TOP STORE FOR TOPPING & CO

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

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 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.”

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, 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.

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

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 ❝

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

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

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

RECORD RECYCLING

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

BEST FAMILY HOTEL

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

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. Webinars include subjects such as the Partner Julie Moktadir 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

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

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 01225 424499 or email: steve@thebathmagazine.co.uk