearly 300 children from St. Martin’s Garden School, Combe Down Primary School, St Michael’s Junior Church School, St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School, Oldfield Park Junior School, The Paragon School, and Bath Young Carers. They will be supported by Voices for Life’s own Bath Children’s Choir.

For further information contact tessa@voicesforlife.org.uk voicesforlife.org.uk

Live in Bath and eat pie

Pieminster, the independent, family business from Bristol, has arrived in Bath. Pieminister has been making pies in their west country kitchens for 20 years. Located on Westgate Street next door to Komedia, Pieminister Bath is right where you need it, to grab a bite before a gig, gather for pies and drinks (it’s 2-4-1 cocktails all day, every day) or take time over a long, leisurely pie feast with friends. Serving up the full range of award-winning pies, you’ll find old favourites like the Moo and the Free Ranger alongside newcomers like the plant-based Mooless Moo (Supreme Champion at 2022 British Pie Awards) and the Tikka to Ride, filled with rich, warming free range British chicken tikka, topped with an onion bhaji and finished with a zesty herb relish.

Pieminster is a certified B Corp, so when you visit you know that the food is of the highest quality, and made with sustainability and ethics at its core. And what’s more Pieminster has just published a book, Pieminister: Live and Eat Pie!, available for £22 from 2 March.

Pieminster is open Friday to Saturday from noon to 11pm, and from noon to 10pm from Monday to Thursday.

Pieminister Bath, 24 Westgate Street, Bath BA1 1EP; pieminister.co.uk

Musical enlightenment

An Enlightened Heart by Renaissance and Baroque music quartet Galliarda, to be performed at the Holburne on 30 March, highlights the music and performing traditions of women in the 18th century. The 18th century saw a gradual transformation in the status of women as performers and composers. While professional singers were well established in the 17th century, their appearance on the stage and in public meant that, like ‘actresses’, they tended to be seen as women with low morals.

Galliarda aims to raise awareness of the music of this period, and the difficult position women had as independent composers, multiinstrumentalists and singers in the Age of Enlightenment. The quartet features the young recorder player Kate Allsop who recently completed her graduate studies at the Birmingham Conservatoire. Kate is joined by the seasoned performers Sara Stowe (harpsichordist and singer), Ibi Azziz (viol) and Matthew Spring (lutes and viols). New pieces for early instruments have also been commissioned from young female composers for this event.

An Enlightened Heart, 30 March, 7.30–9pm, Holburne Museum, £20 holburne.org/events

New album from Young Martyrs

There’s a new album out this month from local band Young Martyrs, who got together in between the 2020 lockdowns to stay positive during tough times by doing something creative. Tom wrote some songs and the band (Tom Corneill, Rich Beeby and Lee Cole with guitars from friend and contributor Simon Whitehead) met in open air barns and large open rooms so that they could try turning those songs into something real. They didn’t realise at the time that things would come together quite so quickly and by December the band had recorded its first album.

With pandemic restrictions all gone in 2022, Young Martyrs approached their second album differently. They recorded the tracks live at Real World Studios with additional parts from other studios, most notably Indefra in Frome with the help of its owner Seb who co-produced both albums. “The album is called Time Is Not On Our Side, partly because we got a little too comfortable at Real World Studios and nearly ran out of time to finish the album!”, says Tom.

The full album Time Is Not On Our Side is available from 6 March for £8 and includes the band’s singles Let Me Know and Never Gave You The Blues. The new album and the band’s first album Young Martyrs can be purchased through the website: youngmartyrs.com

Pieminster Sunday Best pie

NOTES ON A SMALL CITY

Richard Wyatt

The Fashion Museum may be closed until the new building is fully funded and refurbished, but it’s still managing to keep its collection in the public eye. This includes loans to a new exhibition of Georgian dress at Buckingham Palace, says columnist Richard Wyatt

Bath’s Fashion Museum may be without a permanent home at the moment but that’s not stopping it from continuing to make its mark around the world.

To recap –in case you aren’t up to speed on developments –this important collection of almost 100,000 objects shut up shop in the city’s Assembly Rooms last October at the end of a long lease. Now, with a new home at the old central Post Office having been earmarked, B&NES needs £34 million to cover the cost of buying the building, providing permanent storage for the collection and creating another public display drawn from its incredibly large wardrobe.

In the meantime, the Council has had to find a secure and environmentally safe storage facility for everything, and that has meant, I understand, sending it all Warminster’s way.

However, as previously mentioned, that doesn’t mean everything is settling down for a long-drawn-out moth-ball-induced sleep.

Fashion Museum Manager Rosemary Harden told me that after successfully completing the temporary move her team faced a big problem: how to enable the public to interface with the collection, to continue to make it visible? With that in mind, they’ve developed a fantastic loans programme which will see items from the Bath collection on display at exhibitions across the world –and as far away as Switzerland and even India. Two of these loans will have royal connections with items going off to exhibitions at both Kensington and Buckingham Palaces.

The exhibition called Style and Society: Dressing the Georgians is at The Queen’s Gallery within Buckingham Palace, the King’s official London residence. Opening on 21 April this year it explores what the Georgians wore, ranging from clothing worn by laundry maids to the glittering gowns worn at court. And beneath a portrait of Queen Charlotte painted by Thomas Gainsborough (see image to the right) will be a fine example of Georgian court dress on loan from Bath’s Fashion Museum.

Rosemary told me that this was an example of getting our local collection and the museum into the public realm, and within museums big enough to print catalogues and even tour their own special exhibitions. “The big players have all come to us because of the treasures in our collection, which is one of the best in the world. It’s a great way of keeping our brand

alive and making sure some of the exhibition glory reflects back on us.”

It’s not museum practice to charge for loans but Rosemary thinks it’s a good trade-off: “Our loans to exhibitions and museums are often conserved, photographed and catalogued at no cost to us.”

Apart from physical loans, the Fashion Museum team are focusing on digital access and have even started making little films for the YouTube channel. They are happy to receive any fashion enquiry via fashion_enquiries@bathnes.gov.uk. Rosemary told me the service is very popular with people researching their family history where identifying clothes can help date pictures.

While the curatorial team remain suitably busy, it’s up to the Head of Heritage Services at B&NES Rob Campbell to raise the cash to enable the museum to reopen as soon as possible. The Council recently missed out on a government ‘levelling up’ grant but he said preparing the case for financial support was an exercise that won’t be wasted and will help with future applications elsewhere. A Fashion Museum charity will be set up to support the project and help raise funds. There’s no doubt that with the already acknowledged support of local MPs and the Arts Council the authority will apply to the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Depending, of course, on achieving fundraising targets, Rob is hoping that the new Fashion Museum will open around 2027/28. They’ve got to finance the construction of a permanent home for the collection on councilowned land at Locksbrook too. There are also discussions about a long-term relationship with the nearby Bath Spa University arts campus.

Though Bath-centered, the new museum will seek to involve the whole of the district with pop-up displays in vacant units across B&NES and will be consulting with ratepayers on what sort of a place the new museum should be.

Rob told me, “All in all it’s a big investment in the cultural life of the people of B&NES. We already have our World Heritage inscriptions and, with our Roman Baths and Georgian architecture and social history, we are one of the world’s best cultural institutions. It’s all hugely exciting, and the aim is to generate income for the local economy and provide both education and worldwide engagement. It’s a case of go big or go home.”

And by the way the Postal Museum, which is still open in the Post Office building basement, will be staying to add to the culture in this Milsom St Quarter. n

Richard Wyatt runs the Bath Newseum: bathnewseum.com

Thomas Gainsborough, Queen Charlotte, c.1781. Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

British court dress (gown, petticoat, stomacher and shoes), c.1740–60. © Fashion Museum Bath

Singing from an open book

Some are simply destined to tread the boards –this is how it was for musical theatre star, author and vlogger Carrie Hope Fletcher who started out at the age of five with a Honey Nut Cheerios advert and never looked back. Words by Emma Clegg

Both my parents hate attention. If ever I’m in a show they will book the back row and they will be gone before I’m even out of costume, and they will call me from the train to say ‘well done’. They are averse to any sort of attention, so I’ve no idea where my brother and I get it from.”

These are the words of musical theatre star and stage sensation Carrie Hope Fletcher who is bringing her solo concert tour Carrie Hope Fletcher – An Open Book to Bath Forum in June. And her brother is singer songwriter Tom Fletcher, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of pop rock band McFly.

Despite having parents who prefer the back row to the spotlight, Carrie and Tom have a strong strand of music in their DNA. “My dad played guitar and he used to play in a band, so the house was always filled with music. My mum was a massive fan of musicals, so there has always been that love of music in the house, and that is where our musical tastes stem from.”

Carrie stepped into the spotlight early, at the age of five, as the young actress playing Little Red Riding Hood in a Honey Nut Cheerios advert. Her stage presence was clear to see even then. “It’s one of those jobs that follows me around – it’s still being shown in some countries,” laughs Carrie.

“But that was the beginning of everything, I guess. I don’t ever remember a time when I didn’t want to be an actress. There was a vague period of my life when I wanted to be an archeologist, but that was because of Indiana Jones, so even then it was all about an actor. I have always loved acting and performing.”

And so it came about that Carrie made her West End debut at the age of nine playing Young Éponine in Les Misérables. Carrie’s theatre credits since include Fantine in Les Misérables: The Concert, Veronica in Heathers, Wednesday in The Addams Family, Éponine in Les Misérables, Truly Scrumptious and Jemima in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Beth in Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds and Jane Banks in Mary Poppins. More recently she has appeared in The Witches of Eastwick as Sukie, Treason the Musical as Martha Percy, was named best performer in a female identifying role in a musical as the title role in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella, and last year she portrayed Grusha in Brecht’s The Caucasian Chalk Circle

Embracing opportunity

Perhaps because it started so very early, Carrie’s career developed around taking up chances rather than as a result of any formal performance training. “It was just how everything panned out,” she explains. “I started writing a musical with my brother when I was about 16 after I’d done my GCSEs, just on a whim because we thought it would be fun. And because my brother was in a very successful band it got a lot of attention when we started talking about it to people, and Universal Records signed the soundtrack even before we’d finished it. This meant I had to choose between working on the musical or doing my A Levels and it felt like too much of an opportunity to miss out on.

“For me it was very much about being in the right place at the right time. Things just work out in a funny old way and you end up being in the place you wanted to be. I think if you have the opportunity to go to drama school, absolutely do it – it’s an invaluable education and there were so many things I had to learn on the job that others already knew. I do feel I had to work twice as hard to prove myself because I didn’t have a formal training.”

Vlogging and communication

As well as her stage work, Carrie is a best-selling novelist and a vlogger with her popular self-titled music and vlog channel attracting more than a million views a month.

“I feel like talking and communicating with people is so underrated these days,” Carrie says. “The videos and the YouTube channel at first were just a fun thing to do when I was 18 because I had the time, but then it took on a life of its own, and I saw how positively people were responding to me chatting about my life story. I’d get comments like, ‘you’ve just put into words what I’ve always been feeling’ and this spurred me on to talk about anything I could.

“Then when I got into theatre it attracted a massive group of musical theatre fans from all over the world. So YouTube became this amazing space for me to share things that I was passionate about with lots of other people.”

On tour and stage nerves

Carrie’s new tour from May to June includes 18 venues, with Bath the penultimate one on 10 June. “This tour of mine is a huge amalgamation of musical theatre and vlogging live. It’s me sitting down telling all of these stories mixed in with musical theatre songs. Every song I sing will have a story behind it and a reason as to why it’s there.

“It’s going to be very simple and honest. It’s called ‘An Open Book’ because that’s what I am – I have always been an oversharer and have always worn my heart on my sleeve – and I don’t know if that’s why I’m an actor or if it’s a result of being an actor.”

Carrie comes across as supremely confident and exuberant on stage and on her vlogs, but she’s having none of it. “It’s all fake. I am a very anxious and nervous performer. I usually have a little bit of a cry before I go on stage for the first night. I get terribly nervous, and never more so than when I have to be myself on stage. When I play a character I’ve got something to hide behind, whereas being myself on stage is terrifying.

“That’s why I’ve said yes to this tour, because it’s a challenge. The way I’m going to do it is make myself into a character. I think it’s the only way I’m going to be able to confidently walk on stage every night. And I’m so pleased I’m coming back to Bath because I performed there with The Addams Family in 2017 and our time in Bath was one of the best weeks of my tour – it’s such a beautiful place.”

Carrie Hope Fletcher (third from right) with the cast of The Addams Family, which played at Theatre Royal Bath in 2017

Photograph by Matt Martin

Photograph by Michael Wharley

The power of the musical Musicals are the most popular genre for London theatres. Attendance in the capital reached almost 9.3 million in 2019, compared to 4.2 million for plays. “Music has always been a really powerful way of conveying emotion,” says Carrie. “That’s why people cry at songs or turn to music at pivotal moments in their lives: it’s why we play music as we walk down the aisle, it’s why we play music at funerals, it’s why when we are going through heartbreak we turn on Whitney Houston.

“Music can be the soundtrack to everything that we are feeling. And sometimes it can convey emotion in ways that we don’t have otherwise. Every song in a musical is close to a moment when the emotions are so great that the words no longer convey what you want to say, so you have to turn to music and song.

Carrie concludes, “There is nothing like live theatre – it’s that experience in shared theatre with a bunch of people in a dark room who are all feeling the same thing that you are feeling – it’s a collective experience.”

Why not go and embrace the collective experience with Carrie on 10 June at Bath Forum?

Carrie Hope Fletcher –An Open Book, Bath Forum, 10 June, 7.30pm; bathforum.co.uk. You can also find Carrie Hope Fletcher on YouTube @carrie

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Every song in a musical is close to a moment when the emotions are so great that the words no longer convey what you want to say

Carrie Hope Fletcher as Grusha in Brecht’s The Caucasian Chalk Circle, 2022

Photograph by Michael Wharley

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Visions of heaven

As a singer, there’s nothing Barbara Hannigan can’t do, and as a conductor she drives straight to the places that other musicians wouldn’t dare. Experience her doing both with the London Symphony Orchestra at Bath Forum, says Emma Clegg

There is a 2015 video of Barbara Hannigan on YouTube. It is an excerpt from a concert version of the opera Mysteries of the Macabre by György Ligeti with the London Symphony Orchestra at The Barbican, conducted by Sir Simon Rattle. Ligeti was an avant-garde composer; and this is an avant-garde performance. Described by one YouTuber as “The best entrance anyone has made to The Barbican stage in many a long year”, we see Hannigan dressed in a schoolgirl’s outfit, a tartan mini skirt, white socks, high heels, her hair in bunches, chewing gum, strolling flamboyantly towards Sir Simon. Chewing at length while surveying the audience, she then thrusts her gum into his outstretched palm … and, in her own time, starts to sing. This is not singing as we might know it, but powerful, electric, unexpected. Described by Ligeti as “an anti anti opera”, the score “is a riot of quotations and pastiche and includes a percussion section that includes ‘a duck-quacker’, a wind machine and a saucepan” (The Guardian). The excerpt went viral on YouTube, and “became a gateway for a lot of people into seeing what modern music is,” explains Hannigan. (Search YouTube with ‘Ligeti’ and ‘Hannigan’ for the full experience.)

Canadian soprano and conductor Barbara Hannigan is not a conventional sort of musician, you see. She has built an international career as an innovative performer, first as a singer and subsequently (and simultaneously) as a conductor. She has performed world premières by an international selection of composers, while her more traditional opera repertoire includes productions of Alban Berg’s Lulu at La Monnaie and the Hamburg Staatsoper, Francis Poulenc’s La Voix Humaine at Paris’ Opera Garnier, and Debussy’s Melisande for both Aix-en-Provence and the Ruhrtriennale Festivals.

Known for the first 20 years of her career as an innovative and highly respected soprano, Hannigan has always been committed to new performances of contemporary music. It wasn’t until she was 41, however, that she turned to conducting. “I didn’t make a career change to become a conductor – I simply prepared for one engagement which led to others. I took one risk, let’s say,” says Hannigan. Her conducting debut was at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, playing works of Ligaty and Stravinsky: “It was organised by a colleague who had suggested that I should try conducting, someone who believed that this was part of me. I wouldn’t have taken on the engagement if I didn’t believe that there was something worth exploring. It is a pretty big place to make a debut; on the other hand it was a controlled risk.

“I’m glad that I didn’t conduct until I was 40 because there are a lot of extra musical things that go along with conducting, which I’m happy that I encountered at a slightly more mature age, after having had, and then continuing to have, a career as a singer.”

Singing and conducting simultaneously? That sounds a challenge, because conductors work ahead of the orchestra, before the beat, not on it. “As a conductor you are always a little bit ahead and thinking ahead,” says Hannigan. “But actually I’m also like that as a singer –I’m always a little bit ahead in my brain, and usually on the front of the beat, so that’s already part of my musical DNA. But for most of the programmes I do I’m just conducting.

“What the audience sees is only the product of our days of rehearsal. They don’t see the process, which is very different, much more hands-on than the product. In the rehearsals from the first day I’m facing the orchestra and I’m really conducting and singing and showing them what I want. Usually part way through that rehearsal I

Photograph by Marco Borggreve

pull back, I change the equilibrium of responsibility, I have them playing more like chamber musicians, so they are doing more, I am doing less. Around the second day I turn my back on them, literally, training them, facing out, saying how much more responsibility can you take, where does the attention go, who has the main voice at this point? Is it the trumpet, is it the first violin, is it the cello section? So I’m making everyone aware of where the focus needs to go.”

lot of experience, and therefore you don’t necessarily have the tools or the skill set to deal with all the things that are going to come at you.

“There are so many things to deal with – criticism, social media, managers, auditions, difficult colleagues, even basic things like your health and wellbeing – it’s such a lot, and in college you just learn how to sing and how to perform.”

One of the issues that came up with Equilibrium –which included a series of guest speakers, conductors, singers, composers and managers coming in to talk about their own experiences –was loneliness: “Loneliness and isolation came up with every major artist who appeared. I’ve certainly experienced that as an international artist. So it was very moving to see these young people seeing their idols coming in and saying that, telling them to prepare themselves and find a way to handle this.”

Hannigan has performed an impressive 85 world première performances in her career, the first at the age of 17. “Every year I give a few more world premières and it’s just part of my upbringing to work with living composers,” she says.

“Nobody thinks of me as a traditional musician, but funnily enough I’m following the tradition because in the Romantic period and the pre Romantic period world premières were commonplace. Composers were expected to produce new material all the time – Haydn wrote 104 symphonies. People didn’t want to hear the same thing again, so performers were constantly giving world premières and singers were clamouring to be in Rossini’s or Verdi’s new opera.”

Hannigan is committed to supporting younger generations of musicians. She created the mentoring initiative Equilibrium Young Artists in 2017 and in 2020 she created Momentum: our Future Now, which encourages other leading artists and organisations to support and mentor younger professional musicians.

“Both initiatives are for young professionals, young musicians who have more or less finished their training and who are in that particular stage where all of a sudden you are professional but you don’t have a

Barbara Hannigan is appearing as both conductor and vocalist with the London Symphony Orchestra in Bath on 13 March, performing L’Ascension by Olivier Messiaen and Symphony No. 4 by Gustav Mahler. Both pieces express versions of heaven, but from different perspectives.

“The Messiaen piece is inspired by biblical texts and it’s a very spiritual work, with a sublime ecstasy and purity. Mahler’s 4th Symphony doesn’t go to heaven; it refers to the heavenly life in the fourth movement, but it’s from the point of view of a child who has just died of hunger, so it’s a social commentary. The child (the soprano) sings about how amazing it is in heaven, how there is so much food, everything you want, and everything is there for joy. I’m convinced that this is the child’s imagination of what it must be like in heaven.”

Hannigan explains that her approach as conductor is to “try to get deeply inside the music in the way I believe the composer wanted”. Including two musical visions of heaven, this concert is likely to be charged with wonder.

Barbara Hannigan performs with the London Symphony Orchestra at The Forum Bath on 13 March at 7pm. £15–£48. bathforum.co.uk

I try to get deeply inside the music in the way I believe the composer wanted

WHAT’S ON

MUSIC AT GREEN PARK BRASSERIE

n Green Park Brasserie, Green Park

Enjoy live jazz/funk/soul/swing at Green Park Brasserie on Weds and Thurs from 6.30–8.45pm and Fri and Sat from 6.30–9.45pm. Music includes dynamic duos, modern trios and a Hot Club style quintet. greenparkbrasserie.com

THREADS THROUGH CREATION EXHIBITION

Until 19 March

n Bath Abbey

Bath Abbey is playing host to the vibrant works of textile artist Jacqui Parkinson. Jacqui’s Threads Through Creation exhibition is a display of 12 huge (nearly three metres high and four metres wide) embroidered panels, inspired by the book of Genesis. The Abbey has put together an extensive programme of events (including services, lunchtime talks, and stargazing tours) to accompany the exhibition. bathabbey.org

HELLEBORES GARDEN OPEN DAY

5 and 12 March, 2–4pm

n Kapunda, Southstoke Lane, Bath

A stunning display as seen on the BBC’s Gardeners’ World with plants for sale. Tea and homemade cakes available. £5 entry; Supporting Dorothy House and The Wessex MS Therapy Centre. kapundaplants.co.uk

PORTABLE MAGIC: A HISTORY OF BOOKS

6 March, 7.30–9pm

n Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution, 16 Queen Square / online

How and why did books get such a hold on us? How has this technology shaped us over the last two millennia? This talk discusses continuities and change across the long history of books and their readers. brlsi.org

UPROAR!

6 March, 7pm

n Komedia, 22–23 Westgate Street, Bath Komedia Bath and Bath Mencap are proud to present Uproar! Bath’s first club night for adults with learning disabilities.The night offers a safe, relaxed and fun environment for adults with learning disabilities and their families and friends to cut loose and dance like nobody’s watching. Tickets available from komedia.co.uk

THE SILVER FISH

6–7 March

n Theatre Royal Bath

Appearing as part of Theatre Royal Bath’s Elevate, The Silver Fish is a dancetheatre piece exploring the artistry of

Lucia Joyce by US/UK theatre collective Invulnerable Nothings. The piece collides choreography, recorded voice, and actor manipulated design elements. Tickets from £7, available at theatreroyal.org.uk

THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE

7–18 March

n Theatre Royal Bath

From the imagination of Neil Gaiman, best-selling author of Coraline, Good Omens and The Sandman (now a major Netflix series), comes the National Theatre’s major new stage adaptation of The Ocean at the End of the Lane Tickets available at theatreroyal.org.uk

DIGUARDO POP UP BOUTIQUE

9–26 March, Monday –Saturday, 10am –6pm and by appointment

n Unit 21–22 Milsom Place DiGuardo is an independent store selling clothing and accessories carefully curated from a hand-picked selection of independent designers. The store carries small collections with unique items and styles. diguardoboutique.com

VAMPIRE CINEMA: THE FIRST 100 YEARS

9 March, 7pm

n Wroughton Theatre, King Edward’s School, North Road, Bath Eminent cultural historian, writer, educationalist and broadcaster Professor Sir Christopher Frayling comes to King Edward’s on 9 March to give the annual Wroughton Lecture. This will examine the bizarre background to the making of F W Murnau’s haunting Nosferatu, and will trace the film’s rich cultural legacy from Hollywood and Hammer to adult fantasy figures and comic book superheroes. It will then ask, “where might vampires appear next …?” Tickets £12/£6 (inclusive of a drinks reception at 6.30pm). kesbath.com

THE SALT OF LIFE

10 March, 7.30pm

n BRLSI

Writer/director/leading man Di Gregorio skewers the vanity and foibles of middle-aged, or is it just Italian, men? Sixty-year-old Gianni is bored, ignored by his wife and smothered by his mother. Time for a change, in the form of a younger mistress. What could go wrong? To join the society, contact the membership secretary: mail@bathfilmsociety.org.uk | bathfilmsociety.org.uk

The Silver Fish at Theatre Royal Bath | Image credit Berenice Abott

Threads Through Creation exhibition at Bath Abbey

The Ocean at the End of the Lane at Theatre Royal Bath

FOLKLAW

10 March

n Chapel Arts Centre, Lower Borough Walls, Bath

FolkLaw’s exhilarating songs and music will get your feet tapping and your festival-feet jumping. The band are known for their crowd-surfing fiddle antics, engaging on-stage banter, and an energised stage performance. Tickets from £10, available at chapelarts.org

AMERICAN MUSEUM OPENING WEEKEND

11–12 March

n American Museum & Gardens

Visitors are welcome back for an exciting new season. Enjoy the beautiful spring gardens where you’ll be able to see 40,000 narcissus popping open, have lunch or tea in the café, and explore the children’s garden and play area. americanmuseum.org

AMERICA IN CRISIS

11 March –4 July

n American Museum & Gardens

America in Crisis brings together top American photographers from the 1960s till today, exploring social change in the US. Including photography from Bruce Davidson, Elliott Erwitt, Mary Ellen Mark and many more. americanmuseum.org/whats-on

LEAP OF FAITH! 2023 ABSEIL

11 March

n Bath Abbey

Genesis Trust and Bath Abbey are once again holding the Leap of Faith! 2023 abseil from Bath Abbey Tower. Each individual is asked to pay a £35 registration fee and commit to raising at least £150 in sponsorship for Genesis Trust and Bath Abbey. Register at genesistrust.org.uk; bathabbey.org

GROWING PERENNIALS AND WOODY PLANTS FOR CUTTING

13 March

n University of Bath, East Building, Room 1 Level 1

Rachel Siefried, owner of ‘Green and Gorgeous’ flower farm and design studio talks about her tried-and-tested favourites for

the University of Bath Gardening Club and explains how to have something to pick from our gardens each week of the year. Open to all; membership £20, visitors £6. ubgc.org

FUNDRAISING BOOK PRESENTATION

14 March

n Christ Church, Bath

Talk by author Matthew Teller on his acclaimed Nine Quarters of Jerusalem, a new biography with fresh perspective on the infinitely complex Old City. Jonathan Dimbleby, author and broadcaster, says “what a good book this is”. The event supports disadvantaged children and families in East Jerusalem. Tickets £25, to include Palestinian buffet mezze with wine and soft drinks. jumblebee.co.uk/spaffordtellerbookmar2023 spaffordcentre.org

KARL JENKINS | SYMPHONIC ADIEMUS

17 and 18 March, 7.30pm

n Bath Abbey

A breathtaking evening of music from The Fulltone Orchestra and a massed choir. Listen to Karl Jenkins' wonderful and iconic Adiemus written for a symphony orchestra followed by epic film choral music that you don’t often get to hear. Tickets from £15, available at bathboxoffice.org

CAPPELLA NOVA: FLY ME TO THE MOON

18 March, 7.30pm

n St Luke’s Church

A concert of music inspired by the moon, the stars and the night, with songs from the German Romantics Brahms and Rheinberger and contemporary classical composers, ending with great American popular songs: Blue Moon, Moon River and more. cappellanova.org

BATH MINERVA CHOIR PRESENT: THE SEASONS BY HAYDN

25 March

n Bath Abbey

Join Bath Minerva Choir and Bath Philharmonia performing Haydn’s majestic and rarely heard choral masterpiece The Seasons. Tickets from £15: bathboxoffice.org.uk; bathminervachoir.co.uk

LIVE ANIMAL DRAWING WORKSHOP

25 March. 10.30am

n The Holburne Museum

Discover the amazing animals and creatures within Durer’s woodcut worlds –and meet a leopard gecko, bearded dragon and pygmy hedgehog! Explore mark-making and drawing whilst learning about animals in this creative workshop. Tickets £16; holburne.org

RHEUMATIC DISEASES RESEARCH

PUBLIC OPEN DAY

25 March

n BRLSI, 16–18 Queen Square Showcasing research, researchers and opportunities to get involved with the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases, University of Bath, Bath Institute for Rheumatic Diseases, GW4 and British Academy. eventbrite.co.uk

THE BATH FESTIVAL 2023

Tickets for The Bath Festival 2023 are available from Friday 17 March. The annual celebration of music and books opens on Friday 12 May with Party in the City, an evening of free music from local choirs, bands and solo artists. The theme of the festival is Opening Up with a programme of talks, workshops, performances and walks designed to encourage new ideas, conversations and experiences. The ten-day festival will see people sharing stories, experiences and wisdom. Join in with the Poetry Open Mic, get your hands on the hottest reads pre-publication at one of the Proof Parties, listen to internationally acclaimed classical musicians, or be transported into new worlds with visiting fiction writers. bathfestivals.org.uk/the-bath-festival

EELS: LOCKDOWN HURRICANE

28 March, 6.30pm

n Bath Forum

A musical project that weds a rich variety of off-kilter pop influences with deeply personal lyrics often obsessing over the darker sides of human experience, Eels is the rubric used by singer, songwriter, and musician Mark Oliver Everett (aka E) for the music he creates with a rotating group of collaborators. Tickets £35 (plus booking fee) available at bathforum.co.uk

ALDRIDGES OF BATH FINE ART AND ANTIQUES AUCTION

28 March

n Online bidding / open to public viewing prior to sale

To include jewellery, ceramics and glass, oil paintings, watercolours and prints, works-ofart, clocks, antique and later furniture and furnishings, and more. aldridgesofbath.com

HOLBURNE UP LATE

31 March, 5–9pm

n The Holburne Museum

Holburne and. Bath Spa University’s Textile Design for Fashion and Interior (TDFI) students take over for one night only at the Holburne. Immerse yourself in their textile designs inspired by the curious artefacts from the Holburne’s decorative arts collections. Reduced exhibition entry and free admission to the collection. holburne.org

Aldridges of Bath Fine Art and Antiques auction

Bath Festival’s Party in the City

LOOKING AHEAD

BATH BACH CHOIR

1 April, 7.30pm

n St Mary’s Bathwick

This concert presents three composers from the mid-20th and early 21st centuries whose music was shaped by medieval plainchant. Plainchaint was the only form of music used by the Christian church until the 9th century, and it remains embedded in the identity of Christian sacred music to this day, creating a beautiful, sonorous architecture that rarely fails to transport its listeners. Tickets from £5, available at bathboxoffice.org.uk

U3A TALK: THE ART OF DECEPTION –FAKES AND FORGERIES

6 April, 10.30am

n Bath Pavilion

Faking or copying artworks has been around for a very long time. It is only when the artwork is deliberately sold to deceive the buyer that it becomes a forgery. This talk by Marilyn Bishop shows how very widespread the practice is and how easily experts are deceived. Doors open at 9.45am for coffee. Find out more at u3ainbath.uk

THE ARTS SOCIETY BATH APRIL LECTURE: PORTRAITS AND SELF-PORTRAITS BY REMBRANDT VAN RIJN

3 April

n Bath Pavilion

This talk by Justin Reay concentrates on Rembrandt’s revealing portraits and painfully honest self-portraits which helped forge his reputation as one of the finest artists of any era. To book a place as a guest (£10 in venue or £7 on Zoom) and for payment details please contact the society on bath@theartssociety.org by Friday 31 March. theartsocietybath.com

BRITISH MATHEMATICAL COLLOQUIUM

2023: THE N MOST IMPORTANT SYMBOLS IN MATHEMATICS

3 April, 7.15pm

n The Guildhall, Bath

Join mathematician Katie Steckles on a journey through the huge array of symbols and notation we use to communicate mathematical ideas. Learn about the history of some familiar characters and find out how truly ingenious notation can be –helping us to communicate and understand complex abstract structures. Accessible to school pupils from Y9 upwards. Bring a pen and paper. Free. eventbrite.co.uk

HAIRY MACLARY’S ADVENTURES WITH WEYO

14 April, 3pm

n Wiltshire Music Centre

Join the West of England Youth Orchestra for a fun-filled interactive family concert. Originally commissioned by the London Symphony Orchestra, these musical settings of Lynley Dodd’s children’s stories are the perfect way to introduce a young audience to the captivating sound of the orchestra. Tickets from £8, available at wiltshiremusiccentre.org.uk

British Mathematical Colloquium Lecture 2023

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Why Bath’s OUVs are so outstanding

An OUV is an Outstanding Universal Value. Bath has six OUVs attributed to the first of its two UNESCO World Heritage Site Inscriptions. A series of six lectures at BRLSI about these inscribed attributes, determined by UNESCO in 1987, will provide information and insight in equal measure.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites are places of cultural or natural significance which are considered to be of importance to all of the global community, hence ‘Outstanding Universal Value’. Each Site is conserved for current and future generations. The City of Bath is exceptional in having two UNESCO inscriptions, in 1987 and 2021, each inscribed for different aspects of the City. In 1987 it was inscribed for six OUVs: hot springs, Roman archaeology, Georgian architecture, Georgian town-planning, 18th-century social ambition and the green natural landscape setting. Bath’s inscription that year was made in the same year as Westminster Abbey in London (as well as The Acropolis in Athens and the Great Wall of China) and the year before The Tower of London, such is Bath’s perceived importance to World Heritage. In 2021 the second inscription was received as one of the Great Spa Towns of Europe – fashionable spa towns laid out around natural springs used for health and wellbeing.

The series of lectures at the Bath Royal Literary & Scientific Institution (BRLSI) on Wednesdays at 7pm from 22 March until 3 May, will explore these six attributes. Bath is one of only two entire cities inscribed as World Heritage Sites, the other being Venice. With the 2021 UNESCO Inscription, Bath became one of only 22 double-inscribed World Heritage Sites (of the 1152 sites worldwide).

Professor Barry Gilbertson, Chair of The City of Bath UNESCO World Heritage Site and Chair of the Bath World Heritage Enhancement Fund, will chair each lecture and give his own perspective on a brief history of World Heritage and its importance to Bath’s

“Outstanding Universal Value means cultural and/or natural significance which is so exceptional as to transcend national boundaries and to be of common importance for present and future generations of all humanity. As such, the permanent protection of this heritage is of the highest importance to the international community as a whole.

The Committee defines the criteria for the inscription of properties on the World Heritage List.”

UNESCO definition of Outstanding Universal Value (OUV)

economy. Barry was formerly a Trustee of the Bath Preservation Trust, and for six years an independent Trustee Governor of the University of Bath, as a member of the University’s Council.

The six attributes of OUV featured in the upcoming lectures are set out in these pages. Each lecture will feature a different individual expert speaker focused on one attribute each week, describing their particular OUV in fascinating historical, archaeological, architectural, landscape or social detail. Each speaker will also touch on the importance that each attribute provides to Bath’s economy.

The World Heritage Series of lectures will take place in the Elwin Room at BRLSI, 16–18 Queen Square, Bath on the dates shown below, 7pm–9pm, in person or online, £4–£7, in advance at brlsi.org

OUV: Roman Archaeology, 22 March

Peter Davenport BA, MPhil, MifA, FSA

Heritage consultant and trustee of the Roman Baths Foundation

The World Heritage Status of Roman Bath

The Roman remains were only one of six Outstanding Universal Values which qualified the city to be inscribed on the World List in 1987. Looked at objectively, it is also probably the hardest to justify. This is not to say that the inscription is undeserved. This lecture will attempt to explain what it is about these Roman remains that make them of “cultural and/or natural significance which is so exceptional as to transcend national boundaries and to be of common importance for present and future generations of all humanity”, the UNESCO definition.

OUV: Georgian architecture, 29 March

Dr Amy Frost

Senior Curator, Bath Preservation Trust

Georgian Architecture and the Language of Classicism in Bath

The architecture of Georgian Bath was defined by the vocabulary of forms and proportion drawn from Classical Antiquity. This talk will explore how the designers and builders of Bath translated Classicism for modern life in the 18th and early 19th centuries, achieving new buildings through a blend of imitation and innovation. It will highlight how stylistic developments were unified through the materials that built the Georgian city, and consider the impact that has on the World Heritage Site today.

OUV: Georgian Town Planning, 5 April

Professor Timothy Mowl FSA

Emeritus Professor of History of Architecture and Designed Landscapes, University of Bristol

Bath and the Druid Connection

John Wood, the most successful town planner of English 18thcentury architects, was ferociously eccentric. The very idea that Bath, his grand artefact and a byword for classical order, should owe as much to the prehistoric stone circle at Stonehenge strains credibility, as does his obsession to evoke a lost Druid civilization in the city, which had everything to do with his imagination, nothing to do with reality. Wood’s restored Bath was to provide the template for Robert Adam in his Edinburgh New Town and the inspiration for the crescents and circuses of the spa towns of late Georgian and Regency England.

OUV: Hot Springs, 19 April

Paul Saynor

Director of Water Production at Wessex Water

The Bath Hot Springs – Science, Source and Protection

The only hot springs in the UK are the thermal springs of Bath which have fascinated and captured the imagination of people from ancient times to the present day. Revered as a sacred place by the Celts because of their healing properties, the springs were developed into a bathing complex by the Romans, and have been re-developed and re-used in various forms ever since. Classic science on the chemistry of the waters from the 1980s onwards has provided tantalising clues as to their origins, and the protection of this precious and magical resource remains essential for maintaining the very essence of the modern-day city itself.

OUV: 18th-Century Social Ambition, 26 April

Professor Elaine Chalus (FRHistS)

Professor of British History, University of Liverpool

Socialising with Purpose in 18th-Century Bath

While Austen’s satirical pen mocked displays of social ambition, the sort of socialising she writes about did not dominate society in 18th-century Bath. Bath’s residents and the visiting company may well have socialised with purpose –but their purposes varied widely. Here is a more rounded understanding of sociability in Bath, considering some of the personal, social, intellectual, cultural, and political purposes of socialising. Professor Chalus argues that one of the reasons that Bath was such a draw for 18th-century contemporaries was because it offered the prospective of ‘good company’ and ‘a great deal of conversation’ to many people, however defined.

OUV: The Green Countryside Setting of the City, 3 May

Andrew Grant, Founder and Director Grant Associates, Chair of the Bathscape Landscape Partnership

The Landscape of Bath

The cultural landscape of Bath has evolved through millennia, always responding to the social and environmental influences of each era. Landscape has always been the foundation for much of what we think of Bath as a place. The hot springs, river, streams, wetlands, woodlands, grasslands, parks and gardens each play an essential part in defining the integrity and beauty of the city, but how much care do we take in maintaining this fragile balance? How could we better reflect the integration of landscape and architecture in this time of climate change and biodiversity crisis whilst maintaining the essential qualities of the World Heritage Site OUV?

Photograph by Michael Wharley

ARTS & EXHIBITIONS

Victoria Art Gallery, Bridge Street, Bath victoriagal.org.uk

Capturing Life: A Century of the New English Art Club, until 11 April

Work by current New English Art Club members alongside a core of over 30 paintings by illustrious past members, with major pieces by John Singer Sargent, Philip Wilson Steer, Gwen John, Walter Sickert, Stanley Spencer and Winifred Nicholson.

Jessica Palmer: Wetland Spring, until 11 April

This exhibition brings spring to life through collages of meadows, meadow plants and the flora around Bath by artist Jessica Palmer. These works capture beauty in our natural surroundings, responding to our natural world in peril.

Andrélis-Rye at sandrahiggins.art

Just arrived from Paris! Sandra Higgins Art is delighted to exhibit new work from artists Thierry Rye and Catherine Andrélis. Working in their Paris studio, they frequently paint collaboratively to create a spontaneous and energetic interplay of line, form and bright, almost candy-coloured hues.

To view the artists’ latest work, visit the online gallery or email Sandra to arrange a private view. sandrahiggins.art; sandra@sandrahiggins.com

The Holburne Museum, Great Pulteney Street, Bath

Illustrating the World: Woodcuts in the Age of Dürer, until 23 April

A rare opportunity to view the complete set of woodcuts known as The Great Passion, produced by Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528). He was the first artist to devise, create and publish an illustrated book, pushing the limits of a linear art to create vividly animated scenes.

Alberta Whittle: Dipping Below a Waxing Moon, until 8 May

This major exhibition, Whittle’s first museum show, combines sculpture in the form of limbo dancers, poetry and film. Barbadian-Scottish artist Alberta Whittle explores themes including hospitality, relaxation and postcolonial healing. holburne.org

Unruly Performer: Collages by Swedish artist KIRI KIRI, 13–19 March, 4 Abbey Street, Bath BA1 1NN

Open Monday to Saturday, 12pm–5pm, Sunday 1pm–4pm

An alluringly odd redeployment of magazine images astutely spliced together to capture the critical, rebellious spirit. This exhibition addresses the perpetual human preoccupation with vanity, consumerism, fashion, fame, mortality, sex, gender, wealth and power, as well as pondering the cultural expectations of the sexes and the treatment of the body and youth as a commodity.

kirikiri.co.uk

David Ringsell: Contemporary Art Prints and Paintings of Classic Bath Architecture

“I aim to present a contemporary perspective on some familiar places. I often focus on the darker side of Bath architecture with peeling paint and stained stonework.”

David’s work is being exhibited at The Claremont Pub, 5 Claremont Road, Bath; and at The Old Crown, Weston, Bath. Custom prints are available online in a range of sizes – see the website: real-images.com

Image: Inside Outside, A2 framed giclée print by David Ringsell. The late sun reflects off the windows at the back of the London Road

Winifred Nicholson, Kate and Jake, Isle of Wight, 1932, oil on canvas, 67 x 75cm

Albrecht Dürer The Lamentation,from the Great Passion, 1511

RIGHT: A Floating World, Indian ink and oil on paper, 42 x 30cm

victoriagal.org.uk

Immigrant by KIRI KIRI

Millie Claxton Keys at 15 New Bond Street, 17–19 March 15 New Bond Street, Bath BA1 1AB, open 10am–6pm

Upcoming

Nathan Ford: New Paintings, until 25 March Beaux Arts Bath, 12–13 York Street Bath. Open Monday to Saturday 10am-5pm

Nathan Ford graduated from The Byam Shaw School of Art in 2000 and has since been shown in numerous solo and group exhibitions in Bath, London, and internationally. His work is a practice of sensitively considering and economising line, each brush stroke or pencil mark charged with meaning, memory and feeling.

“All the research, study, investigation, the muscle memory in his elegant painter’s hands, is an attempt to find and evoke essence, something done patiently over time. This may mean it is at first not clear where the painting finishes. He describes dialogue with the work, ‘The paintings talk to me, and sometimes (he says gesturing towards the window) they insist that I go out on to the hills again.’ Screen representations too can be distracting. ‘Seeing images of work, I have sometimes thought I got it wrong –then I go back to the work itself and realise, actually no –that was an honest and accurate evocation of that moment in time.’”

beauxartsbath.co.uk

exhibition by Bath-based artist Millie Claxton Keys, winner of last year’s Young Artist prize at the Bath Society of Artist’s Open Exhibition. Animal and abstract paintings on show. millieclaxtonkeys.com

Sentry, oil on canvas, by Millie Claxton-Keys

LEFT: Joachim by Nathan Ford; BELOW: 30.3.20

Combining Strengths across The West Country

The Auction Hub in Westbury is to merge with Lawrences Auctioneers of Crewkerne, the long-established firm of West Country Fine Art Auctioneers. Lawrences operates from a fine and large 19th Century building in the town centre with a dedicated team of specialists whose combined expertise embraces almost 400 years in the industry.

The Auction Hub will continue to operate from their Westbury salerooms under the new name of Lawrences Wessex.

“The merging of The Auction Hub with Lawrences Auctioneers, one of the UK’s best-known auction houses, is an exciting milestone for both auctioneers. With this partnership we will strengthen our position in the West Country and the surrounding regions, offering service and expertise across an even wider area.” says Andy Sagar, Operations Manager at Lawrences Auctioneers.

Lawrences offers more than 50,000 lots per year with a full team of specialists in over 50 collecting categories to include Silver, Ceramics, Clocks, Furniture, Rugs. Pictures, Jewellery, Coins, Medals, Books, Militaria, Collectors and Sporting Items.

The Auction Hub provide an online auction service with traditional values and expertise. Their bespoke premises in Westbury, are designed to enable their specialists to carry out the cataloguing, photography and viewing of consignments using efficient systems that makes selling and buying a fast and professional experience.

The blending of the companies will be overseen by Auctionet, Europe’s leading marketplace for auctions that enables affiliated auctioneers to sell their clients’ art, antiques, furniture, collectables and more, using the latest auction platform technology to connect with connoisseurs and collectors across the world.

Founded in 2011, Auctionet has since grown with over 50 partner auction houses, operating in 6 countries. It sells more than 500,000 lots annually with auctions taking place 365 days of the year and provides their partnered auction houses with a truly integrated auction management and logistics package that enables local auctioneers to have a global reach.

FREE Valuations are available with specialists at the Crewkerne and Westbury salerooms. Also available Online | Email | WhatsApp

Home visits are also available without charge or obligation.

Entries are invited for our Spring auctions to include:

Silver | Vertu | Pictures | 19th/20th Century Design | Ceramics

Oriental Works of Art | Jewellery | Watches | Furniture | Clocks | Rugs

Militaria | Coins | Medals | Collectors | Sporting | Textiles | Wine | Spirits Books | Maps | Manuscripts | Photography

America in Crisis

What connections can we draw between the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. and the Black Lives Matter demonstrations? Or the 1968 Republican Convention and the storming of the Capitol on January 6th 2021? The photographs in the exhibition America in Crisis at the American Museum & Gardens draw plenty, says Emma Clegg

America in Crisis was a ground-breaking Magnum Photos project conceived in 1969 to assess the state of the nation and turn a critical eye on the US at a time of great social, political and cultural change. The project, culminating in a photography exhibition and a book, examined key events in 1968 leading up to Nixon’s inauguration, such as the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy, the riots in Washington DC, the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1968, and heightened social unrest over the Vietnam War.

In 2022, Saatchi Gallery curated a revised exhibition, creating a unique dialogue between the original historical photographs and new photographic works produced in 2020 by diverse contemporary practitioners during another tumultuous time in America. The updated America in Crisis exhibition will be presented by the American Museum & Gardens from 11 March – 4 July.

The exhibition creates a unique dialogue between some of the photographers from the first initiative, among them Bruce Davidson, Elliott Erwitt and Mary Ellen Mark, and the works of contemporary practitioners such as Kris Graves, Balazs Gardi, Zora J Murff, Sheila Pree Bright and Stacy Kranitz. The interaction highlights the themes present in both pivotal periods, confronting the idea of the American Dream with the reality of current events, with contemporary subjects including the 2020 Black Lives Matter demonstrations; #FXCK July 4th, the 2020 rally about police brutality toward women and LGBTQ+; and the Storming of the Capitol on 6th January 2021.

Exhibition curator Sophie Wright – who worked at Magnum as Global Cultural Director for 17 years – was one of three curators, along with Gregory Harris from Atlanta’s High Museum of Art, and LA-based photographer Tara Pixley.

“When things started to kick off with the Black Lives Matter protests in May 2020 I returned to this 1969 project, because there were so many echoes still present in the contemporary situation in the themes that the exhibition and book tackled”, says Sophie. “Then January 6th happened, and this was so visual and so photographed it again seemed hugely pertinent to be capturing that.

“The original project was multi-layered –a book, an exhibition, an installation –and in fact Charles Harbutt, the curator of the original project, also created a short film, so he was interested in the different ways stories could be told with images,” says Sophie.

“He was experimenting within the context of the exhibition, and I loved that – it wasn’t just pictures on walls with frames. And even in ’68 there was an exploratory and experiential approach as to how the audience would encounter the images and how different contexts could change the meaning.

“Harbutt conceived of something called the Picture Bandit which was used in 1969 when it was shown at the Riverside Museum in Manhattan. This was a one-armed bandit machine, a randomising device to show the images from the exhibition, referring to the cacophony of photography in the media at that time and in a way the powerlessness of the authors around how those images were disseminated. This is obviously still a big story.”

With a balance of roughly a third historical and two-thirds contemporary work, the exhibition follows the same chapter structure found in the 1969 Magnum publication with titles such as The Streak of Violence, The Deep Roots of Poverty and The Battle for Equality. The three rooms include two rooms as gallery spaces where the work is presented and the final room is the Picture Bandit space where visitors can press a pedal to generate a selection of images shown across multiple screens, both historical and contemporary, which have an unspecified connecting theme.

“That last room talks about what happens when images are out in the world. Also for me it was a way to talk about social media and the image culture online and how it’s fed back into things like January 6th. It’s a selfperpetuating cycle really,” says Sophie.

“In some cases photographers have just photographed one subject and

BELOW: Lee Square, Richmond, Virginia, 2020 Courtesy of Sasha Wolf Projects. © Kris Graves

ABOVE: The Republican Convention. Miami, Florida, USA, 1968. © Elliott Erwitt, Magnum Photos

their work is all grouped, but in other cases individual photographers’ work is found across a number of themes. It’s not leading with the authorial voice of the photographer –it’s leading with the themes and issues that we are addressing.”

Comparing work from across the decades creates connections, but contemporary work is naturally borne from a more diverse set of values. “Photography has changed immeasurably over this period. Photographers in ’68/’69 were predominantly male – the only two women in the original selection are Mary Ellen Mark and Eve Arnold. There are many more female practitioners in the contemporary mix and it’s also more diverse in the voices. We have shown the Standing Rock protests [Native American protests against the Dakota Access pipeline] and it was great to include Josué Rivas’ work there in the battle for equality. These considerations were not part of the conversation in ’68/’69”, says Sophie.

Another difference is the context in which the work is produced and consumed. “The main funders of photographers’ work in ’68/’69 were editorial magazines, but this shift has happened within documentary photography where you have a mix of editorial and gallery-based practice,” says Sophie.

“You have extraordinary contemporary photojournalists like Leah Mills who took the images for January 6th – a working Reuters journalist, she’s good at these self-contained iconic images. Or Philip Montgomery who works in that intersection between photojournalism and editorial – he has a strong aesthetic sensibility, extremely contrasting black-and-white work that’s very sculpturally lit, but is dealing with incredibly important issues and working editorially. Or more conceptual documentary photographers with Anastasia Samoylova.

“By the way it’s quite a tough show this – there are wonderful things too and there is joy and hope, but it’s making a real point about the practical reality on the ground versus the mythologising of the American Dream. It’s still something that people hold on to, but the struggles in America have always been there. This is just a reminder of that. The streak of violence in the orginal was about the political assassinations of Kennedy, Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. What has got worse is the militarisation of the police post 9/11 and the gun lobby, which seems impossible to tackle at a political level. We tend to assume that the problems of today are worse than ever, but actually they were present decades before.”

America in Crisis is at the American Museum & Gardens from 11 March to 4 July, Tuesday to Sunday, 10am–5pm (last entry at 4pm); americanmuseum.org

If you would like to receive a free, no obligation expert valuation, please bring your items along between 10.30am-6pm

Venue: Bath Scouts, 7 Grove St, Bathwick, Bath BA2 6PJ

Dates: 21st March, 16th May, 18th July, 19th September, 21st November

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Photograph by Michael Wharley

We tend to assume that the problems of today are worse than ever, but actually they were present decades before

The Capitol, Washington, USA, January 6th, 2020 © Balazs Gardi

Your Home. Your Style.

GEMMA WRIGHT Home Stylist at Beau Nash Bath

If you have decided to give a room an overhaul, it can be difficult to know where to begin. Design magazines and the internet are useful, but can overwhelm. Even if you do know a look you love, it’s good to add your own touch to optimise the outcome. To help you do this, here are two designer tricks you can employ.

Firstly, write a brief. This might seem over top, but it will help you think upfront and ensure all your needs are met.

Consider things like: what is the function of the room, how do you use it? Does its use change based on the time of day? What are the storage needs? What might you want to display? Where are the light sources (both natural and electric)? What are your lighting needs? What furniture are you keeping and what needs refreshed or replaced?

Work from this brief outward, making a list of what you need to get, along with approximate sizes. Now you are ready for the next step.

Next, personalise your scheme. You will feel most at ease in your home if it is personal to you rather than a copy of something you’ve seen. It also helps ensure longevity in the outcome as it will not be trend led.

Think beyond interiors; considering some of the following. Are there colours you love wearing? What places do you feel drawn to and at home in? Where have you loved going on holiday? Is there a painting you love? What was it about the place or thing that caught your eye? Think about the textures as well as the colours. Are they rough, smooth, shiny?

It is helpful to find a single picture or combination of pictures that encapsulates the place or object. This will give you a resource to return to when taking decisions. You can pick paints and fabrics that match the colours in the images, as well as textures, emblems and forms that evoke the spirit.

Following these steps will help feel confident to decide the details and achieve a great outcome. n

beaunashbath.com; info@beaunashbath.com; 01225 334234 @beaunashbath

Plan now for the future you want

Making a Will is not high on our list of priorities, after all none of us want to dwell on what would happen if we weren’t around – but if the last few years have shown us anything life can certainly be unpredictable. So, it’s never too soon to think about putting safeguards in place to protect you and your loved ones in the future

Making a Will is easier than you think

Depending on your circumstances, starting to make your Will could simply be a matter of listing what you own along with instructions as to which of your loved ones you would like to receive them. Taking the first step is important and our team of experts are here to help you start the process and please remember that any one 18 and over can make a Will.

Make sure you choose who looks after your affairs when you can’t

A Power of Attorney is a legal document which enables you to appoint someone to manage and make decisions about your affairs in the event that you are unable to do so.

There are different types of power of attorney for different purposes but most well-known our Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA). There are two types of LPAs: One for property and finance and one for health and care. We would be happy to discuss the various options with you to ensure you put in place the right one for you.

One of the benefits of having an LPA in place is the reassurance of knowing that in the future, if you are no longer able to make decisions for yourself, you have appointed someone you know and trust to make those decisions for you, giving you and your loved ones peace of mind.

If you want to take control of your affairs and plan for your future call our specialist wills, trusts & probate team today on 01225 750 000 and let’s get things sorted.

White Bean Prawn Saganaki

This dish will blow you away. The sauce is simple to make, but the flavours are intense, sweet and spicy. The caraway and nigella seeds lend an undertone of earthy flavours with the hum of garlic and kick of red chilli to counter. The greens and beans pack this with more

vegetables, but the sauce is full of the good stuff too. You can easily make this vegetarian by simply substituting the prawns with more beans that have plenty of protein.

Serves 4

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Gluten-free

Ingredients

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

240g white onion, diced

5 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 red chillies, finely chopped

2 tsp caraway seeds

2 tsp nigella seeds

2 tsp dried oregano

500g tomatoes, roughly chopped

2 tbsp tomato purée

2 tbsp honey

50g feta, crumbled

200g chard or spinach leaves, roughly chopped 20g basil, roughly chopped (reserve some leaves to garnish)

1 x 400g can giant white beans or butter beans (or any other white bean), drained and rinsed 200g raw jumbo prawns, shelled and deveined

Method

Preheat the grill to high.

Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole over a medium heat, add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft and translucent, then add the garlic, chilli and seasoning and cook for 2 minutes to colour and infuse their flavour.

Toss in the caraway and nigella seeds with the oregano and stir into the onions for 1 minute before adding the tomatoes, tomato purée, honey and feta. Cover and cook for 12 minutes until the tomatoes have fully broken down and the feta has melted into the sauce. Add a splash of water if it sticks to the bottom of the pan.

Uncover the pan and stir so that all the ingredients combine with the sauce, then add the green leaves and basil, reserving a few basil leaves to garnish, and stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until the greens have wilted.

This recipe is from COOKS by the trusted NHS GP and food expert Dr Rupy Aujla. The book has a collection of over 100 indulgent, delicious and easy recipes that put flavour and nutrition first. Dr Rupy’s mission is to help everybody leverage the incredible power of food and lifestyle medicine to support their wellbeing and prevent ill health. COOKS is published by Ebury Press, £22

Add the beans to the sauce and place the prawns on top. Simmer for 2 minutes then transfer to the grill for 4 minutes to finish cooking the prawns and caramelise the top of the dish.

Garnish with the reserved basil leaves and serve.

RECIPE BY DR RUPY AUJLA

Paper entrepreneur

The BBC’s Dragons’ Den can be the business opportunity of a lifetime. For Bath-based paper engineer David Hawcock, just appearing on the show sky-rocketed his takings beyond anything he had imagined. Words by Emma Clegg

Paper engineer David Hawcock pitched his business idea in the new series of Dragon’s Den at the end of January. He was seeking a deal for his pop-up versions of two classic games, a Pop-Up Chess Set and a Pop-Up Row of Four. Seeking £40,000 for 20% equity, four of the five Dragons –Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden, Sara Davies and Touker Suleyman –made him offers. He finally went with a joint offer from Peter Jones and Touker Suleyman.

Hawcock’s ingenious chess set was the focus of his presentation in the Den. The game, made from cardboard, folds out from a flat cover into a 3D chessboard and you can stop or continue the game whenever you like by folding it up, so it can be used as a travel set or as a game that can be easily stored flat. Made entirely of paper and card, no plastic is involved and it is recyclable. David also explained that his business idea was not just for the chess set and row of four, but that it would develop into a classic range of games for all ages.

Programme viewers see the often intense interchanges between the Dragons and aspiring entrepreneurs pitching their business ideas in the Den in what perhaps airs as a ten-minute episode slot, but David explains that both before and during filming the day was a long haul. “It is quite a febrile atmosphere back behind the Den. I had a seven o’clock call but then I didn’t do my pitch until midday and it then went on for nearly two hours.”

Steven Bartlett, the Dragon who didn’t make an offer, in the programme challenges David quite early on. David says, however, that Steven was very involved with the idea for much of his time in the Den, but the editing meant that it was only his conclusions before declaring himself ‘out’ that were aired. “Steven Bartlett was very entertaining in the Den when they were all offering – he was very amused by the way it was going. I felt quite confident I’d get an offer, and I wasn’t asking for a huge amount, but I was surprised that there

were four and that derailed my thinking a little at the end.”

David – who has run his paper engineering business since the late 1980s – clearly has many years of business experience and came across as calm, direct and well-prepared. Yet he had a moment after the first part of his pitch when he dried up, but with Deborah Meaden’s encouragement – “Do you want to tell us how much you want and what percentage?” – he quickly established a strong position. Especially so after Peter Jones’s comment: “I’m absolutely, genuinely blown away – even if I tip it up, whatever I do, it is stable … this, I think, is exceptional.”

“After the initial brain freeze it was all very positive,” says David. “I never felt under pressure. Then when Peter Jones came in with an offer quite early, I knew I’d won as it were.”

David did a graphic design and photography degree “back in the mists of time” in York and Newcastle. When he graduated he went down to London with a portfolio, couldn’t get a job, so started freelancing building models and working as a model maker.

“I hit the ground running, really. I started working with a book packager and they had just lost a paper engineer who had left the company and had been working on pop-up books and they needed someone to unpick a lot of his work. So I learnt very quickly by taking apart the work, working out what this paper engineer had done and making them all work again. After that I was able to develop my own ideas. I have always had lots of ideas, so once you have a few contacts it’s relatively easy to get work.”

Since then David has balanced a constant stream of publishing projects which include Inventions: Leonardo Da Vinci (Walker Books), The Amazing Pull-Out Pop-Up Body in a Book (DK Amazing Pop-Up Books) and The Walking Dead: The Pop-Up Book (Insight Editions), as well as pop-up concert tour programmes for Genesis and Duran Duran. He also works for film and advertising

David Hawcock pitching on Dragons’ Den

with projects such as the spectacular pop-up book of London created for a scene in Paddington 2 (as well as paper landscapes of London within which Paddington is filmed); a book for a Kelloggs advert (2019) telling the story of how its cereal goes from seed to finished product; and a Compare the Market animation (2021) where a series of paper structures was created to inspire the digital advertising team.

When I ask about the appeal of creating a pop-up construction, David says, “I just like making things. Every job is different and although the end product is mass-produced, it is a very hand-crafted process. That’s what I like about it. It’s also immediate so I can make something like that quite quickly, as opposed to the lengthier process of making something out of wood or metal. There are a lot of very complicated pop-up books out there, and the tradition goes back to the Victorian era, so you can basically do anything if you work with a printer and a manufacturer.”

“When starting a pop-up, I build up a lot of visual reference and I then cut out all the pieces of paper and stick them together to see how they work. Then when it’s looking approximately okay I take it apart and scan all the pieces into the computer, fine-tune the elements and

then we print it out and test it that way.”

David mostly works collaboratively with an illustrator who starts by producing thumbnail sketches before David develops the engineered design and then he works with the illustrator to create the final cardboard elements. “Alternately I’ll work something up that is quite well developed, and then I will send those to the illustrator and he will do his work and I will adapt it to his illustrations.”

David has not yet started working actively with his chosen Dragons –negotiations are still ongoing – but success has already hit, because having ordered a significant print run of both pop-up games in anticipation, on the evening of the Dragons’ Den episode David’s Infinite Jest website was overloaded with customers. “We ran out of the chess set that same evening. My website got battered on the night with 30,000 visitors in 10 minutes, so we sold everything that same day and had additional back orders to fulfil.”

“I would hazard a guess that you are one of the best people in the world at doing this”, said Sara Davies in the Den. “One of three or four of the best, yes”, responded David. The honesty and confidence was highly convincing, to the Dragons and the viewing public alike.

You can see Dragons’ Den on BBC iPlayer (bbc.co.uk/iplayer). David Hawcock appears in series 20, episode 4. Pop-Up Chess Set, £16.99 and Pop-Up Row of Four £16.99. David Hawcock, Infinite Jest; hawcockbooks.co.uk

LEFT: The poster for Paddington 2 showing the famous bear with a pop-up of London Bridge, made by David Hawcock

RIGHT: One of the pages from David Hawcock’s book on Frankenstein, published by Walker Books in 2010

David Hawcock’s inventive pop-up chess set, which folds over while keeping all the pieces in their correct position

Stylish later living homes, exclusively for those over 60, to launch this Summer at Bath Leat

Pegasus’ new development, Bath Leat will be a brand new community of 68 riverside later living homes, and will be launching this summer with a stunning collection of one and two bedroom apartments, exclusively for those aged over 60. Situated in the heart of Bath, just a short stroll from the town centre, the design features three buildings and a central courtyard landscaped garden, bringing neighbours together, sparking friendships in a sociable community that nurtures every individual.

On the banks of the River Avon, beautiful inside and out, every aspect of Bath Leat’s design has been thoughtfully considered – from flowing layouts to stylish fixtures and fittings. Almost every apartment possesses a spacious patio, one or two balconies or a roof terrace. These amazing spaces will bring light, views and nature into your home, along with a sense of calm and wellbeing.

In addition to the stylish new homes, customers will also have access to a wealth of wider benefits to nurture comfort and contentment including inviting social spaces including the communal lounge, hobby room and snug; a perfect place to curl up with a book. For those looking to enhance their wellbeing; a yoga studio, treatment rooms, sauna and foot spas will be available for group or private practice for a peaceful retreat to support an active lifestyle.

A handy guest suite will be available for private booking by family and friends making it easy for them to visit. Homeowners will have a dedicated Lifehost, who is embedded in the community taking care of the day to day running of the building and grounds, as well as on hand to help plan extraordinary days out for residents and their guests.

Mike Gill, Regional Managing Director comments: “Bath Leat forms part of our wider ambition to create more much-needed high-quality homes for independent later living across the UK. Our passion is to create communities that enable and empower customers to live their fullest lives, regardless of age, surrounded by like-minded people. This translates to an incredibly rich social life, a place to make new friends, pursue new hobbies, and use all communal facilities at your pleasure.

“Our later living apartments allow you to live on your own terms, whether renting or buying, with bespoke packages and offers to help accommodate whatever moving stage customers find themselves in,

from part-exchange to complimentary moving services.”

Surrounded by limestone hills and bordering the southern edge of the Cotswolds – a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and less than a mile from the city centre and Bath Spa station; with excellent road, rail and even water connections you can feel connected with a range of travel options, restaurants, bars, cafés and galleries on your doorstep.

Prices start from £400,000 or you can choose to rent from £2,050 pcm. Homes are available to reserve off-plan, which not only allows you to reserve early and make a start of clearing out any unwanted belongings, but you are able to choose exactly which one would become their perfect home.

“We picked an apartment that suits our life best - one in the middle with a lovely view of the garden. It’s very private… Now we’re retired, we want quiet, so we’re very happy to be able to look at the garden from our balcony.”

Pegasus offers an exceptional range of high-specification homes and services, created to get the very best out of a time in our lives where we can pursue our passions, live in comfort and take better care of ourselves. Our Bath Leat homes will be ready to be moved into in Summer 2023 and will provide an exceptional later living experience in an outstanding location.

For more information, call 01225 600 465, email bathleat@lifestory.group or visit www.lifestory.group/bathleat

View from top floor balcony (CGI)

Bath Leat, Riverside Block (CGI)

Stretch Studio (CGI)

Child Benefit –avoid high income tax charges and fund your retirement

If you or your partner receive Child Benefit and either of you earn over £50,000 in a tax year, an income tax charge will apply to the highest earner. This charge is designed to claw back the Child Benefit received.

If your income is over £60,000, the tax charge reclaims all the Child Benefit received.

With earnings between £50,000 to £60,000 the charge is a proportion of the Child Benefit received.

The tax charge is collected through submission of a tax return for the higher earner and it is calculated as 1% of the amount of Child Benefit received for every £100 of adjusted net income over £50,000.

Adjusted net income is reduced by the pension contributions you have made within the tax year. Whether they are made via your employer through a salary sacrifice arrangement or to a personal pension.

Within the same tax year as the Child Benefit charge, should you decide to make a pension contribution, reducing your adjusted net income below £50,000, you will find that the Child Benefit charge no longer arises.

– call Tristan Wilcox-Jones, Samantha Taylor or Lucas Knight on 01225 445507

For tax saving tips contact us

Call Tristan Wilcox-Jones, Samantha Taylor or Lucas Knight on 01225 445507 to arrange a no-obligation meeting

Junior Bake Off interview

Here is a rather special baker who has just starred in the latest series of Channel 4’s Junior Bake Off. Immy –who taught herself how to bake –is nine years old and lives with her mum and big brother in Bath. She loves outdoors activities, in particular surfing, bodyboarding and playing hockey. It is her dream to represent Great Britain one day in skateboarding, like her idol Sky Brown. Immy likes to listen to music while she bakes, and her speciality is coffee and walnut cake.

When did you first start baking and who inspired you?

I first started baking when I was about two. I always used to watch my mum and papa cook. I used to help mix things and lick the bowls. YUM YUM :). I think the first thing I properly made on my own was chocolate cornflake cakes.

Marry Berry, the ‘Queen of Bath’ inspired me to start baking. I LOVE watching her cooking programmes. When I was in Year 2 at school I didn’t want to do my reading or writing homework. I had a lovely teacher who would ask me to read a recipe and write it out in a special book. She called the book ‘Immy Berry’s cook book’. I used to design cakes and draw them in the book. It was way more fun than proper reading and writing!!!

Where did you live during each week you were appearing on JBO? And where was it filmed?

It was filmed at a school in Kent. When we were filming the JBO we stayed in a really nice hotel about 10 minutes away. I shared a room with my mum. They had a big chillout room for us. There was a table tennis table and loads of games and snacks and drinks. There was a swimming pool, so we went swimming when we had a day off. There wasn’t much time for chilling, though, it was quite full on. A big white coach picked us up every day at about 7am and took us to the tent. We had a chaperone who looked after us for the day. There was a separate catering tent. The food was so good (they did the BEST hash browns!) and the staff were so lovely. We got back to the hotel in the evenings at about 7pm. We had supper all together and then it was time for bed, ready for the next day. One night we had a Chinese takeaway and a talent contest. We also watched the Women’s Euros final against Germany.

What was your favourite bake during your time on JBO?

I would say it would be my ‘If I was prime minister for the day cake’. I made a lemon and lemon curd cake in the shape of an ice

cream. It was fun because I made a pina colada (non-alcoholic) on the side. It was my first ever showstopper.

Do you think some of the technicals were a bit too tricky?

YES!!! Biscuit week I think was the hardest. We had to make unicorn waifer horns with a white chocolate crème pâtissière. I have never made waifers before and I had no clue what I was doing. I was winging it!!! I don’t think I’m ever going to make them again!!!

You are a bit of a messy baker and we could sometimes see ingredients in your hair. Do you think this held you back, or is it just part of your natural baking method?

No way. I think being a messy baker is part of me. I don’t realise I’m being messy. I get a bit carried away and a bit creative. I feel sorry for my mum when I’m baking at home. Well, she doesn’t let me bake all the time because I’m so messy. She lets me bake as a treat. I am only allowed to bake if I do the tidying up. My mum can’t be in the same room as me. She hides in her bedroom until I’m finished!!!

How did you find Harry Hill – and was he a help or a hindrance? You certainly put him in his place a couple of times when he asked you silly questions.

Oh I loved Harry Hill. We had a ball. Sometimes he would come to talk to me at a crucial moment so it was a bit difficult. I had to basically try to tell him to leave me alone in a polite way. But he was really kind to me when I got voted off.

Did you have a favourite Junior Bake-off friend?

Obviously I loved all of my Heat A. If I had to choose my favourites it would be the twins (Alfie and Charlie), Dolly, Sofia, Annabelle, Ollie and Zeke (all of them). If I had to pick just one it would have to be Charlie. He was super cool and funny. We got on really well. I liked his back to front cap.

Immy baking with Harry looking on in the JBO tent

JBO judges and presenters Liam Charles, Ravneet Gill and Harry Hill

What was the JBO tent like to work in?

HOT, HECTIC and HILARIOUS. It was so much fun. I was just making creations with my friends and didn’t have to tidy up. There were loads of cameramen everwhere and lots of questions being asked by the production team so you had to be able to multitask.

Did you find it difficult cooking and baking while the cameras were rolling?

No not really. Sometimes, though, if something was going badly or if you were at a crucial moment it was quite intense, but after a while you got used to it.

Are Rav and Liam as nice and smiley as on the television?

Yes they are both lovely. Rav always had lovely clothes and hair. She had her own make-up artist who followed her around the tent. Liam was also cool and funny. They stayed in the same hotel as us, so we spent some evenings together. When people got voted off they were really supportive. Rav would give you a cuddle and Liam would give you a Liam fist pump!!!

Who is a chef or cook that you particularly admire?

Definitely 100% Jamie Oliver. He is dyslexic like me. He doesn’t like reading or writing, like me. He encourages you to find your passion in life and express yourself. I love that.

What did you take from your experience in JBO?

It has made me realise dreams really do come true, to never, ever give up and to have self-belief. It’s better to try and fail, than fail to try.

I have wanted to enter JBO since I was four. But my mum said I had to wait until I was nine.

I’ve also learnt it’s important to follow recipes. I tend to freestyle a bit too much and it went a bit wrong. I absolutely loved it, it was definitely my biggest achievement. I have made friends for life. Heat A still all speak together. We are hopefully all going camping together in the summer.

Do you now have a taste for making different bakes?

Definitely. I have learnt to make things from around the world and I’ve learnt to make more exotic things.

What did your schoolfriends think of your being on JBO?

My friends have all been super kind and supportive. I think they were proud of me and enjoyed tasting some of my practice bakes. It was quite difficult keeping it a secret from them all!!!

I hear you love surfing and bodyboarding – why do you love them and when do you get a chance to do these?

I love anything to do with water. I go to my Papa and Grandpa’s house in Poole lots –they live very close to the beach so I get to go paddleboarding and kayaking with my cousins. I also go on a camping holiday to Cornwall every summer with friends. We go surfing, bodyboarding, skim boarding, crabbing, jumping off cliffs. It’s so much fun!!!

Do you think Amelia deserved to win?

Good question. I think all the finalists were great. Amelia and Thomas were very organised and neat. Kind of the opposite of me!!!

All 15 episodes of Series 4 of Junior Bake Off are available on channel4.com/programmes/junior-bake-off.

Immy baking in the JBO tent

Junior Bake Off has made me realise dreams really do come true, to never, ever give up, and to have self-belief...

I’ve also learnt it’s important to follow recipes

Immy’s audition bake for JBO

Helping Bath-based talent to thrive

It can be hard for young people to find an opening to a career in the tech industry. There are opportunities locally, however, because broadband provider Truespeed has made a point of focusing its recruitment efforts so it can harness the rich pool of talent in Bath and the south west region.

Are you considering a career in the varied and exciting world of telecoms and tech? Or do you know someone who is?

Then take a look at Broadband provider Truespeed, who have always done things differently. This is a company that is determined to give tech more of a human touch, as it works on its central mission to bring ultrafast connectivity to the people and communities of the south west from its base in the heart of Bath.

One of the ways that Truespeed delivers, in comparison to other broadband providers – who have a tendency to oversell and under-deliver on their broadband speeds, and install a fibre connection to a box up the road and leave the rest to an old copper line – is in the installation of a full-fibre connection directly to its customers’ homes, meaning that they always receive the speeds they pay for.

The company grew significantly in 2022, passing its 60,000th property, connecting 13,000 additional customers, and expanding its team by 48%. And now, looking ahead to 2023 and beyond, it aims to grow even further. In order to do this, Truspeed want to continue to tap

into the rich pool of up-and-coming talent that Bath and the south west have to offer.

Breaking down barriers

Truespeed has a strong communityfocused ethos, and breaking down barriers and supporting its teams to develop and progress has always been at the heart of how it operates as a business.

“I first joined Truespeed as a doorknocker,” says Samantha, Head of Access Permissions. “From there, as the business grew, I worked my way into the Sales team before moving across to the Access team, where I’m now Head of Access Permissions.”

Initiatives such as the Customer Service team’s Peer to Peer Support Scheme also enable colleagues to support one another and expand their skill sets, with each Customer Service Agent having the opportunity to sit down for a one-to-one with a colleague they’re keen to learn from. And with its expanded onboarding and training processes, new starters are able to hit the ground running and get up to speed with the business in no time.

An industry as exciting as it is varied Working in telecoms and technology doesn’t always mean digging up roads, climbing telephone poles, connecting cables or plugging wires into routers. Getting the Truespeed network up and running and ensuring it can deliver a stable connection 24 hours a day requires a talented team of individuals working in numerous areas of the business – areas in which both experienced professionals and young, up-and-coming talent alike can thrive.

“It’s a great industry to be a part of,” says Hannah, a Product Manager at Truespeed. “Technology is ever-changing, so you’re always learning something new. There’s never one right answer to any problem. It’s sort of like Lego, in that you’re often taking all these bits and pieces and seeing how they fit together.”

“No two days are ever the same here,” adds Kayleigh, who is a Network Planner. “One day you can be out in the field surveying potential areas for our network, and the next you can be in the office working alongside the rest of the team.”

Whatever your skill set, experience, or chosen area of expertise – be it Planning, Finance, Sales, Customer Care, Engineering, Marketing, or something else entirely – Truespeed is always on the lookout for new, local talent to help drive the company towards its goal of passing 500,000 properties by 2025.

Looking ahead to the future

Of particular interest to those considering openings in the tech industry is that in 2023 Truespeed is set to expand its range of apprenticeship programmes, providing young talent in Bath with more opportunities to kickstart their careers, with the new Finance Apprenticeship Scheme seeing the company recruit its first ever apprentice into a full-time role.

“It takes all kinds of people to make a world,” Samantha says. “It takes all kinds of people to make a company work, too, and all kinds of personalities to make a team thrive. There’s a place for everybody – in every walk of life and in every industry; something that’s especially true here at Truespeed.”

Truespeed, Pinesgate West, Lower Bristol Road, Bath BA2 3DP; Tel: 01225 300370; truespeed.com

Turning over a new leaf

Hurrah! Spring has (just about) sprung, and our gardens are shaking off their winter slumber. We’re celebrating all things floral with this month’s selection of books: some classic, some new –and all perfect gifts for Mother’s Day...

“Doesn’t one always think of the past, in a garden with men and women lying under the trees?” Doesn’t one indeed! We’re kicking off this month’s picks with a real classic; Virginia Woolf’s Kew Gardens paints a picture of London’s famous botanic garden on a hazy summer afternoon. Published by the Hogarth Press (set up by Virginia and husband Leonard) in 1919, this short story follows eight characters as they wander past flower and foliage, indulging in some delightfully abstract conversation along the way. It’s Woolf at her finest. Kew Publishing, £8

Something for younger bookworms and garden enthusiasts next: Philippa Pearce’s Tom’s Midnight Garden (1958) is a delightful coming of age tale, featuring an enchanted garden that appears each night when the clock strikes thirteen (yes, thirteen). Sent to stay with Aunt Gwen and Uncle Alan, Tom is thrilled to discover the garden and those who inhabit it –particuarly Hatty, a little girl with whom Tom forms a hard and fast friendship. But when Hatty begins to age faster than he does, Tom feels left behind –and the garden begins to lose its magic. Pearce’s is a moving story for 7–12s. Oxford University Press, £6.99

Equally poignant, but far less fictional: Meadow (2022) by Iain Parkinson. Keeping things wild and free is priority number one in today’s horticultural circles, and Meadow falls happily in line, exploring the intimate and complex relationship between people, place and plants, which, over many centuries, has shaped the colour and character of the classic hay meadows of the British Isles. Meadows provide a tantalising glimpse into the past to a time long before chemical fertilisers and herbicides robbed our grasslands of all their treasures; they are biodiversity hotspots, offering home and sanctuary to flora and fauna. A timely and engaging read. Kew Publishing, £25

We can learn to cherish and protect our plants even after they’ve been picked with Bex Partridge’s Flowers Forever (2022). This gorgeous book is packed to the brim with information on dried flowers, including a section on the process of growing, drying and working with flowers that last, plus guidance on textures, tones and colours and advice on how to source materials sustainably. We think this one makes the perfect Mother’s Day gift; grab mum a bouquet and then learn how to make it last forever with Partridge’s tips and tricks. Hardie Grant Books (UK), £20

Another great option for Mother’s Day, Alice Vincent’s Why Women Grow, publishing on 2 March, throws a much-needed spotlight on female gardeners of the past who have drawn strength and power from the natural world. It explores what it is that encourages women to go

out, work the soil, plant seeds and nurture them – and considers why women turn to the earth as gardeners, growers and custodians. Vincent’s is the perfect spring read, as gardeners begin to re-familiarise themselves with the soil and its potential. Canongate, £16.99

Vincent isn’t alone in her determination to uncover hiddenhorticultural-histories. Miss Willmott’s Ghosts: the extraordinary life and gardens of a forgotten genius (2022)by Sandra Lawrence is a deep dive biography of Ellen Ann Willmott: a remarkable woman whose achievements in horticulture, botany, landscape architecture, photography and more, should have made her one of the most well-known trailblazers of her age. Yet, both posthumously and within her lifetime, she instead became known as a bitter, cantankerous and eccentric miser, and her reputation has been forever stained by the image of her maliciously seeding other people’s gardens with thorns. Lawrence has been granted unparalleled access to her archives, and with it has uncovered the secrets behind the myth. This is a book with it all: gossip, sisters, rivalry, squandered inheritance, forbidden love, and trailblazing talent. Manilla, £25

Less gossip and more gardensproper, we’re rounding off the selection with a lovely little publication, Hortus. A quarterly gardening periodical published by David Wheeler and Simon Dorrell (creators of Bryan’s Ground in Herefordshire), Hortus addresses itself to intelligent and lively-minded gardeners. An excellent place to finish. Hortus, £10.50; available from magalleria.co.uk

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

To smooth out lines, or not?

That is the question. The answer: when it’s the right time for you. Crystal Rose takes a visit to SAQUA in Bath

Combatting ageing using aesthetic treatments is something many of us might consider, to smooth out those unwanted lines that may have started to creep in. When looking for such treatments, do seek professional advice when you feel it may be the right time for you. And having done this, find a qualified practitioner who is properly trained. That’s where SAQUA comes in. Headed up by biologist aesthetician and beauty director Sevcan Caglar, the beauty clinic is located in the iconic historic passage The Corridor. Landing in Bath just eight months ago, Sevcan gained decades of experience in Turkey. She graduated from Uludag University Biology Department and Anadolu University Health Institutions Management before training extensively in all things professional aesthetics.

The space? It’s been recently and meticulously renovated (over a two-month period) from top to bottom. The refurbished, intimate clinic is the perfect base for your close relationship with Sevcan. Trust is one of the most important things when it comes to aesthetic treatments and you need to know that you’re in safe, skilled hands.

Offering a variety of beauty treatments, SAQUA is on a mission to help others feel better about themselves. Whether that’s through medical-grade chemical peels, B12 vitamin boosters, micro-needling or Fibroblast – think a small electric arc that’s transmitted through a small probe to effectively tighten skin and remove skin tags.

After an in-depth consultation, Sevcan and I settle on a non-invasive treatment to work on facial fine lines and deep creases, seeking a natural look: a smooth canvas that still has movement. Sevcan’s expertise instantly shines through. She assesses my face, locating the targeted muscles and walks me through every step. As well as softening fine lines, this beauty treatment reduces the formation of new creases, and it can treat areas including the forehead, brows, frown lines, crow’s feet and lines around the mouth. We opt for three areas, and Sevcan gets to work. I’m guided by Sevcan who keeps the conversation flowing as she manages the treatment.

For four hours after the treatment, there are a few key things you need to do. Stay upright – think nose to sky. Refrain from bending, laying and looking down (mobiles and laptop screens included). Move those muscles and make facial expressions to make the treatment more effective, and avoid baths/showers for the next 24 hours. There’s minimal downtime and after 20 minutes or so I’m back on the bustling streets of Bath, ready to go about my usual day.

It should take around six days for the results to make an appearance. For me, the

smoothness kicks in a little earlier. My make-up sits happier and crease-free on my face and my eyes feel brighter – I have slightly hooded eyelids so this is where I see a noticeable difference.

Beauty treatments like this may not be for everyone, and that’s ok. It’s all about finding what works for you. That’s where Sevcan comes in. Her extensive knowledge of beauty and aesthetics can help you find what you’re looking for. She’s honest, professional and isn’t looking to make a quick buck. She is invested in you and wants to help you on your journey. Whether that’s through skin rejuvenation, mesotherapy or finding an at-home skin routine that works for you – did I mention she stocks the extensive ranges of Image Skin Care and DP Dermaceuticals?

There’s so much more to come from SAQUA, and the new beauty clinic in Bath is just getting started. n

SAQUA, 18 The Corridor, Bath BA1 5AP; saqua.co.uk

Trust is one of the most important things when it comes to aesthetic treatments and you need to know that you’re in safe, skilled hands

Treatments Available

•Manicures and pedicures

•Waxing

•Electrolysis

• Eyebrow and eyelash treatments

• Semi permanent makeup for brows, eyes and lips

• Facials and skin care

• Peels

• Microdermabrasion

• Cryotherapy for wart, skin tag and pigmentation removal

• Ipl for permanent hair reduction, skin rejuvenation and facial thread vein treatment

• Vaginal tightening

• Body treatments for fat loss, toning, skin tightening and cellulite

• Dr led wrinkle reduction treatments, fillers and non surgical face lift

• Diet and nutrition advice

• Food intolerance, hormone testing and menopause advice

INTERIORS NEWS

Best beds for sleepy heads

Did you know that March is National Bed Month? This was instigated some years ago by the The Sleep Council UK and the National Bed Federation to raise awareness of the importance of sleep. Sleep is an essential need for human beings, as much as food and water. It’s a time when the mind and body can rest and recover. A good quality bed is essential for a good night’s rest; poor quality beds can cause sleeplessness, trap dust and debris, and even emit toxic fumes causing illness.

At TR Hayes there is an extensive bed department, with many well-known brands on display. It is the perfect place to find the right bed for you, with both traditional and foam mattresses that you can try out for yourself. Getting a new mattress can be quite daunting, but the helpful staff at TR Hayes are trained to help you find a suitable match, and start you on the road to a perfect night’s sleep. trhayes.co.uk

Think Forest Green

Reading recommendations

Openhouse is an unusual and fresh interiors and lifestyle magazine that follows a cross section of creative people into their homes, private spaces and secret places to explore ideas around food, art and design. It's not as elitist as it sounds because these people genuinely open their doors to the public. They also share the odd recipe in the magazine. Openhouse is based in Spain and though published in English it also prints interviews with nonEnglish contributors in their native language. It’s a very attractive piece of publishing and one of Magalleria’s store favourites. £16. store.magalleria.co.uk

Green has been prominent in the interior vogue charts for a while, but this spring/summer make way for Forest Green, a rich, saturated shade aiming to capture that restorative, deep-in-theforest experience.

Any shade of green links to our emotional connection to nature and Forest Green pushes this into an intense woodland experience. Green also has positive associations with wellbeing, having an uplifting effect on physical and mental health that helps to keep the mood calm within the restless pace of the contemporary world. It’s restful because it falls in the middle of the colour spectrum, which creates a gentle and rejuvenating viewing experience.

The Evolution of Home: English Interiors for a New Era is the first book by interior designer Emma Sims Hilditch. It explores a range of projects to find out how interior spaces have developed to reflect modern ways of living. Whether the project is an urban townhouse, a seaside cottage, an ancestral residence, or a lakeside retreat the Sims Hilditch goal is always the same – to create stylish, comfortable homes that marry up with clients’ wants and needs. You will discover how to create rooms where people live healthy and vibrant lives, aware of the changing seasons and embracing the comforts of a slower lifestyle –resulting in a holistic picture of design in the 21st century.

The Evolution of Home, by Emma Sims-Hilditch & Giles Kime, is published by Rizzoli, £40. simshilditch.com/book

Trim by Perennials Fabrics for Samuel and Sons perennialsfabrics.com; samuelandsons.com/en

Flooring essentials

Flooring is a serious business, so if you’re thinking about changing or upgrading the flooring in your home, it needs some serious research. Here is a practical guide to the main options, indicating how they might suit individual rooms

When you find a new home, the flooring is a given. Well-finished, sanded and waxed natural boards or a luxurious freshly fitted carpet are underfoot experiences that perhaps contributed to that feeling of being somewhere that felt like home when you first set foot inside. All too often, however, existing flooring elements will let down a home’s presence, confidence and style, if characterised by worn carpets, shabby linoleum and chipped tiles or simply by flooring elements that aren’t practical enough or don’t help the individual space sing.

It’s relatively easy to refresh the colour of walls, to buy a new piece of furniture, or to style your room with a quirky framed artwork for a quick style fix. Floors, however, are structural, and are therefore a serious business, requiring significant decisions, invariably professional fitters or installers, and considerable upheaval for work to take place.

But don’t ignore the floor! Because having flooring that is practical, purposeful and stylish will benefit your home to an unparalleled degree. Here is a practical guide to the main categories of flooring used in the domestic interior to help you in your planning and decision-making.

Hardwood flooring

Oak, beech and maple are some of the common options for 100% hardwood flooring, and many people love its natural, organic properties. Good hardwoods are durable and easy to clean if they are properly maintained. Wood floors do scratch and wear over time, but for most people this forms a charming part of their character and history. Most of our Victorian housing stock features pine floors, which is a softwood but is still a durable and practical choice for home flooring if it’s in good repair. Hardwood floors are best used in living areas, bedrooms, hallways and dining rooms

Stone flooring

Stone, a classic material first used in floors by the Egyptians 5000 years ago, gives a timeless, confident and natural quality to a room. Three types of stone are used in flooring: sedimentary stones such as limestone, igneous stone such as granite, and metamorphic stone such as marble and slate. Stone flooring is full of character because no two pieces are the same, it doesn’t attract dust and it’s also very durable. Stone is most often used in kitchens, hallways, utility rooms or outdoor areas. It is a more expensive option than other flooring and it will need to be installed by professionals.

Engineered wood flooring

Engineered wood is another option that looks similar to pure hardwood – this consists of cross-ply layers glued on top of each other with a top layer of real wood. These have the appearance of solid wood floors, but are more stable, durable and economical, and engineered wood is a good option with underfloor heating. These floors are tougher, but solid wood flooring can last longer. They suit rooms with higher moisture levels such as kitchens and bathrooms.

Mandarin Stone, Bayonne Provence Limestone

Mandarin Stone, Silver Tumbled Travertine

Boniti, Herringbone in European OakBoniti, Dark Smoked White Matt Engineered European Oak

Linoleum

Linoleum is made from natural ingredients including linseed oil, cork, limestone, wood flour and pigments, combined with resin to keep everything together, and is sold in tiles or sheets. Its natural, sustainable appeal is a big draw, along with its practicality and retro charm. Linoleum is soft underfoot which makes it a comfortable option, and it resists fading from sunlight. It is not as durable as vinyl but applying a wax finish regularly will protect the surface.

Tiles

Ceramic tiles are available in many styles and colours and can also be produced to emulate stone. The choice is between ceramic and porcelain tiles, with the main difference being that ceramic tiles absorb more water then porcelain, which is resistant to water penetration and staining. Made from a finer, denser clay, porcelain is fired at a higher temperature, so is highly durable and resistant to heavy impact, making it suitable for high-traffic areas. Ceramic tiles are more reasonably priced but are not as hardwearing and can crack and chip, so are recommended for areas with lower footfall. Tiles are highly practical in kitchens, bathrooms, hallways, conservatories and wetrooms, being non-slip, waterproof and stain-resistant.

LVT (Luxury vinyl tiles)

LVF (luxury vinyl flooring) and LVT (luxury vinyl tiles) were developed by manufacturers as a more robust option to standard sheet vinyl, which can be vulnerable to tearing. LVT is water-resistant, waterproof and most examples also have a slipresistant coating. The installation method uses click-lock interlocking edges in the same way as laminate flooring, and also glue down and loose lay formats. It is a soft, warm type of flooring and there are convincing wood and stone effect versions available. The popular Karndean Design Flooring falls into this category. LVT will need a professional installation.

Mandarin Stone, Piazza Bianco Matt Porcelain

Both images: Forbo, Marmoleum Modular Linoleum

Karndean Art Select

Mandarin Stone, Alicante Terracotta Hexagon

Carpets: woven or tufted

A fully fitted carpet is an assured comfort option for most living and bedrooms. Woven or tufted carpets are the two main options. Woven carpet is made by weaving lengths of yarn, usually 100% wool, and this traditional method is still used by carpet makers Axminster and Wilton. Woven carpets are resistant to water-based stains, have low flammability and spring back into shape easily. Another woven carpet option is Sisal or Seagrass, with their natural earthy colors and arresting textures.

Tufted is the less expensive option for standard carpets, with small fibres poking up through a polyurethane backing. These come in a variety of different carpet piles, depending whether their looped yarn is cut into tufts or left as loops. Avoid carpets in rooms that have a high moisture content. The type of carpet you choose will be affected by the amount of footfall it receives. Carpet does hold dirt and dust more than other flooring options (a woven construction is better for allergy sufferers).

Local flooring suppliers

Avonvale Carpets

Avonvale Carpets deals directly with major manufacturers, offering customers a great selection of quality flooring solutions including laminate, LVT, natural, stain resistant, vinyl, wood, wool and tailor-made options.

37 Kingsmead Street, Bath BA1 2AA

Tel: 01225 427057; avonvalecarpets.co.uk

Bath Carpets and Flooring

Offers a wide selection of carpets, made from a variety of different materials including wool, polypropylene, nylon and sisals. The city’s largest Karndean flooring specialist, BCF has an extensive luxury vinyl tile showroom.

4 Kingsmead Street, Bath BA1 2AA

Tel: 01225 471888; carpetsandflooringbath.co.uk

Boniti

A high-quality interiors and exteriors business, Boniti’s showroom is a destination for all types of natural stone, porcelain and timber flooring as well as decorative tiles and stoneware.

Dunsdon Barn, West Littleton, Wiltshire SN14 8JA

Tel: 01225 892200; boniti.com

Mandarin Stone

Renowned for its comprehensive natural stone collection, Mandarin Stone has gained a reputation for its porcelain. Ranging from tiles that mimic materials such as wood, concrete and marble to striking glazed and patterned varieties.

15–16 Broad Street, Bath BA1 5LJ; Tel: 01225 460033; mandarinstone.com

Fibre Flooring, Wool Seychelles Carpets, tufted

Crucial Trading, Tweed collection

Adams Carpets, wool twist

Fibre Flooring, Sisal

Fired Earth: timeless style

As a season of new beginnings, spring is the perfect time to refresh your home and to give your interiors a bit of an update

It’s amazing how something as simple and inexpensive as a change of paint colour or an inspiring new palette can revitalise a room, giving it a completely fresh look. The perfect paint will really tie a scheme together, and Fired Earth’s paint range includes everything from hardworking neutrals to harmonious pastels and bold accent colours. In celebration of its 40th anniversary this year, Fired Earth has recently added six beautiful paint colours to the collection, and they’re sure to inspire you to reach for a paint brush. Ranging from the delicate, restful umber of Silver Needle to the vibrant and celebratory burnt terracotta of Taos House, and the lush teal of Hesper, these timeless shades are completely at home in contemporary and traditional interiors.

If you’ve never really ventured far from whites, Silver Needle is the ideal place to start since it’s warm, versatile and complex without being in any way strident. If you’re worried about bolder shades being ‘too much’ or being tricky to match with soft furnishings etc, then why not try them in a small area such as a cloakroom or hallway. You’ll probably be completely won over once you’ve had a chance to admire them several times a day! You could also try painting a tired piece of furniture, giving it a new lease of life and adding a dash of eye-catching colour to a room.

While a couple of coats of paint are one of the quickest, easiest and most inexpensive ways to achieve a spring makeover, a new splashback or floor can also have a dramatic impact on the look and feel of a room without breaking the bank. As with paint, if you usually play it safe with tiling, then a splashback can be a great place to start when it comes to being a little more adventurous. Fired Earth’s latest collections include a stunning Arts & Crafts-inspired tile range called Kelmscott that would be a wonderful addition to any home. The tile motifs are a perfect blend of contemporary and classic so they’re ideal for every style of interior, and the designs have an ageless feel that will really stand the test of time. The Kelmscott tiles are made from hardwearing porcelain – porcelain being a really lowmaintenance surface that’s ideal for busy homes – and can even be used outdoors, so they’re particularly versatile. Working brilliantly for everything from a fresh and pretty splashback behind a bathroom basin to a spectacular kitchen floor leading out onto a patio, the Kelmscott collection is a perfect choice if you’re planning a new look for any room of the home.

Although here in Britain we’ve tended to confine tiles to kitchens, bathrooms and hallways, collections such as the Kelmsott range are undoubtedly beautiful enough to grace living rooms and bedrooms too. Using tiles on, say, living room walls or bedroom floors can be a really contemporary way of introducing eye-catching pattern and texture to a scheme. Designs such as the bold geometrics in Fired Earth’s Azores and Urban collections can be used as a fantastic alternative to wallpaper, and they can be paired with paint in exactly the same way that you might select a paint colour to complement wallpaper. For example, you might choose to paint two or three walls and tile the remaining wall or walls, or you could tile the lower half of a wall and paint the upper half, using tile trims or pencil tiles to create a crisp dado that gives the wall a really finished look. This combination of lower wall tiling and painted upper walls works particularly well in hallways, protecting walls from inevitable scuffs and splashes. Take the tiling slightly above the height where people are likely to touch the wall to balance as they pull off shoes or as they carry in parcels. You’ll then be able to keep paintwork looking clean and fresh until you decide that it might be time for another spring makeover!

Fired Earth

11 Broad Street, Bath BA1 5LJ 01225 471212, www.firedearth.com

Silver Needle

Hesper

Urban Axel tiles with Hoppers Hat

Kelmscott tiles

Changing rooms

Spring is a great 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 treasured range of expert services to make all those home, interior and garden ideas become reality

KUTCHENHAUS BATH

5 Saracen Street, Bath BA1 5BR. Tel: 01225 634025 Web: uk.kutchenhaus.com

Kutchenhaus Bath are part of the Kutchenhaus German Kitchen family. Located on Saracens Street in the heart of Bath Kutchenhaus supply, design and fit German kitchens which with it bring innovation and the latest technology. Whether you are looking for a modern kitchen or a traditional kitchen, the friendly team at Kutchenhaus Bath has over 60 years of combined experience, so can guarantee a professional and five-star service. All Kutchenhaus kitchens are manufactured and put together in Verle, Germany and get shipped directly to customers fully assembled which means no flat-pack! The kitchens are also manufactured by intelligent machines which completely eliminates the risk of human error –guaranteeing your kitchen will be right first time! The team in Bath also design spaces for bathrooms, bedroom and living areas too. So whatever your query may be, pop into the showroom today and get your dream project plans into motion.

WOODHOUSE & LAW

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

Woodhouse & 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 in-house 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.

AVONVALE CARPETS

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

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 50 years, providing an excellent choice of flooring, in-depth expertise and perfect fitting. An independent, secondgeneration 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 – LVT, natural, stain resistant, vinyl, wood, wool and tailor-made options too. You’ll be amazed at the variety on offer in the shop, located just off Kingsmead Square. Pop in and see.

SOFAS & STUFF

Woodchester Mill, Selsey Road, North Woodchester, Stroud, GL5 5NN Tel: 01453 700812 Web: sofasandstuff.com

Blending contemporary creativity with the knowledge and experience of three generations of furniture makers, Sofas & Stuff make timeless sofas, chairs and beds, handmade here in Britain with love and for longevity. Offering interior designers and individual customers a level of choice and customisation that sets it apart, Sofas & Stuff strives to create more sustainably, producing no more than what is needed through its truly bespoke service. Choose from Sofas & Stuff’s inspiring library of fabrics, which includes exclusive linens and collaborations with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and the V&A. Visit Sofas & Stuff’s Stroud showroom in North Woodchester. Shown here is the Kentwell 3 seater sofa in RHS Lydia Penrose Design.

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.

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.

THE BATH FRAMER

14–15 Walcot Buildings, London Road, Bath BA1 6AD

Tel: 01225 920210 Web: thebathpictureframer.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’ needsruns alongside a gorgeous selection of cards, gift wrap and stationery.

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.

CATRIONA ARCHER INTERIORS

Tel: 07823 884945 Web: catrionaarcher.com

Catriona Archer Interiors has helped transform residential homes, small businesses and holiday rentals in Bath and the surrounding areas for over a decade. Catriona is known for her practical design solutions, creative flair and hands-on styling. A full menu of services are provided to suit a broad range of projects and budgets: From half-day and full-day consultations to more in-depth end-toend services that include renovation plans, furnishing and finishes. So whether you are looking for a few well considered updates or a full redesign, simply contact Catriona to discuss your requirements and arrange a consultation.

CLAIR STRONG INTERIOR DESIGN

5 Argyle Street, Bath BA2 4BA

Meetings by appointment.

Tel (Studio): 01225 690019

Mob: 07855 797311

Web: clairstrong.co.uk

Clair and her experienced team at Clair Strong Interior Design Ltd provide a full range of interior design services for both residential and commercial projects. Established over 15 years ago, Clair works with a trusted network of professionals and trades to offer a complete interior design service for projects of all types. From city centre apartments and shops to large family homes and hotels, her portfolio includes contemporary projects through to listed Georgian properties. 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 discuss your project.

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

BO CONCEPT

BoConcept Bristol, 51-53 Merchant Street, Bristol BS1 3EE

Tel: 0117 929 3503 Web: boconcept.com

Through Danish creativity and craftsmanship, BoConcept elevates spaces with iconic design that brings joy and inspiration, collaborating with some of the most respected designers in Denmark and further afield to be timelessly on trend. Live a life as individual as you are. You can change the size, colours and materials of nearly every design and the team at BoConvept are there to help you style your home, your way. Nothing beats having a face-to-face opinion you can trust, someone who understands your needs and can guide you to the right choice. BoConcept’s interior designers’ primary concern is getting to know you and your desires, problems and interior demands. Your interior designer will help unfold the potential of your home and help you discover your perfect solution, whether big or small. What’s more Bo Concept Bristol offer a free interior design service. Just visit the store and ask..

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 Sayce, 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.

Photography by nicksmithphotography.com

KELLY MARIE KITCHEN INTERIORS

8 Pulteney Terrace, Bath BA2 4HJ

Tel: 01225 481881 (Mobile: 07796 554466) Web: kellymariekitchens.com

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

Located on the famous Walcot Street of Bath, Coopers Home Appliances is a store not to miss. For many years running, Coopers has been a popular entry in our ‘Best of Bath’ list and it’s easy to see why. With over 70 years’ experience, Coopers is a highly acclaimed and award-winning kitchen appliance retailer with an eye for the unusual. Their large showroom has undergone an exciting transformation and displays an extensive array of range cookers, refrigeration, laundry, dishwashing, built-in appliances, small appliances, and much more. The showroom provides customers with a unique live experience where you can physically interact with the appliances before you buy them. The store frequently holds demonstrations and events, and often collaborates with other local specialist traders. The expert team at Coopers is always on hand and is competitive when it comes to purchase, delivery, and installation. With so much choice, the team will help you choose the right product to complement your taste and home environment. With superb customer service, Coopers aim to make buying home appliances a personal and pleasurable experience – independent retailing at its very best.

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.

Image: Pete Helme Photography

TR HAYES

15–18 London Street, Walcot, Bath BA1 5BX Tel: 01225 465757 Web: trhayes.co.uk

TR Hayes is the largest furniture store in the region and has been selling furniture in Bath for over 100 years with a reputation for good quality and service. The store features many well-respected brands, with an amazing array of furniture of all types on display – sofas and chairs, dining and living room furniture, beds and mattresses (including Vispring, Harrison Spinks and Hypnos). 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 accessories is available. With friendly and knowledgeable staff to help guide you, and excellent aftersales care, you can rely on TR Hayes.

UNL STUDIOS

3rd Floor, Old Stock Exchange, St Nicholas Street, Bristol, BS1 1TG Tel: 07703 575289 Web: unlstudios.com

UNL Studios are garden landscape designers based in Bristol.

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 14 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. Check out the new ranges for 2023 such as the Zen Decor glossin porcelain - shown here.

Pouring Optimism, Energy and enthusiasm into every project. The team are based in Bristol, but like to get around a bit. Bath, Somerset, North Devon and even sometimes as far as that there London. Design Director Rob Mills comments ‘We’re what’s known as a boutique landscape design studio. A bit posh (not really), a bit experimental and a bit bloody brilliant if you pardon the language. Basically, if you want something marvellous with three Ms, then you’ve found yourself in the right place. If you don’t, well we’re not for everybody to be honest.’ Townhouse courtyard, rambling country estate or hanging gardens of Winterbourne. However ambitious your brief, the aim is always the same — to blow your garden-loving socks off.

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.

ARTISANS OF DEVIZES

Stonebridge House, Nursteed Road, Devizes, Wiltshire SN10 3DY Tel: 02033 029 996 Web: artisansofdevizes.com

Artisans of Devizes is a heritage British brand based in the market town of Devizes, specialising in exquisite natural stone flooring, bespoke stone creations and luxury tiles. Their collection is filled with exclusive designs to satisfy every style and budget from starburst porcelain tiles to nature-inspired creations from their exclusive collaboration with the National Trust that honour some of Britain's most historic properties. Their bespoke stone services help to achieve your exact home requirements, from tailor-made stone staircases to made-to-measure stone shower trays. Their specialist team of designers and masons are able to look after a bespoke stone brief from start to finish for a result that is unique and everlasting.

HAUS MAIDS

Tel: 01225 952250 Email: Bath@hausmaids.co.uk Web: hausmaids.co.uk/bath

Haus Maids specialises in bespoke residential cleaning for homes in Bath and the surrounding areas, on a regular or one off basis. They pride themselves in their professionalism. Haus Maids was established in 2012, and their Bath office is headed up by local Director Karen Rowland. They insist on the highest level of attention to detail at all times which has resulted in five star ratings from clients. With excellent retention rates and through understanding a client’s bespoke needs they aim to ensure each client is treated with the same level of thought and understanding for their individual needs. Haus Maids Bath offer cleaning to the highest standard every visit, thanks to their 100% guarantee, nothing is overlooked. They provide a range of professional domestic services that can be tailored to your specific needs and at intervals to suit your life. Email: Bath@hausmaids.co.uk

FORMOSA KITCHENS, BEDROOMS & BATHROOMS

Ham Green, Holt, Trowbridge, Wiltshire BA14 6PX Tel: 01225 308541 Web: formosakbb.co.uk

Formosa has been offering the design and supply of beautiful kitchens since 2011. Over the 12 years they have created many stunning spaces and in recent years have expanded and drawn on previous experience with adding bedrooms and bathrooms to their portfolio and continue to deliver an attention to detail service for their clients. A family run business nestled in the quintessential Village of Holt, the Formosa team have over 60 years’ experience and extensive knowledge of the industry- so whether you are looking for a distinctive kitchen, a bathroom sanctuary or sophisticated bedroom, Formosa will take the time to listen, develop and inspire you in creating a space you love to be in. To start your design journey, simply drop in to their showroom or call ahead to arrange an appointment to discuss your requirements.

SILK ROAD RUGS

1 Westway Farm, Bishop Sutton, Bristol BS39 5XP Tel: 01275 319950 Web: silkroad-rugs.co.uk

Silk Road Rugs stock a beautiful and eclectic range of handmade rugs, kilims and furnishings from the Middle and Far East, accommodating for the traditional taste of period properties alongside contemporary design and modern living. Promoting centuries-old traditions and designs on display you’ll find Afghan tribal weavings, ornate Persian carpets and Chinese rugs alongside lots of beautiful gift items and furnishings.

The shop itself is nestled on a farm between Bath and Bristol and the very helpful team offer lots of guidance through the rug choosing process. Silk Road Rugs also offer a specialist cleaning, repair and valuation services and all stock can also be purchased online.

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.

THE URBAN GARDEN

Marlborough Buildings, Bath BA1 2LZ

Tel: 07877 846488 Web: theurbangarden.org.uk

The Urban Garden is ‘the smallest garden centre with the biggest heart’. Located in Royal Victoria Park just below the Royal Crescent, it sells locally sourced plants and houseplants (50% grown by the team), a range of beautiful garden-ware and gifts. Plants can be packaged in recyclable posipots and you can purchase peat free compost sold in re-fillable bags. On site there is a café kiosk where customers can enjoy a coffee whilst enjoying the tranquil space. The Urban Garden also offers a range of botanical courses throughout the year in the back of its beautiful glasshouse. Loved by Bath residents as a calm oasis, its reputation is growing and last year it was featured in the Telegraph as one of their top 10 garden centres to visit. As a social enterprise, a purchase made there helps support people to improve their lives in a number of ways. Open Thursdays-Sundays.

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.

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 off-the-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.

PROPER GOOD PAINT BY CA’ PIETRA

Stonebridge House, Nursteed Road, Devizes, Wiltshire SN10 3DY Tel: 01380 735886 Web: capietra.com

Proper Good Paint, for proper good-looking homes. Created by stone and tile experts Ca’ Pietra. Grazzie Wilson, Head of Creative at Ca’ Pietra has hand-picked a palette of 44 beautiful colours covering classic looks and latest trends, making it easy to create, contrast and coordinate gorgeous walls, ceilings, wood and metal-work in any room of your home.

Inspired by and named after their favourite people, you’re sure to find your new favourite shade amongst them. And of course you’ll always be able to find the perfect partner colour for their inspirational tile and stone collections. Paint is also available from Artisans of Devizes. Shown here: Ander’s Rock, see the full range on the Ca’ Pietra website

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.

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 period furniture curated from different eras, countries & styles to give fresh variety and flavour. Displayed in situ, they aim to help you imagine the items in your home. Situated between the Circus and the Royal Crescent, both of their shops offer fashionable and useful antiques with personalised service. The team at Beau Nash are always delighted to help you find what you need or perhaps what you don’t “need.”

NEWMAN’S JOINERY

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

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 well-established 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.

BATH BESPOKE

Hartley Farm, Winsley, BA15 2JB

Tel: 01225 920900 Web: bathbespoke.co.uk

With a dedication to considered design and sustainable craftsmanship, the multiaward winning Bath Bespoke delivers distinctive and imaginative design solutions to create truly unique living spaces. Founded 14 years ago by Bath locals, Tom Jones-Marquez and James Etheridge, Bath Bespoke works in partnership with architects, interior designers and private clients. Their skilled, passionate team use their extensive experience to create traditionally handmade, beautifully bespoke furniture from carefully selected, sustainable materials. Be it a handcrafted kitchen or a bespoke piece of built-in furniture; high-quality, hardwood flooring, handmade joinery or authentic sash windows to complement the character of your home, every project is designed and crafted with its own character by expert craftsmen with an unprecedented attention to detail.

CREAM CORNWALL

29, Milsom Street, Bath BA1 1DG Web: creamcornwall.co.uk

Inspired by the Cornish coast, Cream Cornwall makes luxury and exclusive homewares for people who love to be surrounded by beautiful things. Featured on homewares and fabric, their unique designs transform ordinary objects into statement pieces. Cream Cornwall’s overarching motto is ‘Beautiful things, beautifully made’ and Rebecca and Allison, the co-founders of Cream Cornwall, are committed to producing quality and unique homewares that inspire. The two women are passionate keeping production as local as possible, with their candles, diffusers, lampshades and cushions all made locally in Cornwall. Both Rebecca and Allison maintain the importance of having physical stores, and their shops in Falmouth, St Ives and Bath beautifully showcase the wide range of products.

HEIDI REIKI FENG SHUI AND REIKI FOR YOUR HOME

Tel: 07776 255875 Web: heidireiki.com

This is a makeover you’ll love. Each living space is unique. Heidi offers bespoke packages that you can design together with her, making sure you have the best possible experience for you, your home and those living with you. In person and remote consultations are available. Heidi’s mission is to help people and places using her knowledge and expertise in Reiki, Feng Shui and The ThetaHealing® Technique transforming your home and office to be joyful, peaceful and tranquil places to live and work in. Find out more contact Heidi Lerner Rearden: heidi@heidireiki.com

FRANCIS DIY

39 Moorland Road, Bath BA2 3PN Tel: 01225 427885, Web: francisdiy.com

Francis DIY, Bath’s original hardware store since 1966 can be found in the bustling area of Oldfield Park where the store supplies the widest range of DIY and hardware products imaginable. It is a family run business, and the team there have a wealth of experience and are reknowned for their friendly service, great advice or simply helping new and existing loyal customers find DIY solutions. The range is vast with hundreds of stock items immediately available including: domestic hardware, key cutting services, locks and security products, lightbulbs and electrical accessories, small electrical appliances, heaters, fans, DIY and decorating products, paints and varnishes, kitchenware and cooking accessories, hand and power tools, fireworks and fairy lights... and so much more. The store is open Monday to Saturday 8.00am to 6.00pm and Sunday 9am to 4.00pm and also offers a local delivery service. It’s the best!

JG DECORATORS

Tel: 01225 422707 Web: jgdecorators.co.uk

JG Decorators have been providing a residential Painting and Decorating service in Bath for the past 15 years that is second to none. Using traditional skills to achieve the best results from contemporary to traditional finishes JG has a wealth of experience working on Bath’s iconic and historic homes. The company has a strong ethic when it comes to the restoration and conservation of property. No matter the property, no matter the project, the team are always happy to discuss your requirements and give you a detailed quote that suits your needs. Furthermore, in order to give you complete peace of mind, JG give all customers a 24 month workmanship guarantee. Also find them on facebook : jgdecorators

S&J ROOFING

130 Walcot Street, Bath, BA1 5BG. Tel: 01225 951223 Web: sandjbath.co.uk

Established since 1981 S&J Roofing Bath have over 40 years experience within the roofing industry providing all aspects of roofing works across the city and beyond. This is a family run business that has an excellent reputation for delivering quality work within budget and on time. S&J have a showroom which is conveniently located in the heart of Bath on Walcot Street, customers can book an appointment to discuss, over a cup of coffee, all their roofing requirements with a member of the roofing team. It’s also a great place to get ideas and view the roofing products available. S&J are approved members of the FMB which assures customers that all work is carefully checked and also ensures work carried out is of the highest standards of the federation and are upheld and adhered to.

DREAM DOORS BATH

10 Silver Street, Bradford on Avon, BA15 1JY Tel: 01225 282172 web: dreamdoors.co.uk/kitchen-showrooms/bath

Dream Doors Bath is a one-stop shop for beautiful kitchen makeovers. Visit the Bradford on Avon showroom and meet owners and kitchen designers Lorraine and Malcolm to discuss your ideas for your dream kitchen. From concept to completion (and beyond) they are there to oversee every part of the process. There’s a whole spectrum of services and options available from simple door swaps or worktop replacements that will revitalise your old kitchen quickly and cost-effectively or go for a full transformation with the design and installation of a completely bespoke new kitchen. All Dream Doors products and kitchens are made to measure, and there’s a wide selection of styles and finishes to match every taste, so whatever your preference Dream Doors will have the perfect solution. Lorraine and Malcolm enjoy a great ‘Checkatrade’ rating for their highly personalised service too, overseeing every part of the process and making sure customers are kept informed throughout the installation and are always satisfied with the end results.

FIRED EARTH

11 Broad Street, Bath BA1 5LJ Tel: 01225 471212 web: firedearth.com

Renowned for its beautiful collections of tiles, paints and bathrooms, Fired Earth celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. Whether you're looking to give a room a quick update or you're planning a major renovation, Fired Earth has products for every style of home and for a wide range of budgets. Offering everything from handdecorated wall tiles, glass mosaics, timeless marbles and inexpensive yet stylish porcelain flooring, to versatile and sophisticated paint shades and contemporary and traditional bathrooms that are a joy to spend time in, Fired Earth has been blazing a trail in the interiors world for 40 years.

BROWELL INTERIORS

Tel: 07510 843232 Web: browellinteriors.com

Bath-based interior decorator, Isabell Browell uses light and colour to help transform rooms. The right lampshade has a vital role to play in the feel of a room. Isabell produces one-off and limited edition hand-stitched lampshades that complement the colours and design in a room. She also works with clients to research the right materials. Her fabrics are handwoven silk and cotton Ikats from Uzbekistan and Turkey, cotton block prints and recycled vintage silk Saris from India. As well as lampshades, Isabell offers a selection of Ikat and Suzani cushions from Uzbekistan and Turkey. View Isabell’s collection on her website or get in touch for a personalised service.

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.

MOCKRIDGE BESPOKE CARPENTRY

Tel: 07946 037326

email: hello@mockridgebespokecarpentry.co.uk Web: mockridgebespokecarpentry.co.uk

Cory Mockridge and team have been working with homeowners, designers and builders all around Bristol, Bath and further afield for many years and, to create exactly the right bespoke design and finish, will spend time understanding you and your lifestyle. The company aim to build not only furniture, but relationships. Recent testimonials confirm this: “Meticulous and paid lots of attention to detail.”–Barrs Court, Bristol. “Prompt, efficient, and with an excellent standard of workmanship.” –Trowbridge, Wiltshire. “Professional, efficient, honest and reliable… Very impressed, from designing the furniture and choosing the materials to the finished goods.” –Keynsham, Bristol.

For more details and to discuss your next project call or email Cory.

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

And, for regular updates and links to even more great content subscribe to receive our weekend edition newsletter

Sustainable and ethical household products

Refillable Shop on London Road is the place to go when looking for quality household cleaning products that are sustainable and ethical. It offers a wide range of ethically produced and sourced biodegradable cleaning solutions that will leave your home sparkling clean and smelling great.

You can also be part of the shop’s ‘Kinder to Nature’ initiative where you can transition from using old-style synthetic cleaning products to using Refillable products with natural ingredients.

Bathroom Cleaner by Bio-D

With convenient, versatile ready-to-use formulas that are ultraeffective and tough on watermarks and mess, this bathroom and surface cleaner can be used on glass, ceramics, perspex, chrome and most non-porous surfaces.

Window & Glass Cleaner by Sesi

This cleaner is fully biodegradable, leaving no harmful trace in the environment. It is made in the UK by a workers’ partnership company and works on full circular economy supply. Simply refill your bottle at Refillable and you’re ready to clean!

Limescale remover by Bio-D

Use powerful, plant-based cleaning power to tackle limescale build-up on multiple surfaces, from taps and tiles to shower screens and sinks. All the ingredients are 100% naturally derived, cruelty-free and vegan.

Washing Up Liquid by Bio-D

Refillable stocks a range of washing-up liquid, all 100% naturally derived and biodegradable plant-based formulations. Choose from zingy Pink Grapefruit, Spiced Ginger, Lemon and unscented.

Toilet Cleaner by Sesi

Gentle on the environment but uncompromising on toilet germs and stains, this vegan, cruelty-free, biodegradable and refillable toilet cleaner with its gentle fragrance of Lotus & Seasalt will leave your toilet sparkling clean and smelling fresh.

Refillable supports a selection of local and accredited suppliers. The bulk drums are delivered to the shop and once finished, the drums are sent back for cleaning and refilling. No single use plastic is used or disposed of, so it’s a circular economy.

Refillable Shop, 2–3 Cleveland Place East, London Road, Bath BA1 5DJ. Tel: 01225 444577; refillable.shop; @refillable.shop

HERE ARE FEW GREAT SWAPS FROM REFILLABLE’S RANGE:

Versa-tile style

“This year we have a whole army of trends to sit up straight and duly pay attention to,” says Ca’ Pietra’s Head of Creative Grazziella Wilson. “So, if you’re a sucker for having the single most stylish interior on the block, if you want to cover your home in the colour that everyone’s applauding, or even if you’re the timeless sort who just likes to pepper a bit of trend here and there, buckle up.” We speak to some of our favourite tiling experts to discover the latest looks to welcome into your home

Bamboo Lustre Porcelain Mosaic Satin Avocado by Ca' Pietra

Maldives Lagoon and Reform Aqu aby Ca' Pietra

Credit: BC Designs Copper Bath

California Peach and Reform Cotto and Salmon Pink by Ca' Pietra

Clarissa Hulse x Ca’ Pietra Wild Botanicals Blue

Grazziella Wilson, Head of Creative at Ca’ Pietra

The so-right-now looks for the next twelve months are:

Stripes: Make Them Wavy and Straight Circus stripes, pinstripes, candy stripes. Love. Them. All. And while we have been seeing plenty of playful stripes across everything from tiles (hello Deck Chair tiles) to textiles, they’re not going anywhere fast. In fact, expect to see them really make waves. Literally. Stripes will take on a new undulating form, rippling their way across cushions, dancing their way down playful curtain trims, and waving back at you from rugs underfoot. We put it down to the celebrated scallop edge that took the worlds of furniture and fashion by storm, but whatever the muse, we’re lapping them up and loving even more when straight stripes meet waves in the same space.

Flawsome: The New Wabi-Sabi

With every year comes a new buzzword that we must: a) learn how to pronounce (we’re still not 100% confident on saying hygge out loud) and b) learn how to practise. This year’s interiors term is a little easier to get your brain around and preaches similar virtues to what the Japanese taught us with Wabi-Sabi…

Flawsome. As the name suggests, it is all about the love of the handmade, the acceptance of imperfection and the thrill that comes with letting it all loose. The rejection of a pristine, polished, perfect interior is one that is more than just a look or a trend; it’s a mindset and a whole new way of living that we’re all for.

In tile speak? That means bring on that tumbled edge and love it for its unruliness. Embrace naturally imperfect stones. And fawn over finishes where the colour varies (slightly) from tile to tile because of the artisanal nature that makes them what they are – so very special.

Earth Song: Warm Brown Tones Are Back

There’s never just one colour trend to follow – far from it. Pantone tells us Vivid Magenta is the one to want this year. Other sources cite primary colours as the ones you’ll want to splash onto your walls. But the one colour on which the design world unites? Brown. Warm, earthy browns specifically – those that will make your shoulders drop, help your mind unwind and cocoon you like a chocolate advert (or better still, chocolate bar) does.

As the story usually goes, fashion cottoned on to brown first and now our interiors are following suit. Restful, earth tones have been the grounding go-to for many of us over the past few turbulent years but now we’re beginning to find our feet again, and deep and bold tones

feel favourable. Brown leads us into bolder colour choices but still with the feeling of safety and steadiness. If the deepest browns feel too far, however, consider a putty brown like the Sand tone of our Brasserie Mosaic tiles, hints of varied browns in tiles like Milan Bronze Marble Mosaic or the nurturing hue of Edith’s Pampas. Want to step it up a notch? Look to plum and mustard.

The Med: We’re Talking Terracotta and Moorish Pattern

Why wouldn’t you want to have a taste of the Med every day of the week? And why has it taken until now for it to become one of the top looks to bring home?

The love affair with terracotta – the colour and the material – is about to move up a gear as references to Mediterranean-inspired interiors takes off. The terracotta tile at the top of our list for doing so? Our new Marlborough Arabesque that gives you Moorish pattern via its shaping and sun-baked style via its terracotta nature. Or if you’re looking to nod to sunnier climes through your paint palette, acquaint yourself with the likes of Cassia’s Terracotta and Mable’s Kale. And for a pure Med pattern punch, try Cabana Algarve and Cuba Iberia.

Marble: But Make it Dramatic

Correct, marble isn’t ever really a material that falls out of favour. It’s one of those that transcends trends and is a mainstay for so many homes. But, marble does have its moments – the Deco trend that was all about marble paired with gleaming gold and rose gold being one of the biggest of all of late.

This year’s marble moment is set to be all about drama. Less Carrara and more mesmerising coloured stones like the jade green marble effect in our California tiles, the striking shades and shapes of our East Java collection, or the look-at-me veining of our honed marble Pantheon tiles and Marble Luxe collection.

How do you recommend using Reform tiles, and what are the benefits of using recycled stone materials in terms of the design?

An ingenious blend of recycled stone materials made in a carbonneutral factory, Reform is highly durable and yet natural in effect. We adore this tile used indoors and out. Use it to add a natural and organic element to any design.

Continued page 82

• See more at: thetileandbathroomwarehouse.com

California Porcelain Jade tiles by Ca’ Pietra

Jungle tiles by Ca' Pietra

The Tile and Bathroom Warehouse is a proud supplier of Ca’ Pietra and showcases the market-leading collection at Bristol’s largest independent tile and bathroom showroom –located on Eldon Way in Brislington.

Ask the experts at Mandarin Stone

What’s the difference between ceramic and porcelain tiles?

Ceramic and porcelain are part of the same family and some often use the terms interchangeably. However, there are some important differences that affect how they can be used. They are made from different clays and porcelain is fired at higher temperatures. This means that porcelain has a much lower water absorption rate and is more dense and hard-wearing. While some ceramic tiles can be used on floors, they are mainly used as wall tiles. Porcelain can be used on walls and floors and also outdoors.

What is the best type of flooring if I have pets?

Hard flooring, including both stone and porcelain, is an ideal option if you have pets as unlike carpet, it can be easily cleaned by sweeping, vacuuming or mopping. It is also useful for temperature control being warm in the winter with under floor heating, while remaining cool in the summer. Tiled floors are easy to clean, they do not trap odours and are resilient to stains and hard to scratch. As with all flooring, tiles with more variation will be more forgiving underfoot than surfaces that are very plain.

Will tiled floors be cold in the winter? Can underfloor heating be used with them?

Stone and porcelain tiles are excellent conductors of heat so will hold on to heat and make the perfect option to use with underfloor or under-tile heating. By the same token, hard surfaces will have a cooling effect during our recent warm British summers.

Can floor tiling be a DIY job?

Yes, it can, the key is, as always, ‘measure twice, cut once’. The more prepared you are, the smoother the job will go. Dry lay some tiles so that you can plan out any awkward cuts and distribute shades or patternation evenly. If laying a random mix of patterns, have an idea before you start to ensure you achieve your desired results. Nevertheless, depending on the size of the area, your knowledge and ability, it will be well worth getting an experienced fitter to lay your tiles. Choose someone who is experienced in laying hard floors. When purchasing tiles from Mandarin Stone a list of suggested fixers is available on request.

• mandarinstone.com

Monaco Porcelain Zellige and 2022 Sage Gloss Ceramic by Mandarin Stone

Cobana Gloss Porcelain, Rosso Tumbled Marble and Bluestone Tumbled Marble by Mandarin Stone

Colin Roby-Welford, Creative Director

at Fired Earth

Which tiles would go best with this year’s kitchen trends?

Today’s kitchens have a relaxed, timeless feel. As kitchens have become more open-plan, they’ve also become more eclectic –incorporating everything from dining furniture and sofas to bookshelves and artworks – and tiling reflects this trend. Here at Fired Earth, we’re noticing that customers are becoming more experimental with tiles, perhaps combining two or three colours on one wall, opting for bold geometric pattern or using layouts such as chevron and lattice designs as an alternative to classic brickbond formats. Our English Delft Charcoal tiles are also in keeping with the trend towards relaxed and eclectic kitchens, offering a fresh, contemporary take on traditional blue and white Delft designs.

What have been your best-selling patterned tiles and what can these more vibrant styles add to a space?

From Moorish designs to classic Victorian motifs, geometric tiles have been gracing interiors for centuries. It’s this timelessness and sense of familiarity that means bold but simple designs are totally at home in every style of interior.

Ask the experts at Boniti:

Where in the house do wall tiles work well?

Where don’t they work well! We see decorative wall tiles used throughout the house, think fireplaces, boot rooms, and open wood burners. A little fireplace could be the perfect opportunity to add a pop of personality without taking over the whole room, or let your imagination run wild and use a woodland-inspired tile in your boot room.

What are the popular tile styles at Boniti?

More and more over the last few months we have seen people move away from the glamorous polished tiles, and more towards earthy neutral tones, going for soft and warm over luxurious and opulent. You will be seeing a lot more Zellige-inspired tiles, bringing texture back into the home. Nature-inspired tile formats are also taking over. Look out for hexagon, leaf and scallop-shape tiles.

Which tiles would best suit Victorian, Edwardian and Georgian houses?

We often find that many of our clients own Georgian properties, and while many choose to add a modern twist to their homes, a good few decide to maintain the houses heritage and install floors which are more in keeping with the original times.

It’s unlikely to find this style of floor in modern homes, but listed buildings, period properties and Georgian style houses

People can really make the designs their own, creating completely different effects with them, and this is one of the reasons for their appeal. For example, tiles such as those in Fired Earth’s encaustic Azores collection are a beautifully classic choice for hallway floors, creating a welcoming first impression, but the tiles can just as easily introduce a modern and architectural feel to living room walls and floors.

Similarly, the Urban tile collection and the latest Bert & May at Fired Earth ranges feature simple but striking motifs that can be styled in very different and creative ways to look stunning in traditional and contemporary interiors. The tiles are made from porcelain so they’re exceptionally low-maintenance and robust. They can even be used outdoors too, so they’re ideal for extending seamlessly from a kitchen onto a terrace. It’s this versatility and the fact that tiles like these are perfect for today’s homes that explains their popularity.

• firedearth.com

fantastically suit cabochon floors. The traditional design of a cabochon floor will typically feature classic black cabochon inserts and lighter tiles, which have been cut on the corners and are usually finished with tumbled or pillowed edges. This timeless style of floor is a popular choice for entrance halls but can be used in many different settings such as bathrooms or dining areas.

Original installations of cabochon floors tend to feature beautiful English Limestones such as Bath Stone, but a lot of clients tend to choose more cost-effective options from places such as Egypt. Although white and black are the most common colour choices for this style of floor, many people choose alternative colours, shapes and sizes to create something truly individual.

• boniti.com

Portland Limestone in a Pillowed finish with Nero Cabochons by Boniti

Azores Tavira encaustic tiles by Fired Earth

South Cliff Lavender porcelain tiles by Fired Earth

A walk around Malmesbury

This month’s walk by Andrew Swift centres on the ancient hilltop town of Malmesbury. This three-mile walk takes in the abbey, the foundry, the 14th-century courthouse, the 15th-century market cross and the tomb of King Athelstan, grandson of King Alfred

High on a hill in a loop of the River Avon, surrounded by water on three sides, Malmesbury seems almost like a last outpost of the middle ages. When King Alfred established a fortified borough here in 878, its abbey was already over two centuries old, and it would grow to become one of the grandest in the land, with a spire taller than Salisbury Cathedral. The spire collapsed in the late 15th century and soon afterwards the abbey was dissolved by Henry VIII. The town walls went a century later, torn down by decree of parliament after the Civil War. The nave of the abbey survives, though, as one of the most evocative parish churches in the country, and the course of the walls – with views across open country – can still be traced today.

This three-mile walk around the town starts in Station Road longstay car park (SN16 9JT; ST932875). Few car parks are so attractively sited, with a picnic area alongside the river, and the abbey high on the hill above. As for the station, that closed in 1951, and all that survives of it today is a converted engine shed.

To start the walk, head towards the south end of the car park and turn right across a bridge. On your left are the gardens of Abbey House, largely 16th century, but built on the undercroft of the 13thcentury Abbot’s House. When you come to two signposts, bear right to take the step-free route. At the road, cross over to look out from the walls across open country. The strips in the pavement to your left mark the site of the town’s West Gate.

Turn right along Abbey Row towards the Triangle – originally Sheepfair. Keep to the left and a few metres further on turn left down Burnivale. The spire dominating the view along this narrow street is all that remains of St Paul’s, Malmesbury’s original parish church, which fell into disuse in the 16th century.

After 250m, when the lane ends, turn right along a bridleway. After crossing a bridge, turn right alongside the river and follow the path as it curves to cross a clapper bridge over a mill leat.

Turn right alongside the river – although not before making a short diversion to the left to take in the classic view of the town, with the abbey rising above its rooftops. After following a path across the meadows, cross a stile at the end and turn right across Truckle Bridge. Turn right at a T junction and right again at the main road, before taking the first left along West Street past weavers’ cottages which narrowly escaped redevelopment in the 1970s.

After 100m, when you emerge in Horsefair, head for the far corner to carry on along Foundry Road. The foundry, which you’ll find 100m along on the right, was founded in 1870 and is still in business today. From there, retrace your steps a little way and turn left (opposite Piglet Cottage) down a lane between high walls.

At the bottom, cross and turn right. After 125m, as the street curves right, turn left down a path running between gardens which then leads alongside the river. At the end, cross the path you walked along earlier and climb a flight of steps with an inset timeline of Malmesbury’s history. At the top, bear right past the north side of the abbey to emerge by the Old Bell Hotel, built around a 13th-century abbey guesthouse.

Turn left along Gloucester Street and left again by St Paul’s spire, to emerge by the 15th-century market cross at the top of the High Street. The gateway leading to the abbey, with a lock-up or ‘blind house’ on either side, is 18th-century, but the building next to it, now Rajah restaurant, was a 14th-century abbey guesthouse.

Head east along Oxford Street towards Tower House, which also dates from medieval times and is said to have been visited by both Henry VIII and Charles I. Its tower, which was built as an observatory, was added in 1834.

Turn left and follow the road as it curves down Holloway, passing the remains of the East Gate and running along a causeway at the bottom. Just before the bridge, turn right down steps to follow a footpath which may be muddy in places, but is well signposted.

After 225m, just before a stile, you pass the abutments of a bridge which carried the railway. Veer left across the next field, cross a footbridge at the end and turn right along a lane. As you cross Goose Bridge, look to the right to see Tower House silhouetted against the sky – and to appreciate how well defended the town must have been, with steep slopes encircled by the river and topped by high walls.

Tower House

Malmesbury from the river

Malmesbury Abbey

A little further on, after passing a flight of steps leading up Back Hill, the street widens to reveal an eclectic ranges of ancient buildings. The unassuming hall which lies through an archway on the left was the 14th century courthouse. At the end of St John Street, turn left to see a 12thcentury arch of St John’s Hospital incorporated into 17th-century almshouses.

Across the river are Avon Mills, built in the 1790s by a clothier from Bradford on Avon who relocated here after his workforce rioted when he introduced new machinery. Cross into the memorial gardens and turn right along a path with the backs of houses in the High Street to your right, their gardens running down to the river.

After passing a play area at the end, cross a bridge and head uphill. Turn right along King’s Wall, which after 40m leads past King’s House, one of Malmesbury’s grandest buildings, although, like so many of them, stripped of the render which once covered its rubble stone.

King’s Wall ends by the site of the South Gate. Turn left up the High

Street and take the first right along Ingram Street. At the end, turn left along Silver Street which leads into Cross Hayes, once the site of the cattle market. At the far end is the Town Hall, where you will find the Athelstan Museum (entrance free), the tourist office and a cafe.

On the left-hand side of Cross Hayes was the George Inn, one of the largest in town, but now a veterinary hospital. An alleyway just beyond it leads to the High Street, where a right turn will take you past the market cross to the abbey.

Look out, as you tread the path to its entrance, for an unassuming gravestone on the right, recording, in faded lettering, the fate of Hannah Twynnoy, killed by a tiger from a travelling menagerie in 1703. And then, as you enter the porch, some of the most sublime Norman carving in the country confronts you in all its glory. There is much, too, to see inside this extraordinary building – not least the tomb of King Athelstan, the grandson of King Alfred, as well as a welcoming, dogfriendly cafe.

And from here it is but a short walk downhill back to the car park. Many more walks can be found in Andrew Swift’s Country Walks from Bath published by by Akeman Press; akemanpress.com

FACT FILE

Length of walk: 3 miles

Although this is a town walk, a fair part of it lies through water meadows, and there are several stiles, as well as steps. It is also reasonably dog friendly, and dogs are also welcome not only in the museum but also in the town hall and abbey cafés.

Avon Mills

True colours

As the weather begins to brighten and temperatures rise, now is the time to start thinking about colour, says Elly West, who shares her top tips on how to acheive the perfect palette.

One of the many pleasures of gardening is the opportunity to experiment with colour, and to enjoy the countless combinations that occur. Sometimes these are carefully planned, such as Vita Sackville-West’s white garden at Sissinghurst, full of whites, creams and greens, or the more vibrant ‘hot borders’ at Hidcote, but I also love the surprises that spring up in nature, such as the medley of colour in a summer meadow, or something self-seeded in the perfect spot in the garden. With the weather starting to warm up and the garden springing back into life, now is a good time of year to assess your borders, think about colour, and make some choices about what to include and exclude.

It might just mean moving some plants around, or restocking a whole border, but a bit of planning and perhaps limiting the palette can make all the difference to the overall feel and style of your garden, and whether it has harmony or discord.

In terms of our senses, colour is perceived immediately and directly, with the power to affect our mood, so what we choose to grow in our garden can have a huge impact on our enjoyment of a space. It’s also a chance to personalise your plot, so don’t be afraid to experiment.

Looking at a colour wheel is a good place to start. Sir Isaac Newton created the first known circular diagram of colours in 1666, with seven main colours to fit in with the colours of the rainbow. A modern colour wheel groups colours into three categories, primary, secondary and tertiary colours. The three primary colours are red, blue and yellow. These are unique as they can’t be produced by mixing other colours.

The secondary colours are those that sit between the primary colours: orange, purple and green. Mix a secondary and a primary colour together and you get the tertiary colours, such as blue-green or red-violet. One side of the wheel then has warm colours (reds, oranges and yellows) while the other has the cool colours (blues, greens and purples).

Harmonious colours are those that are similar and sit next to each other on a colour wheel. Blues, purples and pinks will create a beautifully calming colour scheme with a soft ‘modern-cottage’ feel, while vibrant oranges, reds and magentas together are invigorating and intense, but still harmonious. Complementary colours are opposite each other on the wheel, such as blue and orange, yellow and purple, or green and red. These can create some of the most striking of colour combinations with one making the other ‘pop’ in contrast. As the artist Marc Chagall said: “All colours are the friends of their neighbours and the lovers of their opposites.”

Vibrant yellow daffodils work in spring alongside red tulips and blue muscari, giving a fresh burst of primary-coloured zing

Then there are paler and darker shades of each colour as you add white or black, adding up to the 17 million colours thought to exist. The Royal Horticultural Society has also put together a colour chart, first published in 1966, as a way of standardising and recording plant colours. This has since been used extensively by growers, horticulturists and registration authorities to identify and describe plant colours precisely. This chart has 920 colours with unique letter codes and numbers, as well as a name, and the colours are all based on the natural world, so can be matched to flowers, fruits and other plant parts.

Light also plays a big part in how colours look in the garden. Reds have the longest wavelength, looking best in bright sunlight, and maintaining impact and visibility over a long distance. Blues on the other hand have the shortest wavelength in the visible spectrum, and readily

blend into the background as you move further away, particularly darker blues. Whites and yellows brighten dark corners, and can be seen for longer in the evenings as the light fades.

Sticking to a colour scheme makes it easier to create a successful design. A good starting point is to find images in a magazine or on the internet, or even a piece of artwork that you like, and create a mood board of plants, borders and colours. Take it with you when you’re plant shopping as it’s easy to be distracted once you’re there. Any given colour palette will change through the seasons as well. Vibrant yellow daffodils work in spring alongside red tulips and blue muscari, giving a fresh burst of primary-coloured zing, while your summer palette could be more harmonious pinks and purples, giving way to russet browns, whites, pale beige and orange in autumn and winter. The colour of a fence can also make a difference to how your plants look. Painting fences dark grey or black is a good trick to make the colours of your plants really stand out. A dark green yew hedge is also a perfect foil for most plants.

Generally speaking, strong, bright colours will create excitement and vibrancy while pastels and muted colours will bring a sense of relaxation. Greens and whites are cool and sophisticated, and perhaps the ultimate in simplicity and calm.

Creating a border can be like painting with plants, but more fun as your palette is ever-changing depending on the light, weather and the time of day. Plants present their colours in different ways as they grow; flowers open and fade, giving way to pale seedheads or vibrant berries. Leaves that unfurl fresh green in spring may turn red and golden in autumn. Their diversity of form is also unlimited. A blowsy pink dahlia will have a different impact to tiny sprays of pink dianthus. Nature presents us with an almost unlimited spectrum to play with, so have fun trying things out and see what happens. n

ellyswellies.co.uk

Plant of the month: Cornus

The complementary colours red and green are seen at their best as the new leaves of Cornus alba ‘Sibirica’ emerge against the vivid winter stems. Cornus, otherwise known as dogwood, is grown mainly for its colourful winter stems, in firework shades of red, orange, green and yellow. These deciduous shrubs are good planted in groups with early spring bulbs, or as fillers in a border. They aren’t particularly exciting in summer, but have good autumn colour and come into their own once the leaves have dropped and their colourful stems are revealed. Plants prefer moist soil and some sun. Coppicing produces the best winter colour –cut all the stems back to ground level in early spring at around 5cm from the ground. The new stems will then spring up from a permanent low framework. ‘Elegantissima’ has attractive green and silver-white variegated leaves and red stems, while ‘Midwinter Fire’ has unusual red, orange and yellow multi-toned stems.

An exquisitely presented, stylish 4 bedroom, 4 storey Grade II listed period townhouse, located in a highly desirable residential area within 5 minutes’ walk of Bath Spa station and the city centre.

This handsome property has exquisitely presented, stylish accommodation which benefits from a beautifully secluded southwest facing well stocked garden to the rear, enjoying lovely views.

The accommodation, which has retained a wealth of period detail is entered at street level into an attractive formal hallway with original exposed floorboards. To the rear, enjoying beautiful views, there is an impressive bay fronted formal drawing room with an elegant period fireplace and intricate period cornicing detail. To the front there is a generous study, also with a pretty fireplace which could also be used as a snug or occasional bedroom 5.

The first floor accommodation comprises a stunning master bedroom to the rear with wall to wall bespoke wardrobes and a lovely ensuite shower room, along with a large well-appointed family bath and shower room, with a feature roll top bath. In addition, there is a mezzanine level guest WC. On the top floor there are 3 further bedrooms, 2 lovely spacious doubles and a smaller single which would make an ideal nursery or further office.

At garden level there is a beautiful open plan bay fronted dining and family room, which leads directly to the garden and is linked to the well-fitted contemporary kitchen to the front.

Externally to the rear there is a charming southwest facing paved sun terrace that spans the width of the property with steps that lead down to a beautifully stocked walled garden with a level lawn and a central wooden Arbor, which leads through to a pretty rose garden.

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

Clarendon Villas, Widcombe

•Exquisitely presented stylish accommodation

•4 bedrooms, 3 lovely bathrooms

•Impressive bay fronted formal drawing room

•Study/snug/ occasional bedroom 5

•Wealth of period detail

•Pretty south-west facing gardens

£1,500,000

Mill Lane, Beckington

Guide Price £1,200,000

A stunning and simply individual barn occupying an elevated position affording brilliant, west facing countryside views, all finished to an extremely high specification.

• Totalling 3/4 bedrooms

• Accommodation in main dwelling to ground floor level

• 1 bedroom fully self-contained annex with potential rental income

• Ample parking with gated driveway

• No onward chain

Lansdown, Bath

OIEO £650,000

An attractive, beautifully presented, sympathetically extended and comprehensively renovated 3 bedroom mid terrace family home, located in a highly prized residential address on Bath’s sought after northern slopes.

• 3 bedrooms

• Highly prized residential address

• Well equipped contemporary kitchen

• Beautifully presented, sympathetically extended property

• Bi-doors leading onto the sun terrace

Renters Reform Bill – what is it and what does it mean for landlords?

Safe and secure

Providing a safe and decent home should be the minimum standard for any landlord but it is the changes to the tenancies and evictions that are causing them the greatest concern. The government outlined in their white paper that:

• No tenant should be evicted against their will without proper reason and proportionate notice.

• Tenants, whatever their circumstances, should have confidence that they can remain in their home and be able to put down roots in their communities.

• Tenants should be able to move if their life circumstances change or they are unhappy with the property.

• Landlords should be able to regain possession of their properties efficiently when they have a valid reason to do so.

The biggest piece of legislation for landlords to come into force in decades has to be the Renters Reform Bill, and it could be made law this year. This follows a consultation paper on reforming tenancies in the private rented sector in England published by the government in April 2019. The reforms are widespread, proposing that Section 21s, known as ‘no fault’ evictions (the term is misleading), are replaced by a ‘Decent Homes Standard’, which is legally binding. Research suggests that the threat of losing Section 21 is having a major bearing on many landlords’ decision to leave the private rented market. A recent report from Zoopla showed that the availability of rental stock was down by 38% on a 5-year average, meaning there are fewer rental properties available today. With this in mind, what does the Renters Reform Bill mean for landlords in Bath?

Safe and decent homes

The government state in their white paper, ‘A fairer private rented sector’, published in June last year, that they believe:

• All tenants should have access to a good quality and safe home.

• No one should pay rent to live in a substandard, or even dangerous, property.

• Standards in the private rented sector should go beyond safety –an expectation that already exists in the social rented sector.

• Landlords should have a clear benchmark for standards in the properties that they let.

Its intent is to ensure that safe and decent homes are provided within the private rented sector, and giving greater powers and protections to tenants to allow them to challenge poor practice. The government describe ‘decent’ as follows:

“a home must be free from the most serious health and safety hazards, such as fall risks, fire risks, or carbon monoxide poisoning. It is unacceptable that hazardous conditions should be present in people’s homes when they can be fixed with something as simple as providing a smoke detector or a handrail to a staircase.”

These changes will see Section 21 being abolished and replaced with a requirement that landlords have a ‘reasonable circumstance’ to regain possession of their property. They will have to rely on statutory grounds for possession , which will be defined within the new legislation. These include allowing you to end a tenancy should you wish to sell your property as long as six months has passed since the beginning of the tenancy agreement.

Assured and assured shorthold tenancies will be replaced by ‘periodic tenancies’. Instead of a fixed period of, say, 6 months, these are weekly or monthly tenancies, thus providing more flexibility. Rent arrears is a challenging issue for any landlord, and the rules allowing landlords to seek possession of their property based on rent arrears will also change: ‘the notice period for the existing rent arrears eviction ground to four weeks and will retain the mandatory threshold at two months’ arrears at time of serving notice and hearing.’

Landlords need to be informed

The landlords we work with in the Bath apartment market already work hard to ensure that their properties are regularly maintained and are ‘safe and decent.’ Yet these proposals are not as widely known as they should be ,according to recent market research by property bridging finance broker, Finbri. Their survey found that the Renters Reform Bill is not on the radar of at least 40% of UK landlords.

We have only given a brief overview of the Renters Reform Bill here but will keep you updated on any changes that result from the recent review of the white paper by The Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee.

It is essential that all landlords understand the major changes being proposed, and our team are always on hand to discuss how they impact you, your tenants and your property portfolio. For further information please contact the Nicola and the Lettings team on 01225 303870.

Nicola Wilkes. Lettings & Property Investment Manager

The value a specialist property broker brings to your sale

Emphasis on the deal

There is more to negotiating a property than an offer being made by a buyer and the homeowners accepting, and yet all over the UK millions of homes are sold this way. A property brokers approach is to place considerable emphasis on the deal, we act differently reading the situation is key to thoroughly understanding how to approach negotiations. Our buyers and sellers often have personal circumstances and time frames that have to be considered, but beyond that, we wouldn’t be doing anyone justice if we didn’t negotiate effectively.

Confidence plays a huge part, you need to feel confident that the property partner you choose has the right skill set to broker you the best deal. Five easy questions to ask to help you decide who should sell your property….

•What is your pricing strategy and how does it work?

•Can you talk through any case studies?

•Who do you believe are likely buyers and budgets?

•How do you manage multiple offers?

•What is your negotiating style?

Another good test is to see how an agent or broker negotiates their terms to represent you and your property.

As Brits, we always love a deal, yet in many cases we are happy to pay the price of the product because it is a purchase we deeply desire. Yet when it comes to services, our mindset can often be a little different; we want to know that we are getting value for our money. That the electrician has done a wonderful job and there will be no issues, the accountant is proactively acting on your behalf and the shopping in your basket looks fruitful. When it comes to selling your home what value does a specialist property broker bring?

It's about selling houses

Today’s property market is about agility and versatility. The high-end property market works in a different way: not every seller wishes their home to be widely advertised. In fact, many prefer that it is marketed in a discreet way. Ensuring that the service we offer meets the needs of a particular client is essential, but in addition to that, as specialist property brokers, we have to adapt and create new avenues to attract the right potential buyers.

Unique homes all offer a particular lifestyle, whether that is a rural abode in a peaceful setting a distance from your nearest neighbour or a grand period home filled with striking original features and a wealth of fascinating stories, these homes are a jewel for those looking to snatch a piece of history. The buyers we need to attract may not be local, may not even be looking within our beautiful part of the world, but they know the property they wish to own.

We use a wide range of bespoke marketing methods personally curated for each property, employing a range of professionals including a videographer, luxury home photographer, PR expert, a storyteller who exquisitely captures the owners’ memories of their property, and a home stager. We don’t just rely on Rightmove, we have a a clear 3 staged approach that’s tried and tested. Have you probed your chosen property partner with regards to their strategy?

An asking price isn’t the end price: offers can vary and there’s often a 10% difference between the lowest and accepted sales price, and in extreme cases as much as 20%. To achieve this takes hard work, dedication and the ability to read the situation to prevent pushing it so far it breaks. Negotiation is an art form that we continually develop to meet the specific needs of the changing property market.

Value

When selling your home you have a choice, opt for the estate agent offering the lowest percentage fee, or a specialist property broker who will best represent you in negotiations. After all, it is ultimately delivering a great price is how an agent or broker can demonstrate the best value.

To discover more about the value we add to the sale of your property come and speak to Peter or Sharon on 01225 904 999.

Scan here and see what the market is like for your home

A Tale of Two Cities

There is more to unite the cities of Bath and Bristol than to divide them and an increasing number of people get the best of both worlds by living in one and working in the other.

Bath-based Jonny Verrell recently joined the city hoppers when he took on the role of marketing new homes at The Chocolate Factory in Greenbank Bristol for Savills. It means taking the train every day from Bath to Stapleton Road, Bristol then a short walk through the vibrant streets of Easton and Greenbank to his workplace.

The Chocolate Factory is itself a landmark on the Bristol & Bath Railway Path which links the two cities. It is less than 15 minutes cycle ride into central Bristol and one hour 20 minutes of glorious off-road cycling to Bath.

Said Jonny: “It is a very easy commute, and some trains go direct to Stapleton Road or I change at Temple Meads. A surprising number of people enquiring about homes being created at The Chocolate Factory are from Bath or plan to work in Bath and live in Bristol.

“Having the railway path literally on your doorstep is a huge advantage for those who love to cycle and walk. It is possible to enjoy the creative and cosmopolitan vibe of Bristol and the relaxation and magnetism of Bath with a foot in bath cities.”

Jonny is part of a project to create homes and workplaces in a former factory site, where once Famous Name Liquors and Elizabeth Shaw Mints were made before being loaded on to trains that ran on the former line.

It is a 15-minute neighbourhood with shops, restaurants, and schools all within a 15-minute walk or cycle. Spacious 3 and 4 bedroom houses to suit a family are the latest to be released and unique townhouses converted from the original Victorian factory building are being created with two distinctive layouts to choose from.

Four-bedroom homes with 1,375 square feet of living space are currently selling for £559,950. More information can be found at www.chocolatefactorybristol.com or calling 0117 3746600

The Bristol & Bath Railway Path from one of the new homes at The Chocolate Factory.

Photo: Leighton James

Red House Farm, Broughton Gifford

A collection of six beautifully designed homes ranging from two to four bedrooms, including five bungalows and one detached house.

Georgian · Grade ll listed · First floor apartment · Spacious double bedroom · Central location · Close to local amenities · EPC Rating C · Approx. 603 Sq. Ft.

Modern apartment · Popular development · Two good sized bedrooms · Lift access · Communal gardens · Allocated parking space and visitor permit · Short level walk into city centre · EPC Rating B · Approx. 701 Sq. Ft

Modern Build · Two double bedrooms · First floor apartment · Private front door · Two allocated parking spaces · Gated community · Communal garden/ BBQ space · Close to local amenities · EPC B rating · Approx. 900 Sq. Ft.

Georgian garden maisonette · Two spacious bedrooms · Drawing room · Private garden · Storage vaults · Level walk to City Centre · Period features · EPC Rating C · Approx. 1534 Sq. Ft.

Georgian · Two bedroom apartment · Modern · Lift access · Central location · EPC Rating C

Georgian · Listed · Ground floor · Spacious double bedroom · Stunning restored period features · Breath-taking views over Bath · EPC Rating E

Cavendish Crescent O.I.E.O £525,000 Draycott Court O.I.E.O £575,000

Perfect location · Beautifully presented ·

Two double bedrooms · En-suite ·

Private entrance · Spacious private patio · Beautiful communal garden · Storage vaults · EPC Rating D · Approx. 1228 Sq. Ft

Top floor apartment · Two double bedrooms · En-suite · Separate dining room · South facing balcony · Lift access · Private garage · Opposite Henrietta Park · EPC Rating E · Approx. 995 Sq. Ft

Charlotte Street O.I.E.O £450,000

Holiday lets permitted · Ground floor maisonette · Two double bedrooms · Private courtyard · City centre location · Recently renovated · Private cellar · Share of freehold · EPC rating D · Approx. 820 Sq. Ft

Kensington Chapel £2,250 pcm

FULLY FURNISHED · Two double bedrooms ·

Two Bathrooms · Stunning individual decor · No pets · Gas Central Heating · No students · Council Tax Band TBC · EPC Rating C

Batheaston £1,550 pcm

Two double bedrooms · Fully furnished to a high standard · Open plan living/kitchen space · GCH · Upvc double glazing · Garage & allocated parking · Includes broadband · Council Tax Band C · EPC Rating D

Henrietta Court £1,550 pcm

Available March 2023 · Minimum 12 month tenancy · Two double bedrooms · New kitchen & bathroom · GCH · Study/dining room/ bedroom 3 · Strictly no students · Council Tax Band D · EPC Rating C (73)

Cleveland Walk £2,500 pcm

Available now · Three double bedrooms ·

Unfurnished · Minimum 12 month tenancy ·

Two Bathrooms · High Specification ·

1,163 sq ft · Spacious · Council Tax Band D ·

EPC Rating D

Darlington Street £2,450 pcm

Available now · Three double bedrooms ·

Total refurbishment throughout incl kitchen & bathroom · Nearly 1,000 sq.ft · Spacious living room · New carpets and flooring throughout · Council Tax Band C · EPC Rating D

Burwalls Lodge, Clifton £3,450 pcm

Detached House over three floors · Versatile accommodation · Four bedrooms · Study/ Gym room · Open plan kitchen/dining room · Master bedroom with en-suite · Council Tax Band D · EPC Rating C

Henrietta Street £1,350 pcm

Unfurnished · Two double bedrooms ·

Total refurbishment throughout incl kitchen & bathroom · Opposite Henrietta Gardens · New carpets and flooring throughout ·

Suitable Professionals · Council Tax Band C ·

EPC Rating E

Beckford Road £1,925 pcm

Unfurnished · Two double bedrooms · Ensuite bathrooms to both bedrooms · Cloakroom WC · Central location · Private parking for one car · High specification apartment · Council Tax Band C · EPC Rating D

Rivers Street Place £1,250 pcm

Unfurnished · Two bedrooms · Balcony · Permit parking · No pets · Close to shops and amenities · On bus route · Council Tax Band B · EPC Rating D