The Bristol Magazine May 2022 by MC Publishing Limited

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Issue 210

MAY 2022

THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

£3.95 where sold

HOME GROWN TALENT Downton Abbey’s Tuppence Middleton chats Bristol and beyond

WRITING CRIME

BOOMING BUSINESS

Best-selling author Ann Cleeves delves into new thriller

Huboo CEO on Bristol’s brilliant tech sector

RESTORED TO GLORY

NATURE PREVAILS

RWA reopens after multi-million pound makeover

Andrew Swift on the powerful force of nature

TUPPENCE is on the money

PLUS...

SO MUCH MORE IN THE CITY’S BIGGEST GUIDE TO LIVING IN BRISTOL

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Credit: Micha Theiner

Contents May ’22 REGULARS ZEITGEIST

WILD WORLD

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Highlights for the month ahead

CITYIST

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Once an industrial heartland, now an area of tranquil beauty, Andrew Swift admires the way that nature has reclaimed Bristol’s green spaces

AFTERNOON TEAS TO PLEASE

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Crusts removed and definitely no slurping – these are the best places in Bristol to enjoy afternoon tea. Raise that pinky...

Catch up on local news and meet Tom Medland

BARTLEBY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 CITY FASHION EXTRA

... takes a long overdue break – flying from Bristol Airport and back

WHAT’S ON

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Get the look – we ask Bristol retailers, Grace & Mabel and Benedict Raven to give us a style makeover

Book your tickets! Our selection of interesting things to do and great happenings across the city.

MAN OF HOPE

ARTS & EXHIBITIONS

What’s next for the city’s Mayoral system. Simon Horsford interviews the man who has a true understanding of what the role involves

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What’s showing, and at which of our local galleries you can see it

FOOD & DRINK NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Plate expectations from the city’s foodie scene

BRISTOL UPDATES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

BOOMING BUSINESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 If you didn’t know who the country’s fastest growing e-commerce fulfillment company is. Then meet Huboo. We chat to founder Martyn Bysh about breaking boundaries and doing better business

News and views from the city

HABITAT

ADE WILLIAMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

GARDENING: RICH PICKINGS

Get your steps in. Ade takes runs through the importance of walking

When it comes to herbs, Elly West digs for victory

FEATURES

HOME SWEET HOME

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Meltingly hot property at The Chocolate Factory

CRIMINAL RECORDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Ahead of Bristol’s CrimeFest, we chat to award-winning crime writer Ann Cleeves

TUPPENCE & DOWNTON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 The rise of the brilliant Bristol-born actor, Tuppence Middleton

TREASURE RESTORED

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After month’s of painstaking reconstruction the RWA re-opens its doors. Director Alison Bevan gives us a sneak preview

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No 210

ON THE COVER Downton Abbey’s Tuppence Middleton graces our May cover. Image credit: Joseph Sinclair

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Harrods officially opened its H Beauty store in Cribbs Causeway last week, complete with a Champagne bar

from the

EDITOR

hen we heard about the release of Downton Abbey: A New Era – the second film to follow the successful TV series – it seemed like a no-brainer to reach out to Bristol-born actor Tuppence Middleton, who graces our front cover this month. Tuppence made her Downton debut in the first film in the role of Lucy Smith, a lady’s maid, who catches the eye of one the long-running (and much-loved) characters from the original series. We chatted all things Bristol, growing up in the city and attending Bristol Grammar School, as well as her latest endeavours, starring in ITV’s Our House, Mank and War and Peace. It instantly became clear that Tuppence’s creative energy knows no bounds and her upcoming projects are set to be filled with just as much verve as her last ones (p.16). Elsewhere in the magazine, we zoom in on some of the city’s successes, including the reopening of the Royal West of England Academy (RWA), which has recently undergone its most significant restoration in over a century. Director Alison Bevan was kind enough to show us around, revealing the remarkable new additions that have transformed the city’s oldest art gallery into a creative space accessible to all (p.26). CrimeFest also returns to the Mercure Bristol Grand Hotel this month, bringing with it a number of renowned crime fiction writers. On p.14, Daisy Game caught up with one of the UK’s most prolific – and most popular – crime fiction writers, Ann Cleeves. As always, these pages are packed full of info and inspo, offering some light escapism as we move inexorably into the warmer months. Have a good one…

Millie Bruce-Watt @thebristolmag

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@thebristolmag

thebristolmag.co.uk

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ZEITGEIST

top things to do in May

Dance

Watch The multi award-winning master of mind control and psychological illusion, Derren Brown, is at his very best on stage. His oneman shows have received wide critical acclaim and more Olivier wins and nominations than any other in history. Now with his first theatre show in six years, Derren Brown returns to astonish and amaze audiences up and down the country, arriving at the Bristol Hippodrome on 24 May for one week only. The content of Showman remains a closely-guarded secret, but if you’ve seen him before, you know you’re in for a powerhouse treat. • atgtickets.com

Disco’s roots are firmly founded in the early Seventies, says James Taylor, producer of the hit touring concert show Lost in Music, which comes to the O2 Bristol Academy on 6 May. Backed by a talented live band, Lost in Music stars a cast boasting stunning vocals, which combines this with the extravagant dance moves and fabulous fashion of the era to bring the best the late Seventies had to offer live on stage. “Audiences are taken on a musical journey straight to the heart of disco by a band that just wants to play in front of crazy fans,” promises James. “Concertgoers are encouraged to come dressed to impress and to get involved.” Touring the UK with more than 200 dates in the diary for 2022, Lost in Music is coming to town. Tickets are on sale now. • academymusicgroup.com/o2academybristol

Enjoy

Be Part Of

Bristol's trailblazing international festival of contemporary performance Mayfest has a thrilling programme of performances, parties, film, and participatory artworks taking place between 13 – 29 May. Festival highlights include the UK premieres of Austrian artist Doris Uhlich's naked dance party-come-durational choreography and Zurich-based Monika Truong's interactive performance Be Part Of. In a first for Mayfest and in a move towards a more accessible and inclusive festival, each and every event will be priced on a Pay What You Can basis from a minimum of £1, with attendees encouraged to pay the price that feels right for them. • mayfestbristol.co.uk

Support Bristol Beacon and Bozarts honour and support the people of Ukraine with a special event of folk, spoken word and classical music created by the Bozarts Band. Bozarts Band is a collective of Bristol's leading instrumentalists. With actress Patrycja Kujawska (Kneehigh Theatre) and soprano Katy Garden the programme takes the audience on a journey of happiness, sadness and recovery. The early evening performance includes music from different cultures, concluding with the audience joining to sing anthems of hope and the Ukrainian national anthem. All proceeds from the event and all further funds raised will be donated to the Disasters Emergency Committee. • bristolbeacon.org

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Laugh

The Wells Comedy Festival 2022 – a ‘weekend-long comedy jamboree’ (The Guardian) – is set to take place in Somerset from 27 – 29 May. Over the weekend, England’s smallest city will play host to 40 comedy shows at a variety of venues across the city, which will include four gala night performances, each with their own surprise line ups. Isy Suttie, Reginald D Hunter, Spencer Jones, Aaron Simmonds, Olga Koch, Sean McLoughlin, Sunil Patel and Babatunde Aleshe will join Harry Hill, Phil Wang, Al Murray, Shaparak Khorsandi, Mark Watson, Mike Wozniak, and many more. Grab your tickets while you can. • wellscomfest.com

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Isy Suttie

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THE CITYist

BRISTOL The former Tapestry Brewery in Totterdown has been purchased by PROPS, a charity that supports people with disabilities to gain work skills. Meet the project leader, Tom Medland

Harrods’ new Bristol beauty store OPENS Harrods has officially opened H beauty Bristol, its fourth standalone beauty store in the UK, this time located in The Mall, Cribbs Causeway. Offering an unparalleled beauty utopia, the 25,300sq.ft space brings together a diverse portfolio of must-have products and exceptional services from over 86 international beauty brands for customers to enjoy. The store is an experiential playground, where beauty novices and experts alike can discover some of the industry’s most forward-thinking and vibrant brands, as well as stock up on their forever-favourite product. The Bristol launch also welcomes several new brands to the H beauty portfolio, including fragrance must-haves from Escentric Molecules and Frederic Malle, as well as wellbeing brand, Neom. In addition, H beauty also continues to support local talent and up-and-coming ‘Born &Bred’ brands, whose values directly connect with Harrods own, with the inclusion of Wild Source – a home grown Bristolian brand, which offers a holistic approach to skin health. Throughout the store, customers will discover creative beauty experiences, including blow-dry product and salon phenomenon, Drybar; offering a quick, accessible, and elevated blow-dry experience, state-of-the-art play-tables; providing access makeup demonstrations and experiential product testing, the Skincare Station; offering bespoke consultations and treatments, and finally the Click & Collect boutique. Additionally, H beauty’s largest 34-seat Champagne Bar offers an indulgent menu of cocktails and patisseries created by Harrods renowned food and beverage team, providing the prefect space for beauty lovers to sit, sip and reunite with friends. • harrods.com/en-gb/h-beauty/bristol

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I was first drawn to Bristol a few years back from visits to the big city as a child. Growing up in Cornwall, Bristol was seen as a far-off place that everyone's older sibling would move to for at least a couple of years. When my turn came, what I found was a city whose community felt more similar to a small town than any of the other city that I have spent any real time in. I feel a strong connection to the maritime history of the city, to the prominence of amazing small business and to the arts and culture scene that stands up for what is right and looks out for everyone. Tapestry By PROPS is the latest enterprise brought about by the charity, PROPS, who have been working since 2001 to provide meaningful training and job opportunities for adults in the city with learning difficulties. By taking over the former Tapestry brewery in Totterdown, we’ve opened up more opportunities for our trainees to learn new skills, experience long-term employment, brew top level craft beer and provide great experiences for those who visit our taproom. My role, with the help of an amazing team at the charity, is to manage the brewery as a whole, to facilitate the production of great beer, and to ensure a career pathway is established for PROPS trainees. As we are in the initial stages, much of my recent work has been in the background, getting the project off the ground, but also getting to know the trainees who will be engaging with the brewery. I'm so excited for the good that will come out of this project that if I had to narrow down my favourite part, I would put my house on the fact that it is yet to come.

art scene. Artists and designers like @zed_in_the_clouds @artyswami @nataliegraydesigns and @aim.artinmotion combine their work with making art accessible to Bristol's next generation of school children and to the PROPS trainees by showcasing the talent this city has. I am a big fan of comedy and am currently reading Bob Mortimer's autobiography, And Away, which is absolute gold. I also find myself listening to every episode of Off Menu, Ed Gamble and James Acaster’s podcast. There are so many great spots around the city for eating and drinking. I love pizza and Pizzarova make the best that I have found in Bristol. Small Bar on King Street is one of my favourite craft beer spots. In terms of being entertained, Strange Brew and Rough Trade are right up there for events. The Hare on the Hill Sea Shanty nights are also not to be missed.

We are aiming to open the brewery and taproom to the public from mid to late June, and we will be serving our first three beers. People should keep an eye out for the return of the All In Pale Ale, brewed by PROPS and Tapestry last autumn, as well as the launch of two new beers that will be super light and sessionable to compliment the amazing summer sun that I am imagining into existence. This gives us a few weeks to get brewing and get our team up to speed with customer service.

My philosophy in life is: look to make positive steps no matter how small.

One of the things that's so good about Bristol is the creative minds who make up the vibrant

• Find out more about Tapestry by PROPS at: tapestrybrewery.com

If I could have dinner with anyone from any era it would be Chef Gusteau from the film Ratatouille, I know he would not disappoint in both food and great anecdotes.

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Major outdoor live music series returns with big name talent

LOOK OUT FOR:

Forest Live 2022 – a major outdoor live music series presented by Forestry England – is taking place between 9 – 19 June at Westonbirt Arboretum, near Tetbury. Introducing forests to new audiences in unique, natural woodland arenas around the country, over 1.9 million people have attended a Forest Live gig in the last twenty years, enjoying great music and supporting the nation’s forests. Going to a concert not only helps Forestry England create beautiful places for people to enjoy but funds important conservation projects. Every year, teams plant some eight million trees and care for the nation’s 1,500 woods and forests, which welcomes more than 296 million visitors every year. This June, Forest Live will be welcoming big name talent to the stage. This year’s headline acts are Rag‘n’Bone Man, Will And The People, Keane, Madness, Texas and more. Grab a ticket while you can! • For further information and tickets, visit: forestryengland.uk/music

Bristol author publishes new book after Penderyn Music Book Prize win Darryl W. Bullock’s critically acclaimed 2020 book The Velvet Mafia was announced as the winner of the coveted Penderyn Music Book Prize – the first UK-based prize specifically for music titles – at the annual Laugharne Weekend Festival on 27 March. Following on from the success, the local is set to publish the sequel, Pride, Pop and Politics on 9 June by Omnibus Press. In this muchanticipated follow-up, he charts the development of gay culture and the rise of LGBTQ politics in the UK from the formation of the Gay Liberation Front to the present day, through the music that provided the soundtrack. Featuring new interviews with musicians, DJs, performers and activists including Andy Bell, Jayne County, John Grant, Horse McDonald and Peter Tatchell, Pride, Pop and Politics hears from those whose art has been influenced by the campaign for LGBTQ rights and those who have been instrumental in its advancement. It is the first book to focus on the relationship between gay nightlife and political activism in Britain and fifty years on from Britain’s first Pride march, the long road to LGBTQ equality continues and the performing arts still play an influential part in every great stride made. Bullock explains: “This time, instead of writing about the people behind the scene, the hedonism and excess of the 70s and 80s music management, I wanted to write about the musicians and political activists whose courage and bravery helped give us the freedoms that the LGBTQ community enjoy today. Not just the big names that everyone knows, but those who spent decades chipping away at the coalface of equality in order to make Britain a safer, more inclusive space for LGBTQ people.” • Preorder Pride, Pop and Politics by Darryl W. Bullock at: dwbullock.com or omnibuspress.com

Blue Earth Summit returns Blue Earth Summit has announced its first wave of speakers as it prepares to return to the city for an extended three-day summit from 11 – 13 October in Bristol. The 2022 summit sees the return of key speakers including founder of the Eden Project Sir Tim Smit, multi-award-winning environmental entrepreneur Kresse Wesling CBE and Surfers Against Sewage founder Hugo Tagholm. Joining them are business change leaders Mike Barry and Jonathon Porritt, elite ocean racer Pip Hare, outdoor diversity leader Maxwell Ayamba, MD of Iceland Group Richard Walker, youth activist Poppy Stowell-Evans and head of River Action UK and former chairman of Teneo Charles Watson. The pioneering summit aims to redefine how we live and work. The world class content programme covers all aspects of purposeful business, outdoor lifestyles, food production, land use and ocean conservation. The overarching theme of ACTION is a call to all attendees to cross-pollinate from all sectors, share their purpose in real-time at the event and for the summit to act as a lightning rod wherever people are on their regenerative journey. The Wave will host day three, one of the leading inland sporting venues in Europe and now with plans for multiple sites including London, and will feature an Outdoor Showcase. Leading brands from the outdoor industry will be coming together to allow attendees to test products and mix with speakers, company founders and athletes in a unique setting. Attendees can surf, run, cycle, climb and stretch their bodies and ideas in the company of their peers and establish new connections to fuel their plans for business and life. Bristol is the natural home, a city of culture with historical significance and a modern view on our green future. Key organisations in and around the city are part of the event as it enjoys increasing significance nationally and internationally, with strong links to the south west business community, a foundational stone of the summit. • For booking information, visit: blueearthsummit.com

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B R I S TO L MAGAZINE

Bon voyage!

ecently I did something that I hadn’t done in more than two years. No, I didn’t get the boiler serviced (though really should, come to think of it). Nor did I complete The Times crossword (a once-a-decade achievement). Having not left terra firma since January 2020 I took the bus with Ms B to the airport, boarded a plane and flew away. Coincidentally our destination, Toulouse, was where we went last time we travelled aeronautically. Two to Toulouse, times two... In fact, there was a lot of déjà vu involved in our journey. Having been quoted an arm and most of a leg for a taxi to Bristol International we decided to opt for the Airport Flyer, forgetting (again) that the reason people pay through the nose for a cab is so they don’t have to drag their suitcase miles to the bus stop. On arrival en France, we experienced a familiar, seemingly endless, walk to the car hire place, where, as previously, the operative insisted we should buy extra insurance. This time, though, he also recommended we upgrade to a larger car because it would use less fuel. Good to see that the French have lost none of their appetite for inventing strange philosophies and ripping off les Anglais. Having made it clear that I wasn’t very impressed with all this I seized the keys to our Fiat 500 and strode off, only to drive slowly past the hire car office twice as we circled le parking looking for the exit. If you are easily confused I very much recommend not hiring a car at Toulouse Airport. Getting out of the car park is only the first in a series of challenges you have to overcome en route to the open road and whatever adventures lie ahead. All this is in striking contrast to what happens when you arrive back in Bristol. I’m not a frequent flyer but have landed at a few airports here and there, and as the plane descends you generally get a sense that you’re arriving Somewhere – most airports have suburbs or industrial areas or something similar nearby. Coming home the other day we flew over fields, then up a steep valley covered in trees. ‘Isn’t that Goblin Combe?’ Ms B mused as we brushed the treetops, but while we were still figuring this out the wheels hit the runway and, with a bit of wing-waggling caused by the strong headwinds, we came to a halt. You can imagine a family from Toulouse, whose airport is hidden in the depths of a concrete jungle, walking down the steps from the aircraft to the distant sound of mooing and the mingled aromas of various kinds of dung. Despite the ever-expanding carparks Bristol International remains more airfield than airport, and the rustic quality of the arrival experience is hardly diminished by the subsequent journey into town. Travellers boarding the Airport Flyer are welcomed by the recorded voice of a woman speaking slowly in a warm, West Country accent. Sit on the top deck and you see fields, the occasional horse, hills rising on either side. An unexpected sight even for regular travellers on the A38 is the expanse of water to left and right as you approach the city – reservoirs that we normally drive by without seeing at all. Artificial they may be, but these lakes add to the general impression that you are in a world quite different to the everyday humdrum of highways and big box stores. As the bus goes along the same friendly voice announces stops along the way, because another surprising feature of this airport bus is that it doubles as a rural service. First stop is the Airport Tavern, just in case anyone is thirsty. And here’s the Fox and Goose… And while we’re about it, why not pop into the Winford Arms? And so we wend our way to Bristol… ■

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BOOKS

Crime comforts Creator of the Vera and Shetland series Ann Cleeves chats to Daisy Game about books and bird watching before making an appearance at CrimeFest later this month

here’s something reassuring about crime, says best selling novelist Ann Cleeves. That is – when it stays tucked safely away between the covers of a book. Crime novels might be fit to bust with gruesome goingson, but there tends to be “a sense of order restored and justice done” at the end of one, Cleeves observes. With a total of 35 novels under her belt, Cleeves is one of the UK’s most prolific – and most popular – crime fiction writers. It’s not a bad market to be in: in 2018, crime became the biggest-selling book genre in the UK. When I ask Cleeves why she thinks there is such an appetite for fictional murder and mayhem, she suggests that the genre offers readers something predictable – and strangely comforting – in an otherwise rocky climate. From Covid scares to fake news stories, we are living “in a time of great uncertainty”, says Cleeves. It’s no wonder, then, that people find the promise of a neatly solved crime appealing; as Cleeves puts it, “the coming together at the end people find quite reassuring”. That said – order is never restored for long, and where one bloodsplashed door closes, another very often opens. In February of this year, Cleeves brought readers The Heron’s Cry: the second instalment in her Two Rivers series. The first Two Rivers book (2020’s The Long Call) follows detective Matthew Venn as he investigates a murder – and delves into his less-than-rosy past in the process. In The Heron’s Cry, Matthew is back to bust another crime, this time involving two dead bodies, and a large (very sharp, as it happens) shard of glass; you can fill in some of the bloody-blanks. Cleeves has enjoyed spending time with Matthew and the Two Rivers gang again: The Long Call, she explains, was really just an introduction to the series and to its characters.“Going back gave me the chance to develop them a bit – get to know them better”, she says. It’s not just the heroes of her novels who Cleeves likes to get cosy with. “Even the people that aren’t superficially particularly pleasant, you have to like them – or just understand them; because you’re seeing the world through their eyes for a bit”, the novelist says. “I become Matthew for a little while I’m writing him. It’s a bit like acting, I think.” Speaking of acting – I’m curious to know what it’s like for Cleeves to see her characters take to the screen. Three of the novelist’s series – Shetland, Vera, and most recently Two Rivers – have been adapted into wildly successful television programs. Cleeves, however, is more than happy to remain on the sofa-side of the TV screen. “I wouldn’t want to write the script – I like writing prose, I like writing the internal monologues, I like writing from different character’s perspectives. You can’t do that with script writing. Where I can spend a paragraph describing the thoughts in a character’s head, a scriptwriter – or an actor – has to do that with one glance, or one facial expression, or in the way they walk. It’s a very different skill”, she says. Writing Two Rivers has not only given Cleeves the chance to revisit fictional friends, but has also allowed her to reconnect with childhood ones. The series is set in North Devon, where Cleeves grew up, and whilst writing Matthew’s various adventures the writer has bounced back and forth between Northumberland, where she currently lives, and the South West county. On the day we speak, Cleeves tells me, she has just come back from a grammar school reunion. Cleeves’ use of setting is often the subject of critical praise. She is, The Guardian states in no uncertain terms,“the best living evoker of landscape”. “Place is important”, Cleeves says: “it’s not just a pretty

backdrop for the action. We are the people that we are because of where we grew up, or where we spend time now.” There is one place in particular which Cleeves has to thank for who she is today. The writer’s late husband worked in conservation, and together they spent a spell of time living on a tidal island off the Wirral Peninsula. Great if you’re into birdwatching – not so great if, like Cleeves, ornithology isn’t really your thing. It was on the island that Cleeves, in an attempt to while away idle hours, started her first novel; the rest is (a very successful) history. Cleeves didn’t always envisage herself as a crime writer; but just as so many find the genre reassuring to read, she finds it reassuring to write. Plot, I’m told, doesn’t come completely naturally to Cleeves – “I’m alright at creating character, but I’m not very good at plotting”, the novelist demures – so she finds the natural framework offered by a crime narrative helpful: “it’s not formulaic, because obviously it’s very different for each one, but you do have that structure of a murderer, and some suspects, and some form of resolution at the end. I find that very liberating – that within that I can subvert the rules a bit, or I can play with them if I’ve got that framework to work within.” Books have had a liberating effect on Cleeves for as long as she can remember: “reading for me has always been a brilliant escape”, she tells me. In 2021 – keen for others to share in the comfort she has found in reading – Cleeves set up her Reading for Wellbeing Project. The initiative aims to support local people living in some of the most disadvantaged areas in the North East – a region with high social and health inequality – to improve their mental wellbeing via reading; Community Reading Workers help individals in their appointed areas get access to books and places in which to read them. Later this month, Cleeves is set to attend CrimeFest – one of Europe’s biggest crime fiction conventions – where she will reap the social rewards of reading and writing. “It’ll be grand to go and catch up with some old friends – crime writers are a really sociable bunch. We get on very well”, Cleeves tells me. There’ll be plenty of friends for Cleeves catch up with; over 150 authors, including Andrew Child, Martin Edwards and Robert Goddard, will attend the three day convention, which takes place at the Mercure Bristol Grand Hotel from 12-15 May. Cleeves will speak on two panels over the weekend. To kick things off, she will be interviewed by fellow writer and crime fiction enthusiast Barry Forshaw, before she takes part in CrimeFest’s ‘from page to screen’ panel alongside Icelandic writer, Yrsa Sigurðardóttir and Sarah Pinborough: author of the Netflix hit, Behind Her Eyes. I can’t help but think that there’s someting very Agatha Christie about the whole CrimeFest set up: with a group of crime writers all stuck in a grand hotel for the weekend, who knows what stories there will be to tell come Monday morning. It all sounds like criminally good fun. n • CrimeFest is at the Mercure Bristol Grand Hotel from 12 – 15 May. For the full list of authors and to book, visit: crimefest.com. The Heron's Cry by Ann Cleeves is available to buy in all good bookstores. On a side note: this year’s festival is sponsored by Specsavers, whose co-founder Dame Mary Perkins was born in Bristol and attended Fairfield Grammar School. THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

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TV & FILM Credit: Joseph Sinclair

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TV & FILM

Leading Lady With a dizzying array of major titles under her belt – most recently ITV’s Our House – Tuppence Middleton prepares to return to the big screen this week in Downton Abbey: A New Era. Ahead of the release on 29 April, we catch up with the Bristol-born actor to chat all things Branson, Bristol and beyond...

ith The Imitation Game, War and Peace, Sense8, Mank and most recently Our House, Tuppence Middleton has gone from a rising star to a household name in a matter of years, barely drawing breath between each release. In three days’ time, the Bristol-born actor will be back on the big screen, rejoining a cast of national treasures and resuming her role as Lucy Smith in Downton Abbey: A New Era. Ahead of its release on 29 April, we caught up with Tuppence to chat all things Branson, Bristol and beyond… “It was a bit nerve-racking to join the original cast at first,” says Tuppence, who made her Downton debut in 2019 when the Crawley family reunited for their first film since the series ended four years previously. “Downton is such a long-established institution and the cast had been working together for such a long time before I joined them. I soon realised though that when you are working with actors that are not only at the top of their game but also just genuinely open and kind people, then none of that matters. I have made some lovely friends on this project, so returning for the second film was a no-brainer.” Alongside the original cast – Hugh Bonneville, Maggie Smith, Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael, Elizabeth McGovern and Allen Leech – the new film will welcome the likes of Hugh Dancy, Laura Haddock, Nathalie Baye and Dominic West. Promising to take audiences on a thrilling ride, the Crawley family ventures on a grand journey to the south of France to uncover the mystery of the dowager countess's newly inherited villa. Lucy Smith is the maid (and secret illegitimate daughter) of Maud Bagshaw, the Queen's lady-in-waiting played by none other than Imelda Staunton. When King George and Queen Mary visit Downton Abbey in 1927 during their tour of Yorkshire, Lucy and Lady Bagshaw accompany them, as expected. Here, Lucy meets Tom Branson, the former chauffeur and the current estate manager of Downton Abbey. He became part of the Crawley family when he married the late Lady Sybil Branson – the youngest daughter of Robert and Cora (Hugh Bonneville and Elizabeth McGovern). The Bransons had one child together before Lady Sybil died shortly after giving birth – which, by the way, was totally devastating to all watching. “The thing that I was drawn to about Lucy in the first film was that she was struggling with her identity and it was unclear where she belonged,” Tuppence tells us. “She is the daughter of a Lady but raised as a lady’s maid with her identity kept a secret from others. We met her at a point when she was figuring out who she wanted to be in life. Her romance with Branson totally made sense to me given a shared search for their place in this world, floating between the upstairs and downstairs, not entirely comfortable in either but sort of belonging to both. It was also a big pull knowing that Imelda Staunton would be playing my mother as she’s such a fantastic actress and someone whose career I have admired for years.” As for the new film, we ask what the creators have in store for the young maid. “Lucy finds herself truly accepted into the family,” Tuppence reveals. “Embarking on a new life with Branson, we see them representing a new generation of young people pursuing their independence and realising the importance of equality, as well as challenging some of the old traditions. The trip to the south of France

It was so nice to have the mix of coastal village life in Clevedon and then city life in Bristol whilst I was at school. Bristol is such an artistic city and there is always something going on, whether that’s new live music or art exhibitions. It’s so alive and has such an original energy and identity

with the family gives Lucy a chance to get to know everyone better and have a taste of what could be coming in her future, exposing her to a life which she has never known before and which she and Branson have to decide whether they want to be a part of or not.” With a CV growing at the speed of light, we couldn’t help but wonder where it all started for the 35-year-old actor. While a student at Bristol Grammar School, Tuppence tells us that she couldn’t imagine any other path in life; acting was her passion from the outset. “I first fell in love with acting through watching period dramas at home with my family, and old musicals with my grandparents. I couldn’t really sing or dance but I was so transported by films like Oliver and Annie when I was little that I joined my local theatre group in Clevedon and performed in pantomimes every year, just as a hobby at first. I loved it so much that I started to do more of it outside of school. I joined a group called StageCoach as well as The Bristol Old Vic Youth Theatre and began to participate more in school plays too. From there it just grew and grew and I became much more interested in film, trying to educate myself as much as possible. “By the time it came to picking subjects to study in Sixth Form at the age of 17, there was really nothing else I wanted to do. My careers adviser didn’t really think it was a very wise idea to pursue acting without a solid backup plan but I was so determined that I wanted to study at drama school that I applied in my final year and, thankfully, after several rounds of auditions, I got a place at ArtsEducational on the three-year acting course in London. I am not sure what I would have ended up doing if it wasn’t for acting. I just couldn’t see any other path in life that I wanted to take.” Often returning to the West Country to visit her family, who still live in Clevedon, Tuppence has fond memories of growing up in and around the city. “It was so nice to have the mix of coastal village life in Clevedon and then city life in Bristol whilst I was at school. Bristol is such an artistic city and there is always something going on, whether that’s new live music or art exhibitions. It’s so alive and has such an original energy and identity. It’s also very walkable and such a pretty city, so for me, it’s just nice to roam the streets and see THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

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Harry Hadden-Paton stars as Bertie Pelham, Laura Carmichael as Lady Edith, Tuppence Middleton as Lucy Smith and Allen Leech as Tom Branson

Tuppence Middleton in Our House. Image courtesy of ITV

Tuppence Middleton and Brian J. Smith in Sense8. Image credit Segolene Lagny / Netflix

Allen Leech and Tuppence Middleton on the set of Downton Abbey: A New Era

As an actor, all you can hope for is that each part is somehow different from the last and you get to play a range of different people from all walks of life. No-one wants to stagnate, so you have to keep pushing yourself to do something that scares you and forces you to explore a different way of life

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what’s changed since I last visited. Whenever I am back in Clevedon I really just like to hang out with my family and walk next to the sea, especially when the weather is stormy.” With a dizzying array of major roles under her belt, Tuppence has proved herself to be a versatile actor. Having starred opposite Hollywood greats, including Benedict Cumberbatch and Gary Oldman, we wonder which part has been a particular highlight in her career so far – seemingly an agonisingly difficult question for any actor. When pushed, though, she admits there are those that feel precious. “I still have a huge soft spot for Helene in War and Peace. She was such a complicated, troubled and provocative woman. It was a real feat to try and pick her apart but also a lot of fun too. “Working with David Fincher on Mank was a real highlight. One of my recent favourites was a series I shot in Prague called Shadowplay. I play a woman called Claire Franklin, who is the wife of an American diplomat living in Berlin in 1946. She is on a destructive path, using alcohol, sex and chaos to soothe her pain in a very broken post-war world. Another very complex woman pushing the boundaries of the cruel and restricted society she finds herself in. She was so beautifully written and such a pleasure to play. As an actor, all you can hope for is that each part is somehow different from the last and you get to play a range of different people from all walks of life. No-one wants to stagnate, so you have

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to keep pushing yourself to do something that scares you and forces you to explore a different way of life.” Tuppence is very much a pro on both sides of the camera. In 2019, she co-wrote a short noir film with fellow actor John Hopkins, who is perhaps most well-known for his roles as Sgt. Dan Scott in Midsomer Murders and Sir Francis Basset in Poldark. Four follows four lives in four rooms, which can also be viewed in four parts. Filled with suspense and intrigue, the film takes place at a timeless hotel, featuring a hotel manager, a couple, a dowager and a hitman. The different plots are seemingly unconnected at first but come together at the end for one surprising and delightful finale. Asked whether she had plans to pursue a career in feature-length screenwriting, she replies, “I had been wanting to write for so long but I was always a bit of a chicken about doing it so I delayed for a long time. It takes a lot of courage to put your work out there and show people for the first time. It’s a very personal and exposing thing so it helps to have other creatives around you who can give you honest constructive criticism and who you can discuss your ideas with. “I am actually working on a feature-length script now, which is based on a Finnish book that I fell in love with a few years ago,” she continues. “I also hope to direct in the future too. If the pandemic taught me anything about my line of work, it is that, as an actor, you rely so much upon other people to create work for

you. It always feels like a waiting game and I realised that I want to be a part of that creative process to help shape a project as a whole and not only produce films that I would want to see but write the kind of parts that I would want to play too. The broader experience of filmmaking and having a say in that creative process from start to finish is much more appealing to me now.” With what seems like hardly a moment to spare in her schedule these days, Tuppence lets us in on some of the projects she’s working on this year, all of which sound pretty exciting. “I have a film coming out later this year called Lord of Misrule. It’s a folk horror, which has always been one of my favourite genres and I play a minister whose daughter goes missing in mysterious circumstances at a village fete. It stars Ralph Ineson and Matt Stokoe and we had such fun filming it on location in a village just outside of London last Christmas. A lot of running through the forest crying and screaming,” she jokes. After catching up with Tuppence this month, it’s clear that she’s never one to shy away from tough roles, always on the look-out for interesting new projects that promise to channel her creative energy and challenge her as an actor. “I have been really craving the idea of doing some theatre,” she adds. “Maybe it would be nice to get back on stage again.” n • Downton Abbey: A New Era is in UK cinemas on 29 April THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

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LOCAL EVENTS

WHAT’S ON IN MAY Lady Blackbird is a revelatory new voice on the global jazz scene. Reflecting influences as varied as Billie Holiday, Gladys Knight, Tina Turner, and Chaka Khan; the LA-based artist possesses a style and emotional intensity that is very much her own. trinitybristol.org.uk Bristol Old Vic Theatre School Directors' Festival n 5–7 & 12–14 May, The Wardrobe Theatre A season of new works and contemporary adaptations presented by the eight graduating directors from Bristol Old Vic Theatre School with a double bill every night. bristololdvic.org.uk

Bianca Del Rio at Bristol Hippodrome

Bristol College of Massage and Bodywork n Throughout April Bristol College of Massage and Bodywork offers high quality training in the heart of Clifton. Founded in 1986, it runs a variety of different courses including: monthly holistic massage introductions for beginners; professional training in holistic, remedial and sports massage and Indian head massage; varied CPD workshops for qualified therapists; and a low cost graduate massage clinic every Thursday. bristolmassage.co.uk Bristol Bridge Club: Beginners’ Lessons n Throughout May, Oldfield Road Bristol Bridge Club is back welcoming members and guests to its premises on Oldfield Road. The club is running beginner lessons on Tuesday mornings and/or evenings. The course costs £90 for ten lessons, which will include a BFA Beginning Bridge book. Alternatively, members can pay £8 a lesson. For more information, contact: teaching@bristolbridgeclub.co.uk Van Gogh: The Immersive Experienc n Throughout May, Propyard Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience invites visitors to step into more than 300 of Van Gogh’s sketches, drawings, and paintings by using floor-to-ceiling digital projections, made possible by state-of-theart video mapping technology. 20 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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vangoghexpo.com Bristol Walk Fest n Throughout May, various locations Bristol’s month-long walking festival, now in its ninth successful year, offers many ways to explore the city and it surrounds on foot. Choices include heritage tours, nature walks, explorations of street art and statues, wild food forays, walking sports tasters, woodland story times as well as plenty of ways to exercise muscles, discover new places or simply enjoy some fresh air with like-minded companions. bristolwalkfest.com Lady Blackbird n 3 May, Trinity Centre

University of Bristol: Bristol Run Series 10k n 6 – 15 May, virtual event Whatever your running experience, you are invited to participate in one, two, three or all four of the virtual events in the University of Bristol Run Series 2022. Discover the positive impacts that getting active and achieving your goal can have on your mental wellbeing each and every day, as part of an inspiring community. Get your hands on a limited edition Bristol Run Series medal, featuring some of Bristol's most iconic landmarks – only available for the 2022 Series. shop.bris.ac.uk Bristol Film Festival: Passport to Pimlico n 6 May, Averys Wine Merchants Vintage Screenings pair classic films with thematically linked wine tastings to create unique evenings in the stunning setting of Averys Wine Merchants’ historic wine cellar. Following a sparkling wine reception, the film will be accompanied by a tasting of four carefully selected wines courtesy of Averys’ resident experts. After almost two years of postponement, the festival is delighted to be screening the Sam Sweeney Band at Folk House

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LOCAL EVENTS

Exultate Singers at St George’s Bristol

classic Ealing comedy Passport To Pimlico. Due to the importance of Burgundy in the plot, audiences will be able to taste wines made from the two key grapes from the region: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. bristolfilmfestival.com Birdsong Workshop n 7 – 9 May, WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre Join the wardens to explore the reserve at one of the most productive times of the year. Learn how to identify these birds by sound as each one has a most beautiful call and song. Followed by a breakfast bap in the Kingfisher Kitchen. wwt.org.uk Cycling 3,500 Miles Around Pandemic Britain n 9 May, Redgrave Theatre Simon Parker is an award-winning travel writer and broadcaster who has reported from well over 100 countries for the BBC, The Telegraph and Amazon Prime. In this multimedia presentation of short films, photos, audio clips and anecdotes he talks about cycling 3,427 miles around 'Pandemic Britain'. Simon also talks about his own struggles with anxiety, bereavement and mental health. The talk will be followed by a Q&A and his new book, Riding Out, will be available to purchase. redgravetheatre.com Rachel Chinouriri n 12 May, The Louisiana Rachel Chinouriri is a singer/songwriter from Croydon, her family moved to the UK from Zimbabwe not long before she was born. Rachel’s traditional African 22 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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upbringing led to curiosity about her British cultural surroundings, and as a teenager she fell in love with acts such as Daughter and Lily Allen as well as the developing London Hip-Hop and R&B scene. thelouisiana.net Exultate Singers: Bach’s Mass in B Minor n 14 May, St George’s Bristol Exultate Singers and Bristol Ensemble join forces to perform Bach's Mass in B minor the great composer's final choral work, ‘the greatest work of art of all times and all peoples’, and the crowning achievement of his lifetime's work as a church musician. Tickets £14 to £28 plus booking fee from St George's box office; stgeorgesbristol.co.uk James Lisney n 21 May, St George’s Bristol Pianist James Lisney celebrates his sixtieth birthday recital tour with a programme devoted to the music of Fryderyk Chopin which features two celebrated piano sonatas. For many years regarded as a miniaturist, Chopin’s radical solutions to large scale form have passed the test of time and now take their place at the heart of the piano repertoire. The programme also includes the Fantaisie in F minor, Op 49, and the Impromptu in G flat, Op 51, tightly constructed works that display another facet of Chopin's innovative and unforgettable mastery. Chopin elevated the Nocturne to the highest level of art, and the Op 55 Nocturnes reveal the dramatic and expressive contrasts possible within this genre. stgeorgesbristol.co.uk Sam Sweeney Band n 22 May, Folk House

Part of renowned contemporary folk band Bellowhead, Sam Sweeney's debut solo offering 'Unfinished Violin' saw him nominated for Musician of the Year at BBC Radio 2's Folk Awards in 2019. Following this, Sweeney released his "mesmerising and irresistible" (Folk Radio) second album 'Unearth Repeat'. This latest release explores new sound palettes and incorporates a different line-up of instrumentation with the addition of double bass, keys, and both acoustic and electric guitars. bristolbeacon.org Upfest n 28 – 29 May, various locations Upfest is renowned for bringing together street art’s freshest talents and this summer festival fans can expect to see incredible murals emerging in the streets of Bedminster starting from 5 of May. Following three weeks of street painting, the festival weekend will see hundreds of artists painting live with festival hubs at Tobacco Factory and Ashton Gate Stadium. For the first year the festival will take over Greville Smyth Park as its main venue with music and live painting across the weekend. upfest.co.uk Bianca Del Rio n 29 May, Bristol Hippodrome Renowned for her snarky frankness, impeccable timing and politically incorrect humor, Bianca was crowned “The queen of all Drag Race queens”, as well as New York Magazine's "Most Powerful Drag Queens in America”. Now, she is set to bring a comedy show like no other to the UK with her Unsantized tour. atgtickets.com

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LOCAL EVENTS

FAMILY DIARY IDEAS FOR THINGS TO DO WITH THE CHILDREN THIS MONTH locations across the city on Saturdays once a month for free family workshops. These sessions are designed for children and grown-ups to take part in together everyone is welcome. Admission is free. No pre-booking required. Suitable for all ages, children must be supervised. rwa.org.uk Bristol Film Festival: Avengers Assemble n 27 May, The Planetarium Take your seats in Bristol’s incredible Planetarium at we the curious, the Festival’s destination for space and sci-fi films on the big screen. Explore the Planetarium’s Space exhibition before the screening and see if you’re cut out for a life in space, have a drink then recline in this unique screening space, as the lights dim and your journey begins. The festival’s May weekend of Marvel movies continues with the epic ensemble film, and denouement of Phase One, Avengers Assemble. With a Planetarium space show whisking you across the Solar System beforehand, you’ll really feel like you’ve gone out of this world. bristolfilmfestival.com

Visit Westonbirt Arboretum’s superworm trail this May

Paula Rego: You Are Now The Storyteller n Throughout May, Arnolfini Paula Rego’s artwork is well-known for retelling classic stories, fairy tales and nursery rhymes. Arnolfini is now inviting you to do the same or create your own, original tale. Pick up a free copy of ‘You Are Now the Storyteller’ when you’re visiting Arnolfini or download from the gallery’s website: arnolfini.org.uk Superworm Trail n Throughout May, Westonbirt Arboretum Join Superworm and friends on their brandnew adventure at Westonbirt Arboretum. Discover the small but mighty creatures in the much-loved story and learn about the everyday heroic feats of minibeasts in the forest. The new self-led trail in the Old Arboretum features brightly illustrated panels and a trail pack full of fun activities, including your very own mask, so set off with Superworm and become a forest superhero. forestryengland.uk The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe n 3 – 7 May, Bristol Hippodrome Direct from London, the acclaimed production of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is touring the UK starring Samantha Womack as the White Witch. Step through the wardrobe this winter into the magical kingdom of Narnia for the most mystical of adventures in a faraway land. 24 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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Join Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter as they wave goodbye to wartime Britain and say hello to a talking Faun, an unforgettable Lion and the coldest, cruellest White Witch. The nation’s favourite novel, now on the stage. atgtickets.com Scribble and sketch n 7 May, RWA Join the Scribble and Sketch artists at

Head down to Bristol Zoo Garden’s daily animal feeds

Daily Animal Talks and Feeds n Throughout May, Bristol Zoo Gardens Bristol Zoo Gardens is the perfect fresh-air destination, set within 12 acres of awardwinning gardens. Get up close to Bristol Zoo’s incredible animals from gorillas and lemurs, to red pandas and penguins, and check out their daily animal talks and feeds. bristolzoo.org.uk

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GRAND REOPENING

Restored to glory As the Royal West of England Academy – Bristol’s oldest art gallery – prepares to reopen its doors after many months under re-construction, we catch up with the gallery’s director, Alison Bevan, who takes us behind-the-scenes of the most significant restoration the RWA has seen in over a century...

ine months in the making and the Royal West of England Academy (RWA) is just days away from reopening its doors to the general public, welcoming visitors back to its galleries for the first time this year. Until very recently, the £4.2 million refurbishment has been taking place behind tall wire fences and boarded windows but signs of progress have been beginning to break through the barriers. The recent restoration of the Grade II* listed building is the most significant redevelopment the gallery has seen in over a century. The works have not only delivered urgent repairs to save the RWA from risk of permanent closure but have brought a number of major improvements to the art space, including free-to-access galleries on all three floors and an impressive new lift that can carry four wheelchair users and their carers. The innovative redesign also allows the city’s oldest gallery to welcome 40% more visitors each year. Ahead of the official opening on 2 May, we were lucky enough to be given a sneak preview of the restoration works by RWA Director Alison Bevan. Alison has overseen every detail of the build, putting in thousands of hours to ensure the multi-million pound make-over is artfully completed, making it a space for all to enjoy. As we step forth into the Academy on a particularly wet April afternoon – hard hats firmly fixed – we immediately begin to negotiate the construction site’s restrictive conditions – namely ladders, low-hanging wires and an army of workers. Although the gallery is stripped bare, it is utterly remarkable to see such a grand piece of architecture in such a raw state. The large metal platforms stand tall as if installations in their own right. Occasionally, we snatch a glimpse of some of the gallery’s famous features as they lay under protective hardwood, reminding us of just how architecturally important a place the Academy truly is. Our first stop was the much-loved and much-missed café – or the room which will soon take its shape. The windows have been lowered to allow light to flood in, subsequently offering customers a better view of the prominent Victoria Rooms, which stand opposite. Large swinging doors have also been installed so refreshments can be enjoyed well into the evening when the gallery is closed. We’re eager to see its return. As we make our way up the beautiful marble-clad interior staircase, admiring the spectacular ceiling dome and lunettes as we go, we enter the main gallery on the first floor, where inconspicuous adjustments have been carried out with such precision and grace. Alison begins to explain: “All of the walls in this room have been back to the brick. We’ve taken off three layers of tongue and groove – and then replaced it with batten, then plywood, then plasterboard then replastered it to achieve these beautiful pristine walls. “The windows have temperature-driven ventilation units so when it 26 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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In 1913, a major extension was added to the front of the building, including a dome and spectacular lunettes, painted by Walter Crane. Shortly after, King George V granted the Academy its Royal status

gets hot, they will automatically open and when they sense moisture, they will automatically close. It used to get up to 37 degrees celcius in here in the summer with the old roof lanterns so these windows are double glazed and 99.5% UV filtered. It will now be cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. “We also have new under floor heating. Every bit of pipe work and electrical cable in the building has been changed, so we have a 100% carbon-free fuel supply [complying with the city’s 2030 carbon neutral target]. We’ve got rid of our gas boilers and put in air-source heat pumps so our new heating systems are not just good for the RWA, but they’re good for the environment.” From the windows to the walls and the Academy’s replica of the Parthenon Frieze, which runs above the picture rail. It shows the procession of the Panathenaic festival, the commemoration of the birthday of the goddess Athena, and is spectacular in every way. “The Parthenon Frieze has been cleaned,” Alison tells us as we lean in towards it. “By cleaning it, the lines of muscles on the horses have been uncovered for the first time in decades.” As we move from one gallery to the next, subtle additions show that the gallery management team has not only listened to the feedback from its visitors and surrounding communities but it has ensured that the fresh perspectives have informed every decision they have made. “One of the things I’m proudest of is that everything we’ve done has been driven by one of two things,” says Alison. “One is the RWA being sustainable as a business. The renovation has enabled us

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to have a shop and a café. “A huge amount of it, however, has been driven by listening to people – listening to people with disabilities, who have never been to a gallery before and neither have any of their family; listening to people who have autism; families with young children; people with dementia. The floor of the lift, for example, has been chosen by people with dementia and their carers. The colour of the walls in the family room was chosen by a group of children with autism. Every decision has been shaped by those two driving forces. We have said that we want to attract the widest possible audience including non-traditional gallery visitors and by involving them in the plans over the last three years, we’ve been able to make these necessary changes.” As we make our way down to the lower floors, passing piles of debris en route, the list of accessible facilities continues to grow. Next door to the new family room is a bathroom equipped with an adult changing table, hoist and wet room. “These facilities are essential to a lot of families in enabling them to come out,” says Alison. “Because they are so important, there is a map of all the ones in the country – and there are only two others in the city centre – one at Cabot and one at We The Curious. We’ll be the only art gallery between St Ives, London and Leicester that has one. It is estimated that there are 66,000 children and young people with disabilities within an hour of Bristol and and now many will be able to visit an art gallery for the first time and explore their creativity.” Beyond this space is a quiet room fitted with bean bags for people

RWA Director Alison Bevan

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The Academy commissioned Bristish artist Peter Randall-Page to design the exterior cladding of the lift shaft. It will become part of the gallery’s permanent collection

with sensory issues, a classroom and a lunch room for vulnerable people. What’s more, a gallery space has been redesigned to house the artwork of local community groups from various parts of Bristol. “We put on monthly workshops in Easton, Redcliffe, Southmead and Hartcliffe,” Alison explains. “This new space will showcase their brilliant work.” Since the gallery temporarily closed its doors, its collections have been kept in a safe unit away from the build. As the team now begins to welcome their permanent pieces back, they look forward to hosting their first exhibition of 2022 – Me, Myself, I: Artists’ Self-Portraits. Curated by internationally acclaimed and Bristol-based curator, artistic director and writer, Tessa Jackson OBE, the exhibition uniquely sets the context for a specific exploration around how artists have approached self-portraiture in the last fifty years, how the genre reflects society at the time and the concerns we have been collectively engaged with. Featuring over 80 works of artists from the last 300 years – including Grayson Perry, Tracey Emin, Sonia Boyce, Antony Gormley and Sir Joshua Reynolds – the works will provide historical context to today's selfie culture. Curator Tessa Jackson said: “Whilst the selfie is a relatively recent phenomenon in our visual culture, our fascination with selfrepresentation has existed for hundreds of years in art history. Self-portraits reveal so much about the artist and how they wished to be seen, as well as the society they lived in and the preoccupations of their time. “I’m thrilled that the exhibition will be the first one to take place in the stunning and newly transformed galleries of the RWA, following the completion of the most significant refurbishment of the building in over a hundred years. I hope that it will play its part in encouraging greater and more diverse audiences to the galleries, welcoming returning visitors and new ones to enjoy the exhibition and spark thought and discussion.” Along with the refurbishment comes new pieces of world-class artwork for the gallery’s permanent collection, all of which will not only adorn the indoor galleries but, for the first time, the outside walls of the historical building. Earlier this year, renowned British artist and sculptor Peter Randall-Page was commissioned to design a piece of 28 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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exterior cladding that would wrap around the newly built lift shaft. An RWA Academician – and Royal Academician – for many years, Randall-Page is known for his stone sculpture work, inspired by geometric patterns from nature. Perhaps his most well-known piece is the Seed sculpture, which sits as part of the Eden Project in a specially designed chamber at the heart of the Core building, but beyond that, his collaboration with Dulwich College in south-east London saw his thoughtful cladding designs for the public school’s science building win a RIBA London Award and RIBA National Award for his significant contribution to architecture. Alison explains how the commission came to fruition: “Originally, the architect was going to design some plain cladding, but because we’re an art gallery and a Grade II* listed building, we wanted to make sure it was aesthetically right for us. When the Art Fund gave us a commissioning grant, we were able to pay the difference between using a bog-standard piece of cladding and us employing Peter to do the design. The beauty of the enamel, which is made by a company called AJ Wells based in the Isle of Wight, who create all of London Underground’s signage and other architectural cladding, is that it has an exceptionally durable surface finish. It’s a practical solution and I think it looks exquisite.” Of course, this renovation could not have been completed without the generous help of local trusts and supporters. “I would like to particularly thank the John James Bristol Foundation and the Nisbett Trust,” says Alison. “They are local families that have put in a lot of money to help us get this done.” In its details, the care and attention poured into this restoration shines through. It is clear to see that the building has been handled sensitively, which perfectly masks the more modern elements that were needed to make it an accessible and rewarding space for all. Ultimately, it’s the return of one of the city’s most-loved creative spaces, feeling familiar but fresh. Welcome back, RWA, we’ve missed you. n • The Family Activity Space, shop and Kenny Gallery are free entry, with tickets to the main exhibition £8.90, or free for under 21s, students, RWA Friends and Art Pass Holders. The exhibition opens to the public on bank holiday Monday (2 May). It will open on 30 April and 1 May for patrons, friends, academicians and Artist Network Members. Tickets available at: rwa.org.uk/collections/events

“By cleaning the Parthenon Frieze, the lines of muscles on the horses have been uncovered for the first time in decades,” says Alison

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BOOKS – MAY V3.qxp_Layout 2 22/04/2022 15:02 Page 1

BOOKS

Spring reading As Gloucester Road Books celebrates its first birthday, the brilliant in-house team have recommended five refreshing new reads to escape with this spring...

note from the team: “Our primary aim is that the shop be a fascinating place to explore. Some of the subject sections are a little broader than they might be elsewhere – for instance our ‘Time and Place’ section encompasses books on History, Travel Literature, Geography and Reportage. We also have a significant focus on titles published by small independent presses. There are lots of really brilliant small publishers putting out incredibly exciting books at the moment, and we want to help get these out into the world. We do, of course, have plenty of the kinds of books you would expect to find in any good bookshop – Fiction, Non-Fiction, and a range of fantastic books for children of all ages. The stock is carefully chosen and constantly changing, so even if you pop in every week there will always be new books to find.” Follow Gloucester Road Books on Instagram at: gloucester_rd_books and visit the bookshop at: 184 Gloucester Road, Bishopston, Bristol BS7 8NU. Open Monday – Tuesday 9.30am – 5pm; Wednesday – Saturday 9.30am – 6pm

We Were Young by Niamh Campbell Campbell’s latest novel is a refreshingly realistic portrait of Dublin’s arts scene told through the mesmeric experience of its artist-protagonist. Approaching 40, outgrowing the scene, and sleeping around with an incestuously small pool of friends, Cormac comes under pressure to change his ways. Campbell’s prose is masterful in its style and devastatingly accurate in crystallising a social commentary with observations that are hugely satisfying and affecting. Dublin itself also features largely and Campbell beautifully illuminates on what it is to grow old in a city. – review by Leah

Transcendent Kingdom

The Trees

by Yaa Gyasi

by Percival Everett

Yaa Gyasi’s second novel follows PhD neuroscientist, Gifty, as she pieces together her family's traumatic history. Set in Ghana and the USA, Gyasi, like her protagonist, confronts the most fundamental questions: what helps us understand and steer a course through tragedy, grief and loss? Is it religion, science, stories? Where do we find comfort “to get through this life somehow?: The result is a very moving, illuminating, multilayered marvel of a novel.

Set in rural Mississippi, this crime novel is written with a glorious mixture of poppy genre references and deadly serious social critique. It follows a team of detectives as they struggle to investigate a series of crimes that insistently refer back to the lynchings of young black men in the town decades ago. Everett is a clever and elegant writer, so he can poke fun at the crime genre with playful nods to well trodden tropes and still deliver a novel of searing intensity.

– review by Joe – review by Tom

The Child by Kjersti A. Skomsvold The Child is a moving portrayal of motherhood addressed to the protagonist’s newborn and second child. In elegant and spare language, it reads like a fragmented memoir of a life now reframed by the view of parenthood. Skomsvold meditates with great sensitivity on the fragility of life, particularly after the experience of birth and the despairing, sleepless night-world mothers must occupy in caring for a baby. It is a melancholic but tender and lifeaffirming book. – review by Leah

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Sins of My Father: A Daughter, A Cult, A Wild Unravelling by Lily Dunn This is the story of the author's father, brilliant but dissolute, and the effect of his choices on her own life. Sins of My Father is utterly gripping and in places quite excruciating. Time and again her father runs compulsively into new obsessions leaving those around him reeling. Dunn is brutally honest about her father, and about herself too, and it's this fearless introspection that makes the book. – review by Tom

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COLUMN | CHRIS YEO ON ANTIQUES

Expert opinion From Chris Yeo, Valuer at Clevedon Salerooms and regular expert on BBC’s Antiques Roadshow

Royal Memorabilia Rules

Image credit: Clevedon Salerooms

Jubilee biscuit tins, God Save the Queen tea towels, Union Jack coffee mugs. To the aesthetically minded, it would seem one of the greatest gifts ever bestowed on the Republican cause was the creation of the royal commemorative souvenir. From teapots to toilet roll holders, just about every significant regal event from Queen Victoria’s coronation in 1838 onwards has been greeted with an avalanche of mass-produced tat that would shame any jumble sale. The old saying that if a job is worth doing it’s worth doing well, seems to have by-passed the makers of royal memorabilia down the decades and – for once justifiably – their wares are normally worth next to nothing. Even pieces made for the coronation of Edward VIII, who famously abdicated before it could take place, sell for just a few pounds at best. There is, however, one noble exception. In 1936 Wedgwood, the famous Staffordshire firm of potters, decided to mark the coronation that would never happen by issuing a souvenir mug which, in artistic terms, would be equal to the historic event. The artist they commissioned to design it was a surprising choice for the 200 year old firm. Eric Ravilious (1903-42) was one of the foremost English modern artists to emerge between the wars. He was young and full of fresh ideas. In an all-too-brief career, he produced an extraordinary amount of work - murals, watercolours, wood engravings, and designs for glass and pottery. The coronation mug was a showcase for Ravilious’ talent. It featured the royal insignia in shaded silhouette surrounded by colourful fireworks and “E R” worked in a bold typeface. The mug was an instant success (even Mrs Simpson bought one) but was hastily withdrawn as soon as the abdication was announced. Undaunted, Ravilious simply re-worked the design for George VI’s coronation the following year. On the outbreak of the Second World War, he became an Official War Artist and lost his life in the service of his country at the age of only 39. Today Ravilious’ work is rightly celebrated and original mugs fetch upwards of £700 at auction. All in all, a far more pleasing way of commemorating a royal milestone. And not a Union Jack in sight. ■

• clevedonsalerooms.com; @chrisyeo_antiques (Instagram)

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EXHIBITIONS

STATE OF THE ART Homecoming: New Paintings by Sally Stafford, Clifton Contemporary Art, until 13 May The wetlands of the Somerset Levels have harboured wildlife and people for millennia. They resonate with myths, bird calls and the prevailing South West wind. It is this exposed yet sheltering place that Sally chooses to embrace and paint, after some years dividing her time between the UK and rural Spain. Returning to England to experience every season has been an inspiring creative homecoming, where the interaction of her paints on canvas mimic the flow and patterns of nature. Sally's latest work harnesses the energy of this quietly dramatic phenomenon, which is itself a daily homecoming – a return to safe haven before the sun rises again. This deeply personal, life affirming new collection encapsulates the true essence of the Avalon Marshes, where water and air interact like a form of alchemy to create something precious: a timeless sense of place. • cliftoncontemporaryart.co.uk

Image: Alchemy by Sally Stafford

Our House, Lime Tree Gallery, until 31 May Over the last two years the familiar contents of our homes have provided comfort and contentment during stressful times. Our House contains work from a broad range of artists across a wide range of media and a good range of locations. This interesting and varied exhibition is uplifting and full of colour. Exhibiting artists include Denise Heywood, Phil Johns, Jane Kite, Ollie Le Brocq, Irene McCann, Lucy McKie ROI, Rory McLauchlan, Morag Muir, Sigrid Müller, Anna Perlin, Jackie Philip, Philip Richardson, Mats Rydstern, Vivienne Williams RCA. • limetreegallery.com Image: Jug with Cups by Ollie Le Brocq

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Exhibitions at Arnolfini, throughout May Arnolfini welcomes you to venture into the extraordinary imagination of Dame Paula Rego RA, one of the leading figurative artists of our generation. Rego makes a welcome return to Bristol (almost 40 years after her first exhibition here in 1982-83), creating an opportunity for a new generation of visitors to explore the artist’s rich and imaginative world. Elsewhere at the gallery, Arnolfini is currently showing CUEVA DE COPAL, a new and immersive site-specific installation by Donna Huanca, a celebrated, rising star of the international art world. Drawing on painting, sculpture, performance, choreography, video, and sensory interventions, Huanca’s interdisciplinary practice focuses upon the human body, exploring our physical relationship to the world around us. Huanca builds her experiential installations around the architecture of each new site, with CUEVA DE COPAL plunging audiences into a cocoon-like space. Award-winning documentary photographer, Polly Braden, in her latest exhibition, Holding the Baby, creates a portrait of the strength and resilience of single parent families facing austerity. • arnolfini.org.uk Image from Polly Braden’s exhibition, Holding the Baby. Image courtesy of Polly Braden

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EXHIBITIONS

Seeing Beyond The Gate, All Saints Church, until 13 May

All Saints Church, in Clifton is currently hosting an exhibition of watercolour paintings by Charles Sutton, part of a wonderful yearlong celebration of art at the church. Charles Sutton is primarily a self-taught artist who has attended Master Classes delivered by many of the current leading British Watercolourists. Having started with technical drawing, whilst at school, he became increasingly interested in creating drawings and work that could be more subjectively interpreted. Within these paintings he makes use of the transparent and luminous effects of watercolour on paper. A significant work included within this exhibition is a view of the Cuddesdon Rectory Gate that lies open providing a glimpse of the garden beyond. The exhibition contains a number of works that ‘look beyond the gate.’ • allsaintsclifton.org Image: artwork by Charles Sutton

111th Annual Paintings Exhibition, The Bristol 1904 Arts Society, 3 – 12 June

International Photography Exhibition 164: call for entries, Royal Photographic Society, open for entries until 17 May The Royal Photographic Society is delighted to announce the 2022 call for entries for the 164th edition of the International Photography Exhibition (IPE 164). The world’s longest running photography exhibition celebrates contemporary photography from across the globe. The open call welcomes submissions from new, emerging, and established photographers of all ages and working in any subject or genre. New approaches, alternative photographic processes and experimental work is encouraged. Selected photographers will be offered exclusive opportunities. A £4,000 prize fund will be awarded to standout entrants, including the IPE Award, Under 30s Award and a £1250 commission to create new work. 100 images, chosen by a guest selection panel, will form a group exhibition at the Royal Photographic Society, UK in January 2023. Selected photographers will also be featured in the award-winning _RPS Journal_ and across the RPS digital channels. Entry is free for one image, and up to four images can be submitted for £18 – £30, as a series or as individual images. • rps.org

The Bristol 1904 Arts Society’s artistic roots run deep into Bristol's creative history. In 2020, the society rebranded itself with a new name and new activities more accurately portraying their current interests as well as the enduring ones of painting, music, magic, poetry, storytelling and fellowship, progressing from an all male society to an open, diverse, inclusive and welcoming one. The society encourages new membership with artistic or musical talents or none and guests of members are very welcome. Within Bristol 1904 Arts there are also active birdwatching, walking, photography, and classic car groups as well as a chorus and they also put on informal music and creative events open to the public at other times throughout the year. The society meets on Wednesday evenings in the hall built in the style of an old tithe barn adjacent to the Red Lodge in Park Row Bristol where their major artistic event, the Annual Paintings Exhibition, is being held. This major annual event, the 111th Annual Paintings Exhibition, runs from 3 – 12 June and is open to the public every day from 10am to 4.30pm. Paintings by the society’s team of talented artists will be on sale. Works by other local artists will also be on display. • bristol1904arts.org

Image: Yevhen Samuchenko

Image: Clifton Wood from Underfall Yard by John Dunn

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ANDREW SWIFT - MAY – use.qxp_Layout 2 22/04/2022 18:16 Page 1

“Conham has been restored to its pre-industrial, sylvan state as part of the Avon Valley Woodlands Nature Reserve, providing one of the most idyllic riverside walks in the area.”

Wild world

The Avon Valley, Trooper's Hill, Netham and Conham were all once home to heavy industry. Now, they are “some of the most sublime and inspiring landscapes in the Bristol area”. Andrew Swift looks at how nature can reclaim even the most devastated industrial sites and return them to their natural glory

ne of the most inspiring ecological books published in the last twelve months is Cal Flyn’s Islands of Abandonment, which takes the reader on a series of journeys into some of the most devastated landscapes on earth. Flyn’s focus is not so much on the multifarious ways in which environmental destruction has been wrought, however, but on the ways in which nature has fought back. Most of the sites visited, such as the Chernobyl exclusion zone or the Zone Rouge near Verdun, where vast quantities of First World War shells and chemical weapons lie hidden in the undergrowth, are probably not places we would choose to explore ourselves. There are, however, plenty of less hostile environments that testify to nature’s resilience. The Avon Valley east of Bristol, for example, was once one of the most ravaged landscapes in Britain. To walk along it today is, however, despite the proximity of houses and light industry, to discover a green and much-loved natural corridor. The despoliation of the river’s wooded banks began four miles upstream from Bristol at Conham, where by 1696 copper smelting was in full swing. Production soon spread to Crew’s Hole, a mile downstream, and by 1720 there was a total of 54 furnaces at the two sites. By the 1750s, however, most production had been centralised at Crew’s Hole, where there were now 49 furnaces, known as the Cupolas. The rapid growth of the copper industry was driven by the slave trade, since goods made from copper or brass (an alloy of copper and zinc) were used extensively to barter for enslaved people on the coast of Africa. Brass was also smelted at Crew’s Hole, as well as lead, and it was lead that seems to have been the reason a tall chimney was built atop nearby Troopers Hill, so that the deadly 34 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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fumes produced by smelting it could be piped up through a flue before being dispersed to the four winds. There was also a hydraulic pumping engine at Crew’s Hole which piped water to Bristol. Downstream, however, there was little development until the Feeder Canal was built to supply water to the Floating Harbour in 1809. The first industries along the Feeder – the Bristol Gaslight Company and Acraman’s Ironworks – were established soon afterwards. It was the construction of the Great Western Railway in the late 1830s, however, that spurred a rash of new development. In 1838, the Great Western Cotton Mill – the largest in southern England – opened on the north bank of the Feeder. A little further east, a chemical works was established at Netham, along with another lead works. Other factories followed – a tannery, a pottery, a galvanised ironworks. By all accounts, though, the most noxious was the Glue, Size & Hair Works, which you really wouldn’t have wanted to get downwind of when the vats were steaming. For a few years, there was even a coal mine – the Great Western Colliery – between the Feeder and the railway. The railway also led to the establishment of a new industry at Crew’s Hole, where the Cupolas had ceased production after the abolition of the slave trade led to the collapse of the copper industry. In 1838, John Bethell, a Bristol inventor, developed a way of using coal tar as a wood preservative. Brunel was so impressed that he set up a Tar Works to extend the life of the wooden sleepers that were being laid by the million on his new lines. The spot he chose was Crew’s Hole, which was becoming something of an industrial hub. As well as two more chemical works, a colliery had been opened and Troopers Hill was being quarried for pennant limestone. After the colliery closed, the hill was mined for fireclay

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WALKS which was processed at a nearby factory. One of the chemical companies at Crew’s Hole vented some of their lethal fumes through the chimney on the hill, but most of the gases from the three factories were discharged through 20 or so chimneys down by the river. The airborne pollution was appalling. In 1895, a government inspector reported that, when ‘ammoniacal vapours’ from the Tar Works mingled with ‘muriatic acid gas’ from the chemical works, ‘a white cloud is at once created and on a wet day this is very visible’. Although he described this as ‘unfortunate’, no action was taken to stop it. Things were even worse along the Feeder, where the chemical works at Netham now occupied a 50-acre site where around 500 workers produced compounds such as sulphuric acid, quicklime and caustic soda. In 1884, the Bristol Mercury described the area around the Feeder as ‘a gloomy vale enshrouded in almost perpetual smoke’ where ‘stench-laden folds of air envelop the visitor and make him involuntarily turn to the water side to try if he can breathe more freely’. Deliverance did finally come, however. The Netham Chemical Works, after being taken over by ICI in 1927, closed in 1949. The 90-metre chimney that dominated the site was felled the following year, although the vast spoil heaps remained. The Tar Works at Crew’s Hole, which absorbed the two nearby chemical works in the early twentieth century, lasted much longer, being taken over by British Steel in 1970 before finally closing in 1981. Today, evidence of the legacy of heavy industry is thin on the ground. The most notable survival is the chimney on Troopers Hill. Less well known is the engine-house chimney of the former colliery at Crew’s Hole. Part of the Netham Chemical Works site is now an industrial estate, but most has been grassed over as a recreation ground. Evidence of its spoil heaps survives in the form of a steep bank rising from the north bank of the Feeder. It is difficult today, though, to imagine the toxic fumes that once lingered in the air, for the bank is clothed in a strip of gloriously untamed woodland, with rough tracks winding through the trees. The site of the Tar Works at Crew’s Hole is now covered by housing, but Troopers Hill, quarried, scarred and undermined, survives as one of the most inspirational open spaces in the city. Not only has nature reclaimed the hill; astonishingly, all that despoliation has augmented its natural splendour. Apart from the iconic chimney on the summit, the plundering of stone from the flanks of the hill has created a dramatic landscape of sheer drops, outcrops, crags, and ravines. In 1995, Troopers Hill was declared a Local Nature Reserve in recognition of its importance as a unique habitat in the area due to the presence of acidic soils, and in 2010 it was designated a Regionally Important Geological and Geomorphological Site. Conham, meanwhile, where it all started, has – after a spell as the site of Kingswood Sewage Works in the early 20th century – been restored to its pre-industrial, sylvan state as part of the Avon Valley Woodlands Nature Reserve, providing one of the most idyllic riverside walks in the area. The Avon Valley east of Bristol was once a byword for smoke and pollution. Those who live along it today are well aware how nature has fought back to reclaim what was once so ravaged. Further afield, however, its charms are less well known, which seems a pity, not just because of the remarkable way in which abandonment has led to regeneration, but also because they include some of the most sublime and inspiring landscapes in the Bristol area. n

Woodland on the site of Netham Chemical Works

A tall chimney was built atop nearby Troopers Hill so that the deadly fumes produced by smelting could be piped up and dispersed

• akemanpress.com Image (top right): A map of 1769 showing the Cupolas, Lead Works and Engine House at Crew's Hole

FURTHER INFORMATION Friends of Netham Park: facebook.com/nethamfriends Friends of Troopers Hill: troopers-hill.org.uk Friends of Avon Valley Woodlands Nature Reserve: hanhamabbots-pc.gov.uk/friends-of-avon-valley-woodlands

Troopers Hill was once quarried for pennant limestone and later mined for fireclay

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FOOD NEWS – MAY v2.qxp_Layout 2 22/04/2022 11:09 Page 1

FOOD & DRINK TASTY TIDBITS FROM THE CITY’S RESTAURANTS, CHEFS AND PRODUCERS

BREAKING RECORDS

CALLING ALL FOODIES Foodies Festival is returning to The Downs on 20 – 22 May, with a starstudded line-up of celebrity chefs and chart-topping musicians. Often dubbed “Gastro-Glasto”, the festival is the biggest touring gourmet food festival in the UK, featuring MasterChef champions, Bake Off favourites and Great British Menu stars. Award-winning chefs and celebrities taking part include: BBC presenter and author, Kate Humble, Great British Menu 2021 finalist, Hywel Griffith and MasterChef 2020 champion, Thomas Frake. Chart-topping disco diva Sophie Ellis-Bextor will also be joined by Lee Ryan and Simon Webbe from legendary boy band Blue. A legion of chefs from award-winning restaurants will give the festival a distinctive local flavour, including, Josh Eggleton – Michelin-starred head chef from The Pony & Trap in Chew Magna; Elliot Lidstone – of Bristol's Michelin Bib Gourmand awarded Box-E; Dan Bowden – previously from 3 AA Rosette awarded Berwick Lodge; and Mark McCabe, from Michelin Green Star awarded restaurant, The Ethicurian. With a whole host of new features added to this year’s festival and over 200 exhibitors showcasing their produce, this is not one to miss. • Tickets are on sale now at: foodiesfestival.com

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Ed Sargent and Ben Salguero, who run the restaurant and bar at Rock Salt in Cotham Hill, are no strangers to making a negroni. In fact, it’s one of the most popular cocktails on the menu. But this year they are poised to take their love of the classic tipple to a whole new level. The duo have set themselves a challenge to create the world’s largest negroni. If they are successful it will earn them a place in the Guinness Book of Records and raise funds for StreetSmart, a charity that supports homeless people in Bristol and other major UK cities. The current record for the largest negroni is held by Sheldon Wiley and Joey Maggiore, who produced a 504-litre negroni at The Sicilian Butcher in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, on 24 October 2018. Ed and Ben aim to beat the record with a 600-litre negroni produced here in Bristol on 22 May 2022, the day of the Cotham Hill Street Party. A key ingredient of a classic negroni is gin so the team at Rock Salt has called upon Dave Blatch at Bristol Dry Gin to support their record breaking attempt. Bristol Dry Gin will produce 200 litres of gin specially for the giant negroni and bottle the finished drink, ready to sell. Ed says: “This is an excuse to have a bit of muchneeded fun at the street party and raise money for a charity that we are all absolutely committed to helping. We’re grateful to Bristol Dry Gin and Campari for supporting us with this.” • rocksaltbristol.co.uk

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ETHICALLY SOURCED, FREE RANGE, LOCAL MEAT WINNER OF THE BEST LOCAL BUTCHERS IN THE BRISTOL GOOD FOOD AWARDS 4 YEARS RUNNING. 250 NORTH ST. SOUTHVILLE, BRISTOL BS3 1JD

T: 0117 966 3593

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AFTERNOON TEA | BEST OF BRISTOL

Afternoons, teaspoons & treats For celebrations, get-togethers or one of those experiential treats that are just a sheer delight - the tradition of taking afternoon tea is tops - So raise a pinkie and indulge yourself with a trip to one of Bristol’s finest hotels or tearooms

THE HARBOUR HOTEL 53-55 Corn Street, Bristol, BS1 1HT Tel: 0117 203 4456 Web: harbourhotels.co.uk/bristol The former banking hall, now the Harbour Kitchen restaurant, is now home to a different kind of dough altogether. Take a break from exploring the city and make a withdrawal of the sweet kind with our indulgent afternoon tea. It’s filled to the brim with superb sandwiches, moreish scones and tantalising treats. If you’re starting to feel a little grand, take the afternoon to new heights with a glass of the finest Champagne. Soak up the city vibes in our all-day restaurant and bar. With a light, seasonal menu, dynamic atmospheric decor and an unbeatable city-centre location, you won't want to leave! For night owls, head to The Gold Bar for an eclectic mix of cocktails to tempt your taste buds. Prices from £25 per person.

THE LIBRARY AFTERNOON TEA PARLOUR 6-8 Nicholas Street, Bristol BS1 1UQ Tel: 01179 544 944 Web: mugshotrestaurants.com

THE BRISTOL The River Lounge and River Grille at The Bristol Prince Street, Bristol, BS1 4QF Tel: 0117 923 0333 Web: doylecollection.com/bristol The Bristol’s highly-popular Vintage Afternoon Tea is served in the light-flooded River Lounge and River Grille overlooking the harbourside through its floor to ceiling windows. Sink into a sumptuous armchair and watch the world go by as you indulge in classics like freshly-baked scones served with jam and Cornish clotted cream, alongside a selection of delectable finger sandwiches and sweet treats. With vegan, diary-free & gluten-free options available on request, there is something for everyone to indulge in. Enjoy the classic offering with a wide range of herbal teas and barista coffee for £20 per person, or why not indulge in a glass of Champagne for an additional £7 per person?

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Treat yourselves with one of Mugshot’s brand new afternoon tea services, set within their gorgeous cocktail bar ‘The Library’, boasting an opulent and relaxing interior which makes for the perfect afternoon tea setting. Featuring a special house selection of lovingly handmade lunchtime nibbles including a delectable selection of mini loaf sandwiches, freshly baked scones with homemade jams and plenty of sweet treats and cakes to finish things off. Not to mention wonderful teas supplied by The Rare Tea Company. There are options to pair your afternoon tea with some fabulous cocktails or maybe something sparkling for a real treat! Served Friday and Saturday 11am -2.15pm, closing at 16:15, and Sunday 11am -2.45pm, closing at 16:45. £42 per person or £52 per person with a glass of Champagne. Call and book your table today. Pre-booking is highly recommended, bookings@mugshotrestaurants.com

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AFTERNOON TEA | BEST OF BRISTOL

Some light reading

he idea of afternoon tea was introduced to England by Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, in 1840. The Duchess would start to feel hungry around four o’clock in the afternoon, but the evening meal in her household was served fashionably late at eight o’clock, leaving a long period of time between lunch and dinner. The Duchess asked that a tray of tea, bread and butter (the latter a relatively new innovation by the Earl of Sandwich

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There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea – HENRY JAMES –

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which involved putting a filling between two slices of bread) and cake to be brought to her room in the late afternoon. This became a habit and she began inviting friends to join her. This pause for tea evolved into a fashionable social event. Soon the upper classes and society women would change into long gowns and put on gloves and hats for their afternoon tea which was usually served between four and five o’clock in the drawing room, or in the garden on a warm, sunny day. Traditional afternoon tea consists of a selection of dainty sandwiches (thinly sliced cucumber sandwiches should always be included) and scones served with clotted cream and preserves as well as a selection of cakes and pastries. Tea grown in India or Ceylon is poured from silver tea pots into delicate bone china cups.

ASHWELL & CO 32 Alma Vale Road, Bristol BS8 2HY Tel: 0117 904 2898 Web: ashwellandco.com Often described as one of the quirkiest places you can have afternoon tea in Bristol, Ashwell & Co pride themselves not only on their unique setting within a vintage boutique, but they also rate as one of the best afternoon teas in Bristol. Everything is handmade or locally made with love to create a proper, traditional afternoon tea experience. From the bread to the cakes, the scones and even the Ashwell & Co signature homemade clotted cream, everything is made with care and attention to give their lovely customers an experience to remember. Afternoon teas are served on Fridays and Saturdays and they also offer takeaway, delivery options and party packages. Prices start from £20.50 per person.

BERWICK LODGE HOTEL Berwick Drive, Bristol BS10 7TD Tel: 0117 958 1590 Web: berwicklodge.co.uk Located high on a hill and situated just 15 minutes drive from the centre of Bristol, Berwick Lodge is a totally unique venue which blends the spirit and romance of the arts and crafts movement with a touch of the East. Enjoy your afternoon tea outside in the magnificent grounds or take a seat in the lounge, a beautiful wood panelled room with feature fireplace and views of the garden. An indulgent traditional afternoon tea includes sandwiches, cakes and freshly baked scones, topped with lashings of fragrant jam and gooey clotted cream for £27.95per person or upgrade to the signature Berwick afternoon tea for £34.95per person. Champagne can be included for an additional £10 and there is also a children’s tea for £10.50. Served Monday - Friday 12pm - 2.30pm, Weekends 12pm, 12.30pm, 3pm or 3.30pm.

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AFTERNOON TEA | BEST OF BRISTOL

HARVEY NICHOLS 27 Philadelphia Street, Quakers Friars, Cabot Circus, Bristol BS1 3BZ Tel: 0117 916 8898 Web: harveynichols.com Decorated in decadent gold, the stylish setting of Harvey Nichols Bristol’s Second Floor Restaurant is the perfect place for an indulgent treat after a day of shopping. With their current chef in residence, Louise McCrimmon, she brings her expertise and experience working in Burgundy, France to the menu. The traditional afternoon tea costs includes a trio of sandwiches, a selection of homemade cakes, homemade mini scone with clotted cream and a choice of Harvey Nichols preserves, all served with a pot of house tea. For an extra bit of indulgence, you can add a glass of Champagne, perfect to celebrate a special occasion in style. Champagne tea is priced at £30 per person; afternoon tea, £25 per person. Served: Monday to Saturday, 3pm – 5pm.

THE AZTEC HOTEL & SPA Aztec West, Almondsbury, Bristol BS32 4TS Tel: 01454 201090 Web: aztechotelbristol.co.uk Created by the hotel’s experienced pastry chef, the Aztec Hotel & Spa afternoon tea is a firm favourite for any celebration, occasion or treat. Served daily, it’s a treasured tradition of delicious and imaginative offerings full of great quality ingredients and tempting regional flavours. Beautifully presented and served on a tiered cake stand, the artisanal sandwiches include West Country Keens cheddar and chutney on rye, Severn & Wye smoked salmon, Devon caught white crab & mayonnaise on rye, Somerset cider glazed Wiltshire ham with Tracklements piccalilli and Burford brown free-range egg mayonnaise with Evesham watercress on freshly baked white bread. Get carried away with locally sourced Gloucester old spot, chorizo, black bee honey and caraway seed sausage rolls but leave room for heaven-sent desserts such as black bee honey and hazelnut custard tart, dark chocolate, almond and Evesham blackberry verrine and spiced rum, ginger & orange sticky loaf. The freshly baked Devon buttermilk scones served with strawberry preserve and Cornish clotted cream are the cherry on top.

DE VERE TORTWORTH COURT Wotton-Under-Edge, Gloucestershire GL12 8HH Tel: 01454 263000 Web: devere.co.uk/tortworth-court Set within the picturesque countryside of South Gloucestershire, De Vere Tortworth Court is a 4-star hotel housed within a Grade II listed Victorian mansion, offering a unique setting to enjoy afternoon tea. Afternoon tea is served in the 1853 Restaurant featuring elegant oak panelling and ornate furnishings or in the summer months take tea al fresco tea on the Pommery Terrace with views over the rose gardens. Enjoy a selection of finger sandwiches, scones and seasonal cakes with a range of Twinings tea, fruit infusions and coffee. Standard Afternoon Tea £27.50 per person, Sparkling Afternoon Tea £36.50 per person and Champagne Afternoon Tea £39.50 per person.

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FASHION

AS SEEN ON SCREEN As Bristol’s TV and film industry continues to boom, a steady stream of acclaimed designers are arriving in the city, all looking to maintain their productions’ city links in the costume department. Most recently, BBC’s Chloe placed our much-loved local independent Grace & Mabel firmly in the spotlight. We chat to owner Daniela Benson about the creative collaboration and take a look at their distinctive designer collection...

• graceandmabel.co.uk; The Mall Clifton Village, 32 The Mall, Clifton, Bristol BS8 4DS 42 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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Erin Doherty wore Stine Goya’s Jasmine Dress in episode two of Chloe

Credit: BBC/Mam Tor Prodcutions/York Tillyer

o matter how sophisticated your Google searches may be, it can be almost impossible to track down your favourite on-screen looks. Whether it be Daphne Bridgerton’s sparkling gown, Villanelle’s green furry blouse or Anna Delvey’s high-fashion ensembles, these looks (sadly) have often been hand-stitched by established costume designers who know exactly how to add a certain pizzazz to an actor’s outfit. Much to our delight, however, this was not the case for the BBC’s recent six-part psychological thriller series, Chloe, which garnered outstanding reviews from critics and viewers alike. The makers and creators were determined to not only feature iconic Bristol locations but shine a light on local artists, musicians and talent, including that of Grace & Mabel. The much-loved local indie has attracted the attention of multiple award-winning costume designers in its time, including Charlotte Mitchell (Killing Eve, Harlots), who turned to Grace & Mabel when dressing the characters of Stephen Merchant’s The Outlaws. The Clifton boutique’s hand-picked pieces from world-class designers are hard to refuse. Chloe followed the life of a young woman (played by The Crown’s Erin Doherty), who became obsessed with one particular pictureperfect Instagram account. As her obsession intensified, drama very much ensued. With appearance at the heart of this story, costume designer Matthew Price (Catastrophe, Unforgotten, Behind Her Eyes) wanted a distinct look for the main characters. “[Matthew] knew exactly what he wanted for each character in the series,” says Daniela. “We made sure we were able to provide him with the pieces he needed, which meant ordering a few bits from designers like Baum Und Pferdgarten, Munthe and Stine Goya.” Matthew’s outfit choices brought the designers’ signature prints and psychedelic shades to centre stage. Eager to see what more Grace & Mabel has in store, we took a closer look at its spring/summer collection...

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FASHION

Get the look at GRACE & MABEL Jasmine Dress Stine Goya; Stroke Tulips; £260 Paradiso Silk Scarf By Malene Birger; Garian Paradise; £120

Caraway Jumper Baum Und Pferdgarten; Sulphur Stripe; £159

Avalyn Dress Stine Goya; Multi Cheetah; £360

HOFF Trainers Shanghai Tower; £150

Cliff Trousers Munthe; Beige; £189

Stone Skirt Baum Und Pferdgarten; Psychedelic Sulphur; £159

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FASHION

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FASHION

Find your

style

Exclusive British menswear brand, Benedict Raven, is dedicated to helping its customers find a life of style. As of this month, the brand is now offering one-on-one appointments with some of Bristol’s top personal stylists to help men build the perfect wardrobe. We catch up with founder James Kingston to find out more...

ome-grown Bristol brand, Benedict Raven, has gone from strength to strength since bursting on to the scene in 2018. Founder, entrepreneur and Bristol local James Kingston was determined to create an exclusive wardrobe for the modern man; one that would exude style and sophistication and provide an outfit for every occasion. Frustrated by seasonal trends and fashion fads, James has built a quality collection comprising of well-cut and well-crafted garments – many of which are produced in limited numbers using the finest fabrics from around the world. Take the luxurious Bath t-shirt, for example, which is made from Californian supima cotton – an organic material that is widely celebrated for its premium properties: strength, softness and colour retention. What makes the world of Benedict Raven most appealing, however, is that since 2020 it has pledged – now and forever – to make all products in the entire collection in England. The brand prides itself on its locally produced range that continues to stand the tests of time. “We can help men source pieces for their weekend away or their working day; we can give a man an easy, effortless, every day style that is more elevated than the mass-manufactured brands. For us, it’s about fabric, colour and cut, we want men to know that they’re part of a very small club.” If you’re looking to make a subtle statement in casual, comfortable, exceptionally made staples, Benedict Raven is the place to go. Ultimately, the brand honours function and timeless design without ever compromising on quality.

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Ascot Blazer in blue; £295

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Monaco Polo Shirt in navy; £70

Benedict Raven is located in Quakers Friars

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Bristol Bomber Jacket in dove grey; £145 Clifton Slim-Fit Jeans in blue; £85 Bath T-Shirt in white; £45

Henley Long Sleeve Polo in grey melange; £85

NEW: PERSONAL STYLIST APPOINTMENTS

aving always been dedicated to helping individuals find their own style, Benedict Raven is now partnering up with some of Bristol’s top stylists to help customers build their perfect wardrobe. Whether you’re looking to declutter your shelves, find your fit, build quick and easy outfits or learn how to layer, Benedict Raven’s stylists will be able to provide practical, honest and expert advice during one-to-one in-store appointments. “The whole reason we set up the brand initially was because we felt like there was a real gap in the market for the modern man,” says James. “With Cabot Circus on our doorstep, our stylists will be able to dress individuals from top to bottom and help people find effortless, timeless style.” The appointments are for anyone and everyone looking to shake up their wardrobe. From professionals seeking advice on the simple matter of what to wear to work, to the everyday man – Benedict Raven’s target audience – looking for a more personalised and polished look. Whatever your desires, the store’s personal stylists will find and deliver a style that suits you, ensuring it’s always money well spent. “As a customer, I hate a transactional retail experience with no engagement at all,” says James. “It feels cold, lifeless and it isn’t enjoyable. Offering a friendly atmosphere and consulting with customers, informing them about our brand and every product – how they are made and, most importantly, ensuring they choose the right clothing that fits perfectly and looks and feels great – is why I created Benedict Raven.” Benedict Raven is now offering free consultations with personal stylists. Book an appointment in-store or call 0117 325 4010 for more information. n

Benedict Raven by Goral Mellor II Trainers in calfskin white; currently £195

• Benedict Raven, Quakers Friars, Cabot Circus, Bristol BS1 3BZ benedictraven.co.uk Monaco Polo Shirt in burgundy £70

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IN CONVERSATION

CITY OF HOPE Marvin Rees has been the Mayor of Bristol for six years. This month, a referendum to decide whether the city continues with the mayoral system is due to take place. Ahead of the vote, Simon Horsford sits down with the Bristol-born politician to discuss his career so far, and what’s next...

t’s only a short bus ride from Easton to the grand, concave surrounds of the Grade II listed City Hall on College Green, but Marvin Rees’ journey from where he grew up to his current role as Bristol's mayor represents a far greater stride. The first Black city mayor in Europe has been in the role for six years and as we meet at City Hall ahead of the 5 May referendum on whether to continue with the mayoral system, he recalls the first time he stood to be mayor in 2012 – when he was second to George Ferguson. “I was on stage in the conference room at [the law firm] Burges Salmon with three white men of a certain age: an architect, retired accountant and retired GP, and I thought no-one is looking at the stage, but [instead] at this six foot, shaved, black guy on the end, thinking: ‘Oh yeah, he looks like the mayor of Bristol’. One of the most important things that’s happened since then is that when someone runs in the future who looks like me, they won’t automatically think ‘they don’t look like the mayor of Bristol’. Rees goes on to stress the point: “When I gave my concession speech in 2012, one of the things I regret is what I didn’t say. If I did that speech again, I’d say: ‘If you’re a single mum in a flat and it’s cold, you’ve got no money, you’re worried about paying the bills and you’re depressed, there’s hope because that woman’s son has just run for mayor and come second.’” It’s appropriate that in the lobby of City Hall there’s a plaque with the words, “City of Hope” because one of the priorities of Rees’ time in office has been to make Bristol more inclusive. “Since being a kid growing up in the city, I have wanted to make Bristol a fairer place,” he points out. “I grew up not necessarily enjoying life in the city and I want it to be better for people with backgrounds like mine.” For Rees, his various roles prior to be becoming the two-term mayor (among them working with the relief and development agency Tearfund; the social justice organisation Sojourners, based in Washington DC, and the campaign group Operation Black Vote in the UK) have been about being in a place where he can effect change. He’s also recently been appointed chair of Core Cities UK. “Being mayor is the manifestation of that aim at this particular point,” stresses Rees. “I’m not running again in 2024 [regardless of whether the mayoral role continues], so I will have done it for eight years and I will do something else and make space for the city to reinvent itself. I think you come in and make change, then you begin to start embedding things and then the danger is you become a blocker in innovation. Ten years is a good term for a mayor, 12 is too long, so best do eight.” As regards the referendum, Rees believes what’s important is that it isn’t just seen as a debate about the mayoral model, but equally “that 48 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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Marvin Rees is a British Labour Party politician and has served as the Mayor of Bristol since 2016

the committee system has to be debated because it is not as though the people opposing the mayoral model are offering some splendid neutrality. They are proposing a system and we don’t want to take that on by accident without knowing what it is. Just like Brexit,” he adds, “no-one knows what we are stepping into." Crucially, he suggests, the mayoral model gives visibility to leadership. “And that,” he continues, “has a number of benefits – outside of the city, investors and developers know who they are dealing with. We had the national advisory committee on climate change here recently and they wanted to meet me. That is the language of government – we want to know who we are dealing with. That visibility is also important inside the city. I do a press conference every couple of weeks and everything is on the table for good or ill. I am accountable. There is a real advantage for democracy from that visibility.” Opponents argue that the system is flawed with no “checks and balances”, according to one conservative councillor, while a Liberal Democrat counterpart suggested the committee system allows for “equal responsibility” in decision making. Former mayor George Ferguson has also offered the opinion that since the introduction of the West of England metro mayor (a position now held by Dan Norris) in

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Image credit: Lisa Whiting Photography

2017, more power should now be invested with that role and there’s no longer any need for a city mayor. Rees counters that the combined authority was set up because “we needed to work cross-border... but our remit goes beyond [the responsibility of the metro mayor].” In essence, that means delivering public services. The demands of adult social care and children’s mental health issues are huge (particularly after the pandemic) and as Rees points out: “I was recently talking to some young people about street conflict and knife crime and the work we’ve done on period poverty and child hunger. These are real, raw issues which we are dealing with. “I’m not saying the mayoral model is perfect but for the first time, the people of Bristol have had a chance to choose who their political leader is [in the city].” I wonder if Rees, who joined the Labour party in 2004, would consider becoming an MP after 2024? Surely it would be the next logical step. “I’m not closed to the idea. There are some people advising me against it because one of the points they make is that being a mayor is immediate and about getting decisions done. So they say, ‘you’d find it really frustrating’, but we haven’t decided yet and that is a family decision.”

Since being a kid growing up in the city, I have wanted to make Bristol a fairer place... I grew up not necessarily enjoying life in the city and I want it to be better for people with backgrounds like mine

continued

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IN CONVERSATION

It might have been a very different career path had Rees joined the Royal Marines. Joining the forces “was my first real ambition. I have always loved walking around hills with a backpack and when I was a kid my mum bought me a Black Action Man,” he laughs. “I did a potential officers’ course and allegedly was going to be the first Black British-born Marines officer, but later I failed the medical because of keratoconus in my eyes.” Rees is clearly someone who thrives on moving things forward and having the power to do so. He brandishes a thick, glossy document packed with ideas and plans for the city involving various agencies and bodies and covering everything from children, health and the police to the economy and the environment. It’s little surprise that one of his philosophies is “win or learn” – a phrase he plucked from the mixed martial arts star Conor McGregor. Rees’ conversation is peppered with quotes from people who have inspired him. As regards the successes during his time in office, Rees points to housebuilding – particularly council and affordable housing. “We’ve got that reputation as a city that will get stuff done. It’s a different place [from what it was]”. However, he is also acutely aware how gentrification is changing the character of some areas in the city, pushing up prices and rents “which is having strong cultural cohesion consequences.” On transport – always a knotty subject – he highlights his ambitious plans for the city taking into account a prediction that Bristol could be home to around 550,000 people by 2050 (it’s now around 465,000). “So we need to start planning today for the future. We are looking at all the options and will eliminate what doesn’t work, but we do think tunnels under the city [as part of a mass transit system] need to part of the plan, and we need segregated transport routes. The more we can take people off the roads with a clean, efficient transport system, the more space there is for bikes and pedestrians.” The city is aiming to be carbon neutral by 2030.

When I gave my concession speech in 2012, one of the things I regret is what I didn’t say. If I did that speech again, I’d say: ‘If you’re a single mum in a ﬂat and it’s cold, you’ve got no money, you’re worried about paying the bills and you’re depressed, there’s hope because that woman’s son has just run for mayor and come second’

He also addresses criticisms surrounding Bristol Energy and the shifting of the planned YTL Arena from a city centre location to the Brabazon Hangars at Filton Airfield. “The biggest mistake was setting up Bristol Energy in 2015. It was a challenge but we had to find an exit in an orderly way and we were trying to get the best return for Bristol tax payers. We should never have been put in that position in the first place.” As for the Arena, Rees says using the proposed site at Temple Meads as a mixed used development instead means “more money, more jobs and more economic benefit.” It is on Rees’ commitment to levelling up inequalities in the city that he is most passionate. One of the most interesting and consequential divides between districts in the city is in healthy life years, says Rees. “There is a 16-year gap within Bristol people as to when people need benefits. Families then become carers, so there are social consequences for them but also financial ones for adult social care and the NHS. That’s why we have made the point about public health being such a critical service. You also don’t solve a public health crisis with people who are 40 years old, you have to solve it at 50 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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You have to do the hard yards when you are making change. It could be revolutionary, it might be explosive and everyone sees it happen, but sometimes what you want to do is nudge a compass one degree, almost invisible, but in 10 years you are in a totally diﬀerent place to where you would have been

birth with parents’ mental wellbeing, nutrition, good quality housing and education. [It’s about] getting every child off to the best possible start, so our society in 50 years is shaped by what we are doing today.” Since Rees, who was 50 last month, grew up in the city, he says the nature of inequalities and divisions have changed “but the fundamentals are much the same.” “When I was a kid, it was usual to drive past and people would shout ‘N*****s’. That was not a shock. We grew up in Easton and we wouldn’t go up Gloucester Road after six o’cock on a Saturday until we got physically more strong. We wouldn’t go south and the city was very zonal like that and that is very different now. There is greater diversity in different places. “At the same time we have a city that has a great story to tell: two world class universities and a thriving creative sector, but we still have one in four kids living in poverty and that is going to get worse because of Covid and we have areas that are in top 10 per cent most deprived in the UK. In Clifton around 100 per cent go in to higher education, while in Hartcliffe, it’s fewer than one in 12 so we have these stark inequalities that still exist in the city. We’ll only fulfil our potential as a city when everyone has access to opportunity.” This is why his pledges for the current term included a call for new secondary schools and the delivery of “quality work experience and apprenticeships, adult learning and youth opportunities, including two Youth Zones”. One of the most controversial events last year was the ditching of the Colston statue into the harbour. At the time, Rees chose not to pick sides and strove for balance, although he did refer to its removal as “historical poetry” and he reiterates that he doesn’t miss the statue. “Ben Okri [the Nigerian novelist] said: ‘To poison a nation, poison its stories’. If Colston is a glamorous part of our story then we begin to poison ourselves and we have a misunderstanding of who we are and who are our heroes. Symbolic acts are important, but they can be more about the emotional wellbeing of privileged groups than they are about the status of members of underprivileged groups. We’ve not heard hide nor hair from the Colston 4 about street conflict, knife crime, school exclusions, or housing issues since the statue came down. “Symbolic acts also have to turn to policy. You have to do the hard yards when you are making change. It could be revolutionary, it might be explosive and everyone sees it happen, but sometimes what you want to do is nudge a compass one degree, almost invisible, but in 10 years you are in a totally different place to where you would have been.” Rees, who still lives in Easton with his wife and three children, is a Bristolian through and through – he supports and occasionally watches the Bears – and an eloquent advocate of the city, its inhabitants and its potential. And he’s someone with clear societal values. As an aside, he mentions campaigning last year on the Lawrence Weston housing estate. “Knocking on one door, it’s opened by this white guy with tattoos, who looks like a darts player, and he says, ‘I’ll vote for you, you’re one of us.’ That was a big moment for me because he recognised our shared story.” n

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BRISTOL UPDATES NEWS FROM LOCAL BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS

NEW CEO FOR AEROSPACE BRISTOL The home of Concorde has a new captain at the controls, as Aerospace Bristol welcomes Sally Cordwell as its new CEO. Sally becomes only the second CEO in Aerospace Bristol’s history, replacing Executive Director, Lloyd Burnell as Chief Executive of a museum that, since opening in 2017, has quickly established itself as one of the region’s most popular visitor attractions, an award-winning school visit destination, and a leading events venue with Concorde as its star attraction. Sally brings significant experience of senior leadership roles in visitor attractions and culture venues in Bristol and the South West, including as Interim Executive Director at Bristol Old Vic Theatre, and as Deputy CEO at SS Great Britain Trust. Her appointment comes at a key time, as Aerospace Bristol welcomes visitors back to the museum and recovers from covid-19 closures that put its future in real jeopardy. Sally said: “I’m thrilled to join Aerospace Bristol as its new CEO at this exciting time, as the museum celebrates its fifth anniversary year and, following a hugely challenging period, once again looks ahead with optimism and enthusiasm. “Bristol’s world-class aerospace heritage - and the unique collection of objects and exhibitions on display at Aerospace Bristol - presents us with so many opportunities to share remarkable stories, celebrate our local history, preserve Bristol’s aerospace heritage, and inspire future generations. I can’t wait to get started.” • aerospacebristol.org

WINDOW HUB OPENS SHOWROOM Award-winning window and door experts The Window Hub are delighted to open their brand new showroom on Staple Hill High Street. Founded during the pandemic by two industry experts, The Window Hub are well-known for their high level of customer care and their excellent service. With many people now working from their own homes and wanting to be as energy efficient as possible, the company has seen an increase in enquiries. The new showroom was the obvious next choice for this ambitious company. The Window Hub has an unwavering commitment to reducing the impact on the environment. Regardless of most people’s opinions of Upvc over recent years, it has been scientifically proven that choosing Upvc is the most environmentally friendly option. Industry standards state that your windows and doors should last comfortably for around 30 years- making them practical and long lasting. • The Window Hub can be found at 72-74 High Street, Staple Hill, Bristol, BS16 5HN; thewindowhub.co.uk

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A DOUBLE MATCH A doctor who transformed the lives of thousands of Afghans has received an honorary degree from the University of Bristol, in the same ceremony in which her daughter graduated. It is 33 years since Dr Sarah Fane OBE last donned academic dress for a University of Bristol graduation ceremony. Many of those 33 years were spent in and around Afghanistan, where she has delivered babies in mountain villages, disguised herself as a man to get to patients during the war against the Soviet Union and ran a charity supporting health, education and cricket. Her charity Afghan Connection, founded in 2002, built 47 schools, refurbished 130 more, created 110 cricket pitches and is credited with inspiring a renaissance in Afghan cricket which lasts to this day. She was awarded an honorary degree beside her daughter, Antonia Fane, who graduated with a degree in Liberal Arts and French. Dr Fane’s charity, Afghan Connection, began by modernising hospital wards and sending out doctors to support, before moving on to train teachers and build schools. They began training cricket coaches and supplying cricket equipment in 2008, at the suggestion of Dr Fane’s then-14-year-old son, Alex, who remains cricket-mad. The investment “caught a wave” of interest in sport and helped propel the national team to tenth in the world. They built more than 110 cricket pitches in schools, each time renovating nearby classrooms and facilities, and trained 180 coaches. They also helped deaf and blind children play, many for the first time. Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the owner of Lord’s and elder statesman of cricket clubs, supported Dr Fane’s cricket projects, and in 2012 made her an Honorary Life Member for her work with cricket in Afghanistan. It is here that she now works, running their charitable arm, the MCC Foundation, which has a mission to transform lives through cricket, having wound down Afghan Connection in 2020. During its 18-year span, Afghan Connection supported more than 500,000 children. At the graduation ceremony, Antonia Fane cheered proudly as her mother received her honorary degree, just moments after she had been awarded hers.

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CELEBRATING SPORTING EXCELLENCE AT MONMOUTH Haberdashers’ Monmouth Schools have an outstanding reputation for excellence in sport and a goal to create and develop talent. Supported by strong links with professional clubs and bodies in cricket, rugby, football, rowing, netball, hockey, tennis and lacrosse, it is an exciting time for boys and girls within the family of schools. The schools have a strong tradition of pupils that go on to play sport at Olympic and international level, including former Wales international and Cardiff Rugby player, Hallam Amos. Indeed, former Captain of Boats, Jack Tottem, starred on the national stage in guiding the University of Oxford to victory in this year’s men’s Boat Race. Sports scholars become ambassadors for the schools and have an opportunity to improve their skills under the guidance of top-class coaches using outstanding facilities. The senior girls’ hockey players (pictured above) have just won a national title for the first time. Under the guidance of new Head of Hockey, Duncan Woods, a former England and Great Britain player, the girls captured the top prize at Hockey Wales’ National Under-18 Schoolgirl Finals. The junior girls also excelled in their competition, taking the runners-up place in the National Under-14 Schoolgirls Finals, while the senior lacrosse girls impressed at the National Schools Championships. For a third successive year, the schools are recognised in The Cricketer Schools Guide, which includes the top 100 senior schools for cricket in the UK. To highlight these cricketing strengths, 13 boys have gained selection for Wales – and another has been chosen for Gloucestershire - while eight girls will also gain representative honours this summer. In rugby, the boys reached the Vase semi-finals of the prestigious Rosslyn Park National Schools Sevens, while, in football, the under-16 boys are now unbeaten in 20 matches and ranked second in the National Schools Performance League.

Spaces are available across our family of schools for September 2022, and we are warmly inviting all prospective parents and families to our Open Morning on Saturday 7th May between 9.15am and noon. We love showing people around our schools and will be adhering to the latest Covid-19 measures to keep prospective families and those within our own school community as safe as possible. To book your place at our Open Morning, please e-mail our Head of Admissions, Miss Ellie Townsend: admissions@habsmonmouth.org or telephone: 01600 710433. *The schools have an established bus route covering the Thornbury area and are always happy to consider additional stops on their routes.

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BRISTOL BUSINESS

Booming business As one of the country’s fastest-growing e-commerce fulfilment firms becomes the principal sponsor of Bristol Sport, we find out all about the booming Bristol business, Huboo. This month, we sat down with co-founder Martin Bysh, who has been breaking boundaries to do business better...

f you’re not yet familiar with the name Huboo, now’s the time to get acquainted. Recently named as one of the best places to work in Europe, the Bristol-headquartered e-commerce fulfilment firm is one of the fastest-growing fulfilment companies in the UK. Born out of a secure storage room at a Safestore in Bath, Huboo has blossomed into a 600–strong team spread across the UK and Europe. After recently hitting the headlines with the news that it will become the principal partner for all five of Bristol Sport’s professional teams – a UK-first for a sporting group – we thought it was time we found out more about this extraordinary local success story. On a particularly wet April afternoon, we sat down with CEO and co-founder Martin Bysh at Huboo’s HQ on Corn Street – an office that oozes contemporary class and creativity. He explained exactly how – in just five short years – he and fellow founder Paul Dodd managed to create a multi-million pound empire; one that has become known as the Amazon of the West Country.

Where it all began Like all great ideas, the concept of Huboo derived from a conversation Martin and Paul had while standing on the side-lines of their sons’ Saturday morning football match. Frustrated by the lack of quality, trusted multi-channel fulfilment providers, they saw an opportunity to bring their entrepreneurial background and technology experience together. With complementary skills, they were able to create the company that we know today – a reliable enterprise that helps online businesses of all sizes grow by taking care of their e-commerce order fulfilment needs. Since 2017, the founders have been refining their craft, creating an optimum customer experience and a failsafe business ecosystem. They have employed hundreds of new starters, won a multitude of awards – including the Global Business Excellence Award for Outstanding Innovation – and opened further warehouses in Chippenham, Eindhoven, Netherlands, Madrid, Spain and Leipzig, Germany. But what was the key to their exponential growth, we hear you ask? First and foremost, Martin and Paul rebuilt the warehouse model from the ground up. They introduced micro hubs into the traditional warehouse model and powered each hub with an intuitive software that provides everything from transaction management and quality control to integration with popular marketplaces, such as Amazon, eBay and Shopify. From the get-go, this model dramatically improved the fulfilment efficiency and kept costs down. What’s more, the founders designed well-rounded jobs to keep their employees happy. In turn, they found that their clients were eager to return. Moving away from the way in which fulfilment companies traditionally employ staff, hiring pickers to walk an average of 10 miles a day while preparing items for shipping, Huboo employed hub 54 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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managers to carry out a range of different tasks within the micro hub setup. As a result, their days were kept varied and interesting. Managers would open up in the morning, lock up at night, stay in regular contact with clients and provide a personal service that ultimately allows businesses to grow and succeed at a faster rate. “We have happy people that want to come to work and enjoy what they do,” Martin says. “We also have happy clients who get to speak to the people in the warehouse when normally there’s a barrier. Warehouse churn rates [the rate at which customers stop doing business with a company over a given period of time] are traditionally awful, whereas our churn rates in the micro hubs are near to zero.” To prove that Huboo’s clients are, in fact, happy, Martin explains the company’s Net Promoter Score (NPS) – an index ranging from -100 to 100 that measures the willingness of customers to recommend a company's services to others. It is used as a proxy for gauging the customer's overall satisfaction and the customer's loyalty to the brand. “Our warehouses are at 56, which would be staggering for any business,” says Martin. “The highest score in the entire company, however, is the first micro hub we ever rolled out. It has an NPS of 76. Hardly any businesses have that score, whether they are office-based or work in luxury. We’re creating great jobs for great people. Unlike many fulfilment companies – we have nothing to hide – we’re proud of every part of our business.”

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Gilbert House and 41 Corn Street, Huboo HQ

Huboo has become the principal sponsor of Bristol Sport, which includes Bristol City men and women, Bristol Bears men and women and the Bristol Flyers Note: pictured sports kits are examples only

Martin Bysh, CEO and co-founder of Huboo (left), with Paul Dodd, CTO and co-founder (right)

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Huboo’s first warehouse in Emerson’s Green, Bristol

A Hub Manager working in one of Huboo’s micro hubs

What makes Huboo particularly unique, however, is how it helps people move up through the ranks dynamically, allowing people to progress, learn new skills, and even forge a career path in a separate department. “Warehouses are typically dead-end jobs. In the last year, we have had 50 people move from the warehouse to other parts of the business. People have moved into tech, into marketing, into sales and we actively try to help them do that. That’s the thing that myself and Paul enjoy more than anything else. Our position is: if people are really great, we just want to hang on to them. If they’re not happy where they are, we need to try and find a place that suits them.”

Harnessing the Huboo culture After inventing an ingenious micro hub methodology, Martin and Paul implemented a culture of fairness, openness, collaboration and fun into their business; an environment where people can be themselves, work together and meet the needs of clients. The fifth floor of the Bristol HQ houses a working bar, climbing wall, games consoles and rooftop balcony, which allows a natural space for colleagues to meet and socialise, producing a real sense of community within the company. Every month Huboo also has a “Town Hall” meeting, hosted by the founders themselves, which is live streamed across all the offices and warehouses. “You can’t run a white-collar organisation without caring about people,” says Martin. “We have 100 developers employed in this 56 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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“We’re creating great jobs for great people. Unlike many fulfilment companies – we have nothing to hide – we’re proud of every part of our business,” says Martin

building and they could go anywhere tomorrow because they have lots of choices. What’s more challenging and what happens much less as a consequence is building great jobs for people who have fewer choices. Warehouse jobs are a great example of that. When we decided to build this business, we wanted to tackle the problems in this market. Typically people would innovate people out of the business – they would bring in technology and automation. They tend to have this assumption that machines are better than human beings. We do have robots because there are some jobs that you are just much better off getting robots to do. For instance, stock checking in our pallet warehouses. Asking a human to stock check can be both dangerous and tedious so it’s about having the right tool for the right job. We quickly realised that the ultimate multi-purpose tool, if you treat them properly, is a human being. You have to innovate around them; think of ways to make them happy and bring out the best in them.”

Bristol: home of innovative tech Huboo has succeeded tremendously off the back of hard work, innovation and a genuine care for its employees and clients, but its location is arguably pivotal to its fast progression. Last year, Bristol was named as one of the UK’s fastest-growing tech hubs after firms attracted more than £100m in venture capital funding. Bristol is a start-up haven for so many reasons. Firstly, the city is home to numerous leading universities and higher education institutions, which pump a pipeline of extraordinary talent

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BRISTOL BUSINESS

Doing business better

must help in every way they can to ensure that the city reaches its goal within the decade. As more and more customers and employees also seek to buy from and work for organisations that align with their social values, support a better way of doing business and a better future for our planet, there is a real focus on what businesses are doing for the greater good of the environment. “We try and think of these things holistically,” says Martin. “We think about what we can do now – we don’t obsess about things that might happen 100 years from now. In our warehouses, we have introduced Falk panels and made sure that all our vehicles are electric. We also have a no waste policy – if a client goes out of business, the goods are sold and the money is given to charity. At every stage of the business, we try to make sure that we’re essentially creating as little damage as we can and tidying up after ourselves where possible.” Given the incredible rise of the company, not least five years packed with milestone achievements, you wonder how far this company can continue to grow at such a speed. Yet, Huboo was recently identified in a government report as one of three companies within Bristol’s burgeoning tech sector expected to attain a ‘unicorn’ valuation of more than US$1bn over the coming years. Martin and Paul are just getting started. Remember this name. n

As the European Green Capital, Bristol has pledged to become carbon neutral and climate resilient by 2030. This means the city’s businesses

• huboo.com

into the city. This alone attracts a mix of tech companies to Bristol every year. Secondly, Bristol is awash with hubs in various guises. The city’s incubator organisations, innovation centres and co-working spaces allow the tech community to thrive collaboratively and collectively. In turn, this creates a supportive start-up culture that nurtures each and every brand. Furthermore, the city has a long history of technology and engineering innovation. From Brunel’s suspension bridge, to the aerospace industry and Rolls-Royce’s pioneering technologies, the city has been an engine of innovation for centuries. Civil Engineering was even among the first departments when the University of Bristol was born in 1909. “Bristol has a great entrepreneurial network and this area punches above its weight from that point of view. We often get involved with the universities, mentoring students that are interested in being entrepreneurs and we try to utilise that early talent. “Bristol is also a fabulous part of the country, a stunning place to bring up kids and an exciting place to be. The city will only get better as the government recognises that something exciting is happening here – more funding will come this way.”

The fifth floor of the Bristol HQ houses a working bar, climbing wall, games consoles and rooftop balcony, which allows a natural space for colleagues to meet and socialise, producing a real sense of community within the company

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BEAUTY

SPRING BEAUTY

TAKE 5

Layla Touati, assistant beauty manager and make-up artist at Harvey Nichols Bristol picks five beauty must-haves for spring....

OUAI, Detox Shampoo, £24 Been on a dry shampoo binge? OUAI’s concentrated Detox Shampoo with apple cider vinegar will deeply cleanse away dirt, oil and impurities. Infused with the brand’s signature Melrose Place fragrance, it also removes build up from styling products, air pollution and hard water deposits, leaving hair feeling refreshed and super clean.

PIXI, Glow Tonic 100ml, £10 Pixi’s miracle-working Glow Tonic toner helps to brighten the complexion resulting in a healthy glow. Formulated with 5% glycolic acid, it exfoliates, brightens and smooths skin. Aloe vera, ginseng, and botanical extracts work together to nourish and treat, revealing an improved complexion. Alcohol-free, it’s gentle on all skin types.

UOMA Royal Heir-itage Palette, £44 Queen, accept your crown – UOMA’s exquisitely crafted, and highly pigmented colour palette. Named for ten magnificent queens of ancient Africa, journey through a collection of the most pigmented matte colours, otherworldly sparkle textures and vibrant metallic finishes. UOMA’s best-selling Black Magic formula delivers lavish textures which transform into ultra-thin yet full-coloured swatches for a long-lasting and water-resistant finish.

CREED, Wind Flowers Eau De Parfum, £260 Inspired by movement, Wind Flowers is the latest women's Eau De Parfum from Creed. Floral and fresh, this fragrance opens with sweet jasmine, wrapped around the zesty scent of Tunisian orange blossom and softened by a fresh and a fruity peach note. A powerful heart of delicate jasmine flower, tuberose petals and a soft rose extract add depth and texture to this fragrance while a warm flurry of sandalwood is twisted around a haze of iris and musk. A vibrant note of orange blossom and creamy praline offsets this dusky floral scent; bringing to life this luminous fragrance for her.

All products are available from Harvey Nichols Bristol; harveynichols.com

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111SKIN, Sub Zero De-Puffing Energy Facial Mask, £20 111SKIN’s Sub-Zero De-Puffing Energy Mask is two-piece, full face hydrogel mask formulated to alleviate signs of puffiness and fatigue. Infused with peptides, enzymes and caffeine, the multifunctional formula includes a powerful tetrapeptide to help reduce puffiness, hydrate and tighten. The complexion is left looking refreshed and reinvigorated.

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SHINING BRIGHT Summer is coming, which is typically the time when people start to become more conscious of their skin. In preparation for the half-term getaway at the end of the month, Dr Genevieve Osborne, a Consultant Dermatologist at Nuﬃeld Health Bristol Hospital, gives advice on the sort of things we should keep in mind when spending time in the sun.

kin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the UK – but most is curable if caught early. Sun is the primary cause of skin cancer; the sun’s ultra violet (UV) rays – both UVA and UVB – can cause genetic and immune changes in the skin which could lead to skin cancer in the future. The two main categories of skin cancer are melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer. Melanoma skin cancer is the more serious form which, if not treated early, can spread more rapidly internally. Over the last 20 years, it has become the fastest increasing cancer, probably reflecting changes in people’s sun exposure habits, and in particular can affect a younger population – although all forms of skin cancer become more common with advancing years. Non-melanoma skin cancer includes basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The reactions that immediate sun exposure can cause are redness (‘sunburn’), tanning (caused by an increased amount of the pigment melanin) and freckling (where the melanin occurs in clumps). All these changes can be risk factors for the development of skin cancer, but sunburn is particularly risky, especially in children. Use of sunscreen at least SPF 30 with 5* UVA cover, protective clothing and wide-brimmed hats helps to prevent sunburn, as does avoiding exposure to the most intense sun between 11-3pm. Individuals who are more light-skinned, with fair or red hair, who have a freckling tendency, or those with a lot of moles are all more prone to skin cancer. Moles are common ordinary skin spots that represent clumps of pigment-making cells called melanocytes. They’re usually brown,

sometimes pink and can be flat or raised. They start to appear in early childhood, more so in response to sun exposure, but they can also occur spontaneously at nonsun exposed sites and may be hereditary. When moles become cancerous, they’re called ‘melanoma’. A change in a mole, such as enlargement, change in colour, shape or size may be signs that it has become a melanoma. Less often, melanoma may cause bleeding, irritation and itching. Melanoma can also develop on normal skin, where there was no mole present before. Many people aren’t in the habit of checking their moles for change but this does help to pick up melanoma early. A typical melanoma is a brown, irregularshaped mark that may show several shades of colour and have a fuzzy border; occasionally a melanoma can be pink. As most melanomas develop silently, it can be helpful to have your moles assessed by a Dermatologist, particularly if you have risk factors such as fair skin, many moles, a family history or have had considerable sun exposure or used a sun bed. If a suspicious mole is seen, it may be surgically removed and sent for analysis, and early detection of melanoma can be life-saving. The Dermatology team at Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital can make a risk assessment of your skin, photographically map suspicious moles for surveillance purposes, treat pre-cancerous changes and surgically treat many skin cancers where present. People who have accumulated much sunexposure over the years are prone to precancerous skin conditions that can turn into SCC, and they are at greater risk of BCC

too. These skin cancers are usually managed surgically. Individuals who have had a nonmelanoma skin cancer are more prone to further such cancers in the future and therefore benefit from regular skin surveillance by a Dermatologist for early diagnosis. Dermatologists would never view a sun tan as ‘healthy’, because it is a sign that there has been damage which may later lead to skin cancer. However, some exposure to sun is required to maintain Vitamin D levels, so it’s important not to avoid it completely. Vitamin D plays a key role in our immune protection, and can still be made in the body when a sunscreen is applied. Certain skin conditions, such as psoriasis, are actually improved by UV exposure from the sun, so the important message is to avoid sunburn and prolonged exposure, and know your own risk factors, regularly inspecting your skin for changes. If you would like to book an appointment with Dr Osborne, or one of the other members of the Dermatology team at Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital, Dr Helen Audrain and Dr Adam Bray, call 0117 911 5339, or visit our website: www.nuffieldhealth.com/hospitals/bristol.

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

MAY 2022

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HEALTH & WELLBEING

Walk this way! Ade Williams MBE, lead pharmacist at Bedminster Pharmacy and brilliant Bristol ambassador explains the importance of walking...

alking is an exciting and memorable key developmental milestone for a child. Employing balance and muscle coordination - standing up, supporting body weight from one leg to the other and moving around, offers mobility and freedom. As we age, this is something that we only cherish more and more. The average adult will walk almost 75,000 miles over their lifetime – the equivalent of three times travelling around the world. Yet, we know that non-age or disability-related reduced physical inactivity has crept into all our lives. About 1 in 3 (34%) men and 1 in 2 (42%) women are not active enough. Compared to the 1960s, our population is around 20% less active. This is not good news. If current trends continue, we will be 35% less active by 2030. This is a story of the modern life; the lure of convenience, the everconstant pursuit of speed and a less physically demanding existence. The combination of personal choices and societal design, including longer desk-based work and screen activities, has us driving every time and everywhere, plus ubiquitous digitally-enabled cab-calling means “let's get an uber” is a more widely used lexicon than “let’s walk over”. I am certainly as guilty as anyone else. Worryingly, our reduced physical inactivity is associated with 1 in 6 deaths in the UK and is estimated to cost the UK £7.4 billion annually (including £0.9 billion to the NHS alone). Many people don’t realise that physical activity has significant benefits for health, both physical and mental, and can help prevent and manage other chronic conditions and diseases, including some cancers, heart disease, diabetes and depression. Walking is free, accessible, and one of the easiest ways to get more active, lose weight and become healthier. The NHS advice is to walk at least two and a half hours (150 minutes) of moderate-intensity activity a week. You can break this down into daily 10-minutes brisk sessions, which help you build stamina, burn excess calories, and make your heart healthier. Moderate intensity means: your breathing is faster, your heart rate more rapid, and you feel warmer. A brisk walk is about 3mph; you can still talk but not sing the words to a song. If you have a medical condition limiting your physical activity, please seek advice on exercising with a disability. If you have not been very active but can walk, increase your walking distance gradually. Before starting, make sure any shoes or trainers you wear are comfortable, provide adequate support and do not cause blisters. If you’re walking to work, you could wear your usual work clothes with a comfy pair of shoes and change shoes when you get to work. For long walks, you may want to take some water, healthy snacks, a spare top, sunscreen and a sun hat in a small backpack. If you start going for longer walks regularly, you may want to invest in a waterproof jacket and some specialist walking shoes for more challenging routes. Some tips on making walking a habit and part of our daily routine include using the stairs instead of the lifts and walking to the shops when possible; walking part of your journey to work; leaving the car behind for short trips also reduces carbon emissions; walking the kids to school creates memories to cherish; do a regular or after-dinner walk with friends and family; walking while listening to music or a

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Ade Williams’ portrait as taken by acclaimed photographer Rankin

podcast can take your mind off the effort; and get a digital step counting device and set a daily target. Bristol offers exciting walks, including parks, heritage trails, waterside paths, commons, woodlands, and nature reserves. Walking in a group is a great way to start walking, make new friends, stay motivated, and get to know the City and its history. Adding variety to your walks also makes it easier to stay motivated. Such is the richness of the Walks available in our beautiful city that every May, Bristol Walk Fest - a month-long celebration of all things walking takes place throughout—offering a wealth of in-person walking-related events and activities, self-guided walking routes and challenges. The future of our city will continue to involve conversations and choices. To help us better appreciate walk-friendly designs and other more ecological options, as we walk together, we connect with nature and, in typical Bristol-style, enjoy a festival too. Let’s get walking. ■ • Follow Ade on Twitter: @adewilliamsnhs; and keep up to date with Bedminster Pharmacy: @bedminsterpharm

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CHRONIC PAIN MANAGEMENT James Scrimshaw of CURA CLINICAL explains how new technologies are providing effective answers to people’s pain and suffering

t CURA we’re always striving to find new ways of effectively treating people’s injuries. After working for 26 years with people in pain, I identified a significant lack of options for many people for whom hands-on care/rehab was ineffective, yet who weren’t ready for, or suited to surgery or other invasive procedures. Combining clinical use of MBST alongside hands on treatment, laser and Biowave pain management devices has proved to provide a solid non invasive solution to patients suffering from chronic pain and injury.

James and Jonathan have been working together with MBST for 4 years. Suitably impressed with the results Jonathan has taken use of the technology to his clinics in London.

CASE STUDY 1

CASE STUDY 2

David was at a loss as to the next steps after he was discharged by the ankle consultant and still in debilitating pain. 4 months after having MBST for his ligaments I’ve discharged him without pain.

Paul kindly allowed me to mention how MBST has had a profound effect on him, both physically and mentally. Moderate knee arthritis in both knees was really getting him down. Following MBST last October things are very different, and I’m delighted to see this lovely chap smiling at being able to walk without pain again.

And we’re really pleased to continue working alongside the Bristol Bears in aiding their elite squad recovery. “We’ve had great outcomes from using the MBST facilities at Cura Clinical for several team members,” said team manager, Jack Targett.

MBST is an award-winning innovation designed to manage long-term injury and osteoarthritis. To discuss your treatment, contact Cura’s Clinical Director, James Scrimshaw today

0117 959 6531 curaclinical.com

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THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 15

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“If you've got the room, then a designated space to grow herbs is a good idea and can become a beautiful feature in its own right,” says Elly

What’s your flavour? Looking to spice up your green space this spring? Here, Elly West explains how a herb garden can provide so much more than some flavour to your cooking

have to be honest, buying herbs from the supermarket doesn't sit well with me. It always seems quite wasteful; a few leaves in a cellophane bag that I might use half of before they go limp in the fridge after a day or two. So much nicer to have a selection of fresh growing herbs, providing fragrance, texture and colour in your garden while also attracting bees and butterflies, ready to pick in the quantity you need, as and when you want to add some flavour to your cooking. Many of us may grow herbs without really thinking too much about it – an old woody rosemary or sage bush, some sprawling lavender or an overgrown bay tree. I'll never forget surprising a client with the life-changing news that the leaves from the enormous bay tree in his mixed hedge would be exactly the same as he'd recently bought from a shop to add to a casserole. Herbs make great additions to our gardens and kitchens; they are low-maintenance, many thrive on neglect. They don't need much space or attention, and even a window box or patio pot can make a great spot for easy pickings. If you've got the room, then a designated space to grow herbs is a good idea and can become a beautiful feature in its own right. We have a long history of growing herbs in this country, both for culinary and medicinal purposes. The Chelsea Physic Garden, created in 1673, is one of the world's oldest botanic gardens, established by the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries to grow and showcase medicinal plants. Located on the River Thames to make the most of its warm air currents, and to allow plants to be easily imported. It 66 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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now contains around 5,000 different edible and medicinal plants. Herb garden designs dating back to medieval and Renaissance Europe, and the old monastery gardens, continue to influence modern gardeners, where the herbs are divided into beds arranged symmetrically around a central point such as a sundial, or topiary bay tree, as a permanent feature. A cartwheel shape with brick edging or low clipped box is attractive and keeps things organised. Traditional English cottage gardens of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, on the other hand, often mixed vegetables, herbs, fruits and flowers all together. This can work well too, with herbs being good additions to gravel gardens or grown alongside traditional favourites such as roses and hardy geraniums. When planning a herb garden, aim to include a mix of evergreens, perennials and annuals. The hardy Mediterranean evergreen shrubs such as bay, rosemary, lavender and sage will create permanent backbone and structure in your garden. Low-growing thyme and oregano will also be there all year round. Originally from stony, sunbaked hillsides, they don't mind scorching heat, drought, freezing cold winds or heavy downpours. However, they do need good drainage as it's the combination of cold and wet soggy soil that will kill these herbs off. When you're deciding where to position your herbs, traditional thought is as near to the kitchen as possible, however, always prioritise the best position for your plants over the distance you need to walk to get to them. Unless your garden is enormous, it's unlikely to make a huge difference to your day, and picking a few herbs makes

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GARDENING

a good excuse to take a walk down the garden. Easy access makes sense though, so perhaps near a path or a patio – this also means you can enjoy the scent when you brush past. Most herbs like to be in as much sun as possible, particularly the aforementioned Mediterranean varieties. Mint is an exception and will grow just about anywhere, including on heavy soil and in shade. Despite it being an invasive thug, I still like growing it to add to peas, chopped up with a blob of butter, and for making mint tea. Keep it contained though, ideally in a large pot, so it doesn't rampage through your flower beds. Likewise lemon balm, which I remember my mother adding to jugs of squash as a childhood treat when we had friends round (simple pleasures!) Other herbs that are happy in shade include chives, parsley, coriander and dill. Annual herbs that are easy to grow from seed include tarragon, basil, parsley and coriander. Sow a few seeds every four weeks for a supply right through summer, or buy them as small plants at the garden centre, ready to plant out. These need more moisture and nutrients than their shrubby counterparts, so add compost to the soil in these areas, and feed and water them as necessary through the summer. Alternatively, you might want to set aside some designated raised beds for your herbs, especially if you're gardening on heavy clay, as you can improve the drainage as necessary. Use topsoil mixed with grit and stones, and your plants should be happy. Some herbs can be grown for colour and texture, such as striking bronze fennel, a favourite in Chelsea show gardens, or purple sage, which look as good as they taste. To see herbs at their finest, and learn from the true experts, Jekka McVicar's Herb Farm near Alveston, north of Bristol, has open days in May and June, bookable in advance at jekkas.com. n

Plant of the month: Lavender Instantly recognisable for both its scent and appearance, lavender is an English country garden staple and for good reason. The silvery evergreen leaves provide structure all year round and its versatility means it can be grown as a hedge, in a pot, in a herb garden, or as part of a mixed border in both contemporary and traditional schemes. The flowers are loved by bees and are generally shades of purple, but there are also pink and white varieties. Some forms are more compact than others, so better suited to hedging. 'Hidcote' is the classic English lavender and has a neat and tidy habit, while 'Grosso' is much larger and more sprawling. There are also French varieties (pictured) with 'ears' on top of the flowers, although these tend to be a little more temperamental and need frost protection in colder areas. Lavenders are originally from the Mediterranean region where they are found growing wild in dry, exposed and rocky areas. As such they will do best on free-draining soil in full sun. Always make sure you cut them back hard after flowering, using a pair of shears and chopping off the flower stems and firmly into the new leaves to keep plants flowering well in subsequent years and to stop them getting woody. Now is a good time to buy and plant lavender, just before it bursts into bloom, for a summer of colour and fragrance.

• ellyswellies.co.uk

THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

MAY 2022

THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 67

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Elly’s Wellies

Garden Designs

Turning your ideas into beautiful spaces Elly’s Wellies Garden Designs will help you maximise the potential of your outdoor space and tailor it to your individual needs. Whether you are looking for a complete garden redesign, or just need advice on what to plant in a border, Elly’s Wellies will be happy to help.

For a free initial consultation, contact Elly West

www.ellyswellies.co.uk ellyswellies@gmail.com 07788 640934

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RUPERTS – MAY.qxp_Layout 2 22/04/2022 17:53 Page 1

THE PROPERTY COLUMN

Window allure This month, Rupert Oliver of Rupert Oliver Property Agents looks at the value of well-fitted windows and what they can do for our homes and our health...

nter a room. Where is your focus directed? Why, towards the light. Windows are central to the character of a property and every room is orientated around and defined by them. Why is it that basements and attics are spaces associated with entrapment and fear? It’s the lack of light.

Window benefits Studies demonstrate that daylight and views of nature have positive impacts on health and wellbeing at home. We need daylight (in fact we need regular exposure to both light and dark), and a view of the outdoors is a contributor to wellbeing, particularly if it’s a natural or attractive view. A good level of natural light daily also results in better sleep quality and circadian regulation. The attraction of these enablers of light makes sense, but there is something more than logic at play here. Where are the most coveted tables in a restaurant or café? In an office space? In a bedroom? On an aeroplane or train? Almost always by the window. This preference runs deep. There is a theory of positive space called ‘refuge theory’ that suggests people prefer an environment that give a place to hide while maintaining wide fields of vision. So it’s not just the light – we like to look out at the world and whether it’s a view of a luxuriant garden or a busy street, looking out is a pleasure and a security. It stops us feeling trapped in a box, it frees us from our walled structure, particularly important for individuals who are not able to leave their dwellings freely. Bristol’s windows: Georgian What about windows in our city? We have a real mixture of architecture in Bristol with nearly 200,000 houses and more terraced housing and flats than the national average. Many of Bristol’s houses are Georgian (built when the city was developing as a port) and there are a number of residential squares, such as Portland Square, where terraces of three-storey houses were laid out around central gardens. Georgian houses, and therefore the window placement, are based on symmetry. Windows tend to be larger and taller on the lower floors and double-hung sash windows were most typical, using grids generally in nine or 12 panels which allowed the use of smaller panes of glass. The Georgian house’s focus on space, comfort and style, its generous proportions, and its light interiors due to the large

windows mean that the houses of this period are elegant and soughtafter properties. Bristol’s windows: Victorian The majority of our Bristol homes were built during the Victorian era and before the First World War. Sash windows were still favourites for the Victorians, but the advancements in glass production during this period saw the removal or reduction in the number of glazing bars. Victorian windows were characterised by their ‘two over two panel’ grid design that features on both the top and bottom panes. The window tax was abolished in this era, increasing the number of windows in new houses. The size of windows also began to grow, welcoming in more light, using sash bay windows and giving access to fashionable balconies. Many sashes had their sills lowered to become full length or were replaced by French windows. Victorian houses were built for all classes of society – palatial squares were developed for the prosperous middle classes and upmarket Italianate and Grecian villas sitting in their own gardens were constructed in places such as Clifton Down. A host of working class and artisan homes were also built, predominantly in the south and east of the city. End of 19th century and beyond The end of the century saw the Arts and Crafts movement using leadedlights set in stone mullions or oak frames and the Queen Anne movement with white-painted small-pane sash windows. The pre-war and inter-war periods saw a mixture of revived-traditional and modernist windows. The first were an evolution of the Arts and Crafts and Queen Anne styles and the Arts and Crafts ones become the common style for many inter-war housing estates, with timber casements, often with small panels of leaded and coloured glass in doors and at the top of windows. Window style preference is always a matter of personal taste and the windows in our period houses are only one part of their visual and experiential impact. Beyond a preference for windows that are authentic to the period of the house – rather than unsympathetic modern imposters – I’d say there is no right and wrong. Big windows that let in lots of light are always winners, but there is a charm in almost any clean, well-kept light-giving window in a well-presented house. So let’s enjoy them all. n • rupertoliver.co.uk; 14 Waterloo Street, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 4BT THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

MAY 2022

THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 69

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Home sweet home

As East Bristol continues to rise in popularity we look at the hidden gem that is The Chocolate Factory – often known locally as Elizabeth Shaw or Packers - which is developing an exciting sense of community as it grows.

he place you live is not just about bricks and mortar, it is about the community that surrounds your home and the first residents of The Chocolate Factory development in Greenbank, BS5 are creating that community spirit. When the original factory was built, the owners not only created rows of terraced homes that surround the factory but provided things such as a sports pavilion and recreational ground. Added by the owner to enhance the lives of his employees and support local organisations, the recreational ground included a bowling green, cricket pitch and tennis court. Fast-forward 100 years and the once derelict Elizabeth Shaw factory is being transformed into new roads and homes. Those moving in are a healthy mix of first-time buyers, downsizers, families, couples, retirees and young professionals. After 16 years, they are bringing the site to life again. Francesca, 50, who works in Epidemiology at the University of Bristol, and her husband Robin, 45, have bought a terraced home after moving to Greenbank from a garden flat in Clifton. Speaking about her decision to move, Francesca said: “It was being part of a community that really attracted us to the area. Clifton is beautiful with nice houses but because it has a big student population people come and go quickly and there are a lot of Airbnb and rental properties, so the community does not form so well. “Here, we have a much more diverse community, and we are already making friends. Most of the other people who have moved in are younger with families. In fact, friends we made in Clifton are now following us and moving to The Chocolate Factory.” Francesca has been working from home a lot recently and she and Robin plan to buy bicycles so that they can take advantage of being alongside the Bristol Bath Railway Path. “It’s just a short stroll down to Stapleton Road where I get the train to Clifton Down when I have 70 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

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to go into the office,” she said. “My husband is a software engineer so he can also work at home at times.” Once complete The Chocolate Factory will include 104 private sale homes and 28 shared ownership homes as well as a community hub based around the new public open square, together with retail, café/bar, and workspace units, further enhancing the community feel and breathing new life into BS5. Francesca added: “It will be nice when the square with the local shop is completed and we are hoping there will be some nice local business and not a big chain. We would also like to see some cultural space created where people from the neighbourhood can meet together and maybe have some exhibitions.” Those aspirations match the desires of the developers Generator South West, who are in talks with a number of Bristol based independent businesses to occupy the commercial aspect of the development. Mya Castillo, consultant for Generator South West, who herself has lived in BS5 for over 20 years, said: “Greenbank is a vibrant, established, engaged and friendly community with everything you need within a 15-minute walk or cycle ride. “The Chocolate Factory is a regeneration of a site that was once the beating heart of the neighbourhood being brought back to life. When the Generator Group was first designing and planning the scheme, we really wanted to create a sense of neighbourhood, so to see that happening now before the scheme is even complete is wonderful. “These properties are gorgeous but what really makes a house is the sense of home it creates and part of that is the surrounding area and all the vibrancy, camaraderie, convenience and pleasure that brings. “Like many parts of Bristol the area has changed massively over

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the last decade but it is nice to see the long-established businesses like Sweet Mart and Paks alongside new openings like The Garden of Easton, The Red Church and the Lock Up – still serving some of the best Sunday roasts in Bristol. The schools have improved, and investment made in parks and the Railway Path so getting to the train station and into town is much easier. I grew up in BS6 but I wouldn’t want to live in any other part of the city now.” Reservations are now being taken for the standout three and fourbedroom townhouses on Packers Way created from one of the three original factory buildings that are being retained as part of the scheme. Steeped in history with high ceilings and large statement windows the townhouses stand out from the rest, thanks to their unique features. Interest in these properties in particular has come from areas

outside of Bristol including Bath and Portishead, with people keen to move back into the city centre, realising east Bristol has a lot to offer. This summer will see the launch of the eagerly anticipated apartments and demand is already high due to the lack of one and two bedroom homes available in the area. Indeed, people keen to get a foot on the property ladder snapped up the shared-ownership apartments in a matter of days. There is a visitor centre on site that showcases the rich history of chocolate making in the area and the development, and anyone interested in moving to the area can make an appointment to view the show homes at The Chocolate Factory by calling 0117 374 6600. • For more information about The Chocolate Factory, visit: chocolatefactorybristol.com

THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK

MAY 2022

THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE 71

BRISTOL’S MOST HISTORIC PUB TO LET

The Kings Head comprises a Grade II Listed pub steeped in history which is prominently positioned on Victoria Street. The area is in Bristol City Centre’s Central Business District, and has been the target of significant commercial and residential development over recent years. Victoria Street is also a key commuter route into the city centre providing a link between Temple Meads and with Finzels Reach and the historic Old Quarter. As a result, the property benefits from a significant level of pasing footfall.

Building under refurbishment

The present building dates back to the 17th century and sits adjacent to the late-medieval Temple Church, Bristol’s only English Heritate Site, which sits on the site of a former Knights Templar church and which survived bombing during the Second World War.

The Kings Head Victoria Street Bristol

Inside the property, there is a magnificent mid-Victorial back bar with a series of arches and a ‘Tramcar Bar’ - a snug seating area shaped like an old tramcar.

The accommodation includes: • Ground floor pub sales with sectioned seating areas and a large bar which dates back to 1865. • Cellar storage with barrel drop to the front of the property. • Two bed staff accommodation over first and second floors which is due to be refurbished. The property offers a fantastic opportunity for an existing pub operator to take on a property steeped in history.

For further information or to arrange a viewing please contact Charlie Kershaw or Holly Boulton on: 0117 934 9977 Charlie@burstoncook.co.uk / Holly@burstoncook.co.uk

Bristol & Clifton’s premier Commercial Property Agents Keep up-to-date with our latest news, deals, testimonials and market comment at our website: www.burstoncook.co.uk

(0117) 934 9977 SELF CONTAINED OFFICE FOR SALE

WATERFRONT COMMERCIAL UNIT FOR SALE

• Unique opportunity to purchase • A self-contained, two storey office building • Predominantly open plan accommodation • 28 on site car parking spaces

• Opportunity to purchase a unique commercial premises • Suitable for a wide range of uses subject to planning • Excellent location NEWLY REFURBISHED OFFICES TO LET

ATTRACTIVE OFFICES IN EXCELLENT LOCATION

• Prime out of town offices • Newly refurbished • 1,950 sq ft – 7 car spaces • Close to M-way • New lease available

• Self-contained with own entrance • Attractive office location on central pitch • Approx. 1,571 sq ft (145.9 sq m) • Flexible lease terms

PERIOD OFFICE TO LET

CLIFTON OFFICE TO LET

• Attractive period office building

• New flexible tenancy

• Contemporary office building • Use Class E and would therefore suit other commercial uses • 2,793 sq ft • New lease available

UNIQUE OFFICE IN TRANQUIL SETTING

NEW CITY CENTRE OFFICES TO LET

• A unique, selfcontained office building • High quality, modern accommodation • Excellent parking • Approximately 2,777 sq ft • Low rates

• Located in the heart of Bristol city centre on Lewins Mead • High quality space with air conditioning and LED lighting • On site car parking available!

OUT OF TOWN OFFICES WITH EXCELLENT PARKING

HIGH SPEC, OUT OF TOWN OFFICE PODS

• Second floor office suite available • Approx. 240 sq ft • 1 car parking space

• A hub of all inclusive office pods • 12 high spec containers fitting 4 – 6 desks • parking space and bike storage • Call us for availability

• Open plan office over two floors • Modern, high spec accommodation • 3,110 sq ft with excellent parking provision

Julian Cook FRICS

Jayne Rixon MRICS

Charlie Kershaw MRICS

Finola Ingham MRICS

Tom Coyte MRICS

Holly Boulton BSc(Hons)

Vicki Grimshaw BSc(Hons)

• • • • •

Sales / Lettings Acquisitions Valuations Landlord & tenant Auction Sales

• Rent reviews • Property Management • Investment Sales / Purchase • Development & Planning • Dilapidations Advice

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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

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

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City & Country launches Regent House at Factory No.1 in Bedminster

Award-winning heritage developer City & Country has released a new range of conversion apartments - Regent House at Factory No.1 in Bedminster, Bristol. Originally designed by Sir Frank Wills, the Grade II Listed Edwardian-Baroque style building is one of the most distinctive in the city. Regent House famously served as the headquarters of tobacco manufacturers W.D & H.O Wills, who together founded The Imperial Tobacco Company. Now, this important part of Bristol’s history has been painstakingly converted into 70 new one- and two-bedroom homes. The new homes feature contemporary yet original interior designs. Kitchens contrast tonal finishes and quartz marble worktops. Unique original features including a stunning oak panelled corridor, cornicing and fireplaces that have been restored and reinstated. Floors within each apartment have been dropped back to their original level, increasing ceiling heights and

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maximising light from large period windows. Externally, Regent House’s striking red brickwork has been enhanced and the building’s most iconic architectural feature – its green domed turret – has also been converted into one of Bristol’s most remarkable new homes, complete with a circular living area. Residents benefit from exclusive access to Factory No.1’s private courtyard gardens, whilst entry to the building is via secure gated entry systems and underground car parking is also provided. A concierge handles day-to-day needs for residents. Factory No.1 lies at the gateway to Bedminster, one of Bristol’s most vibrant areas that is home to an eclectic range of shops, restaurants, and bars, just minutes from North Street and with the hustle and bustle of city life just moments away. Prices start from £245,000*. For more information or to make an appointment, visit www.cityandcountry.co.uk/factoryno1 or call 01174 534 693.

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SNEYD PARK

GUIDE PRICE

£1,500,000

An exquisite house and gardens situated in one of Bristol’s prime locations with views directly towards the Downs and Leigh Woods beyond. Discreetly nestled in and set well back from Ivywell Road this unique semi-detached home offers a generous and versatile interior with scope to extend to make a four/five bedroomed family home.

REDLAND

OIEO

£1,050,000

This delightful semi-detached Victorian four bedroom house sits in the Redland catchment area and boasts off-street parking and good sized garden to the rear. The current owners have created a very warm and welcoming home, mixing a modern twist whilst retaining the many period features.

0117 923 8238

www.howard-homes.co.uk

hello@howard-homes.co.uk

Rupert Oliver FP May.qxp_Layout 1 19/04/2022 15:35 Page 1

Abbots Leigh, Bristol | Guide Price £1,500,000 A stunning Award Winning modern family house with exceptional eco-credentials on a quiet no-through road; with a south-west facing garden, gated off-street parking and a double garage. Exquisite modern house on a quiet lane in a sought-after village | Award Winning build with excellent eco-credentials | Air-source heat pump, mechanical heat ventilation system and photovoltaic panels | Stunning open plan kitchen, sitting and dining room | Family snug | Three ground floor bedrooms and a family bathroom | Two first floor bedroom suites (master with a balcony) | Utility room, cloakroom and extensive storage | Integrated double garage | Superb gardens, grounds, paved & decked terraces and gated off-street parking | EPC: A

In all circa 2896 sq. ft (269 sq. m)

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Clifton, Bristol | Guide Price £1,695,000 An effortlessly charming 3695 sq. ft Grade II* Listed townhouse with income generating self-contained accommodation, a west facing balcony and front & rear gardens. Beautiful Grade II* Listed family home | Superb retained period features throughout | Fabulous full-depth open plan kitchen, breakfast and dining room | Full-depth first floor drawing and withdrawing room with west facing balcony and stunning views | Five bedrooms over the upper floors and two bath / shower rooms | Lower ground floor self-contained one-bedroom flat with courtyard | Sub-basement storage and cellar | Deep front and rear gardens with private lane access to the rear | EPC: C

In all circa 3695 sq. ft (343.2 sq. m)tol

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The Bristol Magazine May 2022

Articles inside

GARDENING: RICH PICKINGS

BOOMING BUSINESS

MAN OF HOPE

FOOD & DRINK NEWS

AFTERNOON TEAS TO PLEASE

WILD WORLD

CITY FASHION EXTRA

TUPPENCE & DOWNTON

WHAT’S ON

ARTS & EXHIBITIONS

TREASURE RESTORED

ZEITGEIST

CITYIST

BARTLEBY

CRIMINAL RECORDS