The Bath Magazine September 2010

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£3.00 where sold

THEBATHMAGAZINE THE MAGAZINE FOR THE CITY OF BATH www.thebathmagazine.co.uk

ISSUE 96

SEPTEMBER 2010

NOW AVAILABLE FOR iPAD

Pudding by Sara Ingleby-McKenzie. Bronze edition of 10. 29 cms. Part of ‘Life, Love & Fashion’ exhibition at Bath Fine Art.

LIFE, LOVE FASHION

BATHstyle

Autumn/Winter Looks 2010

DESIGNER talk

Exclusive Interviews with Ben De Lisi and Jeff Banks

MAGICAL mandy Great Music and Memories

LITERATUREfest Childrens Lit fest Review

CITY exhibition

Don McCullin - Shaped by War

EDUCATION

SPECIAL OUR GUIDE TO SCHOOLING

and

WIN!

£500 to Spend on Fashion at

JOHN LEWIS

PREMIUM PROPERTY

bath’s most desirable homes

The very best of local writing, what’s on, arts, lifestyle, property and so much more in your guide to life and living in Bath

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Contents September 2010

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TALK OF THE TOWN News and views from the city

9

BIGWIG Nightlife wows the day-trippers

10

FACE THE MUSIC Magical Mandy shares her musical top ten

13

CITY FASHION Autumn/winter trends

22

ABBEY TALES Bath Abbey’s magnificent west front

13

24

CITY ARCHIVE The memorial stones in St Swithin’s

26

WHAT’S ON Theatre, music and other events

32

ARTS AND EXHIBITIONS Everything arty in September

36

CITY EXHIBITION Don McCullin at the Victoria Art Gallery

48

GASTRO GUIDE News, recipes and dining out

52

FAMILY FUN Events, activities and fun for kids

24

32

10

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KIDS LIT FEST A literary feast of fun

58

EXAMINING EDUCATION TBM’s guide to Bath’s schools

78

CYCLING CITY Joceline Bury embraces two-wheeled transport

80

FIT AND FABULOUS Health, fitness and looking and feeling fabulous

90

OUT AND ABOUT Return to Titfield

54

80

48

92

CITY GARDENS Saving seeds

97

DIRECTORY Your guide to local services

101 PROPERTY The finest property in Bath and beyond WWW.THEBATHMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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EDITOR’Sletter

L

ast summer, when I took over the temporary editorship of The Bath Magazine, I really didn’t expect to be here nearly 15 months later. Not that I’m complaining: oh, no – it’s been a wonderful year (and a bit), and I’ve enjoyed every minute.

I’ve met dozens of fascinating people and had some brilliant experiences – from paddling through miles of tunnels in Combe Down stone mines to walking the Cotswold Way to raise money for Julian House. I’ve even learned to ride a bike, and you can read all about that in this issue.

Now it’s time to move on, and I have to say I’m very sad to be saying goodbye to all the amazing people I’ve come into contact with during my time here. Not only the great team I work with here in the office, but also everyone who has contributed to the magazine’s success during my time in the editor’s chair by producing a stream of informative, interesting, and often quirky, feature articles.

This month, yet again, they’ve come up with the goods: Andrew Swift takes us to some of the locations used in that glorious film classic, The Titfield Thunderbolt; Jane Moore tells us how to save all our favourite flower and vegetable seeds from the garden; Clare Reddaway discovers some of the stories behind the memorial plaques in St Swithin’s Church, and Paul Fisher explores some myths about the Abbey’s spectacular west front. All our regular features are here too: there’s so much going on in the city this month that we’re bursting at the seams to get it all in.

Oh, and if it’s September, it must be the Dorothy House Midnight Walk: I’ll be taking part in that, as usual, with upwards of 1,000 other women.

We’ll be taking to the streets of Bath at midnight on Saturday 11 September to raise funds for your local hospice – do give us a wave if we go past your home!

So, all I have to do now is leave you in the more than capable hands of assistant editor Samantha Ewart, who will be taking charge until a new editor is appointed – Lindsey having made the decision to pursue a freelance career while her little daughter, Maia, is growing up.

It’s been a great year: thanks for sharing it with me!

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

THEBATHMAGAZINE Acting Editor Tel: Email:

Joceline Bury 01225 424592 joceline@thebathmagazine.co.uk

Deputy Editor Email:

Samantha Ewart sam@thebathmagazine.co.uk

Contributors

Paul Fisher, Elizabeth Grant, Jane Moore, Clare Reddaway, Mick Ringham, Andrew Swift, Charlotte Le Lohé

Production Manager Jeff Osborne Email: production@thebathmagazine.co.uk Publisher Tel: Email:

Steve Miklos 01225 424499 stevem@thebathmagazine.co.uk

LI

GH

TIN

G SP ECIALIST

Contact the Advertising Sales team on tel: 01225 424499.

Advertising Sales Email:

Liz Grey liz@thebathmagazine.co.uk

Advertising Sales Email:

Louisa Nairne louisa@thebathmagazine.co.uk

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

WWW.THEBATHMAGAZINE.CO.UK

8 BATH STREET, FROME. TEL: 01 373473555 WWW.FIATLUX.CO.UK

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TALKofthe TOWN

My Cultural Life

BOOK OF THE MONTH Review by Kathryn Atkins of Whitemans Bookshop

Started Early, Took my Dog by Kate Atkinson, (Doubleday) £18.99 I was lucky enough last March to attend Kate Atkinson’s event at the York Literature Festival. She read an extract from her latest book Started Early, Took My Dog to an enthralled audience, and I’ve been counting the days to publication ever since! My copy arrived last week and I’ve just finished reading it in great gleeful greedy chunks. It is her fourth novel featuring the endearingly world-weary, semiretired, private eye Jackson Brodie, alongside a cast of characters both flawed and all too human. The twists and turns of the gripping plot are intricately and perfectly mapped, while the suspense and sense of danger are guaranteed to keep readers turning the pages. It is a supremely literary novel, multi-layered and full of humour, written with a lightness of touch rarely found in crime writing. I know a hardback is an expensive treat but this one is worth every penny.

Lions on display

T

he giant pride of 100 majestic lion sculptures currently gracing locations all over the city will take a final bow next month at a special auction preview in Royal Victoria Park.

On Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 October, for the first and last time, visitors will be able to see all 100 of the individually decorated lions displayed in pride of place in front of the Royal Crescent, before heading off to the Lions of Bath charity auctions the following weekend.

It’ll be a fun weekend for all the family, with live music and entertainment, mini-lion decorating classes, cookery demonstrations, lion sponsor stalls and plenty to eat and drink. Tickets on the gate are £5 for adults and free for under 16s.

For details of the two auctions, on Friday 15 October at the Assembly Rooms, and Sunday 17 October at Komedia, visit: www.lionsofbath.com

THEBATHMAGAZINE 2 Princes Buildings George Street Bath BA1 2ED Telephone: 01225 424499 Fax: 01225 426677 editor@thebathmagazine.co.uk sales@thebathmagazine.co.uk © MC Publishing Ltd 2010 Every month 24,000 copies of The Bath Magazine are printed and circulated free to homes and businesses in Bath and the surrounding areas. A certificate of print and publisher’s statement are available on request.

Published by MC Publishing Limited Printed by PCP Limited Disclaimer: Whilst every reasonable care is taken with all material submitted to The Bath Magazine, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to such material. Opinions expressed in articles are strictly those of the authors. This publication is copyright and may not be reproduced in any form either in part or whole without written permission from the publishers.

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This month, we ask Voxbox Rocks singing group’s Adrienne Hale...

Which book are you reading?

I have just finished Rolling Stones and the making of Let it Bleed by Sean Egan which I found fascinating.

NEWS IN BRIEF Charity coffee morning On Friday 24 September, the M&S Café will be helping to make a big difference to Macmillan Cancer Support by donating 50p to them for every cup of coffee sold in the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning. Help Macmillan reach even more people affected by cancer by popping along for a cuppa.

Charity’s 20th year On Sunday 5 September, furniture designer Mark Wilkinson and his wife Cynthia are opening their garden at Brook House, Bromham, in aid of Wiltshire charity Alzheimer’s Support as part of a series of events to mark the charity’s 20th year. The garden will be open from 2pm to 5pm and entrance is £3 with all proceeds to the charity.

Bridge twinning visit In July, a group of ‘bridgeurs’ from Aix en Provence came to play bridge with the players of Bath. Next year the Bridge School of Bath is planning a return visit to Aix, so if you would like to be part of this and want to learn more about the game, visit: www.bathbridge.com

Operation Christmas Child Drop into St Michael’s Church, Broad Street, on Saturday 11 September from 10am – 4pm for a Shoebox Fun Day and be inspired to bring hope and fun to the life of a disadvantaged child through the Operation Christmas Child scheme.

Amnesty’s 50th birthday To celebrate 50 years of Amnesty International, The Little Theatre Cinema and Bath Amnesty will collaborate on a regular ‘Amnesty Film Night’ the first Thursday of every month, kicking off on 2 September at 8.10pm. Visit: http://bath.amnesty.co.uk

What’s on your iPod? I am listening a lot to Sweet Dreams

by Eurythmics, Heartache Tonight by The Eagles and Boogie Wonderland

by Earth Wind and Fire to make sure I’m ready to inspire the new group.

It’s a really fantastic set and the first time we perform with our band, Bring Down the House, is always exhilarating!

Which local restaurant/café will you be visiting?

There is a great pub called The Crystal Palace just down the road from the Friends Meeting House, so I always stop by for a late drink and a chat after our classes on Wednesdays.

What local outdoor activity/location will you be going to do or visit this month?

The Thermae Spa – it’s such a lovely place to relax.

Your passions? What regular hobbies or interests will you be pursuing this month?

I will be beginning a new term with The City of Bath Bach Junior Choir and getting ready for our forthcoming concert in St Michael’s Without on 23 September. We have been involved with a cancer charity called Hope for Tomorrow and have written and recorded a song for them that we would like to finish and promote. My passion is singing and the teaching of singing, so I am most looking forward to the start of the new Voxbox Rocks group.

New classes start on 15 September, every Wednesday for six weeks at the Friends Meeting House in York Street. Classes begin at 7.30pm. For further information at www.voxbox-rocks.com

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NOTES ON A SMALL CITY

By Bigwig

Day-trippers make the most of Bath nightlife

T

here’s a big discussion going on in Bath about whether the city needs more hotels. There are several planning applications in for middle range accommodation. On the one hand the bed and breakfast owners claim the market will be saturated. On the other hand, the council wants to encourage long-stay visitors rather than day trippers.

Talking about the latter, I recently met a coach load of Welsh ladies of a certain age on a night out in my local social club in Bath. They were all, shall we say, erring towards the fuller figure but were made to seem even more formidable in that they were all sporting false boobs complete with tassels!

Their tour manager, a diminutive fellow with a somewhat hunted expression commented that there seemed to be a lot of Chinese in Bath.

Probably tourists, I ventured. Tourists? he rejoined. Yes, I replied, explaining that Bath was the second most visited UK attraction after London. But there’s nothing to see, he said, apart from a beautiful cathedral and the Roman Baths! And, of course, what he referred to as the Art Deco architecture.

I looked around the club, and the ladies were enjoying the karaoke act on stage no end and one had added a pair of plastic buttocks to complement her false chest. Not a very Bath scene at all I thought, as the bingo session got into full swing.

Two fat ladies, eighty eight, said the caller, eyeing the girls meaningfully and thereby engendering a massive shriek from all and sundry.

Apparently the ladies were disappointed with their visit to Bath as there weren’t enough pound shops. The gleaming new SouthGate centre was not for them, far too expensive. Too size zero as well. I couldn’t think of even one bargain basement store in the city these days, so in that they were probably right.

I ventured to suggest that perhaps Bristol would have been a better choice. Plenty of pound shops there, and lots of bargains to be had in the numerous markets and arcades. But we’ve got all that in Cardiff, came the reply. Loads of arcades in Cardiff! So why come at all, I wondered, baffled.

Then I looked round again. Bingo had finished and the singer was going through her Abba repertoire. The girls were joining in with gusto, twirling their tassels and knocking back their drinks like nobody’s business. The disco lights were flashing and so were the knickers as everyone leapt up to do their thing on the dance floor. Waterloo! Waterloo!

Things were certainly getting lively as the singer moved on through her Sandie Shaw and Dusty Springfield backing discs. A quick chorus of Lady in Red brought things down to a slightly more civilised level and then it was time to head for the Severn Crossing. “I’m going to have to watch myself on the way home,” confided the tour manager, who by now was looking pale and scared. “I’m not going to sit at the back of the coach.

With this lot I’m liable to lose my trousers.”

So watch out Bristol, Weston-super-Mare and all points north of Watford Gap. Posh old Bath can do day trippers as good as the rest of them. Forget your Royal Crescents, your Grand Pump Rooms and your scented steam cabañas at the spa. All you need is a mirror ball, some scampi in a basket and copious supplies of port and lemon. And there you have it, your very own Bath version of Phoenix Nights! (Or should that be ‘Nites’?) ■

Apparently the ladies ❝ were disappointed

with their visit to Bath as there weren’t enough pound shops

❞

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A TOUCH of magic Amanda Eve - Magical Mandy to her friends – shares her musical top ten with Mick Ringham

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FACEtheMUSIC Main photo: Amanda Eve has the magic touch www.andrewjackson photography.co.uk Make-up by Sophie Briggs

Amanda’s musical top ten includes tracks by, left to right, Ali Farka Touré, David Essex, David Bowie

A

mong my earliest childhood memories is being invited to a birthday party. I can’t remember whose birthday it was, or for that matter where it was held. The only detail that remains clear to this day is that we sat crossed-legged on the floor, full of orange juice, jelly and ice cream, and were entertained by a magician. That sense of wonder has never left me, so it was a particular pleasure to meet a real live magician for this month’s Face the Music.

Amanda Eve is a member of the prestigious Magic Circle and works under her stage name of Magical Mandy. She has a twinkle in her eye that could bewitch even the fiercest sceptic, but be under no illusion, this spellbinding mistress of the magical arts is a consummate professional.

Her unusual career started 25 years ago, when she treated her father to a magic workshop on his birthday. “He really enjoyed it, but as for me – I was well and truly hooked,” says Amanda.

At the time she was running a café and while preparing the bacon sandwiches for the morning rush, she would sweep aside the odd bottle of ketchup and practise card tricks for her customers.

The more she learned, the greater her enthusiasm grew until eventually she enrolled in the Bristol Society of Magic, where she met fellow amateur and professional performers.

These days one of Amanda’s specialist illusions is sawing a person in half – using a power-saw for extra intensity. “It’s mostly wives that contact me for this particular act and I’m always happy to oblige. Over the years this part of my performance has been hugely successful and I’m relieved to say I haven’t lost anyone... yet!”

The first lady of hocus-pocus is presently refining her stage act for private dinner parties and more personal venues, where she can use her skills in close–up magic to even greater effect.

On the musical side of Amanda’s life, she admits to having eclectic tastes and is a great admirer of the12-piece Cuban-style dance orchestra, The Pink Martinis. Hopefully, she won’t be making them disappear just yet!

Amanda’s top ten choices are: ● Ali Farka Touré and Ry Cooder Soukora I had an internet date that lasted for just one evening but was memorable for opening my ears to this wonderful piece of music. I have always admired Ry Cooder but was not aware of his passion for working with other artists. The music had more spark than my date. I later discovered that the chap I met had served time for drug smuggling and manslaughter – a lucky escape! ● The Music Man Seventy-Six Trombones I am always overcome with emotion when listening to this. My father loved this musical score and when I was young, we did the whole marching thing up and down the living room – him with a pretend trombone and me marching close behind. ● Led Zeppelin Stairway to Heaven An all-time favourite. Windows up in the car, played as loud as I can bear. This takes me back to Thursday nights at Tiffany’s WWW.THEBATHMAGAZINE.CO.UK

Night Club in Bristol, long hair, loon trousers and cheesecloth shirts. All the dreadful stuff you did growing up: pub crawls with friends around Whiteladies Road and the top of Blackboy Hill. ● Graham Dolby and the Gramophones Transatlantique This was used as the theme tune to the TV series of Jeeves and Wooster. I love old-fashioned Hollywood glamour. I now own a shop in Bath called Drop Dead Gorgeous, selling and hiring out ball gowns and evening dresses. I would have loved to have lived in the era of the 1920s, just to wear the outfits. ● David Essex Hold Me Close I had a real crush on David Essex. My brother filmed one of his promotional videos and I begged to be introduced to him. On meeting my idol for the first time, I stood there staring at him, as for once in my life I was completely speechless. If only I could go back and do it all over again, things would be different.

If only I could go back and do ❝ it all over again, things would be different ❞ ● Three Tenors Nessun Dorma In August 2003 I was sitting on the grass in Bath’s Royal Victoria Park, enjoying a picnic with my mum and facing The Royal Crescent, waiting for Jose Carreras, Placido Domingo and Luciano Paverotti to open up that famous concert. It was just one of those wonderful evenings. We had a glass of wine or two, were completely relaxed and taking in the spectacle. ● Sandie Shaw Puppet on a String This song was my first public performance with my friends: a show in the garage of my parents’ home with all the local mums and dads watching. At the age of eight I felt ready for show business! ● The Spice Girls Wannabe Geri Halliwell had just left the band. While entertaining at children’s parties, I managed to convince hundreds of six-yearold girls that I was going to replace her as ‘Magic Spice’. All these years later, I hope they don’t hold it against me. ● The Glitter Band Rock and Roll Back to school disco days. I was told off for wearing nail varnish and having glitter in my hair. I felt miffed about this but the headmistress was right about the nail varnish – it caught fire as I went to light a joss stick. On the bright side, this has stopped me from smoking as I had a phobia about striking a match or using a lighter for many years after. ● David Bowie Ziggy Stardust As a teenager I went around with stripes on my face for weeks.

People were staring at me but I thought I looked cool. On reflection I must admit I looked a bit ridiculous and maybe should have checked in the mirror more often, but hey-ho, you’re only young once.... ■ SEPTEMBER 2010

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bespoke jewellery shop

tina engell 29 belvedere, bath ba1 5hr 01225 443334

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Advertising Account Manager Basic + Great Commission = ÂŁ Excellent!

THEBATHMAGAZINE

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Every month we produce two of the UK’s finest and most respected city lifestyle magazines, and we currently have a great opportunity for a talented advertising sales person to join our team.

Ideally you will possess at least 1 years media sales experience, preferably gained from a quality title. Well educated and well spoken, you will be personable, enjoy selling, and be highly organised as the main point of contact for clients. You will also enjoy visiting clients, to develop customer relationships and to help deliver their objectives.

While maintaining a large advertiser client base, you will also play a critical role in identifying new commercial opportunities and ensuring continued revenue growth.

Everyday is different, and the work is passionate. You will need to be highly motivated, enthusiastic and have a strong determination to succeed. Good office, organisational and computer skills are essential.

If you think you possess all the qualities needed, then we can offer an excellent and rewarding career.

Please send your CV to: Steve Miklos, MC Publishing Ltd. 9 Princes Buildings, Bath BA1 2ED email: director@thebathmagazine.co.uk www.thebathmagazine.co.uk

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BATHfashion

AutumnWinter STYLE on SHOW

Quality fabrics are the theme this autumn with tweeds, twills and soft woollens...and maybe even a little leather and lace..!

Think ‘80’s elegance’ with a twist!

Coat £89. Jumper £45.

Necklace £15.

Leather Leggings £160.

Leg Warmers £6.

Shoes £49.

All available from Marks & Spencer

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With a shiney new Debenhams to complete the Southgate shopping experience and various fashion shows such as the excellent fashion week at The Mall at Cribbs Causeway, there will certainly be plenty of styles on show to inspire your tired old wardrobe.

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CITYfashion

As Debenhams opens its flagship store in the SouthGate centre, we talk to two of the most popular ‘Designers at Debenhams’ – Ben de Lisi, who has relaunched the Principles range of womenswear, along with a supremely stylish homeware collection, and Jeff Banks, doyen of men’s ready-to-wear and a guiding force in british fashion for more than 40 years.

STYLEcouncil J

eff Banks has been designing clothes for more than 40 years, and was one of the first ‘Designers at Debenhams’ – launching his diffusion labels for the store in 1991. The edgy south London look remains one of his main style influences, and his AW2010 collections owe more than a passing nod to the swinging sixties.

TBM: What are the main trends in your ready-to-wear collections this season?

JB: I have three main labels – Jeff Banks Black Label, which is aimed at the 45+ market, Jeff Banks Stvdio, for the 30 – 45 age range, and Jeff Banks London, which I think of as the more contemporary, limited edition collection. This season, the Stvdio range is all about a very sharp look, with square shoulders and narrow lapels, while the London range is modernist, inspired by the sixties, with snug-fitting shorter jackets and narrow, low-rise trousers – harking back to the Mod look.

...it’s probably a lot to do with ❝ the ‘cheer-up’ factor: if things aren’t going too well, add a bit of luxury to your life

❞

This year is the 50th anniversary of the Savoy ballroom in Catford, where I spent a lot of my youth. The ballroom’s not there any more, but I wanted to commemorate the look of that era, so I’ve designed a range of cotton/cashmere mix V-neck sweaters – a sort of up-market version of what we all used to wear in those days: brightly coloured V-necks with a white T-

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shirt underneath, narrow trousers, winkle-pickers!

The new range of sweaters come in some fantastic colours – my nod to the sixties, and very much part of this season’s smart casual look, which features some great leather jackets, and lots of knitwear.

I’m also doing bespoke suits for Debenhams – there’s a big return to made-to-measure, and it’s happening in all sorts of areas: shoes, kitchens even – people are keen on quality, and like spending money on luxury items, especially for a special event.

TBM: Does that surprise you in the current economic climate?

JB: It’s something that’s happened before – just think about the late 1970s: the country was in the middle of a real downturn but it was an era that saw the flowering of sumptuous designers like Bill Gibb and Thierry Mugler.

I think it’s probably a lot to do with the ‘cheer-up’ factor: if things aren’t going too well in the world, add a bit of luxury to your life! Having said that, our made-to-measure range is very well priced, I think. Customers can choose from 300 fabrics, 60 linings, any number of details – buttons, lapel size, velvet collars, and so on. They normally retail for £500, but we have an opening offer at the new Bath store where they’ll be £350.

TBM: And what are you working on for next season, if it’s not a state secret?

JB: Florals! I’ve been designing a new range of fabrics based on botanic paintings from the Natural History Museum. In fact, the lion I’m decorating for the Bath ‘pride’ is called Floraleo, and is based on the new designs. In fact, I’m in my overalls as we speak, painting away! ■ Jeff Banks will unveil his lion, Floraleo, at Debenham’s, SouthGate, at 10am on Thursday 2 September.

Sharp dresser: the four-pocket leather jacket (£220) and cotton/cashmere Vneck jumper (£35) are key looks for autumn from Jeff Banks London.

Top: Jeff Banks – reinventing the Mod look of the 60s for a new generation...

Opposite: Cutting edge: Principles by Ben de Lisi colour block coat in black and camel, £100; Principles by Ben de Lisi Alsatian double zip shoulder bag, £48.

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CITYfashion

Back to the future: New York remains an inspiration for Ben de Lisi, with a Madison Avenue colour palette, bold use of brights, and plenty of the designer’s trademark glamour.

N

ew York-born Ben de Lisi is well known for his glamorous but eminently wearable clothes, and his recent relaunch of the Principles brand of Debenhams has injected a dash of Madison Avenue chic into the British high street.

TBM: What are we going to be wearing this autumn, Ben? BdL: In my evening wear collection I’ve used a very urban colour palette – graphite and steel, dark purples and jewel colours. The new length is the tea-length mid-calf – beautiful and flattering, with tight little bodices, the finest straps, iconic, sinuous shapes – just think Kim Novak and Natalie Wood. The classic BdL look is there too: long, fluid gowns, for making dramatic entrances – and exits!

The Principles collection is not setting or following trends as such – it’s much more about style, which transcends trends. The season’s key colours are camel, black, teal, charcoal and charteuse, with lots of colour blocking – like my shirtwaister coats in black, with camel blocking at the hem, or a gorgeous black Crombie with camel stitching. It’s very much a Madison Avenue feel – silk-satin shirts, the kind of laid-back chic you associate with the young Lauren Bacall or Audrey Hepburn.

TBM: How did you tackle the rebranding of Principles?

BdL: We wanted to reach a much larger consumer base, and to give Principles a much more contemporary edge, to produce clothes at phenomenal prices but impeccably made. For me, it’s all about texture, cut and finish: a polished, refined look, very American, pared down rather than layered up.

TBM: Marc Jacobs recently announced his intention to include larger sizes in his ready-to-wear collections from now on. Where do you stand on the size issue?

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BdL: Some designers claim its impossible to scale couture up for larger women as they all carry their weight in different areas – that’s rubbish; it’s such huge cop-out. If you know your craft you can create patterns that can be adapted to any size – it’s all about versatility.

A lot of designers are sizeist, that’s for sure. But I find there’s more gratification in seeing a woman who’s a size 18/20 looking and feeling fantastic in one of my designs than seeing the same garment looking great on a size 8 model. Designers are there to play up your assets and play down your detractions!

The average size of women in this country is 14/16 so it’s pathetic to say you won’t design for anyone bigger than a 14 – for a start you’re cutting out a really significant part of your consumer base. I do tweak designs – maybe adding detachable straps to a gown, or offer a jacket to go with a sleeveless or strapless dress. In any case, I’ve not met a woman alive who is 100 per cent satisfied with the way she looks. I still get a huge buzz from seeing women looking fantastic in clothes I’ve created – whether it’s Kate Winslet on the red carpet or Mrs Smith on the Kings Road, the satisfaction is exactly the same.

TBM: Are you looking forward to seeing your collection on sale in Bath?

BdL: I love Bath, and we’re very excited about the new opening there. It’s a place I always bring visitors from the States – last time I was there we stayed at the Royal Crescent which was fantastic. And Debenhams is a great store – I always say it’s High Street by location, not by content – it’s a beautifully kitted out store. I spend a lot of time in store when I’m in London, making sure things look right, and that we’re providing a great service to our customers. ■

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emporiumBATH MONTBLANC at MALLORY THE LONG KNIT

Timeless fashion is something special...

Timewalker ceramic unisex £3795. Sports lady diamonds £2245. Montblanc at Mallory

Soft and subtle knitwear from Monsoon.

Coralie colour block coatigan, £75.

This season fashion embraces everything town & country... By Mimi McKenzie

AUTUMN WINTER10 JOHN ROCHA at DEBENHAMS This is a truly stunning Maxi knitted dress by John Rocha, £70.

Available from Debenhams.

THE HAT of the SEASON Corsage trim cloche £26. Accessorize.

PHASE 8 A chic and sophisticated look can always be achieved from the fabulous Phase 8. We love this Houndstooth studded dress, £120.

Phase 8.

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The Classic Barbour.

Badminton waxed jacket in navy with a cardinal tartan lining, £219. Lady Jane rugby shirt, £59.95. Paisley green hankerchief, £14.95 - boxed set of 3.

Stockists: 0800 009988 or visit: www.barbour.com

RIDERS! The theme is not so much biker but more equestrian.

Here’s a Pony heel boot, £129.95. From White Stuff.

SOFT TOUCHES Love gloves £17.50, Candy spot long socks £8.

Both from White Stuff.

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emporiumBATH CLASSIC HOUSE

PILGRIM This beautiful necklace is from a new line of Hematite plated jewellery from Pilgrim. It features beads in precious stone, Snowflake Obsidian with a gorgeous Hematite plated heart, £21.90.

Pilgrim.

Hazelnut tweed dress, (Max Mara) £230.

Oatmeal knitted cardigan, (Therapy) £45. Flower ribbon necklace £45. (Pied a Terre). Maroon opaque tights, (Linea) £6. All available from House of Fraser.

HOBBS Hobbs turns on the style with it’s new AW10 collections. Shown here: Mantle Coat £349, Elisa bag £199, Tyler ankle boot, £229. All from Hobbs.

CATH KIDSTON Elegant Sally dress in Purple Flowers print. 3/4 sleeves with cuff detail. This dress will make the perfect addition to your winter wardrobe. £95. Cath Kidston.

ACCESSORIES at M&S Every season M&S’s accessory range gets better. Top quality, soft leather gloves and bags are perfect. Shown here: Black Leather Military gloves, £29.50.

Marks and Spencer

JOULES

GO PONCHO The White Company has a superb range of lovely soft knits this Autumn. TBM loves this Rib poncho which at just £150 is a classic best buy.

The White Company.

CLARKS VILLAGE The Belfry, a smart, A4-compatible shoulder bag in Tan Polished Croc leather to show them you mean business! (Was £365), now £195.

Clarks Village, Street, Somerset.

WWW.THEBATHMAGAZINE.CO.UK

Tweed Blazer £249, Red Sweater £89, Blue Stripe Blouse £99, Brown Cord Trousers £139, Bag £269, Gloves £79. Elegance. www.elegance.co.uk

BOOTS from DUO Duo in Bath stock a brilliant range of beautiful shoes and great boots...perfect for Bath in the autumn!

Shown here is a Kew Victorian style brogue lace up leather ankle boot which is also available in tan, £100. Duo. www.duoboots.com

Joules has excelled itself with a brilliant town and country collection.

This Byland Womens Quilted jacket, is only £69.00.

Joules.

WALLIS One of the defining looks this season is the Aviator jacket. Wallis have a lovely brown belted one, £80.

Also shown: Caramel polo neck, £18.

Wallis

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MILSOMplace

FALLinLOVE... ...with autumn/winter fashion at Milsom Place, Bath’s most exciting shopping area

W

ith an unbeatable mix of leading brands and stylish independents, Milsom Place sets the scene for autumn fashion 2010.

Milsom Street was voted the most fashionable street in the UK in the recent Google Streetview Awards and Milsom Place is home to some of the city’s best and brightest fashion stores – from individual boutiques like Image, Lilly Pola and Liz Cox to high street favourites Phase Eight, Cath Kidston, Traffic People and Hobbs.

This September they will be joined by the British Designers Boutique, providing a showcase

for designers such as Emma Cook, Jean Pierre Braganza and Julien MacDonald.

As well as the key looks and stunning collections shown here, Cath Kidston this autumn/winter has a strong 1940s influence with floral tea dresses, granddad knits and luxurious velvet jackets and skirts.

Lilly Pola, a new Bath independent, has sumptuous leather and suede Italian handbags in a palette of hot colours, while this season’s leathers at Liz Cox are as distinctive as ever, with new crocodile and giraffe ranges. ■

The new direction at Phase Eight (left) is a collection influenced by laid-back and attainable luxury, characterised by simple layering, drapery and soft movement. Tweed tailoring features in fitted jackets and the new trouser shape is the high-waisted peg leg in charcoal and black.

Image is introducing several new designers this season, including Korean Kay Lee Tankus, with clothes that are classic, interesting and quirky (above) and Italian made haute couture knitwear brand She’s So (left); Image owner, Min Stevenson, is passionate about texture and loves clothes that “feel wonderful and flow”.

THE BRITS ARE COMING...

Bang on trend for this autumn/winter is the classic camel coat – Hobbs has the definitive version (left), along with a fabulous array of key accessories (above); Traffic People (right) goes into season with its trademark ultra-feminine look, cooled down into autumn/winter’s palette of creamy neutrals with a touch of gothic glamour.

.

Check up on music, exhibitions and other events at Milsom Place on: www.milsomplace.co.uk

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High tea and high fashion plus the chance to bag a bargain – it’s all happening at the British Designers Boutique on 2 September. We have a limited number of exclusive launch party invitations available for The Bath Magazine readers: all you need to do is email info@milsomplace.co.uk and tell us the name of your favourite British fashion designer. First to respond will receive a 20 per cent discount on purchases made at the launch party on 2 September.

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READERcompetition

WIN a £500 wardrobe MAKEOVER Setting the trend for AW2010, Damsel in a Dress at John Lewis

A

s part of its support for Bristol Fashion Week at The Mall at Cribbs Causeway this month, John Lewis is offering one lucky reader a fabulous wardrobe makeover.

The winner will receive a personal consultation with one of John Lewis’ expert fashion advisors, plus £500 worth of new clothes and make-up for the autumn season. She’ll also be treated to a revitalising beauty makeover

by Guerlain at John Lewis.

John Lewis is a fashionista’s idea of heaven, with over 36 designer womenswear collections for you to choose from, including Damsel in a Dress, Rene Derhy, Jigsaw, Jaeger, Reiss, LK Bennett, Whistles, Hobbs, Ted Baker and Paul and Joe’s Sister.

Key pieces from these collections will be featured on the catwalk during Bristol Fashion Week.

For fashion show tickets, please visit www.mallcribbs.com or The Mall’s Information Desk.

If you’d like a brand new wardrobe this autumn, simply answer the question below and email your entry, along with your name, date of birth, full address and a daytime telephone number, to competitions@thebathmagazine.co.uk – to arrive by noon on Thursday 30 September 2010.

Question: Name one of the women’s designer brands available at John Lewis at Cribbs Causeway.

John Lewis Cribbs Causeway 0117 950 1100 www.johnlewis.com Terms & Conditions: The prize is £500 worth of womenswear and beauty products from John Lewis Cribbs Causeway. The prize cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer/promotion. There is no cash alternative. Entrants must be at least 18 years of age and not employees of the John Lewis Partnership, their immediate families, their agents or anyone else connected with the promotion.

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ABBEYtales

SAINTS above The story of how Bath Abbey’s magnificent west front came into being is a myth, albeit an entertaining one, says Paul Fisher

B

ath’s tallest tale, still being told and retold in guide books and on tours, is that the Abbey’s west front is a picture of its founder’s dream. The story goes that in 1499 Bishop Oliver King woke up one morning having had a vision of saints and ladders, which was duly interpreted in stone – and this is what we see today.

Now a new booklet, Bath Abbey – The West Front: a guide to statues and carvings, shows that the dream story is as unhistorical as it is ridiculous. Bishop King did not lay claim to any perfectly recalled sleeping inspiration, nor did a dream get any mention in print until the early 17th century. In 1608 Sir John Harington wrote: “Lying at Bathe, … [Bishop King] saw, or supposed he saw, a vision of the Holy Trynitie, with angels ascending and descending by a ladder, neer to the foote of which was a fayre Olive tree, supporting a crown, and a voyce that said: “Let an OLIVE establish the crowne, and let a KING restore the church.”

...the west front is an ❝ assemblage of scriptural allegories and political signs rather than the product of an individual imagination, particularly an individual who was asleep

❞

That is the story still being told today. Why? Well, like all the best stories it’s easy to recall, there’s some punning in there to jog the memory and there’s an illustration too (see the picture of Oliver King’s rebus above). Harington told the dream story during a fundraising effort to complete the roofless abbey and his suggestion of divine intervention via a dream proved a successful wheeze, for a plaster ceiling soon topped the structure Bishop King had instigated a century earlier.

Perhaps another reason for the dream story is that Harington saw the crowded Abbey west front as random and dream-like.

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Not so for the façade’s first medieval audiences, who would have read clear messages that developed similar stories told on earlier west fronts in Lichfield, Exeter and Wells. West fronts were medieval blockbusters and Bath (the last of the genre) showed Henry VII pictured as the mortal closest to the angels and the top man above the door at the base of ladders leading to the afterlife. Pilgrims – the tourists of the Middle Ages – would have absorbed explicit promises of salvation through the intercession of saints flanking the ladders; they may well have noticed how the ladders reach down only so far as the tops of the doors, for they would have understood how their route to heaven had to begin behind the church doors through the good offices of the clergy inside.

That message was soon outmoded. The break with Rome and Catholicism came before the Abbey was completed and by then the Protestant conviction of a direct relationship with God meant the story had faded in significance.

The dream idea persists because the ladder, a feature unique among west fronts, is a recurring dream motif symbolising some connection between the physical and spiritual.

That vaguely psychological interpretation would have meant zilch to the Benedictine monks for whom the Abbey was built.

They followed St Benedict’s teachings on how Jacob’s ladder represented their life in the world, their possibility of descending to hell or rising to heaven.

Benedict taught how pride led to a fall and humility to heaven: a belief reflected in the sculpted ladders’ differing lengths. The three fewer rungs on the right ladder (which once had an image of the devil at the top) indicate that hell is more easily reached than heaven.

In laying the Bishop’s dream myth to rest, the new booklet identifies the west front characters, plus the attendant religious and political plot lines. Bath Abbey – The West Front shows how the west front is an assemblage of scriptural allegories and political signs rather than the product of an individual imagination, particularly an individual who was asleep. ■ Bath Abbey – The West Front: a guide to statues and carvings,

by Paul Fisher, is available from the Bath Abbey shop, Mr B’s, Good Buy Books and Whitemans, priced £2.99.

Bath Abbey’s west front is packed with religious and political symbolism, as Bishop Oliver King’s rebus (above, centre) shows. The olive tree (Oliver and sign of peace and prosperity) has a crown around its trunk (King and Henry VII), and over each tree (which might also represent the tree of Bosworth Field where Henry VII won the English crown) is a bishop’s mitre; above right, a crowned Henry VII stands over the door, raised above other men. Sir George Frampton carved the replacement statue during the 1900 restoration. Some maintain that what preceded Frampton’s work was a figure of Christ. Jesus Christ or Henry VII? Both attributions are credible and the difficulty of interpretation shows the extent to which politics and religion were intertwined when the west front was built. © Paul Fisher

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CITYarchive

SERMONS

in STONE

Clare Reddaway uncovers some of the stories behind the remarkable variety memorial stones in St Swithin’s Church

The golden church of St Swithin, Walcot, (left) contains an enormous number of memorial tablets (above), many of which have intriguing stories behind them; Fanny Burney’s memorial to her husband contains a touching tribute to Comte Piochard d’Arblay’s character and attributes (opposite right).

T

he golden church of St Swithin’s, which stands at the top of Walcot Street, is Bath’s only 18th century church.

When it was built in 1777 it was the fashionable place to worship. For a time, it was the fashionable place to be buried too. The cool black and white memorials inside match the classical architecture and the names recorded are a roll call of notables. They read like a Georgian gossip column.

There are people buried here whose names still resonate today. Fanny Burney lies in the adjacent churchyard. Novelist, diarist and playwright, prized for her satirical wit, she is also one of the first women to have a mastectomy. She wrote a vivid account of the operation to her sister, recalling, in those preanaesthetic days, the sound of blade on breastbone.

Her beloved husband, Comte Piochard d’Arblay, is commemorated with an elaborate tablet inside the church. He and Fanny met when he was exiled after the French Revolution, and despite her father’s disapproval of his foreigness, his poverty and his Catholicism, they married. D’Arblay was later to serve for many years under Napoleon. His stone looks down on Sir Edward Berry, friend and companion to Lord Nelson. Berry commanded HMS Agamemnon at Trafalgar, while D’Arblay was wounded at Waterloo.

Although there are a fair scattering of admirals and military men, the arts are well represented. You can find George Austen, Jane Austen’s father, in the churchyard. William Hoare is buried here. A fashionable artist who settled in Bath, he is most famous for his official portraits of distinguished figures such as the composer GF Handel, and prime ministers Walpole and Pitt.

John Palmer, the architect of the church and of Lansdown Crescent, St James’ Square and the Theatre Royal, among others, secured his place on the upper walls. Christopher Anstey is also here. He is famous for writing The New Bath Guide, a satirical poem about the adventures of the Blunderhead family in Bath.

However, the less well known are equally intriguing. You can learn a lot about a person by reading their epitaph, although occasionally, surely, the writers must have been exaggerating. So Robert Sutcliffe is remembered for his “sincere piety, his

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© Clare Reddaway

exemplary resignation, his unwearied personal kindness and the mild and unobtrusive excellence of his domestic and social character”. I think I’d have preferred the Reverend James Sparrow, whose “extensive and elegant learning both in the dead and living languages united to a general knowledge of the world and a pleasing manner of conversing made his company much solicited and greatly admired”. Ralph Allen obviously admired him. He left the Reverend Sparrow £5,000 in his will – a tidy sum at the time.

Sometimes it is the manner of leaving this life that is noted on the stone. Richard Barker, a soldier, died “worn out by the fatigues of his profession and complicated infirmities”. John Hathersall Pinder of Barbados died suddenly while attending a Sunday service. Presumably he went straight to heaven.

Sometimes it is the profession that is recorded. So Alexander MacKenzie is “Writer to his Majesty’s Signet”. ‘Writer’ was the old name for a lawyer and Writers to the Signet drew up legal papers for the Crown in Scotland.

There are shades of Shelley’s Ozymandias in Richard Bowsher’s grandiose bequest to distribute the dividends arising from his canal shares to the poor of the parish every January and June

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CITYarchive ‘forever’. He died in 1835 when canal shares were still booming, but their death knell had sounded by the 1840s when the railways arrived and soon his shares would have been worthless.

Many of the tablets highlight Britain’s colonial history. The East India Company appears frequently, recording men who saw service and perhaps made nabob-style fortunes in Bombay, Madras and Dacca during the Company’s heyday. There is John

John Hathersall Pinder of ❝ Barbados died suddenly while attending a Sunday service.

Presumably he went straight to heaven

❞

Gray, a planter from Jamaica, and Thomas Pownal, who was governor of Massachusetts when America was still a colony. He was a lifelong friend of Benjamin Franklin, and wrote an influential work on the administration of British possessions abroad. There are at least two towns in the US named after him.

The social history that the memorials yield is interesting.

Take Philip Champion Crespigny, landowner, King’s Proctor and MP for Sudbury and Aldeburgh. He was such a staunch Whig that he named his son Charles Fox Champion Crespigny after the flamboyant radical leader of the Whigs – which is rather like naming your child Tony Blair Smith, not a name I have encountered myself. Or Paul Bertrand, jeweller, toymaker and contributor to the General Hospital. His family were Huguenots who fled persecution under Louis XIV, and settled in America.

After the death of his father, Paul Bertrand and his mother returned to England where he married Mary, the daughter of an

eminent London toymaker, and they moved to Bath.

However, it is the tragedies that lie behind some of the stones that makes reading these tablets so moving. The oldest stone, dated 1683, commemorates Thomas and Mary Fry, 13 and 11, who were ‘snatched’ from their ‘afflicted parents’ within a fortnight of each other, by smallpox. John Walmesley is ‘heartwounded’ by the death of his daughter Hannah, aged 12, of the measles. Then there is the stone commemorating the Moysey family. The Reverend Charles Moysey’s father was a well-known doctor in the city who was painted by Gainsborough in lieu of fees. He could presumably do nothing to prevent the deaths of his son’s wife, aged 29, and their four children, none of whom lived beyond 21. The Reverend Charles Moysey himself lived to 80.

Ultimately, we can only imagine what the people who lie here were really like. Perhaps the final words should be left to Fanny Burney, who surely wrote the lines on her husband’s tablet.

Once his honours and rewards have been listed she writes: “But who shall delineate his noble character? The spirit of his valour or the softness of his heart? ...the transparency of his honour or the indiscribable charm of his Social Virtues?” Who, indeed. ■

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SEPTEMBER 2010 | THEBATHMAGAZINE 25

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WHAT’Son THE USTINOV THEATRE

Country girl

Monmouth Street, Bath. Box office tel: 01225 448844 www.theatreroyal.org.uk

Land Without Words, Thursday 23 – Friday 24 September, 8pm Extraordinary, intense, complex and ultimately rewarding, Land Without Words asks the question – how can art attempt to reflect, represent or respond to the ravages of war?

A western painter and sculptor returns from a Middle Eastern conflict, shocked by her experiences and trying to create new work through Mark Rothko-like abstracts. Words, artists and materials become the tools of the play. A poetic text is witness both to the horrors of conflict and the need we all have to retell these stories through words and images.

The Rape of Lucrece, Friday 1 – Saturday 2 October, 8pm

The Country Girl at the Theatre Royal

Theatre, Opera & Ballet THEATRE ROYAL Sawclose, Bath. Box office tel: 01225 448844 www.theatreroyal.org.uk

The Rivals, Tuesday 7 – Saturday 18 September, Monday – Wednesday, 7.30pm; Thursday – Saturday, 8pm; matinees: Thursday 9, Wednesday 15 and Saturday 11 and 18, 2.30pm It’s 1775 and the fashionable world descends on Bath to take the waters, show off their finery, enjoy the gossip and pursue romance.

Among them are some of the most extraordinary comic characters to grace the stage. Throughout the course of a single day these suitors and schemers and their servants indulge in an assortment of hilariously extravagant intrigues before everyone is paired off to their own satisfaction. Starring Penelope Keith and Peter Bowles.

Carrie’s War, Monday 27 September – Saturday 2 October, Monday – Wednesday, 7.30pm; Thursday – Saturday, 8pm; matinees: Wednesday, 2.30pm and Saturday, 4pm Carrie’s War is the unforgettable story of one ordinary girl and her brother, packed off to the Welsh mining valleys at the start of war and living through extraordinary events. Nina Bawden’s award-winning book has been consistently voted one of the nation’s bestloved novels. Direct from the West End, this hugely successful stage adaptation brings to life Bawden’s heart-warming, funny and evocative tale in a beautifully staged production. Like Carrie in the story, Nina Bawden was herself a wartime evacuee to Wales. Carrie’s War features a 13-strong cast and stars Brigit Forsyth and Hannah Waterman.

The Country Girl, Monday 20 – Saturday 25 September, Monday – Wednesday, 7.30pm; Thursday – Saturday, 8pm; matinees: Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, 2.30pm Frank Elgin, a once-great theatre star, is thrown a lifeline to resurrect his dissipated career when he is offered a major role by hotshot director Bernie Dodd. But will Frank manage to hold his demons at bay long enough to regain his confidence? And is his wife, Georgie, his saviour or his foe? In this searing emotional drama of love and redemption, Martin Shaw and Jenny Seagrove, stars of the multi-award-winning BBC drama Judge John Deed, are reunited to appear on stage together for the very first time, in this prestigious prior-to-West End production.

26 THEBATHMAGAZINE

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Following five-star reviews in the 2008 Edinburgh Festival and sell-out performances in London, Olivier award-nominee and RSC actor Gerard Logan brings his astonishing solo performance of Shakespeare’s brilliant, brutal narrative poem to Bath. Shakespeare follows the ramifications of this heinous crime wherever they take him, encompassing both the bestial and the beautiful: a single actor, a bare stage – rapist and victim springing to searing life.

MISSION THEATRE 32 Corn Street, Bath. For all ticket information contact the theatre on tel: 01225 428600 or visit: www.missiontheatre.co.uk

Daisy Pulls It Off, Until Saturday 4 September, 7.30pm; matinee: Saturday 4 September, 2.30pm It’s 1927 and Daisy Meredith, a poor but bright child, has won a scholarship to Grangewood School for Girls. Daisy is welcomed into the fourth year by madcap and poet Trixie Martin, excels at academic work, hockey and singing and is, of course, honourable and straight in all things. But she also encounters snobbery and deceit in the rich, conceited Sybil and school toady, Monica. This pair lie, cheat and conspire to get her expelled. Talented youngsters from the incredibly popular Next Stage Youth perform this gloriously witty parody about life in a “gels’ boarding school”.

The Things Good Men Do, Tuesday 14 September – Saturday 18 September, 7.30pm; matinee: Saturday 18, 2.30pm

Carrie’s War

Nick has met Lucy and can suddenly see the attraction of commitment and kids. But just as Nick is set to take the plunge, a dark little fling he’d rather forget comes back to threaten his idyll. For the first time he understands that a picture-perfect life might not be a given and in his struggle to achieve it he risks losing everything. Set in present-day professional London, Dan Muirden’s debut dark comedy is a fine springboard for Next Stage’s autumn trilogy looking at modern-day relationships.

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WHAT’Son RONDO THEATRE

MERLIN THEATRE

St Saviours Road, Larkhall, Bath.

Box office tel: 01225 463362 www.rondotheatre.co.uk

Bath Road, Frome, Somerset.

Box office tel: 01373 465494 www.merlintheatre.co.uk

Is That a Bolt in Your Neck?, Thursday 16 – Saturday 18 September, 8pm

The Caretaker, Friday 24 September, 7.45pm

Total Theatre Award nominees and critically acclaimed comedy trio, Gonzo Moose, are back with this spoof gothic horror.

As lightning flashes across the sky, the rugged silhouette of an old dark house looms into view. Lost in a storm, this seems like the only possible refuge – but what happens when you hear mysterious moaning in the middle of the night? Behind every door lurks unimaginable horror….

Gonzo Moose consists of three fearless and daring actors who play over 15 roles in a gripping and fast-paced comedy with horrific experiments, mind-boggling love, and a sensational death-defying finale.

The Knicker Lady, Thursday 23 and Friday 24 September, 8pm This brilliant onewoman show combines drama, satire and sometimes broad comedy as Rosemary Hawthorne tells the fascinating, often hilarious, story of women’s lives over the last 250 years. She tells it through the medium of what they wore – on top, but mainly underneath. This is a theatrical history lesson for all the family, the like of which you never had at school! Rosemary is frequently featured on television and radio and in the national, international and regional press.

London Classic Theatre revive their production of The Caretaker as the centrepiece of their tenth anniversary year. Davies, an elderly drifter, is given shelter by the kindly but vulnerable Aston. He quickly makes himself at home in the squalid, junk-filled attic, but an uneasy peace is fractured by the arrival of Mick, Aston’s quick-witted, streetwise younger brother. As the shadows lengthen and the three men reveal more about the past and themselves, a battle of wits begins that will have irrevocable consequences for them all. A landmark of 20th century theatre, The Caretaker was first performed at The Arts Theatre, London, in 1960. Fifty years on, Pinter’s compelling study of loneliness and power games still has the capacity to amuse, to shock and to fascinate.

CHAPEL ARTS CENTRE 9 Lower Borough Walls, Bath. Tickets from tel: 01225 461700 or visit: www.chapelarts.org

The Key To The Garden, Friday 10 September, 8pm Stage and screen actress Rachel Laurence presents this funny, moving and spellbinding one-woman play which tells the story of the remarkable Frances Hodgson Burnett, who rose from humble beginnings in Salford to become the JK Rowling of her day – immensely wealthy, a close friend of the president of the USA and a bestselling author of classic books such as The Secret Garden, A Little Princess and Little Lord Fauntleroy.

VARIOUS LOCATIONS 9 – 12 September: Hampton Row Allotments, Bathwick; 16 – 19 September: Peasedown St John Community Farm, Dunkerton Hill; 23 – 26 September: Bloomfield Allotments, Bear Flat, Bath. Box Office tel: 01225 386777

Kilter Roots Replanted: A Tale of Love and Vegetables, Thursday – Saturday, 7.30pm; Saturday and Sunday, 2.30pm Following its hit success and rave reviews at last year’s Fringe Festival – Kilter takes Roots on tour to three sites in Bath. Elope to the allotment for a gentle journey down the beanrows to investigate food-security in the fast approaching post-oil world.

The Persistence of Memory, Wednesday 29 September – Saturday 2 October, 8pm When Memory comes to visit, will you know if she is there? Will she reveal the truth to you or take your past when she leaves. Alison Farina’stouching and funny new play explores memory, its significance to our identity and what happens to us when we lose it. Butterfly Psyche is a new theatre company whose work is inspired by myth, storytelling and the magic of the mundane.

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New season at the Mission Theatre

Instant Wit

MISSION THEATRE 32 Corn Street, Bath. For all ticket information contact the theatre on tel: 01225 428600 or visit: www.missiontheatre.co.uk There is something for everybody in the packed autumn season at the Mission Theatre. Here are some dates for your diary...

Instant Wit, Friday 10 – Saturday 11 September, 7.30pm Bristol’s own improvised comedy company present sketches, songs and general silliness – and all of it based around audience suggestions. If you like your comedy fastpaced and with a slightly unusual edge, this is definitely for you.

All The Great Books, Thursday 7 – Saturday 9 October, 7.30pm Join three of Next Stage’s most intrepid actors as they attempt to bring to the stage the greatest novels from Western literature.

Let Them Eat Cake!, Wednesday 13 – Saturday 16 October, 8pm A sell-out attraction in the Bath Comedy Festival and back at The Mission by popular demand; a hilarious new sketch comedy from a crabby band of middleaged ladies inviting you to take a turn through history with them.

The Ghost Train, Wednesday 10 – Saturday 13 November, 7.30pm This classic ghost story was written in 1923 by Arnold Ridley. Set in a secluded Cornish railway station we spend a long night with the stranded passengers, who only have a local station master and a thunderstorm to keep them company...

The Dracula Spectacula, Thursday 9 – Saturday 11 December, 7.30pm Over 50 talented Next Stage Youthers bring you their first foray into musical theatre. The cast rollick through this tongue-in-cheek musical which pokes fun at the Dracula legend.

Kilter Roots Replanted

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WHAT’Son Music

BATH ABBEY Abbey Church Yard, Bath. Tickets from Bath Festivals Box Office on tel: 01225 463362 or visit: www.bathfestivals.org.uk

The Vida Guitar

Bath Phil with Peter Donohoe, Thursday 23 September, 7.30pm

ROOK LANE CHAPEL Bath Street, Frome. Tickets £10/£5 from tel: 01373 812 383 or email: music@jackdaws.org

Jackdaws Presents: The Vida Guitar Quartet, Saturday 18 September, 7.30pm Prior Park Landscape Garden

Heritage Open Days 9 – 12 September

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eritage Open Days celebrate England’s architecture and culture by allowing visitors free access to interesting properties that are either not usually open, or would normally charge an entrance fee. Heritage Open Days also include tours, events and activities that focus on local architecture and culture.

Highlights in and around Bath include: Prior Park Landscape Gardens, Saturday 11 September, 11am – 4.30pm Free entry to the garden. Join one of their guided tours of the wilderness at 11.30am, 12.30pm and 1.30pm.

Little Theatre Cinema, Saturday 11 September, 9.30am – 12.30pm An opportunity for visitors to see the two projection rooms behind the scenes, with both film and digital projection facilities.

Southcot Burial Ground, Sunday 12 September, 10.30am – 3.30pm The old Baptist burial ground – a hidden oasis in the centre of Bath owned and managed by the Bath Preservation Trust.

They will be offering 15-minute guided tours at 11am and 2.30pm. There will also be a nature trail for families.

Cleveland Baths, Friday 10 – Sunday 12 September, 2pm – 5pm A Grade II Georgian swimming pool, the oldest and only Georgian public baths in Britain. Unfortunately no swimming yet, but visit this charming riverside spot and soak up the history. www.bathnes.gov.uk/heritageevents

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Vida brings together four guitarists of exceptional ability and virtuosity who share a passion for chamber music. They are rapidly gaining a reputation as one of the most exciting ensembles in the UK and thrill audiences with spectacular arrangements of well loved pieces. The concert will include music by Bizet, de Falla and Bellinati.

SAINT MICHAEL’S Broad Street, Bath. Tickets from Bath Festivals Box Office on tel: 01225 463362. For a full programme of events visit: www.bathcelebrities.co.uk

Bath Phil and Peter Donohoe mark Chopin’s 200th anniversary year with a performance of both the 1st and 2nd Piano Concertos. The programme also includes pieces by Gorecki and Lutoslawski. At 6.15pm, there will be a free performance to mark the culmination of the nine-month project with BANES & West Wilts Young Carers who will be performing their own musical composition in the Abbey.

Brahms: A German Requiem, Saturday 9 October, 7.30pm This concert features a programme including Johannes Brahms: A German Requiem (piano duet version), Franz Schubert: Fantasia in F Minor (piano duet), with Elenor Bowers-Jolley as soprano, Jonathan Sells as baritone, Chris Dowie and Steven Hollas playing piano duets.

Gavin Carr conducts. Bath Minerva Choir sing Brahms’ arrangement for soloists, choir and piano duet, which presents the work in an intimate form, exposing the loveliness of the choral writing. Equally unmissable is the opportunity to hear Schubert’s major work for piano duet, played by the talented concert pianists. An uplifting and inspiring concert.

Sweetland Music Festival, Saturday 18 – Saturday 25 September A celebration of the music and celebrity that has shaped Bath’s cultural life during the past 100 years featuring evening concerts, organ recitals, walks and an exhibition. In aid of Dorothy House Hospice Care and the RUH’s Forever Friends Appeal.

THEATRE ROYAL Sawclose, Bath. Box office tel: 01225 448844 www.theatreroyal.org.uk

The Magic of Motown, Sunday 19 September, 3.30pm and 7.30pm Live on stage, The Magic of Motown will have you singing and dancing to 50 years of classic hits – charting Motown’s rise from its first, 1960 million-selling hit to being heralded as the world’s greatest record label. This lavish production revives all-time-favourites from the Temptations, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Four Tops, Stevie Wonder, Jackson 5, Marvin Gaye, Lionel Richie and many more. This production direct from the USA boasts a superbly choreographed cast and dozens of dazzling costume changes.

Bath Minerva Choir

MARKSBURY VILLAGE HALL Marksbury, near Bath. For further information tel: 01761 470455 or visit: www.keyna.co.uk

Three Piece Suite Jazz and Folk Trio, Friday 24 September, 7.30pm John Hooper, Helen James and Ali Nourse with guest Lizz Lipscombe on jazz violin present a concert in aid of Send a Cow (www.sendacow.org.uk).

WILTSHIRE MUSIC CENTRE Ashley Road, Bradford on Avon. Box office tel: 01225 860100 www.wiltshiremusic.org.uk

Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Friday 17 September, 7.30pm The orchestra present a programme including: Haydn’s Symphony No 44 in E minor, Mozart’s Violin Concerto No 5 in A and Sinfonia Concertante in E flat for violin and viola, and Spohr’s Potpourri, Op 80. Featuring Rachel Podger (director/violin) and Pavlo Beznosiuk (viola).

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Opening Hours: Thurs/Fri/Sat 10 - 5pm.

Sun 11 - 4pm

Unit 20, First Floor, The Tannery, The Midlands, Holt, Wiltshire BA14 6BB • Tel. 01225 782906

FRENCH & ENGLISH COUNTRY FURNITURE WWW.THEBATHMAGAZINE.CO.UK

www.vintagepine.co.uk

Bespoke tables made to any size SEPTEMBER 2010

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WHAT’Son Other Events BIG BREAKFAST Corston Village Hall, Corston, near Bath.

English: £3.50; continental: £1.50; tea/coffee: 50p

Big Breakfast, Sunday 12 September, 9am – 12noon Enjoy a great breakfast with all proceeds going to Corston Village Hall.

HERBAL WALK

AUTHOR EVENT Topping & Co Booksellers, The Paragon, Bath. Tickets £6/£5 including book voucher.

Autumn Herbal Walk, Sunday 12 September, 11am A herbal walk guided by herbalist Ruth Mannion Daniels and natural cosmetics producer Anna Gann Christensen.

CHARITY AUCTION BRLSI, Queen Square, Bath. For further information visit: www.facingafricaauction.com

Auction of Children’s Illustrators’ Artworks, Saturday 25 September, viewing from 5pm, bidding at 7pm A superb collection of 50 pieces of original art from favourite children’s illustrators will be auctioned in aid of the charity, Facing Africa.

With auctioneer Gerald FitzGerald.

17 – 25 September

An Evening with Simon Roberts, Friday 17 September, 7.45 for 8pm talk Bath-based graphic artist Simon Roberts talks about the publication of his new book, Tea With Bin Laden’s Brother – the illustrated story of an epic solo motorcycle adventure to Nepal via Iran, Pakistan and India.

FLOWER SHOW All Saints Centre, Weston, Bath.

BRLSI, 16 Queen Square, Bath. For further information visit: www.brlsi.org

Jane Austen Festival

Weston Village Flower Show, Saturday 4 September, from 2.30pm Exhibits include fruit and veg, floral displays, homecrafts, handicrafts, art, photography, wine and children’s activities.

EAST ASIAN ART 12 Bennett Street, Bath. Cost: £20, please book at least five days in advance. Tel: 01225 464640 or visit: www.meaa.org.uk

Ikebana Workshop, Saturday 25 September, 2pm – 4pm Ikebana artist and teacher, Mieko Zuckerman, leads this wonderful workshop covering the basics of Japanese art of flower arrangement.

The workshop will include an introduction to ikebana and then a hands-on lesson in putting an arrangement together.

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he Jane Austen Festival returns to the city this month, celebrating its tenth anniversary with some extra special events. For a full programme of events, further information and ticket information visit: www.janeausten.co.uk Highlights include: • A Very Private Public Breakfast: Sample the delights of an 18th century public breakfast.

• The Festival Country Fayre: Learn how to use a quill pen and seal your letters, have your silhouette cut, and purchase a dress pattern, hat or ribbon.

• From China to Chintz – Tea with Jane Austen: China tea, cucumber sandwiches, scones, preserves and delicious cake – all served in an elegant Regency dining room swathed in chintz.

STUDY LANGUAGES IN BATH

Evening classes starting September in

• JAPANESE • ITALIAN • • GERMAN • FRENCH • • SPANISH • CHINESE •

St Gregory’s Catholic College, Odd Down, Bath, BA2 8PA

For information contact 07894 913322 or email: info@languagesinbath.co.uk

BRIDGE SCHOOL OF BATH

Bridge Lessons at BRLSI in Queen Square

New classes start late September 2010 Beginners and Improvers welcome LEARN TO PLAY / IMPROVE YOUR BRIDGE Christine MacFarlane (EBUTA)

www.bathbridge.com Tel: 01761 451327

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Bath Artists’ Studios Open Studios 2010 25-26 Sep • 11AM – 5PM Private View 24 Sep • 6-9PM

Join us for our annual Open Studios event, as we unlock/unbar/unfasten/unbolt and generally throw open the doors to our studios.

Futures Fund raffle - £1 a ticket!

Purchase tickets over the weekend for a chance to win a range of prizes donated by BAS artists.

Visit www.bathartistsstudios.co.uk for full list of prizes.

Bath Artists' Studios The Old Malthouse, Comfortable Place, Upper Bristol Road, Bath BA1 3AJ 01225 482480 admin@bathartistsstudios.co.uk • bathartistsstudios.co.uk

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ARTSandEXHIBITIONS CHINESE CERAMICS AND THE EARLY MODERN WORLD

Kangxi export for Middle Eastern market

The Museum of East Asian Art 12 Bennett Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 464640 www.meaa.org.uk

4 September – 12 December Between 1300 and 1800, ceramic objects manufactured at southern Chinese kilns were some of the most universally desired products in the world. Chinese Ceramics and the Early Modern World, in partnership with The University of Warwick’s Global Jingdezhen Project, traces the remarkable journeys of Chinese ceramics throughout the early modern world.

SEASCAPES Thomas Barker, The Gypsy Girl, at the Victoria Art Gallery

ADOPT A PICTURE 2010

ROUNDABOUT ART TRAIL

Victoria Art Gallery

By Pulteney Bridge, Bath. Please see the Adopt a Picture booklet in the Upper Gallery or visit www.victoriagal.org.uk for a complete guide to the pictures available for adoption.

Various locations in Keynsham, Saltford and surrounding areas Full details, including a map of locations, can be found at www.roundaboutarttrail.co.uk

11 and 12 September, 11am – 6pm A unique opportunity to adopt a painting from the Victoria Art Gallery’s collection, to restore it to its former glory and to see your name credited (if you so wish) alongside the picture whenever it is displayed. All public galleries have a backlog of conservation work needing to be carried out. The Adopt a Picture scheme is unique in allowing an organisation or individual to take a work needing conservation under their wing. The adopter covers the costs of restoration – sometimes for as little as £140. For a modest additional sum (£140 including VAT) the gallery may be able to arrange to lend you the restored work for one year. Since the Adopt a Picture Scheme began in 2004, 70 works of art have been restored. They are now either hanging in the permanent collection, displayed in the draw cabinets or in the picture stores, awaiting their turn in the spotlight. Some paintings have been restored by a collection of people, so you can also give a donation to pay towards an expensive restoration and have your name added to the plaque and on the website.

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This popular annual art trail brings together artists, residents and visitors to celebrate the diverse creativity available. Discover watercolours, ceramics, textiles, stained glass, sculpture and much more. There will be opportunities to talk with the artists and maybe make a purchase.

MICHELE WHITING: HOLLOW Sion Hill Bath School of Art and Design.

Amanda Hoskin, Evening Sky, Lands End

Red Rag Modern Art Gallery Brock Street, Bath.

19 September – 3 October An exhibition of contemporary interpretation and experience of seascapes by established and emerging contemporary artists.

PHILIP COLE: PAINTINGS AND BRONZES Walcot Chapel Gallery Walcot Street, Bath.

13 – 17 September Hollow is a multiple-screen moving image work, shown in a groundbreaking new format. It reflects several years of in-depth investigation into a particular rural site on the edge of Salisbury plain.

Durational video is combined with performance and used intriguingly to engage multiple layers of information. The installation is accompanied by a series of lyrical photographic prints mounted on aluminium.

27 September – 3 October Philip Cole is an established Sheffield artist producing figurative oil paintings and bronzes. The paintings at this exhibition are all new and show his passion for the limitless variety of human movement and gesture.

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Philip Cole, Paintings and Bronzes Walcot Chapel Gallery, Walcot Street, Bath BA1 5UG Exhibition dates; Monday 27th September - Sunday 3rd October 10am - 6pm

www.personalpast.co.uk Philip Cole is an established Sheffield artist producing figurative oil paintings and bronzes, both for commission and exhibition.

The paintings here are all new and show his passion for the limitless variety of human movement and gesture, expressed in the equally subtle medium of oil colour.

There are portraits, and also a series of joyful paintings of the dynamic child we all feel is present within us even as our bodies get older.

These works vary in size from one to six feet high.There is also the unusual opportunity to buy a small part of a large painting and take it away with you.

61 Walcot St. Bath BA1 5BN 01225 463144

Fine Furniture, Glass, Sculptures and Paintings WWW.THEBATHMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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ARTSandEXHIBITIONS JUDITH CAIN: PAINTER, TRAVELLER, GARDENER

Jessica Cooper, Spontaneity is Good

Chapel Row Gallery 6 Chapel Row, off Queen Square, Bath.

Tel: 01225 480114 www.chapelrowgallery.com

Until 14 September Leeds painter Judith Cain’s travels over the last seven years have taken her to Kazakhstan, Laos, Ecuador and Mexico as well to Scotland and particular gardens or landscapes have provided the starting point for the majority of paintings in this exhibition. Her paintings, like her garden, are orderly and carefully composed to please the eye and prompt the imagination. Using watercolour and acrylics she achieves fresh, vibrant work that contains and evokes memories.

JESSICA COOPER RWA: BECAUSE I LOVE TO PAINT Edgar Modern Bartlett Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 443746 www.edgarmodern.com

SOLO EXHIBITIONS AND NEW SCULPTURES Beaux Arts 12 – 13 York Street, Bath.

Tel: 01225 464850 www.beauxartsbath.co.uk

13 – 28 September Cooper’s third solo show with Edgar Modern features some 30 new paintings which document her life from January until July 2010. This body of work includes still-life and landscape painted with her trademark understated clarity and minimalism.

4 September – 16 October Solo exhibitions by Breon O’Casey and Conor Walton, and new sculptures by Simon Allen and ceramics by Jill Fanshawe Kato.

LIFE, LOVE AND FASHION

Judith Cain, In and Around Almaty II

OPEN STUDIOS Bath Artists’ Studios The Old Malthouse, Comfortable Place, Upper Bristol Road, Bath. Tel: 01225 482480 www.bathartistsstudios.co.uk

Bath Fine Art 35 Gay Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 461230 www.bathfineart.com

4 – 17 September A diverse collection of bronzes from the best in the natural world by renowned wildlife sculptor Ian Edwards, to humorous takes on modern life, love and fashion by Sara Ingleby-McKenzie. Paintings from Mike Hindle and the late Mark Leach complement the sculpture.

25 and 26 September, 11am – 5pm A chance to visit studios and workshops, explore the site, talk to artists and exchange ideas. Don’t miss the opportunity to purchase and commission work directly from the artists and experience the breadth of the artistic output.

12 September – November

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Chapel Row Gallery 6 Chapel Row, off Queen Square, Bath. Tel: 01225 480114

The Holburne Portrait Prize, the museum’s biennial competition for portrait artists in the south west, has become one of the region’s most prestigious awards for painting. This year’s exhibition, the Holburne’s fifth, has been narrowed down from over 60 entries. An inspiring showcase for both established and new talent.

Demuths Vegetarian Restaurant 2 North Parade Passage, Bath.

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THE HOLBURNE PORTRAIT PRIZE EXHIBITION 2010

18 September – 12 October

JOY DE BERKER

Joy de Berker is a contemporary artist working from her home, a short walk from the beautiful St Catherine’s Valley close to Bath. She works in oils and this particular exhibition now showing at Demuths will display her current paintings Joy de Berker, Poppies at Llanhydrock inspired by a garden theme. A secluded corner of exotic plants; a walled vegetable garden; a still life with views of a formal, statued garden all bring together Joy’s love of the natural world and a subtle richness of design and colour.

Simon Allen, Callisto, white gold on carved wood

LOCAL ARTISTS’ EXHIBITION

Sara Ingleby-McKenzie, Pudding

DAMIEN HIRST: LIMITED EDITION PRINTS The White Room Gallery Brock Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 331 500 www.thewhiteroomgallery.com

4 – 22 September A rare opportunity to view a collection of etchings, woodcuts and screen prints by the UK’s most infamous contemporary artist, Damien Hirst. The exhibition will feature the iconic diamond skull.

Bay Tree Gallery 48 St Margaret’s Street, Bradford on Avon. Tel: 01225 864918

3 – 19 September An exhibition of work by three local artists: Alan Peacock, Sasha Wardell and Rowan Isaac. Sasha Wardell is internationally famous for her delicate work in bone china, Rowan Isaac will be showcasing his sensitive photographs, and Alan Peacock’s surreal small oil paintings are allegorical and fantastical.

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“Hillside, Silves” by Charles Jamieson MFA PAI PPAI

Lime Tree Gallery, 84 Hotwell Road, Bristol BS8 4UB

Tel 0117 929 2527

www.limetreegallery.com

Peter McGrath Exhibition 11th - 25th Sept

12 Perry Road, Bristol, BS1 5BG. Tel: 0117 377 1470 info@cube-gallery.co.uk • www.cube-gallery.co.uk all exhibition images can be viewed online

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CITYexhibition

STORIES of WAR A major retrospective of work by Somerset-based photographer Don McCullin comes to the Victoria Art Gallery this month

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F

rom the Cuban missile crisis to the killing fields of Cambodia, among American GIs in Vietnam and Palestinian refugees in Beirut, alongside the bereaved, the starving and the dispossessed in Biafra, Bangladesh, Cyprus – Don McCullin has been there, recording the effects of conflict on humanity over half a century.

His haunting portraits of GIs in south east Asia stand as a stark testament to the young men who went overseas to fight a fast war against communism and came back – if they came back at all – with the thousand-mile stare of the brutalised and the shell-shocked. And then there are the faces of grieving mothers and bewildered children caught up in wars that they neither want nor understand.

They are stunning, often terribly beautiful, images, but what sets them apart is their compassion for the subjects. McCullin says: “Photography for me is not looking, it’s feeling. If you can’t feel what you’re looking at, then you’re never going to get others to feel anything when they look at your pictures.”

There is no doubt that McCullin, who now lives in Shepton Mallet, is one of Britain’s greatest photographers.

For 50 years his photographs have shaped our awareness of modern conflict and its consequences. Today, despite leaving photojournalism to explore other photographic genres, his work continues to be influenced by his experiences: his life has been ‘shaped by war’.

If you can’t feel what you’re ❝ looking at, then you’re never going to get others to feel anything when they look at your pictures Main image, opposite, US troops, Friedrichstrasse, Berlin, 1961; above left, Cuban missile crisis protester, London, 1962; above right, US Marine, Hue, Vietnam, 1968; far right, Grieving woman with young boy, Cyprus, 1964 (detail) © Don McCullin

❞

That is the fitting title of a touring exhibition that comes to the Victoria Art Gallery this month. Timed to coincide with his 75th birthday, the show explores McCullin’s story and sets his work in context.

More than 100 photographs have been printed specially for the show by McCullin. They reveal the full range of his work, from his early years in working class north London and evacuation in 1940 to the Somerset countryside, to his hardhitting work for The Sunday Times Magazine, followed by the reflective landscapes and still lifes of the last two decades.

The show also includes personal memorabilia on loan from Don McCullin, such as his Vietnam army helmet and boots,

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press passes and deportation orders, and a Nikon F camera that saved his life by taking a bullet when he was in Cambodia in 1970.

Unlike a number of his fellow photographers, McCullin never carried a gun himself – much to the amazement of the American troops he lived among in Vietnam. His role, he has always maintained, was as an objective observer of conflict, not an active participant.

Victoria Art Gallery manager Jon Benington agrees. He said: “Don McCullin, one of Somerset’s most famous residents, had an uncanny knack for penetrating to the heart of any conflict situation, without taking sides.

“His compassionate lens reveals the human impact of the events he witnessed, rattling otherwise complacent cages and lingering long in the memory.”

Shaped by War, which began life earlier this year at the Imperial War Museum North in Manchester, will run from September 11 – 21 November at the gallery, which is run by Bath & North East Somerset Council. Admission is free, and opening times are: Tuesday to Saturday 10am – 5pm and 1.30 – 5pm on Sundays.

A free audioguide tour of the exhibition, narrated by Don McCullin will be available. ■ More information at: www.victoriagal.org.uk

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A DVERTOR IA L FEAT U R E

Derek Swift and Mike Richardson

Celebration Time Bath accountancy firm Richardson Swift celebrated its first anniversary in August.

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he firm, founded by directors Mike Richardson and Derek Swift, now supports clients as far afield as Berkshire, Hampshire, East Sussex as well as the US, UAE, Spain, France and Germany, though around 90 per cent of clients are based in Bath and the surrounding areas. Our clients range from private individuals, self-employed sole traders and independent businesses to groups of companies with multi-million pound turnovers.

very difficult to repay borrowings as originally anticipated.

By working with the owners we were able to partially restructure the business so that tax relief is available in the early years of trading instead of on sale and to shelter tax at higher income tax rates rather than those rates applying to capital gains.

This produced a tax efficient outcome and because of the quality of the business will mean that the ongoing shareholder retains the company without mortgaging himself for years to come.

In these challenging times we have experienced unprecedented growth thanks primarily to the quality and enthusiasm of our fantastic team, as well as invaluable support from our clients, local banks and a network of other professionals.

The year has produced a number of challenges for us and our clients and we would like to share just a small sample of the many occasions where we have been able to assist.

Proactive Tax Advice In April a new client approached us having acquired a business for more than £1.5m and subsequently being advised that it would not be possible to claim tax relief on the purchase of the goodwill until an eventual sale, and even then at capital gains tax rates (10%). The resulting annual tax charge would have made it WWW.THEBATHMAGAZINE.CO.UK

hoped to acquire the shares without the need for equity finance and new shareholders. This was a prospect that seemed beyond the company but we were able to structure a deal that enabled the company to purchase its own shares from the shareholder by using finance provided by the bank over a period of time. We were also able to utilise the Government’s Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme for some of the funding.

We are always keen to meet new business owners or private individuals. To arrange an initial meeting, please call Mike Richardson, Derek Swift or Andy Willis on 01225 325580 or email info@richardsonswift.co.uk.

Bank Support for Share Reorganisation In July we were able to help a long established client company achieve a rare thing these days - a shareholder’s buy out using funds provided by a big four bank.

The major shareholder of a well known supplier of ironmongery to the building trade wished to retire and the ongoing shareholder

www.richardsonswift.co.uk 11 Laura Place, Bath BA2 4BL 01225 325 580 SEPTEMBER 2010

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CITYbusiness

Organic home store opens

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uma is to open its first shop outside the capital in Milsom Place, building on the success of its destination store in London. Luma is a luxury lifestyle store, specialising in organic and fair-trade cotton, linens, gifts furniture and home wares. The company’s ethical credentials are impeccable, sourcing from remote communities, drawing on traditional skills developed over generations.

Owner Alison Satasi says: “Every piece we sell has a story behind it. Ours is a personal business; by getting to know the people who make the products and how they are treated, we are able to work in partnership with our suppliers.”

Opening in mid September, Luma will occupy a prime site opposite Jamie’s Italian, replacing Salcombe Trading, which is moving a few doors along off Milsom Place into larger premises on nearby Broad Street. North Bath has a strong homeware presence, with Redwood Bay and Quadri in Milsom Place, Rossiters and Mandarin Stone among others nearby.

Consultancy puts writers first

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ddendum Writers’ Consultancy is a resource for writers looking for editorial advice, guidance and feedback on works in progress.

Sarah Westcott, Addendum’s director, is an experienced editor and publisher, having worked at some of London’s most prestigious publishing houses as a senior commissioning and acquiring editor. She believes the pressure on agents and publishers to find ‘marketable product’ has meant the traditional relationship between writer and agent, and even writer and editor, has changed dramatically. “‘It is considered to be the exception, rather than the rule these days, for editors to work closely on text with their authors.

“When I started out in publishing in the mid-80s, a book could be accepted for publication in the knowledge that there was still work to be done.

Increasingly, the expectation is that a manuscript will be 98 per cent ready before it reaches an editor’s desk. Equally, many agents are able to offer valuable editorial insight in order to bring an author’s work up to standard prior to submission to publishers, but in an ever tougher marketplace, it is simply not a viable option for agents to spend time working

editorially with an author with no guarantee that they will make a sale.”

With this in mind, Addendum seeks to bridge that gap and help writers to achieve the best possible end result with the benefit of the knowledge of an industry professional.

“I have always found working with writers hugely rewarding, whether they are experienced or first timers,” says Sarah. “To be honest, I admire anyone who is prepared to take on the challenge of writing a book and consider the editing process to be a collaborative one. Sometimes, all that is needed to take a manuscript on to the next level is some constructive, honest feedback and a little direction.”

Addendum provides a manuscript appraisal service. A short report discusses global issues to do with, for example, marketability or suitability for the genre, while a long report goes into more detail concerning narrative structure, characterisation and style. Fiction and non-fiction are welcomed. It is also possible to access a full manuscript edit and help with preparation of synopses and sample material.

Sarah can be contacted on tel: 07527 545582 or visit: www.addendum.org.uk

New partner joins Bath law firm

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ath-based law firm Mowbray Woodwards has appointed Patrick Mears, pictured right, as commercial partner. Patrick – who joined the practice in January as head of the commercial team – specialises in advising clients on corporate and commercial matters including company mergers, acquisitions and disposals, commercial contracts and commercial property transactions.

Patrick brings with him over 12 years of wellhoned commercial expertise. During his legal career he has held positions in some of most prominent law firms in the City and the south west. He has acquired an extremely wide range of experience, including the retail, leisure, office, development and voluntary sectors.

Tracey Smith, managing partner at Mowbray Woodwards, said: “My fellow partners and I are

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extremely pleased to welcome Patrick to the partnership.

Patrick is highly respected as a lawyer both locally and further afield, and has already made a significant contribution to the growth of our business. We are confident that he has the right qualities to strengthen our operation and build on the foundations already established for continued expansion in the years to come.”

News in brief

■ Charities and community groups, including a pre-school and a counselling service, are set to benefit from grant allocations from a local award scheme.

Since 2006 Bath Building Society has been allocating cash grants to groups working within the local community, and this year a diverse range of organisations have been successful in their applications. This year Barnaby Pre-School was allocated the top award of £1,500. Chief executive Dick Jenkins said: “It is our aim to support a range of charities and to make a series of small but meaningful contributions that will benefit as many people as possible.”

For more information, visit: www.bathbuildingsociety.co.uk/ community.html ■ Camilla Atkins has joined Monahans Financial Services in Bath as an independent financial adviser (IFA). She will offer the whole portfolio of financial planning products, while developing strong links with business partners.

Camilla said: “My objective is to further develop our profile in Bath by offering effective, tailored financial solutions to our clients.” Monahans Financial Services has IFAs for both personal and business clients. For more information visit: www.monahans-fsl.co.uk or tel: 01225 785570.

■ Bath Festivals has announced the appointment of a new chief executive, Belinda Kidd, who is to start in November.

Belinda will have responsibility for Bath’s annual International Music Festival, Literature Festival and Festival of Children’s Literature, as well as the box office and a year-round learning and participation programme. Belinda said: “I’m delighted to be involved with such a dynamic and varied set of festivals and look forward to bringing the best and most exciting art to Bath. In particular I want to achieve an even higher national profile for the festivals, and to increase opportunities for local people to get involved in what we do and be proud of the festivals’ success.”

■ The Big Wigs challenge has recently been announced by Sue Ryder Care and Farscape Development. The charity event will see local business people compete to make as much money as possible for the charity, by any (legal) means available.

The participants will begin with £50 and have four months to turn that amount into as large a figure as possible. If you are interested in taking part contact: samantha.boardman@suerydercare.org

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A DVERTOR IA L FEAT U R E

How can you have an amicable divorce - whilst blaming your spouse for the breakup?

By Richard Sharp, Sharp Family Law www.sharpfamilylaw.com Richard Sharp of Sharp Family Law helps separating and divorcing clients, who want to avoid prolonged conflict, to reach solutions that work for them and their families

P

op singer, Cheryl Cole’s divorce from her England footballer husband Ashley would be “clean, swift, amicable and smooth” reported national newspapers earlier this summer. And yet the divorce papers filed on her behalf were said to cite the reason for the break-up of the marriage as being Ashley Cole’s “unreasonable behaviour”.

If Cheryl truly wanted an amicable and smooth divorce, Ashley may have wondered why irreconcilable differences or the like wasn’t cited as the reason for the divorce. Few like to be accused of behaving so badly that their partner cannot ‘reasonably’ be expected to live with them.

Divorce in England & Wales is based on a marriage having “broken down irretrievably” Every so often, at my family law practice in Bath and Bristol, I am approached by clients who say they want a divorce based on “irreconcilable differences”. They are in an unhappy marriage and just want to bring it to an end. I explain that it is not possible to obtain a divorce based on “irreconcilable differences” in the divorce courts of England and Wales.

Divorce in England and Wales is based on a marriage having “broken down irretrievably”.

But there is a complication. This breakdown WWW.THEBATHMAGAZINE.CO.UK

must be proved by evidencing only one of five “facts” laid down by the law. They are adultery, unreasonable behaviour, desertion, two years’ separation with consent and five years’ separation without consent.

Three of these methods of proof – desertion, two (with consent) and five years’ separation – involve a considerable period of delay (at least two years) before a divorce is possible at all.

Similarly, adultery can only be relied upon if it too has taken place. As the latest published figures (2008) from the Office of National Statistics on divorce rates in England and Wales show, unreasonable behaviour is the method of choice for most couples in cases where no adultery can be proved and a divorce is wanted sooner rather than later. Not a new revelation but one that has again encouraged family law practitioners to call for reform to the current divorce law.

I recently worked with a husband from Bath who was separating from his wife. They had decided their marriage had irretrievably broken down. To help them work through the legal, financial and practical issues arising from their decision, they adopted the dispute resolution process known as Collaborative Law Practice.

At a face-to-face meeting between them, her collaborative family solicitor and I, we discussed how to prove that the marriage had irretrievably broken down for the purposes of a divorce. The lawyers helped the husband and the wife together draft allegations of the unreasonable behaviour that were not unnecessarily confrontational and yet fulfilled the requirements of a District Judge sitting in the Bath Divorce Court. A task not so easily done at a distance.

Despite the apparent fault-based divorce process, the approach of collaborative law enabled this divorcing couple to meet their goal and achieve an amicable divorce.

My practice, at Sharp Family Law, is devoted to helping separating and divorcing couples to find creative solutions to their issues, which with the help and support of the required professional at an affordable cost, are crafted by them – and not the divorce courts.

For a free copy of “A Client’s Guide to Collaborative Divorce” contact Richard Sharp on 01225 870336 or email him at richard@sharpfamilylaw.com

sharp F A M I LY L A W Sharp Family Law: Helping clients to reach solutions 3 Miles’s Buildings, Bath, BA1 2QS email: richard@sharpfamilylaw.com m: 07798 606740 t: 01225 870336 website: www.sharpfamilylaw.com blog: www.familylawcollaborativedivorce.co.uk SEPTEMBER 2010

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EDITOR REQUIRED A Superb Opportunity

The Bath Magazine, The Bristol Magazine Every month we produce two of the UK’s finest and most respected city lifestyle magazines.

We now have an outstanding full time opportunity for a talented, accomplished and highly enthusiastic editor to take a lead role in continuing our success.

As well as all conceivable editorial functions you will be central to the magazines’ development and must be fully committed to every aspect of this figurehead role.

Well educated, cultured and well spoken, you will be very personable, and be able to lead from the front, setting the topics and the tone of every magazine using your in-depth knowledge of our cities. The Editor must also be a strategic thinker and understand our commercial responsibilities.

Additional to all of the above, you will also need to be highly proficient with magazine production and workflow, work to deadlines... (often ‘til late) and be fully capable of laying out pages using Quark and Photoshop on a Mac based system We are passionate about what we do...we are loved by our readers and the work is hard but highly rewarding.

Salary will range from £25 - £30k according to experience.

To apply for this position, please email your CV with a covering letter to:

Steve Miklos, Director, MC Publishing Ltd. • email: director@thebathmagazine.co.uk (NO AGENCIES)

g{xbÄw fv{ÉÉÄ

A Real Holiday Retreat

The Old School House is a large traditional French house in ABONDANCE - a ‘real’ village with artisan baker, butcher, small supermarket, restaurants and bars. Local ski-ing in the village and the 650kms Portes du Soleil (Chatel, Avoriaz, Morzine) 10 minutes up the road. Wonderful walking and breathtaking views all year round.

Self Catering £500 - £2000 a week.

Huge living room with open fire and brand new kitchen area.

5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms.

visit www.ourhouseinthealps.com For further information contact Marion 01225 723123 Email mjw_cooper@yahoo.co.uk

Book now for Autumn 2010 42 THEBATHMAGAZINE

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INVESTMENTmatters

A DVERTOR IA L FEAT U R E

Is your investment strategy damaging your wealth?

Research shows that the average investor is damaging their wealth by using an active fund management service, buying when the market is high, selling when it is low and overlooking the benefits of tax planning.

In this article Mike Bond of Rutherford Wilkinson Chartered Financial Planners outlines some aspects of investing which systematically damage wealth and some simple “rules” to improve your wealth management.

Systematically damaging wealth – something to think about

planning, to avoid unnecessary taxation, is extremely important.

• Active fund management, on average, delivers less than the market return • Buying high and selling low leads to significant underperformance against the market – around 4% a year below the market!

• The market beats most professionally managed equity funds • The average cost of investing in UK equity funds exceeds 3% a year • Past performance tells you almost nothing • Picking winning funds and fund managers is like finding the needle in the proverbial haystack • Last year’s winners are generally next year’s losers Market return is the investment return from using an index such as the FTSE All Share.

This begs the question; why would you pay the costs of active management when returns, on average, are at or below the market?

To be fair, there are a small number of managers, such as Anthony Bolton in the UK and Warren Buffett in the USA who have excellent track records with active fund management. The challenge is picking such winners in advance.

THE COSTS INVOLVED* The following is an example of the costs involved between an actively managed (high cost fund) and an indexed fund (low cost passive investment fund).

Costs __________________________ Initial charge ____________________ Initial amount invested ____________ Annual management fee __________ Other expenses __________________ Total expense ratio ______________ Turnover ________________________ Turnover costs __________________ Total annual costs ________________ Nominal return __________________ Real return before costs __________ Real return after costs ____________

Low cost fund ________________ 0% __________________________ £10,000 ______________________ 0.10% ________________________ 0.20% ________________________ 0.30% ________________________ 5.0% ________________________ 0.08% ________________________ 0.38% ________________________ 10.00% ______________________ 7.00% ________________________ 6.62% ________________________

The important point here is that the total annual costs (highlighted) are what comes out of the investor’s pocket reducing the performance of the investment. The difference when compounded over time is significant Turnover costs relates to the additional costs of buying and selling stocks. It is not unusual for an active fund manager to turnover all of their stocks each year as they seek to beat the market. More costs coming out of the investor’s pocket!

What is passive investment?

It’s a method of managing an investment portfolio that seeks to select properly diversified securities that will remain relatively unchanged over long periods of time. Passive 44 THEBATHMAGAZINE

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High cost fund 5% £10,000 1.50% 0.30% 1.80% 100% 1.50% 3.30% 10.00% 7.00% 3.70%

investment management involves minimal trading, minimum costs and the likelihood of market returns.

By investing in an indexed fund you achieve market return without the costs of active management.

Why would you choose active management?

Why would you pay these costs when research shows that you are unlikely to get more than the average market return by following an active management strategy? Has someone got their hands in your portfolio pockets taking away wealth?

Unfortunately it doesn’t end with the costs shown. If you make a gain the government will be after their share in the form of taxes so tax

Some simple “rules” to improve your wealth Here are some simple “rules” of investment to help you improve your wealth Ensure that you achieve tax free returns wherever possible by investing in ISAs and investments that allow you to use your annual capital gains tax allowance. This could save you between £1,818 and £2,828 each year.

Make sure your investment strategy is aligned to an appropriate investment wrapper. If you are using an insurance bond ask why.

Make sure your tax status matches your strategy it can significantly increase your return.

Don’t be misled by fund performance fact sheets. All they show is the raw past performance. No account is taken of your personal tax position. In some cases this could reduce the gain by 40% or more. Check the return after tax of different tax wrappers.

Use a low cost approach and keep more of your money invested for your benefit.

Consider indexed funds, reduce costs to the absolute minimum and keep more money in your pocket. *Table taken from Smarter Investing, Tim Hale 2009

If this has got you thinking about your investments and you need more information and guidance, or you would like to attend one of my investment seminars, please call 01225 444707 or email me at mike.bond@rwpfg.co.uk Rutherford Wilkinson Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority

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A DVERTOR IA L FEAT U R E

A Christmas Party with Bubbles!

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or many companies the duty of organizing the staff Christmas party can be a real chore for the person who draws the short straw. However Bubble once again may be able to provide you with the perfect Christmas party solution and take away all the aggravation of arranging the annual staff do.

Really good fun, thank ❝ you BUBBLE for a brilliant night ❞ Following the success of their 2009 events, Bubble Christmas Parties are once again holding their 2010 ‘Christmas at the Winter Palace’ events in Bath So if you are looking for a Christmas do with a difference and a guaranteed great fun packed night, then look no further. From the 3rd of December, nine fabulous nights of festive fun, delicious food and great entertainment will take place in Bath’s most unique and lavish venue.

Guests will enter the Winter Palace through the new Enchanted Forest reception area into the main venue where they can explore the

Bubble’s Christmas ❝ party was the best Christmas party we have ever attended

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❞

intriguing depths of a magical winter wonderland with its icicle lined ceiling and breathtaking atmospheric lighting effects. The luxury solid sided marquee where the events are held can accommodate up to 450 people per night, and with companies of all sizes, groups of friends, and guests of all ages booking tables, the Winter Palace has an atmosphere that is unrivalled by any other Christmas party venue in the region.

Party guests will enjoy a delicious 4 course meal, prepared by an award winning chef, followed by an evening of great entertainment to suit all tastes and ages. Guests can relax at the unique oxygen bar, show off their dancing skills with the fantastic house band and disco, or try to beat their colleagues at the casino tables. Bubble’s attractive costumed hosts and hostesses will be there to charm guests. The hilarious Bucking Bronco Reindeer is back after its incredible popularity at the 2009 parties. Together with face painting, glitter makeup artists, head and shoulders massages, as well as dancing Christmas characters a night at the Winter Palace promises to be an unforgettable night filled with fabulous entertainment.

“Following the success of our 2009 parties we wanted to make our 2010 Christmas parties

even better, making the Winter Palace even more stunning and pushing further with the Bubble trademark of lots of varied and fun entertainments at a great value price. Making sure all our guests have a great time is what we do, and Bubble Parties do it very well” Richard Norris, Managing Director, Bubble Christmas Parties.

Thank you for a ❝ unique and fantastic Christmas venue, we will definitely be booking again for 2010

❞

Bubble Christmas Parties are still taking bookings however places are filling up fast so phone 0845 3670020 for more information or take a look at their website www.bubblechristmasparties.co.uk

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CITYmarkets

COMMITTEDto COMMUNITY Britain’s oldest farmers’ market is thriving in the former Green Park station building: Elizabeth Grant goes shopping...

A

fter closing as a railway station in 1966, Green Park resonated as a nostalgic representation of Bath’s thriving past. Since then, under the management of The Ethical Property Company, the station has evolved with Bath’s growing sense of community, quality and sustainability, to once again become a platform for local life and culture.

The station now houses a plethora of successful retail and market businesses, and has become principally famous for playing host to the internationally acclaimed Bath Farmers’ Market – the longest-running farmers’ market in Britain.

The market is home to a wide series of charming farming companies and communities, from Greens of Glastonbury to Upton Cheyney Chilli Company, sourcing quality produce from shitake mushrooms to award-winning patés, meats and marmalades from all over Somerset.

Now in its 13th year, the flourishing market seems to be neither fazed nor deterred by the concept of recession. Instead, the interactive shopping experience has allowed the market to evolve into an entire community where, week after week, shoppers continue to return.

The market shows that people ❝ can change their shopping habits to become more grounded in their community

❞

What gives this market its irresistible pull is each and every farmer’s commitment to sustainable practices, their environmentally friendly produce and their originality. On top of this, the real joy behind the market is that customers can deal with the same traders and discover the personal recommendations behind ingredients, cooking and complementary flavours.

Ethical Property’s regional manager, Janine Woodward, explains: “The market shows that people can change their

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Traders and customers enjoy the sense of continuity at Bath Farmers’ Market

shopping habits to become more grounded in their community.

This creates a really enjoyable shopping experience – a truly ‘super’ market. Be warned, though, with so much chatting and laughter it can take longer to buy your food!”

Market manager Laura Loxton also attributes both traders’ and customers’ dedication to the sustainable concept behind the market. “Customers are far more knowledgeable than ever before,” she says. “People want to feel assured that what they are buying is good quality and trustworthy.

“Here, they can ask the farmer how the cattle are raised, how the chickens have been kept and if any additives, pesticides or herbicides have been used throughout any stage of the farming experience.”

Traders and customers agree that the future for the Bath Farmers’ Market looks bright, due to an impeccable faith in the niche position in which the market resides, and the public’s love for quality produce, sourced and reared close to home. ■ Bath Farmers’ Market takes place every Saturday at Green Park Station between 8.30am and 1.30pm. For more information: www.bathfarmersmarket.co.uk

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GASTROguide Linguine with Garlic, Prawns and Spinach

This month’s recipe is from Gino D’Acampo, one of a bevy of celebrity chefs taking part in next month’s Love Cooking Festival in Bristol (www.lovecookingfestival.com). Gino says: “The mistake people often make with this pasta dish is to use cooked prawns instead of raw ones. The prawns need to be raw so they can absorb the flavours of the garlic and the lemons and yet still be juicy and tender. Substitute the linguine with spaghetti if you fancy and make sure that you use a good-quality extra virgin olive oil for the best flavour.”

Serves 4 Ingredients 300g linguine salt and freshly ground black pepper 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 garlic clove, sliced 150g spinach leaves 400g uncooked prawns, peeled 4 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon 10 cherry tomatoes, quartered Method Cook the pasta in a large saucepan in plenty of boiling salted water until al dente.

Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, heat the oil over a medium heat and fry the garlic for 1 minute until golden. Add the spinach and cook for a further 2 minutes.

Add the prawns with the parsley and season with salt and pepper. Stir well and continue to cook for 2 minutes.

Once the pasta is cooked, drain and add to the frying pan, then lower the heat.

Add the lemon zest and cherry tomatoes and stir everything together for 30 seconds. Serve immediately.

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A fabulous flavour of France

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ne of the joys of a holiday in France is that ultimate Gallic brasserie favourite, steak frites washed down with a carafe of local wine.

Now Bathonians can replicate the experience in true French style at The Moon & Sixpence in Milsom Place.

Back when it was still hot and sunny, The Bath Magazine tasting team spent a delightful lunch hour on the terrace, tucking in to a beautifully cooked (very, very rare) entrecote steak, served with brandy and peppercorn sauce (you can choose Stilton sauce if you’d rather), a massive bowl of golden French fries and a generous green salad with crunchy olive oil croutons.

The brasserie steak frites lunch (or supper) deal also includes a 25cl carafe of Domaine de Cassagnoles, white or red, a Gascon wine that’s especially good at lunchtime – light and fresh, without missing out on flavour.

It was all quite delicious; service included plenty of iced water and freshly

baked bread – and the whole lot comes in at just £14.95 a head.

And that, mes amis, is what I call a bargain! ■

Try a taste of France at the Moon and Sixpence

The Moon & Sixpence, 27 Milsom Place Tel: 01225 320088 www.moonandsixpence.co.uk

It’s the PLACE to be for Macmillan Milsom Place is supporting Macmillan’s annual fundraising event, the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning.

The Moon & Sixpence, Redwood Bay and YO! Sushi (where geishas will be serving coffee and Japanese pastries) are donating all coffee sales for the morning of Friday 24 September – so make a date to meet up with some friends and raise money for a great cause.

Leave some time for retail therapy and call in at Phase Eight and Quadri to enter their prize draw.

Image will be serving up coffee and cake all morning and the Anemone flower stall will have a bunch of cupcakes and muffins for sale in aid of Macmillan.

Macmillan Cancer Support improves the lives of people affected by cancer by providing practical, medical and financial support and lobbying nationally for better cancer care.

The More4Macmillan fundraising team are also holding ‘Bath’s Big Swish’ event on Thursday 16 September at The Octagon. Swishing, where you swap, not shop, enables you to get rid of fashion items you no longer want and expand your wardrobe at the same time. It’s fun, good for the environment and raises funds for an excellent charity. Tickets are £8; booking and more details from: more4macmillan@yahoo.co.uk or tel: 07813 047656 or 07707 396914.

●

Spa hotel appoints award-winning chef

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annatyne’s Charlton House has appointed the current Scottish Banqueting Chef of the Year, Duncan McKay, pictured left, as its new head chef.

Duncan, who joins the Somerset spa hotel from Ayr Racecourse, will start his tenure by creating a new value for money fine dining menu largely based on locally sourced ingredients. He will continue the Bannatyne Group’s commitment to forging long-term relationships with local suppliers and putting their produce at the heart of his dishes.

Duncan said: “I am really looking forward to creating the new menu, which I’m sure will get a great reaction from hotel guests and people visiting from across the south west and further afield.

“I’ll be working with local suppliers to source the best meat, fish and vegetables the area has to offer. The restaurant has great potential and I will ensure it matches the style and quality of the rest of the hotel. I was instantly impressed with Bannatyne’s Charlton House when I first visited and immediately started thinking about dishes that will complement what the hotel already has to offer.”

Bannatyne’s Charlton House, Shepton Mallet Tel: 01749 342008 www.bannatyne.co.uk

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GASTROguide

Hotel opens at popular venue

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uyers House, for many years a favourite wedding venue and conference centre and well known for the Guyers House Restaurant, has now opened as a hotel.

The lovely old house in its beautiful gardens has 37 en-suite bedrooms and must be one of the prettiest hotels in Wiltshire.

“Everybody has told us there is a real need for a quality hotel in the Corsham

area,” says director Clare Hungerford, “and we aim to provide comfort and friendly service and some of the best food in the county.”

Guyers House Hotel and Restaurant is just off the Bath Road at Pickwick, on the outskirts of Corsham.

Guyers House Hotel and Restaurant, Pickwick, Corsham SN13 0PS tel: 01249 713399

Popular restaurant and conference centre Guyers House is now open as a hotel.

EVERYTHING stops for TEA Celebrity chef and bestselling cookery writer Sophie Grigson is urging people to brew and bake for charity this autumn.

She’s put forward her favourite cake recipe – Sticky Gingerbread – to encourage everyone to get creative in the kitchen for Meningitis UK’s new Time 4 Tea fundraising initiative.

The culinary action can take place at any time from September and all sorts of tasty tea-themed events are possible, from tea dances to teddy bears’

NEWS in BRIEF

picnics. Money raised from Time 4 Tea will go towards Meningitis UK’s Search 4 a Vaccine Campaign which funds cutting-edge research to find a vaccine to eradicate all forms of the disease.

Sophie, who is the patron of the Children’s Food Festival, said: “Meningitis is the disease which parents fear most.

“To find a vaccine which would protect future generations would be a wonderful achievement, which is why I’m honoured to be supporting Time 4 Tea.” For further information, and to register to hold a Time 4 Tea event, visit: www.meningitisUK.org

Demuth’s Vegetarian Cookery School is moving to the centre of Bath this month, into a wonderful Georgian building in Terrace Walk, with a super purpose-built kitchen – very light and airy and with the best ever views of Bath Abbey. The school has an exciting new programme of courses, with evening classes as well as the popular day courses. For more details, tel: 01225 427938 or visit: www.vegetariancookeryschool.com

■

■ Nibbled Catering, with the help of local volunteers, recently sponsored the ‘Great Big Tea Party’ at the Church Hall in Northend. They raised a fantastic £1,287 for the St John’s Baptist Church roof repairs fund – at the same time creating a lovely event

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where the local community got together for an afternoon of fun in the most English of ways. To find out more about Nibbled Catering visit the website at: www.nibbledcatering.com The Steve Williams Jazz Trio will be coming to Bowood Hotel, near Calne, on Sunday 5 September to launch the first in a brand new series of Sunday jazz lunches that will be featured in the Shelburne Restaurant on a monthly basis. Sunday jazz lunches are £32.50 per person, including the three-course set menu, coffee and chocolate truffles.

Reservations must be made in advance and lunch is served from 12.30pm, with last orders at 2pm. On other Sundays, a two-course menu is available at £19 per person, with a three-course menu at

■

Taste of Japan Great Western wine is hosting a sake tasting event next month, and we have FIVE pairs of tickets to give away.

Whether you have enjoyed sake before or not this is the perfect opportunity for anyone who is keen to find out what this mysterious drink from the Far East is all about.

Sake, literally translated, is ‘Japanese alcoholic beverage’, which has been taken in the West to mean a Japanese alcoholic beverage fermented from rice. You will taste different styles of sake while Wakana Omija, brand manager for Akashi-Tai sake, explains everything – from how sake is made, to the historical and cultural background of Japan’s favourite alcoholic beverage.

This event will be educational and informative but also fun and social.

No previous experience or knowledge of sake required.

The tasting is from 7.30-9.30pm at Great Western Wine, Bath, on Thursday 7 October. Tickets are £15 each from Great Western Wine on tel: 01225 322810 or visit: www.greatwesternwine.co.uk To be in with a chance of winning a pair of tickets, just answer the following question: Where does sake come from?

Email your answer, along with your name, date of birth, full address and a daytime telephone number to: competitions@thebathmagazine.co.uk to arrive by noon on Thursday 23 September.

■ You must be aged over 18 to enter this

competition. There is no cash alternative to the prize offered, and the editor’s decision is final.

£25 per person. For further details tel: 01249 822228 or visit: www.bowood.org A former trainee chef from City of Bath College has landed a job at one of the world’s finest hotels – The Ritz in London. Talented Leah Wynes studied an NVQ Level 3 advanced apprenticeship at the college, alongside working in the kitchen at Bowlish House, a ‘restaurant with rooms’ in Shepton Mallet. Despite being just 19 years old, Leah worked her way to a senior position at Bowlish House before deciding to head to London. Leah said: “I’m excited and nervous but looking forward to getting started. It’s a big step for me, but I know I can do a good job. I learned a lot of important skills at Bath College – things I still use to this day.”

■

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CITYappetite

The Chequers 50 Rivers Street, Bath BA1 2QA 01225 360017 www.thechequersbar.com

I

t had been a long day – work, Latin, unrelenting rain – but all the stress began to slip away as soon as we arrived at The Chequers, tucked away in a particularly lovely bit of Bath, just above The Circus. The pub itself is delightful, its period interior pared back to waxed wooden floors, heritage paintwork and cushioned settles.

The bar was busy and buzzy on a wet Thursday evening, with plenty of customers enjoying a drink or supper from the blackboard menu – but we were headed upstairs, to the elegant first-floor dining room and a table by one of the windows looking down on Rivers Street. Over a welcome G&T (Bombay gin, of course), we studied the menu.

“Lovely short menu. Always a good sign,” pronounced Mr F. Short it might be, but it was still incredibly difficult to choose – just one good reason, as our charming waiter pointed out, to keep coming back...

We persevered with the choosing process, and decided on lovage vichyssoise with dressed crab and creme fraiche for him, and the vegetarian starter for me. Both were remarkably good: the chilled soup was a velvety, dark green bowlful surrounding a mound of the sweetest crabmeat imaginable, while my peach and tomato salad mixed slices of fresh peach and tomato with caramelised cherry toms, amazing purple watercress (from Devizes, apparently) and – genius of geniuses – Bloody Mary sorbet.

It was a knockout combination and, it turned out, typical of head chef Leigh Evans’ imaginative work.

At just 23, Leigh is a talent to watch – he’s been cooking since he was seven, learned the basics by helping out in the kitchen of his grandparents’ pub and honed his skills at the Royal Crescent, where he worked with Gordon James.

He is one of those rare cooks who know the difference between just right and too much: so his food is interesting, punchy and full of flavour, without veering into the over-the-top realms of Mastercheffery.

Our main courses more than lived up to the starters’ promise: a slab of new season lamb, pink and meltingly tender, for Mr F; duck breast and confit leg (one of my favourite greedy treats) for me. The meat was perfectly cooked, and the vegetables treated with care and respect: peas and teeny broad beans with the lamb, plus a bowl of new potatoes cooked in butter that were simply the most scrumptious roasties ever. I only had one, or maybe two, to taste, because I had my own spring onion potato croquettes and a serving of wilted greens zizzed up with a great whack of fresh ginger. Fabulous.

The wine list at The Chequers is full of delights, too, with more than a dozen available by the glass, so while Mr F knocked back a couple of glasses of a robust rioja, I sipped chilled pinot grigio blush as we moved on to the puds. Here again, the list is short but, oh, so sweet. We chose chilled coconut rice pudding with a tart salsa of mango and passion fruit and vanilla panacotta with lavender-poached strawberries and a couple of shards of glassy caramel studded with pink peppercorns. Both desserts tasted every bit as good as they looked, and they looked amazing.

All that remained was to down a shot of industrial-strength espresso – the perfect digestif. Emerging into the night, the fact that it was still raining didn’t really seem to matter any more. ■

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THEBATHMAGAZINE We deliver to over 25,000 addresses every month. But if you live outside our distribution area or would like us to send a copy to friends or family then we are able to offer a mailing service for only £15.00 (6 issues) or £25.00 Euro zone; £30.00 (12 issues) or £50.00 Euro zone World Zone 1 £95.00 World Zone 2 £120.00 To subscribe just send a cheque payable to MC Publishing Ltd 2 Princes Buildings, George Street, Bath BA1 2ED or Telephone 01225 424 499 for card payment

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®

Est. 1980

Highly recommended by food Guides and critics

THE BATH PRIORY HOTEL RESTAURANT SPA

Wine Dinner with Executive Chef Michael Caines MBE Recipient of

Thursday 9th September Michael Caines MBE, Executive Head Chef of The Bath Priory (and sister hotel Gidleigh Park where he holds two Michelin stars) invites you to come and enjoy this exclusive evening, with one of his fabulous menus, accompanied by matching wines. £125.00 per person.

www.rajpoot.com

for three consecutive years as the best in South West and one of the 10 best in Britain OPEN DAILY including Holidays 12-2.30pm and 6pm to 11pm Friday and Saturday till 11.30pm

SPECIAL LUNCH £8.25 (Monday to Friday)

‘Fork to Fork’ Lunch - Thursday 23rd September The day begins in the gardens, with a guided tour by Chelsea awardwinning Head Gardener Jane Moore, then during lunch Executive Chef Michael Caines MBE will explain how the garden produce has been integrated into the cuisine. The combination of Jane’s horticultural prowess and the wonderful reputation which The Bath Priory holds for its exemplary cuisine makes the ‘Fork to Fork’ event a must for all gardeners and ‘foodies’ alike. Includes a two-course lunch and a glass of wine. £50.00 per person.

Bookings essential, please call 01225 478388 quoting Bath Magazine.

4 Argyle Street, Bath BA2 4BA Tel: 01225 466833 / 464758

www.rajpoot.com

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FAMILYfun children’s BOOK OF THE MONTH My Sister is an Alien by Rachel Bright, (Puffin) £6.99

OUTDOOR FILM SHOW Lansdown Cricket Pitch, Combe Down, Bath.

Keep up to date with latest information on the website: www.foreverfriendsappeal.co.uk Entry is free – suggested minimum donation of £5 per person towards NICU Space to Grow campaign.

Shrek Forever After, Saturday 25 September, gates open 6.30pm, film starts 7.30pm The Forever Friends Appeal are excited to be bringing the box office smash hit – Shrek Forever After – to the big screen. This family classic has been a big hit in the cinema and we can’t wait to see what happens in this last chapter. Donations are there to help raise the last £500,000 needed to complete the build of a new Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Royal United Hospital, Bath.

KIDS’ THEATRE The Egg, Sawclose, Bath. Box office tel: 01225 448844 or visit: www.theatreroyal.org.uk

Stories and Fables For Kids Who Like Sitting at Tables, Saturday 11 September, 11.30am and 3pm New stories written and told by a 467-year-old Middle Eastern storyteller (who looks and sounds a lot like award-winning stand-up comedian Patrick Monahan). Suitable for ages 5+.

Stories and Fables For Kids Who Like Sitting at Tables

© Steve Ullathorne

Alfie is crazy about space. He doesn’t really think much about anything else, until his new baby sister comes along.

Then he notices that she looks a bit funny, she talks funny and sometimes she smells funny and he realises ... she must be an alien! Alfie knows he needs to be brave and take her back to the moon where she belongs – and that’s when the adventure really starts. Gorgeously illustrated and funny – it’s a zany rocket-fuelled story about getting to grips with the birth of a new sister. Suitable for 3-5 years.

Events and Activities

Burt’s Magical Musical Farmyard, Saturday 25 September, 11.30am and 3pm It’s a busy day on Burt’s farm with lots of jobs to be done. But the rain is coming down and the tractor is stuck in a muddy ditch. Even with all his friends helping, Burt cannot pull the tractor out of the slippy slidey hole.

Perhaps the magic of live music can help them? The clarinet, bassoon and viola are showcased among silly songs, magic and storytelling. Suitable for ages 2 – 5.

Be silly in stripes!

T

he Forever Friends Appeal’s annual fundraising day, Ted’s Big Day Out! is now fast approaching on Friday 15 October and everyone is invited to join in by paying just £1 to take your teddy out for the day and celebrating in this year’s theme – be silly in stripes!

Funds raised by this year’s event will help complete the campaign for a sustainable new premature baby unit at the Royal United Hospital, Bath.

Whether you choose to keep it simple and wear your favourite stripy socks, or spend the day in your most outrageous stripy pyjamas, take your teddy to work, school or wherever on Friday 15 October and be silly in stripes to help fundraise for sick and premature babies.

Download your registration form at www.tedsbigdayout.co.uk to receive your Ted’s Big Day Out! fundraising pack today.

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ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND Bowood House and Gardens, Calne, Wiltshire. Tel: 01249 812102 www.bowood.org

Bowood Adventure Playground Concealed within a hundred acres of pleasure gardens surrounding the stunning Bowood house, is one of the most exciting adventure playgrounds in the south west. Children of 12 and under can enjoy the whole day at Bowood challenging themselves on the aerial walkways, using their imagination on the full size pirate galleon complete with rigging, a crow’s nest, two trampolines and a flying fox, and if that’s not enough, there are steep slides and flume tubes, a huge scramble net and perhaps the most popular of all, the Space Dive – a wide vertical slide which starts with a shocking 19 foot vertical drop. For younger children or those not quite so daring, the Adventure Playground also has swing boats, spinning discs, a Wendy House, ball pool, see-saws, swings and sand pit.

White, Thursday 30 September – Saturday 2 October, Thursday and Friday, 10am and 1pm; Saturday, 11.30am and 3pm Enter the sparkling world of White where everything is bright and new. It gleams and dazzles and shines in the night. But someone has to keep it that way and there’s a problem.

All anyone can think about in this white world is red… and yellow… and green… and blue.

White is a playful and highly visual new show for very young children and is a perfect first time theatre experience. Catherine Wheels is an award-winning and internationally acclaimed children’s theatre company. Suitable for ages 2 – 4.

TREE-MENDOUS FUN! Westonbirt National Arboretum, near Tetbury, Gloucestershire. Free after admission.

Tel: 01666 880220

Seed Spectacular, Saturday 2 – Sunday 3 October, 10.30am to 4pm Discover an incredible variety of tree seeds through quiz trails, activities and art. Collect and plant your own tree seed to take away.

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FAMILYfun A PUPPET PRODUCTION

FAMILY OPEN DAY

THEATRE FUN

Merlin Theatre, Bath Road, Frome. Box office tel: 01373 461360 or visit: info@merlintheatre.co.uk

Bath Cats and Dogs Home, Claverton Down, Bath. Entry: £4 adults, senior citizens £3.50, children under 16 £2, under 5s free, family ticket (2+2) £10. Dogs welcome.

Theatre Royal, Sawclose, Bath. Box office tel: 01225 448844 or visit: www.theatreroyal.org.uk

Bath Cats and Dogs Home Family Open Day, Sunday 5 September, 11am – 5pm

Room on the Broom, Saturday 2 – Sunday 3 October, 11am and 1.30pm

The Ugly Duckling, Sunday 19 September, 3pm Sea Legs Puppet Theatre presents The Ugly Duckling. Float downstream with the Story Man in this gentle new musical adaption of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic tale of belonging and identity.

An action packed day of fun and entertainment for the whole family including a kids’ zone with inflatables, fairground rides, market stalls; dog and agility shows; games for dogs; a Wiltshire Police dog display; chicken and ferret racing; auction; barbecue and bar.

The witch and her cat are flying happily along on their broomstick when a gust of wind blows her hat, bow and wand away into the night. With the help of a daft dog, a beautiful bird and a friendly frog, the lost belongings are retrieved. But this broomstick’s not meant for five and – Crack! – it snaps in two! When a hungry dragon appears, who will save the poor witch? And will there ever be room on the broom for everyone? This spellbinding new adventure from the creators of The Gruffalo is a magical, musical delight for children aged 3+.

MUSIC AND MOVEMENT Classes are available in Bath, Chippenham and Keynsham for children from 3 months – 5 years. Tel: 01225 422638 to book or visit: www.jojingles.com/bath

The Ugly Duckling

Jo Jingles, the music and movement group for babies and preschool children, start a new term of fun activities this month. Classes feature instruments, popular songs and nursery rhymes and a new range of fun props and sensory activities. Highlights of this term include: Learning to Count – with giant dice and fun number songs; The Hungry Caterpillar/The Gruffalo – musical adaptions of classic children’s books; Farm Week – featuring Old McDonald’s amazing bouncing farm animals.

Curtain Up Theatre Schools, 01761 239185 www.curtainup.biz

“Lifting the curtain to confidence”

© Simon Turtle

Jo Jingles Music,

Room on the Broom

Curtain Up; a part time theatre school for kids aged 6-17 interested in the wonderful world of performing arts, allowing them to discover themselves and their potential through performance. Covering the three essentials of musical theatre, acting, dancing and singing, weekly sessions are held on Saturday mornings at St Gregory’s Catholic College, Bath or Friday afternoons at Stonar School, Atworth.

Weekly sessions run parallel to school term dates whilst during the summer holidays the children create outstanding musical theatre productions during week long workshops.

Catering for the children's individual needs, the staff at Curtain Up look after them in a unique way giving them access to a hugely diverse range of material. With a bank of memorable performances and invitations to appear alongside local schools & amateur dramatic groups to West End top performers such as Sir Ian McKellen and Connie Fisher, Curtain Up is an eye-opening learning experience and great fun for young enthusiasts or for those who simply need to find confidence in themselves. Locally our students regularly win festivals, whilst others can be seen around the UK in stage, television and film roles.

Optional exams all have a 100% pass rate with over 120 children recently achieving superb LAMDA results and older students moving on to receive awards & scholarships for the UK’s top schools of Acting.

For further information and details of our free trial sessions, please contact Tristan or Sarah Carter.

01761 239185 admin@curtainup.biz • www.curtainup.biz

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A literary feast of fun The Bath Festival of Children’s Literature returns with another jam-packed programme of events this month

T

he annual Bath Festival of Children’s Literature returns this month for an action-packed 10 days of fun, games, art, comedy, stories and performance.

From Friday 24 September to Sunday 3 October this unique Bath festival brings together some of the most exciting children’s authors, illustrators and storytellers around, including current Children’s Laureate Anthony Browne, popular TV comedian Charlie Higson, world-famous choreographer and star judge Arlene Phillips and events with Peppa Pig, the Mr Men and Ben10.

The festival ensures that there is an event to appeal to all ages and literary tastes from The Peter Rabbit Puppet Show and a celebration of Spot the Dog’s 30th birthday for the little ones, to a rare public appearance from the multi-award winning David Almond and an insight into graphic novel illustration for the grown-up kids. Adults are welcome too: just make sure you act your shoe size, not your age!

Girly girls can explore tales of glamour, ambition and friendship with Kay Woodward’s Skate School, drift off to a land of mermaids and fairy god-sisters in The Enchanting Worlds of Liz Kessler and enjoy a chocoholic’s night out with Cathy Cassidy.

The visiting writers will be... ❝ sparking young imaginations

,

offering hot writing tips and fascinating insights into the wonderful world of writing

❞

Whereas brave boys (and tomboys!) can discover espionage, secret societies, assassins, airships and dinosaurs in the Return to The Lost World event on Saturday 25 September, and learn the secret art of fighting Ninjas from real martial arts master Chris Bradford in Young Samurais Unite on Saturday 2 October.

The Bath Kids Litfest 2010 has also been offering a takeaway option to schools, with a delicious menu of writers, poets and illustrators being delivered directly to the school gates. The visiting writers will be travelling around both Bath and Bristol sparking young imaginations, offering hot writing tips and fascinating insights into the wonderful world of writing.

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The Bath Kids LitFest is also thrilled to introduce its first ever writer-in-residence, Julia Green. A Bath resident, Julia is herself a successful author and is also the course director for the MA in Writing for Young People at Bath Spa University. Aside from leading her own event on this specialist craft on 30 September at the Kids LitFest, Julia will be blogging all of the juicy ‘behind the scenes’ gossip throughout the festival. A long-time supporter of the festival, Julia says: “I hope to support new writers of all ages through my school visits and at festival events. I hope that lots of people will come and meet me at the event and will be inspired to pick up a pen and a notebook, or start tapping at the computer.”

Julia’s blog can be found at: www.bathkidslitfest.wordpress.com The Bath Festival of Children’s Literature is run by Bath Festivals – a registered charity, a team of passionate volunteers – and is staged in association with The Telegraph and Waterstone’s booksellers. Together they hope to introduce children to books, authors, illustrators, poets and storytellers and hopefully have a lot of fun along the way. You’re sure to find an event to go to that you’ll remember forever, so what are you waiting for? ■

Above clockwise from far left: The festival’s cover image

by Anthony Browne; current Children’s Laureate, Anthony Browne will be opening the festival at the gala event (© Mark Mackenzie); learn how to draw your favourite Mr Men character; below: action hero Ben10

Tickets can be booked on tel: 01225 463362, online at www.bathfestivals.org.uk or in person at Bath Festivals Box Office, 2 Church Street, Abbey Green, Bath.

Highlights:

Friday 24 September: Anthony Browne: Children’s Laureate (A2, 7 – 8pm, Guildhall, £5) Sunday 26 September: A Short History of Ratbridge: An Awful West Country Town Explained (C7, 12 – 1pm, Guildhall, £4.50) Monday 27 September: Artists At Work: Michael Foreman, Charlotte Voake & Hannah Shaw (D1, 1 – 2pm, Guildhall, £5) Saturday 2 October: The Big Puffin Prize Book Quiz hosted by Jeremy Strong (J4, 11.15 – 12.15pm, Guildhall, £5) Sunday 3 October: Meet Arlene Phillips (K4, 11 – 12noon, Guildhall, £5)

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HOST FAMILIES NEEDED

Crown Guardians

Crown Guardians needs local host families for overseas students that attend boarding schools in and around Bath and Bristol. The high standards we require are well rewarded with excellent rates of pay.

The students we represent require full board host family accommodation with internet access for short periods during the school year (usually for half terms).

If you or someone you know would be interested in hosting international students please contact us straight away. We work hard to match the right student with the right family and we offer all the support you could wish for.

Please call us or visit our website for further information.

Tel: 01225 423327 E: mail@crownguardians.co.uk 29 St James’s Park, Bath, BA1 2SU

www.crownguardians.co.uk

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CITYmusic

LISTENup THEBATHMAGAZINE THEBESTOFBATH PERFECTLYCOVERED BATHSBIGGESTMAGAZINE PERFECTLYDELIVERED TOADVERTISETEL: 01225 424499

A music project with Bath Phil is giving the region’s young carers a voice

A

n innovative collaboration between Bath’s professional orchestra, Bath Phil, and young carers culminates this month in a performance at Bath Abbey.

Listen2Us is a music project for young carers from Bath and north east Somerset and west Wiltshire, who have been working since the spring alongside musicians from Bath Phil, in a series of weekly workshops. Jason Thornton, music director of Bath Phil, said: “We are very proud of Listen2Us. Over a nine-month period we have been working with two groups of young carers as part of their respite activities. We are taking them on a creative journey.

“Many of them, due to their care responsibilities at home, have never taken part in music outside of the classroom before. We are helping them invent their own music and then we perform it – and what honest, hardhitting music it is!

“From what the young people have told me, many of them find school hard for a multiplicity of reasons. Many also have a limited extracurricular or social life because of important jobs at home, but these sessions are obviously a release. They are quite simply a wonderful group of people and the music they are creating is at times breathtaking for its honesty as well as being heartbreaking in its sentiment.

“I didn’t really know anything about young carers and who they are before starting this project and initially was quite shocked, particularly by some of their ages and their assumed responsibilities.

“Britain’s creative music work with young people is second to none, and we have a fine record of working with both mainstream children and those with special educational needs. Now I want music organisations across the country to recognise this unrepresented sector and see the powerful role music can play in these children’s lives. They are totally normal kids, who are often ignored, with very big hearts and aspirations!

“From witnessing the effect of music on these amazing young people and their families I want to replicate this work with as many young carers’ organisations as possible. This whole project reminds me why I love music and what effect it can have.

“In May, Phase One – for children aged six to 13 – performed in front of a packed house at Bath Abbey as part of the Bath International Music Festival. Phase Two, involving 14 to 18-year-olds, included performing at the Greenbelt Festival at the end of August, with the final performance taking place at Bath Abbey at the end of September. Phase Two is pretty hard hitting: the young people have poured a lot of raw emotional stuff into their instrumental and vocal lines. However, we do finish with a rather raucous Calypso!”

The performance at Bath Abbey on 23 September at 6.15pm takes place immediately before the Bath Phil concert at 7.30pm, with Peter Donohoe, piano, and featuring works by Gorecki, Chopin and Lutoslawski.

They are totally ❝ normal kids, who are often ignored, with very big hearts and aspirations!

❞

www.bathphil.co.uk

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EDUCATIONguide

As a parent, it’s ❝ essential to do your homework to ensure that your choice of school is absolutely right for your children.

❞

EDUCATINGBath

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what measures the schools have in place to ease the sometimes difficult transition from nursery to prep school, or from prep to secondary level?

Open days are an essential opportunity to view school facilities, meet the staff and talk to pupils about their experiences, and see which schools offer the best fit for your child’s skills, personality and educational needs.

Bristol is home to a number of highly regarded independent schools, all with a unique combination of facilities, philosophy and admission policies. Over the next few pages you can discover more about what each school can offer your child during the best years of their lives...

YOUR OPEN DAY CHECKLIST Open days provide an ideal opportunity to talk to the Head, teaching staff and pupils during your visit. Some points you might like to address include: ■

■

■ ■

■ ■ ■

■

■ ■

What is the school’s academic policy and the destination of leavers. Some prep schools prepare pupils for a limited range of senior schools.

Exam results? This is a useful measure if you can compare them with results in previous years.

What are the teachers’ qualifications and experience?

What internal systems does the school have for testing and assessment?

Is there adequate educational and careers guidance available?

Special needs provision if relevant?

Pastoral care – what support network would be available for your child?

Standard of accommodation, and health and welfare issues for boarders?

Is there a good range of extra-curricular and social activities?

Discipline and the school’s policy on issues such as drugs and bullying.

Image: iStockphoto

E

very new school year is a time full of anticipation and excitement, but it can be an anxious time too, especially for parents and children moving up to secondary education, or starting primary school for the first time.

As a parent, it’s essential to do your homework to ensure that your choice of school is absolutely right for your children. If you’ve decided to take the independent school route, now is the time to start looking ahead to next autumn and making your shortlist from the line-up of private schools available in the Bath area.

Parents and children will want to find a school that balances a strong reputation for academic excellence with plenty of opportunities to explore a varied programme of extra-curricular activities – a well-rounded education is paramount to ensure your child works hard and plays hard too.

While some schools are highly selective, many cater for children of more average ability and some specialise in helping children in need of individual attention. Think carefully about your own child’s academic needs and look for schools that are appropriate: even siblings may have different needs, so there’s no ‘one size fits all’ approach. Some children thrive in a competitive environment in the company of other lively and confident pupils. Others may benefit from being part of a smaller school community.

Pastoral care is also important, especially if you need a weekly or full-time boarding school. Will your child be nurtured emotionally while also encouraged to become a confident, independent individual?

Children with special skills and abilities will thrive best in a school that specialises in developing exceptional musical, artistic or sporting talents alongside the normal curriculum.

But our school years are not just about getting good grades and taking music lessons – children will be hoping to go to a school where they can make plenty of friends and develop a wide and welcoming social circle. As a parent, it’s worth asking

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EXAMININGeducation Oldfield School

Kingswood School

The Royal High School

Kelston Road, Bath, BA1 9AB Tel: (01225) 423582 www.oldfield.bathnes.sch.uk

Lansdown, Bath, BA1 5RG Tel: 01225 734210 www.kingswood.bath.sch.uk

Lansdown Road, Bath. BA1 5SZ Tel: 01225 313877 www.gdst.net/royalhighbath

Autumn Term: 1 September – 17 December 10 Spring Term: 4 January – 8 April 11 Summer Term: 26 April – 22 July 11

Autumn Term: 6 September – 9 December 10 Spring Term: 5 January –1 April 11 Summer Term: 26 April – 9 July 11

Autumn Term: 3 September – 15 December 10 Spring Term: 5 January – 8 April 11 Summer Term: 26 April – 7 July 11

Age of Pupils: 11 –18 girls, 16 – 18 boys

Age of Pupils: 11 – 18 years

Number of Pupils: 850

Number of Pupils: 650

Age of Pupils: Girls 3 – 18 years (day and boarding from year 5), boys 16 – 18 years (day)

Day Fees: N/A

Day Fees: Day pupils, £3,740; boarding, £5,878 (weekly) – £8,061 (full).

Religious Denomination: Non-denominational.

The Curriculum: Oldfield provides a broad and balanced curriculum which celebrates the achievements of each and every individual. At KS4 GCSEs and other Level 2 courses are offered (including statistics, dance, physics, chemistry and biology). In the sixth form most students take AS and A Levels (including philosophy and ethics, dance, environmental studies, photography, psychology and computing). Students can also take the Junior Sports Leaders’ Award, Arts Award and Food Hygiene Award and the Certificate of Personal Effectiveness. Residential experiences are built into the curriculum so that students may choose to go on outdoor activities in Bude, Oxenwood or Aberdovey, on language based visits to France and Germany or on World Challenge Expeditions to Morocco, Croatia, Costa Rica or Cambodia.

Extra Curricular Activities: Students have access to an extensive extra curricular provision including public speaking, creative writing, drama, music, rowing, judo, dance, fencing and Duke of Edinburgh Award.

Pastoral Care: Ofsted said, “the personal development and well-being of the students is excellent. Their excellent personal development is underpinned by exemplary provision for their care and support. Behaviour in lessons and around the school is excellent.”

Name of Principal: Mrs Kim Sparling Outstanding Characteristics: Oldfield is unique in having been designated a High Performing Specialist School with three separate specialisms: Arts (with English as the lead subject) is the main specialism, with science and sports as additional specialisms. The specialisms are important because they bring in additional funding which the school uses to raise standards.

The Headteacher is a National Leader of Education and the school is a National Support School (tasked to help other schools to improve).

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Religious Denomination: Methodist Foundation The Curriculum: Kingswood School provides a broad and balanced curriculum to foster every individual’s educational development – spiritual, moral, social, academic, cultural and physical. Kingswood has a tradition of dedicated teachers who give generously of themselves. This results in high academic standards and excellent performances in public examinations.

Extra Curricular Activities: Kingswood offers pupils around 100 recreational activities, clubs and societies. Creative, sporting and musical are positively encouraged, providing a high level of fun and fulfilment for all ages. Pupils are also able to take part in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme and join the local CCF should they wish.

Pastoral Care: Pastoral care has been judged as ‘exceptional’ at inspection and the relationships between staff and pupils in the school are highly regarded by parents. Each senior school pupil has a personal tutor who mentors them in both academic work and personal development. The tutor keeps in close contact with parents or guardians and is responsible for assisting each tutee with their own independent learning plan, so that, through discussion, personal targets can be set regularly and support provided to achieve pupils’ aims.

The boarding and day pupils combine throughout the house system which also ensures a very strong sense of community.

Name of Principal: Mr Simon Morris Outstanding Characteristics: A strong Christian ethos with a global outlook, Kingswood welcomes students from many parts of the world to enrich the learning experience of all pupils.

Particular strengths in music and drama, enhance the academic reputation. A school that embraces all round excellence and prepares children for their adult lives.

Number of Pupils: 800 Day Fees: From £1800 – £3000 Religious Denomination: Non-denominational The Curriculum: The broad curriculum includes four modern European languages and three separate sciences at GCSE. Sixth form college students can choose between A Level courses and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.

Extra Curricular Activities: At both the junior and senior schools there is a rich and varied programme of lunchtime and after school activities, including Saturday mornings at the senior school with holiday workshops at the junior school. The nursery operates in the holidays, too.

These embrace many sporting, creative and cultural activities, offering something for everyone. Full details are on the website.

Pastoral Care: Providing a warm, secure and supportive environment is central to the school’s aim of helping students to develop into fulfilled and confident young adults. An essential feature of pastoral care is maintaining a strong partnership with parents, which includes parents’ evenings specifically dedicated to pastoral matters.

Name of Principal: Mrs Rebecca Dougall BA MA Outstanding Characteristics: A dynamic and vibrant community which all the students enjoy.

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EXAMININGeducation Westonbirt School Tetbury, Gloucestershire, GL8 8QG Tel: 01666 880333 www.westonbirt.gloucs.sch.uk Autumn Term: 6 September – 11 December 10 Spring Term: 10 January – 31 March 11 Summer Term: 28 April – 9 July 11 Age of Pupils: 11 – 18 years Number of Pupils: 240 Day Fees: Day girls from £5215 – £6272, boarders from £7,664 – £9330

St Mark’s School Baytree Road, Bath, BA1 6ND Tel: 01225 312661 www.st-marks.bathnes.sch.uk Autumn Term: 1 September – 17 December 10 Spring Term: 4 January – 8 April 11 Summer Term: 26 April – 22 July 11

Number of Pupils: 300

Number of Pupils: Senior school: 690, junior school:198, pre-prep school: 101

The Curriculum: Girls in the lower school benefit from a full range of core subjects plus geography, history, IT, sport, art, drama, design technology, music, textiles and food. The sixth form is very popular, where the sciences, English and mathematics are amongst the most popular courses, and numbers have increased by a third in the last couple of years, with nearly all students gaining places at their first choice of university.

Religious Denomination: Church of England

Name of Principal: Mrs Mary Henderson Outstanding Characteristics: The beautiful house set in stunning grounds creates an inspirational and safe environment in which to learn.

Westonbirt is more than just a school; it is like a large family and it offers warmth, friendliness and exceptional pastoral care. All girls achieve their full potential and develop into confident and well balanced individuals.

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Autumn Term: 8 September – 16 December 10 Spring Term: 4 January – 6 April 11 Summer Term: 26 April – 13 July 11 Age of Pupils: Senior School 11 – 18 years, junior school 7 – 11 yrs, pre-prep 3 – 7 years

Day Fees: N/A

Pastoral Care: One of the great strengths of the school is the nature of the community. Its size is a real asset – the Headmistress knows all the girls individually and the girls have an excellent rapport with teachers, tutors and housemistresses alike. The school’s exceptional pastoral care creates a friendly and nurturing environment. The Christian ethos underpins all that the school does and it has its own chapel and resident chaplain.

King Edward’s Senior School, North Road, Bath, King Edward’s Junior School, North Road, Bath, King Edward’s Pre-Prep School Weston Lane, Bath. Tel: 01225 464313, Junior: 01225 463218, Pre-Prep: 01225 421681 www.kesbath.com

Age of Pupils: 11 – 16 years

Religious Denomination: Church of England

Extra Curricular Activities: Art, drama, music and sport are very well represented at Westonbirt, but there are also all kinds of other activities and clubs available, from science to swimming and fencing to polo. With an impressive leisure centre in the grounds (with 25m heated pool, fitness suite, sports hall and aerobics studio), there are plenty of options available. Weekend activities, which include the Duke of Edinburgh’s award scheme and organised outings, are open to day girls as well as boarders. The school is particularly good at Young Enterprise and girls often reach the regional finals and beyond.

King Edward’s School

The Curriculum: The school’s innovative and inclusive approach to learning ensures that all children reach their full potential, all of the time. They are taught to explore, investigate and question; to become high achievers with greater knowledge and informed opinions. The school’s ethos has firmly established itself as being clearly distinctive with a serious and purposeful approach to learning whilst retaining the best of a happy atmosphere with good relationships between staff and students. As a Specialist Business and Enterprise College, the school constantly looks to improve the employability of students by equipping them with the skills and attributes that employers want. Teamwork, leadership, problem solving and self assessment are common themes that run throughout lessons to enhance learning and encourage creativity, innovation and perseverance.

Extra Curricular Activities: St Mark’s have developed a strong extra-curricular calendar to provide students with an enriched and enlightened education to compliment the classroom.

Pastoral Care: As a Church of England School, the education of students reflects the values and moral guidance given to them as part of their wider experience within the school. Each young person becomes a member of a caring and considerate family and is closely supported and guided, both academically and spiritually.

Name of Principal: Miss Cherril Pope Outstanding Characteristics: This year, St Mark’s School has been independently inspected by both Ofsted and SIAS (Statutory Inspection of Anglican Schools) and the results speak for themselves: “The distinctiveness and effectiveness of St Marks VA Church of England Secondary School as a church school are outstanding.”– SIAS, 2010. “By the time students leave at the end of Year 11 they are confident, well-rounded young people, ready to play their full part in the world beyond school.”

– Ofsted, 2010.

Day Fees: Sixth form £3,697 per term, senior £3,655 per term, junior £2,890 per term, preprep £2,610 per term, nursery £2,145 per term Religious Denomination: Non-denominational.

Spiritual development is nurtured by a welldeveloped sense of community, supportive relationships and the vital contribution of tutors and the school Chaplain.

The Curriculum: All pupils have access to a broad range of educational experiences. Every individual is encouraged to strive for excellence and to acquire a lifelong passion for knowledge, discovery, creativity and culture. There is breadth in the curriculum as well as academic rigour. A range of subjects are taught at both GCSE and AS/A2 Level.

Extra Curricular Activities: Pupils’ educational experience is greatly enhanced by an extensive programme of extracurricular activities including; expedition society, Duke of Edinburgh’s award, Combined Cadet Force, drama, music ensembles, sports, Model United Nations, debating society, philosophy society, first aid, literary club and recreational ‘hobby’ clubs such as modelling, jewellery, book club etc.

Pastoral Care: A recent Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) report found the quality of pastoral care, support and guidance to be ‘outstanding’. The school offers a strong, caring and supportive pastoral framework, working closely with parents to ensure that pupils are safe and happy and that all members of the school community feel respected and valued.

Name of Principal: Mr Martin Boden Outstanding Characteristics: Outstanding academic results. The Telegraph Top 10 independent co-educational day schools based on A Level and GCSE results ‘outstanding’ quality of pastoral care, support and guidance – Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI).

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“An outstanding school”, Ofsted 2007

LDFIEL SCHOOL

Oldfield School is an open access free school for girls aged 11-18 (with boys in the Sixth Form) becoming a new academy in Autumn 2010.

We are a very successful school and since 2004 designated as a High Performing Specialist School.

We have three separate specialisms, Art, Science and Sport.

Dates SIXTH FORM INFORMATION EVENING 7 pm on Wednesday 15th September OPEN EVENING 6.00 pm – 8.30 pm on Wednesday 29th September (Talk by the Head at 6.00 pm and again at 7.30 pm) OPEN MORNING 9.00 am – 11.30 am on Friday 1st October “This is an outstanding school in which the academic achievement of the students is excellent”, Ofsted 2007

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In a Class of his Own Teacher of the Year regional finalist becomes Calder House’s Director of Studies

C

alder House, the specialist prep school for children with dyslexia and dyspraxia, has a new director of studies, Mr Ian Perks. Earlier this year, Mr Perks, who has taught at Calder House for nearly six years, beat off competition from more than 1,000 other teachers to come second in the South West regional final of the Primary Teacher of the Year Competition. Described by the judges as "an outstanding teacher universally acclaimed by colleagues, pupils past and present, and by parents", Mr Perks now has responsibility for supervising the individual learning programs of every child in the school.

“Every pupil at Calder House has a personalised timetable designed to meet his or her individual needs,” he explains. “No two children face the same difficulties. This is why at Calder House no two timetables are the same. The way we devise and monitor these learning programs is one of the reasons why Calder House achieves such great results.”

Children typically spend just over two years at the Calder House, which is located between Bath and Chippenham, learning the skills required to overcome their learning difficulties and achieve their academic potential. The school offers a friendly, non-competitive environment in which children with dyslexia and other specific learning/language difficulties are encouraged to enjoy school while developing the skills they need to thrive in mainstream education. The maximum class size is just eight with a staff to pupil ratio of one to four. Entry is by assessment to ensure a good match between teaching skills and pupils’ needs. To find out more contact the school office on 01225 742329 or visit the website www.calderhouseschool.co.uk

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EXAMININGeducation Stonar School

Ralph Allen School

Cottles Park, Atworth, Melksham, SN12 8NT Tel: 01225 701740 www.stonarschool.com

Claverton Down Road, Bath, BA2 7AD Tel: 01225 832936 www.ralphallen.bathnes.sch.uk

Autumn Term: 6 September –10 December 10 Spring Term: 6 January – Friday 1 April 11 Summer Term: 27 April – 8 July 11

Autumn Term: 2 September – 17 December 10 Spring Term: 4 January – 8 April 11 Summer Term: 26 April-– 22 July 11

Age of Pupils: Girls 2 – 18 years, boys 2 – 7 years

Age of Pupils: 11 – 18 years Number of Pupils: 1100

Number of Pupils: 350 Day Fees: Senior boarding: £7,480; senior day: £4,245; prep 5 & 6 boarding: £5,030; prep 5&6 day: £3,510, prep 3&4 day: £2,560; prep 1&2: £2,180 day Religious Denomination: All faiths welcome The Curriculum: Offering a broad range of subjects at GCSE and A Levels, plus the British Horse Society’s Assistant Instructor qualification, Leith’s Certificate of Food & Wine, and European Computer Driving Licence.

Extra Curricular Activities: Hockey, netball, swimming, riding, squash, trampolining, drama, chamber choir, orchestra, football, tag rugby, ballet, art club, tennis, cookery, rounders and the stable club.

Pastoral Care: From the nursery through to the sixth form, Stonar provides a nurturing atmosphere with excellent pastoral care in order to support the pupils through the different stages of their development. Each girl has a tutor who plays a vital role in ensuring that pupils are happy and fulfilling their potential.

Teachers, house staff and the school nurse meet weekly to monitor individual progress.

Personal planners and reports keep parents informed of progress, so that there are plenty of opportunities to celebrate achievements.

Day Fees: None Religious Denomination: Nondenominational The Curriculum: Full range of subjects available at GCSE and A Level, with applied courses available in some subjects. See the school website for further details.

Extra Curricular Activities: A wide range of extracurricular activities at lunchtimes, after school and at weekends (such as Duke of Edinburgh award), covering all areas of the curriculum including PE and dance, drama, music and the arts, science, maths, warhammer, foreign language films. Boosted by Lottery funding, the school runs extended services to young people and the community, and in 2009 started a Wednesday Windows project with a menu of new activities for young people on a Wednesday afternoon.

Pastoral Care: In 2007 Ofsted judged the quality of the school’s inclusion and equalities provision to be ‘outstanding’. Heads of Key Stage and Year (teaching staff) are supported by pastoral managers(support staff) for all years. The Head of Inclusion works with a large, experienced team of HLTAs and teaching assistants.

Name of Principal: Mrs Elizabeth Thomas

Name of Principal: Headteacher Ms Libby Lee MA (Cantab)

Outstanding Characteristics: Results are good and students go on to university courses ranging from medicine, law and accountancy to geology, veterinary science and music. Talented artists proceed to a variety of Art Foundation courses.

Young riders take up careers in eventing or go for the equine studies option. The BHSAI and a top-level Equestrian Competition Course are available in the sixth form. Extra-curricular activities are outstanding. Superb facilities including a sports hall, indoor swimming pool, astroturf, theatre, music centre, brand new sixth form and arts centre together with an internationally renowned equestrian centre.

Pupils always achieve and exceed expectations in every aspect of their school careers.

Outstanding Characteristics: Ralph Allen is the only mixed non-denominational 11 – 18 secondary school in Bath. Following its ‘Good with outstanding features’ OFSTED grade in 2007, the school was visited twice again by Ofsted who judged the teaching of English to be ‘Outstanding’ and the quality of the school’s inclusion and equalities provision to be ‘Outstanding’. In 2009 the school became a Foundation School with a trust, called The Ralph Allen Innovation Trust. With partners including the University of Bath, local schools, business and health service providers, the school aims to further its excellent work to improve outcomes for young people and the community.

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Hayesfield Girls’ School Upper Oldfield Park, BA2 3LA, Brougham Hayes, Bath, BA2 3 QU Tel: 01225 426 151 www.hayesfield.com Autumn Term: 1 September – 17 December 10 Spring Term: 4 January – 8 April 11 Summer Term: 26 April – 22 July 11 Age of Pupils: 11 – 16 years Number of Pupils: 1150 Day Fees: None Religious Denomination: Non denominational The Curriculum: Innovative curriculum design offers a range of stimulating learning opportunities which support the development of good habits of learning – independence of thought, intellectual curiosity, creativity and resilience. The outstanding range includes access to over forty A Level subjects and the International Baccalaureate Diploma in the sixth form.

Extra Curricular Activities: Pupils participate in a variety of activities and events geared towards building on current talents whilst encouraging new interests, intellectual pursuits and development of leadership and research skills.

Clubs in all subjects directly support the curriculum while others provide more general enrichment, such as the school magazine, an environment group and the school debating society.

Pastoral Care: Hayesfield is a happy, caring and safe community where every individual is valued, respected and nurtured to develop their full potential. There is a strong community spirit and sense of belonging in the school and pupils learn together in an atmosphere of cooperation and trust. In 2009 Ofsted noted that “pupils receive excellent care, guidance and support and there is a strong ethos of tolerance and mutual support.” The campus style setting creates small unique schools within one larger community which is appreciated by pupils and parents.

Name of Principal: Ms Erica Draisey Outstanding Characteristics: Hayesfield is an outstanding school where sustained high standards are expected and excellence encouraged. One of its greatest strengths is the range of opportunities offered for all students whatever their interests, aptitudes and abilities.

Pupils are supported and challenged to stretch their intellects and their talents, to find their own voice, to shoulder responsibility and, above all, to be positive about themselves and their futures.

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EXAMININGeducation Culverhay School

Monkton Senior

Millfield

Rush Hill, Bath, BA2 3LG Tel: 01225 426268 www.culverhayschool.com

Church Lane, Monkton Combe, Bath, BA2 7GH Tel: 01225 721102 www.monktoncombeschool.com

Butleigh Road, Street, Somerset, BA16 0YD Tel: 01458 442291 www. millfieldschool.com

Autumn Term: 2 September – 17 December 10 Spring Term: 4 January – 8 April 11 Summer Term: 26 April – 22 July 11

Autumn Term: 6 September – 15 December 10 Spring Term: 10 January – 1 April 11 Summer Term: 26 April – 8 July 11

Autumn Term: 6 September – 10 December 10 Spring Term: 10 January – 1 April 11 Summer Term: 27 April – 1 July 11

Age of Pupils: 11 – 18 years

Age of Pupils: 11 – 19 years

Age of Pupils: 13 – 18 years

Number of Pupils: 350

Number of Pupils: 387

Number of Pupils: 1200

Day Fees: (Day) £4,598 – £5,552 (Boarding) £6,488 – £8,758

Day Fees: Boarding pupils: £9340 Day pupils: £6285

Religious Denomination: Christian

Religious Denomination: Inter-denominational

Day Fees: N/A Religious Denomination: Nondenominational The Curriculum: The school follows the National Curriculum at Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4.

It offers a wide range of opportunities for students aged 14 to 19, ranging from ‘traditional’ GCSE and A Level courses to OCR National courses in Public Services, Sport and Applied ICT. Learners can also take Diplomas and Modern Apprenticeship courses.

Extra Curricular Activities: Culverhay ensures all learners have a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities.

Enrichment programmes run every Wednesday afternoon, offering activities such as the Air Cadets, sports coaching, community service, ‘Master Chef’ classes, dance, drama and media production courses. The school also delivers an extensive programme of ‘Challenge Education’ through six themed days a year, giving the pupils an opportunity to travel and experience other cultures and languages and explore their creativity. The school runs a wide range of sporting competitions, with opportunities to represent the school and make extensive use of the community sports centre on the campus.

Pastoral Care: All students are assigned a tutor, who will support them in their learning and ensure that they make the most of their potential. In addition, each member of the school community belongs to a house, with a distinctive identity. Trained senior students also provide care, guidance and support to younger learners.

Name of Principal: Mr R Thomson Outstanding Characteristics: Culverhay is a ‘human scale’ school, where adults know the children and their needs really well. The recent OFSTED inspection noted the excellent quality of relationships and the outstanding extracurricular opportunities as particularly strong features of the school. The school’s absolute commitment to the success of each individual, from Oxbridge candidates to those who find learning difficult, is reflected in very high value added performance. The school intends to become co-educational in September 2012.

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The Curriculum: GCSE, AS and A Levels Extra Curricular Activities: The choice is huge.

Rowing, cricket, rugby, tennis, swimming, gym, cookery, horse-riding, mandarin, choir, squash, big band, ballroom dancing, drama, chess club, football, bugs and bones club to name but a few!

The school believes that educating young people means helping them develop all their gifts, whether this is playing the trombone, acting, rowing or learning leadership skills in a club, society or in the Combined Cadet Force.

Pastoral Care: The school’s exceptional pastoral care creates a very warm, friendly environment.

The pastoral system means that every pupil has a choice of adult to whom they can turn for confidential advice and support – tutor, houseparent, teachers or the Chaplain. The school recognises that parents have a huge role to play in the school lives of their children and so it welcomes their involvement, celebrating successes and developing joint strategies for dealing with any problems.

Name of Principal: Mr Richard Backhouse Outstanding Characteristics: The new £4 million AC Maths & Science Centre is proving to be an outstanding facility for pupils and staff alike. A new Music Centre will open in Easter 2011 which will provide a pleasant, welcoming and thoroughly enjoyable teaching environment.

Monkton is a leading rowing school in the south west.

Plans are in place to refurbish the existing boat house at Dundas and to build a new facility at Saltford. The creation of new these new facilities and an increase in the recruitment of bright and able pupils will enhance the school’s reputation as one of the leading Christian boarding schools in the UK.

The Curriculum: Millfield provides a broad and balanced education which gives pupils the confidence to achieve success in their adult lives. All pupils are taught in small sets – rarely more than 15 and classes are streamed by general ability from Year 9 to Year 11. The Learning Support Centre has an international reputation for helping pupils with specific learning difficulties. There is an enormous choice of AS and A2 Level subjects.

Vocational qualifications include Leisure and Recreation, BTEC qualifications in sport and art and design, BHSPIC equestrian courses and the Leiths Basic Certificate.

Extra Curricular Activities: Millfield Activities Programme (MAP) encourages pupils to enrich their lives by exploring interests outside their normal school curriculum. There are over 40 sports and 120 co-curricular activities on offer.

Pastoral Care: Pastoral care at Millfield is outstanding and the safeguarding of pupils is a priority for all. The school aims to support the happiness, success, safety and welfare of each pupil.

Name of Principal: Mr Craig Considine, MEd Outstanding Characteristics: With a staff to pupil ratio of 1:6, an extraordinary range of academic courses, outstanding facilities and strength of its extra-curricular programme, the school prides itself on the richness and diversity of the Millfield experience.

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BEECHEN CLIFF SCHOOL Headmaster: A Davies

Boys 11-18 School 1160 pupils Popular Co-Educational Sixth Form of 300

Excellent Academic Standards GCSE 2009:

80% achieving 5 or more A* - C grades 75% achieving 5 or more A* - C grades including Maths and English 100% achieving 5 or more A* - G grades

Prospective Parents’ Evening Tuesday 21st September 6.00pm.

Open Morning Wednesday 29th September 9.00am - 1.00pm.

Alexandra Park, Bath BA2 4RE Telephone: 01225 480466 Fax: 01225 314025 Email: headmaster@beechencliff.org.uk

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EXAMININGeducation Badminton School Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, BS9 3BA Tel: 0117 905 5271 www.badminton.bristol.sch.uk admissions@badminton.bristol.sch.uk Autumn Term: 8 September – 16 December 10 Spring Term: 11 January – 31 March 11 Summer Term: 26 April – 8 July 11

Beechen cliff school Alexandra Park, Bath, BA2 4RE Tel: 01225 480466 www.beechencliff.org.uk Autumn Term: 1 September – 17 December 10 Spring Term: 4 January – 8 April 11 Summer Term: 26 April – 22 July 11 Age of Pupils: 11 – 18 years

Age of Pupils: 3 – 18 years Number of Pupils: 1,100 Number of Pupils: 430 Day Fees: N/A Day Fees: From £2,300 – £5,120 per term Religious Denomination: None Religious Denomination: Non-denominational The Curriculum: National curriculum to Year 9.

GCSE and IGCSE followed by A Level.

Extra Curricular Activities: The school day starts early and finishes much later than the private Bristol day schools as there are over 100 activities on offer including horse riding, basketball, football, psychology club, drama, musical groups of all kinds, martial arts, golf, dance, cookery, art and photography. All meals are included and there are many activities on offer at weekends.

Pastoral Care: Academically outstanding and ranked as one of the top schools in the UK. 100% go onto university and around 15% to Oxford and Cambridge. Designed for girls, the school has fantastic facilities all on site, excellent teaching staff and small class sizes (in seniors around 16 per class). Girls here generally make friends that last their lifetimes and have the opportunity to network with pupils from all over the world as the school has students from 37 different countries. Sport is excellent with many girls competing at a national or county level and a broad range of sporting teams is available. The teaching of both art and music is outstanding with visiting artists and exhibitions, fashion, design, photography and sculpture. Over 85% play at least one musical instrument and there are at least seven drama productions per year.

The Curriculum: A wide-ranging academic curriculum which includes GCSEs in classical civilisation, Latin and psychology. At A Level the school offers more than 40 courses of study, the International Baccalaureate and the AQA Baccalaureate.

Extra Curricular Activities: A huge range of extra-curricular activities on offer include cricket, rugby, hockey, football, tennis and shooting. Debating, public speaking, F1 and robotics are supplemented by the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme and the Combined Cadet Force.

Pastoral Care: Personal care and guidance is exceptional at the school, with each boy being looked after within the House to which he is allocated on entry.

Name of Principal: A Davies Outstanding Characteristics: A school which provides stunning food, incredible extracurricular provision and a highly successful academic curriculum

Canford School Wimborne, Dorset BH21 3AD Tel: 01202 841254 www.canford.com Autumn Term: 7 September – 10 December 10 Spring Term: 4 January – 31 March 11 Summer Term: 26 April – 1 July 11 Age of Pupils: 13 – 18 years Number of Pupils: 635

Outstanding Characteristics: The secret to Badminton’s success is small class sizes, excellent teaching and being surrounded by other bright young women.

Day Fees: Boarding: £8990, day £7000 Religious Denomination: C/E The Curriculum: Canford offers GCSEs/IGSEs/A

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Extra Curricular Activities: Breadth of opportunity is at the heart of a Canford education. There are numerous activities, clubs and societies, annual trips abroad for academic, sporting and cultural reasons, community projects, CCF, Duke of Edinburgh’s award and adventure training.

Pastoral Care: Canford has seven boarding houses and three day houses. The housemaster/mistress is responsible for the dayto-day wellbeing of each pupil. Each house has a community of around 65. Dining is in the Great Hall of the stunning main house once owned by Lord and Lady Wimborne.

Name of Principal: Mr John D Lever, MA (Cantab) Outstanding Characteristics: Canford is set in 250 acres of glorious grounds with a range of beautiful buildings and first class facilities including a theatre, sports centre, real tennis court and rowing from the school boat house on the banks of the River Stour which runs adjacent to the school. It provides a balanced, broad education and exam results are impressive – 2009 saw 90% A/B grades at A Level and 77% A*/A at GCSE, among the top independent schools in the country.

Prior Park College Ralph Allen Drive, Bath BA2 5AH Tel: 01225 831000 www.priorparkschools.co.uk Autumn Term: 10 September – 14 December 10 Spring Term: 10 Jan – 31 March 11 Summer Term: 26 April – 2 July 11 Age of Pupils: 11 – 18 years

Name of Principal: Mrs Jan Scarrow

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Levels. It also encourages pupils to develop a long-lasting love of learning and runs a number of academic enrichment programmes unique to the school, academic societies, Oxbridge preparation and a general knowledge study known as ‘Connections’.

Number of Pupils: 580 Day Fees: Boarding £23,583 per annum Day £11,736 (11+) to £13,077 (13+) Religious Denomination: RC The Curriculum: The school offers 23 AS and A2 subjects including philosophy, classical civilisation, music technology, dance and theology. Most pupils study 10 or 11 GCSE subjects with drama, classical civilisation, Latin and PE on offer as some of the options. Broad based curriculum in lower years.

Extra Curricular Activities: Over

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EXAMININGeducation 60 weekday activities. ‘Saturday Active’ is a range of exciting courses available for boarders on a Saturday morning; optional for day pupils.

Pastoral Care: Classed as outstanding. Housebased pastoral care addresses the needs of the individual student.

Name of Principal: Mr James MurphyO’Connor Outstanding Characteristics: A happy, purposeful, high achieving community in which talents can blossom without censure from peers.

Monkton Prep & Pre-Prep Church Road, Combe Down, Bath, BA2 7ET Tel: 01225 837912 www.monktoncombeschool.com Autumn Term: 6 September – 15 December 10 Spring Term: 10 January – 1 April 11 Summer Term: 26 April – 8 July 11 Age of Pupils: 2 – 13 years Number of Pupils: 372 Day Fees: (Day) pre-prep: £2,514-£2,656; prep: £3,333 – £4,598. (Boarding) £6,122 – £6,488 Religious Denomination: Christian The Curriculum: Common Entrance, scholarships Extra Curricular Activities: Horse-riding, fencing, tennis, cub-scout group, swimming, football, drama, mandarin, choir, art club – the choice of activities for pupils at the Prep is truly mind-boggling! The activity programme is one of the most exciting parts of life at Monkton Prep.

Pastoral Care: Maintaining the delicate balance between academic success and personal development is one of the school’s great strengths and the happiness of every child is of paramount importance. The pastoral care system is designed to make each child feel valued and supported as well as identifying any problems at a very early stage. Every pupil is assigned a tutor to guide and encourage them in their life at Monkton Prep. New pupils are also given a fellow pupil as a ‘guardian’ to help them settle in. The Headmaster and his family and house parents with their families all live on site, creating a warm, family atmosphere.

Name of Principal: Mr Chris Stafford, Prep School Outstanding Characteristics: Monkton Prep is proud of its academic achievements – many of its pupils win scholarships to some of the most prestigious independent schools in the country, including its own senior school. The flexible boarding at the prep helps parents to achieve the difficult balance between work and family life.

The new hockey pitch is helping to maintain the

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school’s reputation as one of the leading hockey schools in the south west. As part of a major development plan, the school hopes to see the completion of a number of facilities at the prep including the modernisation of boarding accommodation, improvement of dining facilities and the construction of a new purpose built preprep. But above all as a Christian school, emphasis is on the individual, meeting each child’s constantly changing intellectual, physical, social and moral needs.

Millfield Preparatory School Glastonbury, Somerset, BA6 8LD Tel: 01458 832446 www.millfieldprep.com Autumn Term: 6 September – 10 December 10 Spring Term: 10 January – 1 April 11 Summer Term: 27 April – 1 July 11 Age of Pupils: 2 – 13 years Number of Pupils: 500 Day Fees: Boarding pupils (years 3 to 8 ) £6885; day pupils (years 4 to 8 ) £4725; day pupils (year 3) - £3825 Religious Denomination: Inter-denominational The Curriculum: Millfield Prep teaches children in different ways. The pre-prep teachers combine a careful blend of numeracy and literacy with a wide range of other subjects. Years 3 –5 study in small classes each headed by a group tutor. From year 6, children are taught by specialist subject teachers. During years 6 – 8, English and mathematics are central to the curriculum. Pupils also study physics, chemistry, biology history, geography, languages, religious studies, design and technology, food technology, ICT, art, music, drama, physical education and PSHE. Extra Curricular Activities: Millfield Preparatory School offers over 100 sports, clubs and activities.

Pastoral Care: The happiness and well-being of the pupils is the school’s highest priority: “The quality of relationships between staff and pupils is outstanding.” – ISI Inspection 2009 Name of Principal: Mrs Shirley Shayler, MA BSc Hons PGCE Outstanding Characteristics: The school’s aim is to discover the vital spark which makes each child unique and enables them to achieve their full potential.

A high teacher to pupil ratio, outstanding facilities and world class teaching resources enable us to do the best for each child.

OPEN DAYS AT A GLANCE Oldfield School Open morning: Fri 1 Oct, 9am –11.30am Sixth Form information evening: Wed 15 Sept 7pm Open evening: Wed 29 Sept, 6pm – 8.30pm Kingswood School Sixth form open evening: Thurs 30 Sept, 6.30pm – 8.30pm Open morning for both Prep and Senior School: Sat 2 Oct, 9am – 12pm Beechen Cliff School: Prospective parents evening: Tue 21 Sept, 6pm Open morning: Wed 29 Sept 9am –1pm Westonbirt School: Sat 9 Oct, 9.30am – 12.30pm Prior Park College: Main open morning: Sat 9 Oct, 9am – 12pm Sixth form open evening: Tue 12 Oct 6.30pm – 9pm The Parragon: Main open morning: Sat 2 Oct 10am –12pm Open morning: Fri1 Oct 9.30am – 11.30am King Edward’s School: Sixth Form evening: Fri 24 Sept, 6 – 8pm Senior, Junior: Sat 25 Sept, 9am – 12 pm Pre-Prep and Nursery Sat 25 Sept, 9am – 12pm St Marks: Open evening: Tue 28 Sept, 6.30pm – 9.30pm Open Mornings: Fri 1 Oct, 9.30am –11am Wed 6 Oct, 9.30am –11am The Royal High School: Sixth Form College information evening: Thurs 23 Sept, 7pm Senior School & Sixth Form Open morning: 6 Nov, 10am –12.30 pm Stonar School: Nursery, Prep & Senior School Open day: Sat 25 Sept, 10.30am Ralph Allen: Open evening:Thurs 23 Sept, 6pm – 8.30 pm Open morning: Tues 28 Sept, 9am –10.45am Sixth Form open evening: Thurs 11 Nov, 6pm.

Hayesfield School: Open evening: Tue 21 Sept, 6.30pm – 9pm Open morning: Fri 24 Sept, 9am – 12pm Culverhay School: Open evening: Thurs 16 Sept, 6pm – 9pm Monkton Combe School: Senior open mornings: Sat 2 Oct, 9.30am Prep & Pre-Prep: Sat 2 Oct, 9.30am Millfield School: Senior School: Sat 2 Oct, 10.30am Preparatory School: Sat 2 Oct, 10am

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Rush Hill, Bath, BA2 2QL Tel: 01225 426268 - Fax: 01225 447036 www.culverhayschool.com Culverhay School is an 11 to 19 specialist Maths and Computing School for boys, located on the south side of Bath.

We can be characterised as ‘a human-scale school with big ambitions’, both for the students who attend the school now, and for the future.

At Culverhay we are proud of the way we add value to our young people, as they undertake their educational careers with us. Our attention to detail and focus upon the learning needs of each individual allows us to raise attainment and promote high achievement. We are committed to realising the potential of every student, both academically and as a rounded citizen. From 2012, it is our aspiration to provide for boys and girls.

I invite you to explore the amazing range of opportunities available at Culverhay.

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EDUCATIONmatters

Fleet Tutors offers all-round support

F

leet Tutors has over 30 years experience helping pupils of all ages and abilities reach their potential. Recommended by The Good Schools Guide and regularly featured in the national press as the Britain’s leading national private tutoring company, Fleet has over 180 tutors in Bath and the surrounding regions who tutor in your own home.

All academic subjects are available as well as music, drama and art. Fleet Tutors has an excellent record helping students win scholarships and places at selective grammar and independent schools.

Specialist tutors are also available to tutor children for school entry exams at 7/8/11/13+ including

Common Entrance and scholarship exams.

Fleet Tutors succeeds by helping young people realise their academic goals by building their confidence, reducing anxiety and raising their aspirations with individually tailored tuition programmes.

Because many of Fleet’s tutors have been with the company for a number of years, they have established track records of success. Fleet Tutors’ annual results survey showed that over 80 per cent of students received more than a full grade increase as a result of tuition.

Fleet Tutors is unique among tuition agencies in that it works on behalf of the client help ensure tuition is a success.

Not a ‘web database’, Fleet employs nearly 40 members of administrative staff to make sure the tutoring service delivered by the tutors is of the highest quality. They do not simply place and forget.

Supporting the student and tutor is essential.

Fleet Tutors is also a selective agency in terms of the tutors it takes on.

Tutors must undergo an extensive vetting process before joining the agency, and have degrees in the subjects they teach and/or teaching qualifications, enhanced CRBs (in-depth police checks) and outstanding references.

For more information, visit www.fleet-tutors.co.uk or tel: 0845 644 5452.

Kumon programme boosts children’s confidence “Research shows that failing to grasp the fundamentals of maths at primary school leaves only a one in ten chance of catching up by the age of 16” (Channel 4 Dispatches, 15 February 2010) Kumon is one of the country’s leading supplementary education providers, with four million students worldwide and a record of excellence in maths and English. The unique Kumon programme, established over 50 years ago, helps children to excel by building secure foundations based on core skills.

Through daily study, tailored to individual progress, students are always working at just the right level – not being held back because of their age or seeing a curriculum passing by and leaving them behind. Through this experience the seed of selfconfidence is sown and children feel able to succeed by themselves.

Students enrolling before 20 October at the Claverton Down and Larkhall study centres are

offered the chance to enrol on the programme for a two-week free trial so that they are able to experience the benefits of the programme before committing to long-term study.

For more information about the English and maths study programmes and the two-week free trial contact Jan Pring on tel: 01225 333696 (Claverton Down) or Robert Beesley on tel: 01225 867000 (Larkhall).

University offers wide variety of language courses The Foreign Languages Centre at the University of Bath offers day, lunchtime and evening classes for anyone interested in learning a foreign language.

Classes will commence in October 2010 and will take place in Bath city centre and at the University of Bath Claverton Down campus.

With 10 different foreign languages to choose from and a wide range of levels from beginners to advanced, you will find something that sparks your interest at very good value for money.

WWW.THEBATHMAGAZINE.CO.UK

The teachers are qualified native speakers and most of them have many years of teaching experience.

On top of a most enjoyable language course, you will also get the use of the University’s Self Access Language Centre, where you can watch foreign films and foreign TV and read contemporary foreign press.

For further information, please call tel: 01225 383991 or visit: www.bath.ac.uk/flc/community

New school year, new start

F

or a number of years now, local parents have been giving their children a boost with their education. As places at parents’ first choice schools become hotly contested, it is good to give your child the best chance of success wherever they go to school. The holidays are over, the weather is changing and thoughts turn to the new school year.

For some parents and children this is a time of excitement and expectation but for others it looms as a challenge.

Maybe last term’s report was disappointing or exam results missed the target. Well, all is not lost. Help is at hand.

One Step Ahead Tutoring is a locally based team of experienced tutors. Their help is tailored to meet individual needs and they boost confidence, increase motivation and improve results. Sandy Hewit, of One Step Ahead (pictured above), says: “I have personally built this team, having spent many years teaching in several local schools.

“I believe each child is a unique individual with their own strengths and talents. As parents and teachers I see our role as one that nurtures these young people and equips them with the skills they will need as adults and a zest for living.

“So, whether the problem is a struggle with reading and writing or unraveling the mysteries of chemical formulas or making sense of mathematical equations, we could help.”

One Step Ahead offers help with mathematics, English, science and more, for children aged five to 18.

Lessons are individually tailored to meet the needs of the child and can be ½ hour, ¾ hour, 1 hour or longer.

They can be weekly, twice weekly or fortnightly. Children’s progress can be reviewed termly as it is as important to withdraw help at the right time as it is to introduce it.

Lessons are being booked now for September. So why not call Sandy Hewit on tel: 01225 420977, email info@onestepaheadtutoring.co.uk or visit: www.onestepaheadtutoring.co.uk

SEPTEMBER 2010

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CYCLINGcity

ONyerBIKE Joceline Bury overcomes a lifelong terror of wheeled transport and gets mobile

W

hen I was about 20, home from university for the long vacation, my darling Dad decided it was time I learned to ride a bike. It all ended in tears, of course.

After an exhausting hour of wobbling up and down our suburban street, with Dad trying his best to steady the saddle, I crashed into a car (stationary, thank God), fell off – much to the amusement of the gaggle of nine-year-olds who’d gathered to witness the spectacle – and vowed never again to subject myself to such humiliation.

Fast-forward 40 years, and a chance conversation about the Cycle to Work scheme revealed my inability to ride a bike, drive a car, or indeed interact successfully with any form of transport other than my own two feet. The person I was talking to was passionate cyclist and irresistible force of nature John Potter, owner of Walcot Street cycling emporium, John’s Bikes.

Half an hour later, I’d agreed to sign up for lessons with Bristol-based Life Cycle UK, an organisation that offers one-toone lessons for absolute beginners, adults as well as children.

John would provide a suitable bike for me to learn on, and I would provide what I imagined would be an insurmountable challenge for my unfortunate instructor.

Once I’d called Life Cycle and explained what I wanted, the wheels were, so to speak, set in motion. I had a call from instructor Wendy Zakiewicz, who was throughly reassuring and quite confident that I would be riding a bike unaided after just one 60-minute session. Ha, I thought, she’s obviously never come across a klutz like me before...

I would provide ... an ❝ insurmountable challenge for my unfortunate instructor ❞ Next, a visit to John’s Bikes opened my eyes to the esoteric world of cycling. The staff are clearly mad about bikes, and their enthusiasm and knowledge are infectious. The saddle of my lovely Trek hybrid bike (great for girls, because it has a lowslung frame that makes it really easy to get on and off) was lowered so I could easily put both my feet flat on the ground, and the handlebars were adjusted so I could sit up straight (important for beginners, apparently).

Equipped with bike, helmet and gloves, I was taken – by car – to a quiet corner of town (Alice Park, to be precise), to meet Wendy. And my fate.

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I was sick with fright, convinced that I had some genetic inability to balance on two wheels for five seconds, let alone pedal unaided up and down a car park.

But Wendy was patient and encouraging, letting me walk up and down with the bike, to get the feel of the brakes, and the weight and heft of the machine. At last, it was time to put my feet on the pedals and ... go. Wendy was behind me all the way, promising that she had her hands on the saddle and wouldn’t let me fall. And in any case, I could put my feet down as soon as I felt unstable, couldn’t I? It still seems like a miracle that within about 15 minutes, I was riding unaided. A bit wobbly, granted, but it was happening: no stabilisers, no saddle holding. I did as I was told, and kept my eyes fixed on where I was heading, to help keep me on the more or less straight and narrow. By the end of the first lesson, I could turn a corner and more or less avoid bashing into Alex, the photographer charged with recording my ‘journey’.

The following week, we were out again, this time in a very quiet little enclave off the London Road, practising hand signals, trying to look behind without falling over, and negotiating parked cars: much to the amusement of a very tiny girl learning to ride a pink two-wheeler and having no difficulty whatsoever.

The next weekend, I went out with a friend, cycling from Bradford on Avon to Avoncliff and back: along the river path on the way there, by road on the return journey. It was only about three miles, and I stopped my bike every time we encountered an approaching car – but on the way home I picked up enough speed to feel the wind in my hair. I think I might be hooked. ■

FACT file ●

Life Cycle UK offers cycling courses to suit all ages and abilities, including one-to-one training for beginners at £30 an hour and refresher courses at a subsidised rate for people who live in B&NES. Life Cycle UK, tel: 0117 353 4580; www.lifecycleuk.org.uk

●

John’s Bikes, 82-84 Walcot Street, Bath BA1 5BD, for everything to do with bikes and cycling – including a repair workshop just along the street; tel: 01225 334633 www.johnsbikes.co.uk

●

Cycle to Work is a government initiative that allows employees to take advantage of tax and NI savings on bike purchases in order to commute to work: www.cyclescheme.co.uk

Main picture, John’s Bikes is a window on the arcane world of the devoted cyclist; top right, Wendy tries to persuade me to take the other foot off the ground; bottom right, on two wheels – after just ten minutes; below, out on the road

Photos: Alex Yallop www.alexyallop.co.uk

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Lose Weight Effectively With Hypnotherapy

Who do you look up to... ... Now that you are grown up?

‘Being guided to think about things in a new, different way was unexpected but delightful... thank you for all your wonderful help.’

- Weight Control Client, Weston Bath

For your free consultation call

01225 484938

Phil Mattingly LHA E.Hyp Registered Hypnotherapist www.philmattingly.com

I

hate to be the person to break this to you, but you are a grown-up.

Unless you answer a knock at your front door and the visitor asks “Hello, is your Mummy or Daddy in?”, it's official, you are an adult.

But adults need to learn and have great influencers on their lives as much as children. We have the perfect opportunity to hand pick those around us who we can look up to, to help us raise our game wherever we most need or want to. There is a saying in the business world ‘if you want to become RICH, don’t study POOR people’ and this is a good principle for any facet of your life you would like to improve.

Surround yourself with people from whom you can learn AND who are invested in your success. We all know people who make us feel bad about ourselves; they aren't bad people, just “bad for you” people. I have a friend who always bickers over the restaurant bill, you know the ‘but I didn’t have olives’ guy: I don't resent his meanness, I resent the fact that I notice, and I become the kind of person I don't want to be around him.

I have many more “good for me” people, I have a group of colleagues who hold each other accountable to offer the highest level of care to our clients as possible, I plan to break the 1hour 30minute time for my half marathon this year, so I train with people who are already running sub 90 minutes. There are people in whose company we feel more alive, brighter, cleverer, nicer, and more successful; watch how they achieve that and then emulate their positive traits.

If there are things about yourself you wish to change, choose the right people to guide you.

Change is just a choice away.

To join the people who have invested their time in learning HOW to change their life, effortlessly, attend our workshop on Wed 22nd Sept 7pm.

The World's best kept health secret.. Revealed. FREE TO ALL. Pre-booking essential The lead speaker, Dr. Matthew Potts is a wellknown wellness expert, with two successful practices and over ten years’ experience of treating, training & inspiring thousands of people.

Abundant Life Wellness Centre, 36 New King Street, Bath, BA1 2BN 01225 318060 www.chiropractorbath.com Follow our blog @ www.chiropractorbath.blogspot.com

WWW.THEBATHMAGAZINE.CO.UK

SEPTEMBER 2010

Dr. Matthew Potts

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FITandFABULOUS

We love...

Halo Clinic

✽ The new aromatherapy spa jars from Yankee Candle (£7.99 for small jar, £14.99 for medium jar, visit: www.yankeecandle.co.uk): an ideal aid to letting go after a busy day.

Available in five different fragrances, each candle is a blend of essential oils designed to offer specific mood benefits: relax, stress relief and true bliss, each one rousing the senses to create emotional and physical well-being. I tried the tangerine and vanilla scented candle for true bliss, and bliss it certainly was. The tangy, delicate scent fills the room immediately to create a relaxing soothing, and homely feel, putting your mind, body and soul at ease.

✽ The fantastic Silk Stockings Solid Body Tint (£7.50 available from Lush stores and online at www.lush.co.uk): it’s a solid body tint that, when applied, will look exactly like you’re wearing sexy silk stockings!

Melt directly on to legs and marvel at the transformation as the rosy colours in the bar even out skin tone and the cocoa butter and shea butter leave legs feeling soft and smooth. It also has a touch of shimmer that detracts from any blemishes, perfect for giving you the confidence to go bare legged.

What’s more, it leaves the skin delicately fragranced with rose, jasmine and sandalwood. Beautiful. ✽ Esteé Lauder’s new fragrance, Sensuous Noir (£32/30ml): it’s sensuous, rich and intense. Molten woods create a dark and seductive aroma mixed with the rich petals of rose essence and spiced lily for a feminine floral scent.

The richness of the fragrance is increased by black pepper, vanilla and amber. Perfect for after dark.

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Safety and quality is top priority at the non-surgical aesthetic clinic in Chippenham

T

he Halo Clinic at Hathaway Medical Centre in Chippenham offers a wide range of nonsurgical cosmetic treatments for men and women, using the very best state-of-the-art technology.

The relaxed, contemporary clinic can help with problems including facial veins and redness, sun damage, rosacea, fine lines and wrinkles, acne, leg thread veins, underarm and palm sweating, permanent hair reduction, skin pigmentation, lip enhancements and skin tightening. The wide range of treatments include anti-wrinkle injections, microdermabrasion skin resurfacing, IPL photorejuvenation for skin, sclerotherapy for thread veins, laser leg vein treatment, fractional laser for a fresher complexion, Agera Rx peels for radiance, dermal lip and skin fillers, IPL permanent hair reduction, laser stretch mark treatment, and laser scar removal.

Halo is a doctor-led, non-invasive clinic and the team of medical practitioners are committed to recommending the best treatment programme and advice, offering constant support. Before any treatment, they will meet you for an initial consultation to check you are medically suitable for treatment and discuss your needs before recommending a treatment programme tailored to your needs. They will discuss all aspects of the procedure including benefits, what to expect before and after, as well as costs.

“Safety is paramount,” says the clinic’s Dr

NEWS in BRIEF

Anthony Wright, “that’s why the initial consultation is so important. It gives people safety, confidence and trust. Safety and quality is our top priority.”

The clinic offers treatments that are resultsdriven from clinical research. In most cases, results can be seen after a few sessions which last no more than an hour, giving you the desired results with minimum fuss. Aftercare includes follow-up consultations and maintenance to make the problem more manageable.

On site, there is also a travel centre for all your travel health needs and a beauty clinic offering electrolysis, waxing, manicures and pedicures, perfect for some post-treatment pampering. ■ The Halo Clinic at Hathaway Medical Centre, Middlefield Road, Chippenham.

Tel: 01249 454545 www.thehaloclinic.co.uk

■ If you have ever wanted to learn how to make your own organic and natural cosmetics at home, then pop along to the weekend workshops with Anna Christensen held in central Bath.

Workshops take place from 10am – 2pm and cost £65 including breakfast, documentation and all products. For further information or to book, contact tel: 07811 956 685 or visit: www.annachristensen.eu/workshops ■ The 17th annual Memory Trail organised by RICE – The Research Institute for the Care of Older People – takes place on Sunday 19 September and takes in magnificent views of the beautiful Wellow countryside in aid of research into Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Local charity RICE has been helping people battle with dementia for 25 years by researching effective treatments and diagnoses, and supporting carers and families. You can support this vital work by signing up to walk 8, 5 or 3 miles around Wellow, starting at Wellow Village Hall from 9.30am. Participants pay an entry fee and raise sponsorship. For further information tel: 01225 476435

■ If you are suffering with back pain, the Alexander Technique may be the solution for you. Experienced local teacher Hellie Mulvaney will be running a fun and practical introductory Alexander Technique workshop on Saturday 9 October from 10am – 12.30pm at St Batholomew’s Church, Oldfield Park, Bath. Alexander Technique lessons give long-term benefit for back pain sufferers. Enjoy lighter, freer movement when you learn to mind your back. The workshop costs £18 and places are limited, so prior booking is essential on tel: 01225 353397. www.helliemulvaney.co.uk

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The Virtual Gastric Band is in your area!

Hypno-Band

Weight Loss System

Licensed Hypno-Band Practitioner What if you could have all the benefits of a Surgical Gastric Band, without the surgery and cost? Well now you can! www.hypnoband.com

Like any medical or therapy procedure there can be no definite guarantees. Even a surgeon cannot guarantee that an actual gastric band will work.

However, the virtual gastric band has been proven to be effective in aiding significant weight loss. It should be noted that it is YOU that holds the key to losing weight.

By using the Hypno-Band hypnotherapy system, we create a state of mind where you will believe you actually have a Gastric Band fitted!

You will eat smaller portions and feel full. The Hypno-Band system is a long term solution to your weight problems.

Contact us today for full details.

Contact: Danny Nuttall D.Hyp.(Adv) MIAPH(Acc)

01225 580557

www.bathhypnotherapist.co.uk

WWW.THEBATHMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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Specialists in Ellipse IPL Hair Reduction & Skin Rejuvenation Treatments The Orangery Laser & Beauty Clinic, a name you can trust has been established for over 12 years & is situated in the centre of Bath.

Our clinic offers a comprehensive range of IPL, Aesthetic & Specialist Beauty Treatments.

ELLIPSE IPL TREATMENTS 50% OFF

WRINKLE REDUCTION

The revolutionary treatment is designed to prevent the signs of ageing & rejuvenate the complexion, leaving skin looking radiant, plump & youthful.

PIGMENTATION

FREE Patch Test

Removal or reduction of pigmented lesions safely & effectively.

SUN DAMAGED SKIN AND SKIN REJUVENATION Removal or reduction of age spots, visible blood vessels, reduce redness & uneven pigmentation while improving skin texture.

PERMANENT HAIR REDUCTION

50% OFF

Ellipse have created an IPL treatment that drastically reduces unwanted hair.

FACIAL THREAD VEINS

FREE Patch Test

Removal or reduction of facial thread veins.

ACNE TREATMENT Reduction of inflammatory acne when used in conjunction with a topical cream or gel.

We invite you to come for a FREE no obligation consultation & patch test with one of our friendly therapists during which we will discuss your requirements, talk you through the treatment & answer any questions you may have.

Call now on 01225 466851 to arrange your consultation & special Bath Magazine price.

The Orangery, No.2 Kingsmead Street. Bath www.orangerybath.co.uk

We look forward to hearing from you!

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Discover a new, improved you through the pleasures of Pilates Josephine Hartman writes... “I originally qualified as a Pilates Body Control teacher over seven years ago, but I’ve never stopped training and expanding my knowledge of this fascinating and effective exercise phenomenon.

F

rom my own studio on Wellsway and at other venues in the Bath area, I now offer classes and one-to-one sessions to suit all levels, from complete beginners to professional athletes.

My mat classes cater for all ages and levels of ability and I’ve recently added four new sessions which are proving popular with a new generation of Pilates enthusiasts.

• Men Only – A class designed especially for cyclists, climbers, skiers and serious walkers

TREATMENT AND INSTRUCTION But Pilates isn’t simply about improving general wellbeing: it can also be very effective in the treatment of some specific health problems, including chronic back pain, sports injuries, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, women’s health problems, repetitive strain injury, stress-related illnesses and ME. As a qualified Pilates instructor, I’m trained to check that your placement is correct, and advise you on personal strengths and weaknesses to ensure you derive maximum benefit from practicing the method.

• Early morning – ideal for after dropping the kids at school

• Mums with newborn babies

It’s my role to devise a programme specifically suited to your ability and requirements, whether you attend a class with others or choose a personal one-to-one or two-to-one programme.

Pilates can offer a range of physical benefits after relatively few sessions, as the body begins to regain aspects of its youth and subtlety, and as physical confidence returns. It’s no wonder that many celebrities swear by it, citing improved fitness and flexibility, better posture, more vitality and energy, extra stamina and improved muscle tone for a more defined physique and an enhanced sex life.

Above all, a Pilates session restores balance to both mind and body. It provides ‘time out’, taking your consciousness inside the body to concentrate on control, breathing, alignment and coordination. Just consider the many sources of stress in our lives, from hunching over paperwork or laptops to the stress of commuting or shift working... many people find a typical day offers none of the calm and peace they deserve and which the body craves.

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Josephine first qualified with the Body Control Pilates Association (BCPA) Europe’s leading professional body for Pilates teachers and has continued to undertake courses and professional instruction throughout her career.

Among her mentors have been Kathy Corey in the USA with over 30 years’ experience, Elizabeth Larkin, has who developed unique Pilates protocols for the rehabilitation of certain orthopaedic and spinal problems, and the team of Michael Frilzke and Ton Voogt, the pilates Master Teachers who developed and created the revolutionary Tradball.

Josephine has also taken an Advanced Reformer Course with Gordon Thomson of Pilates Body Europe who has formed his own international training school after cofounding the BCPA. He began his career with the Ballet Rambert.

• Rehabilitation class for those recovering from serious illness or injury

SO WHAT IS PILATES?

JOSEPHINE HARTMAN THE PROFESSIONAL

I’m happy to boast that I’ve introduced several hundred people to the benefits of Pilates over the past few years, and I know for certain that it’s a fantastic way to achieve your full potential.

What are you waiting for? Give me a ring now on 01225 446466/07881580101 for an initial chat and to arrange your first steps towards creating a new, improved you.

Josephine has also done the Polestar Pilates Studio courses to levels I, II and III which was established to bring the world's leading instruction and certification programme in Pilates-evolved techniques for fitness and rehabilitation professionals to Britain.

WHERE DID PILATES COME FROM? Pilates (pronounced pil-ah-tis) was developed by Joseph Humbertus Pilates, who was born in Germany in 1880, and interned as a prisoner-of-war in the UK during the First World War. In this unlikely setting he developed his techniques, based on his knowledge of yoga and the mental discipline of Japanese martial arts, including karate. He subsequently worked as a fitness trainer for the British army before emigrating to the United States and settling in New York City. There, the ‘Pilates Method’ became the preferred exercise of a whole generation of dancers and Broadway performers. Pilates died in 1967 at the ripe old age of 87, a testimony to his own adage that: “Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness”.

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Doctor-Led Cosmetic Medicine Clinic Treatments Including: ■ Acne treatments ■ Permanent hair reduction ■ Thread veins

■ Facial redness & rosacea

Jane Braham’s

■ Skin rejuvenation

Register of Exercise Professionals R0048007

■ Peels and microdermabrasions

WALKING FIT CLUB

■ Anti-wrinkle injections

Monday 10.30am - 11.30am Wednesday 11.30am - 12.30pm Thursday 6.30pm - 7.30pm Friday 11.30am - 12.30pm

■ Restylane fillers Dr Ellen Goedbloed & Dr Tony Wright

1 Hour Brisk Fitness Walk

4 walks per week

Tel 01225 852634 or

www.walkingfitclub.com

WWW.THEBATHMAGAZINE.CO.UK

Scenic, circular walks, starting and finishing at Bath's best pubs and restaurants.

The Halo Clinic at Hathaway Medical Centre, Middlefield Road, Chippenham SN14 6GT Tel 01249 454545 Email:info@thehaloclinic.co.uk www.thehaloclinic.co.uk

NEW FROM THE HALO CLINIC Laser treatment for stretch marks and scars is now available at The Halo Cosmetic Medical Clinic.

If you would like any further information or to book an appointment, please telephone us on 01249 454545.

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The Studio... just for women A better body on the plate at

Bath’s Powerplate Studio

- TONE - ILATES O R E A OBICS - TONING - PILAT AE R

A 50 minute exercise class 01225 852634

ES

✓ Cellulite reduction and prevention

MON

- ROYAL HIGH JUNIOR SCHOOL - 6.30pm

✓ Improved flexibility

TUES

- ST LUKE’S, WELLS RD

- 10.15am

TUES

- CULVERHAY BOYS SCHOOL

- 6.45pm

✓ Increased and improved muscle tone

THURS - ST STEPHEN’S CHURCH HALL - 9.15am FRI

Book a 6 wee k course and rece ive

- ST BARTS, OLDFIELD PARK

- 9.15am

a

FREE p/t sess ion offer ends 30/9 /2010

NEW FOR AUTUMN Teen Fitness 10 -15 year olds Physio & Sports Massage Eyelash Extensions Spray Tans Beauty Treatments

The Studio... just for women

7 Trim Street, Bath BA1 1HB 01225 758383 www.thestudiobath.co.uk info@thestudiobath.co.uk

WWW.THEBATHMAGAZINE.CO.UK

BANDS

BALLS

WEIGHTS

Optional weigh-in & diet advice • Class fee £4 • Weigh-in £1 Register of Exercise Professionals R0048007

JANE BRAHAM HAS 14 YEARS EXPER IENCE jane_braham hotmail.com • tel: 01225 852634

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NEW Jessica GELeration.

The beauty of Jessica in a gel.

With the health of the nail in mind, GELeration’s gel formula delivers a long lasting flawless finish that’s dry in seconds and protects the natural nail.

• GELeration ultimate manicure (60mins) £40 • GELeration refresh manicure (30mins) £30 • GELeration French manicure (70mins) £45 • GELeration pedicure (60mins) £48 Gel removals are £10.00 or free of charge with any of the above treatments.

Available now at hands on health, The Old Post Office, High St, Bathampton, BA2 6SY

www.handsonhealthbath.co.uk Tel: 01225 462 462

Look the best you can with the help of

Lifestyle medical beauty clinic September Offers : Botox – 15% discount Endermologie – pay for 6 treatments and receive 8 All Restylane Treatments 15% discount Offers only valid during September 2010 Treatments must be paid for in September.

Call the clinic today on 01225 464005 for details

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Before

Our clinic is staffed by medical practitioners experienced in aesthetic treatments such as those seen on Channel 4’s Ten Years Younger Laser for Hair Removal Laser for removal of facial thread veins, red spots, rosacea, age spots Restylane for removal of lines and wrinkles Accent RF and Endermologie for skin tightening and cellulite reduction Medical Microdermabrasion for facial rejuvenation Sclerotherapy for leg veins Lip Augmentation

• • • • • • •

Lifestyle Medical Beauty Clinic, 10, Chapel Row, Bath.

BA1 1HN 01225 464005 www.thelifestyleclinic.co.uk

After

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The Rakus touch Known as the “London Lip Queen”, Dr Rita Rakus has made her name as a leading cosmetic doctor through her sensitive approach to aesthetics and her patients.

When it comes to non-surgical cosmetic treatments, there’s one name literally on the A-list’s lips. As one of the most in-demand cosmetic doctors in London, Dr Rita Rakus has had many famous faces in her skilled hands and has been fulfilling her motto ‘to make someone happy every day’ for many years.

Over the past 15 years, her sensitive contouring and subtle volumising has made her facial and body rejuvenation treatments legendary. And her philosophy that aesthetic medicine needs to consider the emotions as well as physical needs of her clients has brought a new holistic approach.

Add in her commitment to safety and professional practice – she co-founded the British Association of Cosmetic Doctors – and you can understand why she is often asked to lecture and set standards in her field.

SIGNATURE TREATMENTS INCLUDE THERMAGE, FRAXEL, LIPOSONIX, FILLERS and MUSCLE RELAXANTS.

TREAT YOURSELF Dr Rakus regularly visits the Orangery Laser and Beauty Clinic, 2 Kingsmead Road, Bath BA1 2AA Tel: 01225 466851 to perform Restylane, Juvederm and Muscle Relaxing Treatments. Please visit her website on www.drritarakus.com for information or telephone the Orangery to make an appointment for your free consultation with her.

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OUTandABOUT

RETURNtoTITFIELD A glorious ramble from Bath to Freshford revisits the picturesque location of a well-loved film, says Andrew Swift.

T

he last railway to be built in the Bath area – from Camerton to Limpley Stoke – opened 100 years ago, on 19 May 1910. Long abandoned, it would be all but forgotten today were it not for its starring role in one of the best-loved British films of all time – The Titfield Thunderbolt.

Released in 1953, the film tells how the villagers of Titfield took over their branch line after British Railways closed it. One of the abiding charms of the film is the glorious countryside in which it was set. Although the valley now echoes to the sound of 4x4s rather than 0-4-2 tank engines, it has changed remarkably little in the last 57 years.

The centenary of the line is an appropriate time to visit some of the film’s more memorable locations, on an undemanding seven-mile walk starting in Bath and returning – appropriately enough – by train.

The road down which villagers ❝ walked to the station, featured several times in the film, has changed little

❞

Head for Widcombe, walk up Widcombe Hill and, after 300 metres, turn right along Church Street. Turn left at the church and continue along the lane for 500 metres. At Fishponds Cottage, bear left, go through a kissing gate beside a large metal gate and carry straight on up the field. Near the top of the field, go through a kissing gate on the right, and head up a steep track. Carry on over rough ground towards a gateway, with a large tree surrounded by a fence beyond it.

When you reach the gateway, turn to see Bath spread out in the valley below, with the shining crescent of Pulteney Weir at centre stage.

Carry on, passing to the left of the tree, go through a kissing gate and turn right into the woods. Turn right at the playing field, keeping the fence on your left. When the fence turns

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sharply left, carry on into the woods, crossing a stile.

The ground here is rough with steep declivities, the legacy of stone quarrying. The large building ahead is one of Bath’s leastknown architectural gems, a gymnasium with a Doric colonnade built for Prior Park in 1841 by Henry Edmund Goodridge. Bear to the left of it, before turning right along its south wall, and then left alongside another wall for 150 metres.

Carry straight on through a gate beside a small building – one of Bath’s lost lavatories – cross a busy road and turn right. Just past the Horseshoe pub, turn left along Tyning Road and then left into Gladstone Road. Past Beehive Cottage – the end of a row of quarryman’s cottages – the road dwindles to a drungway (the local name for an alley).

Past a house with spectacular ironwork, carry straight on along a road with allotments on the left. When the road turns right into a school, continue along the drungway on the left.

Cross a lane and carry on, going through a kissing gate to the left of a large house called Monkswold. Another kissing gate leads on to a road, where you turn right and right again down another drungway. Below lies Monkton Combe and the valley through which the Titfield Thunderbolt ran.

Head down the drungway and continue along the road for 50 metres before following it round to the left. Just past the Wheelwright’s Arms turn right down Mill Lane, past the village lock-up, looking out for two black metal gateposts flanking a modern garage on the left. This was the entrance to Monkton Combe station, transformed into Titfield station for the film and now buried under a playing field.

On the other side of the road, the old trackbed, where the engine shed stood, is now the drive to a house. Looking uphill, the road down which villagers walked to the station, featured several times in the film, has changed little.

Two other locations showing people heading for the station appear in the film. Although you will look in vain for them in Monkton Combe, we will be visiting them later.

Head back up Mill Lane and turn right. Just past a modern building, turn right down Sustrans cycle route 24. Go through a large gate at the bottom and turn left along the old railway line.

Walking down to Monkton Combe. © Andrew Swift

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OUTandABOUT The school playing field, a little further on, is where, in the film, the cricket match was abandoned, with players and spectators rushing across the field to cheer the train as it whistled past. Past the playing field, the road bridge over the line also featured in the film, with the coach run by a rival company crossing it as a train passes underneath.

At the road, turn left through a gate into the canal basin car park and bear left up a slope. The railway – its trackbed now overgrown – carried on over the fields to a junction with the main line, but the canal whose course it followed turned north to meet the Kennet & Avon Canal. This short stretch of the canal has been restored as a marina, and we join it at the top of the slope. Carry on through a gate and along the towpath, before bearing right to join the Kennet & Avon. Turn right along it, crossing Dundas Aqueduct and carrying on along the towpath for 1,200 metres.

When you reach a bridge, turn right down a busy road, crossing over on to the pavement. Across the valley is Limpley Stoke station, almost identical to the long-vanished station at Monkton Combe. It closed in 1966 and is now home to the Titfield Thunderbolt Bookshop.

Once across the river, turn left up a minor road and past the station. The Hop Pole Inn on the right featured in the 1993 film Remains of the Day. As you carry on through the village, look out for the elaborate frontage of Weir House on the left and a crumbling turret on the right.

After a stiff climb, the pavement ends. Continue along the road and, when you reach Freshford, turn left at the T junction and almost immediately bear left down a narrow lane. As you follow the lane down to the right, look across to see the old Greyhound inn-cum-brewery, with its sign still intact.

Turn left beside Home Farm House and follow the road downhill. In the film, the house on the left at the bottom belonged to Mr Valentine (played by Stanley Holloway).

Continue up the hill, and when you reach the churchyard steps,

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turn round to take in one of the film’s most memorable locations. The large building on the other side of the valley was a brewery and it was down this hill that villagers headed for Titfield station.

The third location where villagers were seen walking to the station comes into view as you continue straight on past the church and follow the road downhill. A left turn here leads to Freshford station, where, like those extras from over half a century ago, you can catch a train back to Bath. You may, however, choose to delay your return, and carry on downhill to the Inn at Freshford, before heading back to the station.

When you do reach the station, look out for a final bit of history in the shape of a 120-year-old signboard, recently discovered and restored to its original home by a group of railway enthusiasts. ■

FURTHER INFORMATION ■ ■ ■

■

■

■

■

Length of walk: 7 miles Approximate time: 3-4 hours Level of challenge: Generally easy, with a steep climb and one stile Refreshment stops: Wheelwright’s Arms, Monkton Combe (01225 722287); Angelfish, Brassknocker Basin (01225 723483); Hop Pole Inn, Limpley Stoke (01225 723134); The Inn at Freshford (01225 722250 On the Trail of the Titfield Thunderbolt by Simon Castens is available by mail order from the Titfield Thunderbolt Bookshop, Limpley Stoke (www.titfield.co.uk) To check times of trains from Freshford to Bath Spa, call 08457 48 49 50 or go to www.nationalrail.co.uk Map: OS Explorer 155

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CITYgardens

GONE to SEED

Save a few pounds by saving some seeds for next season, says Jane Moore

S

aving seeds is so simple and so profoundly satisfying I’m surprised that everyone doesn’t do it. I guess that when the time, and the seeds, are ripe you just don’t think of doing it and then it’s too late. So here I am, your trusty gardening correspondent, to remind you that only five minutes of picking your favourites will give you more seeds than you could possibly need for the following season.

My seed saving started in a small way with a few runner beans on my allotment that got too big for harvesting. You know how they do: one minute you have slender little runners, the next they’ve turned into gargantuan whoppers which are, frankly, an embarrassment. As Vic and Ron, my next door allotmenteers, chided me on the sorry state of my runner beans, I affected an air of nonchalance and said casually that, of course, I had left them to grow deliberately so that I could save the seed.

This was met with much approval and my horticultural standing on the allotment site was raised a notch. So then I had to save them, and sow them the following year. And they were great, so now I do it every year. The original variety has long since been forgotten and the envelope containing the precious beans is now labelled ‘Jane’s Plot’.

one of the benefits of saving your ❝ own seed is that they’re adapted to grow well in your own garden’s particular conditions

❞

That year, a seed was sown – if you’ll forgive the pun. Now I save seeds every September, wandering about the garden with envelopes, secateurs and pen. From the vegetable garden, the runner beans have been joined by peas, leeks and tomatoes and this year will be supplemented by sweetcorn, squash and courgette. Flowers I save every year include pot marigold, sunflower, nasturtium and various grasses.

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Obviously I only save the seed from things I actually like and that grow well here at the Priory, and indeed one of the benefits of saving your own seed is that they’re adapted to grow well in your own garden’s particular conditions.

Plants fall into two basic groups (here’s the technical bit so don’t be put off): self-pollinators and cross-pollinators.

Self-pollinators (such as peas and tomatoes) carry flowers with anthers and stigma, or grow in such a way as to pollinate without the need for animals or wind. Cross-pollinators require bees, wind, or water to transfer the pollen from anthers to stigma.

Self-pollinators are the easiest types from which to collect seed.

Saving vegetable seeds Peas are easy to grow, require very little maintenance, and produce an abundance of pods. Many round seeded types, such as Meteor, can be sown in the winter or early spring, giving the plants a long growing season. This means they’ll have plenty of time to dry out on the plants at the end of summer. The early types are also less susceptible to pea moth (a pest that munches through the seeds inside the pods). To preserve the variety’s characteristics, grow just one type of pea – or grow the second type more than 20 metres away.

To save the seed, leave the last few pods on your plants and let them dry naturally. When the plants turn brown and dry, pull off the pods and shell the peas. Dry them on a rack or tray in a cool place, remove bits of chaff, then store in an envelope until next year.

Leeks are also very easy to collect seed from. They are openpollinating, which means that one plant pollinates the next via wind or bees. It is a good idea to grow only one variety of leek during the season, to make sure that your seed is pure. You will get a good number of seeds from one flower head.

In winter, choose a couple of healthy leeks to leave in the ground for seed. The centre of the leek firms up and sprouts, forming a pretty allium flower in early spring. Watch the flower head carefully now – when it starts to dry and you can see seeds

Saving seed from favourite flowers and vegetable varieties saves money and produces a real sense of satisfaction.

© Graham Wiseman

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CITYgardens forming, snip off the entire head and put it into a paper bag.

Hang upside down to dry and the seeds will fall into the bag for storage. Then it’s just a matter of sifting through for debris and storing in a dark place.

Most tomatoes self-pollinate, which makes seed saving easy.

When the fruit is ripe, you can collect seed. Simply remove seed from the fruits, wash it under cold water and dry on kitchen towel.

Leave the seed on a piece of kitchen towel, in a cool, dark place, until the following spring. You can then wet the kitchen towel in a seed tray, cover it with potting compost and grow the seedlings ready for transplanting.

Larger seeds like corn, beans, peas, squash and melons need more drying time than you would imagine. Allow an extra two weeks in open, non-humid conditions before storing them away.

Saving flower seeds Pot marigolds make a brilliant splash of summer colour in pots and borders. To save the seeds, make sure the flower heads are fully mature and don’t be tempted to harvest too early as the nourishment necessary for next season’s plant growth is stored in flower seeds.

Flower heads also shouldn’t be harvested so late that the seeds are lost due to the head ‘shattering’, which is when the seeds naturally fall away from the plant. Marigold flower heads should be collected either just as the flower begins to shatter or when the petals and head look dry and crisp.

For sunflowers, wait until the flowers start to fade in early autumn, then collect those flowers that the petals have fallen off and place them on a sunny windowsill to dry off completely.

Then gently rub the face of the flower (the front with the seeds) to loosen the sunflower seeds, catching them on a sheet of newspaper.

Storing seeds To store seeds for next year, all seeds must be thoroughly dry

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and all chaff and debris removed. Remember that it only takes a few not-quite-dry seeds to cause the rest to go mouldy in storage. Once dry, place each variety in its own little paper bag or envelope, and label with variety and year saved, and source if other than your own.

Then store the packets in a tin with a lid or a large jar with a lid, and again, label the contents. Throw in a few desiccants such as the little silica gel bags found in shoe boxes and new handbags, or simply add some dry, uncooked rice to each closed container.

The containers then need to stay in an area out of sunlight (which can heat the container contents) and which is constantly cool but won’t freeze or become hot. A cool shed or the fridge is ideal. ■ Jane Moore is the award-winning head gardener at The Bath Priory.

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BATHpropertyPAGES

The Vinery, Claverton Village, Bath.

Price: ÂŁ950,000

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T

he Vinery is a detached, modern house set in beautifully maintained walled gardens, which are believed to be the former fruit garden of Claverton Manor. The property is situated in the heart of the village, adjacent to the church, with pleasant open views across the Limpley Stoke Valley. On the ground floor, the reception lobby, hallway, sitting room and dining room all have polished wood floors giving continuity throughout. The sitting room has a working stone fire place with log store and an attached sun lounge allowing access to the garden. In the kitchen there is an oil fired Aga as well as an integrated electric oven. There is a ground floor cloakroom and a utility room with sliding door to the garage. Upstairs there are four bedrooms, one with en suite shower, a family bathroom and additional cloakroom. The walled gardens are a delight and comprise level lawned areas, mostly facing south and east. The history of the gardens ensures a plentiful variety of fruit trees and there is a fabulous vegetable garden, glasshouse and green house, all of which add to its charm. Tucked away at the southern corner is a heating swimming pool with sun terrace. There are two garages and parking for several vehicles at the front of the property. The Vinery offers a mix of modern convenience in a traditional setting which will appeal to many. It is available to view with Bath estate agents Pritchard and Partners.

Pritchard and Partners, 11 Quiet Street, Bath. Tel: 01225 466225

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PROPERTYin FOCUS

Maplecroft Farmhouse, Bradford on Avon

Price: ÂŁ795,000

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M

aplecroft Farmhouse is a grade II listed stone house believed to date back to the 16th century. The property is situated just outside Bradford on Avon in a quiet, tucked away location, but within walking distance of local schools and shops. The house is filled with period charm, with stone floors, open fireplaces and a solid oak staircase. Having fallen into dereliction, the house was completely rebuilt in 1998 including a new roof, new wiring, plumbing and heating. The accommodation comprises a stylish mark Wilkinson kitchen, dining room, double length sitting room with oak floor, open fireplace and access to the garden, utility room, and cloakroom. Upstairs there is a large master bedroom with en suite bathroom, two further bedrooms and a family bathroom. All the bedrooms are fitted with full height wardrobes and have lovely panoramic views towards Salisbury Plain. Outside, the property has lots to offer, being set in pretty south east facing gardens. There is a summer house which is currently being used as a home office but could equally provide self-contained guest accommodation. There is also a workshop and off street parking for five vehicles. This delightful combination of period charm and modern design comes highly recommended and is being offered for sale by agents Knight Frank.

Knight Frank, 4 Wood Street, Queen Square, Bath. Tel: 01225 325999

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Timsbury

Lacock

A substantial detached property set within approx. an acre in the most idyllic setting with far reaching views.

A superb detached family home set within this beautiful National Trust village.

Kitchen/breakfast room, 2 receptions, study, shower room, 4 double bedrooms, bathroom and an interlinking annexe comprising kitchen/diner, living room, bathroom and bedroom. Mature gardens, parking, double garage and an above ground level swimming pool. Outbuildings. Approx. internal area: 2543 sq ft / 236.2 sq m.

Kitchen/breakfast room, 2 receptions, garden room, studio/office, large utility, 6 bedrooms with master en suite, family bathroom. Gardens. Garage and parking. Total approx. floor area: 3446 sq ft / 320.1 sq m.

Price: £725,000

Price: £715,000

Lansdown

Bear Flat

A delightful and beautifully restored, detached period cottage well located for access to M4/Bristol and into the City of Bath.

A well presented Georgian townhouse arranged over three floors, a level walk from local amenities.

Good range sporting facilities and schools nearby. 4 bedrooms - master en suite & family bathroom. 2 receptions. kitchen, utility. Large attractive gardens. Double garage & additional parking. Total approx. internal area: 1687 sq ft / 156.7 sq m.

2 reception rooms, 3 bedrooms, kitchen/breakfast room, utility room, bathroom, shower room, study/dressing room, garden room. Pretty walled gardens. Open views from the rear.

Approx. internal area: 176.8 sq m / 1901 sq ft.

Price: £575,000

Price: £550,000

11 Quiet Street, Bath BA1 2LB

Bath’s Oldest Established Estate Agent

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Zest Successful Lets in August T LE

Batheaston £1,800 pcm

T LE

Lansdown £950 pcm

T LE

Larkhall £625 pcm

T LE

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Fairfield Park £1,250 pcm

Limpley Stoke £1,000 pcm

Newton St Loe £800 pcm

Larkhall £750 pcm

City Centre £725 pcm

T LE

T LE

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Radstock £650 pcm

Royal Crescent £595 pcm

Neston £975 pcm

Upper East Hayes £1,200 pcm

T LE

T LE

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Larkhall £550 pcm

T LE

Newton St Loe £725 pcm

T LE

Room Larkhall £520 pcm

Don’t just take our word for it

cAs a nervous landlady, I was impressed by the personalised service and let my property within days! d Landlord

cZest has no hidden fees, which for my accounting is fantastic. Just a straight forward percentage.d Landlord

cThe telephone service was great, friendly and helpful and the swiftness in the accomplishment was lovely.d Landlady

cThe 24 hour service, Zest provides has saved me a fortune and the hassle factor has been completely removed.d Landlord

cThe move in service was fantastic, Hayley moved us into the property at 7am! d Tenant

cAll the team are extremely approachable and honest.d Tenant

CALL NOW 01225 481010 1 Beaufort Place, Bath, BA1 6RP

www.zestlettings.com

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Your property is a bit special... so is our letting service CONTACT US TODAY TO DISCUSS WHAT MAKES RESIDE DIFFERENT

www.residebath.co.uk

01225 445 777

OUR PROPERTIES OF THE MONTH

Daniel Street

Sutcliffe House

A fine example of a refurbished Grade II listed Georgian town house with many period features, the property has been beautifully refurbished to create a comfortable and light home with a high specification. A convenient and sought after location, Daniel Street is only a short walk from the city centre with Henrietta Park only a minutes’ walk away. The area is within walking distance of schools including St Mary’s junior school and King Edwards. The kitchen/dining room has limestone flooring throughout, a fitted kitchen which is complimented with cherrywood fittings. Granite worktops, double ceramic sink, superb Gaggenau appliances to include two ovens, microwave, 5 burner hob with extraction, fitted dishwasher and large fridge freezer. In the dining room there are large glazed doors leading into a secure gated courtyard with ample parking for 2 cars. The vaults have been converted to provide excellent extra space. On the ground floor is a double drawing room with a regency fireplace and oak flooring.

Upstairs there are 4 good sized bedrooms and 2 modern bath/shower rooms.

A stunning recently refurbished top floor apartment finished to a very high specification throughout and situated in a former Victorian Boys school built in 1845. Having a light and spacious dual aspect living room with rooftop views into Bath, a modern fully fitted kitchen with granite surfaces and Neff appliances, a modern bathroom with a marble finish, a vast double bedroom with fitted wardrobes and a study area plus off street allocated parking for one car, an airing cupboard, additional storage in the attic and only a ten minute level walk into Bath city centre.

Unfurnished. Available Early September. £4000 pcm

Part Furnished or Unfurnished. Available End September. £895 pcm

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PROPERTYin FOCUS

Westview Road, Batheaston Price: £279,950

W

est View Road is located in the popular village of Batheaston, only minutes away from Bath itself. This quaint 3 bedroom semi-detached house is situated in an elevated position with views over tranquil Limpley Stoke valley. This well presented home is arranged as follows: Ground Floor: Entrance porch, entrance hall, lounge/dining room, kitchen and utility room.

First Floor: Landing, three bedrooms, bathroom. Externally, the front garden is mainly laid to lawn, with a selection of mature shrubs and trees. There is a terraced rear garden with a raised seating area with stone chippings and a patio area, with lots of greenery surrounding it. A garage also features in block with an up and over door.

Whitfield Nash. 2 Princes Buildings, George Street, Bath.

Tel: 01225 480444

Wall Tyning Gardens, Bitton Prices from: £525,000

W

all Tyning Gardens is a unique development of eight detached family homes set in a peaceful location on the edge of Bitton Village. Each property has been beautifully designed and built to a very high specification offering under floor heating throughout the ground floor, natural travertine stone floors, granite worktops and high-end brand appliances in the kitchen, and Applestone tiled walls and floors in the bathrooms. There are two styles of house: The Ashmore at approximately 2,400 square foot offers accommodation on three levels: Ground floor: A large hallway, sitting room with working fire, dining room, study, spacious kitchen with natural stone floors and granite stone worktops.

This leads out onto a paved terrace and rear garden. First floor: Four double bedrooms, two with en suite bathrooms, family bathroom. Second floor: Large open plan loft space with Velux windows which offers numerous options for an additional en suite bedroom, a large office, gym or children’s playroom. The Oakwood has a similar configuration but a larger area of approximately 2,600 square foot and the kitchen and dining room being linked by double doors. Externally, each property has a double garage, paved private drive and landscaped rear garden. For full particulars and to arrange a viewing of these stunning, ‘ready to move into’ family homes.

Anne James Estate Agents, 89a Bath Road, Longwell Green, Bristol. Tel: 0117 932 8611 or Andrews Land & New Homes, 87 Bath Road, Longwell Green, Bristol. Tel: 0117 932 8335

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SEPTEMBER 2010

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“The Oaks”, Lacock. Wilts - Price Guide £699,950

Grosvenor, London Road, Bath - Price Guide £575,000

A charming and genteel 1920’s home in delightful gardens backing onto fields & orchards on the edge of this picturesque, ‘National Trust’ village.

Four bedrooms, two en-suites plus family bathroom. Elegant, modern kitchen/breakfast room, three principal reception rooms. Garage, outbuilding, plus ‘carriage style’ drive. So much more than one expected

An intriguing GII listed 1826 former Dower house. Elevated, shrouded in greenery & set back from the London Rd. Three bedrooms, two reception rooms with ‘John Lewis of Hungerford’ kitchen.

Set in approaching 1/4 acre of landscaped gardens. Workshop to side.

(Picture shows rear).

Waterhouse Lane, Monkton Combe - Price Guide £459,000

Meadowside, Box - Price Guide £350,000

Deliciously tucked away, garlanded in wisteria & clematis a picturesque three bedroom cottage. Rich in character but boasting confident modern finishes.

Two receptions, Victorian style garden room. Enclosed, garden with stunning view.

A delight to discover.

Wake up to views over green fields, Box village and hillsides beyond- blissful!

Tucked away, 1950’s home with three good bedrooms (master with en-suite). Fitted kitchen with conservatory/breakfast room, 27’ lounge/diner. Lovingly created, landscaped garden with timber studio/hobby room. Garage and driveway.

Bradford Road, Winsley - Price Guide £319,950

Derry Hill, Bowood, Wilts - Price Guide £239,950

A pristinely presented 1930’s bungalow in between Bradford-on-Avon and Bath. Situated to the rear of a large, level and established plot.

Two bedrooms, sitting room, separate dining room, fitted kitchen, bathroom, conservatory/garden room. Garage and parking for two cars.

A 2008 built, charming ‘CF Fry and Son’ contemporary cottage in the reassuringly traditional, yet, elegant ‘Poundbury’ style. Stylish, surprisingly large interiors in soft subtle shades.

Three bedrooms, stunning kitchen/breakfast room and conservatory. Enclosed lawned garden, garage and further secure parking.

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Bathwick Street

ÂŁ289,500

A Stunning 2 Bedroom Apartment with Private Walled Garden in the Heart of the City.

2 Double Bedrooms | Kitchen/Dining/Living Room | Integrated Appliances | Granite Worktops | Oak Flooring | Underfloor Heating with individual Controls in All Rooms Bathroom Floor

| Acoustic Glazing to Front | Contemporary Bathroom | Stone Tilling to

| Period Style Features | Private Walled Garden with Patio

www.fidelisproperties.co.uk

01225 421000

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01225 866747

Bradford-on-Avon, £275,000

Barton Orchard, Bradford-on-Avon, £289,950

Delightful double fronted cottage close to the historic town centre.

Beams and sash windows galore. Impressive inglenook fire place with wood burner in the comfortable sitting room. Spacious kitchen diner with views and a fireplace. Three bedrooms, two doubles and a single, plus a rather smart bathroom.

Pleasant outlook to both front and rear. Lawned garden just over the front path. The one you’ve been waiting for?

Have a look!

A picture perfect little beauty! Situated close to the town centre yet away from the nasty traffic and bustling crowds. Beautifully presented with a fine eye for detail. The accommodation is arranged over four floors. Two double bedrooms, lovely bathroom, cosy sitting room and putting the kitchen dining room on the top floor is a stroke of genius, you are literally in the tree tops and bathed in natural light from windows to the front and rear plus skylights.

Very much one to view and enjoy. NO CHAIN and almost garden!

A glimpse at our family run business, what we sell, and how we do it.

On 1st March 2010 we opened our doors with nothing to sell. However, with a lot of hard work we have created a business which has attracted some beautiful houses and a strong register of good buyers to buy them.

To those brave souls who trusted me to sell their precious homes; thank you so much.

Due to strong sales success and high demand I am presently rebuilding my portfolio of quality homes to sell in the surge of the busy autumn market. I offer traditional personal representation and modern marketing strategies designed to suit your situation, your needs and your property.

It’s all about you, your house and your plans.

My introductory fee is only 1% with NO VAT until we are vat registered.

For a free and utterly confidential chat about your plans call in or ring me.

LD SO

LD SO

Bradford-on-Avon

LD SO

Bathford

LD SO

Winsley

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

Holt

introductory fee 1% NO VAT

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hunter french estate agents, valuers and surveyors

PROSPECT - CORSHAM £520,000 An extremely spacious light and bright ultra modern family home in one of the most sought after residential areas of Corsham. Standing in a large plot with private and mature gardens and a superb kitchen/diner/family room this home offers stylish modern living with fantastic features.

Detached family home set within a large plot. Open plan kitchen, large orangery style family room, beautiful Bath stone fireplace with woodburner.

Shower room, cloakroom, study/formal dining room, sitting room with Bath stone fireplace. Three double bedrooms and a further, spacious single bedroom. Contemporary bathroom. Tandem garage with private and sunny rear garden. Gated driveway and parking.

THE ORCHARD, LOWER SOUTH WRAXALL - £595,000 Located in the desirable village of Lower South Wraxall, this generously proportioned, four bedroom, detached family home with a double garage is located in the quiet cul de sac of "The Orchard". South Wraxall is a quiet Wiltshire village close to the historic towns of Bradford on Avon, Corsham and Georgian City of Bath and the Avon Valley which is regarded as an area of outstanding natural beauty.

Bath Office: 01225 444454 Corsham Office: 01249 715775 e: info@hunterfrench.co.uk • www.hunterfrench.co.uk

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hunter french estate agents, valuers and surveyors

HOLLY TREE COTTAGE, SEVINGTON NR GRITTLETON - £299,950 A very rare opportunity to live in this charming rural hamlet set amidst beautiful countryside. Holly Tree Cottage is a stunning two bedroom semi-detached period cottage which has been extended and yet retains immense charm and character.

Stunning period cottage with sitting room with wood burner, kitchen with rayburn. Downstairs shower room with wc. Beautiful David Salisbury conservatory. Bedroom one with stunning beamed and vaulted ceiling. Beautiful contemporary bathroom with roll top bath. Bedroom two with access to loft room. Gated driveway with ample parking. Attractive garden. Stone built office with internet connection

SOUTH STREET, CORSHAM - £265,000 Full of character this delightful Victorian bay fronted terraced house is far larger than it first appears and enjoys a peaceful tucked away position in a conservation area, within easy walking distance of the picturesque town centre. Fully enclosed south facing garden.

Victorian terraced house, reception hall, sitting room with attractive fireplace. Open plan dining room and contemporary kitchen, utility/breakfast room.

Ground floor modern bathroom and upstairs shower room. Three bedrooms with attic room. South facing garden.

Bath Office: 01225 444454 Corsham Office: 01249 715775 e: info@hunterfrench.co.uk • www.hunterfrench.co.uk

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Bath Office: 01225 444454 Corsham Office: 01249 715775 e: info@hunterfrench.co.uk • www.hunterfrench.co.uk

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hunter french estate agents, valuers and surveyors

DYRHAM - OFFERS IN THE REGION OF ÂŁ1,000,000 Situated right on the Cotswold way is this charming period home full of character with delightful cottage gardens approaching an acre.

The accommodation is over three floors to include a wide entrance hall, utility room, cloakroom, drawing room, farmhouse kitchen, garden room, two bathrooms and four bedrooms. Outside there is a detached gamekeepers lodge which has been a successful holiday let and a detached self contained studio. There is also ample parking. Properties in the National Trust village of Dyrham rarely come to the market and we are t herefore expecting strong interest in this lovely home.

Bath Office: 01225 444454 Corsham Office: 01249 715775 e: info@hunterfrench.co.uk • www.hunterfrench.co.uk

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PUCKLE BARN - OFFERS IN EXCESS OF £1,000,000 Puckle Barn is a stunning Barn Conversion within the small peaceful and picturesque hamlet of Abson, which is within easy reach of both Bath and Bristol.

This Grade II listed property has been stylishly converted to provide a fantastic four bedroom family home whilst integrating 21st century technology making this property extremely desirable. The reception hall in the barn is a large open plan living area with areas for dining and living, with a modern curved staircase leading to the first floor. Another wing of the property is the existing cattle sheds that now houses the Kitchen, Living Room, Master bedroom, fourth bedroom both with en-suite and an office on the first floor. The land surrounding the house reaches to approximately seven acres for equestrian use, with planning permission granted to erect stables and also to convert the former piggeries into a one bedroom holiday cottage and studio.

HINTON - £750,000 Lakeside House is a well presented large family home, offering spacious living area and five bedrooms. The house was built just over 20 years ago by the present owners, kept to a fantastic standard the house has three reception rooms, a sunroom, kitchen diner, utility and a cloakroom on the ground floor, rising to the first floor you will find three double bedrooms including the master suite with dressing room and bathroom, and then on the second floor there are two further bedrooms and a large stylish bathroom. The property had off-street parking for multiple vehicles and a double garage; the gardens surround the property with a lawn area to the rear, decked and patio to the side then another lawn area to the front. The village of Hinton is a sought after location with a friendly pub, The Bull, and fantastically situated for commuting to both Bath, Bristol and it is within five minutes from J18 M4.

Bath Office: 01225 444454 Corsham Office: 01249 715775 e: info@hunterfrench.co.uk • www.hunterfrench.co.uk

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hunter french estate agents, valuers and surveyors

FAIRFIELD PARK, BATH - £400,000 With stunning views over the City and beyond this fabulous family house in Fairfield Park really is one to see! Beautifully finished and presented to a very high standard this detached family home has a lot to offer; entrance hall, sitting room, stunning designer kitchen opening into a dining conservatory, ground floor office, master bedroom with ensuite, three further bedrooms and a family bathroom. The gardens are immaculate too - and not overlooked either. To the front there is parking for two cars. Located within a quiet cul-de-sac in popular Fairfield Park the property is in the St Stephens primary school catchment area (grade 1 ofsted). Key with Sole Agentsi

FARLEIGH WICK - £375,000 A pretty double fronted cottage in the rural village of Farleigh Wick between Bath and Bradford on Avon. The spacious accommodation consists of a c.22' sitting room, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, three double bedrooms and a bathroom. In addition the property has central heating, double glazing, double garage with an attached workshop and plenty of off street parking. Outside the gardens to the rear are made up of various interesting areas of lawn gardens leading through to mature shrub gardens, patio areas and even a covered patio off of the sitting room. At the front the garden path leads you past well kept shrub and flower borders to the front entrance porch. A wonderful country cottage with large living space!

Bath Office: 01225 444454 Corsham Office: 01249 715775 e: info@hunterfrench.co.uk • www.hunterfrench.co.uk

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Bath office 01225 829000 bath@winkworth.co.uk

City Property - Sold Our team has just sold one of the finest Royal Crescent apartments to come to the market in recent years. Competing bids produced the optimum price and a successful completion.

To all prospective clients, whether city or country based we would now warmly welcome the opportunity to sell another property in one of the many highly favoured locations in the Bath region.

Country Property - Sold The sale of this classic stone built village house underlined the popularity of village property on the outskirts of Bath. We receive many enquiries each week from buyers and tenants who seek a rural or village home, yet wish to be close enough to feel the vibrancy of life in the Roman City.

Over 80 Winkworth offices independently owned and operated

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WHITELEY HELYAR www.whiteleyhelyar.net

LOWER OLDFIELD PARK

COMBE DOWN

An attractive and spacious period house in this popular and most convenient road just a short walk from the centre of Bath.

In the Parish of Southstoke. A fine 1920’s detached house, peacefully situated and standing in large level gardens of about ½ Acre.

Guide Price £475,000

Guide Price £875,000

ENTRY HILL

SWINEFORD

A period house of interesting character, standing in large level gardens within this popular area on the southern slopes of the city.

A most substantial 17th Century house in a small, popular village on the Bristol side of Bath.

4 double bedrooms, bathroom, reception hall, kitchen/breakfast room, sitting room, dining room. Fantastic 80’ south west facing rear garden.

Off street parking for 2 cars.

4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 3 reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast room, utility, cloakroom. Fabulous gardens, double garage and extensive driveway parking.

4 double bedrooms, bathroom, shower room, sitting room, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, study, conservatory.

125’ x 36’ enclosed gardens. Parking for a number of vehicles.

4 double bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, drawing room, sitting room, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, office/playroom, cloakroom.

Attractive gardens. Garage block and driveway parking.

Guide Price £550,000

Guide Price £595,000

6 PRINCES BUILDINGS, GEORGE STREET, BATH BA1 2ED

TEL: 01225 447544

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A handsome Arts and Crafts influenced period house set in mature grounds with acreage and enjoying 5000 sq ft of accommodation situated in the idyllic Limpley Stoke valley on the edge of Georgian Bath.

Limpley Stoke, Bath.

Bath City Centre 5 miles, London 117 miles, Bristol 10 miles.

7 bedrooms, 5 reception rooms, 4 bathrooms, annexe, 11 acres of woodland and private gardens. Guide Price ÂŁ1.5m.

Bath Office

Sales. 01225 312244 bath@hamptons-int.com Beyond your expectations www.hamptons.co.uk

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A contemporary 4 bedroom Italianated detached villa situated in one of Bath’s most prestigious residential locations enjoying enviable views across the City. Bathwick Hill, Bath.

Bath City Centre 1 mile, London 117 miles, Bristol 10 miles.

4 bedrooms, 3 reception rooms, 3 bathrooms, kitchen breakfast room, impressive cantilever staircase, gardens, double garage. Guide Price ÂŁ1.25m.

Bath Office

Sales. 01225 312244 bath@hamptons-int.com Beyond your expectations www.hamptons.co.uk

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residential sales

Bloomfield Road ÂŁ285,000 A spacious 3 Bedroom first floor apartment located in the Bloomfield area of Bath. In need of some updating this property has fantastic potential and benefits from far reaching views over Bath to the rear.

Includes the following: sitting room, kitchen/breakfast room, store room/study, bathroom and a garage. Viewing recommended.

Hensley Road ÂŁ385,000 A 3 double bedroom extended semi-detached house located in the residential Bloomfield area of Bath close to Bear Flat.

This well presented home benefits from the following accommodation; lounge, dining room, family room, kitchen, utility, downstairs WC, family bathroom, gardens, garage and parking.

2 Princes Buildings George Street Ba th BA1 2ED T 01225 480444 F 01225 483198 E enquiries@whitfieldnash.co.uk W www.whitfieldnash.co.uk

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residential sales

Eden Park Close £625,000 A 5 bedroom “Derwent” style, executive detached home, built by Berkeley Homes on the Valley View development and located in Bannerdown on the eastern outskirts of Bath.

Features of this property include; Entrance Hall, Drawing Room, separate Dining Room, Study, Fitted Kitchen/Breakfast room and a Downstairs Cloakroom.

On the first floor there are 5 bedrooms, two with en-suites, and a Family Bathroom. Outside there is a detached Double Garage and further off street parking for a number of cars. There are also gardens to front and rear.

Newbridge £389,950 A well presented and characterful, 4 bedroom Victorian bay fronted mid-terrace property spread over three storeys.

Includes; lounge, dining room, kitchen, downstairs shower room, bathroom, en-suite shower room and gardens. Located in the Newbridge area of Bath, the property has access to the A4 to Bristol and M4 Motorway at junction 18, whilst being accessible for local schools and shops in Chelsea Road.

2 Princes Buildings George Street Ba th BA1 2ED T 01225 480444 F 01225 483198 E enquiries@whitfieldnash.co.uk W www.whitfieldnash.co.uk

Apartment Company September:Bath Magazine single page template

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Buying or selling an apartment? call

Catharine Place

01225 471144

today

£335,000 - £375,000 Best offers invited

A delightful ground floor Georgian garden apartment located in a prime location, adjacent to the Royal Crescent.

Living room | Stylish kitchen that opens to the garden and leads through to the dining room | Double bedroom | Luxury bathroom

The Academy

£295,000 - £325,000 Best offers invited

A stunning two bedroom duplex apartment located in a central location and affording fine city views.

Open plan living and dining room | Stylish kitchen with integrated appliances | Master bedroom with en-suite | 2nd double bedroom | Main bathroom. | Communal gardens | Allocated parking

the

apartment company www.apartmentco.co.uk

Specialist Estate Agents Sales • Lettings • Management

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view Bath’s best apartments... visit

Henrietta Street

apartmentco.co.uk

£320,000 - £350,000 Best offers invited

A spacious two bedroom Georgian maisonette in a prime central location. The apartment has well planned accommodation arranged over two floors.

Living room | Kitchen/breakfast room | Two double bedrooms | Large office | Bathroom | Patio area and access to undercroft | Courtyard | Vaults

Sydney Place

£300,000 - £340,000 Best offers invited

A beautifully presented and spacious Georgian courtyard apartment with its own private entrance and located in a prime central position just off of Great Pulteney Street.

Large living room with original range | Modern kitchen | Double bedroom | Modern bathroom | Second bedroom/study | Two large storage vaults | Another vault to the rear | Courtyard

the

apartment company Bath Office 01225 471144

Specialist Estate Agents Sales • Lettings • Management

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view Bath’s best apartments... visit

apartmentco.co.uk

Great Pulteney St £235,000 - £265,000 Best offers invited

Eveleigh Avenue

A light and airy two bedroom top floor apartment located in one of Bath’s landmark addresses.

A beautifully presented two bedroom garden apartment located in a highly desirable location on the eastern reaches of the city.

Living room | Kitchen | Two good bedrooms | Bathroom | Great views front and back

Quiet Street

£155,000 - £175,000 Best offers invited

A funky Georgian top floor apartment located in the heart of the city is the perfect crash pad for the busy professional.

Living room | Modern kitchen | Double bedroom | New bathroom | Unique roof top views

the

apartment company www.apartmentco.co.uk

£215,000 - £235,000 Best offers invited

High spec kitchen/breakfast room| Living room | Two double bedrooms | Luxury bathroom | Large south facing garden

Chatham Park

£265,000 - £295,000 Best offers invited

A stylish 2nd floor modern apartment set in a prime residential location that affords superb views of the city centre.

Large living room | Private Balcony | Stylish and fully integrated fitted kitchen | Two double bedrooms | Luxury bathroom | Garage

Specialist Estate Agents Sales • Lettings • Management

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Letting...be our next success story... visit

Old Walcot School

apartmentco.co.uk

£1200 pcm

Royal Crescent

£1800 pcm

Hampton Hall

£1800 pcm

A very unique and stylish apartment set within an elegant Georgian building situated close to the city centre.

A spacious upper maisonette with accommodation over 2 floors located in the world renowned Royal Crescent.

A beautifully presented Georgian apartment located in an elevated position affording some amazing views over rolling countryside.

Camden Crescent

Haygarth Court

Green Park

£1200 pcm

£850 pcm

£895 pcm

This first floor apartment is situated in one of Bath’s famous crescents with stunning floor to ceiling windows offering super views.

A superb 1 bedroom ground floor apartment set within an impressive building in the much sought after Lansdown area of Bath.

A classic first floor Georgian apartment beautifully presented and retaining many of its original features.

Nelson House

Park Street

Bathwick Street

£795 pcm

A 2 bedroom 1st floor apartment located within striking distance of the city centre.

the

apartment company Bath Office 01225 471144

£1000 pcm

A beautifully presented two bedroom courtyard apartment located in a much sought after location just off of St James's Square.

£695 pcm

A stylish top floor apartment that is presented to a very high standard.

Specialist Estate Agents Sales • Lettings • Management

Knight Frank -

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KnightFrank.co.uk

Portland Place, Bath

Guide Price ÂŁ375,000

A charming second floor apartment with panoramic views of Bath Communal entrance hall, private entrance hall, large drawing room, kitchen/breakfast room. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (1 en suite) Approximately 1,067 sq ft.

Residents' parking.

KnightFrank.co.uk Bath 01225 325 999 bath@knightfrank.com

Knight Frank -

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KnightFrank.co.uk

Englishcombe, Bath

Guide Price £875,000

An excellent detached family house Entrance hall, drawing room, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, utility room. Master bedroom with Ensuite shower room, 4 further bedrooms, 3 bathrooms (2 en suite) Approximately 2,933 sq ft.

Double garage, home office, off street parking. Large garden

KnightFrank.co.uk Bath 01225 325 999 bath@knightfrank.com

Knight Frank -

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KnightFrank.co.uk

Standerwick, Somerset

Guide Price ÂŁ1.25m

An immaculately presented former farmhouse Entrance porch, drawing room, sitting room, kitchen/dining room, utility room. Master bedroom with en suite bathroom. 4 further bedrooms, 2 bathrooms.

Approximately 3,014 sq ft.

Double garage, ample parking. Garden and grounds of approximately 6.6 acres.

KnightFrank.co.uk Bath 01225 325 999 bath@knightfrank.com

Knight Frank -

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KnightFrank.co.uk

Bloomfield Road, Bath A splendid grade II listed Georgian townhouse with excellent views Entrance hall, drawing room, study, kitchen/ dining room, utility room. 6 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Approximately 3,487 sq ft.

Walled garden, off street parking, residents' parking.

KnightFrank.co.uk Bath 01225 325 999 bath@knightfrank.com

Guide Price £895,000

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