8 5 T H I N G S
12 B AT H P R O F I L E
40 M A S T E R S O F M O N M A R T R E
Great things to look forward to this month
Meet Joe Short, the Bath-based photographer taking on our new series of city-based portraits
14 R E A D, B R O W S E & D I S CO V E R
Ideas for fresh reads and new viewing experiences in the city
16 N OT E S O N A S M A L L C I T Y
Richard Wyatt meets a descendant of composer Frederick Delius, who has organised a rather special Funeral for Nature in Bath
20 P O R T R A I T O F B AT H
Joe Short visits Grace & Mabel in George Street and finds three remarkable sisters to capture with his camera
22 I N FA S H I O N
with W histles new Spring/Summer 2024 collection, which brings a return to effortless, versatile staples
26 W H AT ’S O N
O ur rundown of great things to do and see in Bath in April
34 DA H L U P T H E M U S I C
The West of England Youth Orchestra plays a programme inspired by Roald Dahl and the music of stor ytelling
36 A R T S & E X H I B I T I O N S
A round-up of the great art on display in our local galleries
V isit Paris in its bohemian heyday with an exhibition of posters by Toulouse-Lautrec and other artists of the era
48 F O O D & W I N E
Bubbly ideas, a steak sandwich and a restaurant in a garden
54 5 M I N U T E S W I T H...
The pioneering founders of Bath Publishing
56 A I - D E A S I N E D U C AT I O N
Artificial intelligence is a powerful tool – so how are our local schools using it, and how are they guiding their pupils?
64 H E A L I N G E S C A P E
Jasmine Tiagi indulges herself at the Spa V illage at Gainsborough Bath Spa
70 T H E WA L K
Andrew Swif t finds wood land, coastal and urban in Clevedon
76 G R E E N G A R D E N S
Emma Clegg visits Caisson Gardens in Combe Hay and encounters a collection of historic locks
82 O U T D O O R R E F R E S H
Three garden design projects from Selby Landscapes
O n o u r c o v e r t h i s m o n t h
A selec tion of printed posters from Toulouse-Lautrec: Masters of Montmar tre at Vic toria Ar t Galler y. Photos © Musée d'Ixelles-Bruxelles / Cour tesy of Institut für Kulturaustausch, Tübingen
April brings April Fools, a host of eggs, occasional showers, and green shoots This issue we ’ re angling for the green shoots (because we ’ re well used to the showers) with a spectacle of special gardens.
On page 76 we visit Caisson Gardens in a hidden valley in Combe Hay – they have been lovingly restored by Phil and Amanda Honey over the past 15 years, creating a sustainable landscape rich in thriving wildlife The structure of the gardens is distinctive for its historic locks, once a busy commercial system on the land There are more gardens from Sam Selby from Selby Landscapes, who specialises in reimagining outdoor spaces, and he shares some of his design schemes with us on page 82, ranging from a small new-build garden to a terraced one perched on a steep landscape
O ur education feature on page 56 takes on the much-debated topic of Artificial Intelligence AI is not something that can be set aside, because it infuses so many aspects of our lives, but what is its impact in schools, and how are they rising to the challenge of engaging with the benefits it brings while also managing the trickier issues generated?
Victoria Art Galler y is bringing back a magnificent selection of posters from fin-de-siècle Paris to its main galler y. Toulouse-Lautrec: Masters of Montmartre, which first opened in Bath just before the pandemic hit in 2020, features iconic French posters from the 1880s and 1890s by the most innovative artists of the era. You’ ll find the familiar iconic images of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, but also others by Théophile Steinlen, Jules Chéret and Alphonse Mucha See page 40
Music brings us an uplifting family-friendly concert from the West of England Youth Orchestra at the Wiltshire Music Centre, where the musical programme ‘tunes’ firmly into Roald Dahl’s genre of stor ytelling magic, as well as using excerpts from classical pieces that allow you to visualise the tales being told, such as Grieg’s Hall of the Mountain King On page 34 we talk to conductor Karen Ní Bhroin and clarinettist Drew Bloss about why the programme and the orchestra are so special.
Turn to page 20 to discover who our Portrait of Bath photography stars are this month. The talented Joe Short has agreed to take on the challenge of our exciting new series of city portraits – find out a bit more about Joe on page 12
We’re feeling upbeat for April as the days lengthen – we hope you are too!
The first artworks to result from a pioneering creative project set up to save redundant pianos from being scrapped as landfill will go on public view and on sale in central Bath on 1 M
The Played and Remade initiative is of Jon Kelly, owner of Bath’s long-esta Piano Shop Bath and builds on the sto working with creative artists
Jon says that he has to scrap around and unfixable pianos a year But he see to the time and skills involved in maki needless waste of the many materials manufacture of each instrument, inclu exotic woods, cast iron, brass, felt, copper and steel wires.
His solution is to offer artists, craftworkers and furniture designers their free pick of these resources for creative re -use, exhibition, and sale via the shop at 1–2 London Road, Bath. The works will also be shown on a dedicated area of the website: thepianoshopbath co uk
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this magazine, but if you are not able to participate in a recycling scheme, then why not pass your magazine on to a friend or colleague
Ria Lina, the Live at the A pollo star, will be per forming her Riawakening Tour at the W iltshire Music Centre on 7 Apr il at 7 30pm S he tac kles the issues of coming out of a global pandemic, the ne w normal, divorce, dating in a ne w digital wor ld, motherhood and what it reall y means to be a woman today
Fear less, provoc ative, and ver y funny, Ria Lina is the onl y F ilipina comedian in Br itish standup and a hugel y admired talent in the comedy industr y wiltshiremusic org uk
David Morrissey leads the cast in this compelling double bill of two works in the Ustinov Studio, from one of the most influential British dramatists of the last centur y, Harold Pinter
The Lover is a tense and intriguing glimpse at the sexual games couples play ; The Collec tion a comedy of suspense and sexual jealousy sparked by an anonymous phone call in the middle of the night Direc ted by Lindsay Posner, the cast also includes M athew Horne, Claudie Blak ley and Elliot Barnes-Worrell. Showing until 20 April theatreroyal.org.uk
The award-winning monthly Bath Contemporar y Ar tists’ Fair (BCAF) is back on Sunday 14 April with its 27th fair Visitors can browse the works of local ar tists and admire fine ar t, photography, sculpture, textiles, ceramics and much more, all under the vaulted glass roof of Green Park Station 10am–5pm
For updates and exhibiting ar tists visit the website: bca co uk
BCAF, Green Park Station, Green Park Road, Bath; bcaf.co.uk
On 29 April join Peaches Golding OBE, American-British business executive and L ord-Lieutenant of the County and City of Bristol, and hear her give the Claridge L ecture tied to the American Road Trip exhibition at the American Museum & Gardens In her talk Two Roads Diverged on the American Road Trip, Peaches will share her journey from segregated America to becoming The King ’ s personal representative
The Stables at The American Museum & Gardens, Doors 6 15pm, for 7pm £15, inc luding a glass of wine americanmuseum org
Thomas Spencer Fine Ar t is hosting an open house event in Lansdown, Bath from 19–21 April This is an oppor tunity to see works by impor tant 20th- centur y and contemporar y ar tists in a domestic setting. Ar tists include Henr y Moore, Mar y Fedden, Keith Vaughan, John Craxton, Prunella Clough, Eric Ravilious, Julian Bailey, Guy Thomas, Trevor Bell, Michael Ayr ton, Patrick Heron and more All works are for sale Pre -book ing essential at thomasspencer finear t.co.uk/booking
The Hop Pole Inn in Limpley Stoke has achieved a critical threshold of raising £150,000 for their second share issue
P lanning permission has also been received for the third and final stage of the project and, as a result, the team are more confident than ever that the Hop Pole Inn will reopen in 2024 They are, however, still short of the funds needed to reopen the community hub and pub As a result, their share offer will remain open for investors until 30 June 2024 and they are also looking for volunteers to help reduce their funding requirements by volunteering skills, scrounging building materials, raising items to auction or spreading the word through leaflet drops
If you’d like to invest, volunteer your skills or donate anything to this amazing community project, please email: volunteers@savethehoppole.org
Discerning brides and grooms are invited to experience the ethereal designs of Temperley L ondon’s bridal collection, at an exclusive Wedding Showcase on 28 April at The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa
The elegant designs will be exhibited in a captivating fashion show, offering a glimpse into the magic of bridal couture, while an array of top-tier wedding suppliers will be on site to provide inspiration for a sensational wedding, offering ever ything from floristr y to photography The quintessentially British, bohemian fashion brand – a favourite of A-listers and royals – will also provide a glimpse of its celebrated Heritage collection, with one-off pieces for purchase. Tickets include a full afternoon tea at the hotel’s stylish restaurant, Montagu’s Mews
Tickets for the Wedding Showcase in partnership with Temperley L ondon cost £70pp, including entr y to the showcase, fashion show and afternoon tea Entr y to the showcase only costs £20pp. V isit royalcrescent.co.uk/rch-whats-on-events
The Bath Festival 2024, a joyous celebration of books and music, runs from Friday 17 May – Sunday 26 May.
Highlights include: BBC journalist Clive Myrie; poet Salena Godden; novelists Howard Jacobson, Katty Lette and author David Mitchell (Cloud Atlas); comedians Shaparak Khorsandi, Sara Pascoe, Ruby Wax, Helen Lederer and Cariad Lloyd; space scientist Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock and campaigner George Monbiot For music, hear singer Michael Ball talk about his career, or watch the 1922 classic Nosferatu with live organ accompaniment There’s also Renaissance music in Bath Abbey with Stile Antico, and guitarist Sean Shibe will be playing with the Carducci Quartet and with singer Ema Nikolovska for a musical exploration of Virginia Woolf ’s Orlando.
And don’t forget Party in the City on Friday 17 May, which kicks off the festival with Bath’s biggest FREE night out For the full programme and tickets see thebathfestival.org.uk
On 20 April a dramatic event for nature is being staged in Bath Called Funeral for Nature, this is a mock-funeral procession through the streets of Bath to help raise awareness and make change happen, especially for the UK, which is now one of the most nature-depleted countries on earth.
Organised by architect Rob Delius, the event is being coordinated with the Red Rebel brigade to create an extraordinar y visual spectac le of a t ype and siz e never attempted before
If you care about nature and want to be involved in something really special, then you and your family can get involved, either as a Red Rebel or as a mourner dressed in black Or if you have a bass drum, you’d be welcome to join the procession as a drummer
W ild life presenter and conser vationist Chris Packham is joining the procession and will be making a speech at the Abbey once it is over The procession will set off from the Bath Perc y Communit y Centre at 2pm (New King S treet, Bath) The organisers ask you to come along and make your c laim for nature, because the future of our planet is at stake. coderedfor nature.uk
Bath-based photographer Joe Short has agreed to take pictures for our new series of Bath portraits So this Q&A is by way of a formal introduction Check out his first Portrait of Bath on page 20, and look out for some of the local faces that will appear over the coming months
How long have you lived in Bath and what are your favourite things about the city?
I’ve been in Bath on and off for over 20 years. I love the golden shimmer of the stone in the summer and from where I am in W idcombe, you can move from city to countr yside in an instant But it ’ s the friends I’ve made here and the variety of incredible people I’m always meeting that I love the most
W hy was photography your choice of career, and why wedding photography in particular?
I mostly shot landscapes when I first started photography. It was only when a friend at school asked me to photograph their sister’s wedding that I had ever considered it. I love the human interactions on a day that carries so many emotions Yes weddings do generally follow a similar plan, but they are always different because the people are I still get tear y in the speeches!
How has photography changed in the time that you have been working as a photographer?
I shot my first wedding on a medium format fit camera. Obviously that only really allowed me to take formal photographs and the best thing about digital is that you can cover so much more on ever y shoot. There wasn’t really the ability to be a documentar y wedding photographer until digital came along I do miss the buzz of seeing a print develop in the darkroom, but you still get that ‘ta-da’ moment when you finish editing an image on the computer
You have travelled widely with your work as a photographer Can you describe one of your most memorable experiences on these trips?
I’ve been extremely lucky to have had such varied and far flung adventures. I’ve photographed weddings and parties in some extraordinar y places, but I’ ll never forget being alone in the centre of The Forbidden City in Beijing just as the sun was beginning to set It was a
few minutes before guests arrived for an incredible party I was shooting for a client and in the stillness I knew it was a once in a lifetime moment in a place that was so historic
You did a selection of private photographs for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s wedding day in 2018. W hat was that experience like?
It was the hugest privilege and incredibly exciting to be a part of that amazing day We had rehearsed with the BBC for 2 days, so ever y move (particular ly in the chapel) was choreographed That ’ s certainly not something that happens on my other weddings! The couple and ever yone involved were extremely down to earth, kind and fun
Do you use a range of cameras and specialist equipment? W hat is your favourite camera to use and why?
Ever since Harr y and Meghan’s wedding I have used Sony Alpha cameras This was due to the fact that I had to have a silent shutter in the chapel so as not to interrupt any of the television coverage I love the mirrorless system where you ‘get what you see ’ in the viewfinder It gives you total control, particularly in tricky lighting situations and it allows you to check crucial details on key shots
W hat is one of your most favourite photographs you ’ ve ever taken?
That ’ s tough! I wish I could find the first photograph that I ever took. It was of my bicycle leaning against the front door at home when I was about 10 My mother insisted it wouldn’t come out as I took it in low evening light But when I got the prints back - there it was I was thrilled! Maybe that ’ s when I got hooked? But my favourite would probably be a photo of my daughter Juno on the beach at West W ittering which we have framed on our wall at home It ’ s full of strength and possibility and really makes me smile
Is there one person in the world that you would really like to photograph?
I’d like to photograph Siouxsie Sioux with her cat. I’ve been playing bass with her for 15 years (in my other life) and I have always thought of making a portrait away from the stage, simple and intimate joeshort com
From a f ilm prof ile of singer Amy Winehouse to a love story across the centuries, here are some diverting publications and memorable f ilms with a very local stamp
Ghosts, adventure and a love stor y across the centuries combine in local author Brian Rayfield ’ s new publication Exchange of Love
Down-to-earth stone mason John Townsend is hopelessly in love with he ghost of a woman long since dead, Penny Peverell. Penny ’ s life is played out during the English Civil War John must reconcile this strange infatuation with his presentday life and gir lfriend A gir lfriend who now lives in what was once Penny ’ s manor house. L ove may be imeless, but should two people from different centuries really indulge their passion?
The book is an original work with elements of a ghost, an adventure and a love stor y Not until the last chapter is this question answered, at least for the ghost of Penny Peverell
A sample of Chapter One is available at brianrayfield com and the book is available at Oldfield Park Bookshop, Mr B’s Emporium and Waterstones in Bath, as well as through Amazon br ianrayfield com
By Daniel McCabe
Family Style is a new magazine launched this month, New Yorkbased, but edited from around the world by alumni from the United Nations, Vogue magazine and The New York Times. It takes the ingredients of a standard lifestyle title: fashion, art, design, and whips them into 'a fantasy dinner party' in the form of a quality cultural journal The launch issue divides its content into dinner course sections, not unlike an express ser vice version of Luncheon magazine, and offers the usual fare of premier indie icons – Michèle Lamy, Chloë Sevigny, Gus Van Sant, Anohni et al Worth a look
BACK TO BLACK focuses on the extraordinar y genius, creativity and honesty that infused ever ything Amy Winehouse did. This was a journey that took her from the craziness and colour of Camden High Street in the 1990s to global adoration, and back again
The film crashes through the look ing glass of celebrity to watch this journey from behind the mirror, to see what Amy saw and feel what she felt Starring Marisa Abela, director Sam Taylor-Johnson. Showing from 12 April, 122 mins.
R ATC ATC H E R is a 1999 drama film written and directed by Lynne Ramsay, now introduced in stunning 4K . Set in Glasgow in the mid ’70s, Ratcatcher is seen through the yes of a 12-year- old boy haunted by a secret James meets 14-year- old Margaret Anne and the pair strike up an unlikely friendship, which becomes their hesitant but touching experience of first love Starring Tommy Flanagan and Mandy Matthews. Showing from 12 April, 93 mins.
Little Theatre, St Michael’s Place, Bath; picturehouses.com/cinema/little-theatre-cinema
This month columnist Richard Wyatt talks to architect Rob Delius who has a rather famous ancestor. Rob is also organising a spectacular event in the city this month, called Funeral for Nature So it’s time for dressing up!
With a surname like ‘Delius’, I had to ask Was the Bathbased architect I was meeting for coffee and a chat, Rob Delius, related to the late English composer, Frederick Delius? Yes, was the immediate reply. That particular musical maestro was the uncle of Rob’s great grandfather, and while generations later Rob chose a different, less musical career path, he does share his distinguished relative’s love of nature
In fact, Rob feels so strongly about the huge environmental threats to the natural world that he is organising a massive funeral procession in Bath this month to mark its ‘demise’ On 20 April the event will see nature’s coffin being ceremoniously carried from the heights of the Royal Crescent and Circus down to a gathering in Abbey Churchyard
The cortege will be led by several hundred ‘Red
Rebels’ - those ethereal characters draped in red and with white painted faces, last seen in Bath in September 2019 – as part of the city ’ s biggest climate strike demonstration ever held This time around, Rob has recruited local people to don the costumes and is hoping even more will volunteer to dress this way. Those who don’t fancy wearing these ver y striking outfits can follow nature’s coffin as mourners dressed in black.
Rob wants the whole thing to be as visual as possible to attract good attention on social media with hundreds turning out to watch it pass It ’ s a mock event, being held to draw attention to the fact that our natural world is being allowed to die It is also a fact, he told me, that the UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world.
Rob is the sustainability lead for the UK architectural practice Stride Treglown. Sustainability is often referred to as ‘ green architecture’ and it challenges architects to produce smart designs and use available technologies to ensure that structures generate minimal harmful effects to the ecosystem and the communities concerned
This is something that Rob is passionate about. His long-held belief that we should tr y to live in harmony with the natural world led to his involvement in autumn 2021 with the Sinking House Project Back then, as we approached the The UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow (COP26), he led a scheme to half sink a model red house in Bath’s historic Pulteney Weir, topped with a figure sculpted by local artist Anna Gillespie.
“ The installation communicated the urgent need for climate action and we were really pleased with the level of local and global interest it generated”, he said
It ’ s not just the future of the natural world that concerns Rob A few years ago he won the Royal Institute of British Architect ’ s Imagine Bath competition with a scheme to celebrate the city ’ s water heritage by introducing a whole network of water features. It ’ s a sad fact that despite our two World Heritage inscriptions, and a heritage based around our natural thermal waters, fountains are sadly lacking
Rob says he loves creating great buildings and places His practice favours working on brownfield sites where nature is a key ingredient to focus on However, his true passion, he says, is appreciating the beauty of the world around us In 2022 Rob took three and a half months off work to walk from John O’Groats to Lands End.
“I figured I wasn’t getting any younger and it might be my last chance to do something like this, while I still could,” says Rob
“It was physically challenging but mentally more so I pretty soon got into the swing of things and it ended up being the best thing I’d ever done ”
Rob says he’s not what you’d call a ‘people person ’ , but “the walk also meant I was meeting and chatting to so many people, and I was overwhelmed by their friendliness and kindness.”
You can see the landscape images that Rob has taken over the years on his website insearchofeden uk One section explores the idea of an arcadia or utopia, ‘where the manmade and the natural come together to create something which is neither one nor the other, but inextricably and beautifully linked.’
“I also wanted to highlight how wonderfully varied and beautiful the countr y is, with the added poignancy that nature has already been massively depleted in these isles over many years, but particularly recently with the harmonious balance between humans and environment now ver y much out of kilter ”
Wildlife presenter and conser vationist Chris Packham will be joining the procession and will give a speech after wards in front of the Abbey. Rob is hoping we can help him spread the word on behalf of our living world by supporting an event that in reality would mean the death of us all And the demonstrations will go on, with similar events now planned in Gothenburg, Boston and Sydney n
Funer al f or Nat ure: coderedf or nat ure.uk insearchofeden.uk
Richard Wyatt r uns the Bath Newseum blog: bathnewseum.com
Grace & Mabel in George Street brings a sparkle of colour to even the greyest day in Bath – meet the three sisters who created this innovative clothing store
One Fr iday af ternoon in 2007 Daniela Benson stumbled across a lovely independent boutique on Regent S treet in Clif ton and discovered that the shop lease was on the market. She approached her sisters Shelley and Kirstie about the idea of taking on the lease and they were immediately excited The small fashion boutique in Clif ton V illage established itself quickly, and three years later they opened a shop in Bath The shops have built a loyal customer following because of their friend ly and personal ser vice
All three sisters have backgrounds in fashion design or retail
Daniela trained in Fashion Design at the London College of Fashion and the University of the West of England. Kirstie went to London at the age of 18 and worked for W histles for almost 10 years, later becoming the manager of Karen Millen in Bristol Shelley worked at Marks & Spencer, with roles ranging from sales to customer ser vice
“We love working together as sisters and know each other well enough to use our own strengths to our advantage”
Grace & Mabel stocks mainly British and European clothing and looks for sustainable brands, conscious of the significant impact that the fashion industr y has on the environment. This is not a fast fashion business; the c lothes are rather timeless investments with longevity. The sisters feel strongly about the role of independent retailers within the retail ecosystem, investing as they do in the local economy and the local community
“ We love working together as sisters and know each other well enough to use our own strengths to our advantage The whole setup works ver y well and we are good at sharing duties We trust one another 100% and share the same high standards and aspirations
“ We are best friends who love spending our days together at work surrounded by beautiful c lothes, a fantastic team and lovel y customers!”, says Daniela.
Grace & Mabel, 3 George Street, Bath; Tel 01225 445511; g raceandmabel.co.uk
Por trait by Joe Shor t. Joe is an award-winning photog rapher based in Bath joeshor t com
Spring/Summer 2024 at Whistles brings a return to effortless and versatile staples. Instilled with a refined, grown-up elegance, the collection arrives to celebrate everyday styles and elevate them to new heights.
Shop at 1 New Bond Street, Buildings, Bath BA1 1BL Whistles com
Bibi Crossbody0 Bags, £1290
Petite Estella Shirt £159e
Denim Mini Skirt, £790
Limited Addie Heeled Sandal, £1890
Isle of Eden Sienna0 Sunglasses, £1150
Wool Croppedm V Neckm Cardigan, £1o9n
Enamel Oval Hoop Earrings, £35
Coffee Bean Blouse, m £89n
Square Bucklen Belt, £ 59ns
Rib Collar Cardigan0 £1190
BRASSERIE
n Green Park Brasserie, Green Park Road
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
T H E A M ERI CA N M U S E U M A N D
G A RD EN S: E A S T ER
E G G C I T EM EN T
Until 14 Apr il
n C laver ton Manor, Bath
Enjoy a famil y Easter trail throughout daffodil-filled gardens, plus free craf ts and stor y telling, as well as face painting on selected day s, Easter treats and much more! Garden opening times at The Amer ic an Museum & Gardens: Tuesday to S unday, 10am–5pm. amer icanmuseum.org
S P RI N G W I LD LI F E AT
W ES TO N B I RT
T hroughout Apr il
n Westonbir t, T he National Ar boretum
The warmer and longer spr ing day s br ing the emergence of many forms of ne w life Br ing the famil y to explore Westonbir t ’ s spr ing walk trails, free af ter pay ing admission, to learn more about this beautiful home to wild life forestr y.uk
Westonbir
Photograph:
T hroughout Apr il
n Gas Ferr y Road, Br istol Br istol’ s most popular attraction is adding a ne w permanent exhibition to the ship’s weather dec k Discover Wardian Cases –living exhibits which help unear th the sur pr ising Australian roots of the English garden Head below dec k to find out what life was like for passengers aboard the ship and explore the ne w Nurser y man ’ s Cabin. Become a plant hunter and trac k down exotic ferns with the ‘ Fern-tastic ’ famil y trail S ummer opening hours: Tues–S un 10am–5pm (open Bank Holiday Monday s and Monday s dur ing school holiday s) ssg reatbr itain.org
U3A: T H E T I TA N I C D I S A S T ER
4 Apr il
n T he Pavilion, Nor th Parade
Paul Barnett explores the events before and af ter the tragic sinking of The Titanic on her maiden voyage across the Atlantic Ocean in April 1912 Doors open at 9 45am for coffee Admission free for members, and a donation of £2 for non-members u3ainbath uk
B AT H ’S B I G DAY O U T AT B AT H RAC E CO U RS E
S unday 7 Apr il
n Bath R acecourse, Lansdown
Join Bath Racecourse for their first race day of the year This fixture is one of the 170 Premier Racedays across British horseracing that showcase the best racing in the sport It ’ s also a real family day with live music all day long featuring talented local artists; non-
stop fun at the massive free fun fair; and for the little ones there is face painting, stilt walkers, and a whole lot more. Bring your own picnic to enjoy throughout the day. Gates open 12pm; first race 13 58pm Book your tickets at bath-racecourse.co.uk
B
9 Apr il, 12pm
n Q ueens Parade, Bath Discover how Persephone Books chooses its books, such as which ones will be published, as well as how the team selects book designs This talk (£25 per person) inc ludes a two-course lunch To book, email secretar y@bathandcount y com, or c all 01225 423732 bathandcountyc lub com
I F O RD S U P P ER C LU B S
12 and 26 Apr il, 7.30pm–10.30pm
n Iford Manor Kitchen, Bradford-on-Avon BA15 2BA
Enjoy the relaxed vibe with one of Iford Manor ’ s regular jazz pianists offer ing live bac kground accompaniment; but the focus is firml y on the exper tl y craf ted food and dr ink (optional paired wine flight available) with Head Chef Matthe w Br iddon taking you though the menu at the star t. £65 per person. ifordmanor.dig itickets.co.uk
B AT H A B B E Y: FA M I LY E A S T ER
T RA I L
Until 14 Apr il, 10am–5pm
n Bath Abbe y P ic k up a free trail sheet at the welcome desk to decode the my ster y message for a mini egg pr iz e! bathabbey.org
c h a p el a rt s: f i re & ra i n & a m eri ca n p i e
13 Apr il, 8pm–10 30pm
n Chapel Ar ts, S t James’s Memor ial Hal l, L ower Borough Wal ls, Bath
A hear t-warming, music al homage to the great Amer ic an singer-songw r iters of the late 60s and ear l y 70s, featur ing beautiful, timeless songs from James Tay lor, Carole King, S imon & Gar funkel, and more The show has a relaxed acoustic st y le, matching the spir it of this era, with an intimate nostalgic narrative inc luding images from that time. chapelar ts.org
fa m i lY f U n a f t ern O O n f O r wa llac e & g rO m i t ’s g ra n d a p p e a l: rOwat h O n
14 Apr il, 12pm
n Bathford V il lage Green
Chr is Petitt is rowing 500km over 50 day s, to mark how many day s his ne wborn son Albie was fighting for his life in intensive c are af ter he was found to have an Enterovir us infection. This famil y fun af ternoon will raise money for the Br istol Children’s hospital, The Grand Appeal There will be c ake, tea and coffee, garden games, face-painting, and competitions on the rowing machine Donate here: justg iving com/page/rowathon-for-br istolchildrens-hospital
t h e t h era p i s t s a lO n: f ree cO f f ee m O rn i n g
14 Apr il, 10am–1pm
n T he Assembl y, 2 Broc k S treet, Bath BA1 2LN
Free coffee morning for loc al psychotherapists and counsellors from and
around Bath Head along to Bath c linic, The Assembl y, and be a par t of a thr iving therapeutic communit y that shares best practices, war stor ies and ser ves as a suppor tive and educ ative addition to your practice. Book your space by emailing monika@audrey stephenson.co.uk. audreystephenson.co.uk
kO m ed i a: t h e wav e p i c t U res
14 Apr il, 7pm
n 22–23 Westgate S treet
The Wave Pictures will be playing at Komedia, supported by artist Reuben’s Daughters. The trio of Jonny Helm (drums), Dave Tattersall (guitar and vocals) and Franic Rozycki (bass) are one of the UK’s most prolific and beloved bands Fond of classic rock, jazz and blues, The Wave Pictures are also one of the most accomplished, with Tattersall’s guitar solos becoming the stuff of legend komedia co uk
a ld ri d g e’s O f b at h aU c t i O n
16 Apr il, 10am (vie wing Sat 13 Apr il) n Online
Decorative and household sale, inc luding V ictor ian, Edwardian, 20th-centur y and modern household furniture and furnishings, decorative china and glass, pictures and pr ints, mirrors and r ugs; also garden furniture, tools and general household goods. aldr idgesofbath.com
U n i v ers i t Y O f b at h
g a rd en i n g c lU b: ra z va n c h i z U – f i f t Y s h a d es O f g reen
18 Apr il, 7 30pm–9pm
n Room 1 Level 1, East Building, East Car Park, University of Bath, Claverton Down R azvan is a garden designer and hor ticultural consultant This talk star ts by explor ing leaves in their diversit y in shape, colour, siz e and texture and then continues by giving examples of how foliage plants c an be used to great effect in your garden Open to all, annual membership £25, visitors £8 ubgc.org
b i r m i n g h a m rO Ya l b a lle t: ‘s leep i n g b e aU t Y ’
18–20 Apr il
n Br istol Hippodrome
Cursed by a wic ked fair y, a beautiful pr incess pr ic ks her finger and falls into a deep sleep that c an onl y be broken by tr ue love ’ s kiss Tchaikovsky's glor ious music will be played live by the acc laimed Royal Ballet S infonia An enchanting exper ience for all the famil y T ic kets available from £13 atgtickets.com
i fOrd p izz a nigh t
19 April, 6pm–10pm
n Iford Manor Kitchen, Bradford-on-Avon Homemade Iford sourdough bases, topped with Iford ’ s ver y own tomato sauce (with tomatoes from the Walled Garden) and deliciousl y, fresh ingredients Per fectl y paired with a pint of Iford Cider P izz as from £12 each. ifordmanor.co.uk
b rl s i: a n ev en i n g O f s O n g w i t h j en n i f er c rO O k
19 apr il, 7 30pm–9pm
n 16 Q ueen S quare
W here do songs come from? W hat triggers the muse? And how are songs influenced by the places they are born? Singer and songwriter Jennifer Crook will explore these questions in an evening of words and music at BRLSI, tracing the birth of a selection of her songs back to the places and stories which inspired them br lsi.org
paragOn si ngers: brahms
req Ui em
20 April, 7 30pm–9 30pm
n St Luke’s Church, Hatfield Road
This concert sees The Paragon Singers performing Brahms Requiem Conductor Sarah Latto, soprano Margaret Lingas, baritone Themba Mvula, piano Ikuko Inoguchi and Sally Goodworth T ickets: £20 (inc ludes programme), students £5
Tel: 01225 463362
bathboxoffice.org.uk
WEDDI NG & CELEBRAT IONS
OP EN DAY AT BAI LBRO OK HO USE
HOT EL
21 April, 11am–3pm
n Eveleigh Avenue, London Road West, Bath Held in the beautiful Mansion House, this open day is the perfect event to help you collect inspiration and information for your celebration. The team will be on hand to answer any questions and to discuss your requirements handpickedhotels.co.uk/bailbrookhouse
MI LES MORGAN T RAVEL
23 April, 2 30pm
n 8–9 New Bond Street P lace
Come along and join Marie and her team as they welcome Char lotte from If Only holidays to talk about what the Indian Ocean and Arabia can offer If Only are a multi award-winning tour operator and are experts in creating personalised luxur y holidays for those seeking a beautiful bespoke experience or honeymoon Reser ve your space today by emailing bath@milesmorgantravel co uk or call 01225 486 800. milesmorgantravel.co.uk
TOAST TALKS: A WI NNI NG
MI NDSE T, T I PS FOR WI NNI NG
BI DS, T ENDERS AND P ROPOSALS
24 April, 8am–10am
n Heywood House, Westbur y Join Heywood House for its next in-house event with special guest speaker and owner of Pipster Solutions, Pippa Birch. Ever wondered how to win public sector work? Pippa will walk you through some tips on how to score highly with the evaluators in your submissions, offering you an improved chance of winning eventbr ite co uk
WELSH NAT IONAL OP ERA:
CoSi fAN T u T T E: 24, 26 April, 7pm
oP ERA fAvo uRi T ES: 25 April, 7.30pm
DEAT H iN vENiCE: 27 April, 7.30pm
n Bristol Hippodrome, St Augustine’s Parade Welsh National Opera returns to Bristol Hippodrome for a packed programme of c lassics, starting with two evenings of Mozart ’ s comic opera Così fan Tutte, then a night of opera favourites featuring a selection of the best-known pieces in the operatic wor ld. The WNO season c loses on Saturday evening with a haunting performance of Benjamin Britten’s dark and magnificently atmospheric Death in Venice - based on the novella by German author, Thomas Mann atgtickets com
24–27 April, 7.30pm
n Rondo Theatre, St Saviours Road, Bath Skylight is a play of exquisite beauty, of humour, of pain and of joy David Hare writes brilliantly about relationships; with Skylight he does this while also examining the role of finance and business in our ever yday lives Directed by Andy Cork T ickets £14 or £12 rondotheatre co uk/skylight
BEH I ND T H E SCENES AT I FORD
WI T H H EAD GARDENER ST EVE
LANNI N
25 April, 10am–11 30am
n iford Manor Gardens
Go behind the scenes (inc luding a visit to the private walled garden) at Iford and discover more about the work that goes on there F ind out ‘top tips’ for your garden at home on this tour with expert head gardener Steve Lannin. F inish up in the café with a hot drink. Note that the visit inc ludes steep, uneven terrain and steps ifordmanor.dig itickets.co.uk
BAT H & CO UN T Y CLUB: ST GEORGE’S DAY DI NNER
25 April, 6pm
n Q ueen ’ s Parade, Bath
Enjoy a three-course dinner celebrating the lives and legacies of St George and Shakespeare who between them have a feast day and birthday in April Black tie dinner £40 per person To book contact secretar y@bathandcountyc lub com or call 01226 423732 bathandcountyc lub com
SULIS HOSP I TAL: VISIONARY
I NSIGH TS; UNVEI LI NG T H E SECRE TS TO LI FELONG E YE
H EALT H
25 April, 6 15pm–8pm
n Combe Grove, Brassknocker Hill
Hear from leading experts such as consultant ophthalmologist Mrs Selina Tomlinson from
Sulis Hospital and registered dietitian Dr Rebecca Hiscutt from Combe Grove Gain real insight into the latest advances in eye health Tel: 01761 422288 sulishospital.com
T H E ROYAL CRESCEN T HOT EL: PART NERSH I P WI T H T EMP ERLE Y LOND ON
28 April, 12pm
n The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa, 16 Royal Crescent
Join in for a day filled with bridal delights as timeless elegance meets modern allure at The Royal Crescent ’ s wedding showcase, inspired by Alice Temper ley ’ s enduring design signature Entr y is exc lusively available through pre-booked tickets.
royalcrescent.co.uk/rch-whats-on-events
U3A: T H E S S G RE AT B RI TA I N:
F RO M LAU N C H TO RE - LAU N C H
2 May, 10 15am–11 30am
n T he Pavilion, Nor th Parade
L ecture by Ian Caskie. Brunel’s SS G reat Britain was the first ocean-going steam ship with an iron hull and driven by propeller
Launched in 1843, it transformed shipbuilding and sea-travel, but was not a commercial success and ended up as a freight ship in the Falklands F inally salvaged and returned to Bristol in 1970 to be restored into an internationally renowned awardwinning tourist attraction. Doors open at 9.45am for coffee. Admission free for members, and a donation of £2 for nonmembers u3ainbath.uk
D I S COV ER T H E J O Y O F G I V I N G
B AC K W I T H M EN TO RI N G P LU S 11–18 May, 4pm–10pm
n Riverside Youth Hub, York Me ws Join loc al char it y for engaging Mentor skills training Become a Volunteer Mentor and make a lasting impact on a young person ' s life and your own. S eeking a fulfilling, flexible volunteer role? Email Chr is Har t: volunteer ing@mentor ingplus net mentor ing plus net n
U3A lec ture on
The SS Great Britain
INTERESTING, EDUCATIONAL & ENTERTAINING TALKS
TALKS START AT 7.30pm*. 16 QUEEN SQUARE & LIVESTREAM
ON NOW!
APRIL 2
APRIL 3
APRIL 3
APRIL 4
APRIL 8
APRIL 10
APRIL 16
APRIL 19
APRIL 23
APRIL 23
FREE EXHIBITION: THE WORLD REVEALED MON-SAT 10am to 4pm
HOW TO TEST THE PARANORMAL
BATH, POLLUTION & THE ENVIRONMENT
AN INTRODUCTION TO JOHN HERSCHEL
HOUSES OF STRAW:
GROWING BUILDINGS SUSTAINABLY
BENIN, BRASS, BRISTOL & SLAVERY
MADAMA BUTTERFLY
MINING, MOBILITY & LATIN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES
AN EVENING OF SONG WITH JENNIFER CROOK
SHAKESPEARE’S BIRTHDAY LECTURE: BY THE MASS 2pm
DONNE DI MAFIA FILM FESTIVAL: ANIME NERE (BLACK SOULS). 6pm
*TALKS
AT 7.30PM
Here are some of the highlights of BRLSI’s programme this month, along with a 19th-century tea kettle from the collection, which is included in a new exhibition.
Anew, free exhibition at BRLSI, The World Revealed, open until 12 October, will feature some of the wonderful items that have been donated to the Institution over the years The objects, many on show for the first time in living memor y, will explore the circumstances in which they found their way into the collection, which is cared for in the stores of 16-18 Q ueen Square
Nevia
This month also brings a mini film festival exploring agency within the Italian under wor ld The first event on 23 April, a double bill, brings Stay Behind by Federica Schiavello and Anime Nere by Francesco Munzi, the latter the stor y of three brothers with ties to the local Mafia. The second on 24 April, Pippo Mezzapesa’s Burning Hearts, sees forbidden love rekind ling a feud between two families The final film on 24 April, Nevia by Nunzia de Stefano, tells the stor y of a 17-year old gir l who wants more from life than fate has planned, and then the circus comes to town. brlsi.org
From the BRLSI collection we bring you a Japanese cast-iron tea kettle, a Tetsubin, with a dragon motif, dating from the 19th centur y The body of the kettle is roughly textured and incorporates a dragon motif; the upper edge is cast in deep relief to represent c louds. The hand le is damascened (inlaid) with silver leaves and flowers. The lid ces of red lacquer remaining and cription, which reads, Ryūbundō sukuru (made by Ryūbundō) t is almost certainly made by yūbundō Yasunosuke VI, whose given name was Mizoguchi Kihei (1840–1921).
The Ryūbun metal workshop was founded in Kyoto by Ryūbun (1732-1798) and it was known for its high quality tetsubin, which were produced there for eight generations The kettle is inc luded in The World Revealed exhibition
Dahl has been called “ one of the greatest storytellers for children of the 20th century”. So it’s no surprise that he translates well to music In April the West of England Youth Orchestra tunes into his genre of storytelling magic with two relaxed family concerts at the Wiltshire Music Centre. We talk to conductor Karen Ní Bhroin and clarinettist Drew Bloss.
Roald Dahl’s whimsical stories have captured the imagination of adults and children alike since James and the Giant Peach was published in 1961 His flair for telling stories from a child ’ s perspective, and of finding justice for them in the face of grotesque villains such as Miss Tr unchbull and the F leshlumpeater, is legendar y. It ’ s not sur pr ising, then, that his stor ies have found many music al outlets, not least West End favourite Matilda
Well, The West of England Youth Orchestra ( WEYO) is catching some of the Dahl magic in its relaxed famil y concer t, described as ‘ a family adventure through the whizzpopping stories of Roald Dahl’.
Karen Ní Bhroin is one of Ireland ’ s leading young conductors, having played with orchestras such as the L ondon S y mphony O rchestra in L ondon, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and BBC National O rchestra of Wales K aren first per formed with WEYO in December last year as a guest conductor and is picking up the baton again for the April concerts.
K aren explains that this orchestra has a special character “ Usuall y when you have a youth orchestra it ’ s a residential course where e ver y body stay s in accommodation and rehearses all day But at the W iltshire Music Centre children travel from all over the west
of England e ver y day, and the energ y they bring is incredible ”
On 12 April there will be 40 young people playing in the orchestra, ranging in age from 12 up to 21 As well as the songs from Matilda, and the setting of Roald Dahl’s Little Red Riding Hood, there will also be a musical setting of Roald Dahl’s Crockywock poem, music from a recent Moomins film, and excerpts from classical pieces that demonstrate stor ytelling, inc luding Grieg ’ s Hall of the Mountain King and Beethoven’s Egmont O verture Tom Redmond (the brother of the orchestra’s regular conductor Timothy Redmond) will be presenting the concert and will be also narrating Little Red Riding Hood and Crockywock. A relaxed, family concert, Karen tells me, is designed to appeal to all ages. “In this instance we ’ re looking at the music of Roald Dahl and creating stories around that for parents with young children, or those with learning or physical difficulties It ’ s just that there is space and freedom given for you not to feel over whelmed by what you might think a c lassical music concert is. The gist of it is that this is accessible for ever ybody.”
Ever y time Karen starts work with a new orchestra, she is of ten meeting a new set of musicians, but with WEYO it ’ s more variable who takes part for each performance and the average time for rehearsal is three to four days
Karen, though, is used to managing different people dynamics “If you don’t know them well there are a few more variables and you just have to approach it in an open manner It is a privilege for a conductor to be there and to be able to build the music with the musicians
Most of the time with me it has worked, but sometimes it doesn’t and that is OK.
“ The fact that these young people choose to go into music is amazing. For me it ’ s being able to give young musicians something really tangible to hold on to – we want to make this area of the arts sustainable for the future ”
Karen says that the programme is a real mixture of pieces, not only Dahl-inspired, which are all about stor ytelling through music “ We are also doing some existing pieces of classical music called programme music, such as the Grieg and Beethoven pieces, where the composers wrote music with their own stor y in mind, so the narrative is easy to visualise ”
Does Karen have to adapt her method as a conductor dealing with different kinds of orchestras? Karen says that she doesn’t: “I approach it in the same way The end goal is the same – somebody is paying to come and hear you, so your job in those days of rehearsal is to make the music better and make it an enjoyable experience Of course the goalposts change according to the level you are working with, but you aim to achieve the highest possible level with the musicians sitting before you ”
DREW BLOSS, AGE 18, CLARI NE T P LAYER
How long have you been playing the clarinet?
I chose the clarinet because, to me, it has such a warm and velvety sound to it, especially in its lower range, as well as the fact that clarinets work played in so many different styles – it ’ s amazingly versatile! I have played the clarinet for 11 years
When did you first encounter music?
From a young age, my parents would take me to toddler groups where music was a key part of the sessions, so I’ve always believed that this placed the foundation for becoming the musician I am now I think the single event that first got me actively interested in music was when one of the todd ler group leaders brought her guitar in and played some pieces for us It was my first experience of live music, and it was such a vivid memor y.
How does being a musician contribute to who you are?
Being a musician has massively shaped me I think it ’ s made me more obser vant to the sounds around me – I often magpie away any noises and melodies I hear while I’m out and about to add them to compositions.
Have you had proud moments as an orchestra member?
I’ve had so many amazing moments that I can’t choose just one! However, having the guts to play solos in concerts that I’ve sometimes been in has always felt like a proud moment for me.
How long have you been playing with WEYO?
Seven months. And, honestly, playing in an orchestra is extremely uplif ting and satisfying when working together, creating a good sound
Do you ever get nervous when preparing for a performance?
I absolutely do get ner vous preparing to perform, but then I remember that the audience is here to enjoy the performance, and not to listen out for any mistakes or to criticise it
Which piece from the programme on 12 April is your favourite?
This is a ver y tr ic ky decision as they ’ re all super fun to play and to listen to! If I had to choose one, it would be Greig ’ s In the Hall of the Mountain King because of how the piece gradually and dramatically intensifies throughout
West of England Youth Orchestra Relaxed Family Concer t, W iltshire Music Centre, 12 Apr il, 3pm and 6pm. wiltshiremusic.org.uk
Open house, 19–21 April, Thomas Spencer Fine Art, Lansdown, Bath
Thomas Spencer Fine Art is hosting an open house event in Bath This is an opportunity to see works by important 20th-centur y and contemporar y artists in a domestic setting. Artists include Henr y Moore, Mar y Fedden, Keith Vaughan, Julian Bailey, Prunella Clough, Eric Ravilious, Michael Ayrton, Patrick Heron and more All works are for sale Pre-booking essential at: thomasspencer finear t co uk/booking
Bath Textile Artists: Textures of Time, until 27 April, The Pound Arts Centre, Corsham SN13 9HX
This exhibition marks the 40th anniversar y of the foundation of Bath Textile Artists. This versatile group of 12 members explores and interprets the theme of Textures of Time Techniques inc lude hand and machine embroider y, printing and painting on fabric, weaving, collage, silk painting and felting Recyc led materials are of ten utilised. This is a varied and exciting body of original work bathtextilear tists com poundar ts org uk
The Holburne Museum, Great Pulteney Street, Bath
Gwen John: Art and Life in London and Paris, until 14 April Paintings, watercolours, drawings and sketches from Gwen John’s 40-year career, focusing on work in Paris and L ondon
Gillian Lowndes: Radical Clay, until 21 April
Tabletop and wall pieces from Gillian L owndes, one of the most dar ing and or iginal ar tists of the post-war per iod
Lubaina Himid: Lost Threads, until 21 April
Lost Threads will see 400 metres of vibrant D utch wax fabric transform the museum ’ s spaces holbur ne.org
Modern ArtBuyer Bath Pop-Up, 25 April – 4 May, Pencil Tree Gallery, Cleveland Terrace, Bath
Bath-based galler y and consultancy Modern ArtBuyer ’ s pop-up show at Pencil Tree Galler y, Bath will show works by W iltshire landscape painter Miranda Carter (shown), abstract artist Sam Peacock and Bath printmaker Paul Minott, alongside works by Pencil Tree’s own represented artists There will also be a selected studio sale of Paul Minott ’ s striking graphic monoprints. moder nar tbuyer.com
Kiri Kiri exhibition, 15–28 April, 44AD Artspace, 4 Abbey Street, Bath
Spotted in Bath: Stormtrooper with a Fendi bag. If you think that ’ s strange, come and laugh, scratch your head and marvel at the rest Swedish artist Kiri Kiri is back by popular demand, shaking up Bath with a second solo show, with over 70 new, previously unseen artworks to be unveiled Free entry Sign up for the private view on 18 April (6–8pm) at no cost, and get a chance to win a Kiri Kiri original, meet the artist and have a drink. To sign up for PV email: ask@kirikiri.co.uk
Bathampton Art Group Spring
Exhibition 2024, 6 April, Bathampton
Village Hall, Holcombe Lane BA2 6U
The ever-popular Bathampton Art Group’s Spring Exhibition is now in its 56th year –the group of over 60 artists meet in three sessions every week, and the exhibition provides a showcase for their talents Paintings (all for sale) range from landscapes and seascapes to portraits, including pets, and still life. There are awards for the best in each of three subject categories, with judging by local artist Catherine Beale There is a café with homemade cakes and savouries, and a tombola The exhibition is open from 10am–4pm
8th April - 31st May
Daniel Crawshaw: New Paintings, 13 April – 11 May, Beaux Arts Bath, 12-13 York Street, Bath
As Bath warms up Beaux Arts showcases the work of Daniel Crawshaw, Rebecca Collins and Jenny Pockley, three accomplished landscape artists whose work is informed by the landscapes of Wales, The Isle of Skye and the French Alps respectively Beautiful thrown and handpainted ceramics are by galler y favourite Sara Moorhouse.
Open 10am-5pm, Monday to Saturday
beauxar tsbath.co.uk
Art by Bruce Munro at the Dyson Cancer Centre at the RUH
British artist Bruce Munro creates immersive, large-scale light installations. He is best known for his Field of Light artworks that have entranced audiences around the world from Uluru in Australia to Mexico City Time and Again, the piece created for the Dyson Cancer Centre, is an iteration on a theme of work that began with CD Sea in 2010 This piece consisted of a sea of 600,000 CDs laid onto a field at Long Knoll, Bruce’s home in Wiltshire. “ The inspiration, a ‘timeless moment ’ for CD Sea dates back to the mid-80s when I lived in Sydney I often spent time watching the water I felt a connection with my home and family in Salcombe Creating the work was something I felt strongly about ” ,
Lumiere Art Exhibition: A Journey of Light and Colour, 17-21 April, Walcot Chapel, Bath BA1 5UG
Lumiere features the artwork of colourist, Hetti D ysch Painting with a naïve and impressionistic style, the exhibition will feature work created whilst traveling in Paris, The Pyrenees, Essaouira, Devon, Dorset, Bristol and Bath.
W ild and urban landscapes are captured in this diverse body of work that track the artist ’ s journey to date Working most recently with bold, backlit colours and a four-colour palette, the finished pieces are rich in content and colour and will appeal to a range of ages and artistic interest
Open: Weds-Thurs, 11am-4pm; Fri-Sat. 10am-5pm; Sun 11am-4pm
Private view: Tues 16 Apr. 6pm-8pm. RSVP via Insta: @hettidyschart; Tel: 07850 401759
Munro has commented In the spring of 2016 Munro had the opportunity to realise a dream project – a Field of Light at Uluru in central Australia He says, “My visit to Uluru inspired many new thoughts about the passage of time ” Time and Again follows Munro’s interest in time and how we move through it. It is a workin-progress; an amalgam of his past time-based installations. The idea of using a lily format as a visual reference was inspired from a visit to Chatsworth House, namely the large canal adjacent to the house, as well its tradition of growing giant Victorian lilies in the iconic glasshouses
The iteration of Time and Again takes the form of a mythical time piece, representing the past, present and future as one eternal ‘timeless moment ’ .
Spring Exhibition, 8 April – 31 May, Gallery Nine, 9B Margaret Buildings, Bath
This exhibition presents ceramicists Allan Manham, Kathryn Sherriff, artists Tessa Pearson and Jonathan Gibbs and jewellery by Adele Brereton and Lesley Strickland Allan Manham’s hand-built coiled stoneware pots carry an integration between form and surface inspired by archaic forms Kathryn Sheriff ’ s decoration is applied using coloured slips, inlaid lines and carved repeating patterns.
Tessa Pearson’s time spent drawing and painting gardens has led to the creation of larger scale paintings and monoprints Jonathan Gibbs’ work encapsulates book illustration, drawing, painting, printmaking, editorial and pattern design Adele Brereton is drawn to hollow and irregular forms and jeweller Lesley Strickland specialises in the use of cellulose acetate combined with sterling silver.
galler yninebath.com
Myriad by Rachel Heard
ON REFLECTION: contemporary paintings by Rachel Heard, 19 April – 5 May, Gallery @ No 56, High Street, Corsham SN13 OHR
This work by artist Rachel Heard comes from being drawn to trees and reeds by bodies of water in the countr yside Reflections of light on the surface of the water seem to bring forth quiet contemplation, a moment of feeling immersed in nature and feeling at home there, at one with the surroundings. In her paintings Heard addresses literal reflection, but also the metaphorical interpretation, a process of personal introspection, in the context of nature Special places where sky, water and earth meet, surrounded by foliage or trees, ever-changing through the seasons, have proved to be a limitless source of inspiration The artist finds ways to evoke those feelings of awe, wonder and connection through painting, becoming aware of all the life that this environment holds. Drawings from £50 and paintings from £300–£3000. Open 11am–6pm (closed Mondays). willowuk.com
Lynn Baxter’s paintings exploit multiple layers to give depth to the flat surface and are linked with her overriding interest in abstraction, finding the essence of things through line and volume in which the spirit of play is often the key feature
To view works by Lynn, visit the online galler y or email Sandra to arrange a private viewing by appointment.
sandrahigg ins.ar t; sandra@sandrahiggins.com
Lynn Baxter at sandrahiggins art
An exhibition at Victoria Art Gallery brings to life the streets of Montmartre in its bohemian heyday The gallery has seen the exhibits before, but now it can share them properly with the city. Emma Clegg talks to the curator, Katharine Wall.
Four years ago there was an exhibition at Victoria Art Galler y in Bath called Toulouse-Lautrec: the Masters of Montmartre. It opened on 15 February 2020, but a few weeks later everything shut down, and ever yone was forced to close their doors and opt out of the wider world Exhibition spaces could then only be accessed digitally
The tragedy was that this exhibition, allowing visitors to immerse themsel ves in the sights and gaiet y of 19th-centur y Paris, had been guaranteed to draw in the crowds, to enchant, engage and enrapture both the casual passer-by and the connoisseur. Prints such as Chéret ’ s Chat Noir, Toulouse-L autrec ’ s L a Goulue doing the c an c an or his depictions of Aristide Brouant with his red scarf and black cape are, af ter all, iconic images of the Belle Époque in Paris
The good news is that the exhibition returns to the Victoria Art Gallery this month, and it boasts more prints on its walls than before It features iconic French posters from the 1880s and 1890s, by the best and most innovative artists of the era, famously Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, but also artists such as Théophile Steinlen, Jules Chéret, Alphonse Mucha and Henri-Gabriel Ibels. These are not only wonderful works of art, they give a fascinating insight into life in fin-de-siècle France.
Paris was Europe’s most fashionable and exciting capital in the late 19th century, known for its nightlife, theatre, art and music Thousands of people flocked there to mar vel at the 1889 International Exposition, which showcased French products, industr y and culture, and the exuberant, creative anarchic spirit of the time was reflected in the posters pasted across the city ’ s billboards
“These are not only wonderful works of art, they give a fascinating insight into life in fin-de-siècle Paris”
Katharine Wall has curated the new exhibition and her priority was to squeeze in as many as she could. “ We had to put quite a few in storage before, so I’ve done ever ything I can to fit in as many as we can. ”
Katharine improved her French during lockdown and this has been invaluable “I’ve discovered that if you can work out ever y single word in the posters you uncover a lot more about the context ” , she says
The typography is a defining part of many of the posters Take Steinlen’s Chat Noir: “ The Chat Noir cabaret, set up in 1881, was a meeting place for intellectuals and artists Like-minded people gathered there to exchange ideas, argue and debate whilst enjoying wine and entertainment.
But if you actually read the words, it is a poster for the Chat Noir on tour. It ’ s also not a real cat, because the Chat Noir offered shadow puppet shows, so the cat you can see here is in fact a shadow puppet ”
The explosion of posters in this era was a product of the mid-19th centur y innovation in printing technolog y, which was capable of reproducing brightly coloured, large images in enormous quantities as lithographs The artists of the time enjoyed using the new technology to create designs to be pasted up on billboards nationwide.
The posters also reflect the z eitgeist of the era. “ These posters were produced by the post-war gener ation, by young people wanting to i n d u l ge i n h e d on i s m t o e s c a p e t h e m i s e r y a n d d e s t r u c t i on t h e i r parents exper ienced when Par is was bad l y aff ected by the Fr ancoPr ussian War The Par is posters of the 1890s were about celebrating life, culture, fun and consumer ism, and reflect France at the end of the 19th centur y, af ter ever ything the countr y had been through”, says K athar ine
T h e p o s t e r s re ac h e d o u t t o t h e m a s s e s a n d s om e o f t h e m we re p ro d u c e d i n t h e t h o u s a n d s . I t w a s ad v a n t a ge o u s n o t j u s t f o r t h e p e r f o r m e r s – s om e o f t h e m we n t t o t h e a r t i s t s a n d c om m i s s i on e d them to hand le their promotions, like S arah Bernhardt with Alfonse Mucha – but it was beneficial for the ar tists, too, and it ’ s what made Toulouse-L autrec ’ s name
Toulouse-L autrec had based himself in Montmar tre, living c losel y among the prostitutes and per formers who he dre w and painted in t h e a re a ’ s d a n c e h a l l s , c a b a re t s a n d b ro t h e l s H e h i m s e l f w a s h i g h born, but he made Montmar tre his home and would have identified with the eccentr ic characters that were par t of Par is’ underc lass.
A number of the posters are distinctivel y high and narrow. This is bec ause they were designed to be lifesiz e, explains K athar ine “ They
were produced using lithographs, and the tall ones had to be produced using two stones, so two pr ints were joined together, but they were not per fect ” S ure enough when you look at the pr ints, you c an easil y detect these misalignments. There is almost no attempt to hide the break lines: “ The y are not intended as precious ar t works, or to last ver y long, as they were simply pasted on the billboards, and are rather a colour ful, expressive celebration of the creative oppor tunities over any apparent limitations”, say s K athar ine
O n e i n n o v a t i on f o r t h i s e x h i b i t i on i s t h e u s e o f t h e B l o om b e r g App K athar ine say s, “One issue with display posters is that it ’ s hard t o i n c l u d e i n f o r m a t i on a b o u t t h e m i n a n e x h i b i t i on S o u s i n g t h e Bloomberg App, visitors c an log in and refer to individual posters as they go around. We’ ll still have general introductor y panels – because we k n ow t h a t n o t e ve r y b o d y l i k e s t o u s e a p p s – b u t t h e a p p d o e s replace the reall y detailed labels.”
These posters were ne ver intended to last more than a fe w months, and here they are 130 years later, in the centre of Bath
Toulouse-Lautrec and the Masters of Montmartre, Victoria Art Galler y, 26 April – 29 September, open Tuesday – Sunday, 10 30am-5pm victoriagal org uk
A Pelé picture that was once tucked away in the back pocket of a pair of jeans during the summer of 1958 can now be found for tens of thousands
It would probably be unthinkable today, but in 1958, Sweden hosted the FIFA World Cup The fever spread across the entire country, especially as Sweden made it to the final. A match they lost to Brazil with a score of 5-2. Two of the goals were scored by the then 17-year-old Pelé (19402022), thus marking the birth of a world star
During the championship, candy-craving children and teenagers could buy the candy box Alfa Pastill and find collector's pictures of the various national team players inside The most sought-after teams were naturally the host nation's and the Brazilian national team, and some of the socalled Alfa pictures quickly became highly sought after
The most coveted of all was the picture of Pelé, and after his passing in 2022, prices skyrocketed.
In October 2023, 61 Alfa pictures with Pelé at the forefront were sold at Crafoord Auctions Stockholm for just over £52,500 (700,000 SEK) including the auction house's fees)
After the record sale, a series of Alfa pictures with Pelé have been auctioned off, and it seems that many have preser ved the picture with great care But another picture of Pelé has become the subject of collectors' interest It is the portrait of him from the so-called Suit series The origin is unknown, but the series got its name because several of the World Cup players (though far from all) are depicted dressed in suits. The specimen seen here was sold in Februar y 2024 at Växjö Auction Chamber for £19,500 (260,000 SEK, including the auction house's fees).
An international audience has driven prices to previously unseen levels, but the condition is crucial for a good price A Pelé picture that was once tucked away in the back pocket of a pair of jeans during the summer of 1958 can now be found for tens of thousands
n a world where traditions often fade away, there’s something enduring about passing down family customs across generations Among these, one practice stands out: giving a silver canteen of cutlery to children upon their marriage. This custom not only bestows a precious heirloom, but also imparts the qualities essential for a thriving marriage
For generations, my family has adhered to this unique tradition, wherein each child, upon tying the knot, receives a silver canteen. The act is made even more remarkable by the condition attached to the gift: the newlyweds must integrate the silver canteen into their daily lives, counting all the pieces after boozy dinner parties to make sure no wee spoons are left in the bin. They must have skin in the game by buying dishwasher-safe silver knives to match This may be quite an outlay, but in my mind, it builds a better appreciation of their gift. Of greater importance perhaps, it allows every piece of flatware to be put in the dishwasher daily. Yes, it’s fine to put silver in the dishwasher; up to twice a day at Christmas in our house!
The significance of what might seem like a simple act lies in the underlying values of the metal. Silver symbolises purity and longevity – qualities essential for a successful marriage By giving a silver canteen, the family not only bequeaths a tangible possession, but also imparts intangible virtues to the couple.
The freedom to choose the pattern adds a personal touch, allowing each child to express their individuality while honouring family custom. Regardless of its design, beans on toast will always taste better when eaten with silver cutlery.
Beyond symbolism, this tradition also carries practical benefits Yes, silver tarnishes, but if used daily, polishing should be limited to twice a year at the most. In time, it can, and perhaps should, become an enjoyable “no-phonesallowed” family bonding experience reserved for one of our frequent rainy days This transformation parallels the evolution of marriage itself – from the pristine beginnings to the seasoned beauty of enduring family love.
As I have seen with my own children, their silver canteen stands as a reminder of home and enduring value, which they carry with them as they move all around the world in their life’s journey. This tradition serves as a beacon of continuity in an ever-changing world, anchoring family bonds across generations n
beaunashbath com; info@beaunashbath com; 01225 334234 @beaunashbath
An interesting variety of modern prints will be offered at Lawrences in Crewkerne in April and they deserve more than a second glance “Original artists’ prints allow a collector to acquire a really distinctive work of art for a much more modest price than the equivalent subject by that artist in ink, watercolour or oil,” observes the firm’s specialist, Richard Kay
An etching by Pierre Auguste Renoir (yes, that Renoir), entitled ‘Baigneuse debout, a mi-jambes’, is from a posthumous edition The estimate is just £80-120 (lot 333). A similar posthumous printing of an etching by Edgar Degas of a ballerina fixing her slipper is guided at £200-300 (lot 334) Two etchings by Pablo Picasso from his celebrated ‘Vollard Suite’ of 1933, from an edition of 310 copies, are signed in pencil by the artist himself and are estimated at £2500-4000 each (lots 335,336)
Graham Clarke’s modern folio of his eighteen coloured prints entitled ‘History of England’ (1986) is unusual for offering something rarely found in such prints: humour. “These delightful prints have a mood of jaunty, whimsical amusement, ” says Richard “There is such a wealth of detail that you are sure to see something new every time you look at them ” The folio is estimated at £1400-1800 (lot 347)
“My two personal favourites have a London theme,” observes Richard “Emile Verpilleux’s ‘Pancras Station’ is a superb colour woodcut from 1912 that captures the cavernous concourse of the station and affords plenty of details in the bustle of travellers on the concourse. It is a truly fine and accomplished piece of printmaking and it evokes its era well The estimate is £700-1000 ” (lot 340) Richard also admires a lithograph by Christopher Nevinson, entitled ‘Dawn at Southwark’ (lot 350) This signed print from 1917 is not just a brilliantly atmospheric and subtly geometric design It is very rare indeed: no example has been offered in any auction worldwide for decades Although it has a few surface defects, its scarcity will be sure to attract interest. Estimated at £2000-4000, it has the potential to make a surprise price Enquiries to the auctioneers on (01460) 73041, enquiries@lawrences co uk
Lawrences are welcoming consignments for their Autumn Fine Art sales to include:
Silver | Vertu | Pictures | 19th/20th Centur y Design | Ceramics
Oriental Works of Art | Jeweller y | Watches | Furniture | Clocks | Rugs
Militaria | Coins | Medals | Collectors | Sporting | Textiles | Wine | Spirits Books | Maps | Manuscripts | Photography
Free valuations are available online at lawrences.co.uk.
Home visits also available throughout Bath and the West Countr y without charge or obligation
T: 01460 73041 E: enquiries@lawrences co uk
1A Woodlands Estate, Westbur y, BA13 3QS
T: 01373 822337 E: wessex@lawrences co uk
Al l t he best t hi ngs you ’ l l want to know
O u r Weekend edi t i on e - n e w s l e t t e r i s a s p e c i a l l y c u r a t e d m i n i - g u i d e t o h e l p y o u g e t t h e m o s t o u t o f l i v i n g i n B a t h
D e l i v e r e d d i r e c t a n d f r e e t o y o u r i n b o x i t ’ s p a c k e d w i t b u l l e t i n s o f n e w s , c o m m e n t a r y a n d c u l t u r e , a s w e l l a s l i f e s t y l e i d e a s , t h i n g s t o d o , g r e a t r e a d s a n d s o m u c h m o
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Sc a n t he c o de o r v i s i t : www. t he ba t hma g a z i ne . c o .
Recommendations by
Tom Bleathmanfrom the Great Wine Company Champagne, often associated with celebrations, is considered one of life’s finer pleasures, but not one for the faint of wallet. Consider, then, the wines made using the same method, but from other quality wine regions These Champagne alternatives can be equally impressive and, in many cases, more approachable for the less formal occasions you ight want to drink them in These options e all on offer at The Great Wine ompany until 14 April Here are some of y favourites. Discover more at eatwine.co.uk
Crémant is a French sparkling wine crafted using the same traditional method as Champagne, but produced outside the Champagne region In this case, it hails from Burgundy The Veuve Ambal Cuvée Excellence Crémant is a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, aged for 24 to 36 months. It boasts flavours of hazelnut, red apple, and citrus, with a lovely, long honeyed finish £18.85– £15.
Cava, originating from Spain, strikes an excellent balance between quality and affordability while following the same production method as Champagne. The Pere Ventura C lassic Cava is made from indigenous Spanish grape varieties: Macabeu and Xarel-L o Expect flavours of crunchy een apple, white peach, nts of lemon balm, and asted brioche 12 95–£10 79
ungar y may not be the first lace you think of for traditional method sparkling, but Sauska Sparkling Brut is a hidden gem Produced using the local Furmint grape, along with classic sparkling varieties of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, it offers a fresh style with flavours of ripe citrus, juicy pineapple, and lemon curd Fantastic value for money if you ’ re daring enough.
£19.95–£16.62
Tuesday 23 April is St George’s Day and British beef is on the menu But to avoid slaving over a hot oven, chill out and treat yourself to the ultimate Steak Sandwich instead. SERVES 2
Recipe by Melissa Blease
• 400g bavette (or skir t) steak
• 2 large onions, peeled and sliced
• A generous knob of butter
• A glug of olive oil
• 70g soft dark brown sugar
• 125ml red wine vinegar
• 1 French stick or large ciabatta loaf
Remove the steak from the fridge for around an hour before cooking, to allow it come to room temperature
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil, butter and and sugar into a large, non-stick, lidded fr ying pan over a medium heat. Once the butter has melted and the sugar dissolved, add the onions to a pan, and allow to sauté for 5 minutes until just starting to soften Pour the vinegar over the onions, add a lid, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 30-35 minutes (add splashes of water to loosen) or until the onions have turned golden on top and caramelised underneath
W hile the onions are cooking, preheat the oven to a medium heat ready to warm the French stick/ciabatta through and place the steaks between two layers of greaseproof paper before bashing with a rolling pin to tenderise, and make all the beef roughly the same thickness (around 1cm thick works well).
Season the steak all over and place a large, non-stick, heavy-bottomed pan on a high heat W hen the pan is smoking hot, put the bread into the oven, and drizzle the steaks with olive oil before flash-fr ying: around 3 minutes on each side will offer a medium result
Remove the steak to a warm plate, cover loosely with foil and allow it to rest for around 4 minutes before slicing it into roughly 1cm thick strips at a slight angle across the grain (for maximum tenderness).
Slice the warm loaf in half vertically and smear the top underside of the bread with English mustard or creamed horseradish sauce Drizzle the resting juices from the steak across the base of the cut-side bread followed by the caramelised onions, the steak strips and big handfuls of watercress Top with the other half of the bread and press down lightly before car ving into four chunks and ser ving
L uc knam Park, the elegant, famil y-owned countr y house hotel, is ele vating its culinar y offer ings to fur ther heights with the rest y ling and refur bishment of the hotel’ s Brasser ie into a ne w restaurant c alled Walled Garden Restaurant.
The ne w restaurant, with Head Chef Alex Greene at its helm, will have all the romance and serenit y of an English countr y garden and offer a seasonal dining exper ience where loc al produce, such as spr ing lamb reared on the estate ’ s grounds, and ingredients supplied by the hotel’ s kitchen garden take centre stage against the bac kdrop of flower ing gardens
Head Chef Alex Greene is the mastermind behind the ne w concept which takes the form of a sociable shar ing-plate exper ience dur ing the day, featur ing dishes such as free-range pork chop accompanied with crab apple verjus, spr ing greens and roasted turnip; apple and lavender honey glaz ed duc k breast with a tang y green rhubar b chutney ; and confit duc k with roast chicor y and haz elnut salad In the e vening the restaurant will transform into an elegant à la c ar te exper ience where menu highlights inc lude flat iron steak ser ved with béarnaise sauce and skinny fr ies or a spr ing vegetable quiche complete with a seasonal Walled Garden salad
Lucknam retains Michelin star
Lucknam Park also announced recently that Executive Chef, Hywel Jones, has retained his prestigious Michelin star for the 19th successive year. Jones has held a Michelin star at Restaurant Hywel Jones by Lucknam Park since 2006, offering guests an unforgettable fine-dining experience featuring spectacular seasonal tasting menus, taking gastronomes on a tantalising culinar y journey using only the finest ingredients to ensure the fullest of flavours.
S peaking of the accomplishment, Hywel Jones enthuses: “It is an honour to retain such a prestigious award for yet another year Maintaining the same high standards that guests have come to expect when they visit Lucknam Park is of the utmost importance to all of us who work in the restaurant I’ m incredibly grateful to my whole team for their continued dedication ”
Walled Garden Restaurant will perfectly complement the Michelin-starred offering at Restaurant Hywel Jones, providing guests with a week-round, all-day dining destination
For the latest updates on the Walled Garden Restaurant opening, sig n up to Lucknam Park’s dedicated newsletter at: lucknampark.co.uk/dining/walled-garden-restaurant
Cur rently qualifying holiday let proper ties are treated as trading assets whic h means they benefit from favourable tax treatments and reliefs However from 6th Apr il 2025, the fur nished holiday let reg ime will be abolished and holiday lets will instead be treated as investment assets, like any other rental proper ty
At present, interest incur red on loans for the pur pose of a fur nished holiday letting business are treated as a deduction from rental income in calculating taxable profits of the business
From 6 Apr il 2025, interest for businesses operated by individuals will cease to be a deduction and relief will instead be g iven as a 20% tax credit from the individual’s tax liability
For higher rate taxpayer s, this will mean a reduction in tax relief for interest to the 20% rate
As trading assets, capital gains on the disposal of fur nished holiday letting assets by individuals cur rently may qualify for business asset disposal relief: where they qualify, gains up to the lifetime limit of £1m would be taxed at a rate of 10%
However, as investment assets from 6 Apr il 2025 suc h gains will be subject to the Capital Gains Tax (CGT) rate of 18% for profits within the standard rate band or 24% for profits within the higher rate band
Gains on the disposal of a fur nished holiday let would cur rently qualify for CGT rollover relief, if a replacement qualifying asset is purc hased, a claim can be made to deduct the capital gain from the tax base cost of the new asset, thereby defer r ing the tax point of the gain Suc h relief is only available for investment proper ties in cases of compulsory purc hase
Expenditure on qualifying assets for a fur nished holiday letting business are cur rently elig ible for capital allowances
As a letting of residential investment proper ty, suc h relief will be withdrawn from 6 Apr il 2025 although it is likely that suc h businesses may instead be able to claim a deduction from profits for the cost of replacing domestic items
Tax relief for pension contr ibutions by individuals is cur rently limited to contr ibutions of the higher of £3,600 or 100% of net relevant ear nings
Cur rently, profits from fur nished holiday lettings are treated as relevant ear nings but from 6 Apr il 2025 that will no longer be the case
These tax c hanges make it less attractive to own holiday lets and more attractive to sell them which may lead to significant numbers of proper ty owners putting their holiday homes on the market in the 2024/25 tax year
Sulis Hospital, Bath will soon be able to per form an additional 3,750 nonemergenc y or thopaedic operations for NHS patients each year, following a successful planning application submitted by Royal United Hospital, Bath.
The plans will see a new wing built at Sulis Hospital, a fully operational independent hospital owned by the RUH that treats both NHS and private patients The RUH acquired the former Circle Bath hospital in June 2021, with the main objective of securing additional elective capacity for NHS patients
Situated at Sulis Hospital in Peasedown St John, just outside of Bath, the new Sulis Elective Or thopaedic Centre will act as an NHS elective surger y hub; it will ser ve NHS patients from across the south west, helping to tack le the region’s back log of elective, non- emergenc y surger y I t will also create up to 100 new jobs for the area ruh nhs uk
TO OP EN I N AP RI L
The ne w D yson Cancer Centre at the Royal United Hospitals (RUH) Bath NHS Foundation Tr ust will shor tl y be welcoming patients, their loved ones and the wider communit y The pur pose-built facilit y will provide a c ancer ser vices hub for over 500,000 people in the south west Ros Helps, RUH L ead Cancer Nurse said: “ We have a busy fe w weeks ahead but we ’ re reall y looking for ward to moving into the ne w building at the end of April We’ re proud of the c are we provide at the RUH, but this pur pose-built centre will suppor t us to do e ven more for our communit y.
“ From the welcoming and light-filled atrium and waiting rooms through to the
Q ualified occupational therapist Isobel Etchells has 11 years NHS experience working with older adults, and is a member of the Health and Care Professions Council. Her new business, Home Help Bath supports individuals in their own home and assists with trips out Ser vices inc lude companionship and food preparation, as well as the organisation of medication, and help with paper work, shopping and c leaning Isobel will offer a friend ly face and advice about any ever yday challenges She is looking for ward to applying her knowledge and skills in supporting individuals through her new business, Home Help Bath. homehelpbath.co.uk
A new male skincare brand, intelligent face, co-founded by Bath resident, Dom England, has recently launched with a range of all-natural, high performance products Dom commented: “Aside from our high-quality ingredients, intelligent face has a strong social responsibility platform; with 5% of ever y purchase being funnelled into our Foundation. We will then disburse these funds to organisations supporting men ’ s mental health.” intelligent face products are available online at intelligent-face com and the team are actively looking for local stockists intelligent-face.com
c arefull y designed treatment suite, modern inpatient ward, radiotherapy facilities and research lab, we ’ ve looked at e ver y aspect of c ancer c are so we c an provide the best environment and experience for the people we c are for ”
A key feature of the new centre is the Macmillan Wellbeing Hub, funded by Macmillan Cancer Support, which will provide a welcoming, non-clinical space designed around the needs of patients and their families Spread across three floors, the hub includes counselling rooms, complementar y therapy spaces, information space, and comfortable accommodation where relatives and loved ones can stay overnight
The RUH’ s Ar t at the Hear t team are busy installing the final ar t and design works in the ne w building S haped around a
‘ L and Water S ky ’ theme, the ne w centre has been c arefull y designed to provide a nur turing and therapeutic environment which suppor ts high qualit y c linic al c are r uh.nhs.uk
Bath Publishing, run by Helen L acey and her husband David Chaplin, specialises in self-help law books, professional books and current affairs non-f iction. In 2021 they published Journalist Nick Wallis’s book, The Great Post Off ice Scandal, telling the story of a terrible miscarriage of justice Here they tell us their story
Tell us about your connections to Bath
We moved to Bath from London in 1988. We love the buzz of the city, and how the tourists keep our bars and restaurants going – we enjoy speaking to them and recommending places such as Sion Hill and Bath Skyline that aren’t on the main tourist drag We love the walk from our house in Newbridge into town through the park – we run along the canal/river and walk ever ywhere The proximity to the countr yside is a massive bonus – we can be on top of Kelston Hill within 30 minutes and there’s The Old Crown pub in the village itself Some of our favourite places to eat and drink are Walcot House, The Olive Tree at the Q ueensberr y (for a blow-out), The Salamander, The Griffin, Beckford Canteen, The Locksbrook Inn (very convenient as it ’ s just down the road),
and The Victoria Pub and Kitchen It ’ s really handy to have Chelsea Road nearby – Giuseppe at the Chelsea Road Deli was a life-saver during the pandemic and the café is still a great place for a coffee
When did you set up Bath Publishing?
We started the business in 2004, initially launching a website for family lawyers to keep up to date with news, legislation and case law We sold that in 2009, and in 2011 published our first book, The Family Court without a Lawyer, which is aimed at the lay person who is going through a divorce or who needs help getting contact with their children Now on its fourth edition, it has helped tens of thousands of readers Since then, we have published similar books for people going through an employment claim, clinical negligence, court of protection claims and insolvency, as well as becoming specialists in planning law. We have also published our first novel and of course THE book on The Post Office Scandal.
Do you both have professional experience of law?
No but David was the marketing director at the legal publisher Jordans in Bristol for several years before he set up Bath Publishing I was a maths teacher for 15 years, then a software trainer, finally joining David to work at Bath Publishing full time in 2012 So David is ver y experienced in this field – I’ve just learnt the trade over the years!
Do you feel the legal system is too inaccessible for ordinary people to manage?
Yes – and it ’ s also true that there is no longer legal aid for most areas of law, so that makes it even harder for people to get justice Ordinar y people are having to deal with sometimes life-changing events without proper recourse to legal help, and this is something that should change I also feel that as a society we are far too litigious – other methods of dispute resolution are available and we do inc lude them in our books, but many people are still wedded to the idea that their ‘day in court ’ will bring them c losure and a fair outcome. This is rarely the case, so our books encourage people to tr y to put their differences aside, spare their emotional angst, save money and hopefully resolve the problem in a relatively amicable way Of course, lawyers and court do have their uses and sometimes they are unavoidable, but most c ases c an and should be resolved without going to court
How has the business evolved over the years?
Being independent has meant that we can go in any direction, which is terribly exciting. We basically publish what we are interested in. Some publishing projects happen by accident – we publish eight books on planning law which came about when we were contacted by an author, a solicitor from Bristol, who liked the idea of working with an indie publisher and the list just grew from there Word spreads and several other lawyers have since contacted us as they like what we do
You published The Great Post Office Scandal by Nick Wallis in 2021. Why did you decide to do this?
D uring the boring lockdown in spring 2021, we were helping to run a webinar and Nick Wallis was on the panel He phoned us up the next day and asked if we would be interested in publishing his book We had heard about the stor y, having read a piece in P r ivate Eye and immediately knew it was a big, BIG stor y Unbelievably, Nick told us that none of the publishers his agent had approached were interested S o we grabbed it with both hands and the next fe w months were a frenz y of getting the book written, edited and legally checked. O ver this time, the second wave of convictions were being overturned at the Court of Appeal, the first few having been quashed the previous year at the Crown Court, so we guessed that the stor y was about to get much bigger
What was Nick Wallis like to work with?
Nic k is one of the most pr incipled and meticulous people I know Ever y thing is researched in a thoroughl y professional manner, he is extremel y well liked by the subpostmasters, which helped him to persuade them to share their hear t-breaking stor ies and the sheer amount of information he has gathered since 2010 when he first became aware of the scandal has been nothing short of astonishing He is also great fun to work with and we have been privileged to join him on many tours around the countr y where he has talked to incredulous audiences about the scandal He is incredibly passionate about this stor y and cares deeply for the victims of this terrible injustice
Why did you donate 5% of your income from the paperback to helping subpostmasters?
Because the subpostmasters still needed help. Many subpostmasters have shared their dreadful ordeals and we thought it only fair they benefit in some way In 2021, no subpostmaster had had any form of financial redress and many were living on the breadline having been bankrupted, unable to work because of their criminal convictions and having lost their homes and businesses This is still the case more than three years later and the charity is helping people to pay their rent, get treatment for depression and anxiety, and giving hardship grants to help people stay afloat Back in 2021, we thought the charity would have been dissolved by now because we believed that all subpostmasters would have received financial redress – that is ver y far from reality, unfortunately.
Why did it take an ITV drama (Mr Bates vs The Post Office?) to highlight the miscarriage of justice?
That ’ s a really difficult question The book had been out for two years before the ITV drama and was selling well but, as Nick wrote after the first piece about the scandal appeared in P rivate Eye back in 2011 and he was “ready for the stor y to explode”, it didn’t. The stor y is so complex, involving the ‘ little people’, massive corporations, the government and lawyers, plus the cover-ups, deceit and downright criminality involved, so I can understand that it ’ s taken time to really get going W hat I’m most disappointed about is that the government seem to have only just woken up to this scandal when they have known about it for over 20 years There has been so much foot dragging on all sides and it is shameful that it took the drama to prompt them into, for example, introducing legislation to exonerate all the subpostmasters who have unsafe convictions
How many copies of the book have you sold since it was first published?
Sales have gone through the roof ! We have sold tens of thousands in all formats including the audiobook, narrated by Nick himself We are
expecting another wave of interest when the Statutor y Inquir y resumes in April when the main players in this scandal, including ex-CBE Paula Vennells, will be cross-examined under oath.
Tell us about Bath Publishing’s first novel.
The author L ouise Tickle (who introduced us to Nick) is an awardwinning journalist who specialises in reporting on domestic abuse, family courts and child protection She approached us to ask for advice on publishing her novel, Between the Lies She knew that we didn’t publish novels but once David had read it, he said “This is brilliant and would make a great drama” So we did it It was published in hardback in October 2023 and we are bringing out the paperback in May It has also been optioned for a drama series which is ver y exciting. Between the Lies is the first in a trilogy, so we are planning for book two to come out next year.
Tell us about running in the Bath Half Marathon this year I took up running about eight years ago and ran my first Bath Half in 2019 in 2 hours 5 minutes David saw how much I enjoyed it and started to run with me We regularly run along the canal/river when it isn’t under water, but other wise run into town, along Linear Park or around Victoria Park This will be my fifth Bath Half and we are raising money for the Horizon Scandal Fund.
What is your connection with the Bath City Football Club?
David is a big football fan and has supported Ipswich Town since he was a child growing up there W hen he can’t get to Ipswich, he supports Bath City, partly for the football but mostly for the friendships. Ever y year, Bath Publishing enters the shirt sponsorship draw. One day…
The Great Post Office Scandal, £13.99: bathpublishing.com
Nick Wallis is talking about The Great Post Office Scandal at the Bath Festival on Sunday 26 May at 1.30pm at The Guildhall. bathfestivals.org.uk
Our children are growing up in the age of AI But how is this generative technolog y impacting their learning? We speak to some local schools and discover how they are utilising the positive potential AI can bring to education, while at the same time managing ethical issues
How many times have you interacted with artificial intelligence today? It ’ s probably more than you think Even if you ’ re not actively using AI tools in your professional or personal life, AI is being used to generate the adverts we see, provide customer ser vice, conjure artistic works, assess risk in insurance applications… its capabilities are growing each week. AI is certainly nothing new, but the way we are using it has changed dramatically in the last two years Especially in the education sector
W hile traditional AI is best used for spotting patterns and problem solving (proving popular with companies handling data), generative AI (GenAI) can create new content – be that audio, visual or language The use of GenAI exploded in 2022, when OpenAI launched an ear ly version of the GenAI chatbot ChatGP T. Since then, anyone with an internet connection has had the power to generate any content they like using this technolog y.
According to the Januar y 2024 repor t Generative AI in education: Educator and expert views by the Department for Education and The Open Innovation Team: “ Teachers and exper ts ac knowledge that GenAI could have a transformative impact on education From helping teachers save time by automating tasks, to improving teaching effectiveness by personalising learning for students, there is significant potential for GenAI to benefit the sector. At the same time, there is considerable concern about the risks it presents, as well as scepticism about whether these can be mitigated.”
Research from the report shows that GenAI use among students and teachers has soared rapid ly over the last year or so By November 2023, 42% of primar y and secondar y teachers had used GenAI in their role (an increase from 17% in April of that year). Pupils and students may be using GenAI more than their teachers – of 16- to 24-year-olds online in the UK, 74% have used a GenAI tool. The report highlights a sur vey from TeacherTapp (November 2023), which revealed 42% of primar y and secondar y teachers have now used GenAI to help them with schoolwork
Meanwhile, in Februar y 2024 The Guardian shared the results of a sur vey of more than 1,000 UK graduates conducted by the Higher Educ ation Polic y Institute This found that 53% were using AI to generate material for work they would be marked on. One in four are using applications, such as Google Bard or ChatGP T to suggest topics, and one in eight are using them to create content.
Bath’s pupils are preparing to enter a wor ld of further learning and prof essional work that w
inter act with AI on an increasingly regular basis S o, to ensure that they are aware of these tools ’ positive potential (boosting efficienc y and aiding special educational needs development), as well as the ethical and intellectual r isks the y pose (suc h as factual inaccur acies, plagiar ism and an overreliance on technolog y), schools have an important role to play.
That ’ s why we asked our loc al educ ational institutions three key questions to to see how GenAI is impacting their curriculum.
QHow is AI software being incorporated into your curriculum for creative and problem-solving purposes?
Kingswood School
QDoes your school offer any AI training for students, and is there information available for parents?
Dr Rachel Mcllwaine, Deputy Head Academic• With the boom in AI, we are keen to harness its exceptional power, yet also educate our pupils about possible pitfalls and dangers We use an excellent AI tool in Maths, which is able to tailor the difficulty of the question to the user, and we also use AI in our Middle School curriculum in Computer Science, Global Goals and more to develop pupils’ learning We educate our pupils on the ethics of AI through our Kingswood for Life programme, which we have adapted to reflect this new technology
• We ran a ver y popular parent engagement evening last half term in which we discussed the origins of Large Language Models (LLMs), a type of programme that can recognise and generate text, and ChatGP T, a chatbot launched in November 2022. We were fortunate to have some ver y qualified parents in the audience who understand this world more than we do, and have since involved them in our AI strateg y and development
• We ensure that while pupils are able to harness the power of AI they understand the implications for plagiarism. Through assemblies and our Kingswood for Life lessons, pupils are educated about the importance of referencing and checking the use of AI in coursework and homework, and we have a staff and pupil policy on the use of AI in assessment kingswood.bath.sch.uk
Kingswood School
QIs there a system to monitor student use of AI in submitted work – and to safeguard against its misuse?
Millfield School
Gary Henderson, Director of IT
• AI software is used in the curriculum at Millfield for problem solving, ideation, summarisation, translation and recommendation. These are just some of the benefits which AI can provide.
There are logical points for the inclusion of AI into the Computer Science curriculum and in lessons on research skills, where we can teach students both about AI and how to use AI tools We also look to include it across all subjects, given that this has the potential to impact all areas of knowledge
• Students are already using Generative AI tools independently, and so it is important to engage with students about the appropriate use of these, along with having discussions around the risks and challenges. We want students to benefit from the potential of AI tools, but equally they must be aware of the risks and constraints such as those related to coursework, where the use of AI means the work has not been produced independently At the same time we need to provide information to parents around what is acceptable, balancing the benefits and the risks
• W hen it comes to monitor ing student use of AI in submitted work, AI detection platforms exist, but these have not proved reliable. As
student relationships and teacher professional judgements so as to help identify where misuse may have occurred millfield.com
• O ur ongoing commitment is to support students in acquiring practical skills and educating them about the advantages of AI, which helps to foster the growth of their critical thinking abilities
• We hold assemblies and workshops for students to encourage academic honesty and appropriate use of AI. The use of AI has also been added into our teaching In Year 8 Computer Science for example, we have created a new teaching module about AI, where our students learn about chatbots, how to spot bias in AI output and how to critically assess the quality it produces
• We currently use systems (Turnitin and Gptzero) to check whether essays that have been handed in are likely to have been created by generative AI At the moment, our teaching staff are still the best detectors, but these technologies help teachers with this process royalhighbath.gdst.net
• We are exploring how AI can be used to support our processes and teaching and learning O ver time we expect this to develop, though for us it is still relatively early days
• We have safeguards in place to reduce the risk of AI misuse, including the blocking of chatbots and AI tools on school systems to protect the integrity of assessment
• Students completing coursework are provided with information around Exam Board Regulations on the use of AI, and JCQ ( Joint Council for Qualifications) guidelines are provided to students and parents We have updated systems around the checking of NEA (Non Exam Assessment) work to safeguard against misuse of AI beechencliff org uk
Chris Gamble, Deputy Head Academic
• At Prior Park, we nurture AI literacy and creativity As part of our Computer Science programme, all Year 7–9 students delve into AI fundamentals, distinguishing super vised and unsuper vised machine learning, grasping neural network concepts and pondering the bigger questions of consciousness and sentience We also encourage creative exploration of generative AI – the students learn about the architecture of commercial AI systems by building simple neural networks of their own, and are taught how to use industr y-standard AIs like GP T-4 in the most effective ways.
• Running through all this, though, we prioritise ethical AI use, instilling responsible practices and a good sense of what AI can, and cannot, do, so our students never see it as a substitute for their own spark and creativity
• W hile systems like Turnitin claim to ‘detect ’ AI in students’ work, at Prior we find it ’ s far better to rely on those personal relationships between students and teachers, who have an intimate – and often uncannyunderstanding of their students’ work and writing styles. Interestingly, with that approach and our focus on ethical, positive use of AI, we see ver y few issues with students looking to misuse the technology priorparkcollege.com
Stonar School in Wiltshire is challenging the misconceptions surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) through its participation in the innovative hi!ai project, offering pupils a deeper understanding and practical experience of this transformative technology
This ambitious programme, involving Stonar and 11 sister schools in the Globeducate group, is engaging pupils of all ages (Reception to Upper Sixth) in a collaborative journey to explore AI research, design and engineering, with a final goal of creating their own AI ‘brain’.
The project ’ s vision is to see pupils from across the globe co-create and innovate using AI They will use their creations to bring historical figures to life in a virtual AI studio, showcasing the potential of this technology
“It ’ s really exciting to be part of this project because we are recognising the importance of the AI developments and how it could impact our education and our future,” says Charlotte, a Stonar pupil participating in the project. “AI has become a hot topic, but often shrouded in misconceptions. It can’t just be seen as a tool for homework – it ’ s a constantly evolving field that we need to learn to integrate into our lives.”
The project is now fully under way, with pupils chosen for working groups dedicated to various areas including technology, ethics and design Enthusiasm around the school has been particularly high with the recent test printing on the 3D printer
James Cole, Stonar’s Head of Computer Science, emphasises the unique
A visual from the ha!ai AI projec t, to which Stonar School is contributing
opportunity hi!ai presents for Stonar pupils, saying: “ The project provides pupils with a valuable foundation in AI technolog y, fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills crucial for success in the ever-evolving job market
“AI is undoubtedly coming to education, however, this project ser ves as a prime example of how educational institutions can bridge the gap between the hype and reality of AI By fostering a culture of exploration and understanding, hi!ai empowers pupils to become responsible and informed citizens in a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence
“ We hope that all our pupils involved will become our digital leaders of the future, guiding the school on further AI use in teaching and learning.”
stonarschool com
Kingswood School in Bath played host to the 33rd Bath International Schools’ Model United Nations (BISMUN) conference in early March, bringing together over 300 pupils from across the countr y to debate a range of global issues
Over two days pupils represented 73 member states of the UN, and debated a range of issues facing the global community today, including AI, LGBT rights, the Israel Palestine dispute, climate change and the rights of women.
Mr Craig Woodgate, Head of Sixth Form, said: “ This process allows delegates to get a deep and multifaceted understanding of global affairs – as they learn about each countr y's position, interests and foreign polic y ” kingswood.bath.sch.uk
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St Stephen’s Church School in Bath has launched Go For 50!, a campaign to raise £50,000 to renovate and refurbish the school hall As the only indoor space large enough to house the entire school, the hall is one of St Stephen’s most utilised areas It fulfils various purposes and undergoes several transformations in just one day – from a breakfast club venue to a dining hall, to a PE and games area and a space for baking or cookery lessons, as well as for assembly collective worship and after school care. It is also used regularly as a performance or meeting space, and for whole school and community events such as Christmas carol services. Headteacher Claire Taylor says, “ This is the right moment, we’ve got the drive and we’ve got the ambition to raise the funds to make this an amazing multi-purpose space environment for our school and our community ”
Donate now at appgoodhub com/grow50
Jasmine Tyagi visits the Spa Village at Gainsborough Bath Spa, and discovers an exotic, golden world offering the ultimate in relaxation Use this day package to step away from your busy life and enjoy some healing treatments and a spot of afternoon tea
Walking into the Spa V illage at Gainsborough Bath S pa induced an over wh l i sensor y experience as I respon to the warmth, comfor t an allure of the different aromas hanging in the air. I knew that this spa experience was going to be a treat.
The Spa V illage at The Gainsborough Bath S pa is the only place other than the Thermae Bath Spa where you can bathe in Bath’s natural thermal waters The water is r ich in minerals such as magnesium, and these penetrate through your skin to your musc les, helping your body to achieve deep relaxation The Gainsborough Bath Spa ’ s Spa Day package gives you four hours in this heavenly place, where you ’ re able to explore the tw saunas, the steam room and the three pools
O n a r r i v a l I w a s g re e t e d by Ad d y, w h o g a ve G a i n s b o ro u g h B a t h S p a we l c om e d r i n k , c a l l e d O r ge a t – t h i s refreshing, almond-infused sparkling water salutes the beginning of your tr ansf or mative exper ience W ith the S pa Day pac kage you c an c hoose f rom a s e l e c t i on o f t h re e t re a t m e n t s – t h e G a i n s b o ro u g h S i g n a t u re Massage, the Elemis Facial or a hybrid treatment in which you have a 25minute bac k massage and a 25-minute facial. If you would like to add o t h e r t re a t m e n t s yo u c a n e a s i l y u p g r ad e. I w a s t re a t e d t o a f u l l b o d y
Having had skin problems as a child, I’m anxious using creams d foliants as finding anything that soothes and suits has ys been a challenge This has meant an inconsistency nding a good skincare routine W hat ’ s more, in the UK all of us are star ved of V itamin D in the winter months when our skin gets star ved of direct sunlight. So my face and complexion definitely had some issues going on that needed attention
The products applied were by the skinc are brand Omorovicza, which cooperates with the wor ld-famous laborator y once used by Albert Sz ent-G yörg y i, and is where he discovered V itamin C in the 1930s and was awarded a Nobel Prize for his work
massage, as well as a Gold Hydralif ting Mineral Omorovicz a Facial Starting with the massage, I lay on the heated bed feeling totally at ease thanks to my therapist Hana’s calming aura She worked on the back of my body, focusing on the areas of concern that we ’d discussed in the consultation – specifically tension in my upper back and shoulders As she moved her hands around my back, the tension in my musc les graduall y diffused as I relaxed In this deeply sensor y moment the stresses and toxins were easing away - it was the ultimate massage experience - I was floating on a serene c loud of wellbeing.
My therapist ’ s fingers, delic atel y and exper tl y ided across e ver y par t of my face, giving the ession that ever y single skin cell was tingling Omorovicza facial treatment contains a fermented extract c alled mineral elixir from healing thermal waters in Budapest Other products used contained cordial gold (gold in liquid form) D uring this 50-minute facial my skin was double-c leansed with two mud masks The first was the Ultramoor Mud Mask, which boosts the elasticity of the skin W hen applied gently to my face, this treatment extracted any impurities under the dead skin. The second was a gold Hydralif ting Mask, moisturising the fresh layer with the healing powers of gold. The facial was so relaxing that I fell asleep, but was gently woken by the application of an ice serum, which revitalises the skin to combat dullness
Hana also worked her way around my neck, shoulders and on to my arms and applied a sugar-based scrub mixed with gold shimmer (containing real gold par tic les), leaving my skin feeling astonishingl y smooth Af ter the smear of a lip-plumping balm, my treatment was over and it was back to realit y, but this time with a ne w face; reinvigorated, refreshed and brightened.
I was then guided to the relaxation terrace over looking the Bath House. Sitting on a lounger and sipping my lavender-infused herbal tea, with no phone or technolog y, I was completely detached from day to day stresses and felt as if I was detoxing both physically and mentally Far removed from the bustle of the wor ld outside , I embraced the serenity of it all
Of course, one cannot visit the Gainsborough Spa without exploring the beautiful thermal pools S o I relished doing so until it was time to get dressed and make my way to the Canvas Room, where my af ternoon tea awaited. The tea is presented with daintily cut sandwiches, two scones, and a range of bite-siz e desser ts. I paired this with Darjeeling tea and was thoroughly looked af ter by the attentive waiters
The whole experience at the Gainsborough Bath S pa is tr uly unique W ith wonder ful, warm and welcoming staff, the environment is both aesthetically pleasing and soothing to the soul This is a place that will make you feel invigorated in mind and body n
There are a selection of 50-minute treatments inc luded in the Spa Day packages To find out what ’ s inc luded and for the latest pr ices, visit thegainsboroughbathspa co uk
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If you need teeth removing (including wisdom teeth) the average waiting time to see an NHS dentist can be lengthy. For some people the whole process (including treatment) could take up to a year, and if you ’ re on a waiting list – even longer Oral surgery specialist, Dr Lilana Ruzzene talks about how ‘going private’ can speed up this process.
Dr Liliana Ruzzene trained as an oral and maxillofacial surgeon in South Africa and was appointed as a consultant in 1991 She is also on the oral surgery specialist list with the UK’s General Dental Council (GDC) She explains:
“The removal of teeth, especially wisdom teeth, is probably the most common dental procedure I deal with. It should always be a stress-free experience and relieve worry about any future problems these teeth can cause. By having teeth removed privately, you can avoid the long waiting times for consultation and treatment you’d receive with the NHS. If you can access private care, extractions will always be carried out by a specialist surgeon (unlike some NHS treatments) – and at a time and place that suits you
Wisdom teeth in particular can cause a number of problems including pain, swelling and a bad taste in your mouth If they get infected they can cause serious facial infections, and they can lead to decay of neighbouring healthy teeth which may need treatment. They can also worsen the crowding of other teeth.
I am able to carry out an assessment to decide whether any teeth need to be removed. This will include a thorough clinical examination, and if you have not already had one, possibly a a CBCT scan. I will clearly explain the risks and benefits of treatment with you. You can then decide whether teeth are removed under local anaesthesia (when you’re still awake) or with an intravenous (IV) sedation (involving a sedative injection).”
Dr Lilana Ruzzene, Specialist Oral SurgeonTreatments and tests offered by Dr Liliana Ruzzene at Edgar Buildings Dental and Implant Clinic include dental implants, wisdom teeth and other teeth extractions, dental pathology, cyst removal, CBCT scanning and any other oral surgery If you ’ re having any teeth extracted, to then be restored with dental implants, you should always see a removal specialist, such a specialist oral surgeon
How do I know my surgeon is experienced and qualified?
All qualified surgeons should appear on the General Dental Council specialist list and will be able to discuss their training and experience with you
How soon can I be seen?
Dr Liliana Ruzzene can usually see patients for consultation within a week of a referral being made If it’s an urgent request, an appointment can be made sooner (subject to availability)
How much will treatment cost?
The cost will vary depending on your needs and complexity of your treatment Any costs will be clearly explained to you at your initial consultation and a written quotation provided
Do you provide aftercare following treatment?
Don’t worry, we will take good care of you after any treatment You will be given an emergency contact number to ensure that you feel supported up by our team, even out-of-hours
To arrange an initial consultation with Dr Liliana Ruzzene at Edgar Buildings, Bath please call 01225 466086 or visit our website smileofconfidence.com
7 Edgar Buildings, Bath BA1 2EE
Anew fertility clinic run by leading West Countr y fertility treatment provider Bristol Centre for Reproductive Medicine (BCRM) has opened at the Sulis Hospital in Peasedown St John and is already providing local fertility advice and diagnosis for people in Bath struggling to have a baby
The new clinic provides initial specialist consultations and diagnosis of why it may be proving difficult to conceive, with follow-up treatment – if required - taking place at BCRM’s state-of-the-art clinic at Aztec West in north Bristol
The Bath clinic is run by Dr Sarah Armstrong, a consultant g ynaecologist and specialist in reproductive medicine and surger y currently working at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust She has previously worked at St Michael’s Hospital in Bristol and the John Radcliffe Hospital in O xford, and is an experienced practitioner, researcher and lecturer on fertility issues.
Sarah Armstrong said: “ The launch of our clinic in Bath is good news for anyone living locally who might be having difficulty conceiving a baby naturally
“BCRM treats heterosexual couples, single women and same-sex couples, and we consistently have the best IVF success rates in the south west of England and Wales, making us one of the top fertility clinics in the UK
“Patients can have their initial consultations and diagnostic scans to find out why it might be proving difficult to conceive a baby carried out in Bath.
“ Then if any surgical procedures are needed, such as egg retrieval or embr yo transfer, they will attend our Bristol clinic which is ver y easy to access: close to the M4/M5 junction north of Bristol and with plenty of free parking
“Ever y patient is unique, so the treatment suggested will depend on the nature of the fertility challenge they are facing It is possible that for some their issues may be resolved after an initial consultation with me
“Once a pregnancy is established, follow-up appointments will be with the patient ’ s usual GP or their local maternity hospital.”
The most recent data published by the UK's independent regulator, the Human Fertilisation and Embr yolog y Authority (HFEA), revealed that for women aged under 38 BCRM provides the highest chances in the West Countr y of having a baby with IVF or ICSI
treatment, per embr yo transferred
The Bath BCRM clinic is housed in the Sulis Hospital (formerly Circle Bath Hospital) on Foxcote Avenue, Peasedown St John Further information is available from www fertilitybristol com/ourclinic/satellite-clinics/bath and contact the BCRM Patient Advisors to book appointments on 0117 2591159.
When Samuel Taylor Coleridge spent his honeymoon in Clevedon in 1795, he referred to it as “the valley of seclusion” While it’s not quite so secluded now, Andrew Swift follows a five-mile walk encompassing a mix of woodland, coastal and urban scenery, which captures some of the Clevedon that Coleridge would have known
In October 1795, following his marriage at S t Mar y Redc liffe in Br istol, the poet S amuel Tay lor Coler idge and his ne w wife S ara spent their honey moon at Cle vedon, “ a spot,” he dec lared, “ which you might aptly call the valley of sec lusion” He w rote to a fr iend that “the prospect around is perhaps more various than any in the kingdom”, and described how he and Sara sat outside their cottage at twilight, listening to “the stilly murmur of the distant sea ” .
Back then, Clevedon was little more than a handful of farmhouses and cottages str ung out along a road, well inland from the sea, leading to an ancient church on a remote head land It would be another 30 years before the first building plots were laid out near the coast, marking the beginning of Cle vedon’s transformation to a fashionable 19th-centur y watering place
To d a y, t h e re a re f e w p l a c e s w h e re t h e s p i r i t o f R e g e n c y a n d V i c t o r i a n t i m e s lingers more e voc ativel y than in Cle vedon Tr a c e s o f t h e v i l l a g e C o l e r i d g e k n e w s t i l l sur vive, howe ver, and this five-mile walk – a br acing mix of wood land, coastal and ur ban walking – wil l tr y to show just why he was so entr anced by it
The walk star ts to the nor th of the town, where there is free parking on Bay Road, the
turning to which is opposite S t Mar y ’ s Church on Castle Road (BS21 7BT; ST409726). Having parked, cross Castle Road and turn lef t. Af ter passing the church, turn right up Channel Road, and at the top turn right along The Avenue At the end, turn lef t along Cambridge Road, right into King ’ s Road, and af ter 600m lef t up a rough trac k called Old Park Road
W hen the track forks, turn lef t Af ter a few metres you come to Old Park House, dating from the 17th centur y, which once stood in splendid isolation. Just past it turn right up a wood land track which leads to a trig point on the summit of Dial Hill From here, looking beyond the bench ahead, you can glimpse the distant head land of Wain’s Hill through the trees Head to the right of the bench down a steep path, and, when it joins another path at the bottom, turn lef t Cross a road and carr y on down a footpath, passing the modernist Dial Hill House on the lef t. As the path zigzags steeply downhill, aerial views open up over the town, which was open countr y in Coleridge’s day
Turn lef t at the bottom along Hill Road, where development began in the 1820s, and which still has a marked Regency character –albeit with the odd High V ictorian flourish Af ter 450m, take the second lef t along
Highdale Road After passing Christ Church, turn right down a footpath which leads past Highdale Farm, part of which dates from the 13th centur y.
At the bottom, c arr y on along the road straight ahead, and af ter 350m turn right at a mini-roundabout along O ld S treet, which follows the course of the old road through the village At The Tr iangle, dominated by a quirky c loc k tower, c arr y straight on along O ld Church Road. The Cur z on, which you pass on the lef t, is one of the oldest cinemas in the wor ld. On its opening night in 1912, a ne wsreel of the T itanic was shown to raise money for sur vivors of the disaster
A little further along on the right, hidden behind high hedges, is the cottage where Coler idge and S ara stayed Today, not onl y have houses covered the fields that surrounded it, but the high hill behind it has been eroded by quarr ying.
Carr y on past a fe w more old cottages –beyond which lay onl y fields – and, af ter passing a petrol station, continue straight on along Old Church Road Just past the end of Salthouse Road, turn right up a footpath, and at a T junction turn lef t along a tarmac path
At the end, a gate leads into churchyard of St Andrew ’ s, established in this remote spot in the 12th centur y like a miniature version of
S t David ’ s Cathedral John Betjeman said it reminded him of Cornwall and it certainly has a brooding Celtic air about it. The Norman cor bels on the chancel e ven inc lude a weathered Sheela na Gig, that most unsettling of Romanesque motif s L ook out too for delicatel y car ved gravestones and for thright epitaphs near the church door
Take the path to the west of the porch, turn r ight through a gate into the Glebe and f ol low the wal l on the lef t At the top, go through a gap in the wall and turn lef t down a wood land path. At the bottom, turn right up a tarmac path which leads round Wain’s Hill head land, the view from which, over the cur le w-haunted mudflats of the Blind Yeo River, with the coastline fading southwest ward into the blue distance, is stil l as magnificent as it was in the 1790s
As the coast path cur ves back eastward towards the town, it passes an old lookout before dropping down steps to the marine lake. From here, head along the sea front, where, as on Hill Road, the first houses were built in the 1820s At the end is Clevedon’s iconic pier, built in 1869 Af ter two of its spans collapsed in 1970, a long, hard-fought campaign to prevent its demolition and restore it to its former glor y eventually saw it reopened in 1998
Continue along Marine Parade as it cur ves uphill, and at the top, just before it joins another road, turn lef t along a coastal path known as L overs ’ Walk, which, with its succession of splendid prospects glimpsed through the trees, makes a fitting end to this most scenic and varied of walks. F inally, af ter 800m, just past a notice board, turn right up a path to return to the starting point n
Length of Walk: 5 miles
Terrain: Much of the walk is on pavements and tarmac paths, but it also includes rough, steep and muddy tracks
Map: OS Explorer 153
Star ting point: Bay Road, Clevedon (BS21 7BT; ST409726)
Andrew Swift has written many books including On Foot in Bath: Fifteen Walks around a World Heritage City – available from bookshops or akemanpress.com.
The Bath Magazine meets the interior designer of Hallmark Midford Manor, a new £22m residential, dementia and nursing home on Frome Road.
Elodie Preston explains how the design is a blend of luxur y and comfort and pays homage to Bath
Why is it important that Midford Manor’s design is reflective of the local area?
Many Hallmark customers live within a 30-minute drive from the home so we wanted to ensure Midford Manor featured design references our prospective residents and their families would recognise and appreciate. This also helps ease the transition of moving into a care home.
How did you study the local area beforehand?
I spent months visiting the area and undertaking personal research to get an understanding of Bath’s histor y, landmarks, landscapes and its current style For example, the facades of buildings were an inspiration in itself and this led to the creation of a bespoke motif which can be seen in some of the flooring, furniture and fabrics. I also under took research on Georgian houses and interiors which helped us create a home which subtly nodded to the past, whilst also staying ver y much in tune with today ’ s design trends and colours
What are your favourite design features of the home?
The c afé has a cur ved bulk head ceiling with roman columns and wallpaper which is a tribute to Bath’s architecture and a palace tapestr y to give it an elevated feel The upstairs Chadwick dining room with a baby grand piano has a bright colour palette which is inviting, vibrant and contemporar y. The wellness suite which is suppor ted by our inhouse physiotherapist is also a lovely space. We have designed it so that is practical for exercise with easy-to-use equipment, but also inviting with plants and botanical aspects so it doesn’t feel like your traditional g ym environment and is more akin to a yoga studio
It ’ s also worth noting there are beautiful outside spaces and these are extremely important for resident wellbeing. Upstairs we have a garden bar and lounge which leads to a sun terrace which can be used for a multitude of e vents We also have a garden room on our dementia communit y which leads to a terrace which will be used for growing herbs, bird watching and other sensor y activities
On the ground floor, many of the residents have their own patio areas We also have our one-of-a-kind play garden which features a little’s one play area and gardening c lub which will be used by visiting grandchildren and St Martin’s Garden Primar y School next door.
What areas do you think will be most enjoyed by residents at the home?
It largely depends on the residents’ interests, routine and daily ways of life The cinema is widely enjoyed already as it ’ s a great place for residents to watch their favourite programmes, cult c lassic films and sporting events Some residents enjoy a spot of pampering as well so they are already making use of their weekly treatments at the hair salon, therapy room and in our spa bathroom. W hether you ’ re into gardening, crafting, or just drinking your morning coffee and relaxing with family and friends there’s a space at the home for ever yone to thrive in later life whilst being supported by our kind and dedicated team
For fur ther infor mation about Hallmark Midford Manor visit hallmarkcarehomes co uk or call 01225 568314 for a fr iend ly chat
Kitchens were once add-ons to the main living space; now we aspire to have them at the heart of our living environment. Nowhere is this demonstrated more clearly than with this large-scale open-plan extension to a period property that incorporated a large, f lexible and stylish working kitchen, a spacious dining area and an outstanding view of the garden
We were approached bec ause our c lients were planning an extension to their period property to create a large open-plan kitchen/dining area. This planning stage is the ideal time to discuss the kitchen design as it can inform the architecture and vice versa The most successful schemes will be where the kitchen and architecture are considered holistically
The large Cr ittall windows and vast rooflight lanter n were part of the architects’ designs, but we were able to use this to propose the best layout and orientation for the kitchen – considering all factors such as natural lighting, views, circulation and flow.
The generousl y propor t ioned island i
ber of sophisticated appliances, inc luding a handmade herb sink set into the centre of the island, which brings the kitchen to life with green living h
We also made a beautiful
slab of vintage grey rough oak for the breakfast bar to the island, providing a place to sit and interact - something that was really important for this family kitchen.
W hen it comes to the colour emphasis of a scheme, we offer a flexible range of materials and fixtures Decisions about colours and materials are personal to ever y c lient and can sometimes feel over whelming However, with our expert knowledge and design experience we carefull y listen to individual preferences and can simplify the process by offer ing a selection of suitable mater ial palettes for further consideration
D ue to the vast amount of natural lighting flooding the space in this proper t y, we could afford to be quite dramatic with a sophistic ated dark grey and blac k colour scheme. The layered depths, materials and textures add drama and interest – from dark grey and black lacquered and textured surfaces to antique silvered mirror glass and hand-laid real wood veneers There were also two types of sintered stone worktops, 100% natural stone and the most durable worktop finish on the market
There are several sinks in this kitchen – this was the c lient ’ s personal preference and didn’t require any compromise to the functionality of the layout. We have occasionally done two sinks in a kitchen, but this was our first one with three! Two of the sinks are our bespoke design and fabr ic ated from the sintered stone worktop material, creating a gorgeous design statement
The protr uding glazed window box was part of the architect ’ s design, but we created the sumptuous day bed as a way of bridging the zones between the kitchen and relaxing/dining areas We think it makes a real statement, and brings the outside in – enlivening the space with greener y.
W hen it c ame to storage, we made a feature of open and c losed wall-hung boxes with low and full height units. I think there is a sophistic ated elegance to our design st y le; c lean, contemporar y lines balanced with an intuitive eye for proportion and detailing We aim to transform kitchens into functional, inspiring and truly individual spaces We actually feel that some of our most successful projects have been where we install our contemporar y st y le into character ful per iod proper ties That juxtaposition of old against new creates a really striking balance.
O ur c lients receive a totally personalised ser vice from us, and this stems from our wealth of exper ience in the industr y ; Ben’s background is in furniture design and making, while Emi ’ s is in architecture and project management This skillset, along with our creative flair and technic al understanding, is at the core of our ambition to design timeless, individual kitchens.
We believe that a new kitchen should optimise the space and feel of a home and be unique to those who spend time there. O ur kitchens are truly bespoke and individually designed to suit your space, taste and budget
We take pride in ever y kitchen, and we ensure that we commit a le vel of c are and consideration to each project As a small, independent company, we put the same passion and energ y into ever y kitchen we produce, and this will be evident when the results come to fruition
Ben Argent Kitchens, D unsdon Bar n, D unsdon Lane, West Littleton SN14 8JA (the show room is loc ated on the A46, near the M4 J18); benargentkitchens.co.uk
Room with a View – a glorious day bed blurring the boundar y between inside and outside
The design process for this k itchen (as with most of Ben Argent ’s k itchens) star ted with a visit to the showroom. Here the clients were able to see curated displays of the contemporar y bespoke k itchens, showing the quality of design and materials, as well as the attention to detail and the pride taken in the installation’s execution
At the showroom, layouts were discussed with the clients –look ing both at the proposed floorplans and carefully listening to the clients’ ideas and criteria – before coming up with the k itchen design scheme. At first, proposals are produced using 2D plan and elevation drawings. Once the layout has been agreed, photorealistic 3D visuals are also offered, and these are an invaluable tool to many clients, helping them visualise their space and inform decisions on materials and finishes This is not only true for the k itchen, but also for the wider contextual elements of the room, such as flooring, lighting and furniture finishes
There were some quite playful elements within this par ticular projec t, such as the stylised grid of wall boxes, so this was really valuable to be able to explore in 3D so you could see how it connected to the space.
Caisson Gardens in Combe Hay, nestling in a valley just south of Bath, have been lovingly restored and nurtured over the last 14 years by Phil and Amanda Honey. Their vision and ethos has created a sustainable landscape that is visually stunning and rich in thriving wildlife Emma Clegg pays them a visit
Caisson House in Combe Hay was built in 1815 by the Somerset Coal Canal Company as its head office. The Grade-II listed house sits at the summit of a flight of 22 locks constructed from huge Bath stone blocks. ‘Caisson’ was the name of a revolutionary new kind of lock, designed as a water-saving measure In their heyday the canals were enormously profitable, but they eventually fell into disuse after the coming of the train network system to Bath in 1870
W hen Phil and Amanda Honey bought Caisson House in 2010, the property had been in the same family for many years, and the land hadn’t been well maintained. So they inherited an extraordinar y landscape of 40 acres with a unique histor y, distinguished by the unused locks threading throughout the gardens. This provided them with a buildings and landscape project of massive proportions
In 2010 Amanda and Phil moved from London into the main house with their two children and lived there for four years before planning permission was granted Amanda says that it was freezing cold in the house, with an inefficient heating system and no insulation, and she remembers the whole family wearing ski jackets in the kitchen at the back of the house to keep warm.
“ The whole property was ver y overgrown, run down and dilapidated –ever y building from the main house to the cottage and the small
outbuildings – so we ’ ve renovated it all over 14 years Then the whole garden was carefully unravelled and unpicked – it was engulfed with nettles and brambles and there were heaps of rubbish in the vegetable garden.”
W hile c lear l y a gargantuan challenge (and some of their fr iends thought they were bonkers!), the couple found it fascinating uncovering the structure “ W hat was really exciting was c learing away some of the brambles – a lot of them were 10 foot high, and were phy sic all y engulfing trees We also fell in love with the locks that shape the garden and its 40 acres ”
Much of the wilder elements of the garden were maintained. “ The garden bleeds out into the wildflower meadows, which had been untouched for years, so the area had rewilded itself. We were ver y careful about what we cleared – all the margins were left along with the woodland areas beyond”, explains Amanda
“The locks, now free of water, are sculptural as well as being wildlife havens as they carve across the hillside
Garden designer Amanda and Phil are both from farming families
They also used to run a London-based prop house company specialising in the creation of greenery sets for film and TV, and this experience meant they had the practical and creative skills to be able to project manage the renovation Amanda was determined to reference the working histor y of water in the property within the new garden structure and this involved bringing the locks back into view.
“ We’ve got 15 locks on the property so it was about preser ving them. It is fascinating because each lock creates a different microclimate of its own – some are facing south, or north, or in other directions and you have different lichens, different mosses, different faces of the walls – and they are incredibly beautiful ”
The locks, now free of water, are sculptural as well as being wildlife havens, as they car ve across the hillside Phil took on the clearing work on the locks, organising the cutting back of the big trees close to them that were undermining their structure, and leaving the flora and fauna around them.
Having water in the garden design was part of Amanda’s masterplan This included the creation of a beautiful oval pond outside the house and cur ving stone rills looping in figures of eight across the lawn A small lake was also created by damming and lining the pound between two of the locks and a boardwalk made with English oak was constructed next to it The lake is stocked with rudd, stickleback, crucian carp and tench
The land had rewilded over decades and was already supporting a biodiversity of insects and wildlife. The ribbons of water in the rills opened this up to include aquatic creatures, and enormous numbers of frogs and toads now spawn from the two ponds “ We have to stop mowing when the frogs move out of the ponds in late summer – there are just hundreds
Steps lead you into the bed of the canal and a path take you through two locks, revealing extraordinar y stonework and the remains of the wooden lock gates
The garden in front of the main house and the site of the oval pond Tulipa 'Bleu Amiable’, Tulipa ‘Blue Wow ’ and Tulipa ‘Blue Diamond’and hundreds of tiny little frogs!” says Amanda The lake is also a favourite haunt of a kingfisher and heron and a gigantic grass snake has recently been spotted swimming across the water.
Amanda and Phil both come from an organic farming background and understand the importance of soil health, so practise regenerative farming and gardening The land is sectioned into multiple areas that blend loosely into each other These elements include woodlands, the lock structures and wildflower meadows with their abundant mix of orchids, buttercup, primroses, cowslip and knapweed There are also the stone rills trailing across the landscape, the oval and round ponds, along with a topiar y meadow, a long border, and an orchard with apple, pear, quince, damson, greengage, figs and apricots. Further diversity comes with a mulberr y terrace lined with ancient pollarded white mulberries, a walled garden and an ornamental vegetable garden with cut flower beds
All of this is maintained following an organic approach with no-dig gardening A programme of not mowing is followed throughout the summer and in some areas dead hedges have been created with brush from live hedges to encourage beetles and wildlife
The gardens have become a full-time management project for Phil and Amanda, but it ’ s a life that they love. “ There is continual activity and planting throughout the year, whether it ’ s perennial bulbs in the grasslands or planting on the banks of the lake beyond the river boardwalk, which comes to life after rain”, says Amanda
“
This place can still soak up more planting – just maintaining it is full on, ” says Amanda “But when it ’ s your passion it ’ s easy to get out of bed – and it ’ s wondrous here, so it ’ s not difficult really ”
Caisson Gardens will open on selected days in April – to find out more visit caissongardens.com/events. Caisson House, Combe Hay, Bath BA2 7EF.
Tulipa ’Request ’ , Tulipa ’Slawa’, Tulipa ‘Ballerina’ and Tulipa ‘Brownie’ in the walled garden
Overlooking the Cotswolds area of outstanding natural beauty, the American Museum & Gardens is located on a hilltop with spectacular views over the Limpley Stoke Valley Set in 125 acres of rolling green topography, the Grade II-listed gardens feature 2 5 acres of formal gardens, which were renovated in 2018 by US garden designers Oehme, van Sweden (OvS)
The grounds include the New American Garden, the Mount Vernon Garden, and the Children’s Garden, as well as an arboretum and parkland. The New American Garden has sweeping lawns and vistas, and large garden vignettes that embrace the aesthetic of the American meadow
The American Museum & Gardens has been selected to be a RHS Partner Garden for 2024.
Gardens open Tues to Sun 10am–5pm Visit the American Garden Deli from Tues to Sun, 10am–4 30pm The American Museum & Gardens, Claver ton Manor, Bath BA2 7BD americanmuseum org
The peaceful, Grade I registered garden is unlike any other with its romantic design and architec ture, combining formality with nature and magnificent rural views across an unspoilt valley, whilst beautifully framed architec tural gems and antiquities punc tuate your visit Set on the last hill of the Cotswolds, within the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, all who visit leave here feeling relaxed and inspired
From its origins in the wool industr y, through Georgian gentrification, then Harold Peto’s Edwardian structures, and right up to the present period, the passion of Iford’s inhabitants and its histor y are inextricably bound up in the beautiful gardens’ unique design Today, Iford’s stor y continues to be written with a new generation of owners, William and Marianne Car twright-Hignett, who are tak ing the garden for ward with Head Gardener Steve Lannin You can also visit the café or restaurant at Iford Manor Iford Manor Gardens is open Weds – Sun and Bank Holidays from 30 March, 11am–4pm Iford Manor, nr Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire BA15 2BA ifordmanor.co.uk
O ut of the garden, across shady wood land floors or tucked into verges in countr y lanes, wild gar lic will soon appear You may even smell its savour y scent before you see it Allium ursinum are native to Britain and grow from bulbs, which spread prolifically, growing in large dense colonies. The green, strap-like leaves are edible, as are the flowers
W ild gar lic is found in abundance in W iltshire and Somerset, a haze of pale blooms and the vibrant green of the leaves are seen in magnificent carpets W hen har vesting, simply pluck the leaves and flowers, but leave the bulb and the rest of the plant growing, as it is illegal to uproot it.
It can be eaten fresh, or frozen, used in pestos, dressings, salads, pasta dishes and even in scones.
The month of April gets its name from the Latin word ‘aperio’, meaning to open, or to bud It brings clouds of blossom, from apple to cherr y, and then the flush of April magnolias The one I always long for is the Amelanchier x lamarckii This small, deciduous tree has burnished copper foliage this month, soon after the spring equinox
The leaves appear almost translucent against a sun-illuminated backdrop and have a gentle, gracefulness about them. With their transcendent foliage, comes a bounty of white flowers appearing on short, lax racemes as the leaves unfurl As the tiny, star-like white flowers open, the tree is soon a snowy constellation of blossom It ’ s ideal for those with a small garden, and with care it can maintain a compact habit This tree can grow well in most well-drained soils, but for the best autumn colour, grow in full sun Leaves turn from amber to brilliant red, and the berries delight the birds and can be used as an alternative to blueberries.
Gardens at their best can be restorative places, each with a character def ined by its position and landscape Sam Selby of Selby L andscapes specialises in reimagining garden spaces, working with the aspirations of the garden owner to create something that adds extra value for all those who spend time there Here are three examples of the company ’ s work
Just like having your interior recharged with the design input of a st y list, the flair and vision of a landsc ape gardener br ings something quite new to an outdoor space. A moisture-star ved regimented lawn with inher ited basic planting and unloved beds; a courtyard scattered with empty pots and scragg y plants and leaning bikes; an une ven, unc ared-for garden overgrown with trailing briars and nettles, all these have the potential to be spaces that create uplif ting natural environments in which to spend time S am Selby of Selby Landscapes knows all about this, because he acts as the creator of garden dreams Here we share three of his projects in the Bath region
The owners of this Georgian house liked the traditional style of their garden, but wanted it to have more of a modern structure than a fullon cottage-st yle garden would offer The cabin at the bottom of the garden where one of the owners worked offered a mini commute along the Pennant sandstone path; and yet was there the potential to make it more interesting?
Indeed there was Selby Landscapes answered the brief with a garden design that explored a fuller use of the space, one that created more interest and texture. The plans featured the extension of the raised paving area near the house and the introduction of ‘ gaps ’ within the edges of the paving for planting, sof tening and naturalising the space Oak sleepers were used to retain the patio height and to introduce natural mater ials within the str ucture Ne w flower bed shapes were created between the patio and the existing small wild life pond and pathways, with new steps down
The existing Pennant stone path was replaced with a ne w cur ved pathway composed of Mandalay Buff Limestone and tumbled cobbles
– this winds its way down the garden passing through a small ‘gin o ’ c lock’ seating area en route. The established apple tree by the cabin at the bottom of the garden was kept as a key feature with the hardlandsc aping area around the tree extended with more paving The planting plan was textural, overflowing, with interesting foliage and shapes, featuring grasses, Alchemilla mollis, hebes and rosemar y The contrast of evergreen structural plants mixed with deciduous grasses and perennials, and small amounts of colour A fig tree was also chosen for the top patio space, with the idea that its structure would one day reflect the lower apple tree.
One interesting feature was the use of soil banks, or ‘ berms ’ extending from the extended patio area around the tree, created to add str uctural and height interest, introducing more movement in the design around the garden pathway – this device also ser ved to reduce the costs of groundwork removal
A new-build house with a small garden defined by a new square lawn and patio offered quite a different challenge. In this case the owner only lived in the house during the warmer months, spending the winter in the Mediterranean, so she needed something that was easy to maintain S he wanted the standard ne w-build garden space to be transformed into a more dynamic one, replacing the existing terrace, and to create a secluded area that would be out of the view of immediate neighbours
In order to sof ten the hard lines of the new build, both traditional and modern materials were combined with oak and cedar, c lay pavers, porcelain and steel following a contemporar y design. This mix of old and ne w was mirrored within the planting plan, with architectural plants in a Mediterranean style, such as an olive tree and Ilex crenata balls mixed with more naturalistic planting with grasses Star jasmine was introduced to c limb the fence line and provide a sof ter green wall
Privacy and structure was created with a bespoke oak and cedar pergola, where climbing roses were planted, and a row of large pleached hornbeam trees was added. The pergola height had to be just right, as it needed to be tall enough to provide ample room below, and low enough to fit within the regulations where no structures could be visible over the fence line.
There is also a water bowl nestled within the planting to entice birds and a planter was brought in to create a raised herb garden, accessed from the paver pathway
A steep rear garden is not an unusual situation in Bath, and this one, with five different tiered levels, has fantastic views over the cit y. The c lients wanted to modernise the style and create lawn spaces, outdoor office spaces, and larger living spaces on the different levels
The final plan saw the tiers linked by the use of similar materials, while also providing distinctive areas and a ‘ journey ’ through the garden
The design made the two upper tiers lawn spaces, removing the small pond from the second level and introducing a new boundar y fence in a Venetian batten style. The next tier became a ‘cocktail deck’ using a charred larch composite for the deck surfacing, and maintaining the established Acer tree The decking was an important part of the design, requiring planning permission because of its size
A rocker y/meadow filled the space between this decking area and the following tier The next area was le velled and an office c abin installed, with a gravel surface providing space for planting. Below this, the ground surfaces were kept economical by using gravel, which as a permeable surface allowed naturalised planting within it
The balance of materials was important to the clients, and a palette with similar tones was selected, which blended modern styles, traditional natural materials and industrial ones This came together with oak sleepers, burnt larch decking boards, cedar balustrade posts, natural Bath rubble walling, grey coping stones and clean stone grey gravel. The final stage was to create a wildflower meadow at the bottom of the garden, introducing a wilder area to this steeply tiered garden space
Find out more from selbylandscapes.com if you would like to transform your outside area
W hether downsizing, moving c loser to family and friends, or simply seeking something new, at Pegasus we believe retirement signifies a new beginning However, we understand that the process of moving home at any age can be a big undertaking, with many of our customers moving on from the large, family homes that they have lived in for many years.
We want to make that transition a little easier, which is why our ageexclusive communities provide a breadth of choice and flexibility that helps make your next chapter as hassle-free as possible
Set on the banks of the River Avon, Pegasus Bath L eat is a stylish collection of one and two-bedroom apartments available for private purchase or rent Designed by Claude Hooper, one of the UK’s leading interior design firms the space takes inspiration from the community ’ s riverside location, with tones of navy and eau di nil to make the communal areas calm and welcoming.
We feel strongly that making Bath Leat your home should be a stressfree experience, which is why we ’ re offering customers three exc lusive options to either have stamp duty paid*, save 5% off the asking price or 50% off the ser vice charge for 10 years**
We want to turn perceptions of retirement on their head, and with fresh and contemporar y interiors, Bath Leat embodies the aspirations of those who wish to enjoy an active and independent later-life. The homes offer both comfort and luxur y, with high-quality features seamlessly set into modern kitchens and bathrooms; and balconies and terraces available on selected homes
Like all Pegasus communities, Bath Leat is designed with wellbeing and social connection in mind, and the community offers the perfect balance of relaxing and active spaces, with a hobby room, stretch studio, sauna, foot spa, treatment room and two communal lounges A snug provides the perfect spot to unwind and catch up with new neighbours, while the guest
suites provide a welcoming place for friends and family to stay Between the buildings, a series of beautiful, landscaped gardens bring people together to enjoy wildlife, open space and greener y
Not just a place to live, but a lifestyle
Home is more than just bricks and mortar, and it is the personal touch paired with discretion that sets our communities apart Bath L eat has a dedicated Lifehost charged with making life a little easier, bringing residents together for social events and acting as a first port of call for queries and local knowledge
L ocation is ever ything, and like each of our communities, Bath L eat allows residents to enjoy rich amenities and excellent transport links, pairing the peacefulness of a riverside community with all the perks of the spa town’s unique heritage and thriving cultural scene on their doorstep.
Book your visit today
With more than 50% of homes already sold or reser ved, now is the perfect opportunity to see what Bath Leat has to offer
Homes at Bath Leat start from £400,000 / rental from £2,450 pcm
For more information or to book an appointment contact Pegasus at 01255 600 461 or email bathleat@lifestor y.group
An individually designed modern detached house set within attractive landscaped gardens and in a wonderful, elevated setting with views over the Bathampton Valley and towards Solsbury Hill.
This individually designed house was built in the 1970’s by a well-known local builder and was extended in 2006 to provide an additional sitting room at ground floor level and a dressing room on the first floor Planning permission also exists for the extension of a further bedroom etc over the garage to the east of the property
The property is set in splendid gardens with the majority situated to the front of the house and all very well enclosed by high stone walls and hedgerows To the rear is a further part of the garden with a swimming pool (currently unused).
Tower House situated adjacent to Bathford Church is an elevated location with most attractive views from it. Church Street itself is a quiet road and the village of Bathford has a vibrant village community with village shop, pub and primary school
All rooms are well proportioned, light, and airy and the views are a particular feature of the property A viewing is strongly recommended by the sole agents Cobb Farr
Cobb Farr, 35 Brock Street, The Circus, Bath; Tel: 01225 333332
Tower House, Bathford
• 3 double bedrooms
• Planning permission for extension
• 3 reception rooms
• Superb views
• Large garden
• Lovely village location
£1,200,000
Longmeadow, Beckington
£1,300,000
A stunning and beautifully presented detached home offering the latest levels of quality from a renowned local builder The property offers 4 bedrooms, ensuite facilities, a super kitchen dining room, double garage and an extremely generous garden with fully fitted studio/home office
• 2160 sq ft
• Four bedrooms (one ensuite)
• Open plan kitchen & family room
• Large sitting room with wood burner
Trafalgar Road, Weston
£575,000
A charming, deceptively spacious end of terrace 3 bedroom Grade II listed Georgian artisan cottage, with a beautiful garden, located in a popular residential area, close to excellent local amenities, good schools, The RUH and Bath city centre
• Grade II listed Georgian artisan cottage
• Three bedrooms
• An elegantly proportioned accommodation
• a beautiful 100 ft mature well established sunny walled garden
Upper Hedgemead Road, Bath
£425,000
A pretty 2 bedroom Grade II listed artisan cottage located in a fine elevated position, adjacent to Hedgemead Park and within 10 minutes walk of Bath City Centre
• Grade II listed Georgian artisan cottage
• A generous open plan living and dining room
• Well-fitted kitchen and pretty garden room
• Beautiful far-reaching views
• Within 10 minutes-walk of Bath city centre
• Externally there is a pretty paved sun terrace
Made up of 72 modern, stylish one and two-bedroom affordable living apartments for sale through Shared O wnership, Pember ley P lace is housing for over-55s redesigned. O ur new development is now open and set among a historic countr yside over looking the elegance of Georgian Bath
Surrounded by like-minded people with a similar outlook, Pember ley P lace will offer much more than simply beautiful homes
Living independently as part of an open, inviting and warm community, you will be able to relax and indulge yourself in the firstc lass facilities and stunning spaces surrounding your new home.
Pember ley P lace offers older people interested in independent living the opportunity to buy through Older Persons Shared O wnership and will give you the opportunity to art buy, part rent your new home
The kitchens are bright and air y and come fully fitted with appliances designed to make life easier, and when it comes to bathrooms, we ’ ve combined style and substance to create elegant spaces featuring crisp white sanitar y ware, level-access showers and anti-slip flooring
Designed to meet the specific needs of older people and filled with expert touches, inc luding flat and level access throughout, at Pember ley P lace you will live in total comfort and feel proud of your contemporar y new home
As well as a warm community of like-minded neighbours and range of communal facilities for you to enjoy, Pemberley Place also offers peace of mind with 24-hour support through Anchor on Call and opportunities to enhance your quality of life with our Be Well 360 programme
If you would like to find out more about the proper ties and lifestyle on offer at Pember ley P lace, our team would love to hear from you, please g ive us a call on 01225 591351 or email ppsales@anchor.org.uk.
imon lord has just launched his new venture in residential sales as an experienced, rICs qualified independent estate agent, simon will be aiming to set high standards when ser ving clients in the city and village markets across the Bath region
Here he explains the inspiration lying behind the timing of his launch, reflecting on the lasting impact of CoVId on market behaviour and how it set in motion a change in the way many estate agents are now operating
“ W hen the property market experienced the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic, ver y few industr y stakeholders forecasted how quickly momentum in the property market would return Neither was it anticipated that the seismic shock to our lives would initiate a significant realignment in the way estate agents would ser ve their clients. This was driven by two factors
Firstly, I quickly recognised that so many customers in both the homeownership and rental arenas had realigned and refocused their needs and priorities for how and where they wanted to live d uring ‘ lockdown’, many customers intent on moving prepared themselves to act decisively with new moving plans W hen possible, they were eager to find expert guidance on a changed property landscape and experienced agents who could help make their new life plans a reality This is increasingly the key starting point for clients whenever there is economic uncertainty
total dedication to forging strong client relationships and nurturing and protecting the value of personal reputation are more than ever the currency in our business. There has never been a greater need for us as agents to be close to our clients than now
I have joined an increasing number of experienced agents who have decided to operate on an independent self-employed basis; to take control of their future, build their own business ‘ legacy ’ and lasting reputation and be free to place the needs of their customers first ”
“ W hen I made regular trips to Bath as a boy to see my Grandparents it was like stepping into another world from west london Many years later my wife Katherine and I felt it would be a wonderful part of the countr y for our children to grow and thrive We relocated from Windsor 20 years ago to a city which was alive with creativity, immense pride in its independence in business, wonderful schools and remarkable passion for wide ranging sporting and creative endeavour
It is easy to see why the market in the Bath region has been generally resilient in uncertain times. demand has been seen to hold firm for numerous reasons, keeping prices relatively stable, so it is not difficult to make the case for Bath to be a sound long term investment
The local market certainly seemed rocket propelled as it emerged from the CoVId pandemic, with house price growth of around 20%* in two years
second, with the enforced ‘remote working’ constraints it suddenly became clear that an estate agent could operate just as effectively and potentially deliver more value for the client without the need for a high street office
I have since received increased feedback from my clients that they have really valued having direct contact with me as the senior, most experienced member of the team as ever, peace of mind comes from consistency in who they deal with and this enduring fundamental in our business is one reason why I have chosen to launch my own personal estate agency.
If
With a modest uptick in average monthly sales this year on 2023 I sense that activity will be steady for the rest of 2024, constrained to some extent by the election sitting on the horizon
That said, the local market has an enduring resilience and, in my view, buyer confidence to commit to a purchase will remain strong providing sellers are realistic with guide pricing
as I commit to quality in delivering excellent ser vice for my clients, I will be applying my experience and established understanding of the local market and why the Bath region is such a wonderful place to live.”
