The Bath Magazine December 2021 by MC Publishing Limited

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REE G S N’ O AS E S

TINGS

thebathmag.co.uk | £3.95 where sold ISSUE 226 | DECEMBER 2021

’S

BIG

N ST M E A F I ONTHL L Y GUIDE TO

I LIV

H T A

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Contents 5 THINGS

December 2021

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Great things to look forward to this month

THE CITYIST

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FOOD AND DRINK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

We chat to indie folk singer songwriter George Ali about his life in music and his life in Bath

NOTES ON A SMALL CITY

ARTFUL MONSTERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 A new exhibition has brought some wickedly familiar monsters into the city and a QR code will bring them to life, says Dr Matt Freeman

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Melissa Blease’s interview with Basil Athanasiou about his artisan bakery in Locksbrook

Richard Wyatt looks back on Christmases gone by

THE GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS PAST

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Andrew Swift searches through his archive to find images of Christmas in previous eras

PANTO PERFORMANCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

TOP STORE FOR TOPPING & CO.

Emma Clegg talks to John Monie about the good and bad forces in pantomime, and we have a visual quizlet to test your memory...

PARTY WITH THE ROMANS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Georgette McCready takes a look at the Roman festival of Saturnalia – minutal of hares’ livers anyone?

A GHOSTLY STORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Dr Lynch tells the tale of two lovers who are still in ghostly evidence within the Royal Crescent

CHOIR AWAY

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Hugh Topping chats to Emma Clegg about the bookshop’s move to its dramatic new premises in York Street

NOSTALGIC READS

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Gerie Herbert discusses some classic children’s winter books that never go out of fashion

ROOMS FOR CHILDREN

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Bath-based interior designer Jackie Hoyte gives advice on creating a stimulating, rationalised space for a child

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Nigel Perrin, musical director of the Bath Bach Choir, talks of Bach, the conductor’s art and the thrill of creating beautiful music

WHAT’S ON

Our monthly guide to what’s happening in and around the city includes lights, entertainment and festive action

ARTS AND EXHIBITIONS

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

More content and updates discover: thebathmag.co.uk

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GIFTS FOR GARDENERS

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Elly West suggests eight brilliant reads that will illuminate the green world

ON THE COVER

Many thanks to Graham & Green whose decorative baubles adorn our cover: moon and star bauble, £5.95; antique gold moon face decoration, £9.75; and blue globe decoration, £5.95; grahamandgreen.co.uk

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FROM THE EDITOR

Editor photograph by TBM

t’s the last twelfth of the year. So it’s time for lights, merrymaking and presents (we’ve got plenty of those here), but this issue we’re also dabbling on the darker side to infuse some mystical seasonal atmosphere. Because quite simply the lights shine brighter when there are some shadows around. Take pantomime, where the narrative is about the opposing forces of good and evil, reassuring because the audience know from the outset that good always prevails (and we love to boo the villains). Local hero Jon Monie chats to me on page 20 about how he has got panto posters going all the way up his stairs and (after 18 of them) is now running out of room. Will he be able to fit in Cinderella, which is on at Bath Theatre Royal from 16 December? There’s also a spot-the-celebrity visual challenge on page 22 (it doesn’t get more exciting than this). Georgette McCready rewinds to the late BCs and early ADs on page 30 and considers the similarities between our modern Christmas and the Roman celebration of Saturnalia. The same festival sentiment is there, but boiled ostrich and roasted wild boar full of live thrushes might not fit so well with the sprouts and honey-glazed carrots. Dr Lynch (sadly deceased) shares tales of the spiritual world on page 32 as he brings us a ghost story set in the Royal Crescent about two famous lovers. Then we have monsters on the walls of the Victoria Art Gallery until 27 February, and a whole lot of technical QR code magic, which has allowed some of them to escape into Bath. On page 56 Dr Matt Freeman tells me how you can find the monsters and then take a selfie. Hugh Topping shows me around Topping & Company’s new bookshop in the Friends Meeting House in York Street on page 70 – Hugh has overseen the challenging transition from The Paragon to their new Grade II listed home where they opened up the blind door to welcome in the light. And on page 80 Gerie Herbert brings us her favourite selection of classic children’s reads for the time of year – the sort of books that never go out of fashion. There’s music with Nigel Perrin and the Bath Bach Choir as the choir prepares for Carols by Candlelight at the Pump Room on 16 and 17 December, and on page 44 Nigel explains why he has loved all 30 of his years conducting the choir, and what they have planned for their 75th anniversary in 2022. We also have some practical advice from interior designer Jackie Hoyte on the design of children’s bedrooms on page 84, and Melissa Blease chats to Basil and Nuola Athanasiou and unravels the magic of their bakery in Locksbrook on page 64 – they also share a recipe for a traditional Greek Christmas biscuit. From illuminated trails to Hark the Herald Angles Sing, we hope this time of year will keep the lights shining brightly for you. Emma Clegg Editor

EDITOR’S CHOICE

The above is my present of choice please, the Sapporo Japanese Ramen Noodle Bowl (£13.95) from the Museum of East Asian Art; meaa.org.uk

I’d also like this. The Snow Queen by Lesley Barnes (£10.99), which sees Hans Christian Andersen's classic tale brought to life with wonderful artwork and inventive pop-ups. I will be turning the pages while the cook (who likes to work alone in the kitchen – the best gift of all) is stuffing the bird and peeling the potatoes. Available at the shop at the Holburne Museum; holburne.org ...and these, thank you – tablemats handstitched from felt balls by artisans in Nepal, £12, in the shop at the American Museum & Gardens; americanmuseum.org

There are plenty more gift ideas to tempt you within these pages!

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

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ZEITGEIST

things to do this

December

Discover festive magic

Get quizzing Well-known doctor, broadcaster and comedian, Dr Phil Hammond will host Julian House’s Big Virtual Christmas Quiz on Thursday 17 December at 7pm to help raise vital funds to support people experiencing homelessness this winter. Members of the public, families, friends and colleagues are all invited to join, get in the festive mood and help raise money to support vulnerable men and women who don’t have a home this Christmas. The live, interactive quiz will be packed with festive questions, as well as round favourites. Sign up to join and donate an amount of your choosing. julianhouse.org.uk

Get in the swing HO HO HO, it’s the Christmas show, at Chapel Arts on Sunday 19 December at 7.30pm. It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year sees Bath’s cult cabaret crooners swing their sleigh ride into town to kick-start the festive season as only they can. Their unusual and uplifting blend of stylish swing is a heady Yuletide tonic flavoured with the spirit of Christmases past, sprinkled with knockabout shennanigans and served warm and smooth. Tickets £20. chapelarts.org

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Every year at Christmas Bath sparkles with glittering lights and the streets are filled with festive spirit. This year there’s a new addition with The Elves’ Swapshop, which has seen Father Christmas and his elves joining the upcycling revolution! This year, they invite children to visit the Elves’ Swapshop at the bottom of Milsom Street, where they are training the Share and Repair volunteers to mend toys and give them a new, loving home. You can also enjoy the Bath Christmas Light Trail, where some of Bath’s most iconic streets and buildings will be brought to life with magical illuminations. There will be extra sparkle in spots such as Abbey Churchyard, Milsom Street, Stall Street and Kingsmead Square. welcometobath.co.uk/ christmas-light-trail welcometobath.co.uk/ elves-swapshop

Revel in books ...by visiting Topping & Company’s impressive new bookshop in York Street. Now housing 75,000 titles (think both gifts and self gifts), and with a grandfather clock, no less, this independent bookshop next to the Abbey – also offering a sneaky view of Ralph Allen’s Townhouse – is open from 8.30am – 9pm every day. Events this month include Rugby Laid Bare with David Flatman and Mark Durden Smith on 6 December at 7.30pm, and An Evening with Dire Straits’ John Illsley on 8 December at 7.30pm. toppingbooks.co.uk

Go Mediterranean Try out a new city restaurant with a Mediterranean vibe – La Terra at 2 St John Street in Bath, which was previously the home of Firehouse Rotisserie. Co-owner Vito Scaduto has over 30 years’ experience managing some of the most renowned restaurants and hotels, including The Bath Priory, the Three Gables in Bradford on Avon and most recently Clayton’s Kitchen in George Street. At Claytons he met Alex – now head chef at La Terra – where they forged a close relationship. The restaurant has been refurbished, and has an impressive food offering of reasonably priced, high-quality food and wine. The menu includes fresh tagliatelle and red mullet ragu, 10oz rib-eye steak with greens and truffle chips along with vegan options of fresh fig salad with picked pear and nuts and polenta and vegetable mille feuille with red pepper purée. laterra.co.uk ■

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The city

ist

THE BUZZ

THE BUZZ BATH ARTS HISTORY The Bath Arts Workshop was created just as the swinging 60s gave way to the turbulent 70s. A unique counterculture that sprang up in the city, it was a spectacular flowering of creative activity, community technology and social enterprise. The authors of Bath Arts Workshop: Counterculture in the 1970s tell the story, from its birth in a Georgian basement in 1969, to the end of the next decade. The reader will see behind the scenes of an organisation that had a significant impact, describing how it worked, the range and scale of its activities, and how many of its ideas still resonate today. An intimate and often hilarious account of how a 1970s counterculture exploded upon an 18th-century city. £25, Tangent Books: tangentbooks.co.uk

NATURALIST ARTIST At his death in 1770 a poem in the Bath and Bristol Chronicle lamented the loss of Mr Robins, landscape painter of Bath, saying ‘Where now, O Nature, is thy favourite child?’ A new illustrated biography by Catherine Spence, called Nature’s Favourite Child – Thomas Robins and the Art of the Georgian Garden, charts the varied career of this most gifted of Rococo artists. Robins made a rare visual record of the expansion of Georgian Bath, as well as painting delicate watercolour views of gardens whose sinuous layouts glittered with garden buildings. More detective story than art historical monograph, this lavish study delights in his proficiency as a topographical, botanical, entomological and naturalist artist. The book is published in December (£40, inc. UK p&p); to order, email thomasrobinselder@gmail.com

My BATH

Indie-folk singer-songwriter George Ali tells us why he chose a career in music, and why Bath is special

I live just outside Bath, in a village in the Mendip hills, although I lived in Oldfield Park (and in the city centre of Bath) for around 15 years. One of the reasons Bath is so special to me is because I went to college and university here. I have so many happy memories of those years. I love the landscape around Bath and I go out walking lots. I love exploring the little villages and hidden valleys around Bath.

songs. I might not have become a singer without his encouragement.

I prefer coffee to tea these days and I love The Colombian Company coffee shop on Abbeygate Street. It’s very cosy in there and they have the best coffee beans!

I was very moved recently when I watched the film Somewhere by Sophia Coppola. I found it very honest and profound. The cinematography was beautiful.

If I had a free day in Bath, I would go to the Botanical Gardens and sit with a book and a sandwich. Then I would go for a nice pint of real ale in the beer garden at the CAMRA award-winning pub The Royal Oak, on Lower Bristol Road. And I’d go to Yak Yeti Yak (my favourite restaurant in Bath) for dinner!

For the first time in 20 years, I don’t own a pet, sadly. My dogs, Fen and Joe, will always be in my heart. I miss taking them for walks in the woods and hanging out on the sofa, watching TV with them. My partner owns two cats called Merlin and Pandora. I didn’t used to be a cat person, but they have converted me.

I chose music as a career because I am most at home when I’m writing a song. It’s a kind of therapy for me. It’s how I want to spend my time. I find it fascinating. I also really enjoy playing live! At the end of the day, music is what I do best.

At the moment my favorite quote is, “Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows.” George Orwell, 1984. It’s a great quote, which I feel is still incredibly relevant now.

My favourite music venues in Bath are The Bell and The Royal Oak (Lower Bristol Road). I have performed at both venues countless times, and it’s always a blast. Another great venue (and one not everyone knows about) is The Old Theatre Royal. It’s a very atmospheric place with great acoustics. I listen to many folk and rock artists from the 60s and 70s like John Martyn, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen. I like traditional folk artists like Nic Jones, Bert Jansch, and Martin Simpson too. I also listen to blues, soul, electro-rock, and ambient music. Some of the modern bands/artists I listen to are Bon Iver, Sufjan Stevens, and Sharon Van Etten. I have recently discovered a songwriter from Scotland called Gareth Dickson who specialises in an ambient guitar. I’ve been listening to him every day for months. An influential figure in my life was Steve Poole, the father of my bandmate, Tom. He started giving me guitar lessons when I was ten (out of the kindness of his heart). He introduced me to so many amazing bands and he also encouraged me to sing while I strum, and to start writing

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I’m very nostalgic about Christmas. I have so many happy childhood memories of snowball fights and big Christmas dinners. I’ve been on a diet for the past few months, so I’m really looking forward to treating myself with a few big portions of roast potatoes at Christmas lunch at my parents’ house! My dream is to get a song of mine featured in a film. I am currently recording an album and several songs were specifically written with sync placement in a film in mind. If I had to put a genre to my music, I’d say that it’s indie/folk (with a hint of soul and a drop of blues). My biggest influences are the legendary British fingerstyle guitarists/songwriters, Nick Drake and John Martyn. My mum always had The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Van Morrison on the record player when I was a kid. My dad always had Scottish traditional music playing. Even at such a young age, all that music filtered through, and influenced me greatly. ■ Platys Yialos, Ali George’s most recent album is available on Spotify. aligeorge-music.com

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CITY | NOTEBOOK

Richard Wyatt: Notes on a small city Columnist Richard Wyatt looks back on Christmases past, including bouts of flu, carol singing and painting snow on the Christmas tree, and decides to keep things simple this year

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I’ve grown to dislike the idea of chopping down a living tree for just a couple of weeks of dehydration in a centrally heated home

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feel like a three-star brandy. I have been triple-vaxxed against Covid and more recently received my annual flu inoculation. I have to say the injection for my booster – delivered with finesse at the Church Rooms in Combe Down – was so expertly done that I literally felt nothing. They must be making mighty fine needles these days, not like the basic hypodermics of painful times gone by. Mind you, I am so ancient I can remember the days before a dentist’s drill was water-cooled. Ah the sweet smell of burning! Back in the pre-pandemic days when I inhabited a younger and more disease-resistant body, a dose of flu was not an easy thing to bear. I am sure many will empathise with a week spent aching, wheezing and feeling like death while that nasty influenza virus did its worse. With Christmas in mind, I came across a photo taken many yuletides ago of Yours Truly recovering from a bout of flu at home in his Flax Bourton cottage. I was unable to join the rest of the HTV West crew helping the west country in its countdown to 25 December and I think I made up for this by recording a greeting to all our loyal fans from my sick bed. HTV News developed its own seasonal traditions with recordings of various choirs singing carols for transmission each night. On the night nearest to the big event we’d all gather in the studio to wish viewers the compliments of the season and then, with cameras still rolling, go out to the front car park at Brislington to welcome in the Bristol Carol Bus. One year, as the Western Daily Press and Press Gazette reported, we shared out a few Dickensian top hats and went off to Temple Meads station to sing carols to travellers. It must have given some impetus to the speedy boarding of trains, but we raised some cash for local charities, too. The older I get, and with all our current difficulties over empty supermarket shelves and the threats of seasonal scarcities affecting Christmas gifts, the more I think about the need to pare down exorbitant spending and to search out the true meaning of this explosion of love and bright lights at the darkest time of the year. When my elder sister and I were children I remember our parents mixing white washing powder granules with water and painting it on

the fir tree branches where it dried and gave an impression of snow. It required plenty of patience, as did the placing of what seemed like hundreds of strands of shiny silver lametta tinsel on top of every ‘snow-dusted’ branch. These days putting up and decorating the tree can be both quick and simple. An artificial tree can be bought as an all-in-one, complete with frosted branches pre-set with countless LED lights and assorted ornaments. In the past, I always tried to go for a small tree with roots and have left behind me several gardens with firs still shooting upwards. Meanwhile, I’ve grown to dislike the idea of chopping down a living tree for just a couple of weeks of dehydration in a centrally heated home. My nod to my parent’s frugality – with their washing powder paste snow effect – is to wrap presents in newspaper. We take the weekend edition of a daily that’s printed on pink paper. The supplements soon mount up to provide enough Christmas wrapping and it’s all recyclable. I will exchange gifts with my sisters this year but intend to leave it there. While wishing all my relatives and friends a joyous gettogether I will be making a donation to a charity helping refugees. What has coming home for Christmas meant for them? Christmas – or Christ’s Mass to be precise – is an annual festival that is also a public holiday in many countries. A celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ for Christians and a winter break for everyone else. December 25th also happens to be the date of the winter solstice in the Roman calendar. The shortest day of the year in which darkness rules supreme but then each day onwards gets brighter and brighter. I hope that is true for all of us everywhere around this troubled world. While we’re talking of Christmas presents, do remember, the greatest present we have IS the present. Use it wisely. n Richard Wyatt runs the Bath Newseum: bathnewseum.com

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ARTS THEATRE CITY || INTERIORS

Family-friendly morality tales

Emma Clegg considers pantomime’s characters, wonders why it is such a festive family addiction, and asks panto veteran Jon Monie how it has changed over the years and whether it’s the villains that are the most crucial factor Dick Whittington and Robin Hood. After 1843, before which the use of spoken word was restricted, the format developed again, using witty puns, word play and audience participation, along with fairy-tale characters, magical animals, principal boys and pantomime dames. Other stories derived from European, Middle Eastern and Asian folk tales and legends – Goldilocks, Little Red Riding Hood, Puss in Boots, Sleeping Beauty, Aladdin and Cinderella all have their origins here. Then in the 1860s Music Hall performers started to be cast in pantomimes, bringing with them a celebrity status that pulled in new audiences. That device has remained a winning one and over the years Bath has seen stars such as Jimmy Mac, Frankie Howerd, Arthur English, Jon Pertwee, Melvyn Hayes, Eric Sykes, Derek Nimmo, Terry Scott, June Whitfield, and Danny La Rue treading the boards. Panto veteran Jon Monie is appearing in the Bath Theatre Royal pantomime for the 19th time this year as Buttons in Cinderella

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You need to see the central character having to wrestle between good and bad and make the right choices

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he pantomime is a timeless family tradition. Whether it’s Peter Pan, Cinderella or Aladdin, you know you will encounter the flamboyant cross-dressing dame, the innocent povertystricken girl, the scowling villain, the handsome prince, and the sparkling fairy godmother in some narrative form, and if you’re lucky the pantomime horse or cow. They are familiar characters and stories; there are no surprises, just an explosive, entertaining over-the-top performance that feels part of a long-established canon. This theatrical form has, however, gone on a journey – the roots of pantomime lie in a style of classical theatre called Commedia Dell ‘Arte, popular in Italy throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, where characters appeared, representing recognisable social stereotypes, such as the clown, the servant, and the lovers. The troupes would typically perform – including dance, music, tumbling and acrobatics – in a town’s main square or at court and would play out conventional plot lines, with much of it was improvised so that the actors could make the drama colourful with relevant local news or scandals. By the early 18th century, Commedia characters including Harlequin, Scaramouche, Pantaloon, Pierrot, Punch and Columbine began to appear on the London stage, with performances set to music. Under the direction of actor manager David Garrick (1717–1779) Harlequin started to speak, and had new stories written based on old English folk stories like

Mark Buﬀery as Ugly Sister Dilly and Jon Monie as Ugly Sister Dolly in Cinderella in 2006. Photograph by Matt Cardy

(he keeps count because of the posters going all the way up his stairs). He now writes the pantomime scripts for UK Productions who are responsible for the productions in Bath, producing completely new versions from start to finish. Jon says his mantra when writing is, “Keep it traditional, keep it within budget, and ensure there are jokes for every age group. With Cinderella I knew what set and costumes they had, so I didn’t try and rewrite the rule book, but I went for lots of new jokes and I tried to make Cinderella more feisty – I think the female principal girl can be a bit underwritten and I had a bit of fun with the prince and Dandini and introduced a few set pieces that hadn’t been done in Bath for a long time.” Some pantomimes have lost their relevance over the years and others have been newly introduced. Jon explains, “There are a small core of titles which are eternally popular, and others fall by the wayside. So some titles such as Mother Goose, Babes in the Wood or Robinson Crusoe have fallen out of favour, because if children don’t know the stories they don’t want to go and see them. So Beauty and the Beast has now become really popular as a pantomime but that’s the Disney effect. The story goes back to the 1700s but it was only when Disney made it an animated film that it became well known. So there is an increase in stories like The Little Mermaid, Shrek or Frozen, which seem to be pushing out some of the more traditional ones.” So this brings things a bit more up to date, but what is it about the traditional pantomime that has seen it survive into our modern era, where it’s phones and tech and AI, rather than fairy godmothers and evil pirates, that dominate our culture? The stars and the characters are key, but it is the driving moral of the stories that we love, following a simple narrative arc with a calm beginning, a middle where tension, conflict and the momentum of the story build to a peak, and the finale where the conflict is resolved. This is where the forces of good and evil come into play. The narrative of any story is about change and transformation and pantomime does it quite literally in black and white. In Jon Monie’s words, “I think the strongest pantomime stories are those where the central character goes on an emotional journey, and has some moment of inner revelation.” It is the villain that controls this arc – the villain and the hero are foils for each other, but it’s the villain, the force of antagonism, who controls the drama. The comforting part for the audience is that the villain follows a

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ARTS | THEATRE

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The strongest pantomime stories are those where the central character goes on an emotional journey...

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script that we know ends with his selfish plans being foiled and the hero achieving his dreams. Without him (or her) the hero wouldn’t seem so morally superior, we wouldn’t understand the dangers and challenges faced by the characters and there would be nobody to hate, or to defend. Aladdin needs his Abbanazar, Cinderella needs her Ugly Sisters, Peter Pan needs Captain Hook – these villains carry us on a journey where we know the ending, but want to work through it by enjoying the spectacle, clapping and singing and shouting “He’s behind you!” And seeing the hero of the pantomime face so many challenges, the observers – including a host of small people, either wide-eyed with wonder or jumping up and down in their seats on a chocolate high – develop empathy. Jon talks about these opposing forces: “Villains and goodies both have a huge part to play. I love the fact that the villains should always come on from Stage Left, never from Stage Right – that goes back to the medieval plays where Stage Left is seen as hell and Stage Right as heaven. So you have good on one side and evil on the other. “The villains are the most fun to play, but without that morality contest which runs through a lot of pantomimes, it would lose its depth and intrigue. You need to see the central character having to wrestle between good and bad and make the right choices. Obviously nothing bad ever happens to these people but jealousy, betrayal and envy are universal emotions and feelings that we are all susceptible to and it’s fun to play them out in a comedic, over the top way.” Cinderella, this year’s Theatre Royal Bath production, is said to be the most popular pantomime of all. Jon explains why: “Cinderella exists in almost every culture around the world, so most children know it. And it has just got everything – it’s got a wonderful romance, it’s got a story of adventure and self-discovery, it’s got the villains with the Ugly Sisters who are the most glamorous of all the baddies, and you have Buttons who is eternally loveable. So it ticks a lot of the panto boxes. “People forget that the sisters are the villains, because they get so many of the laughs with the costumes and the make-up and the banter between the two of them, and they get all the best lines. They are fun to write for and they are fun to play. All baddies get laughs but nobody gets killer lines like the Ugly Sisters.” Jon worked for years with actor, director

and writer Chris Harris, who he says was a huge influence on him: “Chris taught me that pantomime should always be larger than life and twice as real. The larger than life bit is the easy bit, but the twice as real is the crucial part. The story is nonsense really but you still have to take it seriously as an actor and play the truth of the scene otherwise the children will see through you.” Check out just how twice as real it is this festive season. And test your knowlege of past villains and good guys (mostly fairies) who always save the day (see overleaf). n

ABOVE, TOP: Jon Monie as Smee and Paul Nicholas as Captain Hook in Peter Pan in 2018. Photograph by Freia Turland ABOVE: Jon Monie as Idle Jack, R Colson as the Alderman and Chris Harris as Sarah the Cook in Dick Whittington in 2011. Photograph by Freia Turland

Cinderella runs from 16 December to 9 January 2022 at Theatre Royal Bath. Daily shows at 2pm and 7pm or 1pm and 5pm. theatreroyal.org.uk

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ARTS | THEATRE - A CHRISTMAS QUIZ

Photograph Matt Cardy

Photograph Freia Turland

Photograph Matt Cardy

Guess who and when: good guys ...

Photograph Matt Cardy

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Photograph Matt Cardy

Photograph Freia Turland

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ARTS | THEATRE - A CHRISTMAS QUIZ

...and bad guys 8

Photograph Matt Cardy

Photograph Anna Barclay

See our website from 6 December to check the names and dates of these goodies and baddies: thebathmagazine.co.uk

Photograph Freia Turland

Photograph Matt Cardy

Photograph Freia Turland

Photograph Matt Cardy

Photograph Anna Barclay

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Rediscover the Magic of Bath this Christmas There really is no better place to enjoy the most wonderful time of the year than Bath…

(credit: Bath BID)

very year at Christmas, Bath sparkles with glittering lights and the streets are filled with festive spirit. This year will see the return of some of the Christmas activities we know and love, as well as some exciting new additions. Discover Magical Illuminations Some of Bath’s most iconic streets and buildings will be brought to life with magical illuminations throughout December, as part of the Bath Christmas Light Trail. There will be extra sparkle in Abbey Churchyard, Milsom Street, Kingsmead Square and many other city centre spots. Until 26th December, Bath Abbey will be glowing with the addition of Luke Jerram’s Museum of the Moon, with Christmas carols, storytelling and moon-gazing taking place with the stunning seven-metre moon as a backdrop. A world of enchantment, magic and good cheer awaits you at the American Museum & Gardens from 9th to 31st December. Be transported on an after-dark adventure through spectacular light displays which will emblazon the house, gardens and woodland in glorious seasonal colour.

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A world of enchantment, magic and good cheer awaits you...

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Have an Environmentally Friendly Christmas

Explore Marvellous Markets

Father Christmas and his elves have joined the upcycling revolution! This year, they invite children to visit the Elves’ Swapshop at 5 Old Bond Street, where they are training the Share and Repair volunteers to refurbish toys and give them a new, loving home. Children are welcomed along to see the fabulous Elf-O-Matic toy upcycler in action by bringing a toy to be gifted to another lucky child, and will get to take home a toy of their choice. Tickets are available for a workshop demo and a singalong with the elves.

There will be plenty of opportunity to meet and buy from local makers in Bath this Christmas. After a break of nearly two years, Bath Artisan Market is back and running every day in Queen Square until 19th December. Until 19th December, a selection of local Artisan Makers will be on show in Bath’s Abbey Quarter, displaying their unique crafts. From blankets and Christmas decorations to brownies and jewellery, there will be plenty of wonderful gifts to choose from.

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Get Your Skates On After a year away, Bath on Ice is back! Head to Royal Victoria Park until 3rd January for a spin around the rink, wood-fired pizza and seasonal drinks at Moguls Bar, and a round of Glow Golf. Be Wowed by a Festive Favourite The best-loved pantomime of them all returns to the Theatre Royal Bath this Christmas! With a brand-new joke-filled script, Cinderella will offer family fun and festive frivolity from 16th December to 19th January. Browse all Christmas events and activities at welcometobath.co.uk/christmas n

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ICARUS JEWELLERY Handmade with love

3 Pulteney Bridge, Bath BA2 4AX 01225 463693

info@icarusjewellery.com www.icarusjewellery.com icarusjewellery

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ANTIQUE JEWELLERY REPAIRS AND REMODELLING

CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS

Great gifting at:

London Camera Exchange

Looking for the perfect Christmas present?

ondon Camera Exchange in Bath have been providing that perfect gift for over 30 Christmases now, surprising and delighting thousands of recipients over the festive season. LCE’s (that’s London Camera Exchange) have a huge array of Camera, lenses, Binoculars, telescopes and accessories. With cameras, telescopes and binoculars all starting from under £99 to over £5000 (for professional ranges) and featuring all the top brands you will certainly be spoilt for choice. If you wanted to make your money go that little bit further they also always have an extensive used section of quality items. These are tested and of course come with the reassurance of 6 months guarantee. As the name suggest LCE are always happy to consider a part exchange of your existing equipment. Mark and team are always happy to offer advice and with their many years of experience are pretty adept at problem solving. Previously a family run company, earlier this year LCE changed to being employee-owned; meaning that the company now actually belongs to the workers. The staff at Bath – along with the other 25 branches – are immensely proud and excited for this impressive new venture. The LCE team have always liked to be fully involved with local and optical affairs. Sadly recent events have restricted shows and the suchlike but the store looks forward to a time where once again they can hold shows and special days to advise and give demonstrations. In the meantime visit the store for superb advice, great products and to find the perfect gift. Situated just by the Abbey, LCE is easy to find You will be assured of a very warm welcome. n

London Camera Exchange Bath 13 Cheap Street, Bath BA1 1NB Tel: 01225 462234

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with a special gift

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THE CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE

 DAZZLE WITH MISTLETOE MAGIC From Nicholas Wylde’s Dazzle collection, a small Mistletoe pendant in 18ct white gold, with brilliant Pave-set diamonds (0.14ct) with cultured pearl, £940. Matching studs in 18ct white gold, 0.28ct brilliant diamonds with cultured pearl, £1,000.



GOLD & PLATINUM DISCS

A VINTAGE LOCKET

This Victorian 18ct gold diamond pearl enamel locket is a fine solid gold locket. Weighing 35 grams of solid 18ct Gold with robust 9ct Gold frames it comes complete with its original fitted leather antique jewellery box. Rich in detail, featuring a blue Enamel inlay and lustrous pearls and rose-cut diamond accents. The 18ct gold also has a lovely matte-satin finish, making this all the more pleasing for the eye. £2,587. See this and more fine vintage jellewery at Lillicoco.com Web: lillicoco.com

Nicholas Wylde, Northumberland Place, Bath BA1 5AR Web: nicholaswylde.com



Disc necklaces in gold and platinum starting from £525. Gold & Platinum Studio, 19 Northumberland Place, Bath BA1 5AR Web: goldandplatinumstudio.co.uk

HOW MANY GOLD RINGS? Beautiful 18ct yellow gold hammered stacking rings set with rainbow sapphires. Starting from £875 each. Gold & Platinum Studio, 19 Northumberland Place, Bath BA1 5AR Web: goldandplatinumstudio.co.uk



LET IT FLOW This highly sought-after Sterling silver flow bangle is a little different and makes a fabulous gift, £59.95

IVY EARRINGS

Silver Shop of Bath, 25 Union Passage, Bath BA1 1RD Web: thesilvershopofbath.co.uk

Handmade, oxidised and gold plated silver, bi-colour earrings, £120 Icarus jewllery, 3 Pulteney Bridge, Bath, BA2 4AX Web: icarusjewellery.com



A MULTI COLOURED SAPPHIRE DIAMOND NECKLACE This ravishing 18ct white gold coloured sapphire and diamond necklace is set with a total of 1.52cts of multicoloured precision cut sapphires. The dazzling oval of coloured Sapphires is highlighted by a two micro-set diamond bezels, with a total diamond weight of 0.36cts. The chain is 16 inches in length, £2,950. Orton Jewellery 6-7 Market Street, Bradfordon-Avon, BA15 1LH Web: ortonjewellery.co.uk



A STAR CLUSTER

STAR STUDDED

This platinum rose-cut diamond halo cluster ring is an absolute dazzler, £2430.

Sterling silver shining star necklace, £45 and matching Sterling silver shining star stud earrings £30. Silver Shop of Bath, 25 Union Passage, Bath BA1 1RD Web: thesilvershopofbath.co.uk

Jody Cory, 9 Abbey Churchyard, Bath BA1 1LY Web: jodycory.co.uk

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

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ELLIS & KILLPARTRICK

Styling Opticians

18 New Bond Street Bath BA1 1BA T. 01225 466954 www.ellisandkillpartrick.com

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FOOD HISTORY

Saturnalia and the Romans

Georgette McCready takes a look at the ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia and finds links with modern-day Christmas festivities – although flamingo for a seasonal meal might be taking things a bit far...

n Monty Python’s Life of Brian film there’s a scene when the occupied British people are complaining about their Roman invaders and ask each other “apart from sanitation, the medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, a fresh water system and public health, what have the Romans ever done for us?” They might also have added ‘the Christmas spirit’ to that list because there are so many links to the way the ancient Romans celebrated the festival Saturnalia to how we enjoy the Christmas period today. Boy, did those Romans know how to party! Their Saturnalia was a week-long period of over-indulgence where workplaces such as courts shut, people gave each other presents and there was a good deal of debauched behaviour as a result of excess alcohol. There was even dancing in the streets. And as we prepare for our own Christmases, this does sound familiar. As the Roman Empire settled down after years of fighting tribes in Britain, Bath was a settlement where the Romans enjoyed peaceful times and were able to celebrate their own culture. In around 70AD the Romans had built a holy temple on the site of the natural hot water springs here in the south west of Britain before building the impressive complex of baths that we’re lucky enough to see today. In a tactful gesture to their British neighbours, who had originally built their shrine by the spring and dedicated it to Sulis their goddess of healing, the Romans named their baths The Waters of Sulis, or Aquae Sulis. All images sourced from Wikimedia Commons

Religion was an important aspect of Roman culture but they cunningly made sure that having a good time was built into the worship of their gods. The Roman calendar is full of festivals and holidays – at least one for every month of the year – and it’s here that we find the early roots of our modern-day Christmas celebrations. Lots of cultures like to mark the darkest days of winter by bringing families and friends together for feasts, to light fires and banish the cold and the Romans were no exception. Saturnalia was a hugely popular mid-winter festival which took place over a week between 17 and 23 December. During this holiday period it was traditional for wealthy people to give their slaves and servants presents and time off. They quite often swapped clothes with their servants and waited on them, reversing roles even for a brief time. It was customary to bring berries and greenery into the house as a tribute to Saturn, the god of agriculture, and gifts often took the form of small statuettes or ornaments, which were hung in the greenery – decking the halls with boughs of holly. And then there were the banquets... In her book Taste: The Story of Britain Through Its Cooking, Kate Colquhon explains how Roman food and dishes would have been such a revelation to the indigenous British people. It would have been the equivalent of the 1960s in the UK when most people had a bland diet which did not include ginger, garlic or chilli and they were suddenly introduced to the highly flavoured cuisine of curries and Chinese dishes. While the British in pre-Christian times cooked with butter, milk and ale, the Romans used olive oil and wine. They brought with them their secret recipes for a pungent, dark, salty fish sauce which they used to flavour their dishes. It was said that soldiers who had been stuck on distant outposts guarding the Roman Empire used to stand in the British rain or mists dreaming of the tasty fish relish of home. If you were invited to a Saturnalian feast in Bath what might you expect? The diners would eat lounging on couches, the most important guests nearest to the host. And dishes were announced before being brought to the table, served in a series of courses as we do now. The food would have been an expression of the host’s wealth and they prided themselves on beautiful glassware and decorative bowls.

Apicius, the collection of Roman cookery recipes thought to have been compiled in the 1st century AD, is cited by Pliny the Elder in his Natural History (77AD). Here are a some recipes from Apicius that are likely to have been used for feasting:

The Saturnalia, an Illustration by G. J. Pinwell for the poem The Saturnalia by Walter Thornbury, 1863

Stuffed dormouse (Glires) Lobster or crabmeat croquettes (Isicia de scillis vel de cammaris amplis) Brain Sausage (Isicia de cerebellis) Minutal of hare’s livers (Minutal leporinum) Boiled ostrich (In struthione elixo) Dish of sow’s matrix (Vulvulae botelli) Cuttle fish croquettes (Isicia de lolligine) Rose wine (Rosatum) and violet wine (Rosatum sine rosa) Roman vermouth (Absinthium Romanum) Varro beets (Beets a la varrobetaceous varronis) Dish of sea-nettles (Patina de urtica) Rose pie, rose custard or pudding (Patina de rosis) Homemade sweets (Dulcia domestica) .

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FOOD HISTORY

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Religion was an important aspect of Roman culture but they cunningly made sure that having a good time was built into the worship of their gods

Saturnalia by Antoine Callet, 1783

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We might recognise a sort of early pasta and we would almost certainly enjoy the fresh breads made from oats, rye, wheat or barley, although we might find a sausage stuffed with a mixture of meat and fish rather odd. The Romans brought many innovations to Bath. They roasted meat in ovens and liked to keep their food hot as it was brought to table. In the kitchens they introduced the three-legged metal cauldron, ladles and spatulas. They enjoyed watercress, lettuce, bacon and beans and their range of herbs and spices, including fennel, dill and aniseed, must have been a shot of flavour for their British guests. The Romans were farmers as well as warriors. They fenced in wild deer for venison meat and kept wild ducks which they domesticated for food. There was also the habit of keeping dormice in pottery vessels where they were fattened up on chestnuts and acorns, before being roasted for the feast. One of history’s earliest recipe books was written by a Roman gourmet, Apicus. One recipe begins: ‘take and pluck a flamingo’ and ends ‘the same recipe can be used for parrot.’ It’s unlikely that cooks in Bath could get their hands on either of these, but weknow that grapes were grown for wine in terraces on the sunny slopes of Walcot, where the name Vineyards on the Paragon remains as a reminder of that time. Our Saturnalian celebrants would finish their convivium (another name for a dinner party) with puddings sweetened with honey. Some guests would have brought napkins to wipe their greasy fingers but it was perfectly acceptable for guests to run their fingers through the serving boys’ hair to clean them for the next course. Throughout the meal wine would have been served and in wealthier households there would have been entertainment between courses in the form of short theatrical scenes, juggling, singing or poetry. And at the end of the feast everyone would enjoy the chance to gossip over more wine, or to play backgammon, dice or draughts. The Romans were happy with nudity, they were at ease naked in the baths, where business and pleasure were conducted with flesh on show. They were also relaxed about sex and the festivities of Saturnalia saw some debauched behaviour take place, much as it can today when Christmas parties get out of hand and the mistletoe and red wine loosen inhibitions. Who knows what stories the walls of the Roman baths would tell if they could talk. Well every party has to end, and by 312AD the Christian Roman Emperor Constantine started to clamp down on Saturnalia as its orgies and loose behaviour didn’t sit comfortably with Christian values. Within generations the British Christian Christmas had become all about prayer and solemnity, but lay the spark of those good times, Roman fresco with banquet scene from the Casa dei Casti Amanti in Pompeii.

buried in our collective subconscious and now we like to think the Romans of ancient Bath would have approved of our 21st-century fun-filled holiday. n

Notes from Roman writers on banquets and cooking: Plautus (254 BC–184BC) wrote about cooks whose seasonings were like “screech owls to eat the entrails out of living guests”. Columella (4–70AD) recorded that thrushes were reared on millet and on figs pre-chewed by slaves. As the cult of the kitchen emerged, Pliny (23–73AD) complained that cooks had begun to cost more than horses. At Trimalchio’s feast, described by Petronius (26–77AD), one course was introduced with Laconian hounds bursting into the room, followed by a large platter on which lay a wild boar and date-filled baskets hanging from its tusks. A slave stabbed the wild boar with a hunting knife and out flew a number of thrushes, then caught in nets and offered to the guests. Suetonius (69–122AD) recorded a feast given by Emperor Vitellius, the centrepiece of which was a dish called The Shelf of Minerva, made of pike livers, pheasant and peacock brains, flamingo tongues and lamprey milt [the sperm and reproductive organs of male fish]. One extravagant Roman banquet saw Heliogabalus (204–222AD) serving his guest with 600 ostrich brains, peas mixed with grains of gold; lentils with precious stones; and other dishes mixed with pearls and amber. The most distinctive of all ingredients in Roman cuisine was liquamen or garum, which resembles anchovy essence. Geoponica XX (a 10th-century collection of agricultural lore) says, “The best garum is made by taking the entrails of tunny fish and its gills, juice and blood, and adding sufficient salt. Leave it in a vessel for two months at most, then pierce the side of the vessel and garum, called Haimation, will flow out.”

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HAUNTED HISTORY

The haunting of the Royal Crescent

Every Christmastide deserves a good ghost story. So we asked Dr Lynch of Bath Ghost Tours to tell us one associated with Bath (he knows them all, being deceased), based on the real-life narrative of two famous star-crossed lovers

BELOW: Portrait of Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1758–1810) by John Hoppner

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against the cold in a carriage to France with her young lover, Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Reputedly, the couple were secretly married and soon returned. Elizabeth was just 17 and was acting against her father’s wishes. Sheridan himself wasn’t much older and was similarly acting without his family’s blessing. Upon returning to England, the young lovers had to part, both being in their minority, without money, and most tellingly because Elizabeth’s father refused the suit of the young Sheridan. After she threatened suicide, Elizabeth’s father relented, and they were officially married in London in 1773 and went on to have a son, Thomas.

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She stole away under cover of darkness one night, wrapped up against the cold in a carriage to France with her young lover...

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ath has, as everyone knows, a rich and varied history, dating back before the Romans ever set foot upon this land. It is a history full of stories of passion, romance, intrigue, deception and life. But like most cities and towns where life has been lived to the full, Bath can also boast a very rich collection of ghost stories, legends and paranormal sightings. It is a city which for centuries has drawn the attentions of the living, and similarly it has retained the attentions of the dead! All hauntings have a story behind them, a reason, if you will, for why a certain phenomenon has been reported. For the majority of hauntings, the origin will be a history of great violence, sadness or desperation which is attached to a certain location. The obvious example of this is a house in which a particularly violent murder or desperate suicide has occurred, and Bath has quite a few of those. However, not all hauntings are so grim, and as we are getting close to Christmas, it seems only fitting that I share with you one of Bath’s most warming of ghost stories. There is a house, on the Royal Crescent no less, which was the location of a famous elopement during March 1772, when the street itself was almost brand new and, as it is today, a most sought-after address. A plaque is fitted on the outside of number 11, briefly mentioning that this is the former address of the famed beauty and soprano of Bath, Elizabeth Linley. She stole away under the cover of darkness one night, wrapped up

The haunting connected with this famous elopement is reported by the occurrence of two different phenomena. Firstly, the spirit of Elizabeth herself has been heard singing while descending the stairs of number 11, beautiful perhaps, but no less highly disturbing to encounter. Secondly and more dramatically are the reports of the sight and sounds, of four dapple-grey horses leading at BELOW: Portrait of Miss Elizabeth Linley (1754–1792) [later Mrs Richard Brinsley Sheridan] by Thomas Gainsborough

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speed a carriage clattering upon the cobblestones of the Royal Crescent during the dead of night. These hauntings are reported to be associated with the elopement – so are they therefore just moments of romantic happiness, fragmentary elements of youthful passion which have been somehow imprinted upon the very stones of the Crescent? Well, dear readers, the answer is both ‘yes’ and of course ‘no’. These phenomena are indeed the replaying of tiny moments within the intense passions of our young lovers, but it is the depths of the later despair and tragedy attached to the lives and deaths of this famous couple, which has caused this particular haunting. Before her famous elopement, Elizabeth already had quite the reputation as a highly spirited young woman, a great beauty whose charms and looks had brought her the attentions of many would-be suitors, most of which were unwelcome. At just 17, she had already been engaged by her father to a wealthy gentleman who was 44 years her senior. From this unromantic arrangement, she had managed to extricate herself, only to be pursued most vehemently by a friend of the family, one Captain Mathews. Despite already being married at the time, Mathews was most insistent and dogged in his advances towards the beautiful Miss Linley, and it is from this aggressive admirer, as well as fear of any further engagements arranged by her father, that led Elizabeth to take matters into her own hands in 1772. Captain Mathews, however, was not a man to be so easily rejected. He published a most scathing letter in a widely circulated newspaper, insulting the character and reputations of both Linley and Sheridan. Indeed, upon returning to England, Sheridan was forced to defend both their reputations by agreeing to fight Mathews in a duel in London. To the surprise of all, Sheridan was the victor in this duel, mostly due to the dubious tactic employed, of immediately rushing his opponent. Mathews, despite the defeat, but true to his nature, demanded a second duel shortly after, this time to be held just outside Bath itself, upon Kingsdown. This time Mathews was ready for any dubious tactics, and it was Sheridan who was left defeated and badly wounded. This personal experience became the background for Sheridan’s most successful of plays, The Rivals. After risking his life twice, and more importantly, their parents finally agreeing to the match, Richard and Elizabeth were at last allowed to officially marry. The Sheridans should have been happy,

ghost story.qxp_Layout 1 23/11/2021 14:47 Page 2 Saturnalia by Antoine Callet, 1783

HAUNTED HISTORY

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The spirits of Richard and Elizabeth are ultimately playing out their elopement ...in a desperate attempt to right their own wrongs

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but in many ways, they were products and victims of their own time. Richard became a successful playwright, owned a theatre in London, and even enjoyed a parliamentary career. Elizabeth still performed occasionally for a healthy fee, travelled widely with her husband, and they had their love and their son. However, love is not always enough. Elizabeth preferred a quiet family existence, whereas Richard was in truth a rake and a gambler, who preferred the noise and life of London. Both had affairs, and they soon fell into the practice of largely living apart from each other. It was from one of these affairs that Elizabeth fell pregnant again, to Lord

Edward Fitzgerald. She gave birth to a daughter, but there were complications. Elizabeth never fully recovered from the difficult pregnancy and being of a weak constitution, as well as now suffering from tuberculosis, she sadly died shortly after, at just 38 years old. We are told that Sheridan nursed Elizabeth throughout her illness and even adopted the child that was not his, and was subsequently broken by his wife’s early and tragic death. Ill-fortune continued to plague the family. Elizabeth’s daughter died very early, a mere year after her mother, Sheridan’s London theatre burnt to the ground and Sheridan himself soon fell into a downward spiral of heavy drinking and gambling. He died himself in 1816, and despite such a glittering career his last years were spent in abject misery and poverty. The lives and subsequent deaths of Richard and Elizabeth make for a great story in itself; indeed several of Sheridan’s plays are largely based upon their own experiences. Their passionate love for each other was intense, and unconstrained by convention or time. However, the combined elements of intense despair and deep regret has denied their spirits

any rest. They return to the scene of the Royal Crescent, time and time again, creating a re-enactment of a moment when life and love held so much promise. The spirits of Richard and Elizabeth are ultimately playing out their elopement from the Crescent in a desperate attempt to right their own wrongs, a venture that is doomed to failure, and it’s a fate we must all be wary of. However if you find yourself unable to sleep on a cold winter’s night, take a walk to the Royal Crescent, and if you’re lucky, very lucky, their carriage might just pass you by. But, dear readers, please don’t get in! n

Bath Ghost Tours offer ghost walks in the city of Bath. Led by Dr Lynch, Mrs Needles and Mrs Cruncher (all deceased), the tours are a mixture of fun, theatrics, historical fact and paranormal experiments. Tours run at 8pm from outside the Abbey, from midMarch to December every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night and also on Wednesday and Sunday from June to October. Private ghost tours can be booked throughout the year for private parties. bathghosttours.com

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

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SHOPPING | CHRISTMAS

’Tis the season...

The festive season is upon us so let’s express our love and appreciation to those who have been in our thoughts all year. Here’s a wondersome show of gift inspiration from the finest local ateliers, stores and online retailers

TEXTILE ART BY CAROLE WALLER Highly acclaimed Bath based textile artist, Carole Waller sells her designs and painted fabrics at top stores across the globe. Her online shop features her painted clothing, accessories and so many gorgeous things. Shown here is ‘Glider’ handpainted green and orange silk scarf, £65. Carole was Inspired by watching paragliders floating over the English landscape of Herefordshire and Worcestershire on the Malvern Hills. Painted on silk crepe de chine with a lovely drape in greys, aqua, greens, pink, and a touch of yellow – with a big orange/red swoop of colour all along the scarf. IT ALL STARTS WITH THE BAUBLES Loving the images on our front cover? Well, it’s conceived using some of the lovely decorative baubles from one of our favourite retailers, Graham & Green. Shown here: Moon and star bauble, £5.95; antique gold Moon face decoration, £9.75; and blue globe decoration, £5.95. Plenty more to enjoy too. Graham & Green, 92 Walcot Street, Bath, BA1 5BG www.grahamandgreen.co.uk

Wash by hand, shake out and hang carefully to dry or gentle tumble dry – and iron very slightly damp for easiest results. Measures : 143cm/55″ by 34cm/13.5″ Worn with a unique handprinted aluminium cuff, £65, by Annie Beardsley/Carole Waller which can be found on the WallerandWood Gallery website: www. carolewaller.co.uk

BULLFROG FOR BETTER BOTTLES AND SO MUCH MORE Ever since the launch of Bath based Bullfrog’s first ultra-slick 500ml water bottles in 2020, the daily mission has been to eradicate the use of harmful plastic and instead opt for high quality reusable stainless steel bottles. Since then, they’ve never stopped evolving, now with two ranges of sustainable coffee cups as well as a superb range of recycled material products and apparel. Visit the shop at: 10 Kingsmead Square, Bath BA1 2AB or shop online www: bullfrogbottles.com

ARTISAN CRAFTS & DECORATIONS

A CHIC, SLOW FASHION SWEATSHIRT From Bath based embellishment studio See+QUIN this 'Bow' sweatshirt in black with silver has all the necessary classic vibes we love plus a magical twinkle. Fairwear sweatshirt made of 100% GOTS organic cotton and recycled materials. This is slow fashion at its best – created to order by an artisan embroidery house in the UK, £88. Also available in cream with gold. Christmas delivery closes Sunday 5 Dec. Shop the range at www.seeandquin.co.uk/shop

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Artisan Homeware is an independent Bristol-based homewares store bringing traditional craftsmanship to contemporary interiors. Alongside beautiful handmade stoneware from Poland, a new textile collection designed by Anna Lisa Smith (Libertys of London, Tate Edit Series) brings timeless design to luxuriously thick Merino blankets and cushions woven on traditional jacquard looms in West Yorkshire. Ceramics from £9.95 - £130 and shown here: Alex blanket in sea holly blue (200x140cm) £225. Visit the Christmas shop at: www.artisanhomeware.co.uk

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The Natural Blanket Company offers a range of artisanweaved luxurious blankets made from the finest 100% natural pure Wool, Lambswool, Merino & Cashmere. Our range of beautiful blankets are conscientiously designed, sourced and weaved in the British Isles.

HOMEFRONT - INTERIORS -

Our gift boxes and wrapping paper is sourced locally and we are proud to be a family business based in Bath.

Foc Delivery in the UK over £50

Homewares

hello@thenaturalblanket.co.uk

Interiors

Tel: +44 117313 3063

www.thenaturalblanket.co.uk Instagram: the_natural_blanket

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

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ARTIST DESIGNS AT GALLERY NINE Beautifully made by textile artist, Katie Mawson, this linen scarf £85, is just one of the fantastic items by many talented artists and designers whose work is on show and available to buy at Bath’s contemporary arts & crafts gallery, Gallery Nine – Well worth a visit. Gallery Nine, 9B Margaret Buildings, Bath. www.gallerynine.co.uk

EMILY DENNYS CERAMICS See a wonderful selection of beautiful handmade lamps, vases and wall panels all made by local ceramicist Emily Dennys. Prices range £12-£250. Visit Emily’s website to see more of her wonderful pieces. Web: emilydennysshop.com

STARS FROM THE EAST Oriental Rugs of Bath is home to an eclectic collection of authentically handcrafted rugs, kilims and furnishings from the Middle and Far East. Visit the showroom to discover a fine range of cushions and beautifully handwoven rugs. This kilim cushion is a limited edition but a fine example of a vast range, it will last for years and add a touch of eastern magic to any room. Bookbarn International, Hallatrow Business Park, Hallatrow, Bristol. www. orientalrugsofbath.com

‘TIS GREAT FUN BLOWING BAUBLES Buy someone special a gift they won’t be expecting – a glass blowing experience at Bath Aqua Glass. They could craft their own bauble, enrol on a stained glass course or enjoy a half day session with an expert glassblower. They’ll keep everything they make. Prices start from £22.50. Gift vouchers available. Head to www.bathaquaglass.com for all the details.

SERVING SUGGESTION A visit to Bath’s top interior design and styling showroom, Woodhouse & Law is a must for inspired and stylish gift ideas. We love this ‘Algarve’ set of six acacia wood spoons, just £39. Visit Woodhouse & Law, 4 Georges Place, Bath BA2 4EN

FINE GIFTS IN MINIATURE Nigel Dando’s shop has a wonderful range of new and antique collectible items. We love these silver and enamel, hand-scuplted miniatures by Saterno of Italy and also spotted a fine Signet ring. Nigel will arrange a crest stamp or initials engraved if needed. Nigel Dando, 11 Pulteney Bridge, Bath.

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PRINT IS READ If you subscribe to our weekly newsletter then you’ll be very familiar with Daniel McCabe’s regular review of some of the coolest and inspired magazine reads he sells at his excellent shop, Magalleria. Magalleria is a unique store selling one of the largest collections of international, independent and niche magazines in Europe. It imports magazines, journals and zines from all over the world, with many exclusive to its range. Perfect for gifting and finding new and delightful reads this is the place to pick up a gift card and let the print lover find their magazine nirvana. Magalleria, 5 Upper Borough Walls, Bath BA1 1RG www.magalleria.co.uk THE OPTICS ARE THE BEST

BERRY CHRISTMAS KIDS Hats off to Up to Seven! Designed and handmade at their workshop in Bath, these adorable, roll-edged hats are all knitted in anti-tickle wool, and can be machine washed at 30 degrees. Available in five sizes (and also in navy), they are priced at just £16, making them the perfect gift. They can be matched with Up to Seven’s beautiful handmade cardigans, baby shoes and mittens. Up to Seven, 6 Pulteney Bridge, Bath. www.uptoseven.co.uk

DELIGHTFUL HANDMADE JEWELLERY BY CAMI-LOU Camilla Frayling is a jewellery designer and maker from Bath with over ten years experience. Camilla now runs her own small business, Cami-Lou Jewellery Designs where she uses precious metals, semi-precious and precious gemstones creating fabulous, interesting pieces with beautiful textures and lovely detail. Shown here, The Sterling silver and 9ct gold loop necklace with the small 9ct gold bead at the top of the tassel is £55, while the one on the right with alarge 9ct gold bead at the top of the tassel is £60. See more on Instagram: camilou_jewellerydesigns or visit her online shop at: www.camiloujewellery.co.uk

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Discover the magic at the London Camera Exchange trusted by enthusiasts and professionals who want the very best in optical gear. For example... hot on the scene is the oustanding Sony a7 IV mirrorless digital camera. The body has been designed from the ground up to create the definitive full frame hybrid in Sony’s mirrorless E-mount range. Now a completely new 33 megapixel full-frame sensor inside a new body design, incorporating both stills image and 4k (50p PAL) movie technology from their flagship Alpha 1 and A7S III cameras. The A7 IV Body and FE 28-70, F3.5 kit lens shown, pre-order now, £2,599.99. London Camera Exchange Bath, 13 Cheap Street, Bath BA1 1NB www.lcegroup.co.uk

INSPIRATIONAL WALL ART If you're looking to transform a restaurant wall, office, cafe, school, large exterior high street facade or a child's bedroom, a mural is a brilliant thing to go for - they bring spaces to life and create a very tailored personal visual impact. Are you wanting to create the right first impression, create a calming environment or encourage your customers to visit again? If so, Bath-based muralist, illustrator and designer Emma Taylor is an experienced mural artist with past clients stretching across the UK. Although she's based in Bath she's happy to travel. She's happy to take on private or corpoarte projects, indoor or outdoor and works closely with each client ensuring they end up with a truly unique and customised mural design that will transform their space. Emma can be contacted on 077912 81122 and to see examples of her work go to Instagram: @emma_taylor_art or visit her website: www.emmataylorart.com

SANTA’S SECRET AGENTS Written by two local authors, the new children’s Christmas book, Santa’s Secret Agents invites children to go on the ride of their lives as they attempt to spot all of Santa’s highly trained crack(er) team of all-seeing elves. £9.99. Find it at all good book shops and in Bath at: Mr B’s Emporium, 13-15 John Street, Bath BA1 2JL. www.mrbsemporium.com

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SUNNIER SHADES Established in 1979, Ellis and Killpartrick is one of the south west's leading independent opticians, and as well as a loyal following of patients the shop boasts a fabulous display of designer sunglasses from the most desirable brands. How about these Chopard sunglasses £465, featuring a classic black acetate frame with beautiful green and white stones, highlighted by gold detail on the temples, reflecting the luxury of Chopard Jewellery. With so many elegant designs in both sunglasses and in the optical collection Ellis and Killpartrick are well worth a visit. 18 New Bond Street, Bath. www.ellisandkillpartrick.com

GRIPPING READS Two new books from Bath-based author, Christopher Joll. Black Ice (£15.00) tells the extraordinary story of doubleamputee and Afghanistan veteran, Corie Mapp, who went on to become the winner of the para bobsleigh World Cup. The Imperial Impresario (£25.00) takes a wholly new look at Napoleon’s tangible legacy and reveals some extraordinary facts about its present-day values. Both books available from: www.nineelmsbooks.co.uk

ART PRINTS OF BATH Custom prints of original paintings by local artist David Ringsell will give you a different perspective on the striking classic architecture of the city. Unframed Giclée custom prints can be ordered in three sizes: A2 - £120, A3 - £90, A4 - £75. The beautiful pieces come with narrow white border. The full gallery of David’s artwork and all the contact and ordering information can be found at: www.real-images.com

HOMEFRONT FOR INSPIRED GIFTING Homefront Interiors in Margaret's Buildings is one of Bath’s most appealing independent shops offering a carefully curated treasure trove of beautiful sustainable living and artisanal homeware products from local artists and makers. This gorgeous set of four Nkuku Anara etched cocktail glasses ( £46.50) will help get any party started in style and are just one of the many beautiful things from an impressive, varied and covetable range. Homefront, 10 Margaret's Buildings, Bath. www.homefrontinteriors.co.uk

BREAKFAST LIKE A KING...

FINE STATIONERY AND FRAMES

...or Queen. Shown here is a stylish flower vase by Asprey, £165 and a lovely, big-hearted toast rack, made in 1912, £525. The perfect way to start any day. Visit Beau Nash, Bath’s specialist antique silver shop to see these and an ever impressive range of beautiful and interesting artifacts to treasure and enjoy.

The Bath Framer, owned by Kelly, is a friendly boutique picture framers that has a beautifully quirky front-of-house and a workshop, stacked with all kinds of frames. It’s a joy to visit not only to see beautiful print and frames but also to watch how frames are created. As well as a bespoke framing service, there’s an whole selection of unique cards, gift wrap and some very interesting traditional Brass stationery (shown above) – a perfect gift for a maker or creator with prices starting from £15. Brass stationery, prices starting from £15. 14–15 Walcot Buildings, London Road, Bath BA1 6AD www.thebathpictureframer.co.uk

31 Brock Street, Bath. www.beaunashbath.com

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SHOPPING | CHRISTMAS

GLOVELY GIFT IDEAS FROM DENTS

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

Celebrate the season with stylish Dents’ gloves, gifts and head turning accessories. Whether it be winter essentials or a special gift for a loved one, you will discover a dazzling selection of gloves, accessories, gifts, handbags and much, much, more at: Dents Factory Shop, Furnax Lane, Warminster. www.dents.co.uk

The sensual fluid shape of the Cobra candleholder is undoubtedly one of Georg Jensen’s most recognisable and iconic designs. This set of three candlesticks – small (160mm), medium (200mm) and large (240mm) – form a beautiful natural group that, like a cobra, seem to sway this way and that. Made from stainless steel with a mirror-polished finish, the three candlesticks are durable, weighty and stable. £175 for three. Mallory, 1-5 Bridge Street , Bath. www. mallory-jewellers.com

LUX AND BLOOM LUXURY SCARVES AND ACCESSORIES

Pure Silk Skinny Scarves, £69 each. Lux & Bloom is an independent Bath-based, luxury British brand creating fabrics and wallpapers with distinctive hand-drawn botanical designs inspired by the wild beauty of nature. Founded by fine artist, Louise Rushford, each design starts as a hand-painted illustration and has its own unique, irregular character and beauty. The scarves stand out as extraordinarily gorgeous – as are all of the brand’s products. See more on the website: www.luxandbloom.com

THE DRESSING ROOM FOR A BEAUTIFULLY FITTING GIFT Since opening in Bath in 1985, The Dressing Room has maintained its reputation as the ‘go to’ place for the finest in lingerie, beach and nightwear. While offering the most exquisite lingerie collections from the likes of Marie Jo, Aubade, Empreinte, Prima Donna and shown here a gorgeous bra and knickers set (£175 ) from the AW range by Lise Charmel.

WRAPPED UP FOR CHRISTMAS The Natural Blanket Company is based in Bath and all products are sourced and woven in the British Isles with a strong belief in supporting British manufacturers and artisan producers. The blanket (below) is called Rosebay and it is made from Merino lambswool, is super soft and priced at £120 (200cm x 145cm). See the full range at: www.thenaturalblanket.co.uk Instagram: # the_natural_blanket

The shop also has a wide range of basic t-shirt bras and invisible briefs. The beachwear collection features many brands, including: Melissa Odabash, Maryan Mehlhorn, Gottex, Seafolly and Miraclesuit among many others. The nightwear collection boasts Olivia Von Halle, Hanro, Laurence Tavernier robes, and silk gowns from Luna Di Seta and Marjolaine. With experienced and professional staff ready to help you, why not go along and have some fun? 7 Quiet Street, Bath BA1 2JU www. dressingroombath.co.uk

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BRINg a SplaSH OF cOlOUR INTO YOUR lIFE.

Image by Jo Hounsome

Milk Jug by Hanne Rysgaard, £48. MADE IN BRISTOL GIFT FAIRS spotlight over 200 makers across 2 gift-packed weekends in December: 04 + 05 Dec, 11 + 12 Dec. Web: madeinbristolgiftfair.co.uk

aDOpT aN aNIMal Wild Place Project’s new bear, zebra, giraﬀe and ring-tailed lemur adoption packs make a perfect present and help support conservation work, £30. www.wildplace.org.uk FaMIlY TIES BY ScRagg DESIgNS KNIcKERS BORN FROM NaTURE Introducing Bedstraw + Madder, a new British label making super soft organic cotton knickers. Zero Chemicals. 100% plant dyes. Ethical, sustainable and generally very very good for everyone – we love these pretty knickers and they don’t cost the Earth! Prices from £11. Web: bedstrawandmadder.com

THE MINISTRY OF QUIZZES

a glOWINg gIFT FOR FRESH SKIN The ‘let it glow kit ' is the a perfect gift set to introduce people to medical grade skincare. Take exfoliation and hydration to the new level for beautiful bright , hydrated winter skin. Containing a full size enzymatic peel , full size aqua infusion mask ( previously available for in salon treatments only) and a sample recovery balm and a Alumier headband. The kit includes the Enzymatic Peel and Aqua Infusion Mask and retails for £127.50. Dr Zoe Haines of Fresh Faced Medical Aesthetics is delighted to introduce this limited edition kit which allows you to give a salon grade facial in your own home. Get bright , fresh skin ready for the party season! Find out more and buy online at: www.freshfacedmedicalaesthetics.co.uk

SUSaNNaH WaY cONTEMpORaRY JEWEllERY Having worked with a number of the west country’s top goldsmiths and jewellers, Susannah Way now creates her own range of contemporary jewellery. Primarily working in silver her designs are charming and inspired. We love these sterling silver, holly stud earrings with a check pattern for understated Christmas glamour, £25, and this lovely sterling silver gem shape bracelet. The perfect gift for a loved one, £265 and made locally by a top designer. Visit her Etsy online shop (SusannahWayJewellery) or find more details at: www.swayjewellery.com

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Fine artist Michelle Scragg creates so many beautiful pieces; her breathtaking paintings, posters and designs are a joy to see and all celebrate bold, playful colours which has become her statement style. Michelle also works her designs into clothing, scarves and ties. Shown here is a silk bow tie, £45 and long silk tie, £67. If you love colour find out about Michelle’s work and see more of her delightful art online at: www.michellescragg.com

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The Ministry of Quizzes is the must-buy gift book for quiz solvers and puzzlers, from David Gentle, author of On the Tip of My Tongue. Perfect for fans of the GCHQ Puzzle Book, Bletchley Park Brainteasers, and The Ordnance Survey Puzzle Book. £12.99 Available online and from Toppings and Mr B’s as well as all good bookshops.

CREATE YOUR OWN SPA AT HOME Gift an at-home spa experience with these professional-grade skin tools. Prices range from £14.99 - £69.99. Use code: BRISTOLBATH15 for 15% oﬀ at Web: skinabode.co.uk

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MUSIC

Choral notes

Nigel Perrin, musical director of the Bath Bach Choir, talks choral music, conducting, music venues, and appealing to a contemporary audience, ahead of the choir’s performance of Carols by Candlelight at the Pump Room

ou have been musical director of the Bath Bach Choir since 1990. How do you look back on those years? When I was invited to become musical director of the City of Bath Bach Choir, as it was called then, I was relatively inexperienced as a conductor. I had been earning my living as the high voice of the King’s Singers until the early 1980s, and then I founded my chamber choir, Bath Camerata, and was teaching singing at Marlborough College and then Wells Cathedral School. Taking on the role of directing a well-established choral society was a perfect fit in my new ‘portfolio career’. I had never conducted a full orchestra, but I learnt quickly and loved it; it was more rewarding being creative with the music than being anxious about my voice holding up, and in many ways it was the start of me stepping into my true self as a musician.

“I consider myself a sculptor, creating and shaping sounds”

Has the choir changed in character over this period? Indeed it has! In my early days, the atmosphere at rehearsals was rather serious and formal. When we got to the break in my first-ever rehearsal there was total silence. The atmosphere is more sociable and relaxed nowadays – in fact the coffee break would go on until the end of the rehearsal if I let it! There are some firm friendships within the choir and a wonderful open attitude to welcoming newcomers, who always receive a round of applause when they’re first introduced. We’ve gradually raised the standard over the years, with a lot of focus on vocal technique and building performance skills. So the choir is capable of giving a fine performance across a wide range of musical styles – and it has an amazing heart when it comes to working together to achieve the best possible result. It sounds as if choral music is your world. When did you first fall in love with this type of music? I suppose you could say aged seven when my mother made me go into the cold front room and practise singing Panis Angelicus so I could audition for a chorister’s scholarship to Ely Cathedral. I loved being a chorister in that amazing Norman architecture; and besides sport, singing was my main talent. What is the challenge of the conductor’s art, when did you first conduct, and do you have an individual conducting style? I have never had a single conducting lesson! I consider myself a sculptor, creating and shaping sounds. It’s mostly about communicating what you want from your singers; what you do with your hands is obviously very important and I also communicate through my face, in fact my whole body. People say I am expressive and detailed as a conductor, and I’m also passionate about performance. There is nothing worse for an audience than looking at miserable faces or the tops of people’s heads as they stare into their music… the singers really need to be able to communicate. How big is the choir and what is the balance of voices? The choir has around 85 members. People move on for different reasons, and I regularly audition new singers. Like most choirs we have more female singers than male, but men’s voices tend to be stronger, so we can maintain an effective balance – though I might consider importing some deep basses when singing Rachmaninov! How much time do the choir members need to dedicate? We rehearse together once a week for two hours, but singers are expected to do homework and learn the notes before coming to rehearsals. We perform at least three major concerts a year, plus three or more carol concerts at Christmas time, plus we are often asked to help out within the community. It is certainly quite a commitment, but then the more you put in the more you get out. 44 TheBATHMagazine

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Nigel Perrin (left) in his days singing for The King’s Singers

How does the auditioning process work? Although I do my best to make it a relaxed affair, singers are often nervous and don’t sing their best. After all, they are rarely solo-level singers. They are asked to sing something simple unaccompanied – perhaps a couple of hymn verses – so that I can get a sense of their voice, and then try a piece of sightreading. Being able to read music is essential, but I’m more interested in how quickly they pick something up. I also try to assess will their voice blend well; will they help with the myriad jobs involved in running the choir; how strong is their commitment likely to be, and so on. What process do you use to make your musical selections? Balance and variety are everything. If you do too much easy repertoire the choir can lose its edge and colour; occasionally doing really ambitious pieces stretches the singers and brings out the best in them, but it is also satisfying to go back to an old favourite knowing that you can sing it beautifully. I decide most of the programming, but our repertoire is discussed by the committee, and sometimes a particular venue can influence our choice. Unaccompanied Renaissance music sounds wonderful in somewhere like Prior Park Chapel or Malmesbury Abbey; whereas you might choose a more jazzy programme for Wiltshire Music Centre, and save your big orchestral occasions – Bach, Mozart, Dvorak – for the wondrous setting of Bath Abbey.

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MUSIC

What have been the stand-out moments in your time with the choir? Too numerous to list. Every time the learning process starts to gel and ping – with all the notes perfectly in tune and every voice singing as one – I get shivers down my spine at the beauty of what we (85+1) have achieved together. We’ve performed in some amazing places around the world on tour – including in Bach’s own church in Leipzig – but every major concert is an incredible new mountain to be climbed. At the moment you reach the peak, with outstanding orchestral playing, inspirational soloists and the choir raising its game to produce thrilling sounds, there is no more wonderful feeling. It’s like flying. Did the choir keep singing during lockdown? This was an amazing tribute to the Bath Bach Choir and its members: I don’t think we missed a single Monday Zoom session. It was initially chaotic, but we got better at it and several members were grateful for the weekly connection as loneliness was a sad side effect. We graduated to recording several ‘virtual choir’ videos and when we were able to meet again in person, we rehearsed outdoors. I also took 24 rehearsals of six people at a time in St Michael’s Without – we were so determined to navigate our way back to live singing. How can a choir performing within an elite classical musical canon stay contemporary and connected with new and younger audiences? If classical music is performed to a high standard it speaks to all ages. Any younger person who comes through our door is caught up in the essence of choral singing and the fellowship of making harmony together. The challenge for us is to present our music in a way that is engaging and entertaining – that is as important as getting the notes right.

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Every time the learning process starts to gel and ping – with all the notes perfectly in tune and every voice singing as one – I get shivers down my spine at the beauty of what we have achieved together

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What are the challenges in performing contemporary choral works? The choir’s founder, Cuthbert Bates, established the choir to perform the great works of J. S. Bach. There has not been a more inspiring composer; but there is a wealth of other fabulous music to explore. I am a huge admirer of James Macmillan’s music. It is contemporary and technically difficult, but he has a language that can be understood on first hearing. The challenge is mainly perseverance: for the St John Passion in 2011 which we performed in front of James Macmillan, every singer had to attend at least 30 hours of rehearsal.

What are the plans for Carols by Candlelight at The Pump Room? Carols by Candlelight concerts are very special occasions. Started some 60 years ago, the concerts have evolved to include local junior school choirs and outstanding young instrumental soloists from the area, with audience carols that provide me with a lighthearted opportunity to deliver a ‘singing lesson’. This year we are having to be a little restrained; there won’t be any school choirs and although the audience will not be encouraged to sing out lustily, we will be asking them to dust down their percussion skills. What do you have scheduled for 2022, your 75th anniversary? We’re going back to our roots. Our choir was founded in 1947 to perform J. S. Bach’s great B Minor Mass. So the climax of our 75th year will be a performance of this signature work on 5 November in Bath Abbey, with baroque orchestra Music for Awhile, and a stunning line-up of baroque soloists. We’ll also perform Monteverdi’s scintillating Vespers of 1610 in Bath Abbey on 2 July; and to launch the anniversary year in style, we’re performing Rossini’s extravagant Petite Messe Solennelle (neither little nor solemn) on 26 March in the stunning Italianate church of St Mary and St Nicholas in Wilton, near Salisbury. n • Tickets for Carols by Candlelight 2021 at the Pump Room (£26-£18) are on sale at bathboxoffice.org.uk • For further details of all the choir’s concerts and events, go to bathbachchoir.org.uk

The Bath Bach Choir performing Brahms’s Ein Deutsches Requiem at Bath Abbey in October: “This profound and moving work really speaks to one’s soul”

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What’s on in December Luke Jerram’s Moon at Bath Abbey

Adventure golf at Royal Victoria Park

SIX Until 11 December n Theatre Royal Bath From Tudor queens to pop princesses, the six wives of Henry VIII finally take to the mic to tell their tales, remixing 500 years of historical heartbreak into a 75-minute celebration of 21st-century girl power. These queens may have green sleeves but their lipstick is rebellious. This sell-out London smash hit was nominated for five Olivier Awards. Tickets from £29. theatreroyal.org.uk SQUIRREL Until 24 December n Theatre Royal Bath The Egg’s hugely popular production of Squirrel is back in Bath, with performances daily from Tuesday to Sunday at 9.30am, 11.30am and 1.30pm. This beautifully engaging show for the youngest theatregoers delighted audiences when it premiered at The Egg in 2019. Recommended for children aged 6 months to 4 years, the Christmas show is a story of new growth, with a sprinkling of snowy magic and puppetry mayhem. Presented in collaboration with The Paragon school. theatreroyal.org.uk 46 TheBATHMagazine

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BATH ON ICE Until 3 January n Royal Victoria Park, Bath With 1,000 square metres of smooth ice, Bath on Ice is bigger than ever! Glowing in an array of atmospheric lights, with music to set the wintery scene, a cosy bar area and seasonal drinks, you will be transported to a dreamy winter wonderland. Glow Golf, the adventure golf course with glow in the dark balls, is just next door to the ice rink, and will be decked out with its very own fairy light installations. From £11. bathonice.com NATURALS AT TYNTESFIELD 2 December – 2 January n Royal Victoria Park, Bath The Natural Theatre Company has a residency at Tyntesfield during this period (all days except 24 and 25 December) where the house will be brought to life with members of the Gibbs family, telling stories of a Victorian Christmas from the late 1890s; nationaltrust.org.uk/tyntesfield; naturaltheatre.co.uk COUNT MAGNUS: TWO GHOST STORIES 3 December, 7.30pm n Rondo Theatre, Bath Two classic ghost stories by M. R. James, presented by Nunkie Productions. In Count Magnus a travel-writer’s inquisitiveness leads to a chase from darkest Sweden to rural Essex. Denmark is the setting for Number 13, where a hotel room with the unlucky number conceals a ghastly secret. £14–16. ticketsource.co.uk

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SERENITY: SONGS OF BLESSING AND REFLECTION 4 December, 7.30pm n St Mary the Virgin, Bathwick The 2021/22 season brings new hope and fresh opportunities, including an exciting partnership for The Handful with their new musical director Vicente Chavarría. Join them in a contemplative yet joyful evening as the choir weaves its way through a rich tapestry of music. From Stanford to Schoenberg, Guillaume to Gjeilo, the programme includes UK premieres from two hugely talented young composers Sydney Guillaume and J. Michael Saunders, and a few jolly drinking songs to welcome the festive season! Tickets £15 (£5 for under 25s, free for under 16s). Bath Box Office 01225 463362; bathboxoffice.org.uk; thehandful.org Continued page 48

Squirrel at The Egg theatre

Photograph by Camila Adams

ARTISTS’ SHOWCASE Throughout December n Out of the Blue Gallery A beautiful new gallery right in the heart of Bath is showcasing some of the best British artists and ceramicists. Set across two floors, the gallery is packed with great pieces. Look out for must-see exhibitions arriving at the gallery soon. outofthebluegallery.com

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Light and Love Remembrance Service, virtual ceremony

A Baroque Christmas with the Bath Abbey Choirs

NOWELL, NOWELL: TUDOR CHRISTMAS SONGS AND CAROLS 4 December, 7.30pm n Picture Gallery, Holburne Museum A concert to herald the Christmas season sung by The Dowland Youth Works Choir which was founded to encourage talented young singers, specifically lute players, with an interest in early music. The choir of around eight voices will be accompanied by Sam Brown on the lute, and conducted by musical director Laurence Williams. Tickets £18. holburne.org/events MOON-TASTIC FAMILY DAYS 4 and 18 December, 10am – 12.30pm n Bath Abbey Enjoy some family fun including listening to magical stories while sitting under the Moon and making Cosmic Christmas decorations in the new Learning Room down in the vaults. Ages 5 and over. Drop in. Free, no tickets required. Pick up the complimentary ‘Cosmic Wonder’ trail and explore the abbey to find out more about the amazing Moon and the birth of Jesus. bathabbey.org MOONLIGHT LATES From 5 and 6 December, Sunday and Monday evenings in December, 11am – 6pm n Bath Abbey Experience the magic of Luke Jerram’s moon after hours. The accompanying soundtrack created by BAFTA and Ivor Novello winner Dan Jones can also be enjoyed. 6pm – 9.30pm (check website for all dates). You can also interact with Bath Astronomers in the Abbey Nave and there will be a ticketed opportunity to climb the Tower for some moon and star gazing (weather dependent).Tickets for the evening: £6/£3; eventbrite.co.uk LIGHT AND LOVE REMEMBRANCE SERVICE 6 December, 11am – 6pm n Virtual ceremony The Forever Friends Appeal, the charity for the Royal United Hospitals Bath, invites the local community to come together for its annual remembrance service. The virtual ceremony will be streamed through The 48 TheBATHMagazine

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Beasts and Beauties at the Mission Theatre

FILM SCREENINGS n Throughout December, The Little Theatre Cinema, Bath There’s Christmas fun for everyone at The Little. For the smaller ones, the annual CBeebies Christmas Show is back with an adaptation of the poem The Night Before Christmas (4–5 December); there’s the much loved Paddington (2017), with our favourite bear voiced by Ben Whishaw (11 December) with Hugh Bonneville as Mr Brown; and Frozen 2 (2019) where Elsa ventures into the unknown to the enchanted forests and dark seas beyond Arendelle (19 December); and finally there’s The Nutcracker from both the ROH Live (9

Forever Friends Appeal website and will allow people to reflect together and celebrate the lives of loved ones who they have lost. The event will help support the hospital’s RUH Palliative Care and End of Life Butterfly Fund. foreverfriendsappeal.co.uk DIRE STRAITS’ JOHN ILLSLEY 8 December, 7.30pm n Christ Church, Julian Road, Bath Dire Straits filled giant stadiums and sold hundreds of millions of records. In his book My Life in Dire Straits, founding member, bassist and mainstay John Illsley evokes the spirit of the times and tells the story of one of the great live acts of rock history. £20, including book. toppingbooks.co.uk AARON ANGELL & STEVEN CLAYDON IN CONVERSATION 9 December, 7pm n Bath Abbey Hornet, hailstone, crab eye, aerodrome…(etc) presents the results of an anagama kiln firing by British artists Aaron Angell and Steven Claydon. Join the artists in conversation with Will Cooper from the Holburne, where they will discuss their display which is drawn from an anthropological investigation into this type of ancient pottery kiln. Free but booking required. eventbrite.co.uk

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December) and The Bolshoi Ballet (19 December). For the more serious opera types there’s the Met Opera Live: Eurydice (4 and 10 December), reimagining the familiar tale from Eurydice’s point of view and the ROH Live: Tosca (2001) where love and evil come thrillingly face to face in Jonathan Kent’s intense production (15 and 20 December). See the full programme online: picturehouses.com/cinema/little-theatrecinema

THE PANTO AND THE PEA 9–19 December, 7pm n Rondo Theatre, Bath The Natural Theatre Company are bringing their bonkers new production to the Rondo. This colourful, bouncy show links all the pantomimes and Christmas tales into one fabulous family treat. The story comes to life before our very eyes and it involves a pea The Panto and the Pea at the Rondo

Photograph by Will Heason

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Untamed Burlesque at Chapel Arts Centre

and a mattress, a glass slipper, a beanstalk and magic lamp and lots of familiar characters. £14–16. ticketsource.co.uk ENCHANTED GARDEN OF LIGHT ILLUMINATION TRAIL 9–31 December n American Museum & Gardens, Claverton Down A spectacular Christmas trail will illuminate the hillside setting of the museum and gardens, with a route winding through the gardens and parkland. Visitors will embark on an after-dark adventure through glittering displays that will emblazon the house, gardens and woodland. The hour-long trail has been designed with lighting designers SLX and will include a series of site-specific installations set to sound and music. Also on offer will be festive food and drink stalls, chestnuts roasting, gourmet hotdogs and burgers, spiced apple and hot chocolate. £12/£17. americanmuseum.org BEASTS AND BEAUTIES 10–11 and 13–15 December, 7pm, plus 2pm matinee on 11th n The Mission Theatre, Bath Come and experience an evening of Brothers Grimm and European fairy tales that will make you laugh with delight and shiver with glee. Bath Spa Productions have made their latest piece grisly and gruesome, hilarious and hair raising! A collection of tales adapted by Carol Ann Duffy, dramatised by Melly Still and Tim Supple and directed by Barra Collins. £6–£10. Tickets: bathspalive.com ABBEY CHOIRS AND MELODY MAKERS 11 December, 7–9pm n Bath Abbey A festive selection of well-known Christmas classics for choir, organ and audience, with plenty of opportunities for audience participation and singalong. Featuring the Abbey Choir of Girls, Boys and Lay-clerks and the abbey’s youngest choir of 6–11 year olds, the Melody Makers. Tickets: £8–18. bathboxoffice.org.uk; bathabbey.org UNTAMED BURLESQUE 11 December, 8pm n Chapel Arts Centre, St James Memorial Hall, Lower Borough Walls, Bath Continued page 50

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Carols by Candlelight at the Pump Room

The cast of Cinderella

Untamed Burlesque features the rawest, wildest and untamed Burlesque and cabaret stars from the south west and beyond! The badass bootyshakin’ burlesque performers include Mx Cyanide, Ana Kiss, Violent May and Hadria Hellbound. £20/£22; chapelarts.org MEDIEVAL REVIVALISM IN PRE-RAPHAELITE FASHION 16 December, 7pm n Bath Abbey Fashion historian and writer Amber Butchart delves into the fashion of the Pre-Raphaelite era to consider the romantic medieval revivalism at the heart of many styles and techniques, before reflecting on its continued influence on fashion from the 1960s to today. Free but booking required. eventbrite.co.uk

Abbey’s Choirs are joined by Baroque instrumentalists Rejouissance playing on historic instruments. With carols for audience and a feast of glorious Christmas music from Venice and Paris. Directed by Huw Williams. Tickets £20, £15 and £10 (16s and under half price). bathboxoffice.org.uk; bathabbey.org BATH CAMERATA CHRISTMAS CONCERTS 20 December, 5pm and 8pm n St Mary’s Bathwick BA2 4EB The incomparable John Rutter leads Bath Camerata (and the audience!) in a magical celebration for the festive season, with two concerts of around 70 minutes, including songs and carols old and new to celebrate this most wonderful time of the year. Tickets £25/£20/£10 (half price for under 18s) bathcamerata.co.uk

LORD OF THE RINGS AND THE HOBBIT – THE CONCERT 16 December, 7.30pm n Bath Forum, St James’s Parade, Bath The fantastic world of hobbits and elves from J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings comes as a concert with symphonic orchestra and choir, from the threatening sounds of Mordor to the beautiful lyrical melodies of the elves. Tickets from £29.99. bathforum.co.uk CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHT 16–17 December, 7.30pm n The Pump Room, Bath Welcome back to the true start of Christmas in Bath. Join Bath Bach Choir in the atmospheric Regency Pump Room for this heartwarming annual tradition of Christmas music, virtuoso soloists and a touch of safety-conscious audience participation with accompanist Marcus Sealy and conductor Nigel Perrin. Tickets from £15. (See also our feature on page 42). bathboxoffice.org.uk CINDERELLA 16 December – 9 January n Theatre Royal Bath The best-loved pantomime of them all is back in Bath! With a brand new joke-filled script by Bath’s own award-winning writer and all-round pantomime legend Jon Monie, Cinderella promises the best family fun and festive frivolity you’ll find this Christmas. With award-winning actress Dani Harmer as the Fairy Godmother and Jon Monie as Buttons, with Elly Jay, Josh Rose, Nic Gibney and Duncan Burt. Daily at 2pm and 7pm or 1pm and 5pm. £9– £38.50. (See also our feature on page 20). theatreroyal.org.uk A BAROQUE CHRISTMAS WITH THE BATH ABBEY CHOIRS 18 December 7–9pm n Bath Abbey, Bath Featuring Vivaldi’s Gloria and Charpentier’s Messe de Minuit. Bath 50 TheBATHMagazine

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SEE OUR WEBSITE FOR UPDATES AND NEW EVENTS ADDED THROUGHOUT THE MONTH: thebathmagazine.co.uk

MYTHS AND MONSTERS n Victoria Art Gallery, Bath Is there anyone in your family who loves monsters? Family activities at Victoria Art Gallery to support the gallery’s Myths and Monsters exhibition are taking place throughout December: • Monster Mobile – make a flying monster mobile using card and string, 4 and 5 December, 11am to 1pm • Monster Marine – create a sea-going monster using tissue paper and pens, 11 and 12 December, 11am to 1pm • Monster Metal – make a moving monster using metallic card, 18 and 19 December, 11am to 1pm • Monster Mission – join the gallery’s monster of a trail to spot different kinds of monsters, from 20 December to 1 January. Activities are included in admission price for exhibition (£6 and Discovery Card holders free). victoriagal.org.uk n

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ARTS & EXHIBITIONS Mixed Winter Exhibition David Simon Contemporary 37 High Street, Castle Carey BA7 7AW 4 December – 29 January 2022

Winter Exhibition Beaux Arts Bath, 12-13 York Street, Bath BA1 1NG Until 23 December Beaux Arts’ winter exhibition hosts a collection of wild seascape paintings by Shetland artist Ruth Brownlee. Providing something of a contrast are Rachel Ross’s prosaic set-pieces: scissors, spools of thread, a yellowed letter, forks, cake-slices, spoons, the surfaces patinated with time, and many hands or none. Elsewhere a collection of established gallery favourites abound, with a collection of ceramics by Katharina Klug and new work by Anna Gillespie, Andrew Crocker, Jack Doherty, Helen Simmonds and many others. Well worth a browse…

Thes popular Mixed Winter Exhibition includes paintings, ceramics and bronze sculpture by Daisy Cook, Julia Cooper, Isabel Coulton, Parastoo Ganjei, Andrew Lansley, Peter Lloyd-Jones, Mungo Powney, Yuta Segawa, David Ralph Simpson, Mike Service and Frances Watts. An eclectic feast of new work by gallery artists plus new invited artists. davidsimoncontemporary.com Image: Something About Nineveh by Mungo Powney

Image: All is not Everything by Andrew Crocker beauxartsbath.co.uk

Christmas Exhibition, Gallery Nine, 9B Margaret’s Buildings, Bath, Until 31 December Gallery Nine’s winter exhibition brings together the work of British contemporary artists, ceramicists and jewellers. Carolyn Genders creates bold, asymmetric sculptural vessels and forms; ceramicist William Papworth’s work is hand thrown, one-off and repeated forms that reflect an appreciation of simple, ergonomic design; and Paul Catherall is known for his clean, sharp linocuts of architectural London landmarks. Carolyn Genders will also be showing alongside Paul with her relief prints. Featured jewellers are Cara Tonkin who works mostly in silver, with finishes such as gold vermeil and oxidised silver and Ann Katrin Evans, whose work is like that of an alchemist where the ‘non precious’ becomes precious. galleryninebath.com

Image: Southbank Steps Yellow by Paul Catherall

Myths and Monsters Victoria Art Gallery, Bath BA2 4AT Until 27 February 2022 This colourful celebration of children’s book illustration is a follow-up to 2017’s blockbuster Here Be Dragons exhibition. Myths and Monsters will once again link the worlds of literature, art and myth with some of the very best (and worst) you could expect to meet. Visitors will encounter characters from the Gruffalo to the Iron Man and fearsome dragons to the Little Ogre. Alongside the exhibition, there will be a chance for young visitors to get involved by making their own ‘monster in a jar’, which will be displayed as part of the show. victoriagal.org.uk Disco Cave Monsters by Ben Cort

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Shooting Stars: Carinthia West, Britain and America in the 1970s, American Museum & Gardens, Bath BA2 7BD, until 31 December Carinthia West’s intimate photographs of rock and film stars of the 1970s in America – and in particular on the glorious beaches of Malibu in California – present an upbeat and buoyant view of the decade that should remind us of the outstanding music and the great design of this much-maligned period. Carinthia West’s fascinating photographs demonstrate that the 1970s was a decade of bright colours, fun, and self-expression. americanmuseum.org Image: Mick Jagger in Holland Park, 1976

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ART | EXHIBITIONS Pop Up Exhibitions at Milsom Place, Bath

The Holburne Museum, Great Pulteney Street, Bath

Pop Up Gallery with Modern ArtBuyer, Until 5 December This contemporary, online art gallery will be showcasing their talented and hard-working artists’ recent pieces. They have curated an exceptional selection of original paintings and prints for the show, and there are some perfect gift pieces too.

Hornet, Hailstone, Crab Eye, Aerodrome, Until 3 January This exhibition presents the fruits of a recent anagama kiln firing by Aaron Angell and Steven Claydon. Rossetti’s Portraits, until 9 January A show of some of Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s most iconic artworks, revealing him at the height of his creative powers. Sunil Gupta: The New Pre-Raphaelites, until 19 January Photographs by Sunil Gupta exploring the legacy of the Pre-Raphaelites and their influence on contemporary art. Image: The Blue Bower by Dante Gabriel Rossetti

Thomas Lawrence Coming of Age, throughout December A virtual exhibition giving insight into the first 25 years of this great portrait painter.

holburne.org

Image: Heat by Emma Rose

Emma Rose Artworks, Bath Contemporary Artists Fair, Green Park Station. 12 December Emma Rose is a contemporary artist specialising in semi-abstract and impressionistic painting with an emphasis on colour and texture. She has developed an original style melding Indian and French inks with acrylic paints, producing vibrant and arresting work with a fluidity and passion for life. Emma will be exhibiting her original contemporary paintings, limited edition giclée prints, art cushions and cards at the Bath Contemporary Artists Fair on Sunday 12 December, 10am–5pm. She will be available to chat to about commissions, her interior design service, and colourful, creative ideas.

Vision of Narnia, until 30 January Follow the paw prints to discover a vision of Narnia. A wondrous diorama created by Planet Gold Decor for Milsom Place will transport viewers into a magical world with a life-size lion and his faithful animal companions. Illuminated to bring the scene to life and spread some festive cheer, this other-worldly scene has to be seen to be believed. Both shows open from 10am–5pm Monday to Saturday and 11–4pm Sunday.

emmaroseartworks.com

Bath Contemporary Artists’ Fair is delighted to welcome everyone back to its December fair. The fair is committed to bringing the best of contemporary art from the city and beyond right to the heart of Bath. Now an established and popular art fair, visitors can browse the brilliant works of local artists and admire fine art, photography, sculpture and textiles, all under the vaulted glass roof of Green Park Station. For exhibiting artists visit the website. bcaf.co.uk Image by David Lawrence

Image: Pedalissimo print

Bath Contemporary Artists’ Fair, Green Park Station, 12 December

World Sport Print Society Café, Kingsmead Square, Bath throughout December A new poster series from Studio Spilsbury and Robert Shaw. World Sport Prints embody the grunt, grind and the glory of your favourite sports. Adrenalised drawing fixed with controlled type, championing the universal language of effort and reward. A3 digital prints (unframed) £30. spilsburystore.com

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David Ringsell: Bath Scenes Local painter David Ringsell’s work is currently being exhibited at The Artery Art Café in Richmond Place and Conscious Café in Northumberland Place. He also has prints available at The Art Cohort. David loves to share his artistic impressions of Bath, his home city. His unique and contemporary art prints of Bath show a different and sometimes darker side of the city and his paintings of Bath architecture don’t shy away from the stained stonework and peeling paint that are part of many buildings. Custom prints are also available in a range of sizes – visit the wesbite for more details.

Eric Ravilious: Downland Man, Wiltshire Museum, 41 Long Street, Devizes, until 30 January This major exhibition explores Eric Ravilious’ lifelong fascination for the chalk hills of southern England, particularly Wiltshire and Sussex. Featuring more than 20 works borrowed from national collections and private collectors, including iconic watercolours such as The Westbury Horse and The Wilmington Giant, alongside other rarely seen works. From his student days until the last year of his life, Ravilious returned again and again to the Downs, inspired by the relationship between landscape and people. Watercolours and wood engravings included show dew ponds and farmyards, a field roller, modern military fortifications and ancient monuments. Supported by the Weston Loan Programme with Art Fund. Tickets can be prebooked online.

real-images.com

Image: The Causeway, Wiltshire Downs, 1937 © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Upstairs Downstairs by David Ringsell, a painting inspired by the dramatic contrasts in Bath architecture. It shows a dark cellar under a glowing Georgian townhouse. The sky reflected in the windows adds a note of optimism. The original and prints can be viewed and purchased from the Artery Art Café or from the website.

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CLOCKWISE, from top left: llustration by Jeﬀrey Alan Love from Norse Myths: Tales of Odin, Thor and Loki by Kevin Crossley-Holland Illustration by Ben Cort, from Little Ogre’s Surprise Supper by Timothy Knapman A visualisation of one of the animated monsters from the exhibition on a mobile phone Pegasus by Victoria Topping, from Mythologica: An Encyclopedia of Gods, Monsters and Mortals from Ancient Greece, by Steve Kershaw Midas by Victoria Topping, from from Mythologica: An Encyclopedia of Gods, Monsters and Mortals from Ancient Greece, by Steve Kershaw Illustration of Iron Man by Chris Mould, from Iron Man by Ted Hughes

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In search of monsters

Now that we are unfazed by QR codes, new experiences are coming our way. In Bath it’s all about illustrated monsters who have escaped into the city. Dr Matt Freeman explains to Emma Clegg how an exhibition can be brought to life on the streets

technologies can be used to market other experiences. Freeman’s immersive expertise has already been applied to the University of Bath: “We want to create an open-day experience for prospective students using immersive media. So we’re creating a simple video of a student, like a day in the life, but using 360-degree spacialised sounds, so it creates the feeling that you are actually in the video, walking around the campus. The technology makes use of mobile phones and sound and AR (augmented reality), all things that are second nature to young people, so it makes sense to use that language to try and communicate what a university is.” Immersive Promotion is also developing a project with the House of Frankenstein in Gay Street, where an immersive approach – already used in the venue with the stimulation of visitors’ senses with sounds and smells and visual spectacles – is part of their long-term plan. The Myths and Monsters project was a way of giving a new dimension to the famous storybook monsters in the exhibition. Freeman explains, “What if the monsters all escaped around Bath? What if they were all on the loose? If you’re a family you’ve got to go and find them, track them down and get them back into the gallery before they cause any more harm. So I suggested we use AR because it’s the perfect way of bringing a digital, artificial virtual creature into the world in a way that is fun and accessible – because people can just use their phones. So the technology is inclusive and an art exhibition can be brought to people rather than requiring people to visit.” There are five or six monsters to find and the time it takes depends on how quickly you can decipher the clues, which will be buried across the Victoria Art Gallery website and social media. “Once people find out where they are hidden in locations near the gallery, they will find posters to scan on their phones – after which the monster will step out of the poster and come alive on the phone. You can take pictures of the escaped monsters, and even take a selfie with the monster.” Freeman assures me that “It’s a piece of very simple technology. No app or data is required, just a QR code and because of the pandemic more and more people are familiar with QR codes. You scan it and the monster pops up on your phone. In the same way you can take a picture of anything, you can take a picture of the monster as well. “The end of the trail points you towards the actual gallery and more QR codes and then, instead of seeing the monsters, you become the monster, and it blends into your face.” I take your word for it, Dr Freeman. It sounds like magic to me, but even I can scan a QR code. n

hristmas is full of myths and monsters – from St Nicholas, Twelfth Night and Three Wise Men to Krampus, Gryla the troll, and gremlins. Children’s stories and films more generally are also populated with both threatening and benevolent monsters – including the Grinch, Shrek, Golem, Monsters Inc and The Wicked Witch of the South, these narratives help young people to define the idea of good and bad, morality and unkindness. They also show that monsters can be friendly, too, teaching enquiring minds that an offputting or nonbeautiful exterior can hide the warmest of hearts. So if you’re in search of monsters at Christmas and beyond – and why wouldn’t you be? – visit the Victoria Art Gallery’s Myths and Monsters exhibition, which runs until 27 February, a follow-up to the gallery’s 2017’s blockbuster Here be Dragons. Organised by Gill McLay – co-founder of the Bath Festival of Children’s Literature and Events of Wonder and owner of Bath Literary Agency – the exhibition includes over 20 of the biggest names in book illustration – including Axel Scheffler, Michael Foreman and Cressida Cowell – and their monster creations.

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AR is the perfect way of bringing a digital, artificial virtual creature into the world in a way that is fun and accessible

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But you may also need to bring your detective hats because this isn’t just an exhibition within four walls – you see, the word is that instead of staying obediently in the gallery, some of the monsters have escaped into the city, and so visitors are being asked to help search for monsters on a free immersive trail around Bath. The city trail has been developed by Dr Matthew Freeman of Immersive Promotion, based at Bath Spa University. Set up in January this year, the company came about because Freeman had been working on some university projects to boost creative industries in the region and investigate how creative technologies could enhance or create new media experiences. “Immersive was something that a lot of people were starting to think about, but it became very clear that these sorts of technologies are potentially very exciting, but they are not generally widely known. The challenge was finding how to communicate that potential to a layman and this turned into a project. “The first thing I realised was that the way these sorts of experiences tend to be marketed is with a focus on video gamers and on men. So I spent a couple of years working on how to communicate something that is quite magical but also intangible. It’s one of these things that when you try it you get it, but it’s hard to get across.” Setting up the company was the obvious next move for Freeman because there wasn’t anyone else doing this. “There are a bunch of people in the immersive sector that are not focused on audience development because they are technology and development focused. Then there are a whole bunch of advertising agencies who lack expertise in marketing immersive experiences because it’s so new. So the company fits in the middle between those two worlds.” Another crucial insight was that there was a definite market for VR (virtual reality) experiences, but budgets within the sector were invariably small. Which led to the question of how immersive THEBATHMAG.CO.UK THEBATHMAG.CO.UK| NOVEMbEr 2010 | jaNuary 2020

Myths and Monsters is at the Victoria Art Gallery until 27 February 2022. Tickets £2–£6. victoriagal.org.uk; immersivepromotion.com

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The children don’t want it Even though they really ought

f I had a pound for every time I’ve heard someone tell me that, while going through the process of down-sizing, good furniture and antiques being offered to their next generation were flatly rejected. In this post Ikea age, perhaps there is a social expectation that the more stylistically uncertain simply buy a “Look” off the shelf and then change DUNCAN CAMPBELL it when the next Antique silver specialist “Look” comes along. Watching some of the home make-over shows on TV may leave the viewer with the impression that their homes are to be treated and decorated like stage sets. As an economic model this works very well. As a longer-term strategy, we risk running out of landfill sites. While it is true that the modern “kitchen diner” does not necessarily need 12 matching chairs and a grand and ornate William IV table, it is also true that at auction a decent Georgian mahogany dining chair will make about half the price of the new flat packed alternative. Even the most up to date kitchen diners need chairs. Having been born in the early 60’s, I have always thought of post war Scandinavian design, so very popular over the last few years, as the deeply old-fashioned taste of my dear grandparents. There is an antiques trade cliché that what people want is the stuff their grandparents had, and their parents threw out. These days, throwing out cheaply bought, unfashionable items has

developed a very bad reputation, especially with clothing. The last edition of Vogue, of all influential sources, suggested that vintage, second-hand fashion is the new ‘new’. This rejection of the disposable should really go further than just clothes. Buying new rather than recycling old furniture is on a par with flytipping in my mind but I do appreciate that I have an in-built bias. I can’t imagine why anyone would choose MDF over gloriously figured tropical hardwoods, no longer even legal to harvest but still widely available at auctions all over the country. If those we seek to delight with our interior schemes will only purr at carbon costly new stuff, perhaps we should keep our old furniture and change some of our friends. n beaunashbath.com; 01225 334234

Presence for your Christmas Table

31 Brock Street, Bath, BA1 2LN 01225 334234 | info@beaunashbath.com | www.beaunashbath.com

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Open Daily 9:30am – 6:00pm | Located between the Circus and the Royal Crescent

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Ma San Auction In Bath

SPECIALISTS IN ORIENTAL WORKS OF ART Highlights from November Auction

Chinese 19th C. Gilt wood shrine box. SOLD £8450 incl. premium. Chinese celadon and russet jade boulder on wooden stand. SOLD £13,000 incl. premium.

Chinese 18th C. White-glazed stem bowl decorated in anhua, Yongle mark. SOLD £29,900 incl. premium.

Free ns atio g valu cceptin s a t Now signmen con r future fo les! sa

Pair of Huanghuali wood chairs and tea table. SOLD £2600 incl. premium.

Chinese 18/19th C. Blue and white bowl with ruyi design, Qianlong mark. SOLD £8450 incl. premium.

Free valuations and home visits • Over 30 years experience • Competitive commission rates • Direct contacts in Hong Kong and China • Sales every month 2 Princes Buildings, George Street, Bath BA1 2ED Tel: 01225 318587

www.masanauction.com

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SHOPPING | CHRISTMAS

LEARN PLANT BASED COOKERY Demuths gift vouchers are the perfect Christmas gift for the foodie in your life. Based in Bath, Demuths Cookery School has been teaching people plant based cooking since 2001 and to celebrate its 20th birthday, the school is now offering a wider than ever range of courses. All vouchers are valid for a year and can be used on any one of its evening, half day or day classes. Buy a gift voucher at www.demuths.co.uk

HIGHGROVE CELEBRATION CHRISTMAS HAMPER Celebrate Christmas in gourmet style with the Highgrove Celebration Hamper filled with treats for the festive season and beyond. Presented in a traditional wicker basket, this hamper contains a selection of Highgrove organic foods - the ultimate gift for food lovers! There’s a bottle of dry, crisp and fruity champagne to pop open on Christmas Day, made in France by Laurent-Perrier, and, ready to enjoy with your Christmas meal, a bottle of our dark berry Côtes du Rhône and light and fruity Macon Davayé. You’ll also find a host of traditional Christmas favourites, including a classic boozy Christmas Pudding with Brandy Butter to top it off. As if that wasn’t enough, there’s also Christmas Shortbread. Highgrove even has breakfast and teatime sorted, with classic Prince of Wales blend loose tea tin, as well as strawberry jam, marmalade and fruity chutney, all made by hand to traditional recipes in England. £180.00. There’s a lot more great gift ideas and treats to be found at the Highrove Christmas shop visit: www.highgrovegardens.com

A LIMITED-EDITION CIDER FROM THATCHERS If you’re looking to treat someone with an extra tasty gift this Christmas, why not try one of the new limited-edition Thatchers Cider Barn range. Each year, the family cider maker delights with short run ciders.This year sees the very welcome return of the award-winning Redstreak (voted the World’s Best Sparkling Cider in 2017). This 8.4% single variety cider is made from local Somerset Redstreak apples. High in tannin and big on flavour, this popular cider has a smooth feel and deep rich colour. It will be available from November, price £2.55 for a 500ml bottle. Available from its Cider Shop in Sandford, Somerset, or online at: www.thatcherscider.co.uk

GREAT SOUNDS IN THE KITCHEN... .. or any room, the Ruark Audio R1 MK4 is the latest version of the highly popular R1, which was launched 14 years ago, boasting a great design and in-tune with the demands of discerning music lovers. It has retained its excellent sound quality while gaining additional functionality such as bluetooth connectivity and bright OLED display. Available from Moss of Bath – the city’s premium audio visual retail specialists. 45 St James's Parade, Bath. www.mossofbath.co.uk

CONDIMENTS WITH COMPLIMENTS NEW Wasabi Condiment Collection: £12.25 (each jar 175g) The Wasabi Company, the only growers of wasabi in the UK has completed the hattrick this year with a new Wasabi Tartare Sauce that combines the fire of fresh English grown wasabi with the sharpness of traditional gherkins and capers. Now wasabi lovers can enjoy the award winning wasabi mustard, wasabi mayonnaise and new tartare sauce all in one convenient gift pack – perfect for any curious foodie. Available from www.wasabicompany.co.uk

SMEG APPLIANCES ALL GIFTS GREAT AND SMALL Coopers are now one of a few specialist retailers awarded Premio Partner status by SMEG you can now enjoy the full range of large and small SMEG appliances including the newly launched pots and pans collection. Cool and covetable, and a must for 'Foodies' who love spending time creating great things in the kitchen. Coopers 13/15 Walcot Street (opposite Waitrose), Bath. www.coopershomeappliances.com

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THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

DECEMBER 2021

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WE CREATE SPECIAL RELATIONSHIPS

The only South West Matchmaking Agency covering Bath, Bristol, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall.

Pi Society offers an ideal way to find your perfect match through a professional and discreet matchmaking service

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ounded by Nicky Dunn in 2017, Pi Society is a leading South West based dating agency, offering an exclusive, unrivalled, matchmaking service and singles events across the region. Using our extensive network of trusted contacts, along with our invaluable knowledge and experience, our teams work tirelessly and discretely to ensure we find your perfect partner. Using a selection of personality profiling tools, we take the time to truly understand you; your core values, strengths, and personality traits. Yes, we want those goosebumps and sparks when you first meet a match, but we also want to ensure that you have the best chance of success beyond those first dates. Deep conversation with your exclusive matchmaker, profiling and a mutual trust gives you the best chance of this. In a world where many of us are time short and love weary, we aim to truly make a difference and change the course of your life in the process. Putting your safety at the heart of our culture, we ensure that we are confident in the authenticity of the match before we make an introduction. Every journey begins with a conversation and an understanding of what you’re looking for in a partner. And, most importantly, what you’re not. What better time to begin the next chapter of your romantic adventure than the start of a New Year? And so, if you're a successful professional, based in either Bristol or Bath and you’re ready to move beyond those time-consuming dating apps, please get in touch; we’d love to chat. Contact tracey@pisociety.co.uk to schedule a call today.

Nicky Dunn, CEO and Tracey Duke, Executive Matchmaker and Coach.

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W NOPEN O

LA TERRA R E STAU R A N T Mediterranean

Special two courses Lunch £18.50 A la carté and exsiting vegan menu available • Private Dining Room La Terra Restaurant 2 john street Bath BA1 2JL 01225 482070 • booking@laterra.co.uk • www.laterra.co.uk

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FOOD | & | DRINK CITY | INTERIORS

Dough-based delights

There’s a new bakery in town and it has a Grecian flavour. Melissa Blease meets Basil Athanasiou and his wife Nuola and discovers baked temptations from soughdough rye bread and cinnamon rolls to Koulouri (sesame bread rings) and Spanakopita (savoury spinach pie)

f you haven’t explored the characterful neighbourhood that follows the river as it flows west towards Bristol lately, there has, since last May, been yet another very good reason why you should set the SatNav for Locksbrook Road. The shutters raised on Basil’s Bakery only eight months ago. But already this enticing little family-run baked-goods hotspot, offering views beyond the fully laden shop counter all the way through to the oven-lined open kitchen where Basil works all manner of bakery magic, has garnered legendary status and a big, big reputation for impeccably crafted crusted creations.

“We’re a Greek family, from Salonika,” says Nuola Athanasiou, Vasileios’ (aka Basil’s) wife. “We had two bakeries there, starting with a smaller shop and then opening a bigger one, supplying wholesale orders. We were busy, but the Greek crisis changed everything. In 2016, we made the big decision to sell the shops and start looking for work outside of Greece. I’d visited the UK when I was a student and I’d always loved it here. Basil came over first; he’d arranged to work for Richard Bertinet for a week, on a trial basis; the trial went really well, and he was offered a permanent job. Three months later, I joined him – and here we are!” Here they are indeed. But the little bakery that looks and feels like a firmly established landmark on Bath’s foodie scene was, five years ago, still very much only a pipeline plan. Basil continued to work for Richard Bertinet for four years before he moved on to add stints at other legendary west country baking institutions including Parsons Bakery and Hobbs House to his UK CV. “My husband was very happy in his work, because he loves bread!”, says Nuola. “But we’d been looking for our own shop for a couple of years. We wanted to cater to an out-of-town, local market rather than basing ourselves in the city centre, but most of the shops we viewed were in residential neighbourhoods with accommodation upstairs. Because Basil bakes so late into the night and into the early hours of the morning, it wouldn’t have been nice for our neighbours to have somebody working in such a close location, so late. So, the Locksbrook Road unit was perfect for us. And we live just up the road from the shop, which is ideal.” It’s ideal for the people of Bath too – and not just those in the nearby vicinity. Planning a drive-by bakery grab? Pootle up, park at the front of the shop and dash in (or take a more peaceful pootle along the Bath-Bristol cycle path). “The shop is going really, really well,” says Nuola. “We were very well supported from the start by a lot of people who already knew us as the Greek family in their neighbourhood – our children go to a local school, so we were already friendly with families in the area, and they all came to the bakery from the moment we opened our doors. But the important thing is, they kept coming back – and they wouldn’t have done that if they didn’t like our bread!” Ah, yes – that bread. Walk in to Basil’s on any given day (apart from Sunday!) and you’ll be greeted with an array of super-fresh, hotfrom-the-oven dough-based delights in multiple formats, from standard sandwich loaves to distinctly upper-crust incarnations of

Village loaf made with maize flour

Greek sesame bread rings

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Sourdough rye bread

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FOOD | & | DRINK

Melomakarona (traditional soft, Greek Christmas biscuits)

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All the breads are completely additive-free, and they’re all made in the traditional way – you can tell when you taste it!

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sourdough (including a cranberry and walnut sourdough for the festive season), rye bread, ciabatta, olive bread, croissants, brioche, malted loaves and more, with savoury classics such as sausage rolls and Basil’s delectable Spanakopita nestling up alongside the sumptuous sandwiches-to-go, and sweet treats such as flapjacks, millionaire shortbread and – yes! – mince pies smoothly ushering you off the path of righteousness. “Everything you see is freshly made, right here, on site,” says Nuola. “Basil works really hard, and he bakes alone because there isn’t enough room for two people to bake in our workshop – but still, he manages to make everything himself. But our strong point is our bread: of the whole range, our sourdough is definitely the most popular, followed by the Harvester loaf. All the breads are completely additive-free, and they’re all made in the traditional way – you can tell when you taste it! Our Spanakopita (spinach and feta parcels) are very popular too – Basil hand makes his own filo. Oh, and you have to try our Koulouri: sesame rings from Thessaloniki, crunchy on the outside with a soft, chewy centre – everybody loves them.” But another Greek delicacy we have to try this season is Basil’s Melomakarona, described by Nuola as a soft cookie with honey, walnuts and spices. “At Christmas, Melomakarona are very popular in Greece,” she says. “We’ve made them every Christmas for a very long time for family, friends and neighbours, and they all love them. We believe they’re going to be a very big seller here, and you have to try them at home!” And Nuola means that literally: she’s gifted the recipe to us. Nuola, I have to ask: do you and Basil watch the Great British Bake Off? “We used to, but we don’t have time anymore!” she laughs. And indeed: who needs a Hollywood handshake when Basil’s on hand? n Basil’s Bakery, Locksbrook Works, Unit 1 Locksbrook Road, Bath BA1 3EN Tel: 01225 461897; @basilsbakerybath

‘Melomakarona’ is a combination of two Greek words: ‘meli’ (honey) and ‘makarona', which comes from the ancient word ‘makaria’, meaning blessed. Don’t overwork the Melomakarona dough; knead fast and light, with your fingers, until the flour has incorporated and the dough is really soft. Don’t be tempted to add any more flour than this Melomakarona recipe calls for, as too much flour will make the cookies tough. It’s also important to use a combination of ultra-fine semolina and flour as this guarantees a properly crispy result. Melomakarona doesn’t keep well, and they are best made on the same day that you plan to eat them.

Ingredients For the syrup: 500ml water 800g granulated sugar 3 cinnamon sticks 3 cloves 1 orange, cut in half 150g honey Mix 1 400ml orange juice 400ml sunflower oil 180ml olive oil 50g icing sugar

½ tbsp cloves 2–3 tbsp cinnamon ¼ tbsp nutmeg 1 tbsp baking soda zest from 2 oranges Mix 2 1 kg flour plain 200g fine semolina Runny honey and chopped walnuts, to serve

Method 1. For the syrup: make the syrup 3–4 hours before making the Melomakarona as it has to be cold when they come out of the oven. In a suitably sized pan, bring all the ingredients for the syrup (except the honey) to boil. Remove from the heat and add the honey. Stir well and leave to cool. 2. For the Melomakarona: preheat the oven to 190ºC/gas mark 5. Put all the Mix 1 ingredients into a large bowl, stir well to combine and set to one side. Put both the ingredients for Mix 2 into a second large bowl and stir to combine. Now add Mix 1 to Mix 2 and combine very gently (preferably with your fingers) for a very short time (maximum 10 seconds). 3. Turn the dough into Melomakarona by creating egg-shaped domes each measuring around 3–4 cm in diameter and weighing around 30g each. Place on a sheet of baking paper on a baking tray and bake for around 20–25 minutes until crispy. 4. As soon as they come out of the oven, add the hot Melomakarona to the cold syrup and allow to steep for 10–15 seconds before straining and topping each one with runny honey and chopped walnuts. THEBATHMAG.CO.UK | DECEmbEr 2021

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CITY | HISTORY

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CITY | HISTORY

The spirit of Christmas past

Andrew Swift searches through his archive to find images of Christmastide in previous eras. Chickens and turkeys and other birds of a feather feature especially large...

his Christmas, as always, there will be cries that it’s all grown too commercialised – that, instead of spending our time shopping, we should be seeking out simpler pleasures. The razzamatazz of Christmas shopping, however, is nothing new. Way back in 1907, the Bath Chronicle was in no doubt where the spirit of Christmas was to be found. ‘You catch it,’ the paper assured its readers, ‘from the blaze of shop windows, full of the toys that youngsters love; from the rows of boxes of gay crackers, sparkling crystallised fruits, plums and raisins; from the poulterers, whose shops are transformed into a cave of turkeys and geese, from the drapers, whose windows contain a bewildering assortment of attire of a warmth of colour and thickness of material that belong only to Christmastide’. Looking back at images from those times, there can be little doubt that the most spectacular displays were those mounted by the aforementioned poulterers, of whom there were no less than 25 in the city. Selling poultry back then – like selling any perishable commodity – was fraught with difficulties, due to lack of refrigeration. But while summer heatwaves posed almost insurmountable problems, the depths of winter held no such fears, and poulterers went to town, displaying their wares with artistry and aplomb, giving away postcards as records of the all too brief tableaux which enlivened the city streets. The first postcard we see here (previous page, top) was produced by W.G. Rice of 3 & 4 Balustrade on the London Road. Today, it’s a convenience store, but back then William Rice sold fish, game, poultry and oysters there – as well as ice. Judging by this view, poultry were the stars of the show, with an astonishing array of plucked birds exposed to the elements. That was nothing, though, compared to the display at 3 York Buildings (previous page, bottom left). Although the shop here was still trading under the name of Edwin Broadhurst, he had died – aged only 35 – in 1894, and his widow Rosa was running the business, although she doesn’t appear in the photograph. The façade

of the two-storey building, nestling next to what was the city’s general post office (now Revolution), was deemed too small, so an awning was erected on the roof to protect the birds, mounted like a triumphal crest at the top. How they got them up there – and how they got them down, especially if some awkward punter wanted the one at the top – is anyone’s guess. It goes without saying, of course, that they weren’t so hot on health and safety back then. Not all retailers faced such vertiginous problems. Then as now, Christmas was above all a time for children, and one of the things children most coveted in their Christmas stockings in those far off days was made right here in Bath. After setting up an art college in the city, William Harbutt, dissatisfied with the quality of the modelling clays available, decided to make his own. So pleased was he with the results that he set up a factory in an old mill at Bathampton to cash in on his invention. Harbutt was not only an inspired inventor; he was also an accomplished entrepreneur, and it was children rather than art students who were the most avid consumers of what he patented as Plasticine. The force and directness of advertisements such as the one shown here (previous page, bottom right), remain undiminished over a century later. Christmas wasn’t just about shopping and presents in the early 20th century, of course, any more than it is now. We end this brief look back with a photograph (below) of children – and adults – walking on the frozen canal at Bathampton in December 1925, with Harbutt’s Plasticine factory in the background. Such intense cold spells were rare even then and it’s been many years since the ice on the canal has been thick enough to walk on. So far this year, there are no signs that scenes like this will be repeated any time soon. The days of trussed-up turkeys being displayed like site-specific art installations on the streets of the city, however, seem even less likely to return. n Much more about life – and retail therapy – in Bath in Edwardian times can be found in Andrew Swift and Kirsten Elliott’s The Year of the Pageant, published by Akeman Press.

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CITY | RETAIL

The way to enlightenment

Books are knowledge and knowledge is power. And there’s a whole lot more of both in Topping & Company’s impressive new venue in York Street. Emma Clegg goes through the once-blind main door to meet co-director Hugh Topping always greedy for more books and when we saw this building was available and had a look around we just fell in love with the place. We knew it would create a really special home for a bookshop, a building we can invite everyone into and open up to the public.”

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Our design philosophy is that if there is a wall, put a bookcase on it, and if there isn’t a wall, see if we can put a bookcase there anyway

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The Friends’ Meeting House in York Street, formerly a Freemasons’ Hall, was built in 1817–19 in a Greek Revival style by London architect William Wilkins (1778–1839), who designed The National Gallery. Grade IIListed, the building stands there elegantly over 250 years later with its dramatic façade with projecting, pedimented Ionic portico supported by two columns. The building has had many uses over the years. The Freemasons stopped using it in 1823, after which it became an assembly room, a venue for exhibitions, and was converted into a Nonconformist chapel, before becoming the Friends Meeting House in 1872. After a century of use by them, part of the building was leased to a charity, with the main room used for book fairs and Christmas market stalls. There have been various planning proposals, including one in 2009 for a Brasserie Blanc, but the suggested conversions were considered to undermine the building’s listed status. Now, however, the Friends’ Meeting House has been given a dramatic new energy and purpose within its precious listed structure, because Topping & Company Booksellers opened their bookshop there in November this year, taking over the lease with a plan to purchase the building after three years. Hugh Topping explains their decision to relocate: “We had been at The Paragon for 14 years and our lease was coming to an end so we were working out what we were going to do next. We’re

The original Masonic hall was built with a central blind door and two blind windows on the front façade, and was lit solely by two roof lanterns (with fine plaster details to their ceilings) for reasons of secrecy, but it is thought that the windows may have been later converted into sashes because the lighting proved inadequate for its use as a chapel. The central doorway (with full entablature above) was ‘blind’ in the Freemasons’ design for the reason that, “the way to enlightenment is not always obvious.” Opening up the doorway was one of the first stages of the conversion work,

The entrance to the new bookshop, with the opened-up main door

which started in March this year. And despite the new door opening and the resulting light, enlightenment, it has to be said, is now here in the form of shelves and shelves of books. AN IMPRESSIVE SPACE This is an architecturally dramatic location, which offers around 3,000 square foot of space – double the space of the Paragon bookshop – and it’s the largest independent bookshop to open in England for several decades, housing around 75,000 books. As well as the repair and refurbishment of the historic fabric, a new oak-clad gallery structure (now with books on arts, design and culture) was inserted into the Great Hall, the main room, to increase the retail floor area, and a lift was installed to provide access to all levels, including the lower hall. The latter is a massive area in its own right, full of literary cubby-holes created by shelving partitions, and where you’ll find subjects such as cookery, history, politics, travel and children’s – this floor will also be the location for cookery demonstrations. The Great Hall itself is wide and high, with globe lights and the original foliate frieze with egg-and-dart moulding. The sturdy wooden sliding library ladders (also in the lower hall) lock in place and allow access to the higher shelves. There is the comforting presence of a grandfather clock, originally made in Bath, a large Topping & Company-style handwritten chalkboard against the wooden lift encasement, a kitchenette behind the main desk to allow constant tea and coffee provision for all (and one in the lower hall too). There is even a secret view of Ralph Allen’s Town House from the stairs leading to the lower hall. Clearly Amazon can’t compete with any of this. THE PROCESS OF CHANGE The location is delightfully central, although the bookshop no longer has a main window to lure customers in. Hugh says, “There is no shop window, but a bigger door and frontage, and lots more footfall. We love York Street, which is pedestrianised. We can see people sitting outside having pizzas and coffee on the pavements, so it’s a lovely atmosphere and slightly removed from the hustle and bustle of our busy traffic corner up in The Paragon.” The project has seen Hugh – whose home is in Edinburgh – in permanent residence in Bath since the spring. I ask what issues were encountered in the planning and conversion of the shop, and the logistics of the move.

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CITY | RETAIL

The Great Hall is the centre of activity, with its newly constructed stairway and gallery

“The new shop opened on time in November. It was a big push towards the end, but it always is. The thing that was new to us all was that we were used to ordering new books for a new shop, but we’d never had to bus books down from one venue to another at the same time. “I’m not going to pretend it’s all been plain sailing, but it’s genuinely difficult to think of any huge snags. When you are working with people like Mark Wray Architects, Wraxall Builders, Wheelers and James Normand and Son, our joiners, it’s just a pleasure. We have worked with James Normand for years, ever since we opened our St Andrews bookshop and they are fantastic to work with. That shared understanding goes a long way to ensuring everything runs smoothly because we don’t actually need to check everything. They know what they are doing and have made thousands of bookcases for us. “Our design philosophy when it comes to bookshops is that if there is a wall, put a bookcase on it. And if there is not a wall, see if we can put a bookcase there anyway,” laughs Hugh. “So really they are quite easy to design because you just put as many bookcases as you can in to have as big a range of titles as possible. And that’s not just

to house the bestsellers – we want the book that maybe someone wants every five years, and we want to have it that one day when they come in for a browse.” I ask if the listed status has caused any issues in negotiations with the Council. “The Council have been very supportive,” says Hugh. “We are here for the long term and we want to look after the building, so we’re looking after the place as well as making it suit the needs of a bookshop. The final element we had to agree was the signage, and this took a little while to find the balance that the planning department was happy with.” Support has been available from other sources too. “The Friends have been incredibly accommodating to work with,” explains Hugh, “They have dropped in frequently throughout the project and are really excited about having the building open again, because it’s an important part of their history and life as well.” And the local business community is an important cooperative force, explains Hugh: “The lovely thing about Bath is that it’s an independent spirited place and that’s what originally attracted us 14 years ago when we first moved here. It’s a great literary city and one with significant support for independent businesses.”

THE BOOKSELLERS Hugh tells me that the number of staff has also doubled: “The Paragon shop just had the one desk so we were all squeezing behind it, so it’s a real novelty now having space and lots of different desks we can choose from.” Saskia Hayward, who deals with press and marketing, among other duties, explains why she loves her role. “This new building is an uplifting space to be in and it’s such an exciting project. It’s a space that inherently gives you energy. All our booksellers have their own sections, which I love – mine are history and politics. So each staff member knows all the books and picks what comes in, and that creative control is a privilege, because there is no overseer telling you what you should order in. It’s really hands-on and all new staff get to know how you build up a section and what the best books are.” How appropriate that the darkness of a blind façade has been opened up with the light of knowledge and discovery. Topping and Company Booksellers, York Street, Bath; 01225 428111; toppingbooks.co.uk

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Christmas, contact & grandparents’ rights Given the lockdown restrictions last year, many grandparents will not have seen their grandchildren during the festive period and will be looking forward to being able to do so this year. However, for grandparents who have a child(ren) that have separated, Christmas can be a difficult time of year, when it comes to spending precious time with their grandchildren. The law and legal process Unlike the children’s parents, grandparents have no automatic legal right to see their grandchildren. Grandparents seeking to establish or maintain contact with their grandchildren following a separation have two options open to them. • Agreement with parents – be that directly, at mediation or via solicitors • An application to Court for a Child Arrangements Order For grandparents, an application to Court is often a longer and as a result more expensive 2-stage process, as they will need to request permission from the court to make an application in the first place. Tips for the Christmas period Given that Christmas often becomes a very emotive time of year, with separated parents themselves often finding it hard to agree arrangements, communication and discussions early on is key. Don’t take sides Whilst communication with the parents can be difficult, try not to take sides and remain neutral. The festive period can be a stressful and hectic time for parents and so offering some respite to both parents during the holidays can provide them with support and also allow you to spend time with your grandchildren. Be flexible If seeing your grandchildren on Christmas Day itself is not possible, explore other opportunities for contact in the lead up to Christmas and in the New Year. It may be that you pick a day and treat is as your Christmas Day where you exchange Christmas gifts and have festive treats. If you are not able to reach an agreement before the Christmas break and would like some advice on your rights as a grandparent, the Mogers Drewett family team are here to help and offer a fixed fee initial consultation. You can contact Victoria Cobham on 01749 342 323 or email Victoria.cobham@mogersdrewett.com

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CITY | NEWS

CITYNEWS YOUNG ACTOR IN AARDMAN FILM Local 15-year-old Tom Pegler is featuring in Aardman’s and Netflix’s brand new Christmas animation Robin Robin. Tom is a local aspiring actor (aged 15) who was lucky enough to land a voice role in this exciting new short film after an audition process. This was achieved through his association with the Pauline Quirk Academy in Bath. The film stars Gillian Anderson, Richard E Grant and Adele Akhtar and Tom plays Pip, the eldest of the mice family. Tom recorded his part in the studios in Clifton in two sessions. A budding actor, he is a member of the Next Stage Youth Theatre in Bath. pqacademy.com; next-stage.co.uk/next-stage-youth

New figures show there has been a big drop in the amount of waste from across Bath and North East Somerset being sent to landfill. Thanks to the recycling efforts of residents, just 3% of waste was sent to landfill in 2020/21, down from 15% the previous year. B&NES achieved a 59.2% Reuse, Recycling and Composting rate last year. The amount of recycling collected from green boxes and blue bags in the district increased by almost 22% and food waste by 15%. Councillor Sarah Warren, Deputy Leader and cabinet member for Climate and Sustainable Travel said: “Our aim is to send nothing to landfill. It is achievable and I’d encourage everyone to do their bit to help us reach our goal.”

DRESS TO IMPRESS OFFERING A new charity in Bath is seeking to help women into employment by opening up a range of high-quality workwear donations for women to choose interview outfits for the early days of a new job. Dr Jane Ellis-Brush, a lecturer at the University of Bath’s School of Management, is setting up First Impressions to help women feel confident and prepared for interview, to give them the best chance of job-seeking success. Having moved to Bath earlier in the year from living abroad, working in the financial services for a global bank, Ellis-Brush realised she had an extensive corporate wardrobe, most of which she no longer needed, and the idea for the charity was born. The project will first focus on giving women access to high-quality clothes and accessories, and later match women with a mentor to discuss their goals and help them prepare for interview. The charity is keen to hear from people who would like to donate clothes, get involved, or have ideas about storage solutions for donations. 1stimpressions.org.uk

DeCeMBeR 2021

Lucknam Park has been voted the best hotel in the UK for families in Condé Nast Johansens Awards for Excellence 2022. Created to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across the Condé Nast Johansens’ portfolio, the annual awards have become an important and trusted mark of quality recognised by discerning readers and travel professionals alike. For 2022, Lucknam Park has been voted for online by guests, and by local expert nominations, to be the number-one family hotel in the UK. Recently, Lucknam Park was also voted ‘Best Hotel in the UK’ in the Condé Nast Traveller’s Readers’ Choice Awards. General manager Sakis Dinas says: “The category is always full of inspirational and deserving properties, so it is a true honour and we would like to send a huge thank you to everyone who voted for us.” lucknampark.co.uk

ADVENT WEBINARS FOR FAITH CHARITIES

RECORD RECYCLING

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With the approach of Advent, Bath law firm Stone King is offering a series of four, 30-minute webinars aimed specifically at faith-based charities. Each Wednesday during Advent a speaker will review some of the key legal developments of 2021 across a range of pertinent areas, and the sessions are also an opportunity for an open discussion among attendees. Partner Julie Moktadir Webinars include subjects such as the basics of property estate management; international movement post Brexit and pandemic; the real-life practical complications encountered when dealing with wills left by faith charity individuals; and the employment and HR experiences of charities in the last 18 months and what we can learn from these. Stone King partner Julie Moktadir says: “The sessions combine focused topics delivered in a succinct way so that there is ample opportunity to raise questions and for attendees to discuss, reflect and share their thoughts on the past year and months ahead. They are interactive sessions and we look forward to welcoming anyone who works with or for a faith charity to these webinars.stoneking.co.uk

GREEN BUSINESS RECOGNITION A pioneering ‘Green Business’ based in Bath has topped the Ethical Consumer list of UK Ethical online retailers. The Green Stationery Co. provides a real ethical and environmental alternative for online stationery supplies. Founded as a completely green company in 1993, it has always aimed to have positive environmental benefits and not just to limit its environmental damage. Jay Risbridger, managing director of the Green Stationery Co Ltd said: “Online retail sales are dominated by one or two companies that use their monopoly position to limit customer choice. The negative ethical and environmental practices of these companies has also been much publicised. Our business puts environmental action first, not profits and growth; this is the only way to create meaningful sustainable business practices.” greenstat.co.uk

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ocl A C C O U N TA N C Y

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

www.oclaccountancy.com

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Everyone at OCL would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our clients & friends for their support and business in 2021 and to wish all of them success in the New Year. We would also like to wish all Bath Magazine readers the same and hope to meet more of you in 2022! Have a safe, healthy and happy time!

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

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EDUCATION

EDUCATION NEWS JUBILEE TREE Children at Widcombe Junior School planted a very special tree as part of a national initiative to launch The Queen’s Green Canopy, which invites people across the United Kingdom to ‘Plant a Tree for the Jubilee’. Next year will mark 70 years since HM The Queen came to the throne – the longest reigning monarch in our history. HM Lord-Lieutenant of Somerset Annie Maw joined children at the Pulteney Road school along with B&NES Council leader, Councillor Kevin Guy and Councillor Jess David, cabinet assistant for Neighbourhoods, at the special ceremony which saw a Pyrus Chanticleer Pear tree planted in the school grounds. widcombejuniorschool.com

SUSTAINABILITY AT SCHOOL The recent Monkton School Sustainability Day included pupils from Kindergarten to Sixth Form. The day was agreed in response to COP26, the 26th meeting of the United Nations Annual Climate Change Conference. One of the objectives of the COP26 summit was to work together to deliver. The school invited a variety of speakers – including a shark conservationist, a sound recordist, and specialists in fast fashion, food sustainability and consumer habits. The idea was that the speakers would access every part of the curriculum to highlight the fact that no discipline will remain untouched. There were also workshops on alternative ways to protest, such as letter writing and finding your own voice. The day itself enabled the younger years to be outside, interacting with the natural environment, proven to be the most effective way for young people to become aware of the issues concerning the natural environment and also enormously beneficial for our well-being. monktoncombeschool.com

DEBUT ALBUM AT ABBEY ROAD Old Millfieldian Rosie Smith has recorded her debut album at the Abbey Road Studios in London, with a team of internationally renowned producers. Multi-instrumentalist Rosie was invited, after a chance meeting, to record her debut album and EP. During the production of her album she recorded a further eight acoustic tracks that will form a stand-alone Abbey Road acoustic album for release in January 2022, including her original songs and covers. One of her original tracks, My Friend Ben, is named after former Millfield guitar and songwriting teacher, Ben Kench, who passed away during Rosie’s time at school. Rosie said, “Ben was the most incredible guitarist, he would offer advice but he wouldn’t push it on you. He would say ‘listen to this and see what you think’.” millfieldschool.com 76 TheBATHMagazine

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JOIN OUR DISTRIBUTION TEAM – PART TIME DELIVERY JOBS IN BATH

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

We currently have a few areas that have become available and can offer a minimum of 5 hours work for individuals looking for a little work. Depending on the area – the average number of magazines is around 500. Each area takes around 5 – 8 hours to complete. The magazines can be quite bulky, so you will need to be fit and active as well as trustworthy, and very reliable. You will need to have use of a car, and a mobile phone. You will also be based in or very near Bath.

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

Additionally – we are always interested in hearing from husband and wife, or family teams prepared to cover larger areas or work longer hours. Sorry no children.

CALL STEVE on 012 2 5 4 2 4 4 9 9 o r e m a i l :

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STORY | BOOKS

Nostalgic reads for children

Gerie Herbert finds some wintery reading classics that are as popular today as they ever were – from Winnie the Pooh and Mog the Cat to the Grinch and the Moomins, they encompass light and joy as well as darkness and morality. dynamics of Christmas and our responsibilities towards others can be. There are few Christmas stories that don’t contain both darkness and light, resurrection, or redemption – even Mog the Cat is worn down by all the forced cheerfulness that Christmas delivers. Edmund in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is redeemed by the resurrected Christ figure Aslan because there is a degree of compassionate acknowledgement he went wrong at his awful school. In the Shirley Hughes Classic Lucy and Tom’s Christmas, a small delight on the domestic rewards which come part and parcel of being home with small children (the putting together of paper chains, the mixing of the Christmas pudding), Tom is sent off with his grandfather on Christmas Day because of his bad temper from being up all night listening out for Father Christmas. The Grinch only delivers because ultimately it is a tale of redemption, and in Moominland Midwinter, the abandoned Moomintroll (his parents are hibernating) grieves not only the absence of the sun but to some extent his own childhood. The glistening landscape hosts a community of oddbods in no way delivering recompense for the absence of his rather irreplaceable family.

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Christmas and winter books are a special sort of fairytale which should only ever be put away for eleven months at a time

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hen C.S Lewis wrote the dedication for The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe – his book in which winter is perpetual but Christmas never comes – for goddaughter Lucy Barfield, he acknowledged she had outgrown his tale and hoped one day she might be old enough to start reading and enjoying fairytales once more. And it’s a strange truth that the books we discard as being too childish for us at the age of 10, we often enjoy as much as our young children in parenthood, and actively grieve their loss in that transitional time before becoming grandparents. That’s the time where we store them in an attic for the future progeny of our children who will of course be fully receptive to all the classics from our own childhoods, despite the slightly dubious gender politics or degree of moral didacticism, managing to sift out the underlying magic regardless. Christmas and winter books are a special sort of fairytale which should only ever be put away for eleven months at a time. Firstly, because they are celebratory and often full of the loveliest things, a winter illustration in Moominland Midwinter or the setting of a winter sun in an A.A. Milne chapter being as calming to a young infant as something like Bruegel’s Hunters in the Snow to an adult. Secondly, because whether you are a child absorbing them with wonder for the first time, or an adult revising your view of them, they will contain truths that will help you mitigate both the excitement and the less joyous aspects of Christmas whatever your age, or remind you of what Christmas is meant to represent within yourself. Because while it’s a cliché to hate Christmas, all of us understand how it was the Grinch came to be the Grinch and how being excluded from the societal norm in any sense at Christmas can be painful. We might even acknowledge our own lovingkindness can sometimes get diminished under the trudge of visits to the supermarket and the holding down of the day job. Christmas at some point invites a state of ambivalence and the best Christmas stories encompass this. They not only encourage us to become better no matter how big or small, but encourage a degree of compassion for our current or future failings. No Christmas story in the traditional sense, but the chapter in The House at Pooh Corner in which Pooh and Piglet trudge out in the snow to build a house quite unnecessarily for their cold and rather misanthropic friend Eeyore encapsulates how confusing the

“There are such a lot of things that have no place in Summer and Autumn and Spring. Everything that’s a little shy or a little rum”, says Too Ticky. And yet there is gentle acknowledgement accorded that not only will Moomintroll have to find a way to process his darker emotions within the bleaker months, but that this eccentricity of the minor characters in his life, the invisible shrews, the Dweller under the Sink and such belong in a season more forgiving of peculiarities and life is warmer for their presence. And then there are the allegorical stories, such as the Narnia one, which lean on a biblical narrative whose message we may not accept the literal truth of but want our children to receive the essential ones from. Make time for some reading out loud this Christmas, whether its Pooh or Piglet at twilight in the snow or The Grinch stuffing the tree up the chimney, it could make you, if not a better person, probably a happier one. n THE SIX CLASSIC STORIES: • The House at Pooh Corner by AA Milne, first published 1928 by Methuen; latest edition HarperCollins, £8.99 • The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, first published 1950 by Geoffrey Bles, latest edition HarperCollins, £6.99 • How The Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr Seuss, first published by Random House, 1957; latest edition HarperCollins, £6.99 • Moominland Midwinter by Tove Jansson, first published 1957 by Gebers, latest edition Penguin Random House, £6.99 • Mog’s Christmas by Judith Kerr, first published 1976 by Collins, latest edition HarperCollins, £6.99 • Lucy & Tom at Christmas by Shirley Hughes, first published 1981 by Puffin, latest edition Penguin Random House, £6.99

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STORY | BOOKS

TOP, left to right: The first (1928) edition of The House at Pooh Corner published by Methuen & Co., along with the 1971 edition and the latest edition. The book is the second volume of stories about Winnie-the-Pooh written by A. A. Milne and illustrated by E. H. Shepard MIDDLE, left to right: Moominland Midwinter is the fifth in the series of Tove Jansson's Moomins books, and it has a darker, more introspective tone than the previous books; Lucy and Tom’s Day was the first published book that Shirley Hughes both wrote and illustrated, and it was made into a series of stories, including Lucy and Tom’s Christmas in 1981 LEFT, from left: How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Theodor ‘Dr. Seuss’ Geisel is written in rhymed verse and follows the Grinch, a grouchy, solitary creature who tries to cancel Christmas; The first book about Mog was published by Judith Kerr in 1970 and Mog’s Christmas came along in 1976 PREVIOUS PAGE, from left: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe is the first published and best known of seven novels in The Chronicles of Narnia (1950–1956). It is set in Narnia, a land of talking animals and mythical creatures ruled by the evil White Witch THEBATHMAG.CO.UK THEBATHMAG.CO.UK| nOVEmbEr 2010 | january 2020

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Studying at the College of Naturopathic Medicine is life changing Karina Antram, CNM Nutritional Therapy Graduate

I was Head of HR for a Fintech company and I decided to change my career path for a number of reasons. I felt unfulfilled, stressed, tired and exhausted all the time. I was so burnt out so when lockdown hit, it was a chance to leave my job and pursue my dream of having my own business. I started NOCO Health, a nutrition clinic specialising in energy, stress, digestion and pre/post-natal support. I’ve always suffered from gastrointestinal issues and I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in 2014 and Lyme disease in 2018. On some occasions the gastrointestinal pain was so bad that I ended up in hospital. I was fed up of going to the

doctors and being shipped out after five minutes, with a diagnosis I felt was incorrect or given to me too quickly without any testing to find the root cause. My best friend was also diagnosed with terminal cancer so I signed up to the College of Naturopathic Medicine (CNM) because I never want anyone to have to go through what she has. If I can help educate anyone to reduce the risk of that outcome in some small way, at least something positive will come out of this. After lots research CNM’s course appealed to me due to its functional medicine approach, with a real emphasis on treating the root cause and not just the symptoms which I think is an exciting and game-changing field of nutritional science. The quality of teaching, course content and amount of clinic hours at CNM is excellent. I’ve also made some wonderful friends, who I wouldn’t have ordinarily met. I’ve never really felt my body operated optimally and whilst I think a large part of this was due to working in stressful industries, I also think it’s because I didn't have the knowledge that I now have to really change my health at a cellular level. Everything I’ve learnt so far has been life changing and I’m now feeling the best I’ve felt in years. I run NOCO Health and I really enjoy working with clients to fully understand their

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health issues. I genuinely believe that I can help reduce or eradicate their symptoms by following an evidence based nutrition and lifestyle protocol. Starting my own business has enabled me to work flexibly and create a better lifestyle, I can already see the benefits to my health and happiness. Enrolling onto CNM’s Naturopathic Nutrition diploma is the best investment you can make for yourself. It is truly life changing.

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THE CHRISTMAS SURVIVAL GUIDE

hristmas is coming, and for many of us, this year will be a chance to make up for the somewhat restricted festive period of 2020. However, it’s possible to be so preoccupied by the celebrations that it’s easy to forget about our health and wellbeing. Here, the specialists at Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital offer advice on how to enjoy a healthy holiday season.

Festive feasting If we struggle with how we feel about our body, we can worry about the impact that festive merry-making could have on our weight. We might still be thinking about our lockdown weight gain, and are trying to shed a few pounds before Christmas, either to fit into a party outfit or so we can give ourselves permission to eat whatever we like from Christmas Eve until New Year. Clinical psychologist Dr Vanessa Snowdon-Carr explains: “This is part of a familiar ‘lose it, gain it’ cycle, because by the time we get to Christmas, we’re so fed up with the diet that we then go overboard. While we may eat a bigger meal than usual on Christmas Day, it is the additional food and alcohol throughout December that adds to weight gain. We can tell ourselves that it doesn’t matter because we’ll refocus in January, but is that how we want to start the new year, feeling horrible about our body? “So, how about deciding which are the meals you really want to be able to indulge in, and which are the little extras through December that you could do without? And when you do eat Christmas food, use some of the mindful eating principles: make sure you slow down, savour it and enjoy every mouthful!” Even if weight isn’t a concern for you, the excesses of the festive season can still put a strain on our health, in particular our digestive system. Consultant gastroenterologist Dr Amanda Beale says: “A gut suddenly required to cope with large amounts of Christmas pudding, smothered in brandy cream, can sometimes show the strain. Most of these odd gut symptoms will resolve quickly but, if persistent, can suggest underlying bowel problems.”

Dr Beale continues: “Any variation in bowel habit, new pains, or bloating that is still present in the New Year could indicate an underlying bowel problem. This in turn can cause poor absorption of nutrients, leading to anaemia and significant fatigue. If you have any concerns, seek medical advice.”

Share the love, not the germs We should not forget the potential threat COVID-19 could pose in upsetting our plans to have a happy family Christmas this year, but we should also remember that the festive season falls during the winter flu season. Like COVID-19, flu is a serious illness which can cause death, not only in vulnerable groups, such as older people and those with an underlying medical condition, but also among people who are fit and healthy. Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital’s infection prevention co-ordinator, nurse Janice Bowler explains: “You can have either of these viruses and pass them on to others without displaying any symptoms yourself, so being immunised not only protects you, it protects those around you, including family, friends and work colleagues.” Janice says: “If you are unfortunate enough to have flu or COVID-19 in the run-up to Christmas, rest up, and self-isolate until you’re better. Your friends and loved ones won’t appreciate catching the infection from you, and then being struck down over Christmas itself. As well as getting the vaccine, you can help to reduce the spread of germs by regularly washing or sanitising your hands, and continuing to wear a face covering in enclosed spaces, for example, while doing your Christmas shopping.” There’s still time to get the flu jab before Christmas, so speak to your GP surgery or a local pharmacist if you would like more information.

Dr Gill Jenkins tells us: “The main problems GPs traditionally see before Christmas revolve around the stress of trying to provide the ‘perfect’ Christmas, or conversely being aware that you will be alone. Fear of getting into debt, not meeting loved ones’ expectations, and feeling lonely all lead to increased selfharming, sleep difficulties and panic attacks. A heightened feeling of loss, anxiety and depression occur and the social media phenomena of competitiveness, oneupmanship and ‘fear of missing out’ add to the stress. After the event we see more problems related to overindulgence of food and drink, including indigestion and a realisation that alcohol use may be a problem, and weight gain that needs addressing. It almost makes you wonder why we do it!” Dr Jenkins suggests: “Planning is key, with a realisation that Christmas is about sharing time and simple pleasures with the ones you care about. Remember to refresh stocks of simple ‘over the counter’ medicine, such as paracetamol, ibuprofen, indigestion or diarrhoea medicines, and ensure you have enough of your regular medicine to last until after New Year. Doctors surgeries and chemists may be closed, but there is always a GP out-of-hours (OOH) service in case anyone does fall ill, or alternatively, call 111 for advice and a GP appointment. Try to avoid A&E, as hospital emergency departments are always overrun at this time of year.” Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital offers weight loss treatment, gastroenterology clinics, and a private GP service. If you would like to book an appointment with any of our consultants, call 0117 911 5339, or visit www.nuffieldhealth.com/hospitals/bristol for more information.

Prepare for a stress-less Christmas Christmas is usually portrayed as a happy, social, family time, but for many it doesn’t live up to these expectations. Even for those people who enjoy it, Christmas can still be stressful and there’s a price to be paid afterwards for overindulgence. Bristol GP

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

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Louisa Grace Interiors Vintage Chest of Drawers; louisagrace.co.uk

Little Folks Furniture Cubix Mid-Sleeper with Chest of Drawers and Storage Bookcase, £750; littlefolksfurniture.co.uk

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LEFT, above: A vintage chest and a bed canopy tent helps make this girl’s attic bedroom characterful and cosy LEFT: The Scoot Chair, available in 15 fabric colours, is perfect for a young person’s bedroom. From Summit Chairs, £249.99; summitathome.co.uk

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ABOVE, top: The rainbow wallpaper, the bright blue chimney breast and other colourful highlights make this a fun environment for a young person. Design by Jackie Hoyte for Decorbuddi ABOVE: A bed combined with understorage is an eﬀective solution for a smaller room; other raised-bed options house a desk underneath

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CITY | INTERIORS

Children’s bedrooms

Designing a child’s bedroom can bring out your inner child, says Bath-based interior designer Jackie Hoyte, and gives you the opportunity of providing a stimulating, rationalised space for your child to take endless pleasure in

nvolving your little one in the process of creating a bedroom for them will ensure it will be a space that feels personal to them, no matter their age, and a place of comfort and safety. It is easy to let their imagination (and yours) gather momentum without considering the practicalities, so here are some top tips on how to create the perfect bedroom that will be fun and fabulous but also realistic.

Tip Three: furniture It really pays to plan carefully when looking at furniture for your child’s bedroom to ensure that what you choose will both work hard and last for – or at least not need rethinking for – at least five years. For instance when choosing a bed, select one that they can grow into and one that serves multiple purposes. A truckle bed that has a pullout is a great idea for when they have friends to stay for sleepovers or you could consider a bunk bed or cabin bed which will give you space underneath for an extra mattress. If you have the space and budget it is worth investing in wellcrafted built-in wardrobes which can offer not just storage for clothes but also toys, games and books. If you prefer freestanding furniture, buy some pieces that children can grow up with and hopefully will become family heirlooms. Timeless and good-quality items such as a chest of drawers or wardrobe, if chosen well, can stay in the room scheme from toddler to teenager and beyond. Don’t shy away from vintage and antique pieces as these are very often built to withstand the test of time. You can source drawers, wardrobe and storage trunks from vintage experts such as Louisa Grace Interiors and ST Decorative Antiques or from vintage fairs including IACF Fair at Shepton Mallet which is held every few months. Smaller storage items such as sets of trunks and baskets allow easy access to toys and books, and the chance to add pops of colour and texture to the room, as well as keeping it clutter free.

Blinds 2 go Jungle Fun roller blind; blinds-2go.co.uk

Tip Two: colouring in A child’s bedroom serves multiple roles including playroom, space to work and personal sanctuary. But its main purpose is to provide a place for them to sleep and therefore it is key to keep the colour scheme tranquil rather than over-stimulating. With the often rapidly changing tastes of the occupant, consider a neutral colour for the walls which will serve as a blank canvas on which to add colour, interest and pattern through window dressings, wall stickers, accessories and art. Neutral doesn’t necessarily mean white though. You can choose from a myriad of gentle and delicate shades of green, blue, pink and grey all of which will, in turn, complement any stronger colour choices your child may have, which can be indulged in via the accessories. Brands such as Fenwick & Tilbrook, Little Greene and Graphenstone all offer low VOC paints ensuring your little one won’t be breathing in any nasty fumes.

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A truckle bed that has a pull-out is a great idea for when they have friends to stay...

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Tip One: planning Before you start, sit down with your child and make a list of what the room will be used for. Start with the essentials and then the ‘would love to haves’ as you might not have space for all the elements. First and foremost the bedroom is for sleeping, but it may also be used for homework, playing, reading and hobbies. How much and what sort of storage do you require? Is the room an awkward space? Creating a basic floor plan will help visualise the layout and decide what furniture you need and where to place it. Free apps such as Room Sketcher and Magic Plan are a great alternative to pen and paper. Do also think about how long you would like the room to last and your budget, to guide your decisions.

A roller blind with motifs to suit is an easy uplift for a children’s room

Tip Four: make it personal Now is the time to fully recruit your little teammate and get their input into the final touches. The room will need to adapt and change as your child grows so while they may absolutely love Harry Potter right now, you can be sure this will change quickly. Take them along on a shopping spree to choose pieces for their room; you can add affordable fun prints, bedlinen, blinds and lighting which can be easily switched as their tastes change, so take them along on a shopping spree to choose pieces for their room. There are many options for easy-to-measure, order and fit designs which offer both a practical black-out blind solution as well as a pop of fun at the window. Think about utilising any bookshelves to curate and display trinkets, souvenirs and artwork as well as that precious Lego model they refuse to dismantle! Print out some favourite photos from your phone and peg them to a string of fairy lights for an extra personal touch which can be easily updated. Tip Five: space to work and play If space allows, incorporating a play tent or reading corner adds an extra dimension to the room and most importantly encourages creative play. Including a desk will be perfect for drawing and playing when they are young and then when the homework years hit they will have the perfect space to study. Adding considered, creative and practical elements will ensure your child’s room remains a much-loved space that stays useable for years to come. n 2020 2010 nOVEmbEr THEBATHMAG.CO.UK THEBATHMAG.CO.UK| DECEmbEr THEBATHMAG.CO.UK | january 2021

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www.thekitchenpartners.co.uk

THE

KI TC HEN PAR TNER S DESIGN STUDIO

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Stunning DIY Garden Room Kits; Designed by Future SIPs, Installed by You Create the additional space you need with an efficient, insulated SIP garden room from Future SIPs ith working from home no longer the preserve of the fortunate few and the term ‘hybrid working’ becoming one of the most widely used by businesses, it’s no surprise that the popularity of having a useable room in the garden is at an all-time high.

Designed and built to meet the needs of homeowners who aren’t in a position to wait months for a garden room, office or studio, the ‘Shell Kits’ and ‘Shell and External Kits’ manufactured by Future SIPs are suitable for a competent DIY enthusiast or local builder to install themselves.

As we continue to navigate our way through the global pandemic and most of us experience new ways of working, the need for additional space in our homes has become more important than ever before.

With a DIY garden room kit, homeowners can improve their homes and add space and value, without the need to move, often creating a room that can be enjoyed by every member of the family.

We’ve adapted to our changing work styles and environments, and as we’ve done so it’s become very clear that the changes in working situations for many companies and their employees are here to stay; with a great number of people continuing to work from home or transitioning into a hybrid form of working. With a reputation for a forward-thinking approach, together with 10 years of expertise in designing, manufacturing and building garden rooms, glamping pods and timber framed buildings, Future Rooms is a family-owned and run business that prides itself on developing stunning garden rooms suitable for a variety of domestic and commercial uses. As the working landscape changed, Future Rooms experienced an unprecedented demand for its range of beautiful garden rooms and started to receive enquiries from homeowners unable to wait for a garden room to be installed and keen to buy the walls, floor and roof and build it themselves. All Future Rooms’ garden rooms and Future SIPs’ garden room kits are manufactured at their purpose-built workshop in Gloucestershire, where they recently designed and installed a plant to produce their SIPs, enabling them to expand their offering to the public and builders and provide expert advice and recommendations. As enquiries for self-build garden rooms increased, the team designed a highly energy-efficient DIY garden room kit, The Studio, manufactured by Future SIPs and their expanding team, all employed at their Gloucestershire-based premises.

The structural insulated panels (SIPs) are supplied by Future SIPs as a complete Shell Kit for the chosen garden room and include the number of required SIPs to construct the floor, walls and roof. Homeowners can finish the room to their specification, with a choice of roof finish, external cladding and glazing. Alternatively, homeowners and builders can choose a Shell and External Kit, which includes a choice of external cladding, glazing and roof finishes, leaving just the internal finishes to choose and source. The dedicated team places great importance on attention to detail and delivering the highest standards of customer service, whatever the size and style of garden room, from a welcoming home office to a multifunctional room that can be used for work during the day, exercise in the evening and entertainment over the weekend. There are four stunning garden room showrooms, based on The Studio, and installed using both the ‘Shell and External Kit’ and the ‘Shell Kits’, at Future SIP’s premises in the Gloucestershire countryside in Staunton, where there’s always a warm welcome. The showroom is open from 10:00am until 4:00pm Monday to Friday and by appointment on Saturday, where the team are on hand to discuss requirements for outdoor rooms that make a beautiful and useful addition to any home and garden. n

For further information, call Future SIPs on 01452 840284 or visit their website at www.futuresips.co.uk

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GARDENING

Baby it’s cold outside

As our gardens begin to weather the winter months, Elly West suggests eight brilliant reads that will illuminate the green world in fresh ways while it’s too cold to cultivate...

hen it’s cold outside, you can’t beat curling up indoors and catching up on your reading list, so why not treat yourself – or a green-fingered loved one – to one of these garden-related books? With Christmas around the corner and not too many shopping days left, a book makes the perfect gift. The Secret Lives of Garden Bees by Jean Vernon Somerset-based Jean Vernon is a self-confessed bee addict, fascinated by these remarkable creatures from a young age, and it’s hard not to share her passion once you start delving into their world. There are 276 different bee species in the UK, just one of which is the well-known honey bee, and 25 of which are different types of bumblebees. This book is an accessible guide to bees, their habitats and behaviours, and is packed with large photographs to help with identification. We learn that male bees can’t sting, that buzzing helps release pollen from a flower, and that bees have smelly feet, which leave traces of a pheromone behind them to tell other bees they have visited. There is also an important message within this book – that our natural balance totally relies on bees, and that we can all make a difference by ditching pesticides and growing bee-friendly plants. Anyone interested in finding out more about these weird and wonderful creatures will enjoy this guide. Pen & Sword Books; £16.99 Love From Kew by Sophie Shillito This unique book is close to my heart having lived near the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew for many years, and anyone interested in the gardens, history, or just people’s lives in general will enjoy flicking through. Sophie Shillito has collated old postcards and put them together to create a type of scrapbook, perfect for dipping in and out of, all showing images of the famous gardens, along with the messages and half-stories on the backs. These are evocative and spark the imagination about the lives of those who visited, providing small slices of history, many sent during the ‘golden age’ of postcards in the early 1900s, when a record 926 million postcards were sent in a year in the UK. No longer is the Temperate House just a building, it’s the place where a man once sheltered from the rain, while the Rhododendron Dell connects us with Nellie, who applied for a passport to return to New York, and we can’t help wondering if she made it and what became of her. Kew Publishing; £15 88 TheBATHMagazine

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Gardeners’ World Almanac: A Month-By-Month Guide To Your Gardening Year

This book is simply brilliant if you are looking for a straightforward guide that tells you what to do now in the garden. Organised clearly month by month, there are lists of plants that are at their best, tasks to do – whether in the flower borders, veg patch, greenhouse or pond – plus tips to help wildlife, alongside seasonal recipes and more. It's a clear and concise book you'll refer back to time and time again to keep your garden on track, and includes advice from gardening television personalities including Alan Titchmarsh, Adam Frost, Carol Klein and Frances Tophill. BBC Books; £16.99 The Little Grower’s Cookbook by Ghillie James and Julie Parker One for budding gardeners and cooks, this children’s book offers activities to choose from throughout the seasons, with simple planting projects, recipes and making projects including a wormery, bug hotel and bird feeder. With an emphasis on recycling, wholesome living and healthy eating, this book will help children feel connected to nature and hopefully get them outside and away from those allpervading screens. Reluctant veg eaters may well enjoy the involvement of growing and cooking their own produce, and the recipes are familyfriendly with tasty delights such as Hedgehog Potatoes, Squeaky Salad, and Mint and Raspberry Lemonade on the menu. Lettuce Publishing; £20 The Flower Yard by Arthur Parkinson This beautiful book is a joy to flick through, with sumptuous photographs taken by the author, immersing you in his own tiny garden, a floral world of plants grown in pots, plus the odd freerange chicken. Anyone lacking in outdoor space can gain inspiration from this book, along with those looking to create container displays as part of a larger garden. It shows what's possible, presenting a lack of space as a pro not a con. Practical issues are addressed –

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GARDENING

what type of pot or compost to buy, how to sow and grow – but The Flower Yard is largely a cornucopia of colour that easily earns its subtitle: growing flamboyant flowers in containers. It also has a section on creating seasonal indoor displays from cut flowers, stems and seedheads. Kyle Books; £22 The Complete Gardener by Monty Don Although first published in 2003, this new edition has been extensively updated and provides a tour of the author’s own garden, Longmeadow, as well as all the gardening basics from structure and planning to lawn care, dealing with weeds, and growing different types of plants, including herbs, fruits and vegetables. Monty is environmentally conscious throughout, and the book is ultimately a tome dedicated to organic gardening, a one-stop shop for Monty Don fans, seasoned gardeners and newbies alike. Dorling Kindersley; £27 Grow Green by Jen Chllingsworth A great stocking filler for anyone interested in sustainability and ecoconscious gardening, this pocket-sized book is packed with easy-to-follow hints and tips to make your garden even greener. The author shows how small changes can make a big difference, such as recycling where possible, saving water, composting, choosing native plants for wildlife, and using organic ways to deal with pests and

diseases. Clear illustrations and bullet-point lists, plus practical step-by-steps make it all seem very achievable. Quadrille; £8.99 My House Plant Changed My Life by David Domoney Houseplants also make great Christmas gifts, and can be enjoyed all year round – even when we don’t feel like venturing outside. David Domoney's new book is a great little guide to greening up your indoor space. The first section is a practical guide to houseplants, with tips on choosing, positioning and caring for them, followed by a look in more detail at 50 different popular houseplants, each with accessible and clear images and care instructions. He also talks about the health benefits of bringing nature into the home, improving air quality and also improving our mental wellbeing. Dorling Kindersley, £9.99 n • ellyswellies.co.uk

THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

december 2021

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THE BATH DIRECTORY - DECEMBER 2021.qxp_Layout 31 26/11/2021 11:56 Page 1

the directory

to advertise in this section call 01225 424 499

Electricians

House & Home Email: annadesign@btinternet.com

Health, Beauty & Wellbeing

Holiday Rental

60+ luxury properties for lets 2 nights to 5 months Holidays – For business – Friends & family – Temporary accommodation during renovation/relocation Contact: 01225 482 225 alexa@bathholidayrentals.com www.bathholidayrentals.com

GCS

Providing 4 & 5 star self-catering properties since 2006

House & Home

Graham’s Cleaning Services Ltd

Jewellery

WINDOW CLEANING IN BATH AND THE SURROUNDING AREA

Specialist in commercial & retail and large domestic properties Traditional and Reach & Wash window cleaning services

Trusted, professional and fully insured. Tel: Office: 01761 433123 or Moble: 07989 302299 grahams.wcsltd@gmail.com grahamscleaningservices.co.uk

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

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

IS AVAILABLE TO PICK UP FOR FREE AT

CENTRAL

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THEBATHMAG.CO.UK

DECEMBER 2021

ThEBATHMagazinE 91

Cobb Farr December 2.qxp_Layout 1 25/11/2021 10:26 Page 1

L SO

Orchard Farm, St Catherine – OIEO £1,400,000

St James’s Square - £1,300,000

01225 333332 | 01225 866111

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Bailbrook Lane, Bath A stunning development of two individual, contemporary, luxury homes in a secluded setting with magnificent views.

MARDAN, BATH’S BESPOKE REMOVALS AND STORAGE COMPANY, DEVELOPS NEW TALENT

Mardan have a wealth of experience within the removals and storage industry, spanning over 30 years, ensuring customers have a stress-free and seamless move. Mardan are family run and bespoke with the experience, knowledge, skills, equipment and capacity to complete removals of any size; locally, nationally for domestic or commercial customers.

Marcus, Mardan’s founder, has always held fast, with confidence, to his belief that he can deliver a high standard of removals, exceeding that of his competitors. Marcus knows to do this he must have trust and confidence in the skills of his staff, which he does. So when a new office position was required within Mardan instead of recruiting externally Marcus looked to develop a team member which he already had extreme confidence in and who he knew would develop into the role seamlessly, Nik. The role would include; liaising with customers, completing quotes, emailing quotes, planning the removals diary, logistics and managing the storage yard. Nik, had worked with Marcus within removals for over 10 years having a strong knowledge of all aspects of removals and with the skills necessary to lead a team from Mardan on removals. Nik has risen to the challenge and is thriving. Marcus and Nik work extremely well as a team thus ensuring all customers have a personalised service and a positive move experience. Both Marcus and Nik enjoy completing the physical removal and Marcus truly believes that to do the ‘office’ role well it’s important to continue to complete removals, thus maintaining

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the in depth knowledge developed throughout their earlier careers. Marcus and Nik are able to be flexible with their roles and keep their ‘hand in’ the hard physical work of removals. Mardan continue to grow their self-storage facility, offering safe, secure and reasonable storage to upward of 100 domestic and commercial customers.

“We used Mardan following a recommendation from a friend. They moved us in and out of storage and then into our renovated house. I would highly recommend them. The service was super efficient and the guys were quick, polite and courteous. Nothing was too much trouble and all of our possessions arrived safe and sound” Emma Webster, Moon Client

Mob: 07899 847857 Tel: 01225 317645 www.mardanremovals.co.uk

DOMESTIC & COMMERCIAL MOVERS • packers • STORERS • SHIPPERS

The General fp.qxp_Layout 1 22/10/2021 13:00 Page 1

The Apartment Co - December.qxp_Layout 1 26/11/2021 16:32 Page 1

Nicola Wilkes Lettings and property investment managerof The apartment Company

Why now is the best time EVER to purchase an investment property in Bath

he last few years have been tough on landlords, so much so some have been downsizing their portfolios and even walking away. When it comes to the Bath buy-to-let market, it couldn’t be a better time to invest, stresses The Apartment Company’s Lettings and Property Investment Manager, Nicola Wilkes. But why is now the best time ever to purchase an investment property in Bath?

If you have been keeping a keen eye on the Bath rental market you have will have noticed how busy it has become. There are a limited number of properties available, and when they do come onto the market demand is so high, they are not on the market for long. According to Nicola, trends have changed in the city too; prepandemic there used to be a bit of movement between tenancies, whereas now tenants are deciding to stay put, and so this has also meant that the number of available rental properties has been low. “The pandemic has changed working patterns as we know, working from home has become more the norm as companies are more relaxed about remote working. This change has caused a flux of people who are seeking a lifestyle change moving away from cities such as London, Manchester and Birmingham and even Scotland. Bath, as we know, is a city that offers a more relaxed and tranquil lifestyle and provides excellent facilities and good transport links. “Demand for rental properties is currently the highest it has EVER been. This demand has, as you would expect, pushed up rental prices. These two factors alone are why we are supporting our landlords to expand their portfolios and encouraging new investors into the market.

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“Our tenants are professionals – they seek a certain standard of apartment and those that offer a little outside space, such as a balcony, courtyard or communal garden, are extremely popular. The right rental property and location are key if you want to have a successful buy-to-let business, and the Buyer Assistance service that we provide at The Apartment Company can be the difference between a good investment and one that could be problematic. “The Buyer Assistance service has been designed to aid new landlords in making the right choice of property. We know the best locations and the style of apartments that are being snapped up, but we also know the properties inside out and can read far more from the property listing details than what is on the paper. It isn’t all about the property; my aim is to understand the story of the landlord and why they want to invest. It could be to provide security for their children’s future, be a pension pot, or a passion they wish to fulfil. Understanding their story helps me to identify which type of investment will help them achieve their goal.” Nicola has been working in the lettings sector for almost 16 years, and with The Apartment Company for the last three. The team has recently grown, giving her support to be able to provide extra services in the investment side of the sector: an area she is extremely passionate about. If you are curious about investing in property or have a portfolio that you are thinking of enhancing, Nicola is keen to talk to you about the exciting Bath investment market. Call her today on 01225 303870. The Apartment Company nw@theapartmentcompany.co.uk or call 01225 471144

Winkworth December.qxp_Layout 1 25/11/2021 10:31 Page 1

Cleveland Walk

£2,500 pcm

Three double bedrooms · Feature fireplace (decorative only) · Council tax band E · Approx. 112 sq mts · Unfurnished first floor apartment · Fabulous city views · Quiet location · On road parking · Available January 7th 2022 · EPC rating: E

T D LE EE R G A

Bartletts Court

North Parade

£1,500 pcm

Available January 28th 2022 · Unfurnished · Two double bedrooms · No pets · Central zone parking permit · Council tax band C · Versatile accommodation · Stunning views · Period features · Highly recommended · EPC rating: D

T D LE EE R G A

£1,800 pcm

Fully furnished · Top floor apartment · Two bathrooms · Immaculate décor · Garage available · No more than 2 Sharers · Three bedrooms · Gas central heating · Quality apartment · EPC rating: C

T D LE EE R AG

Great Pulteney Street

01225 471 14 4

Alexandra House

£1,175 pcm

£1,750 pcm

Riverside development · Open plan living space · Unfurnished · Two double bedrooms · Allocated parking · No students · High specification · Suitable for professionals · Highly recommended · EPC rating: B

Queens Parade

Millennium House

£1,900 pcm

Unfurnished · Two En-Suites · Cloakroom WC · Superb finish · Highly recommended · Two double bedrooms · Private parking · Landscaped gardens · Gas central heating · EPC rating: D

T D LE EE R G A

T D LE EE R AG

Part furnished - Second floor · Residents permit parking · No students · Neutral décor throughout · One bedroom · Period features · Short walk to City Centre · Council tax band: C · EPC rating: D

SALES

Weston Lodge

£1,500 pcm

Furnished · Two double bedrooms · Two bathrooms · Maintained communal gardens · First floor apartment · Allocated parking space · Council tax band: D · No pets · Postgraduates considered · EPC rating: D

T D LE EE R AG

£1,150 pcm

Unfurnished · Popular prestigious Location · Neutral Décor throughout · Building owned and managed by Bath family · Kitchen with appliances · Redecorated throughout · Highly recommended · EPC rating: C

Lansdown Terrace

£950 pcm

Fully furnished · Suit single professional · Popular prestigious location · Neutral décor throughout · Studio apartment · Lovely fitted kitchen · Courtyard with external storage area · Highly recommende · EPC rating: C

LETTINGS

01225 303 870

sales@theapartmentcompany.co.uk

Cavendish Road

O.I.E.O

£675,000

Three double bedrooms · Beautifully decorated · Highly sought after residence · Allocated parking space · Open plan sitting room/ dining room · Communal gardens · Lift access · Approx. 1119 Sq. ft · EPC rating: C

LD SO TC S

The Tramshed

St. Johns Road

O.I.E.O

£580,000

Grade II Listed · First floor apartment · Allocated parking · Short level walk to city centre · Share of Freehold · Two double bedrooms · Gated community · Beautiful communal gardens · No onward chain · Approx. 769 Sq. Ft · EPC rating: F

LD SO TC S

O.I.E.O

£750,000

Spacious three bedrooms · Beautiful views over the River Avon · Central location · Balcony · Approx. 947 Sq. Ft · Ground floor apartment · Gated community · Private parking space · On-site manager · EPC rating: C

Rivers Street

Park Street

O.I.E.O

£475,000

Georgian · Sought after location · Two double bedrooms · Original features · Grade II Listed · Second floor apartment · Close to city centre · Approx. 899 Sq. ft. · EPC rating: D

LD SO TC S

O.I.E.O

£330,000

Georgian Grade II Listed · Double bedroom · Short walk to Royal Crescent · Split over two floors · Private courtyard · Close to local amenities

Charlton Buildings

O.I.E.O

£250,000

Two bedroom apartment · Grade II Listed Georgian property · Communal gardens · Kitchen/sitting room · Newly refurbished · No onward chain · Easy access to transport and City Centre · Bathroom · EPC rating: C

G IN M N CO OO S

Victoria Bridge Court O.I.E.O £300,000

Sydney Wharf

Two bedroom apartmen · Communal gardens with private patio area · Central location · Ground level bike storage · Ground floor apartment · Gated community · Allocated parking · Approx. 749 Sq. Ft · EPC rating: C

One bedroom apartment · Resident manager · Pretty views over the canal · Local supermarket opposite · Careline response system · Good decorative order · No onward chain · EPC rating: C

O.I.E.O

£250,000

Bladud Buildings

£POA

Holiday lets allowed · Georgian · Spacious double bedroom · Good decorative order · Central location · Close to local amenities · Share of Freehold · EPC rating: TBC

www.theapartmentcompany.co.uk

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The Bath Magazine December 2021

Articles inside

ROOMS FOR CHILDREN

GIFTS FOR GARDENERS

THE GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS PAST

FOOD AND DRINK

NOSTALGIC READS

TOP STORE FOR TOPPING & CO

ARTFUL MONSTERS

A GHOSTLY STORY

ARTS AND EXHIBITIONS

PANTO PERFORMANCES

NOTES ON A SMALL CITY

CHOIR AWAY

WHAT’S ON

5 THINGS

PARTY WITH THE ROMANS